For Your Next Trip: Best Cities to Visit in South Korea
South Korea is a gorgeous country known for having a mix of both technologically advanced cities and stunning countryside. The country is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination with the rise in popularity of K-pop music in the West and around the world. If you’re thinking of planning a trip to this beautiful country, here’s a list of the best cities to visit!
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Joon Kyu Park/ CC BY 3.0
seoul
Seoul is the capital of South Korea. The city consists of modern buildings, historic temples, and streets lined with fashionable stores and street markets. One of the best markets to visit is Gwangjang Market, which became popular after it was featured on the Korean show Running Man. The market sells traditional Korean goods such as food and hanboks. Some of the popular dishes featured there include mung bean pancakes, fish cake soup, and spicy rice cakes.
There are also cultural landmarks in the city that are worth a visit, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Deoksugung Palace. Other places to visit are the 236-meter-tall N Seoul Tower, Jogyesa Temple which is a Buddhist temple, and the theme park Lotte World which houses an outdoor theme park, shopping malls, luxury hotels, an artificial island, movie theaters, and more.
For those who like to shop, Myeong-dong is a neighborhood located in Jung District that houses many fashion, luxury, and cosmetics stores. There are also many places to eat throughout, such as vendors selling Korean, Thai, and Japanese cuisine and snacks. And for those who have a love for K-pop music, you’ll want to check out the K Pop Museum, which covers the history of Korean music from the 1900s to now.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Namoroka/ CC BY 4.0
daegu
Daegu is a city in North Gyeongsang Province. The city is home to many gorgeous parks, museums, theme parks, and markets. Some attractions to visit are the Daegu Arboretum—a botanical garden housing thousands of different plants such as cacti, flowers, and trees in 21 gardens—the 83-story Daegu 83 Tower—a tower offering an observation deck with a gorgeous view of the city, a restaurant, and a café, and E-world—a European-style theme park with rides, restaurants, art exhibitions, colorful lights, and more.
In addition to these attractions, there’s the Seomun Market—the largest traditional street market in the city. It has over 4,000 shops. Textile goods are mostly sold there, but the market also has clothes, dry goods, crafts, and more.
More scenic places to visit include Biseulsan Natural Recreation Forest, which has places to sled during the winter and hiking trails. During the late spring, Biseulsan Mountain grows many wildflowers. There are cabins and a campground for those looking to stay, and a pond view. The Pagye Temple is another scenic place to visit. The Buddhist temple is in Palgongsan Park, and it’s a very quiet but beautiful place to visit. It is best to go during the fall season, when the leaves on the trees surrounding the temple change color.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Joseph K/ CC BY 3.0
busan
Busan is a port city that houses many mountains, temples, and bars. The city also offers many beaches, such as the Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches, and markets. The Gamcheon Culture Village is a popular tourist spot that consists of colorful houses and is lined with various shops and places to eat.
BIFF Square is another popular tourist spot that is designed to promote Korea’s film industry. There are handprints of famous actors located there, movie theaters, and shops. In addition to this, there’s the Diamond Tower (also known as the Busan Tower) which is a 120-meter-high observation deck in Yongdusan Park. The first floor of the tower houses an amusement park, and the second floor houses a photo gallery of famous travel spots in the city.
Other noteworthy tourist attractions include the SEALIFE Busan Aquarium, Gukje Market—which has shops that sell clothing, kitchenware, and food such as pancakes and fish cakes—and the stunning Haedong Yonggungsa Temple which is a Buddhist temple on the coast of the city.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Song Songroov/ CC BY 3.0
jeju city
Jeju City is a city located on Jejudo Island. If you’re looking to go on a more tropical, beachy vacation, this is the city for you! Jeju City is very scenic, with many beaches and parks to visit. Notable beaches include the Hamdeok Beach, Hyeopjae Beach, and Woljeongri Beach. All three beaches offer gorgeous views of the blue waters surrounding the island.
The city also has various forests that are worth visiting. The Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest offers hiking trails, picnic tables, and a volcanic hill. The Bijarim Forest is a forest containing nutmeg trees as old as 500-800 years old. The Jeju Stone Park is also worth a visit. It houses stone sculptures representing figures from the history of Jeju, and the sculptures are made from volcanic stones. The park offers a gift shop and museum.
Other notable tourist attractions include the Hallim Park botanical gardens and Maze Land—a theme park that has the world’s largest stone maze at 5.3 km long. It’s a popular tourist destination to visit with your family. The mostly stone and wood maze allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in nature.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Jaehyuk Lee/ CC BY 2.0
incheon
Incheon is a city bordering Seoul. The city houses the large Incheon International Airport, as well as various parks, temples, and more. The Incheon Grand Park is a gorgeous nature park with walking paths and bike trails surrounded by trees. The park is surrounded by two mountains—Gwanmosan Mountain and Sangasan Mountain. It offers zoos and botanical gardens, in addition to giving visitors a peaceful place to connect with nature.
Temples that are worth a visit include the Heungryunsa Temple and the Jeondeungsa Temple, both Buddhist temples. The temples are covered in various colors, such as red, green, and gold, and offer visitors a chance to experience the culture of the city and Korea.
Other fun places to visit in the city are Wolmi Theme Park—an amusement park with rides such as a ferris wheel and go-karts—Songwol-dong Fairytale Village—a village with buildings covered in bright colors and depicting various fairytales—and the Hyundai Premium Outlets Songdo, which is an outlet mall that has shops selling upscale clothing for affordable prices.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Aatu Dorochenko/ CC BY 4.0
daejeon
Daejeon is a city located along the Geum River. There are many fun attractions to visit. There’s the National Science Museum and Daejeon Museum of Art for those looking for an educational experience. There’s also the Daejeon Skyroad, which houses shops, restaurants, bakeries, and markets. Nearby, there’s a creek that visitors can walk along, and in the spring, the road has cherry blossom trees.
The Daejeon O-World theme park is a popular tourist attraction in the city. It houses Zoo Land—a zoo with 600 animals in it such as black bears, lions, and elephants. There’s also Flower Land, which has fields of flowers and various gardens such as the Rose, Four Season, Herb, and Maze gardens. In addition to this, there’s Joy Land, which has kid-friendly rides, waterslides, and sledding.
The Daejeon Jungang Market is another place worth a visit. It has various markets with streets dedicated to selling certain items, such as seafood, hanboks, and delicacies. Other items sold are jewelry, clothing, and bedding. Located next to the Daejeon Railway Station, it’s a convenient place to stop by to do some shopping!
conclusion
All these cities offer visitors a wide selection of things to do. From scenic parks to sandy beaches with gorgeous coastal views, historic temples to museums packed with rich history, and shopping districts to bustling markets, these cities have something for everyone to enjoy. There’s so much more to South Korea than just K-Pop. There’s vibrant culture, history, and great food!
So don’t wait any longer! Start planning your trip to South Korea!
