Seoul

 Dumitriu Petru
 Zold Octavian
Burghelea Alessia
Constantin Denisa
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 With a fizzing K-Pop scene, cut-price beauty emporiums and late-
night norebang (karaoke) bars, the capital of South Korea, one of the most
Nothing like exciting cities in Asia, should be on your list of city destinations. Come for
a few days at least and you will find a mix of traditional and modern thrills
Seoul with countless attractions and sites to explore. Here are the top must-visit
attractions in Seoul and interesting facts about the city.
 Back in time in Seoul
• In the 11th century Goryeo built a summer palace in
Seoul, which was referred to as the "Southern Capital".
It was only from this period that Seoul became a larger
settlement. When Joseon replaced Goryeo, the capital
was moved to Seoul, where it remained until the fall of
the dynasty.
• Originally, the city was entirely surrounded by a massive
circular stone wall to provide its citizens security from
wild animals, thieves and attacks. The city has grown
beyond those walls and although the wall no longer
stands, the gates remain near the downtown district of
Seoul.
• In the late 19th century, after hundreds of years of
isolation, Seoul opened its gates to foreigners and began
to modernize. Seoul became the first city in East Asia to
introduce electricity in the royal palace.
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.
• Much of the development was due to trade with
foreign countries like France and the United States.
• After the annexation treaty in 1910, Japan annexed
Korea and renamed the city Gyeongseong.
• The city was liberated by U.S. forces at the end of
World War II.
• In 1945, the city was officially named Seoul, and was
designated as a special city in 1949.
• During the Korean War, Seoul changed hands
between the Soviet/Chinese-backed North Korean
forces and the American-backed South Korean forces
several times, leaving the city heavily damaged after
the war.
• Following the war, Seoul began to focus on
reconstruction and modernization.
• From the 1970s, the size of Seoul administrative area
greatly expanded.
• Until 1972, Seoul was claimed by North Korea as its
de jure capital.

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Places to visit
Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first and largest of the royal palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty. Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung
Palace was located at the heart of the newly appointed capital of Seoul and represented the sovereignty of the Joseon Dynasty. The
largest of the Five Grand Palaces (the others being Gyeonghuigung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace,
Changdeokgung Palace), Gyeongbokgung served, for five centuries, as the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty

 The Korean government has invested much time and effort into rebuilding, restoring, and maintaining the palace for future
generations. These efforts include work to rebuild and restore the buildings that were destroyed during the Japanese
occupation.*It was destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (1592–1598) and abandoned for two centuries*
 Seoul Tower
• The Seoul Tower, built in 1969 (used to be radio wave tower), and commonly known
as Namsan Tower is a communication and observation tower located on Namsan
Mountain in central Seoul. The 236-meter (774 ft)-tall tower marks the second highest
point in Seoul. It is best to visit this place at night as you can have dinner there at an
extraordinary height and with an amazing view.

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National Museum of
Korea

• The National Museum of Korea is

the flagship museum of Korean
history and art in South Korea and
is the cultural organization that
represents Korea. Since its
establishment in 1945, the
museum has been committed to
various studies and research
activities in the fields of
archaeology, history, and art,
continuously developing a variety
of exhibitions and education
programs.

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Buckhon Hanok Village
• Bukchon Hanok Village is placed in the area between two old palaces in north Seoul,
Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. This is a kind of an 'old town' of Seoul.
Bongeunsa

• Bongeunsa Temple is a Buddhist temple

in Gangnam-gu. Built in 794, it houses
interesting Buddhist artifacts and
activities for those looking to learn about
traditional Korean Buddhist practices.
• While the temple is surrounded by sleek
skyscrapers, shopping malls, and modern
architecture, its atmosphere is very quiet
and tranquil. There are several halls with
colourful murals and altars – must-visits
are the Daeung-jeon Main Hall and Jijang-
jeon Hall. 
Another reason to visit Seoul
 • Situated in the north-east of Seoul and known for its sprightly ambience
and bustling music scene, Hongdae is without a doubt one of the top
places to busk in the city.  The streets of Hongdae, and especially the
area surrounding Hongik University is known to come alive with buskers
at all hours of the day and night. Another popular busking hotspot is the
northern neighborhood of Daehangno that typically caters for a
somewhat older audience. Here, street performers are often found
delighting audiences among the numerous bars, cafes, streetfood stalls,
and creative haunts that include the renowned Marronnier Park. The
Busking streets of Sinchon are home to many performers charming the students
of the nearby Yonsei, Ewha and Sogang Universities. The area’s new
transit mall which consists of a length of road that no private vehicles
may enter is another busking hotspot in the region and has been for
more than five years already.
• https://youtu.be/i6JpR4bLsd8
• https://youtu.be/i6JpR4bLsd8

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Made in Seoul

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 K-Pop culture

• K-pop, short for Korean popular music, is a genre of music originating in

South Korea as part of South Korean culture.
• Modern K-pop "idol" culture began in the 1990s, as K-pop grew into a
subculture that amassed enormous fandoms of teenagers and young
adults.
• It became more and more popular in 2018.
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