seoul's Attractions
One popular tourist attraction is the N Seoul Tower. It is a 236m tower sitting on top of Namsam mountain, and is known for offering stunning panoramic views of Seoul and surrounding areas. It is even considered the best tower in Asia. Another place to visit is Myeongdong a large centre for shopping, commerce, banking and culture. It has a daytime population of between 1.5-2 million people. And you can't go to Seoul without visiting the Gyeongbokgung (also called the northern palace), a palace built in 1395 during the Joseon dynasty. It is by far the most beautiful of all palaces, and is a very popular attraction in the city.
Seoul's Climate
Seoul has a very nice, yet odd, climate. Although in the northern hemisphere, Seoul experiences wet summers and has dry winters. Seoul can be described as having a subtropical climate. Below are climate graphs showing the average temperature and rainfall for Seoul.
Seoul's Cuisine
One popular food everyone must try in Seoul is tteokbokki, a snack food which is soft rice cake, sweet fish cake and red chilli sauce. A common Korean dish that is widely liked by Koreans is Sannakji, fresh baby octopus. It might not look appealing (pictured below), but it is actually very popular. Another common dish is Gogigui or a Korean Barbecue that is ideal for a large gathering.
Seoul's Culture
In Seoul, and like the rest of South Korea, most of the population is not aligned with a religion with 46.2% of people in the Seoul province not connected to a religion. 16.8% are Buddhist, 22.8% are Protestant and 14.2% are Catholic. Some popular Buddhist temples include Bongwonsa or Bongeunsa. Unique festivals held in Seoul include the Lotus Lantern Festival held every year on April 8th (lunar calendar) in honour of Buddha's birth. It is usually followed by the hanging of lanterns across Seoul for several weeks (see picture below).
Another festival is the Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival which is held in Seoul at Peace Square. The festival is a leading traditional cultural festival of Seoul. It highlights the previous years of history and culture of Hanseong Baekje referring to the era between 18 BCE and 275 CE of Baekje - one of the three original kingdoms of Korea.
Another festival is the Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival which is held in Seoul at Peace Square. The festival is a leading traditional cultural festival of Seoul. It highlights the previous years of history and culture of Hanseong Baekje referring to the era between 18 BCE and 275 CE of Baekje - one of the three original kingdoms of Korea.
Seoul's Economy
South Korea's economy is the third largest in Asia, having a GDP of USD 20,000 in 2007. Seoul, being the capital and largest city, is the centre of South Korea's trade and economics. South Korea's biggest import partners are China, Japan and USA, importing electrical equipment, and hard metals like steel or iron. Its biggest export partners are, again, China, Japan and USA, having big exports of machinery, ships and boats. Seoul makes about 21 percent of South Korea's GDP (2006) and in 2012 ranked the 6th most financially competitive city in the world, by the Global Financial Centres Index. Big companies like Samsung, LG, Kia and Hyundai are all based in Seoul.