Seoul

Seoul, formally designated Seoul Special Metropolitan City, occupies a distinctive place among the world’s capitals. It extends over 605 square kilometres in the northwest corner of South Korea, bisected by the Han River into northern and southern sectors. To the north rise the steep ridges of Bugaksan, Inwangsan, Naksan and the forested slopes of Bukhansan; to the south, more subdued elevations frame Gangnam’s sleek skyline. Encircled in earlier eras by the Seoul Fortress Wall, the modern city stretches far beyond those walls into the surrounding plain, merging seamlessly into satellite cities in Gyeonggi Province and the port metropolis of Incheon. Collectively, this Seoul Capital Area ranks among the globe’s largest metropolitan economies and, with over twenty million inhabitants, sustains more than half of South Korea’s population.

Archaeological and written records place Seoul’s origins in 18 BC under the Baekje kingdom, when the settlement known as Wiryeseong occupied low ridges south of today’s Hangang. With the ascendance of the Joseon dynasty in the late 14th century, the city—then called Hanyang—was formally chosen as the national seat of government. King Taejo ordered construction of the Five Grand Palaces within fortified walls: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung. Though many structures were destroyed during Japanese invasions of the late 16th century, Gyeongbokgung and its companion palaces were painstakingly restored in the nineteenth century. The austere symmetry of the main gates and pavilions, interlaced with gardens such as Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden, attest to a planning ethos that paired defensive logic with subtle aesthetic order.

The twentieth century brought upheaval. Under Japanese rule (1910–1945), the city was renamed Keijō, administrative organs were overhauled, and much of the historic fabric was altered or demolished. During the Korean War, Seoul changed hands four times, leaving the urban core in ruins. Yet each post-war era has driven reconstruction on a scale rarely seen elsewhere: neighborhoods razed by shelling gave way to high-rise apartments and wide boulevards; traditional hanok villages survived in pockets such as Bukchon and Namsangol; the city grew outward, its population peaking above ten million in 2014 before settling to roughly 9.6 million by 2024.

Despite its density—nearly twice that of New York City proper—Seoul preserves abundant parks and woodland. Within the old city walls, Namsan Park crowns the central peninsula, where the N Seoul Tower surveys blocks of glass-and-concrete. Along the Han River, thirteen segmented waterfront parks provide promenades, playgrounds and cycling paths: Yeouido’s expansive lawns, Banpo’s dancing fountain, Mangwon’s informal sports fields and Ichon’s weekend markets all draw residents seeking respite. A repurposed overpass, Seoullo 7017, threads above Seoul Station as a linear garden; Seonyudo Park, sculpted from a disused water filtration plant, blends industrial relics with native plantings. Further afield, green belts bound the city, curbing urban sprawl into neighboring provinces and offering hikers trails into Mt. Bukhansan’s granite crags.

Seoul’s population shift reflects economic and social change. Once concentrated in the inner districts, inhabitants have dispersed into satellite cities where land and housing are less costly. An aging demographic and a fertility rate of 0.55 in 2023—well below the national average—underscore challenges to generational renewal. Nonetheless, the city remains a magnet for foreign residents; in 2016 over 400,000 non-Koreans lived in Seoul, chiefly Chinese nationals (some of Korean descent), followed by sizeable American and Taiwanese communities. Religiously, the populace divides among Christianity (35 percent), Buddhism (10.8 percent) and a majority identifying as non-religious. Notable sites include the vast Yoido Full Gospel Church and the Seoul Central Mosque, symbols of the city’s complex spiritual tapestry.

Though it occupies barely 0.6 percent of South Korean territory, Seoul handles nearly half of the nation’s bank deposits and generated almost a quarter of its GDP in 2012. Corporate headquarters for Samsung, LG and Hyundai circle the capital, while concentrated technology clusters in Gangnam and the Digital Media City pulse with startup ventures and media conglomerates. International indices frequently rank Seoul among the world’s top ten cities for financial competitiveness and quality of life, and in 2010 it was named World Design Capital. The porous boundary between commerce and culture has made Seoul a leading host of global summits: the 1986 Asian Games, 1988 Summer Olympics, 2010 G20 and periodic international conferences draw attention to its logistical prowess and modern venues such as COEX and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

The city’s skyline juxtaposes the centuries-old rooflines of Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon Tombs—five of which lie within the Capital Area and all designated UNESCO World Heritage—against the soaring Lotte World Tower, at 555 metres among the world’s tallest. The 63 Building, once the tallest in Korea, and Seoul Tower complete a visual dialogue between preservation and progress. Within the historic core, the restored Namdaemun and Dongdaemun gates stand sentinel; two others were lost to time, but six endure as portals through which Seoul’s collective memory is both framed and refracted. Cultural corridors such as Insadong—lined with antique dealers and galleries—and the markets of Namdaemun and Dongdaemun echo centuries of trade, while the Yongsan Electronics Market underscores the city’s status as Asia’s technology bazaar.

Seoul’s transport infrastructure undergirds its dynamism. A web of nine major subway lines—part of a 940 kilometre rapid transit network—carries over eight million riders daily, making it the busiest and longest in the world. Coordinated scheduling across subway, bus and commuter rail was conceived with mathematical precision to minimize wait times; express buses link to provinces nationwide from terminals such as South Seoul and Sangbong. KTX high-speed trains depart from Seoul Station and Yongsan, reaching Busan and Gwangju at velocities exceeding 300 km/h. Two airports—Gimpo, the older field now serving domestic and regional routes, and Incheon International, Asia’s fourth busiest cargo hub—connect the city to global markets. Cycling too has gained popularity, with dedicated lanes tracing the riverbanks and a citywide bike-share system (Ddareungi) launched in 2015.

Administratively divided into twenty-five gu, each comparable in size to a small city, Seoul resists a single center. Instead, a constellation of nodes defines its experience: Jongno and Jung trace the old royal precincts; Mapo and Seodaemun teem with universities and youthful nightlife in Hongdae and Sinchon; Yongsan hosts the US military base and Itaewon’s cosmopolitan eateries; Yeouido glitters with financial towers; Gangnam and Seocho display high-rent streets and luxury boutiques; Songpa and Gangdong cradle Olympic Park and Lotte World; peripheral gu such as Nowon and Eunpyeong offer access to hiking in Bukhansan; far southern districts like Dongjak and Gwanak give passage to Noryangjin fish market and Gwanaksan’s ridges; eastern and western sectors complete the pattern of pockets that collectively form Seoul.

More than a hundred museums chart the city’s breadth of interests. The National Museum of Korea, on Yongsan’s slopes, holds over 220,000 artifacts; the National Folk Museum stands at Gyeongbokgung, illustrating daily life across dynasties. Art museums—Seoul Museum of Art, Leeum, Ilmin and the MMCA branch near Bukchon—showcase Korean and international creativity. Historic sites such as Seodaemun Prison and the War Memorial bear witness to Japan’s occupation and the Korean War. Street art festivals, rooted in Citizens’ Day each October, and music events from ABU song showcases to Ultra Music Festival Korea highlight Seoul’s evolving creative energy.

While Seoul’s crime rate remains low by international standards, visitors should note social sensitivities: public displays of non-Korean couples may attract attention, and alcohol-fuelled confrontations, though rare, carry legal risks. Drone usage is largely prohibited above much of the city. American military personnel observe strict curfews, enforced by military police with authority to request identification. Overall, however, Seoul projects a sense of order and vigilance—CCTV covers many public spaces—and a visitor who respects local norms is likely to find the city exceptionally safe.

Seoul’s character emerges through its contrasts: the solemn cadence of ancestral rites at Jongmyo against the neon pulse of Gangnam’s stations; quiet temple courtyards in Insadong beside teeming fashion streets in Myeongdong; the hush of morning mist on Namsan slopes followed by the roar of traffic beneath the Han River bridges. Here, historic palaces stand in dialogue with soaring towers; solitary joggers trace riverside paths overlooked by drone-blue skyscrapers; weekend hikers escape into mountains scarcely a mile from apartment blocks. A capital both ancient and newly built, Seoul retains the imprint of six centuries of dynastic governance even as it scripts the next chapter of urban modernity. In this city of layered memories and rapid change, continuity itself becomes the defining landmark.