Travel Editor Do-jun Kim

As dusk settles across Seoul, bathing the capital in soft lavender twilight, crowds of university students, international travelers, and romantic couples converge along the grassy riverside terraces of Banpo Hangang Park (반포한강공원). Stretching 1,140 meters across the majestic Han River, the lower tier of the double-decker Banpo Bridge erupts into a dazzling, synchronized kinetic spectacle … Read more

Perched majestically atop the verdant granite crest of Mount Namsan in the very geographic center of the capital, N Seoul Tower (N서울타워) is South Korea’s most iconic skyline silhouette. Soaring 236 meters (774 feet) from its base to a total altitude of 479 meters above sea level, this historic broadcasting mast turned global tourist beacon … Read more

Located just 30 kilometers south of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province, the historic walled city of Suwon (수원) offers one of South Korea’s most rewarding, historically rich, and visually spectacular day trips. At its cultural heart stands Suwon Hwaseong Fortress (수원 화성)—a monumental military architectural masterpiece completed in 1796 by Joseon King Jeongjo to honor his … Read more

Rising like a dramatic white granite crest directly behind the royal palace of Gyeongbokgung, Inwangsan Mountain (인왕산, 338 meters / 1,109 feet) offers one of the most exhilarating, scenic, and accessible urban alpine adventures in East Asia. Traced along its rocky ridge by the 600-year-old stone ramparts of the Seoul City Wall (Hanyangdoseong / 한양도성), … Read more

Seoul is a colossal metropolis of ten million residents spanning 605 square kilometers, where centuries-old Joseon royal palaces sit in the shadow of gleaming futuristic skyscrapers, and mountain fortresses overlook neon-drenched commercial shopping boulevards. For first-time visitors, navigating complex subway transfers and bus timetables across disparate neighborhoods can devour valuable sightseeing hours. The most relaxing, … Read more

With its dramatic volcanic crags, emerald ocean coastlines, fragrant tangerine orchards, and the towering caldera peak of Hallasan, Jeju Island (제주도) is South Korea’s premier island getaway. For decades, conventional travel advice proclaimed that renting a private vehicle was non-negotiable for exploring Jeju’s expansive 1,849-square-kilometer terrain. International tourists who lacked an International Driving Permit (IDP) … Read more

Stretching 250 kilometers (160 miles) across the Korean Peninsula along the 38th parallel, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ / 비무장지대) is the most heavily fortified border on Earth. Established during the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement, this 4-kilometer-wide buffer zone separating North and South Korea stands as a poignant, living relic of the Cold War—brimming with … Read more