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Whether they are an international guest visiting Korea or a local tourist from out of town, palaces are the first place people head to when visiting Seoul. Seoul was the capital of the Joseon Dynasty, which lasted for 600 years, so you can see the palaces of kings that have stood throughout the ages. Standing tall in the middle of the modern, dynamic Gwanghwamun area full of skyscrapers, Gyeongbokgung Palace is a striking contrast. It is one of the five Joseon-era royal palaces standing within the four gates of Seoul. Other palaces include the Deoksugung Palace, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, and Gyeonghuigung Palace. On a nice day, it's not uncommon to see tourists dressed up in hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) and taking pictures at the palace.
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But all this is not to say that Seoul only has historic sites. Seoul’s most notable strength as a tourist site is that it allows you to enjoy nature, such as mountains and rivers. Many major cities worldwide are formed around rivers, such as London’s Thames or Paris’ Seine, but not many are as big as Hangang River. Indeed, the Thames is about 265m in width, while the Hangang River’s width is 1km. The river is also home to parks and waterside facilities like Yeouido, Banpo, Ttukseom Island, and Nanji Hangang Park, which allow you to get the most out of Hangang River’s charms.
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Want to see a more modern landmark? Head to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). Designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid, it looks like something out of the world of the future, with no straight lines or walls between the exterior and interior. The DDP comprises a museum, a lounge, and shops for souvenirs. All these show that Seoul is a dynamic and colorful place where traditional and modern, natural and artificial landmarks meet in one place.
Seoul is blessed with many mountains surrounding the area. Mountains standing between skyscrapers really demonstrate the blend of city and nature that Seoul is known for. If you decide to go for some urban mountain climbing experience, don't forget to stock up on souvenirs that can help you remember these mountains.
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GGUL.GUN.DAL
This store, run by a father-and-son pair, sells honey sourced from bees kept in Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul, Goyang in Gyeonggi- do, and Myeongseongsan Mountain in Cheorwon. The quality of the honey is top-notch, receiving the highest rating every year in the honey test organized by the head of the Korean Beekeeping Association.
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SEOUL & GYEONGGI HIKING TRACKER
If you don’t know what mountains you should try or you want a special way to record your mountain climbing in Korea, the “Seoul & Gyeonggi Hiking Tracker” will be quite useful. Summit Marker Posters, which collect the summit markers of 100 mountains selected by the Korea Forest Service, are also popular.
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N SEOUL TOWER MERCH
N Seoul Tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Seoul. The souvenir shop, located on the first floor of the N Seoul Tower, offers souvenirs engraved with the N Seoul Tower’s likeness, such as magnets, key rings, and mugs.
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Q How did you come to produce these posters or stickers after mountains? I wanted to create something to take the fond memories of hiking outside rather than keeping it on the phone. As for the summit markers, since they are structures that symbolize the mountain and the most memorable image of the climb, I could center them around the poster and provide information on the mountain themselves. After that, we expanded our offerings to stickers that could add a further dash of fun to mountain-climbing and hiking trackers that can help them track their trips.
Q In your mind, what distinguishes your products from other products themed after mountains? mt.d’s hiking products are are distinguished by new perspectives and ideas. At mt.d, our development work starts with creating hiking products that can distinguish mt.d over others.
