Close to half the population of South Korea lives in the Seoul Capital Area, the world’s fifth largest conurbation. Its centre of gravity is a pulsating city cleaved by the Han River and with a skyline punctuated by mountains. Seoul has burgeoned since the middle of the 20th century and new projects continue to crop …
Up to 2010, Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province was actually three distinct places. The port towns of Masan and Jinhae sat either side of the original Changwon, a planned city built from scratch in the 1970s. The three were recently merged and all lie on a stretch of steep, zigzagging coastline on the East China …
A city of science and technology at a meeting point in South Korea’s road and rail networks, Daejeon was announced to the wider world in 1993 by an international exposition. Expo ’93 showed off Daejeon’s innovative side with ultra-modern pavilions, a maglev train and solar-powered vehicles. The venue, Expo Park is still here and connected …
South Korea’s second city and main port is in the south-east of the country on mountainous terrain. Busan has Korea’s largest seafood market, Jagalchi, and is the source of some of Korea’s favourite snacks and dishes, like fishcakes (eomuk) and seafood scallion pancakes (dongnae pajeon). At Haeundae Beach there’s an inviting sandy bay framed by …
In a bowl of mountains in the South Jeolla province, Gwangju is an arty and fashion-conscious city where people are known for doing things their own way. That spirit applies to the Gwangju Uprising of May 1980, a push for democracy that was brutally suppressed by the military and remains intertwined with the city’s culture. …
Korea’s manufacturing powerhouse on the East Sea is responsible for more than 15% of the country’s industrial output. At an unfathomably large industrial complex by Ulsan’s port is the third largest oil refinery in the world and the world’s largest shipyard and the largest car assembly plant, owned by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the Hyundai …
The capital of the Gyeonggi Province lies towards the south of the gigantic Seoul Metropolitan Area, and its oldest neighbourhoods are enclosed by the walls of Hwaseong Fortress. This colossal defence was raised at the end of the 18th century by Jeongjo of Joseon (1752-1800) and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are five …
This industrial harbour city on the Yellow Sea is in the Seoul Metropolitan Area and shares the same metro network. After the port was founded in 1884 Incheon became a melting pot, home to the only official Chinatown in Korea and a vibrant international market. Incheon is the point of departure for a constellation of …
In the days of the Joseon Dynasty, Daegu, at the confluence of the Nakdong and Geumho Rivers, was the seat of the powerful governor of the now defunct Gyeongsang province. You can see his historic home and office at the Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park, which stages a changing of the guard ceremony on Saturdays in summer. The …
Seoul is one of the most under the radar capital cities in Asia. This is such a great shame, as it also happens to be one of the most bright and exciting. There is so much to see and do in Seoul, not to mention the huge amounts to eat and drink. Although under the …