Regions & prefectures
KoreaRegions & prefectures
Seoul
Six centuries as capital between mountains and river, half the country in its urban area.
- Capital
- Seoul
- Status
- Special city
- Region
- Capital region (Sudogwon)
- Must-see
- Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Local specialty
- Gukbap, tteokbokki, fried chicken
Chosen in 1394 by the founder of the Joseon dynasty for its geomancy, mountain to the north, river to the south, Seoul was flattened during the Korean War before becoming, within thirty years, one of the densest and most connected cities in the world. Its five royal palaces, hanok villages and hills recall the old capital; Gangnam, developed after 1970, is its exact opposite, gridded and vertical.
What to see there
Places, dishes and traditions tied to this territory.
K-popKorean pop. Music industry exporting idol groups like BTS, BLACKPINK worldwide.Gogigui (Korean BBQ)Korean barbecue where meat is grilled at the table.Sejong the GreatKing of Joseon (1397-1450). Creator of hangul, the Korean alphabet, considered Korea's greatest king.Bong Joon-hoSouth Korean director and screenwriter born in 1969, creator of Parasite (2019), the first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan)South Korean K-pop group consisting of seven members (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook), formed in 2013 by Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE).LotteThe major Korean-Japanese conglomerate, notably in confectionery and retail.Bukchon Hanok VillageLandmark · Seoul, KoreaGyeongbokgung PalaceLandmark · Seoul, KoreaHongdaeLandmark · Seoul, KoreaSeoulCapital of South Korea and megalopolis of over 10 million inhabitants (25 million in the metropolitan area), Seoul is the birthplace and driving force of the hallyu wave (K-pop, K-drama, K-beauty, Korean cinema).
In the magazine
Articles that cover this topic.