A statue of the revered scholar king (1397–1450) sits regally on a throne in the middle of Gwanghwamun. An entrance at the statue's base leads down to an underground exhibition with sections on the king and Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545–98), whose statue is at the southern end of the square.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.42 MILES
Like a phoenix, Seoul’s premier palace has risen several times from the ashes of destruction. Hordes of tourists have replaced the thousands of government…
0.9 MILES
The World Heritage–listed Changdeokgung is the most beautiful of Seoul's five main palaces. You must join a one-hour guided tour to look around. English…
2.7 MILES
Amid the celebrity-owned apartments on the leafy southern slope of Namsan is Korea's premier art gallery. Beautifully designed and laid-out, it balances…
20.48 MILES
The World Heritage–listed fortress wall that encloses the original town of Suwon is what brings most travellers to the city. Snaking up and down Paldal…
0.52 MILES
One of Seoul's five grand palaces built during the Joseon dynasty, Deoksugung (meaning Palace of Virtuous Longevity) is the only one you can visit in the…
3.37 MILES
This vast and imposing concrete slab of a museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Korea's past from prehistory all the way to the Korean…
8.49 MILES
Granite-peak-studded Bukhansan National Park's sweeping mountaintop vistas, maple leaves, rushing streams and remote temples draw over 5 million hikers…
2.47 MILES
This huge museum documents the history of the Korean War (1950–53) using multimedia exhibits and black-and-white documentary footage, along with artefacts…
Nearby attractions
1. Gwanghwamun Square Underground Exhibition
Exhibition on the life and achievements of King Sejon and his Korean language reform. You can write your own name with brushstroke and ink in hangeul for…
0.03 MILES
This broad, elongated square provides a grand approach to Gyeongbokgung and is used for various events (as well as protests). Giant statues celebrate two…
0.07 MILES
The regularly changing exhibitions at the gallery in the Sejong Center, the largest cultural complex in Seoul, are generally worth a look for an insight…
4. National Museum of Korean Contemporary History
0.09 MILES
The last century has been a tumultuous time for Korea, the key moments of which are memorialised and celebrated in this museum charting the highs and lows…
0.15 MILES
This statue is a downtown landmark. Seoul-born Yi Sun-sin (1545–98) designed new types of metal-clad warships called geobukseon (turtle boats), and used…
0.22 MILES
The impressive main gate to Seoul's premier palace is flanked by stone carvings of haechi, mythical lion-like creatures traditionally set to protect the…
0.25 MILES
Houses the towering pink-and-blue shell artwork and landmark entitled Spring. Part of the Cheong-gye-cheon pathway, there is always movement day and night…
0.27 MILES
With its landscaped walkways, footbridges, waterfalls and a variety of public artworks, such as the enormous pink-and-blue shell entitled Spring in Cheong…