Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

1.7Km 2024-12-04

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Built in 1395 under the reign of King Taejo, the first king of the Joseon dynasty, Gwanghwamun Gate is the southern gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is also the main gate of the palace, therefore larger and fancier in comparison to the other gates. Gwanghwamun Gate consists of three arched gates; the center gate was used by the king, while the other two were used by the crown prince and royal officials. The tall granite walls of the gate serve as a platform for the wooden gate tower that watches over the city. The gate has a sign with its name written at the top center of the gate tower.

Gwanghwamun Gate went through several damages and restorations over the course of history. It was first severely damaged during the Imjin War (1592-1598) and was not restored until the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1864. Under the Japanese administration, the gate was demolished and relocated to the north of the palace's eastern gate, followed by series of damages during the Korean War (1950-1953). In 1968, Gwanghwamun Gate was relocated back to the south of the palace and was rebuilt using concrete; however, the gate’s position was shifted a few meters away from its original location. In 2006, a major reconstruction project took place to restore Gwanghwamun Gate to its original state and location, disassembling the structure completely and replacing concrete with granite and wood. After three years and eight months of construction, Gwanghwamun Gate was fully restored to its original form and was open to the public on August 15, 2010.

Songhyeon Green Plaza (열린송현 녹지광장)

1.7Km 2025-11-11

Songhyeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Songhyeon Green Plaza, located between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongno, is a space for culture and rest. The site was formerly used as housing for Shiksan Bank during Japanese rule. After Korea’s liberation, it served as a residence for the US Embassy and military personnel. Later in 1997, it was returned to the Korean government but remained unused for years. In 2022, the ownership was transferred to the Korean House and Land Corporation and then to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which redeveloped it into a green plaza and opened it to the public. Upon entering the plaza, visitors are greeted by a spacious lawn adorned with flowers during the blooming season. The plaza is connected to the nearby tourist attractions through shortcuts cutting through it, including Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), Gwanghwamun Plaza, Insa-dong, and Bukchon Hanok Village.

National Theater of Korea (국립극장)

1.7Km 2024-03-06

59, Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

The National Theater of Korea opened in 1950 as the first national theater in Asia. It is the only production theater that takes traditional arts to recreate them as contemporary art. It offers various types of theaters, such as Haeoreum Grand Theater, Daloreum Theater (middle-size), Immersive Studio ByeolByeol (small-size), and Haneul Round Theater with a circular stage structure. In addition, the Museum of Performing Arts, Cultural Plaza, and other convenience stores and coffe shops offer pleasure and relax to its visitors.

Doosan Art Center (두산아트센터)

1.7Km 2021-11-01

15, Jong-ro 33-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Doosan Art Center, which opened on October 1, 2007, is structured around three different spaces: The Yonkang Hall, exclusively designed for musical performances, Space 111, a “space for art incubation,” and the Doosan Gallery, built for installations.
The Yongang Hall, a theater with 620-person seating capacity, has specially designed lightings and a world-class audio-visual system to provide a second-to-none sensory experience.
Space 111 can accommodate a broad range of performing arts, from theater and dance to film and music concerts. The Doosan Gallery is open to the public, and art exhibitions and performances here can be enjoyed free of charge.
All three theaters include spacious lobbies with handicapped access, designated seating for parents with infants, and meeting areas. Rest rooms are also available nearby, in order to avoid long queues and long walks during intermission.

Bukchon Hanok Village Gamgodang Street (북촌한옥마을 감고당길)

1.7Km 2025-10-30

Anguk-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

An alley with cute cafes and galleries
This is the road that appeared in the last episode and the flashback scene where Choi Ung (played by Choi Woosik) and Kuk Yeonsoo (played by Kim Dami) got drunk. Behind the Seoul Craft Museum in Bukchon Hanok Village, it extends for about 440m from Poongmoon Girls' High School to Jeongdok Library. There are many pretty cafes and galleries on the cozy road, and there are also craft markets open, so there is plenty to look around. The alley where Kuk Yeonsoo walked with the drunken Choi Ung on her back is Yunboseon Street in the middle of Gamgodang Street. It stretches along the hill between narrow tiled walls and stone walls, giving off a unique atmosphere.

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

1.7Km 2021-09-15

29, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Gyeonggyojang House, a designated Historic Site, was the location of the provisional government and the place where Baekbeom Kim Koo passed away. Seoul reproduced the historical site, Gyeonggyojang House, to use the area as an educational site. Also, the house exhibits the history of the provisional government in order to see the history more clearly.

Restoration work included the demolition of the interior that was changed when the building was turned into a hospital facility and embassy after Kim Koo passed away in 1949. During the work, the remaining parts were maintained with the utmost care. Reconstructed parts were based on the building's floor plan written in Chosun and Architecture (8th edition in 1938). Visitors can see various contents related to the Korean Provisional Government history through relics, video, and information searching corners.

Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum (이리자 한복전시관)

1.7Km 2022-08-08

20, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum displays the traditional clothing worn in Korea from birth to death. All hanbok displayed at the museum are created by the hanbok designer Lee Ri-Ja herself, who has over 40 years of experience.

The Sool Gallery (전통주갤러리)

1.7Km 2025-06-19

18 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Sool Gallery is an exhibition and experience space for traditional Korean liquor, established to promote the taste, style, and cultural values of the time-honored traditional Korean liquor. It provides various information about traditional Korean liquor for consumers or international tourists who can rarely obtain such information elsewhere. In addition, it provides traditional liquor education and business counseling to food service businesses and sales experts to continuously create demand for traditional liquor and expand the market. It is run by experts specializing in traditional liquor, including traditional liquor sommeliers, and it holds events to introduce various traditional liquors with different themes every month, as well as tasting events. Moreover, according to the monthly changing “Recommended Traditional Liquor by Month,” it displays a drinking glass and a bottle of the month recommended by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation.

HANSIK Space E:eum (한식문화공간 이음)

1.7Km 2025-11-11

18 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

HANSIK Space E:eum, located in Jongno, is a cultural space operated by the Korean Food Promotion Institute. It offers visitors an opportunity to delve into Korean cuisine through exhibitions, performances, educational programs, and a library.

Gyeonghuigung Palace (경희궁)

1.7Km 2024-07-09

45 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Gyeonghuigung Palace, a designated Historic Site, was originally called the large palace by Saemun Gate, or the Western Palace, for its location within the city. It was not until the eighth year of Gwanghaegun (1616) that the palace was used as a royal residence for the king, changing the name to Gyeongdeokgung Palace. The name later changed again to the current Gyeonghuigung Palace in 1760. The palace grounds included many halls but they were mostly all burned down in a fire in 1829. After the Japanese occupation began, all remaining buildings on the site were torn down and the palace grounds were turned into Gyeongseong Middle School (now Seoul High School). The school moved to Gangnam area in 1987, afterwhich the previous location was turned into a park. The palace grounds currently hold Seoul Museum of Art and walking paths, as well as a restoration of Heunghwamun Gate, the main gate of the palace, and Sungjeongjeon Hall, the main hall, completed in November 1994.

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문) - Area information - Korea travel information