Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)
731.7M 2025-07-11
99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-737-6444
Deoksugung Palace has held a guard changing ceremony since 1996 after thorough historical research by leading historians. The ceremony, which is held in front of Daehanmun Gate of Deoksugung Palace, is a tradition similar to the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace and offers a rare opportunity to experience royal culture. The royal gate is opened and closed at pre-determined times, and the gatekeepers in charge of guard duty and patrols hold a shift ceremony three times a day.
The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a highly recommended event for tourists. It is held three times a day, with each ceremony following the same procedure and lasts for forty minutes to an hour, and the ceremony is free of charge. There are no ceremonies on Mondays as well as on severely cold or hot days.
As the ceremony begins, the changing of the guards commences replete with traditional musical instruments, and exchanges a password for verification. An eight-minute guard ceremony ensues, followed by a seven-minute change ceremony, and finally a patrol that completes the ceremony. The procedure takes a dramatic turn when 18 guards in six official positions beat a drum and bellow some orders.
The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a great opportunity to experience a rare traditional scene. The guards’ splendid costumes, with their brilliant primary colors, are a pleasure to view. Once the ceremony is over, visitors can take pictures with the gatekeepers.
Hillhouse Hotel / 힐하우스 호텔
744.5M 2025-03-18
42 , Sogong-ro 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Hill House Hotel is a business hotel at the foot of Namsan Mountain in Seoul. Free internet is available in all rooms, and there is a shared microwave on the first floor. A free luggage storage service is provided for customers’ convenience. Nearby transport links include Hoehyeon subway station, Seoul Station, and Myeongdong subway station, so this is a good base for exploring downtown Seoul. Namsan Park, N Seoul Tower and Namdaemun Market are all within walking distance.
NKDB North Korean Human Rights Exhibition Hall (북한인권전시실)
763.5M 2025-11-13
393 Samil-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
The NKDB North Korean Human Rights Exhibition Hall is a permanent exhibition space dedicated to North Korean human rights. Although it is a small space, it resonates deeply and serves as a "dark tourism" site that records and testifies to the ongoing reality of human rights violations in North Korea. The North Korean Human Rights Information Center (NKDB), which operates this exhibition hall, is the organization that collects and archives the most extensive records of human rights concerning North Korean residents in the world. The testimonies and records presented here represent a living history, a story unfolding in the present, unavailable elsewhere. Through donated North Korean artifacts, including these records, visitors can glimpse the present-day North Korea and encounter artwork by North Korean defectors.
Jeongdong Observatory (정동전망대)
768.0M 2022-08-11
15, Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Jeongdong Observatory is located on the 13th floor of Seoul City Hall Seosomun building. The observatory has a cafe inside where visitors can enjoy a drink while gazing upon the magnificent view of Deoksugung Palace from above. In addition, the walls of the cafe are decorated with photos of old Jeongdong.
Myungbo Art Hall (명보아트홀)
825.8M 2025-04-15
47 Mareunnae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Located in Euljiro 3(sam)-ga, the heart of Seoul, Myungbo Art Hall is a cultural complex that consists of a professional theatre hall. Renovated from Myungbo Theater in 2009, Myungbo Art Hall is equipped with state-of-the-arts lighting and sound equipment that guarantees high-quality theatre experience for the audience. In addition, the hall also has comfortable seats along with other amenities for the audience's convenience. Myungbo Art Hall aims to globalize Korean performance culture by creating a variety of content that incorporate Korean theatre with tourism. This area is also where the house of Admiral Yi Sun-sin was located, which is honored with a memorial plaque listing his accomplishments.
Euljiro Nogari Alley (을지로 노가리골목)
830.8M 2025-11-06
Eulji-ro 129, Jung-gu, Seoul
Going out of Exit 3 of Euljiro 3-ga Station on Seoul Metro Line 3 and turning to the alley, you will find many pubs selling Nogari/Dried Young Pollack (Korean people grill and dip it in red pepper paste to eat as a side dish with alcohol) and restaurants specializing in Golbaengi/Sea Snails (It is a kind of conch shell, and Korea people made it a seasoned dish and enjoy it with Somyeon/Thin Noodles or use it as a bar sack). People gather in small groups at every outdoor table and sit in every alley to enjoy beer and snacks on weekday evenings and weekends, so it isn't easy to find a seat.
Originally, this area was lined with various company buildings and shops selling tools. However, in 1980, the pub 'Eulji OB Bear' opened, and as similar pubs opened nearby, it naturally came to be called 'Euljiro Nogari Alley.' As the affordable prices of snacks and beer attracted nearby office workers and college students, it has become increasingly popular, leading to its current status.
Here, along with a cold draft beer, let's try the K-snacks only available in Korea, such as Nogari/Dried Young Pollack and Golbaengi/Sea Snails. In addition, snacks such as chicken and fried dishes are also available, so try various snacks.
Jogui Hansu (족의한수)
837.1M 2024-10-15
93-1, Supyo-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
A pig's trotter(s) specialty restaurant located in Jongno, Seoul. This restaurant's signature menu is braised pigs' feet. A restaurant serving both charcoal-grilled jokbal (pig's trotter) and spicy jokbal.
Sungnyemun Gate (숭례문)
866.4M 2024-11-27
40 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
Sungnyemun Gate is Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, and its unofficial name is Namdaemun Gate. Sungnyemun Gate is the largest castle gate stone structure with an arched entrance in the middle. There’s a column on top of a platform, raising the roof, distinguishing the upper stories and lower stories of the building. Passageways for traffic are located at the east and west ends of the gate. Different from the other gates, Sungnyemun Gate’s tablet has its name written vertically.
On February 10, 2008, Sungnyemun was destroyed by fire. After a 5-year reconstruction work, the gate was re-opened to the public again on May 4, 2013.
Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong, Da-dong and Mugyo-dong Special Tourist Zone (명동 남대문 북창동 다동무교동 관광특구)
866.4M 2021-12-30
40, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong and Da-dong are widely known among international visitors as hot spots for shopping and food.
Myeong-dong is a popular destination for shopping, culture, arts and fashion. Major shopping malls such as Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeong-dong Migliore and Samik Fashion Town are located here. Shoppers can find a variety of products here from high-end items to relatively inexpensive clothes. There’s also no shortage of street food, traditional restaurants, coffee shops and fancy cafes.
Namdaemun Market is the biggest traditional market in Korea. Visitors can purchase souvenirs and local produce at an affordable price in the shopping complex crowded with stores and street stalls. The market sells a variety of clothes, kitchenware, toys, accessories, food, flowers and imported goods.
Bukchang-dong and Sogong-dong have high-end accommodations including Lotte Hotel Seoul and Westin Chosun Seoul, duty-free shops, and restaurants serving traditional dishes.
[Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong Special Tourist Zone]
Areas included: Myeong-dong, Bukchang-dong, Mugyo-dong and Da-dong, Seoul
Area size: 872,809 ㎡
Tourist attractions: Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong, Department Stores (Lotte Department and Shinsegae Department Store, etc.), Traditional Market, Duty-free Shop, Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower, etc.
English
한국어
日本語
中文(简体)
Deutsch
Français
Español
Русский
