Sightseeing - Korea travel and tourism information

Dorasan Station (도라산역)

2024-02-29

556, Nosang-ri, Jangdan-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-953-3334

Dorasan Station is the closest South Korean railway station to North Korea. Initially, the station was served by a railway that connected Seoul with China and Europe, but it was destroyed during the Korean War (1950-1953). The station and the railway were rebuilt in 2002 to prepare for the railway’s reconnection to North Korea. Dorasan Station is located 55 km away from Seoul and 205 km from Pyeongyang. All visitors are required to bring their identification, such as passports or Alien Registration Card (ARC).

The Street in front of Cheongwadae (The Blue House) (청와대 앞길)

2020-03-21

Gungjeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-120

The street in front of Cheongwadae (the Blue House) is open to the public and includes both Hyoja Samgeori (Hyoja three-way intersection) in Hyoja-dong and Palpan Samgeori (Palpan three-way inetersection) in Palpan-dong. When walking along Hyoja-ro Road from Gyeongbokgung Station, sights include a fountain, Mugunghwa Garden, Yeonmugwan Hall, and Daegogak & Yeongbingwan Hall.

Cheongwadae Sarangchae consists of one basement level and two above-ground levels, including Korean Culture Exhibition Hall, Planned Exhibition Hall, a gift shop, and rest area (Korean Food Promotion Hall, Café) on the first floor and Cheongwadae Hall and Haengboknuri Hall on the second floor. Daegogak Hall houses a book donated to former president, Kim Young-sam for expressing the past spirit of Sinmungo (Petitioner's drum from Korean History). Yeonmugwan Hall is a martial art and fitness center for guards. Mugunghwa Dongsan, formed after the ansa (Safe House) was demolished in 1993, includes a well, mock fortress, and rest area. Located behind Mugunghwa Dongsan is Apostolic Nunciature in Korea and Chilgung (Seven Palaces).

At the beginning of the street in front of Cheongwadae, dense trees and beautiful flower gardens decorating both sides of the road make it a nice place for taking a walk. The area from the north gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Chunchumun, to the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Geonchunmun, is Samcheongdong-gil Road. This road is home to many art galleries, including Kukje Gallery, Growrich Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, and Jin Art gallery, in the area of Hyoja-ro.

Nakhwaam Rock (낙화암)

2021-09-14

Bukpo-ro, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
+82-41-830-2880

Nakhwaam is a rock cliff towering over Baengmagang River in the northern end of Busosan Mountain. According to the legend, this is where the royal court women of Baekje jumped off to kill themselves when the kingdom of Baekje was defeated during the invasion of Sabiseong Fortress (now Busosanseong Fortress in Buyeo) by the Shilla-Tang Alliance. The name of this rock, Nakhwaam, literally means "the cliff of falling flowers" and symbolizes the fidelity and loyalty of Baekje women.

Tomb of King Guhyeong, Sancheong (산청 전 구형왕릉)

2020-06-30

Guhyeongwangneung-ro, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do
+82-55-970-6411

This stone grave is known to be the tomb of King Guhyeong, the 10th King of the Gaya Kingdom. He is also known as King Guhae or King Yang, and is the grandfather of Kim Yoo Shin. Since becoming the King of Gaya in 521 AD, he reigned for 11 years until he handed over his country to King Beopheung of the Silla Kingdom in 532 AD.

There are two different scholarly opinions about this tomb. One is that it should be classified as a stone pagoda and the other, a royal tomb. The reason why this was regarded as a pagoda is that there are similarly shaped stone pagodas in the Andong and Uiseong regions. The basis for it being called Wangreung, or royal tomb, is that there is a record in Dongguk Yeoji Seongram (an ancient history book published during the rule of King Seongjong in the Joseon dynasty) and in Saneum-hyeon Sancheonjo (a record of events in the region) of it being a tomb. The notes state that "there is a structure with steps on the four faces, in the form of nine dragons piled up of stones at a distance of about 16 km (40 ri in traditional Korean scale) from the village, so people believe it must be a royal tomb".

The record describing the name of the king buried in this tomb can be extracted from a record of travels called Wangsan Shimreunggi written by Hong Ui Young, a Joseon dynasty scholar. In addition, there’s also an entry in Wangsansagi, a book on the history of Wangsansa Temple (a temple located west of the tomb) that the person buried in the tomb is King Guhyeong.

Unlike ordinary graves, the tomb is built at the middle part of the hill's slope. The tomb has a unique appearance made up of steps and layers, with the highest point being 7.15 meters high. There are seven layers at the front and no steps at the back due to it being built on an inclined surface. The overall shape of this tomb is different from the pyramids built on level ground. The top of the tomb is oval in shape. At the center, there is a stone tablet with the words "Royal Tomb of King Yang of the Garak Nation". In front of the tomb, there are several stone pieces that have been added to the original tomb.

During the 17th Year of King Jeongjo of the Joseon dynasty (1793), a wooden box that was passed down from generation to generation in Wangsansa Temple was discovered. The box contained portraits of King Guhyeong and his queen, their clothes, an archery bow, and other objects. To preserve these, a royal building called Deogyangjeon Hall was constructed. To this date, a memorial service is held here in spring and autumn of every year.

Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town (신당동떡볶이골목)

2022-10-25

10-18, Dasan-ro 33-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2236-9135

Sindang-dongTteokbokki Town started in the late '70s, although the alley did not become famous until the '80s. At that time, each restaurant had its own DJ booth, with the image of the "cool DJ" who played the music becoming a symbol of Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town. In addition, this period also marked the prime time of high school baseball where students would crowd the streets on days when Duksoo Commercial High School and Sunrin Commercial High School (now Sunrin Internet High School) played against one another. Although these high school students have aged, they continue to visit the area, reliving their youth and continuing to indulge in the specialty tteokbokki.

However, some claim the history of this alley began in the 1950s. The owner of Mabongnim Halmeoni Tteokbokki restaurant says tteokbokki was being sold as early as 1953 as the area used to be home to Donga Theater and she sold tteokbokki, corn and potatoes to those visiting the theater. At first, tteokbokki was simply made with gochujang (red chili paste) but as time went by, cooks decided the dish could be more than just a snack. By adding ingredients like eggs, cellophane noodles, fish cakes, instant noodles and more recently squid, prawn and cheese, tteokbokki can be made more delicious and turns this beloved snack into a full meal.

Songgyegyegok Valley (송계계곡)

2022-07-25

Mireuksonggye-ro, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do
+82-43-653-3250

Songgyegyegok Valley lies at the foot of Woraksan Mountain in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do. Crystal-clear water flows between the rocks that are scattered throughout the valley. The valley is a perfect summer getaway as the forest and cool water provide much needed shelter from the heat. In fall, visitors can enjoy fall foliage. There are various attractions in the mountain for visitors to explore.

Oktokki Space Center (옥토끼우주센터)

2024-11-15

403 Ganghwadong-ro, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon
+82-32-937-6917

Oktokki Space Center is Korea's first aerosepace theme park. The center collects, preserves, and exhibits materials related to aerospace engineering to educate and promote to the public. It is open to visitors all year round, offering diverse activity programs and experience rides that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The center is especially well equipped with fun learning materials as well as educational programs to spark children's insterest in the field.

Dongmak Beach (강화 동막해변)

2024-11-08

1481 Haeannam-ro, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon
+82-32-937-4445

Dongmak Beach is a pristine attraction with white sands surrounded by a forest of pine trees. During high tide, visitors can enjoy sun bathing, while during low tide, a large mud flat opens up for visitors to observe various sea life such as clams, crabs and more. There are many attractions nearby to see and enjoy.

Yeonmijeong Pavilion (연미정)

2022-08-30

242, Wolgot-ri, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon
+82-32-930-3124

Yeonmijeong Pavilion is Incheon's Tangible Cultural Asset No. 24 (designated on March 1, 1995).

While the exact date of construction is unknown, the pavilion was greatly damaged and then rebuilt afterwards due to the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, the Byeongja Chinese Invasion in 1636, and the Korean War on June 25, 1950.

The name Yeonmi comes from the swallow tail-shape of Imjingang River and Yeomhagang River ('yeon' means swallow and ‘mi’ means a tail). As the pavilion stands on top of Wolgotdondae, visitors can see Paju-si, Gimpo-si, Gaepung-gun in Hwanghae-do (North Korea) at a glance.

Cheonan Three-way Intersection Park (천안삼거리공원)

2021-03-11

410, Chungjeol-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do
+82-41-550-2445

The Cheonan Three-way Intersection Park (Cheonan Samgeori Park) used to be a three-way junction that divides into the road to Seoul in the north; Daegu, Gyeongju, and Dongnae in the southeast; and Jeonju, Gwangju, and Mokpo in the southwest. In the Joseon dynasty, the intersection served as a major division point, with travelers of different classes, from wealthy officials to humble scholars, stopping by to take a break on their way. Many legends and enjoyable folk songs, known as heungtaryeong, originated from this area. This significant junction was developed into a park by planting trees, rearranging facilities, and holding cultural events to honor the site's history and attract visitors.

Sightseeing - Korea travel information