5-Day Highlights of Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju, and Busan with KTX Adventure

A picturesque 2-storey bridge over the sea in Busan is one of its most exquiste landmarks.

A very piquturesque district in Busan, which was originally founded by some refugees during the Korean War.

Breathtaking views of downtown Busan from the seaside Lotte Department Store. The department store, by the way, was included in the Guinness Book of Records: it houses the world's tallest indoor fountain.

Exciting journey above the sea with eye-catching views of the coastal Busan.

Most popular beach in Busan and a vivid resort district.

The largest seafood market in Korea, where you can see all kinds of marine creatures, both from the plant and animal worlds (and from the border worlds too!).

You can also eat deliciously at the market: fried or raw fish, as well as seafood, is served at the table in numerous restaurants in the market.

If you prefer something less exotic, we recommend the food court at the Lotte department store next door. The observation deck at the department store offers a magnificent view of Busan from a bird's eye view.

Cheomseongdae is one of the oldest observatories in the world (7th century). The tower of the observatory is full of symbolism: the total number of hewn stones from which it is built; the number of rows of these stones before and above the small window, the shape of the stones... Reasonable Silakians paid attention to everything.

Cheomseongdae was built under the reigning Queen Seondok - one of three in the history of Silla. The queen ended up in a drama that, of course, was filmed in Gyeongju.

The Buddha statue in this small temple in an artificial grotto is considered the most elegant in All of Korea! The grotto is located on the slope of Mount Tkhohamsan, where the winding serpentine of the mountain road leads.

The walk to the temple through the mountain forest from the parking lot takes about 15-20 minutes; depending on the weather, either a mysterious foggy landscape awaits us (fogs are not uncommon on this mountain), or breathtaking bird's-eye views of the thousand-year-old Gyeongju.

In the grotto, which is formally the hermitage of the Bulguksa temple, located below the slope, the dominant position is occupied by the above-mentioned statue of Buddha, sitting in a lotus position on a pedestal in the shape of a lotus. Around it at different heights are bas-reliefs and statues of bodhisattvas, arhats, Indra and Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings.

If the group agrees, we can go down the mountainside to the temple of Bulguksa.

The main Buddhist temple of United Silla, it is now a place of pilgrimage for many guests of Korea.

The temple was built in 774 under the leadership of the premier of the state of Silla, Kim Taesong. Legend has it that Bulguksa was dedicated to the parents of the current, so to speak, Kim Taesong. While Seokguram, the temple-hermitage under Bulguksa, was intended for Kim Taesung's parents from his previous incarnations.

In 1995, Bulguksa and Seokguram were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The main state Gyeongju temple from the Silla period, the "Temple of the Yellow Dragon", Hwanyeongsa, has not survived; however, we still have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the pagoda of a hermitage temple of Hwanyeongsa. The hermitage temple is called Punghwansa.

The peculiarity of the pagoda of Punghwansa is that it is built of stones, hewn in such a way that they resemble bricks in shape. What can you not do if you are not familiar with the technology (brick production, in this case)!

The only mound which inner parts are open to the public (though filled with replicas, it shows the inner construction of a Shilla mound)

Though made anew, it is a nice and quite picturesque place, especially at night.

Chogyesa Temple is located in the heart of the capital of South Korea - Seoul. Despite the small area, the temple is the central administrative temple of the largest school of Buddhism in Korea with the same name - "chogye".

Gyeongbokgung Palace became the first residence of Korea's new Joseon Dynasty in 1395.

During the war with Japan (1592-1598) the palace was almost completely destroyed; however, it was restored in the middle of the 19th century and again became the residence of the Korean kings.

The palace is the architectural center of the northern part of the city of Seoul and impresses both with its size and extraordinary symmetry.

You will not only be able to capture yourself against the background of classical palace architecture, but also hear an entertaining story from our guide about the history, palace culture, the customs of the royal family, the symbolic meaning of the material attributes of the palace.

In the heart of Seoul, you can find an amazing architectural marvel — the Seoul Anglican Cathedral. Its history is both astonishing and fascinating.

So, in the early 1920s, when the skies were bluer than the dream of a weary builder, the Right Reverend Mark N. Trollope, the third Bishop of the Anglican Church of Korea, envisioned the construction of a cathedral. Funding for this idea came from the sacrificial offerings of the faithful Korean church members. These courageous Koreans were so devout that they could challenge the gravitational pull of any planet.

The British architect Arthur Dixon designed the cathedral. On May 2, 1926, the consecration ceremony took place, and everything was ready to begin construction. However, at that time, Japan ruled Korea, and it turned out that completing the project in its original cruciform shape was more difficult than explaining the meaning of life to the entire universe.

Since the cathedral was built during the Japanese colonial rule in Korea, it was impossible to finish the church according to the original design of the cruciform building. Therefore, the transepts on either side and the nave were shortened, and the building remained mostly unfinished.

The Cosmic Miracle of 1993

However, as they say, nothing is lost in the galaxy, especially if it involves architects' blueprints. In 1993, as if by the will of fate itself, the original plans were discovered in a library in England.

And so, in 1996, after long and convoluted years, the cathedral was finally completed according to the original plans. Now it stood as it should have from the very beginning — magnificent, splendid, and ready to welcome all visitors, whether earthlings or alien tourists.

Insadong is famous for the abundance of souvenir shops, traditional restaurants and tea houses, boutiques.

Insadong-kil Pedestrian Street is the central street of the area.

Often you can see street performances - traditional Korean samul-nori percussion quartet or martial arts tekkyon, taekwon-do or performances of youth groups in the fusion style, etc.

One of the central streets of Seoul, Jongno (literally "Bell Avenue") is named after the pavilion of the same name, which houses the main bell of the country. It is this bell that the best people of the country beat on New Year's Eve.

However, even mere mortals can hit it for good luck: at 12:00 noon, the pavilion is usually opened for visitors. However, a limited number of guests are allowed.

Shopping area, cafes, restaurants. The central Catholic Cathedral of Korea is also situated here.

A great opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the introduction of Christianity into Korea!

Symbiosis of urban landscape architecture and nature - the Cheonggyecheon River; everything is artificial in it: the bed of the river, the banks, the water itself ...

In fact, it was a real, natural river; but after the Korean War, it was "hidden" underground. As a result of the grandiose Cheonggyecheon restoration project in 2005, the river was reopened to visitors and residents of Seoul.

Temple of Bongeunsa is located in close proximity to the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center.

Originally named Gyeongseongsa, it was built by King Wonseong of the Silla Kingdom in the 10th year of his reign (794 AD).

In 1498, thanks to Queen Jeonghyeon, it was renovated and expanded to the east of King Seongjong's tomb, and at that time it was given its new name - Bongeunsa.

The iconic view of COEX is visible from the Maitreya Buddha statue on the temple grounds.

The complex of the central Gwanghwamun Square in front of the Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace, which is the compositional center of the capital of Korea, offers amazing views of Seoul: on one side is the main residence of the kings of the Joseon state (now a museum). But along the  Sejong-daero Avenue, departing from the square, there are high-rise modern buildings: government, embassies, Kyobo - the largest bookstore in Korea. Further down the avenue we can see the Seoul City Hall and still further - the Great South Gate of Namdaemun (National Treasure No. 1).

The unique architectural structure was opened to the general public (and city officials, of course) in 2013.

Its uniqueness lies in environmentally friendly, unusual and unexpected solutions: a double facade of an unusual shape, reminiscent of a sea wave, covering, by the way, the former Seoul City Hall; choice of heating sources; way of preserving the old city hall, Guinness record for the world's largest vertical green façade (internal).

This breathtaking library in COEX Mall features towering bookshelves and a stunning architectural design. It's an ideal spot for book lovers and those looking for a unique photo backdrop. The natural lighting and open space make it perfect for both wide shots and close-ups.

This statue is a must-visit for fans of PSY's global hit "Gangnam Style." It's a playful spot to capture fun and memorable photos, especially if you strike the famous horse dance pose!

To the northeast of Gyeongbokgung Palace lies the scenic hilly area of ​​Samcheon-dong. Due to the fact that the residence of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan was located north of Gyeongbokgung (and west of Samcheon-dong), development activity in Samcheon-dong is very limited. Thus, despite the unique location in the center of the capital of Korea, there are no high-rise buildings in this area, and the cost of land is relatively low. This feature gives the area a unique charm: art galleries have chosen it; cafes and restaurants; flea markets and boutiques of stylized Korean clothes; here you will see a large number of preserved Korean-style houses - hanok.

The name of the district comes from the name of the government office of the Kingdom of Joseon, Samcheon-jeong (also known as Seogyeok-jeon); Samcheon-jeong's activities included performing Taoist sacrifices to Heaven, Earth and Stars. Literally, the name translates as "Districts / quarter of three purity": "Clean (light) mountains and clean water lead to greater purity and kindness of the human soul."

Welcome to K-Star Road, the amazing star road in the heart of Seoul!

K-Star Road, or "Road of the Stars", is a beautiful and popular place where Korean stars seem to have made their mark. As you begin your journey along this road, you will feel the excitement and hype as it passes through the heart of the Gangnam area, known for its trendy atmosphere and emphasis on (K)-pop culture.

Here you will find many GangnamDol figurines representing various Korean stars. Find your heroes - and take a photo with them as a keepsake.

Along K-Star Road you will find many boutiques of world brands. Perhaps those same stars sometimes look into these boutiques too?..

The first and largest Korean folk village in terms of area and exposition.

There are more than 260 buildings in the village, including houses of representatives of different classes, government agencies, pharmacies and mills, and craftsmen's workshops.

The village recreates in detail the atmosphere of rural life of the Joseon era. Buildings were brought from all regions of Korea: here you will also find houses made of volcanic tuff from about. Jeju (and the famous black pigs from there, by the way!), And thatched houses from the southern provinces of Korea, and the house of the provincial governor, and the Confucian village school. You can taste traditional Korean dishes at the village market.

The journey begins with a fascinating walk through the narrow streets surrounded by traditional Korean houses - hanoks. Each house is a living museum that reflects the unique style and architecture of ancient times.

Travelers hungry for knowledge can discover the craftsmanship of folk artisans.

But that's not all! This wonderful complex offers unique shows and concerts featuring traditional Korean dances, music and rituals.

Each show and concert is organized with love for details and leaves a unique impression. You will be delighted with beautiful costumes, incendiary rhythms and incredible talents of artists. The atmosphere will be filled with energy and delight, and you will find yourself a real witness to the beauty and splendor of Korean culture.