Seoul, South Korea

Funky Seoul

Joel
Bustling Nightlife Street Illuminated by Neon Signs and Korean Restaurants – Seoul, South Korea
Bustling Nightlife Street Illuminated by Neon Signs and Korean Restaurants – Seoul, South Korea

Well, two days into my South Korean visit and I’m quite impressed! It has a bit of a cold, dark, dank Tokyo feel, but that’s probably largely due to the season. It seems much easier to travel around Tokyo than in Tokyo because so many people at least seem to know some English. Those who speak fluent English haven’t been afraid to come out and help me when I’ve looked dazed or confused while trying to find my hotel or navigate the subway system.

Cheonggyecheon Stream Waterfall and Cheonggye Plaza in Central Seoul – South Korea
Cheonggyecheon Stream Waterfall and Cheonggye Plaza in Central Seoul – South Korea

My hotel room is TINY, but I knew that when I signed up. It’s only $50 a night, and it had rave TripAdvisor reviews, so I jumped on the deal. It has everything you need (private shower right over the toilet, big HD colour TV, teapot, fridge, bed). I’m very happy with the place, in hip Sinchon, full of funky shops, bars, and restaurants, and right on the excellent subway system. A bit of a university neighbourhood, which is always nice. The people who run it are very nice, speak fluent English, and are very good at offering suggestions on what to see and do.

Colourful Neon Signs, Restaurants and Bars in Seoul's Itaewon Entertainment District – South Korea
Colourful Neon Signs, Restaurants and Bars in Seoul’s Itaewon Entertainment District – South Korea

Seoul is very safe, and I’ve found most people very friendly and patient with a foreign-language speaker like myself. I always feel obligated to ask how safe the area is for me to walk around with a camera, and I often get laughed at like it was a stupid question because it IS so safe.

Heungnyemun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace, with Bugaksan Mountain in the Background – Seoul, South Korea
Heungnyemun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace, with Bugaksan Mountain in the Background – Seoul, South Korea
Royal Guard Drummers During the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Royal Guard Drummers During the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea

I headed out to Gyeongbokgung Palace to check it out, along with a few other things in the neighbourhood this afternoon. It’s an amazing, huge place that borders the South Korean President’s house in the back. Sadly, the Japanese destroyed the place TWICE over the years, burning it to the ground in 1592 and tearing down a previously restored version during WWII so they could plop their own HQ in its place. Now restored again, we’ll see how long it lasts this time!

Gyeongbokgung Palace Snoop

Map of the route “Funky Seoul”: 2,164 m, 62 m of climbing and 46 m of descent, elevation between 33 m and 58 m, time 01:11:02. It starts at 37.57655, 126.97555 and ends at 37.58135, 126.97818 (latitude, longitude).

Traditional Folding Screen Depicting Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Surrounding Mountains – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Folding Screen Depicting Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Surrounding Mountains – Seoul, South Korea
Colourful Dancheong-Painted Eaves and Traditional Wooden Doors at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Colourful Dancheong-Painted Eaves and Traditional Wooden Doors at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Royal Residential Buildings and Courtyard at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Royal Residential Buildings and Courtyard at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Joseon Dynasty Architecture and Colourful Dancheong Decorations at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Joseon Dynasty Architecture and Colourful Dancheong Decorations at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Doors and Covered Walkway in the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Doors and Covered Walkway in the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Lattice Window in the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Lattice Window in the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Buildings and Courtyard in the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Buildings and Courtyard in the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Geumgwangmun Gate Leading into the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Geumgwangmun Gate Leading into the Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Architecture of Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Architecture of Jibokjae Royal Library Complex at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Ornately Decorated Entrance to Jibokjae Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Ornately Decorated Entrance to Jibokjae Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Joseon Dynasty Palace Buildings Framing a Courtyard at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Joseon Dynasty Palace Buildings Framing a Courtyard at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Lattice Doors with Decorative Iron Fittings at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Wooden Lattice Doors with Decorative Iron Fittings at Gyeongbokgung Palace – Seoul, South Korea
Heungnyemun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Viewed from Inside the Palace Complex – Seoul, South Korea
Heungnyemun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Viewed from Inside the Palace Complex – Seoul, South Korea

There were a few excellent free museums adjacent to the palace, one on the palace and another on Korean folk art. After leaving the palace, I strolled into a few busy historic neighbourhoods nearby, full of homes and shops preserved in traditional Korean architectural styles and owned by very wealthy people. And packed with many tourists!

Crowds of Tourists Walking Along a Narrow Street Lined with Traditional Hanok Houses in Bukchon Hanok Village – Seoul, South Korea
Crowds of Tourists Walking Along a Narrow Street Lined with Traditional Hanok Houses in Bukchon Hanok Village – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Hanok House at a Street Corner in Bukchon Hanok Village – Seoul, South Korea
Traditional Hanok House at a Street Corner in Bukchon Hanok Village – Seoul, South Korea
Narrow Hillside Street Lined with Traditional Hanok Houses in Bukchon Hanok Village – Seoul, South Korea
Narrow Hillside Street Lined with Traditional Hanok Houses in Bukchon Hanok Village – Seoul, South Korea

After that, I kept walking south into the centre of town through countless pedestrian malls closed to traffic, until I found a canal running alongside public walkways. Too bad they had a few too many foot-crossing stones permanently affixed – it would have made a great little whitewater paddling circuit!

Cheonggyecheon Stream and Pedestrian Walkways Surrounded by Modern Skyscrapers – Seoul, South Korea
Cheonggyecheon Stream and Pedestrian Walkways Surrounded by Modern Skyscrapers – Seoul, South Korea
Cheonggyecheon Stream and Pedestrian Walkways Surrounded by Modern Skyscrapers – Seoul, South Korea
Cheonggyecheon Stream and Pedestrian Walkways Surrounded by Modern Skyscrapers – Seoul, South Korea

Seoul Snoop

Map of the route “Funky Seoul”: 4,883 m, 53 m of climbing and 82 m of descent, elevation between 15 m and 54 m, time 01:17:31. It starts at 37.58303, 126.98401 and ends at 37.56599, 126.97741 (latitude, longitude).

Published by Joel

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.