Discover South Korea

Seoul blends 600 years of Joseon-era palaces with neon-lit streets and a relentless food scene. From the hanok alleys of Bukchon to the underground shopping networks of Gangnam, the city rewards wandering at every turn.

Incheon is far more than an airport gateway. The open port district of Jayu Park and Chinatown holds over a century of trading history, while the islands of the West Sea offer tidal flats and quiet fishing villages just an hour from the city center.

Suwon is defined by Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage wall that wraps around the old city center. Walk the 5.7-kilometer rampart at sunset, then head to the alleys around Paldalmun Gate for some of Korea's best fried chicken and galbi.

Hwaseong City sits just south of Suwon and draws visitors to Jebudo Island, accessible by a sea-parting road at low tide. The surrounding area mixes rural landscapes with the sprawling Dongtan new town, offering a quieter side of Gyeonggi Province.

Yongin is home to Everland, Korea's largest theme park, and the Korean Folk Village, a living museum of Joseon-era daily life. Between the thrill rides and traditional crafts, it's one of the most family-friendly day trips from Seoul.

Paju sits along the DMZ, making it the only place where you can peer into North Korea from an observation deck. Beyond the border tension, Paju Book City is a haven for publishers and bookshops, and Heyri Art Village clusters galleries and cafes in architectural experiments.

Gangneung is the coffee capital of Korea's east coast, with over 100 cafes lining Anmok Beach alone. The city hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics ice events and preserves Ojukheon, the birthplace of scholar Yulgok, in a serene Joseon-era estate.

Sokcho is the gateway to Seoraksan National Park, one of Korea's most dramatic mountain landscapes with jagged granite peaks and ancient temples. The city's fish market and raw fish restaurants along the harbor make it a seafood destination in its own right.

Chuncheon is a lakeside city surrounded by mountains, famous nationwide for dakgalbi - spicy stir-fried chicken with rice cakes and cabbage. Nami Island, the filming location of Winter Sonata, lies just outside the city and draws visitors year-round.

Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and remains Korea's premier ski and alpine destination. In summer, the high-altitude Daegwallyeong area transforms into rolling sheep farms and wildflower meadows above the clouds.

Yangyang has emerged as Korea's surf town, with Jukdo Beach and Ingu Beach drawing wave riders from across the country. The small coastal county also holds Naksan Temple perched on a clifftop and some of the freshest pine mushroom dishes in Korea.

Daejeon is Korea's science and technology hub, home to KAIST and the Expo Science Park from the 1993 World Expo. The city sits at the geographic heart of the country, making it a natural crossroads with easy access to surrounding historical sites.

Gongju was the capital of the Baekje Kingdom for 64 years, and its UNESCO-listed royal tombs and Gongsanseong Fortress still stand along the Geum River. This small city offers one of Korea's most immersive ancient history experiences without the tourist crowds.

Buyeo served as the final capital of the Baekje Kingdom before its fall in 660 AD. The Busosanseong Fortress, Nakhwaam cliff, and the Jeongnimsa Temple site paint a vivid picture of a lost kingdom that once rivaled Silla and Goguryeo.

Danyang is tucked between limestone cliffs and the Chungju Lake, known for the Danyang Eight Scenic Spots that have inspired painters for centuries. Underground, Gosu Cave holds 120-million-year-old stalactites and a constant 15-degree temperature year-round.

Boryeong is best known for its annual Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach, where millions of visitors roll in mineral-rich mud every July. Beyond the festival, the wide sandy beach and nearby islands offer a laid-back West Sea coastal experience.

Busan is Korea's second city and its beach capital, where steep hillside villages, massive fish markets, and Buddhist temples coexist with surf culture and an international film festival. Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches anchor a coastline that runs the entire length of the city.

Daegu is a basin city known for scorching summers and a thriving textile heritage that has reinvented itself through fashion districts and vibrant night markets. Kim Gwangseok Street and the Seomun Night Market capture the city's creative, working-class character.

Gyeongju is the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom and often called a museum without walls. Royal burial mounds dot the city center, Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto are UNESCO masterpieces, and you can bike between thousand-year-old pagodas and palace ruins.

Andong is the heartland of Korean Confucian culture, home to Hahoe Folk Village where residents still live in 600-year-old thatched and tiled houses. The city preserves mask dance traditions and a slower pace that feels centuries removed from Seoul.

Tongyeong wraps around a harbor facing hundreds of small islands, earning comparisons to Naples for its seafood, hillside streets, and artistic heritage. It was the home of composer Yun Isang and is famous for its fresh oysters and the Hallyeo Maritime National Park.

Pohang is an industrial port city on Korea's east coast that has reinvented its waterfront with the Space Walk observation structure and Hwanho Park. Homigot, the easternmost point of the Korean mainland, draws New Year sunrise crowds from across the country.

Ulsan is Korea's industrial powerhouse, home to Hyundai's shipyards and auto plants, but the surrounding nature is unexpectedly spectacular. Ganjeolgot claims the earliest mainland sunrise, and the Ceongsong cliffs and Taehwagang bamboo forest offer striking natural scenery.

Geoje is Korea's second-largest island, connected to the mainland by bridge, with dramatic coastlines ranging from the turquoise cove of Hakdong to the wind-carved cliffs of Haegeumgang. Its shipbuilding heritage coexists with some of the south coast's finest beaches.

Gwangju is the cultural capital of Korea's Jeolla region, shaped by the May 18th Democratic Uprising of 1980 and a fierce artistic spirit that fuels the Gwangju Biennale. The city's food culture is legendary - side dish spreads here are Korea's most generous.

Jeonju's Hanok Village packs over 700 traditional houses into a walkable quarter where you can wear hanbok, eat bibimbap in its city of origin, and learn hanji paper crafting. Designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Jeonju takes food as seriously as its heritage.

Yeosu stretches along a coastline of 365 islands, with a night sea view that Koreans rank among the country's most beautiful. The 2012 World Expo put the city on the map, and its cable car over the harbor and Odongdo Island's camellia forests keep visitors coming back.

Mokpo is a port city at the southwestern tip of the Korean mainland, gateway to the islands of the Dadohae Maritime National Park. Its hillside neighborhoods, Japanese colonial architecture, and some of Korea's best hongeo (fermented skate) give it an unpolished, authentic character.

Damyang is Korea's bamboo capital, centered on Juknokwon, a dense bamboo forest with winding paths and whispering canopy. The surrounding countryside produces tteok galbi (grilled minced beef patties) and bamboo-infused rice dishes that draw food pilgrims from across the country.

Suncheon Bay is one of the world's best-preserved coastal wetlands, home to endangered hooded cranes and vast reed fields that glow golden at sunset. The Suncheon Bay National Garden, created for the 2013 Expo, adds manicured beauty alongside the wild estuarine landscape.

Boseong produces over 40% of Korea's green tea, and the Daehan Dawon tea plantation's hillside rows have become one of Korea's most photographed landscapes. The mist rolling over the terraced fields in the early morning is genuinely unforgettable.

Namwon is the setting of Chunhyangjeon, Korea's most famous love story, and the city embraces this romantic identity with the Gwanghallu Garden and annual Chunhyang Festival. It's also the gateway to Jirisan, Korea's second-highest mountain.

Jeju City is the northern hub of Jeju Island, Korea's volcanic resort island with UNESCO-listed lava tubes, a subtropical coastline, and Hallasan, the country's tallest peak. The old downtown around Dongmun Market and the black lava stone walls give the city a character entirely different from the mainland.

Seogwipo occupies Jeju Island's sunnier southern coast, where waterfalls tumble directly into the ocean and tangerine orchards climb volcanic hillsides. Jungmun Resort area, Cheonjiyeon Falls, and the Columnar Joints at Jusangjeolli Cliff make it Jeju's most scenic half.