Seoul is both very ancient and very young. urban settlements have occupied this spot between four mountains and the Han River for more than 2,000 years

A curved, grassy ridge in the district of Songpa-gu is all that remains of the earthen walls of one of the earliest settlements. But by another measure, you could say Seoul’s recent history began in 1988, the architectural evidence of which can be seen in the form of Jamsil Olympic Stadium. In that year, as host of the Olympic Games, modern Seoul burst onto the world stage, projecting an image of dynamism and vitality.

For nearly 40 years, that image of Seoul has flourished. Through high-tech industries and popular culture, the city exported itself around the globe. South Korea’s global soft power, collectively known as Hallyu (or the Korean Wave), is defined by its dazzling surface, from the very latest smartphones to the infectious earworms of K-Pop.

My own association with the city goes back to just before this metamorphosis. In my teens, I lived in Seoul from 1983 to 1985. It was still in transition then. Many of the inhabitants still had vivid memories of the Korean War, which had ended just 30 years earlier. The presence of North Korea remained a daily, palpable threat. Rural Korean life permeated the capital. From our house in the diplomatic district of Dongbinggo-dong, we could see skyscrapers in one direction and the traditional roofs of ramshackle low-rise houses in the other.

All of those houses have gone, along with my old home, replaced by a shiny forest of tall buildings. The entire neighboring district of Bogwang- dong has been leveled to make way for Hannam New Town, a $5.1 billion project of residential towers and exclusive retail complexes. With little room for sentimentality, Seoul is being relentlessly reinvented by the bulldozers of progress.

The city’s immediate future direction is largely dictated by Seoul Vision 2030, a municipal masterplan that aims to continue the city’s development and improve the quality of life for its inhabitants.

© Olezzo | Dreamstime 

Amid the losses, the city experiences significant gains, in particular the creation of 815 acres of green space, including parks and forests. Running through the heart of downtown, Cheonggyecheon Stream, once covered over by a concrete overpass, has been regenerated as a 6-mile-long flowing waterway flanked by greenery, art installations and pedestrian walkways. Next up: the ongoing Han River Renaissance Project, restoring the degraded ecology of the Han River while also creating sport and recreation facilities on the water and banks.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. The biggest project of all, the Yongsan International Business District, occupies the site of an old train maintenance depot and aims to be the world’s largest vertical Central Business District. A combination of financial issues and legal battles delayed the project for more than a decade, but it finally broke ground in 2025, and the $38.4 billion development megaproject is now underway. Meanwhile, part of the nearby former U.S. Army Garrison is being incorporated into Yongsan National Urban Park, an extensive green space that will compare to New York’s Central Park.

The young city is maturing. Moving far beyond the commercialized gloss of the K-Wave’s boy bands, South Korea asserts its intellectual weight. In 2024 the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded for the first time to a Korean writer, Han Kang. Just as the nation’s cultural output now spans from fast-paced entertainment to deeply refined art, Seoul’s urban landscape is shifting, turning the raw, haphazard development of the past 60 years into a considered blueprint to make the capital one of the world’s most livable cities.

CHECKING IN WITH ANTON HUR
Novelist and Translator of Korean Literature into English

You were born in Stockholm and have lived all over the world. Is Seoul home now? How has it changed in the time you’ve known it?
Seoul is home, and it has changed quite drastically, even in the past 10 years. I began living here in earnest 25 years ago and remember how, back then, there were something like three Thai restaurants in the whole city, and now there are so many I can’t even count them. The subway system expanded dramatically in 2001, and I feel like lines are being opened or extended every other year. It’s hard to find a neighborhood that’s not gentrified or rapidly gentrifying now. Its changes are dizzying.

What shifts — cultural, architectural, social — do you anticipate shaping Seoul in the coming years?
Seoul had to be defensible from the air, which meant our skyline had to be kept under a certain limit. From what I understand, this regulation has been phased out, and we can expect more skyscrapers being built, especially along the Han River.

You’re one of Korea’s most prolific literary translators. Everyone knows how the Korean Wave has swept the world with South Korean popular culture and cuisine. Is Korean literature the next tide?
No. There is very little overlap or overflow from Korean pop music or drama audiences into Korean literature. Literature is different. Books require depth to have a meaningful impact on the people who consume them.

What are your personal recommendations for things to see and do in Seoul? And where do bookworms hang out?
I like Han River Park a lot, and Seoul has lots of nice green spaces, and I always recommend the walk up Namsan Mountain or the Bukhansan Mountain trail for the more mountain-inclined. Seoul also has great café culture, as teahouses and leisurely gentry have existed in Korea since time immemorial, and that’s why there are so many of these great little cafés on every corner. Buy a book, sit in a café, read a little, daydream. That’s what book life in Seoul is to me.

DIVERSIONS
Seoul reveals its age and youth at the same time. At street level, the contrast is im- mediate: the classical geometry of Gyeong- bokgung Palace set against a skyline that keeps pushing upward, and the quiet lanes of Bukchon Hanok Village lying only minutes from cafés and studios shaping the next wave of Korean design. The city’s past isn’t preserved under glass: It’s part of the everyday fabric, coexisting with a culture that moves quickly and confidently.

The terrestrial attractions are where this dual identity is most visible. Cheong- gyecheon Stream, once a covered roadway, now runs clean and cool through the center, a reminder of Seoul’s habit of rethinking itself. Walk its length and you pass through eras: preserved city gates, business districts and markets where vendors constantly reinvent street food. Neighborhoods such as Seochon and Ikseondong show the same pattern: courtyards adapted into galleries, restaurants and small creative businesses. They feel lived-in rather than curated, lending to their appeal.

Seoul’s youthful side is equally present. In Hongdae’s bookshops and rehearsal rooms, in Apgujeong’s fashion houses, and in the cafés where students sketch out new cultural trends, there’s a sense of a city looking forward rather than back. Even the subway — efficient, spotless and quietly high-tech — feels like a preview of how urban transport might work elsewhere in the future.

The energy becomes clearer at height. N Seoul Tower, atop Namsan Mountain overlooking downtown, remains the classic viewpoint, offering a panorama that makes sense of Seoul’s sprawl and its pockets of green. And soon the skyline will add a new landmark: Seoul Twin Eye, a pair of interconnected spokeless observation wheels planned to open in 2028. Designed to be among the largest of their kind, they signal the city’s ongoing ambition: rooted in history but always building toward what comes next.

LODGING
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SEOUL
A masterclass in modern Korean design, Four Seasons stands as a 5-star landmark in the absolute center of the city.
97 Saemunan-Ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
$$$$

NINE TREE BY PARNAS, SEOUL INSADONG
For travelers wanting high-end ease without the premium price tag, this sleek hotel offers excel- lent value in Seoul’s bustling shopping and street food hub.
49 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
$$$

RYSE, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION
This 4-star hotel in the artistic Hongdae neighborhood is specifically tailored for those looking for a bold alternative to traditional business lodging.
130 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
$$$

DINING
BICENA
Located on the 81st floor of the landmark Lotte World Tower, you’ll enjoy traditional Korean cuisine elevated to the modern cutting edge.
81F, 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
$$$$

MINGLES
With three Michelin stars, this venerated venue proves ideal for a dazzling business lunch or a special occasion dinner.
2F, 19 Dosan-daero 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
$$$$

MYEONGDONG KYOJA
Family owned since 1966, this no-frills place features only four items on the menu. There’s always a line — for the best mandu dumplings and noodle soup in town.
129 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
$$

JUST THE FACTS
Time zone: GMT +9
Phone code: Country code: 82 City code: 2
Currency: Korean won
Key industries: Information and communications technology, finance, cultural content (K-pop, gaming, media) and tourism

COMING AND GOING
U.S. passport holders do not require a visa for tourism or business stays of up to 90 days. Additionally, a temporary Korean Electronic Travel Authorization exemption for U.S. citizens remains in effect, meaning you can travel visa-free and K-ETA- free until at least the end of 2026.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
Korean. English is the most common foreign language.

INFO TO GO
Most international flights arrive at Incheon Airport, 30 miles west of downtown Seoul. Regional international and domestic routes primarily land at Gimpo International Airport, which sits much closer to the city center. Road transfers from Incheon face unpredictable highway conges- tion, but non-stop AREX Express Train offers a reliable rail option directly to Seoul Station in just 43 minutes. The fully connected GTX-A express rail line is projected to inte- grate transit across the wider capital region by late 2026.