Namdaemun Gate, officially designated as Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, stands proudly at the heart of a busy roundabout just south of Seoul City Hall. Built in the 14th century, it originally served as one of the major city gates and was constructed in accordance with the architectural principles that influenced the layout of the Yi Dynasty palaces.

As one of the key gates into the capital, Namdaemun played an important role in the city's historical defence system. Today, it remains a striking symbol of Seoul’s cultural heritage—an elegant bridge between Korea’s dynastic past and its modern urban rhythm.

This is Injeongjeon Hall inside Changdeokgung Palace, built by King Taejong in 1405. Like many of Korea’s grand palaces, temples and historic buildings, it was burned to the ground during the Japanese invasion of 1592—but later restored.

Starting in 1615, when King Gwanghaegun moved the seat of government here, Changdeokgung became the centre of royal rule for nearly 300 years. Injeongjeon was where the king held formal audiences with his subjects and received foreign envoys. Lavish royal banquets and ceremonial gatherings also took place in the palace’s outer grounds.

Stone tablets placed in front of the hall indicate where officials of each rank were to stand during formal ceremonies—an elegant reminder of the strict order and symbolism that shaped royal protocol.

Chuhamnu Pavilion, built in 1777, stands quietly within the serene confines of Piwon—the Secret Garden of Changdeokgung Palace. The building served a dual purpose: the ground floor once housed the royal library, while the upper level was reserved for banquets and entertainment.

It remains one of the 28 original structures still standing in the garden, each steeped in centuries of quiet elegance. Just in front of the pavilion is Osumun Gate, one of the most ornately decorated gates in Korea. A true architectural gem, the gate complements the refined atmosphere of the royal garden, blending artistry and symbolism in perfect harmony.

Tonhwamun Gate serves as the grand main entrance to Changdeokgung Palace. Historical records note that it once featured a massive 9,000-kilogram bell, intended to lend both sound and symbolism to the palace grounds. Sadly, the bell was lost during the Japanese invasion of 1592.

Today, the gate stands as a powerful emblem of Korea’s resilience and architectural grace, welcoming visitors into one of the country’s most storied royal compounds.

This was a ceremony showing the changing of the guards outside Deoksugung Palace. A large crowd had gathered to watch the royal guards being formally relieved of duty—a spectacle full of tradition and colour.

But on that particular day, the guards weren’t the only attraction. Judging by the curious glances and lingering stares, I’d say the locals spent about 25% of the time watching me instead of the ceremony. Even in bustling Seoul, seeing a foreigner up close still felt like something of a rarity. (1999)

In 1988 Seoul arranged the Olympic Games. This is the main entrance to the enormous park where all the sport events were held. Inside the park there are some remains of the Paekche dynasty (4th century) Mongchon fortress, which are preserved as a museum.
When we were in Seoul, the World Championship in fencing was held in one of the Olympic stadiums.
Just behind the gate, there was a big square, where lots of roller skaters amused them self.

This is Geunjeongjeon Hall, dating back to 1394, located within Gyeongbokgung Palace. Remarkably, it is one of the few original buildings that survived the devastation caused by the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. Out of around 200 palace structures, only a dozen remained untouched—the rest were reduced to ashes.

Geunjeongjeon was the heart of royal activity. Kings once conducted state affairs here, hosted formal functions, and received foreign envoys beneath its soaring ceilings. The hall itself is built with a high roof atop a two-level stone platform, radiating grandeur and solemnity befitting its historic role.

Nagan Fortress Folk Village, nestled in the Chollanam-do district, is home to 108 households where locals continue to live in traditional Korean style. The village offers a rare glimpse into Korea’s architectural heritage, with thatched-roof homes, stone walls, and winding alleyways preserving centuries of rural life.

During our visit, the community was bustling with activity, as residents were busy replacing the straw roofs on nearly every building in the village. It was a fascinating sight—watching this age-old maintenance tradition unfold across an entire town. The blend of living history and everyday life makes Nagan Folk Village a uniquely immersive experience.

A large ceremonial drum hangs from the roof of this historic city gate. When the gate was first built, the drum was struck each morning as the gate opened, and again each evening as it closed—marking the rhythm of daily life in the city.

Originally located at the city’s edge, the gate now sits within a newly constructed 1.7-kilometre-long wall. Visitors can enjoy a walk along the entire length of the wall, with panoramic views and a chance to retrace centuries of local history from above.

In Busan, Korea’s largest harbour city with around four million residents, we visited the renowned Jagalchi Fish Market. It’s a feast for the senses.

Everywhere you look, there are piles of dried fish—some as small as one centimetre, complete with heads, fins, eyes and delicate bones. Salty to the taste, they’re tiny marvels of preservation.

If you prefer fresh seafood, molluscs, or seaweed, this is the perfect spot. Fishing boats arrive steadily throughout the day, delivering the catch straight to the market stalls. We saw molluscs attempting a daring escape from their buckets more than once—a quirky reminder that everything here is very much alive and fresh.

Queen Seondeok (632–646 A.D.) of the Silla Kingdom built Cheomseongdae Observatory in 646. It is considered one of the oldest observatories in the world. At the base, 12 stones are arranged in a circle, and the structure itself is made from 366 stones. Twenty-seven layers of square-hewn granite form a cylindrical, bottle-shaped tower standing on a square foundation.

The top platform aligns with the cardinal points—north, south, east and west—and is believed to have aided in astronomical observations. A square opening facing directly south sits between the 13th and 15th stone layers; this was once the entrance. The observatory measures 5.17 metres in diameter and 9.4 metres in height. It is one of the best-preserved relics of the Silla period.

Cheomseongdae was likely used to time astronomical events such as sunrise, noon and sunset, and to observe seasonal changes—possibly using instruments placed on the roof. The layout and angles of the windows are thought to have enabled precise readings for 24 sub-seasons.

The photo was taken by our guide, Sang-sub Song, to whom we owe a great debt. He spent a day and a half showing us around the area and nearby mountains around Gyeongju.

On 20 November 1999, we climbed Mt. Namsan with our local guide, Sang-sub Song. This mountain holds deep spiritual significance as a holy Buddhist site. Along the steep trails, we passed many private tombs and encountered a shaman performing a healing ritual for an elderly woman.

Scattered throughout the route were several Buddha statues—some carved directly into the cliffs (like the one shown in the photo), others sculpted out from the rock face. Continuing towards the summit, we passed a small temple where a loudspeaker played music composed by local monks, adding to the atmosphere.

At the top, a local vendor was selling chilled water—having made the journey up himself over more than an hour and a half. As you can imagine, the price was appropriately steep.

Shinhungsa Temple lies within Mt. Sorak National Park. The mountainous region surrounding it saw fierce battles between North and South Korean forces during the invasion. Shinhungsa itself holds deep spiritual significance, being the oldest continuously used Zen temple in Korea.

Behind and to the right of the stone dragon and incense jar stands a giant bronze Buddha—an impressive figure that adds to the serenity and majesty of the site.

The giant bronze Buddha mentioned above was only discovered because the trail to the third of the famous waterfalls in the national park was inaccessible. We had hoped to see all three, but the path came to an abrupt end, and some Koreans simply shook their heads and gesticulated wildly when we pointed at the name of the third waterfall. Disappointed, we headed back towards the entrance—where we stumbled upon this impressive Buddha.

On the way, we passed an old woman selling candy on a stick. It tasted like honey and caramel and seemed to be very popular among the locals.

You often encounter poor vendors in these areas—some sell sweets, others offer postcards, peanuts, or the most revolting item imaginable: silkworm soup. Its smell travels more than a hundred metres, and I felt sick every time I walked past one of the booths. I never understood why Koreans queued for it. I'm convinced I’d be ill for days if I came within five metres of the stuff.