SEOUL

STYLIST. ENERGETIC.
Surprising

Seoul is changing by leaps and bounds. It has embraced the future with verve, refashioning itself into one of Asia’s great epicenters. The business-driven, no-nonsense high rises of the late 20th century are giving way to imaginative and eco-friendly urban spaces, and a movement is afoot to preserve the traditional hanok-style housing and courtyard architecture that defined the Kingdom in centuries past. Lively, surprising and ambitious, the city was named the World Design Capital in 2010.

Seoul bursts with fascinating sights. Explore medieval palaces of the Josean Dynasty, stroll through manicured royal pavilions, and step back in time in well preserved ancient villages. Shop for designer labels at fashionable modern complexes, haggle for trinkets at night markets, stop in at art museums, and see the urban youth scene in lively parks. Tempting cuisine is around every corner, and one of the city’s great draws is its many restaurants, sidewalk cafes, street-food stalls and watering holes.