If you are an avid fan of Korean music shows, singers, or fans and enthusiasts of dramas, you have probably seen some of the beautiful scenery here via TV or the internet. If you are curious about these places, or simply have an upcoming trip to Korea. Let's explore the most beautiful cities in Korea and learn about the amazing experiences that each of these cities offers visitors. From Seoul to the coastal city of Busan, this article will take a look at the ten most popular tourist cities of Korea. Save this article now and don't forget to vote for your favorite city below.
1 Busan
The beauty of Busan (source: Discovery Korean)
Busan is Korea's largest coastal city, famous for its busy seaport, beautiful beaches, and fresh seafood. It is also home to many cultural and artistic events, such as the Busan International Film Festival or the Busan Biennale.Since ancient times, Busan has become an important trade point of Korea with Japan and other countries. Currently, Busan is a centrally run city, divided into 15 districts and 1 district. It has a temperate climate, with four distinct seasons. Summer in Busan is an ideal time to enjoy the sea and leisure activities. Autumn in Busan is the most beautiful time of the year, with brilliant red-yellow leaves. Winter in Busan is the coldest time, but not too harsh. Spring in Busan is a time of full bloom and fresh air. This is a city with a friendly and gentle climate for tourists, so the landscape here in four seasons has unique and interesting beauty that is rarely seen.
2 Pyeongchang
A corner of Pyeongchang city (source: Discovery Korean)
Pyeongchang is a small city located in the northeast of South Korea, about 180 kilometers from Seoul. The city is famous for its beautiful natural landscape, with high mountains, green valleys and clear blue rivers. Pyeongchang was also the venue for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which attracted millions of visitors and athletes from around the world. Pyeongchang has many attractions, such as Odaesan National Park, Woljeongsa Castle, Alpensia Ski Area, and Gangneung Olympic Park. Pyeongchang is also a foodie's paradise, with specialties like Pyeongchang grilled chicken, pork rice paper rolls and Gangwon rice cakes. If you have the opportunity to come to Korea, do not forget to visit Pyeongchang.
3 Deokjeokdo
Deokjeokdo cityscape (source: Discovery Korean)
Deokjeokdo is the largest island of Deokjeok-myeon in Ongjin District, Incheon, South Korea. The island is located about 70 kilometers northwest of Incheon'an Ferry Terminal and can be reached by ferry from Incheon. The island has two highest mountains, Bijobong (292 m) and Gwanakbong (281 m).
Deokjeokdo has many tourist attractions such as Seopori and Batjireum sand beaches, a Jagalmadang pebble beach and a low muddy area for visitors to experience catching mussels. You can also climb to the top of Bijobong for panoramic views of the island and the sea. In addition, you can also enjoy the island's specialties such as tofu, fish, and seafood. Deokjeokdo is an ideal place to rest and relax in the peaceful and fresh air of nature. When you come here, you can rent rooms in hotels, guesthouses or camping on the beach. The best time to visit here is in autumn, when the weather is cool and fresh.
4 Seoul
Seoul at night (source: Discovery Korean)
Seoul is the capital and largest city of South Korea, located in the northwest of the Korean peninsula. Seoul is a modern and vibrant city, famous for its diverse culture, rich cuisine, and fascinating attractions. It is also an economic, political, and educational center of the nation, home to many large companies, government agencies, and prestigious universities. Seoul has many historical and cultural sites, such as royal palaces, ancient churches, traditional markets, and old towns. Visitors also praise that it is a green city, with many parks, lakes and mountains around. Indeed, this is an ideal tourist destination for those who want to explore and experience a city full of life and beauty.
5 Jeju
Beautiful scenery of Jeju (source: Discovery Korean)
If you are looking for a city full of life and romance in Korea, come to Jeju! Jeju is an island famous for its many amazing natural landscapes and unique cultural heritage. It has a mild climate all year round, with cool summers and warm winters. You can enjoy delicious dishes from the sea, fresh produce such as tangerines and oranges are always available here, or local specialties, such as baked rice cakes and fruit cakes are also good suggestions. Jeju is also home to many outstanding landscapes, such as Hallasan Volcano, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall and Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, Manjanggul Cave and Yongcheondonggul Cave, Seongsan Ilchulbong National Park, and Hallim National Park. You can also learn about Jeju's history and culture through museums, ancient villages, and traditional festivals. Jeju is an ideal destination for nature lovers who want to learn about the culture and entertainment of the land of Kim Chi.
6 Gyeongju
In and around Gyeongju (source: Discovery Korean)
Gyeongju is an ancient and beautiful city in South Korea that is home to many historical and cultural relics of the ancient Korean kingdom. Gyeongju is known as the "museum without walls" because of the hundreds of temples, shrines, tombs, and ancient structures scattered throughout the city grounds. If you want to learn about Korea's glorious past and history, you can't ignore Gyeongju.
Some of the famous attractions in Gyeongju are: Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Cave, Tumuli Park, Cheomseongdae Observatory, Anapj Lagoon. Gyeongju not only has historical sites but also majestic natural landscapes that are no less famous countries. When coming here, you can experience many levels of time in just one day visiting the city. If you have the opportunity to travel to Korea, you should definitely visit this special city once.
7 Suwon
A corner of Suwon city (source: Discovery Korean)
Suwon is a special city of South Korea, located in Gyeonggi-do Province, about 30 kilometers south of Seoul. Suwon has a population of over 1.2 million and an area of 121 km2. Suwon is an attractive tourist city with a combination of tradition and modernity. One of the highlights of Suwon is Hwaseong Fortress, a unique structure designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hwaseong Fortress was built in the late 18th century by King Jeongjo to protect the city and commemorate his father. The fortress has a length of 5.7 km and surrounds four sides of the old city. You can walk or ride a horse-drawn carriage around the fortress to take in the scenery and explore the gates, watchtowers, and small fortresses.
In addition to Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon also has many other tourist attractions such as Everland Park, Korea's largest amusement park; Samsung Innovation Museum, which displays advanced technology products of Samsung Group; Paldalmun market, where you can shop and enjoy street food; or Gwanggyo Church, a modern and unique architecture. In addition, Suwon is also home to many festivals and cultural events, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival, Suwon International Music Festival, or the Hwaseong Cultural Heritage Festival.
8 Sokcho
Sokcho cityscape (source: Discovery Korean)
Sokcho is a beautiful coastal city of South Korea, located in Gangwon Province, about 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul. Sokcho has an area of about 105 km2 and a population of about 100 thousand people. Sokcho is known as the city of mountains, lakes and seas, an ideal destination for those who love nature and exploration. If you come to Sokcho, you can not miss Seoraksan National Park, home to Korea's third largest Seorak mountain range, with rocky ridges, valleys, waterfalls, and colorful leaf blades in autumn. Sokcho Beach is also a tourist attraction, with fine white sand, lush green palm trees and beautiful sunrise views on the beach. In addition, you can also enjoy delicious seafood dishes at Sokcho, such as Ojingeo sundae stuffed squid or Manseok-flavored fried chicken. In terms of scenery and climate, Sokcho is truly a Korean tourist paradise that you should not miss!
9 Jinhae
The beauty of Jinhae City (source: Discovery Korean)
Located in southern Korea, Jinhae is famous for its annual cherry blossom festival in spring. This city has more than 300,000 cherry blossom trees, every time spring comes, the cherry blossoms bloom, creating a beautiful, romantic scene like in movies. You can stroll under the white and pink cherry blossoms, watching the peaceful bay and green mountains. Jinhae City is also a major South Korean military port, home to the headquarters of the Korean Fleet and the Naval Academy. You can visit historical and cultural sites related to the military, such as the monument to General Yi Sun-sin or the Navy museum. The Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival is held around the beginning of April each year, lasting about 10 days. This is an opportunity for you to enjoy not only the beauty of cherry blossoms but also the unique artistic, tourist and culinary activities of this city. You will have an unforgettable experience when you come to Jinhae in spring, so take the time to visit.
10 Boseong
Boseong cityscape (source: Discovery Korean)
If you want to explore a wonderful natural beauty of Korea, visit the tourist city of Boseong, where there are thousands of green tea fields. Boseong is home to 40% of Korea's green tea and is an ideal destination for tea lovers and tea food. You can visit green tea farms, enjoy the beautiful scenery of terraced tea hills, watch the Yulpo Sea from the top of the hill, or participate in cultural activities such as the tea ceremony or green tea festival. Guests can also try many delicious dishes made with green tea leaves such as rice cakes, cold noodles, ginseng chicken stew or green tea ice cream. Boseong will surely satisfy you with the uniqueness and diversity of Korean green tea culture.
