Kyobo Book Centre Gwanghwamun (교보문고)

1.2Km 2024-12-04

1 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
02-3295-0312

Kyobo Book Centre is the first large-scale bookstore in Korea, and this particular store can be found next to Gwanghwamun Square. Kyobo Book Centre Gwanghwamun divides its internal area into 11 sections and organizes them in a way that allows readers to find books easily. The store also has specialized shops for stationery, digital devices, and accessories, as well as exhibition spaces and cafés.

La:ppland [Tax Refund Shop] (라플란드)

1.2Km 2024-04-16

Bldg. Ga. 1F, 83, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Seoul National University Hospital (서울대학교병원)

1.2Km 2025-10-23

101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Seoul National University Hospital, a national central hospital that has led Korean medicine for over 130 years, is a top-tier hospital equipped with world-class medical professionals and cutting-edge systems. For 25 consecutive years, it has ranked first in brand power in the hospital sector. The hospital is renowned for its cancer research, the most comprehensive pediatric care in the country, and treatments for rare and intractable diseases. Through patient-centered, personalized services, it has established itself as a trusted healthcare institution.

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center - Bugaksan Branch (서울도심등산관광센터(북악산))

1.2Km 2024-03-05

88 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Bugaksan branch of Seoul Hiking Tourism Center is located on Samcheong-dong Culture Street and provides various services to hikers. It provides hiking course guidance and information (available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese) about the mountains of Seoul, including Bukhansan, Bugaksan, and Inwangsan Mountains, as well as promotional materials such as Seoul hiking tourism guidebooks and maps. Also, it operates hiking tour programs with various themes every week for foreigners and offers hiking gear rental services such as hiking boots, hiking attire, trekking poles, gloves, and crampons for foreigners. (Koreans accompanied by foreigners can also rent the gear.) In addition, there is a storage locker and lounge for visitors, so they can pack up and rest before hiking.

Bugeogukjip (북어국집)

1.2Km 2024-12-27

38, Eulji-ro 1-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-777-3891

Bugeogukjip (formerly “Teojutgol”) is a restaurant behind City Hall in Seoul that has been serving up authentic dried Pollack soup since 1968. Despite a name change, the restaurant has proudly stood in this same location for decades, earning a strong reputation for its dried Pollack soup made using traditional cooking methods.

Since the restaurant only serves one thing—dried Pollack soup—there are few preparations to be made and the meal arrives on your table in minutes. Customers are free to serve themselves basic side dishes such as kimchi and can have as many servings of rice as they’d like, allowing diners to enjoy a hearty meal at a low price. While the restaurant’s design and menu may be simple, Bugeogukjip takes pride in its long history and the careful efforts that have earned it a reputation as one of the most notable restaurants in Seoul.

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

1.2Km 2024-12-04

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3700-3900

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.

ARKO Art Center (아르코미술관)

1.2Km 2025-06-05

3, Dongsung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-760-4850

ARKO Art Center was founded in 1974 as Misulhoegwan in a building of former Deoksu Hospital in Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu to offer much-needed exhibition space for artists and arts groups. In 1979, Misulhoegwan moved to its present building, designed by preeminent Korean architect Kim Swoo-geun (1931-1986) and located in Marronnier Park, the former site of Seoul National University. The two neighboring brick buildings accommodating ARKO Art Center and ARKO Arts Theater are the major landmarks of the district of Daehakro.
As more public and private museums and commercial galleries came into the art scene in the 1990s, Misulhoegwan shifted to curating and presenting its own exhibitions. Renamed as Marronnier Art Center in 2002, ARKO Art Center assumed a full-fledged art museum system and played an increasingly prominent role as a public arts organization leading the contemporary art paradigm. When The Korea Culture and Arts Foundation was reborn as Arts Council Korea, Marronnier Art Center became ARKO Art Center named after the abbreviation for Arts Council Korea in 2005.
ARKO Art Center is committed to working as a platform where research, production, exhibitions and the exchange of creative activities grow and develop in connection with one another in addition to having a diversity of programs including thematic exhibitions addressing social agenda and public programs widely promoting various discourses in art.

Beauty Play (뷰티플레이)

1.2Km 2025-11-14

73 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Beauty Play is a K-beauty experience center operated by the Korea Cosmetics Industry Institute and supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It offers a wide variety of sample Korean beauty products for testing as well as diverse beauty experience programs such as makeup touch-up service (choice of base, eyes, or lips), personal color test, and skin evaluation. Visitors can also ask for product recommendation based on their skin type or skincare concerns. Beauty Play also frequently hosts free one-day classes, which are announced online via its official website. It also hosts a variety of sample product giveaway events and the exhibited products get changed every two months, allowing visitors to get familiarized with lesser known quality products as well.

Cheonggye Pharmacy - Cheonggyecheon Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (청계약국 청계천)

1.2Km 2024-04-17

14, Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin (충무공 이순신 동상)

1.2Km 2024-03-04

175, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin can be found at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Admiral Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) was a naval commander who served during the Japanese invasion of Korea (also known as Imjin War: 1592-1598). The undefeated admiral achieved 23 victories against the Japanese navy using innovative tactics, and he is thus considered as one of the greatest generals in the history of Korea. Admiral Yi’s likeness can be found on the 100 won coin.

Kyobo Book Centre Gwanghwamun (교보문고) - Area information - Korea travel information