Soul to Seoul

Cool Hunt Inc., Editorial Press Agency
Publication: SELF Magazine, China
July, 2008
Words: 1,788
Kerren McKeeman



Within the past decade Seoul has become one of Asia’s most popular cities to visit. Only a two-hour plane ride from Beijing or Tokyo, this city of 10 million people has grown into a great destination for travelers seeking upscale shopping venues and nightlife hotspots. While Seoul did not resemble a fashion-conscious city with modern day attractions a decade ago, Seoul has become a city that embodies a new trend in Korea—achievement, renovation, and beautified appearance. As many youth in South Korea have become more and more concerned with refining their physical appearance, so has the city of Seoul become concerned with refining it’s own image. Seoul’s position as a strong business center and transportation hub only adds to the city’s continued effort to enhance its appearance and attract more tourists than ever before.

An Ever-changing Appearance Makes the Difference

Becoming more cosmopolitan and beautified is all the rage. Since a government-driven effort to beautify the city skyline in 2003, the city has undergone massive renovation. Some tourists report that the city changes so much that they cannot recognize it after only one year’s time has passed.

A Cityscape Transformed

The Namsan Tower, for example, which stood atop Namsan mountain untouched for over 25 years, was transformed into a defining symbol of the Seoul city skyline. In an effort to beautify the city, the tower was completely renovated in 2005 and renamed the “N Seoul Tower.” Now, the glamorous ‘must-see’ landmark illuminates the sky every night with a colorful laser-lighted display. The romantic Grill restaurant and bar at the top of the N Seoul Tower is the perfect place to view the majestic night skyline of the city and the parade of cars weaving through the narrow streets. At 236.7 meters tall, the captivating evening scene with a mixture of buildings and forest attracts many visitors, as it shows a breath-taking view of the rapidly changing city below.

But it is not only the exterior of the N Seoul Tower that has undergone a make-over. The observatory on the tower’s top floor, once basic in design, now boasts a floor that rotates slowly, allowing guests to feel like passengers on a spaceship in orbit. The front square, which used to house just three old benches, is now a great place to take a date, decorated with furnished wooden lights and elegant timber flooring. The N Seoul Tower, which in the past existed as just another part of the Seoul skyline, is now hailed as the best location from which to enjoy the nightscape of Seoul, and has even been compared to Paris’s Eiffel Tower.

Seoul Lets it Flow

But the N Seoul Tower is only a small portion of change that has recreated the face of Seoul. Walking towards City Hall from Insadong, one stumbles upon Cheonggyecheon, a river that didn’t exist only three years ago. The river had been cemented over in 1968 to build a new highway. In 2003 the mayor of Seoul, Myung-bak Lee, decided to restore the river in an effort to gentrify and beautify the city.

At the starting point of the river sits Cheonggye Plaza, a symbol of the project’s achievement. The fountains and lighting of Cheonggye Plaza present a beautiful night scene. The image of round, water-shooting fountains combined with a waterfall that descends into a shallow pond, illuminated by underwater lighting, make the river even more picturesque.

A miniature version of Cheonggyecheon river is decorated with luminescent optic fibers that create a magnificent scene, resembling stars shining in a night sky. The image of Cheonggye Plaza, consisting of winding streets, an open courtyard, and a waterside area is etched onto traditional cloth surrounded by stones of various colors. The unique image of the waterside area consists of eight large stones, representing the eight provinces of Korea: unity, peace, and unification.

The road at the end of the Cheonggye Plaza is paved with stones, not asphalt, to create a natural harmony with the open space and waterside area. Cheonggyecheon, which enhanced what had been a dreary city view, offers a tranquil promenade for people wanting to escape the strain of city life and take a well-earned break.

Water wonderland?

While the flow of the Cheonggyecheon river adds a revitalizing touch to the scenery in Seoul, what about the Hanang river that runs through the heart of the city? This river too has been integrated into the plan of urban beautification. What will make the difference this time? Water taxis. Korean government officials have just built and launched brand new water taxis to transport passengers across the river and from dock to dock. To add a special accent and to attract tourists from all over the world, all the vehicles that grace the canal at night are beautifully lit with vivid and sparkling lights.


A Breeze for the Tourists

Along with the increasingly attractive appearance of Seoul comes a focus on convenience for travelers and tourists. Many tourist attractions are not only becoming more and more accessible by foot, but they are created with an eye for the past and the future: a combination of the trendy and modern mixed with the traditional culture that is still innate to Korean identity.

Modern traditional charm-- Insadong

Insadong, the Mecca of Korean tradition, is one of Seoul’s unique locations where visitors can still find traditional Korean food and products. Although it is now widely permeated with foreign products, Insadong still offers a charming array of Korean traditional cultural gifts such as “hanbok,” or traditional Korean garb, silk, Korean paper craftwork, embroidery, calligraphy, antique furniture, and ceramics.

Once considered to have the least possibility for change, Insadong began its large-scale renovation in 2003. Art galleries and shopping malls replaced the single-story shops that exhausted shoppers due to the extensive walking involved. Modern style cafes catering to devoted coffee lovers replaced the sea of teahouses. One particular store’s display of beads, incense, Korean paper, and earthenware plates now shows silk scarves dyed with natural colors, hand-made chic wallets and key rings that are second to none, even the Paris prêt-a-porter collection.

Within Insadong’s once calm territory of Korean restaurants emerged an army of fusion restaurants—Japanese, Chinese, and Italian restaurants catering to people who want more than traditional vegetable-oriented Korean food. Thanks to this, Insadong transformed from what many considered “the street for the elderly” to “the street for everyone.” Full of tourists year-round, Insadong is now one of the most exciting places to visit in Seoul for its unique blend of past and present.

Shoppers Alert!

Once deciding to explore Seoul, you simply must partake in the Seoul shopping experience. Some places you must explore include Myeongdong and Apgujeong, because every time you go you will find something new. What fantastic news for people who are crazy about shopping!

Seoul’s Fashion Central

Fashion boutiques abound in this neighborhood, along with well-known cafes. Restaurants are plentiful and varied, to suit the tastes of any guest. On an average day it is estimated that two million shoppers visit Myeongdong. There is a saying that Korea's economic performance cannot be assessed without first understanding the money flow in Myeongdong due to its vast quantity of shoppers.

The skyscrapers and the huge number of passers-by that crowd the streets is a strong testament to Myeongdong’s cultural richness and prosperity. In addition, Seoul’s fashion capital has developed in Myeongdong, partly because this area has introduced many trendy and price-flexible fashion items while managing to keep up with fast changing trends. The Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong boasts a wide variety of fashion choices, and consists of three different buildings. While Lotte Young Plaza is for city girls who love casual wears and comfortable accessories, the Lotte main department store and Avenue cater to high-class ladies who can afford expensive labels and want to dress up.

Korea’s “Rodeo Drive”

It is hard to imagine that it was only as recent as 1970 that Apgujeongdong started to develop into one of the most affluent, fashionable and "must-see" areas of Seoul. If you venture towards Galleria Department Store from Apgujeong subway station on line number 3, you will see a street on your right referred to as the "Rodeo Drive" of Korea after the boutique-peppered streets of Beverly Hills or West Hollywood California. Established in 1990, this street has everything one could possibly desire.

There is everything from rare vintage clothes to hand-made shoes designed by professional designers, piercing jewelry to second hand brand items with downgraded prices. With new display items and frequent updates for stores, it is always full of freshness. This area caters to the affluent and fashionable by offering a collection of top brands from Prada to Giorgio Armani to Gucci. Although more expensive than other places, shoppers can be assured that all goods are on the cutting edge of newly launched fashions.
Seoul’s “Fashion and Art Street”

Strolling down the Cheongdamdong river past the fashion boutiques gives any tourist a taste of the Korean fashion culture that already shows much potential for an exciting future. Known as the “Fashion and Art Street,” this area is fully equipped with over 50 shops of both foreign and local designers. The location is also full of classy places for the elite to drink and dine.

Shopping for the Westerners

Itaewon is hailed as one of the most exotic place in Seoul for shopping as it features a 1.4 km long street filled with eclectic shops, restaurants, bars and street vendors. This area attracts lots of Western tourists who can enjoy the rare ambiance as well as many English language signs.

Lifestyle 911

On top of the growing scene of high society and a fashion-conscious class in Seoul comes an additional perk for the tourist in Seoul: a 24-hour call center that can answer any question you have about navigating the city. Dialing a simple 120 connects you with an operator that can direct you to tourist attractions, your top-choice restaurants, or even the closest subway station. And the best part about it? You can receive all these services in Chinese.

One Japanese tourist, a frequent Seoul visitor, said “I have never felt as though I’m visiting the same city in all my 11 visits to Seoul.” Seoul is a city that always wants to look new and polished. An overwhelming number of new buildings appear, numerous hotels and departments stores are constantly changing their facades, and hundreds of shops change their interiors or displays each and every month. While Seoul may be a city that looks different today than it will tomorrow, there is one thing we can count on: it will be a fresher, trendier, more beautiful Seoul than anyone has seen before.