Seoul, South Korea (Republic of Korea) — commonly regarded across Asia as the capital of cool — is a city known for establishing new trends. Following decades of heavy government investment in cultural exports; Asian trends in clothing, hair and makeup, music, movies, and television, in particular; often start in Seoul and are bound to hit the streets elsewhere in the region.
Largely because of its status as a trendsetter, Seoul is one of the most popular destinations for Asian tourists, but it tends to be less popular among Westerners than some other Asian hotspots like Bangkok, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. However, this may change should the "Korean Wave" of pop culture get stronger outside Asia.
In terms of its built environment, Seoul was damaged heavily by Imperial Japan and years of war — which technically has yet to end — as well as sometimes questionable development during extremely fast population growth in the 1960s and 1970s. In recent years, though, development and redevelopment largely both have been improving. Consequently, across a cityscape that often can seem monotonous and gray, there are lively and colorful pockets of both well-planned historical redevelopment and new construction that are enjoyable to explore via Seoul's massive and spotlessly clean Metropolitan Subway (Metro).
Although Seoul is not an inexpensive city, travelgasm.com has found that recent geopolitical uncertainties means that perhaps now is a more affordable time to visit Seoul than in past years. Read on to make the most of your adventure...
Want to visit more of Seoul than most tourists? Read on.
From the French ethnic enclave of Seorae (서래) and the industrial-art neighborhood of Mullae (문래) to the "New Brutalist" development of Seun Sangga (세운상가) and the attractive transit-oriented satellite town of Seohyeon (서현), Seoul has many things to do outside of the areas where tourists routinely visit. Among overlooked Seoul experiences, travelgasm.com’s favorite seven are…
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