Seoul is one of Asia’s success stories.
Since becoming the capital of South
Korea in the 1950s, its growth and
wealth has skyrocketed. Life is sweet
in this historic yet forward-facing city.
Classic pagodas and teahouses mingle
with shining towers, digital screens
and bright neon signs. The capital
certainly deserves its official name,
‘Seoul Special City!’
EYES ON
THE PRIZE
Seoul kids are brought up
not to take life for granted.
They are expected to work
hard at school and take
responsibility for their
future. To make sure they
make the grade many
attend Hagwon
or ‘cram
school’ until midnight.
Young Seoulites are also
taught the value of money.
Many are encouraged to
save and soon learn to seek
out a bargain, haggling with
the city’s street vendors.
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT... AGAIN
One of the most amazing displays of modern Seoul’s wealth
is the Chonggyecheon Stream. As the city grew, a creek
running through the downtown area was concreted over and
a motorway built through the middle. However in 2003, the
authorities decided that the city was missing one of its most
important natural features. The concrete was dug up and the
motorway was moved. A stunning 11km (7mi) ribbon of clean
water, parks and public space was carved through the middle
of the city. The cost? A cool £260 million!
Technicolour Taxis
The streets of this busy capital rumble with the engine
hum of hundreds of taxis. To make things easier, they use a
special colour code. Deluxe taxis, which are safer and have
better drivers, are black with a gold stripe, while ordinary
cars are white and silver. Taxis for visitors who can’t speak
Korean are bright orange with the Seoul mascot – a fire-
eating dog called Haechi – painted on the side.
CHANGDEOKGUNG
PALACE
Built as one of five Grand Palaces
by the Joseon Dynasty in the 14th
century, Changdeokgung is a
44.5 hectare (110 acre) complex
of royal halls, towering gates,
libraries, private rooms and
breathtakingly beautiful gardens.
Unfortunately the palace has
been burnt or badly damaged
several times over the years.
Every time, Changdeokgung has
been reconstructed exactly to the
original plan.
LOFTY LIVING
Nearly half of South
Korea’s population
live within the Seoul
Capital Area, the fifth
largest metropolitan
area in the world.
There are more people
based there than there
are in the whole of
Australia. The majority
of Seoul’s inhabitants
live in massive high-
rise apartment blocks.
The Samsung Tower
Palace looms 72 storeys
into the sky, making it
the tallest residential
complex in Asia.
Dongdaemun
Design Plaza
The Dongdaemun Design Plaza
opened its doors in 2014. This
futuristic structure is home to the
latest in Korean and international
design. It’s got space for exhibitions
and conferences, labs where
engineers and inventors can work on
their innovations and shops where
visitors can buy the latest, beautifully
designed gadgets.
WIRED
WONDERLAND
South Korea is one of the
most technologically advanced
countries in the world and
Seoul is certainly the most
wired city on the planet. An
astonishing 95 per cent of
households have an Internet
connection – even the subway
has Wi-Fi! The city is dotted
with digital display screens.
Special Media Poles line the
pavements, offering a
place for pedestrians to
look up information or
snap a photo.
K-POP
CULTURE
Pop fans in Seoul
don’t need to tap
into the UK or US
charts – South
Korea has its own
genre of music.
K-pop (short for Korean
pop) is full of colour,
synchronized dance
routines and bands with
names like EXO and
2NE1. The artist Psy’s
track Gangnam Style
,
named after a district
in the city, became the
most watched video
ever on YouTube.