A fantastic metropolis of history, culture, parks, markets, food, festivals, shopping, high-tech and 24-hour entertainment, Seoul — and South Korea as a whole — is underexposed and under promoted. However, it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening there. On the contrary, Seoul, in particular, is earning itself a cool reputation that has nothing to do with the weather.
With a population nearing 10 million, unlike other worldly capital cities of soulless concrete and glass, Seoul, once a walled city, now sprawls aimlessly over the surrounding hills and valleys full of enchanting wonders and a fascinating blend of old and new architectural styles, historic grandeur, delicious foods and colourful lifestyles.
Check it out for yourself from the N Seoul Tower on top of Mt Namsan, right in the heart of the city. It’s located within Namsan Park and was built between 1969 and 1971. Accessed by cable car, the 360-degree views from the communications tower or revolving restaurant show the city stretching endlessly in every direction, interspersed with beautiful pockets of green even in winter (when I visited). You don’t miss out on the views when visiting the bathroom either!
Down in the city itself, Lotte World Tower, which opened in April 2017, is now the tallest building in Seoul and the fifth in the world at 555 metres. It’s part of the Lotte World shopping centre and a large indoor amusement park and ice-skating rink. It has the world’s fastest elevator, highest building swimming pool and the most elevated glass-bottomed observation deck (if you’re game enough to walk on it).