Modern rebuilding efforts after the Korean War in the s made it look like something from the film Bladerunner. At night, neon pink flashes against a sky misted by traffic pollution; overhead highways crisscross the scene; and locals knock back Hite beers in tiny bars as K-Pop blasts from the speakers. If someone told you you were on a different planet, you could perhaps be convinced.
You can learn about the March 1st Movement, the reading of the Korean Declaration of Independence in , and the start of organised resistance to Japanese colonisation of Korea at a museum that opened in inside Anguk Metro Station. The museum catalogues this freedom-fighting story and points visitors to the many sites around the station linked with the independence struggle.
The global success of Korean music and movies has drawn visitors who want to drink in the scenes so familiar from pop videos and Hollywood smashes. The seedy glamour of the city creeps up from behind you. But if you want to find solace, there are also numerous formal gardens and green spaces like the beautiful Naksan Park, temples and quiet side streets away from the incessant hustle.
Charming Bukchon Hanok Village , towards the north of town, is filled with traditional Korean houses that miraculously survived the Korean War bombings of the s. Situated on the site of a former sports stadium, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza is now a Seoul landmark. The sinuous lines of the building, opened in , are unmistakably the work of the late, great Zaha Hadid, aided by local firm Samoo.
You can explore its design museum, and there are exhibition halls and boutiques, but arguably the biggest draw is the building itself, with its natty walkways and anthropomorphic forms.
