Every architecture video worth watching in Seoul — in one place

Seoul’s architectural range is genuinely unusual for a city of its density: Joseon-dynasty palaces and 600-year-old hanok neighbourhoods sit within walking distance of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Zaha Hadid’s sweeping curvilinear exhibition centre that hosts Seoul Fashion Week twice annually. Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in 1395 and the largest of Seoul’s five grand palaces, is the standard entry point — the changing-of-the-guard ceremony outside the main gate is genuinely worth seeing and free — but Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden, open only via timed tours, is the more architecturally considered experience for visitors who have already done the main palace circuit. Bukchon Hanok Village functions as a neighbourhood rather than a museum: the hanok here have been converted into tea houses, galleries, and guesthouses, and the elevation above the city provides vantage points where traditional tiled eaves frame the modern skyline behind them. The Seongsu district on the eastern bank of the Han River represents Seoul’s most recent architectural identity shift — former factory buildings recontextualised as independent boutiques and bagel cafes, with a visual character distinct from the polished commercial finish of Gangnam.

“25 Best Things To Do in Seoul, South Korea” gives the most balanced architectural read across the city’s different eras — palaces, hanok neighbourhoods, and contemporary design districts — and is the right starting point for visitors who want a spatial overview before drilling into any single area. Pair it with “10 Best Things to Do in SEOUL,” which focuses on Seongsu and the Yangnyeongsi Herbal Market area as architectural counterpoints to the palace circuit and demonstrates how much of Seoul’s interesting built environment sits outside the standard itinerary. Together they cover both the heritage architecture and the contemporary city.