| Seoul is a fascinating city having transformed
itself from the Hermit Kingdom of the 17th century to a major player in the
international scene of today. The Korean ambition to come to terms with a
turbulent past is most apparent in Seoul.
Having endured centuries of war, Seoul has been battered and rebuilt,
lending to the modern cityscape of today. Dominated by skyscrapers and
multi-lane highways, it still manages to maintain a hidden history of
ancient temples, palaces, pagodas and peaceful gardens.
Home to 10 million people, Seoul remains a fairly safe and friendly city
with a low crime rate, although pick-pockets are not unheard of. Its people
are hard working who also also enjoy socialising and are generally kind to
foreign visitors. The city is quite clean with barely a sign of trash or
graffiti. The absence of beggars indicates Seoul’s level of prosperity and
orderly conduct. Pedestrians adhere to a strict regulation of crossing
streets, waiting until the walking green man lights up before setting foot
onto the roadway. Those who choose to go against this custom are met with
utterly shocked expressions on the other side of the street. Though quite
organized, it’s not uncommon to share the sidewalk with a politely
meandering moped or motorcycle.
Seoul was named Hanyang, meaning “capital” over 600 years ago. It lies in
the northwest corner of South Korea and occupies an area of 605 square
kilometres. The North Korean border is about 40 kilometres from the city
centre. The Hangan or Han River winds through the city and is a celebrated
natural landmark and popular activity zone. Four majestic mountains surround
the city, offering skiing in the winter, magnificent fall foliage, miles of
hiking trails and breathtaking views year-round.
Seoul has many different districts for different tastes. The central area
known as Gangnam or Downtown Kangna is the heart of the city where modern
high-rises tower above ancient palaces. You can visit many attractions that
are close to each other in downtown Seoul. For example, in the city centre
is the stunning Gyeongbukgung Palace and National Folk Museum. City Hall is
in front of a traffic circle that frequently puts up displays for different
events. Downtown Gangnam is also host to the majority of the city’s
accommodation and shopping. The World Trade Center and the massive COEX Mall
are located here as well as one of Korea’s largest book stores, Kyobo Books
which stocks a generous selection of English and other foreign language
books. Excellent public transportation, including buses, subways, and taxis,
make it convenient to connect with other areas of Seoul.
Itaewon is the international section of Seoul, where many expatriates,
tourists and locals go to meet each other. Although famous as a foreigner
hang-out, more Koreans have started coming here since the 1997 lifting of
restrictions prohibiting businesses from operating past midnight. As many of
the business owners can speak a little bit of English, many travellers and
expatriates head here for a touch of home. Most Western fast food
restaurants have an outlet here as well as other tasty Western and Korean
eateries.
Itaewon has a vibrant night life and is designated as a special tourist
zone. There are tourist services, clinics and about 2,000 different shops to
choose from. The area is well-known for its Western style pubs and
nightclubs, juice bars (where men buy waitresses over-priced drinks), and
the infamous "Hooker Hill." Here you can find many of the infamous
kettle-houses serving their concoctions of soju (strong distilled grain
alcohol) and fruit juice. This area gets packed with partiers on summer
weekends. Most places stay open until dawn.
Aside from being a party place, Itaewon is also home to the National War
Museum. Its impressive granite facade and surrounding park with vintage
airplanes and tanks catch the eyes of people passing by. The museum’s six
rooms display an almost 5,000-year history of foreign invasions.
The Namdaemun area is one of Seoul's busy marketplaces and is just a few
minutes walk from the notorious South Gate, which dates back to the 17th
century Joseon Dynasty. This enormous open-air market setting is host to
millions of items from A-Z. Namdaemun is also home to the National Theatre
where you can find free outdoor entertainment such as traditional dancing
and drumming.
Dongdaemun is another bustling market area where just about anything can
be found. Prices here are considerably lower than typically found in other
shopping districts. Several mall facilities are located here and stores are
open well into the late hours of the night.
Jamsil is an area geared toward a younger audience. Attractions such as
an enormous ice rink called Lotte World, movie theatres, sport centre and
other venues offer hours of fun and entertainment. The Jamsil Sport Complex
was host to the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
The financial district is in Yeouido. This area is equivalent to New
York’s Wall Street where you can find all the banks as well as Seoul’s
tallest building, the KLI 63 building which is Korean Life Insurance. The
Yeouido Park, on the shore of the Han River is a wonderful place to visit.
Here you can take a cruise, lie in the sun, or play various sports.
The biggest challenge about Seoul is trying to navigate your way through
the system of addresses. Building numbers are random and there are virtually
no street signs, especially not in English. Even the locals seem puzzled by
the system. The best bet is to rely on the excellent public transportation.
Many hotels offer shuttle service to the different areas of the city.
Seoul’s climate grants the variety of four distinct seasons, with spring
and autumn being the most pleasant time of year. Average temperatures then
range from 12°C-20°C (55°F-70°F) with few days of rain. Autumn
(October-November) brings sunshine, blue skies and spectacular fall foliage.
Spring (April to May) can be beautiful too, but it’s also the most popular
time with many tourists and you'll have trouble getting mid to top-end
accommodation. The summertime (June-September) brings hot weather, heavy
monsoons and high prices. Temperatures range from 16°C-35°C (62°F-95°F) with
the likelihood of typhoons. Winter (December-March) is cold but dry and a
good time to visit if you like skiing, snow-draped temples, very few
tourists and freezing weather. The city’s temperatures can drop as low as
-6°C (20°F), occasionally warming up to a cool 10°C (53°F) with January
bringing the most snow.
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