"Chaos reborn" Seoul by DSwede

Seoul Travel Guide: 2,996 reviews and 7,293 photos

From Bukchon to Namsan - Seoul
From Bukchon to Namsan

I've been through Seoul countless times being as though I have friends there, I've worked there and I've played there. I've worked long periods of time in Ulsan, so obviously, being a small country, Seoul is not that far away. For a few of my thoughts on the country as a whole, feel free to visit my S Korea page.

(for more pictures, feel free to visit my S Korea Gallery. If you enjoy the pictures, please leave a comment.)

Seoul has a long history. Not just one of the story tales we hear about, of tigers, ancient temples and enchanted lands.

Seoul has a unique history of being possibly the only thriving city to have been completely destroyed and re-occupied by opposing forces three times! During the Korean War, between 1950 and 1954. Seoul began as a bustling city of commerce in the South, friend of the allies.

Then the North Koreans destroyed the city, as they pushed down to the end of the Peninsula. Then the Allies again ravaged the city with the invasion of Incheon, as they pushed north to Chosun. Then the North and Chinese again pushed back down well into the heart of RoK's land (engulfing thousands in Chosun, which was reason for one of the largest military evacuations in history). Finally, the line was pushed back to what is now the DMZ along the Parallel.

So if you can imagine that in 1954, Seoul was almost completely in ruins, having been a center point of battles. When you look at the large, busy, energetic and modern city that is home to over 13M people, remember that most of it is less than 50 years old.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Anything is possible in this modern city.
  • Cons:Too many people concentrate their visit too much on Itaewon.
  • In a nutshell:Steeped with history and various neighborhoods, it would take ages to see everyting.
  • Intro Updated Apr 6, 2011
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Reviews (16)

W Hotel - Seoul Trendy and Comfortable Hotels (4)

The W Hotels are among the higher end hotels in any location. Walkerhill is no exception. The hotel's lobby is a fully... more travel advice

Silk Road Museum - Seoul Silk Road Museum & the Tibet Museum Off The Beaten Path (2)

I am writing one tip here for two separate locations. I do this because they are located close to each other (about 5... more travel advice

History of Korean Postage - Seoul Korea Stamp World Off The Beaten Path (2)

While this tip might not be for everyone, some people may enjoy a brief stop at the Korea Stamp World. This is a free... more travel advice

Bukchon alleys - Seoul Historic Neighborhood of Bukchon Things to Do (4)

Just to the north of Insadong (about ~15 minutes walk), there is a small hilly section of Seoul. On this hill is the... more travel advice

Comments (4)

  • Reply
    Greggor58's Profile Photo
    Jan 6, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    I think Seoul would have lots of interesting things to see and experience..Bukchon looks pretty cool!

  • Reply
    AyurinHiro's Profile Photo
    Nov 21, 2009 at 7:55 PM

    Bukchon area looks very traditional and beautiful... we would like to visit there :-) Thank you very much for replying my question in South Korea forum.

  • Reply
    appleseed81's Profile Photo
    Oct 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM

    I haven't been to Laos... I don't have any more trips to make this year... (work caught up with me) Next trip will be in Apr... Hopefully to Holland for the flower fest... and sept to OZ & NZ... Maybe a short trip to Tibet in btw... How about you?

  • Reply
    SLLiew's Profile Photo
    Apr 20, 2009 at 1:33 PM

    Seoul - a nice Korean city :)

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“What I lack in experience, I make up for in curiosity”

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