What to do in Mapo-Gu
1/ The place to break your voice
It's impossible to visit Seoul without visiting a noraebang, the South Korean equivalent of karaoke, at least once. If you're looking to break into a song, head for Luxury Su Noraebang. Behind its dazzling glass façade is a panoply of fully-equipped rooms that can be rented by the hour. The extravagant decor - marble, rococo armchairs, and disco lights - adds to the spectacle, as does the performance of the singers of the evening who are allocated the booths - fortunately well soundproofed - visible from the street.
To make your visit to Mapo-Gu more convenient, consider booking your stay close to the excitement. Check out a range of hotels that are in proximity to Mapo-Gu. Click https://www.seoulhotelspage.com/en/near-mapo-gu-dr284094 to explore accommodation options.
Around €15 an hour. Choice of songs in English. skysu.com
2/ Beans on a snowball
When the summer heat arrives, patbingsu becomes the king of desserts. It consists of finely crushed ice cream covered with sweet red bean paste, which is itself topped with tteok, a soft pastry made from rice flour. There are many variations, but the traditional recipe remains the most refreshing and healthiest. Okrumong Bingsu, a cosy café with minimalist decor, offers an authentic version - the red beans are cooked slowly in large cauldrons - served in brass bowls to maintain the optimum temperature.
402-18 Seogyo-dong.
What to do in Jongno-Gu
3/ Every day is ravioli day here
The charm of the old combined with the craziness of the new: made up of superbly renovated hanok (traditional houses), the "village" of Ikseon-dong has the wind in its sails and is the perfect place for a stroll. Shops selling vintage clothes and objects, tea rooms and bohemian restaurants are all overrun by young Seoulese. The most unusual address? Uncle Videotown, a bistro with a retro decor, where you can enjoy a Viennese coffee, the speciality, while watching a film. Feeling peckish? Go to Changhwadang, which serves succulent mandu, traditional Korean ravioli. A real treat.
Uncle Videotown, 47, Gwansu-dong 28-gil. Changhwadang, 23, Supyo-ro 28-gil.
4/ The dark side of art: a place for discerning visitors
Paintings, photos, videos, installations... Dedicated to contemporary art, the Arario Museum In Space is hidden away in the labyrinthine space of a former black-brick architectural practice completely covered in ivy. There is no equivalent in the capital to the amusing maze of corridors and staircases that adorn the premises. A flight of stairs leads to the fifth floor, where strange, even disturbing creations haunt the nooks and crannies. The self-portraits by American artist Cindy Sherman and the tiny, hyper-realistic sculptures by Dongwook Lee are especially disturbing.
Admission: €8. arariomuseum.org
5/ In the urban jungle of Jongno-Gu, the Eden of the virtuous
If you only have time to visit one of the capital's royal residences, Changdeokgung is the place to go. Completed in 1405, the "Palace of Prosperous Virtue" is not only the best-preserved of the five great residences built under the Joseon dynasty, it also stands out for its peaceful atmosphere and elegance. And above all for its huwon, or "secret garden", a favourite resting place of the monarchs, with its seven-hundred-year-old juniper tree shaped like a dragon, and its pavilion that seems to float above a pool studded with lotuses. The vegetation here is largely untamed, giving it a uniquely wild feel.
Ticket for the garden (guided tour compulsory): €6. cdg.go.kr/eng
6/ A visit to the master craftsmen
The micro-district of Insadong is made up of just one main street and a number of small alleyways, but you could easily spend a whole day here. With its teahouses, art galleries and craft stalls, this is the best place in the capital to go shopping: celadon crockery, red ginseng (a tonic), calligraphy brushes, hanji (paper made from mulberry pulp), wooden masks, buchae (decorated fans)... Green tea lovers will find plenty at the Osulloc Tea House.
What to do in Yongsan-Gu?
7/ A taste of Itaewon's wild nights
Itaewon used to be a hangout for GI's, who used to come here to indulge until the late 1990s. The area has mellowed out, but remains a nightclubbers' haven, with its clubs and microbars. Our tip: try a samgyopsal, delicious slices of barbecued pork belly, at Geolgune Wang Gopchang. Then head to the warm rooftop of Casa Corona to admire the glitter of the megalopolis.
Geolgune Wang Gopchang, 128-12, Itaewon-dong. Casa Corona, casacoronaseoul.com
8/ A double museum in a beautiful setting
The Leeum Samsung Museum of Art is two museums for the price of one (€8)! One for traditional arts (goldsmithing, calligraphy, etc.), the other for contemporary works, including paintings by Mark Rothko or Jean-Michel Basquiat, videos by Nam June Paik, etc. Architects Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas designed this exceptional building.
leeum.org/html_eng/global/main.asp
9/ A complete Oriental rejuvenation cure
In South Korea, the best way to soothe the body and mind is to bask in a jjimjilbang, the traditional baths. The eight-storey Dragon Hill Spa is the most popular in Seoul. It includes saunas (separate for men and women), aromatherapy rooms, a swimming pool (swimming costume compulsory) and even noraebang (karaoke) booths. Those brave enough to strip completely naked to take advantage of the steam rooms and pools, or to take a siesta on the floor among strangers, will be immersed in Korean culture.
Admission: €9 to €11. dragonhillspa.com/en
What to do in Gangnam-Gu
10/ A tailor-made star academy
Why not slip into the costume of a K-pop star? At the King Studio, anyone can record their favourite song in just two hours. The session takes place with the support of a professional vocal coach who offers advice. With the help of Auto-Tune virtuosos, the idol of the day can leave with his or her record, as well as a video - which may have to be screened sparingly!
From €90. kingstudio.asia
What to do in Jung-Gu
11/ A river that's come a long way
Walking along the banks of the peaceful Cheonggyecheon, it's hard to imagine the history of this river. Unhealthy and lined with shantytowns under the Japanese occupation, it was then concreted over before disappearing under an expressway. In 2003, it was restored. Today, this eleven-kilometre promenade is very popular with Seoulese, who come to soak their feet in the summer and, in the autumn, write wishes on lanterns during the bitchorong, the "festival of lanterns".
12/ UFO in the city
It's the biggest asymmetrical building in the world: inaugurated in 2014, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), a temple to fashion and design that looks like a spaceship, is an undulating building designed by the illustrious Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. It houses 82,000 m2 of exhibition halls, research laboratories, restaurants and designer boutiques. Ideal for finding gadgets to take home.
ddp.or.kr