7 Hidden Beautiful Places you must visit when you go to South Korea

April 16, 2021 London

1. Seochon Village – where past meets present

Beautiful hanok houses, art galleries, stylish boutiques and sophisticated cafes line up narrow alleyways at Seochon Village, where the past and present meet and create a traditional neighbourhood with a refined modern touch.

One of Seoul’s oldest neighbourhood and best kept secrets, Seochon which is near Gyeongbukgung Palace could be an alternative for the overcrowded Bukchon Hanok Village. The hanok houses are over 500 years old and some stores here have stood for decades. For example, Dae-oh Bookstore has been around since 1951 and is the oldest secondhand bookstore in Seoul. The worn signboard and faded book covers are enough to prove how old it is.

2. Haneul Park – the field of dreams

Always dreamed of a photo in the middle of a field of reeds? Make your way to Haneul Park, located on a hill overlooking Han River, near Seoul World Cup Stadium.

The best time to visit is autumn when Haneul Park is the most beautiful. It’s actually one of the five parks at World Cup Park. Haneul Park (which means Sky Park) is situated at the highest point so from here, you have a spectacular view of Seoul’s cityscape. There’s an observation platform available for an unlimited aerial view of both the park and the city. Benches are also provided to relax when you feel tired.

If you come when the sunlight hits the right spot, the field of eulalia will glimmer and appear almost golden-like, which makes for a great photo. Since the place is not as packed as Han River Park, chances are you might have the park all to yourself so you have the freedom to pose all you want!

3. Jukjeon Cafe Street – have your coffee with style

If cafe hopping is your passion, be sure to make Jukjeon Cafe Street (also known as Bojeong-dong Cafe Street) your pit stop.

Over the years, there has been a significant rise in the coffee drinking culture in South Korea and you see the evidence from the multiple cafes lining up almost all the streets here. If you’re looking for more quaint cafes with unique charms but are tired of the congested Hongdae and already-mainstream Garosu-gil, head over to Jukjeon Cafe Street.

4. Dongpirang Mural Village, Tongyeong – perfect Instagram backgrounds

Tongyeong is a lovely coastal city located in the southern part of South Korea, known for being one of the locations where a historical battle took place. Unbeknownst to most foreign tourists, this city has a lot of charms. Dongpirang Mural Village is one of them!

Located on a hill behind the Gangguang Harbour is a rustic village brought to life with colourful palettes. Almost every corner and every wall in this village has been decorated with all kinds of paintings, be it whimsical, introspective, or even trick art.

5. Gwangju Penguin Village – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure

Before you get all excited over the name, do know that there’s no penguin in this place and this village is actually named after “the way the elders walk”, which resembles a penguin.

Let that not dampen your enthusiasm to come here though, because what makes this village well known is the unique street decorations! Utilizing litters and things that are no longer useful like plastic bottles and household items, the streets here turned what are junk to us into unique artsy decorations!

6. Gwanghalluwon Garden – travel back in time

Gwanghalluwon Garden, constructed in 1419, is the essence of a traditional Korean garden. Coined as “the garden from the palace on the moon” due to its outstanding beauty, it’s the representation of utopia, or at least the Koreans’ idea of it.

This garden gained fame as the first meeting point of Lee Mongryong and Chunhyang, lovers from a well-known Korean folk story. There are wax figures of the couple throughout the place and a museum for visitors who want to learn the folk story in detail, as well as a theme park. Every year on May 5th, the garden hosts Chunhyang Festival to celebrate the deep and lasting love between the couple. But even without the festival, Gwanghalluwon Garden already has so many attractions.

7. Gimnyeong Maze Park, Jeju – find yourself within these walls

There are actually two maze parks in Jeju Island. While Maze Land is bigger and more popular (partly due to the exposure from TV programs), Gimnyeong Maze Park is smaller, less known, yet nearer to the city.

The maze park is quite straightforward and the mission is simply to get through the maze and ring the bell at the exit after completing the course. Encountering a bridge signifies that you’re on the right track and just halfway from the exit.

There are so many gems scattered across South Korea that you need to explore, and we just helped compile some of them for you. Put your travel book aside and go venture the roads that may not be found on GPS!