Hwaseong Fortress, also known as Suwon Hwaseong, is an 18th century temporary palace in Suwon, Korea built by King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. Located 18 miles south of Seoul, he built Hwaseong to honor the nearby tomb of his father, Crown Prince Sado, who died a grisly death when Jeongjo was just 9 years old (more on this later). His plan was to make this the new capital, so this temporary place is grand, the grandest of all Joseon Dynasty temporary palaces, and built with an extensive fortress surrounding it for protection. It’s a bit of an effort to get to Hwaseong from Seoul, yet this…

Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway is a hidden gem in Seoul, Korea. It’s an urban oasis, the perfect place to escape the chaos of the city streets and enjoy nature. The walkway threads through the heart of Seoul almost 7 miles (11 km). Making it even better there are various pedestrian crossing points, using stepping stones across the stream, art installations, historical information, and even music along its path. You’ll find locals and tourists walking, jogging, picnicking, reading, and enjoying serene natural landscape, which is a couple stories below its chaotic streets. The walkway passes through some of the most popular attractions in the city like Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, and Deoksugung…

Bukchon Hanok village, located in the heart of Seoul, is full of beautiful traditional Korean houses, or hanok, that date back to the Joseon Dynasty era. It’s steeped with history as this is where high ranking Joseon Dynasty officials lived from the 14th-19th century. It’s located between Gyeongbokg Palace, the first and largest palace, and Changdeokgung, one of the best preserved palaces. Bukchon is also close to Jongmyo Shrine, which is dedicated to the forefathers of the Joseon dynasty. Although many homes were demolished here when citizens started moving into modern high rises, about 900 traditional homes have been preserved. Many are set up as tea rooms, museums, cultural centers,…

Visiting charming Ihwa Mural Village in Seoul to explore its art murals, installations, and cafes is a wonderful day trip in Seoul. It’s located in Ihwa-dong, adjacent to Naksan Park. Ihwa Mural Village is one of the oldest villages in Seoul. Located on a hill close to a section of Seoul’s old city walls, it’s considered a hilltop, or moon village. After the Korean War, refugees moved into this area, building shacks to live in. Later it became home to working class citizens. In more recent history this area was seen as a slum and planned for demolition. In 2006 under an “Art in City Project” local artists were bright…