24 Hours In Seoul

South Korea is one of the great
success stories of the modern
age. A scant 50-odd years ago it
was a third world country. Today
it is an Asian Tiger, a powerhouse
in technology development and
export, and a major player on the
world stage. What a turnaround!

Seoul is its capital city. Home to
10.3 million (22% of the nation’s
total population), this rambling
megatropolis has ancient palaces,
museums packed with art and
history, primo shopping and
dining, a nightlife crackling with
electricity, stuff for the kiddies -
and a friendly and welcoming
people. It’s busy, clean, safe, and
modern. In short, an Asian capital
that’s a capital place to visit.

TIME OFF

Gyeongbokgung – 1 Sejong-no,
Jongno-gu. Subway:
Gyeongbokgung Station, line 3,
exit 5, walk five minutes. Tel. 732-
1931. This 1.6 million sq m palace
compound, originally built in the
1300s by King Lee Seong-Gye,
the founder of Joseon Dynasty, is
one of the most historic sights in
Asia. It features many impressive
halls and pavilions, including
Geunjeongjeon, the main hall,
where inquiries and morning
sessions were held, and
Gangnyeongjeon hall, the king's
sleeping quarters. The well-
manicured grounds, rock gardens
and lily ponds enhance its serene
ambiance. The national folk
museum, with its many and varied
antique treasures, is here as well.
Gyeongbokgung is where Queen
Min, one of the country’s great
heroes, was assassinated.

Mt. Namsan – Yongsan-dong 2
(i)-ga San 1-3, Yongsan-gu.
Getting there: Take the line 6
subway, to Hangangjin Station,
exit 2 then take bus 0014 and get
off at Hyatt Hotel. The bus comes
every 10 minutes and takes about
10 minutes. Tel. 775-6222.
Consistently voted the city’s top
tourist destination, this peak’s
summit has excellent views of the
city, especially at night. A favorite
place for lovers. The 236.7 m
Seoul Tower is here.

Jogyesa Temple – 45-beonji,
Gyeongji-dong, Jongno-gu.
Subway: Jonggak station, line 1,
exit 2. Walk 70m and cross the
road, pass the KFC, walk 100m
further and there is a path to the
temple on the left. Tel. 732-2115.
Designed in the Joseon Dynasty
style and built in 1938, this is the
center of Zen Buddhism in Korea
and the largest Buddhist temple in
town. The many lovely locust and
baeksong trees in front of the
Daeungjeon, the main temple
building, may suggest tranquility,
but it’s not exactly the quietest
place in the world as it’s right in
the heart of the city. But the
monks are friendly and it is a good
place to see traditional temple life.

War Memorial of Korea – 8
Yongsan-dong 1(il)-ga, Yongsan-
gu. Subway: Samgakji Station,
lines 4 and 6, exit 12, walk five
minutes. Tel. 709-3139. This
country has had to defend itself as
long as it has been in existence.
Its often-tragic history is explored
here in eight large exhibits. The
Korean War exhibit is particularly
thorough, with newsreels, maps,
artifacts, and many excellent
photographs. Every Friday at 2:
00 p.m. a military band concert
and marching parade performs in
peace square.

Korean Football – 549-beonji
Seongsan-dong, Mapo-gu.
Subway: World Cup Stadium
Station, line 6. Tel. 733-6764.
Korea co-hosted the 2002 World
Cup, and to its shock, amazement,
and utter glee, the national team
went all the way to the semi-finals.
The K-League plays matches all
month long. The best way to get
tickets is to buy them at Seoul
World Cup Stadium on game day.
See website for complete
schedule.

SHOPPING

Namdaemun – Namchang-dong,
Jung-gu. Subway: Hoehyeon
Station, line 4, exit 5. Tel. 260-
1410. This sprawling market is
like stepping back into 1964, the
year it was opened. Not much has
changed except the merchandise.
Its earthy and old time feel is what
attracts. Known as Korea’s
greatest marketplace.

Dongdaemun – 69, Jongno 6
(yuk)-ga, Jongno-gu. Subway:
Dongdaemun Stadium Station,
lines 2,4,5, exit 1. Tel. 2236-
9135. Modern malls, traditional
markets, and streets stalls weave
in and around Dongdaemun
Stadium, offering everything from
the highest of high tech to the
lowest of junk, i.e. scratchy
phonograph records, velvet
paintings, etc.

Hwanghak-dong Flea Market –
between cheonggyecheon7ga and
cheonggyecheon8ga, Hwanghak-
dong, Jung-gu. Subway: Sindang-
dong Station, lines 2 and 6, exit 2,
walk three minutes. Bargains
shops abound, with many
“treasures”. Need a refrigerator?
Socks? Buddha Stones? It’s all
here and on sale.

Itaewon – Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu.
Subway: Itaewon Station, line 6. Tel. 710-
3321 Most foreign tourists end up here
because the stores offer competitive prices
and the shopkeepers speak English. A
good place for tailor made suits, leather
goods, shoes, jewelry, and accessories.

Insadong – Insadong Junction, Jongno-
gu. Subway: Anguk Station, line 3, exit 6.
Tel. 737-7890. Small town charm in the big
city. Art galleries, tea houses, and
traditional restaurants are just a few of the
things that cement this street’s reputation as
a can’t miss, along with the handmade
pottery shops, snack stalls, and lacquer
ware barns. Walking through the winding
back alleys is a good way to soak up the
culture.

WINE AND DINE

TOP END

Top Cloud – Chongno Tower, Millennium
Plaza. Subway: Jonggak Station, line 1, exit
3. Tel. 230-3000. There are two
restaurants here, the Grill, which needs
reservations, and the Bar, which doesn’t.
The Bar offers a buffet, but stops serving at
8:30 p.m. The Top Cloud is aptly named as
it sits atop one of the highest buildings in
town and offers a dramatic view of the city.
Strangely enough, the best view is from the
men’s room!

Samwon Garden – 623-11 Shinsa-dong,
Gangnam-gu. Tel. 548-3030. One of the
largest restaurants in the country, it can
serve up to 1,200 and offers pulgogi
(barbeque beef and veggies) and galbi
(beef ribs) as house specialties. It is owned
and operated by the parents of lady golf pro
Park Ji-Eun.

MID RANGE

Nolbu Myeongga – Central city shopping
plaza, next to gangnam express bus
terminal. Subway: line 3, exit 2. Tel. 595-
0202. Traditional cuisine. Exceptional
ambiance. Cozy décor. Lots of antiques.
Clucking waterfall and lily pond at the
entranceway. A traditional music
performance with a 12-person folk ballad
ensemble plays daily from 12:20 pm to 2:00
pm. Very relaxing.

Baekje Samgyetang – 50-11 Myeong-
dong 2-ga, jung-gu. Subway: Myeong-
dong station, line 4, exit 2, walk north five
and a half blocks and it’s on the left. It’s on
the second floor and its sign is in Chinese.
A favorite of Japanese tourists. The
samgyetang is popular, which is a small
whole chicken stuffed with rice, red dates,
garlic and ginseng and boiled in broth. The
insamju, or ginseng liquor, is a hot item too.

CHEAP EATS

Go-Si-Nai. From Kangnam Station, walk
down the main street north toward the
Hannan Bridge (Hannan Daegyo), pass
"Teenie Weenie", turn left at the7-11 and
follow the street past the "World's Best Tofu
Place.” Go-si-nai is on the second floor.
TEL. 3481-2557. For those who love the
swine. This is the place to go for sam-gyup
sal, which translates into “three layers of fat
pork.” Open 24 hours.

Techno Mart Food Court - 546-4 Guui-
dong, Gwangjin-gu. Subway: Gangbyeon
Station, line 2. It is directly connected to
underground passage. Tel. 3424-0114.
This cluster of 40 food stalls serves all kinds
of grub, from sushi to fried chicken to
Korean tradish. The idea here is food
fusion. The stall attendants heap mounds
of food on large platters to share among
three. Cost: W10,000 (US$ 10) per platter.

NIGHTLIFE

MYEONG-DONG – Subway: Myeong-dong
Station, line 4. TEL. 757-0088. Underwear-
clad western models peer down from large
banners and signs that adorn the numerous
clothing stores in this popular fashion
district. The narrow streets are closed to
thru traffic, which is good since they are
always jammed with shoppers. A good
place for eating, drinking, or people
watching. Grab a latte at the five-story
Starbucks, or croon your favorite Sinatra
tune at one of the many karaoke bars.

Lotte World – 40-1. Chamshil-dong,
Songpa-ku. Subway: Jamsil Station, lines 2
and 8, exit 4. Tel. 411-2000. The Lotte
World Adventure & Magic Island is the
Korean version of Disneyland and is
(surprise, surprise) quite popular with the
kiddy bumps. Lots of thrill rides that go up
and down and fast, plus 3-D films, live
music, and a monorail to take you here and
there. The park has a swimming pool and a
large indoor ice-skating rink. Open till 11:00
p.m.

Han River Ferry Cruise - 85-1 Yeouido-
dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu. Subway:
Yeouinaru Station, line 5, exit 3 and walk 5
minutes. Tel. 378-0070. This tributary trek
is a good way to see the sights and temper
down on a hot day. The twinkling lights
shimmering and the cool wind blowing off
the dark water put the traveler in a
dreamlike state. The trip lasts one hour.

Once in a Blue Moon Jazz Bar –
85-1, Cheongdam-dong Gangnam-gu. Tel.
549-5490. Patterned after the famous Blue
Moon bars in the US, this hip music club is
all things jazz, from swing to bebop to
fusion, played expertly by Korean hepcats.
The food is expensive, but top notch. The
cocktails are interestingly named after
famous musicians, so don’t be flummoxed
when your waiter asks if you’d like a Chet
Baker. Closes at midnight.

Club Day – Subway: Hongik University
Station, line 2, exit 6. On the last Friday of
every month, bar hoppers can buy a ticket
for W15,000 that will gain entry into eleven
participating nightclubs. The area has
become party central for the younger set
though some of the clubs, like Old Rock,
cater to the 30s and 40s crowd.