A chilly week in SEOUL, South Korea (January 2018)

Hi there!

It has been over one year since my last visit to South Korea in summer of 2016 so I was escpacially excited to travel to Seoul again from January 15th to 22nd. Let me show you the most fun and interesting places that I have been to during my short visit to this amazing (but very cold) city!

Adventures in Hyehwa-dong (혜화동)

Let me start by introducing you to the neighborhood where my guesthouse was located. It is called Hyehwa-dong (혜화동) and lies east of Changgyeong palace (창경궁) in the northern part of Seoul. It has it's own subway exit called Hyehwa (혜화역, see red circle on map) which makes it a really convenient place because it is not dead center in the middle of Seoul but rather a little bit on the quiet side with quick access to the subway and city buses.

Hyehwa is also a popular spot for university students to hang out. The most famous street there is called Daehak-ro (대학로) which means 'university street'. Compared to Hongdae (홍대), another popular neighborhood among students, there are a less people and the overall area is smaller. But it is still very fun if you want a more uncomplicated night out.

Hyehwa city gate(혜화문)

Hyehwa used to be one of the outer neighborhoods of Seoul therefore it is located next to the former city wall. The photo shows the city gate located in Hyehwa.
Outside view.

Inside view.

Artwork on the ceiling inside the doorway.

The former city wall of Seoul (Hanyang Doseong/한양도성)

Not many tourists know about the former city wall of Seoul which was called Hanyang at the time when the wall was constructed in 1396. The name 'Hanyang' is a former name of Seoul which was used during the Joseon period (조선시대). Starting from the aforementioned Hyehwa gate you can stroll, walk and hike along the city wall that circles the northern part of the nowadays much larger city of Seoul.

You can find a very detailed map of the whole courses along the wall here.

Let's me show you know some photos that took I while i was talking three different routes along the wall.

From Hyehwa gate to the south

Hyehwa gate view north.

Start of the wall heading south.

Naksan Park (낙산공원).

View of Namsan Tower (남산타워) and Jongno-gu (종로구).

At some places you can pass through the wall.

Random buddhist temple next to the wall.

At some places the wall gets quite high.

Following along leads you to Dongdaemun(동대문 [흥인지문], meaning 'East Gate').

The short course from Hyehwa gate heading south ends here. It takes about one hour.

From Hyehwa gate to the north

Starting again from Hyehwa gate the course to the north is a bit more challenging. After about 15 minutes the area gets pretty mountainous and buildings and people vanish leaving you alone with nature and stunning views.

At least there are stairs!

View of the city to the south.

This northern course is pretty long and leads through a forest and all the way up some mountains. Because I had no water on me I ended the course early. You can access Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을) and Samcheong-dong (삼청동) very easily from there if you turn your way back to civilization and enjoy some nice coffee or tea in a beautiful café there.

The city wall at Inwangsan (인왕산)

In summer of 2016, I already visited the city wall but on the other side of the former city limits near Inwangsan. Although this course has the most stunning views of Seoul, because it the farthest up a mountain, it is quite a bit harder compared to the ones I took this year.

The wall starts west of Gyeongbok palace (경복궁). You should check out the map to find the exact location.

Watch your step!

It goes really high up! If you know where to look, you can see Gyeongbok palace from up here!

Hiking here is not for the faint of heart.

Epic views even in misty weather.

As is turns dark the wall and the path get illuminated.

An afternoon in Yeoui-do (여의도)

Yeoui-do is a pretty large island located in the Han river south of the Mapo district (마포구). It is know for hosting many headquarters of Korean businesses such as broadcasting stations (방송국)and the National Assembly Building (국회의사당). Furthermore, the shiny golden 63 Building (63 빌딩) is located here. It was the tallest building in Korea and Seoul from 1985 until 2003.

63 Building seen from Yeoui-do Han River Park (여의도 한강공원).

A glimpse of the Han River.

The average building height is taller then in the northern part of Seoul. Also the streets are wider.

Brass statue of Kind Sejong (세종대왕) located in Yeoui-do Park (NOT Han River Park).

The National Assembly Building.

While I was in there, the Olympic Torch Relay went through the streets of Yeoui-do.

I dont't know who he is but the girls surely liked him a lot! x)

63 Building at night.

And also Han River at night.

In the middle of northern Seoul (종로구 & 중구)

As I mentioned above, my guesthouse was located in the northern part of Seoul. Therefore I spent most of my time there. Here are some impressions of the surroundings.

A landmark of Jongno-gu: Jongno Tower(종로타워) opened in 1999.

Through northern Seoul runs the Cheongyecheon stream (청계천). Pedestrians can walk along up to Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장).

Statue of King Sejong at Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장).

Gwanghwamun gate (광화문), the entrace to Gyeongbok palace (경복궁).

Actual entrance gate to the palace (no entry fee until this point).

Outside of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). It is a key venue for design-related shows and conferences, exhibitions, and other events and gatherings.

Last but not least Seoul Plaza (서울광장). The stone building in front is the old city hall (시청) built in 1925 when Korea was occupied by the Japanese Empire. It is now converted into the Seoul Metropolitan Library (서울도서관). The big glass building in the background with the curved walls is the new city hall which had been completed in 2008.

Kakao Friends Concept Museum(카카오프렌즈 컨셉 뮤지엄)

If you ever had contact with a younger (or even any) Korean person through instant messaging, you will know that they LOVE Kakao Talk! And just as much as they love the app itself they have an obsession with the cute emoticon characters who are called Kakao Friends. Because of that, a dedicated museum for those cute creatures has been created next to the Kakao Store in Hongdae. Here are some impressions of how it looks inside:

Blasphemy much?! Come on! Its so CUTE!

Traveling is better with a full stomach!

At the end I will showcase some of the delicious food that I ate during my stay. The dish closest to me is usually what I ate.

Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae 김치찌개)

Braised pork with some vegetables and side dishes. (Dwaeji bulbaek 돼지불백)

Pork belly barbecue (Samgyeopsal 삼겹살)

Spicy pork cutlet (maeun Donkkaseu 매운 돈까스). Totally covered in sauce!

Japanese style Miso Ramen (일본 미소라멘)

Korean style fried chicken (치킨) at Norangtongdak (노랑통닭). Regular crispy and marinated with a sweet and spicy sauce (양념치킨).

Spicy pan fried chicken. (Dakgalbi 닭갈비).

Sweet marinated beef in an earthenware bowl with side dishes. (Bulgogi 불고기)

Korean shaved ice dessert with red beans, rice cake and soy bean powder (Injeolmi Patbigsu 인절미 팥빙수) at Seolbing (설빙).

If you read all until the end: Congratulations! I hope that my future articles won't be that long just because this one here was a summary of a whole week worth of travel. Anyways, I hope you had fun reading my first post and maybe I could give you some tips for your travel plans to northern Seoul!

See you next time!
Marc~