finance island — a giant store, the river, the blossoms
A flat island of office towers in the middle of the Han, and more of a day out than that sounds. The Hyundai Seoul, the country's most-hyped department store, anchors one end; the river park runs the length of it; and in April the west road vanishes under cherry blossom. Cross the bridge and you're at Noryangjin, the city's big live-fish market. Come for the store, the river, or the blossoms, not to wander streets.
No photos, no star ratings — just what I'd tell a friend. I live in Seoul and these are the places I actually go, 3 of them here.
Open it in the appA department store worth visiting for the building alone: the glass atrium and the Sounds Forest indoor garden.
Seoul's big live-fish market — buy your sashimi, king crab, shrimp or oysters downstairs, eat it upstairs, raw or cooked.
The Han River park that turns into Seoul's top cherry-blossom spot every spring, and gets absolutely mobbed for it.
What to order and how to get in — the queue windows, the door moves, the booking that needs a Korean phone number — is in the app.
Bukchon is free, in full, so you can see whether you trust me before paying.
Seoul by moment: early mornings · on your own · vegetarian · late nights · with a view · for a date
Seoul by kind of place: cafes · specialty coffee · bakeries · desserts · tea · Korean barbecue · bars · natural wine · markets · museums and galleries · shopping · things to do