Autumn 2024. Ten years after my first trip to Seoul in 2014, I am returning to the Republic of Korea, better known as South Korea. Not solo this time, but with Oriol, who has never been to Korea. On the itinerary: flying with Qatar Airways to Incheon via Doha, the capital Seoul, the historic city of Gyeongju, Busan, Jeju Island and a second stint in Seoul, where we are joined by Sehyeon. We’re spending two weeks in South Korea. The ROK is such a popular destination now. Will we experience overtourism?  

After a disappointing shopping session, we decided to go to Namsam Mountain Park and N Seoul Tower. According to the Naver navigation app the journey time on foot or with public transport wasn’t that different. So we decided to go on foot.

Seoul Namsan Park

Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울)) is a popular destination located south of Myeongdong, offering hiking trails, tourist attractions, N Seoul Tower, and panoramic views of downtown Seoul. Namsan, meaning ‘South Mountain’ is the largest park in Seoul, attracting over 20,000 visitors daily.  

The peak of Namsam is 262 metres or 800 feet. The tower adds 237 metres or 777 feet. 

History of the park

During the reign of King Taejo, the first king of the Joseon Dynasty, Namsan was considered a sacred shamanistic site. He had a fortress wall built to protect the city from invaders. Portions of this wall still exist today.  

During the Japanese occupation of the peninsula in 1925, the Japanese built a Shinto shrine known as Chosen Jingu at the peak of Namsan as part of their Japanization policy. After Korea’s independence in 1945, the shrine was demolished.

In 1970, the Patriot Ahn Chung-gun Memorial Hall was built on the former site of the Shinto shrine. This memorial hall honors Ahn Chung-gun, a Korean nationalist and independence activist who assassinated Ito Hirobumi, the former prime minister of Japan and first Resident-General of Korea.  

What to do?

People come to  Namsan Park for the views, nature, and hiking. But there are also some sites. Besides N Seoul Tower, there’s the Mongmyeoksan Beacon Hill Site, the Palgakjeong Pavilion, and the Locks of Love.

Mongmyeoksan Beacon Hill Site  was constructed to warn the city of incoming enemy invasions and transmit emergency news to the government. It was rebuilt in 1993 using blueprints from geographer and cartographer Kim Jeong-ho.

Locks of Love is a collection of locks that couples hang on a wall to symbolize their endless love. There is a legend that wishes made at the top of Namsan Mountain will come true.

The park is open 24 hours, but attractions may have varying operating hours.

Admission to the park, including Locks of Love and the Beacon Hill Site, is free. N Seoul Tower and the Namsan Cable Car require paid tickets.

Namsan Cable Car

The Namsan Cable Car is the easiest way to reach the top. Take the cable car from Myeongdong Station, exit 3, and follow the directions to the lower cable car station. The ride takes approximately three minutes.

Hiking

There are also buses, or you can walk, as we did. It’s quite a hike and there are many stairs. But it’s doable. 

N Seoul Tower

The N Seoul Tower (N 서울타워), officially the YTN Seoul Tower and also known as the Namsan Tower is a communication and observation tower.

Built in 1969, the N Seoul Tower is South Korea’s first general radio wave tower, providing TV and radio broadcasting in Seoul. Currently, the tower broadcasts signals for Korean media outlets, such as KBS, MBC, and SBS. 

N Seoul Tower consists of three main sections: the N Lobby, N Plaza, and the N Tower. The N Plaza has two floors, while the N Tower has four floors.

The N Lobby features the N Gift, N Sweetbar, BH Style, Alive Museum, Memshot, Nursing Room, an information booth, a cafe, and the entrance to the observatory.

The N Plaza has two floors. The first floor includes the ticket booth, N Terrace, N Gift, and a burger shop. The second floor houses the Place Dining (an Italian restaurant) and the Roof Terrace, where the Locks of Love can be found.  

The N Tower has four floors: 1F, 2F, 3F, and 5F. It features four observation decks, including a revolving restaurant that rotates once every 48 minutes. There are also gift shops and two restaurants. The top of the tower offers panoramic views of Seoul.  

Nearby, there is a second lattice transmission tower. The tower has a digital observatory with a 360-degree panoramic view showcasing Korea’s history through 32 LCD screens.

• Tower T1: Korean Restaurant Hancook.
• Tower T2: Analogue Observatory, The Wishing Pond, Sky Restroom, Sky Coffee, Photo Studio.
• Tower T3: Digital Observatory, Shocking Edge, Digital High-powered Telescope, Gift shop.
• Tower T4: Revolving restaurant.

N Seoul Tower attracts millions of tourists and locals each year, especially at night when it is illuminated. 

Around 8.4 million people visit annually, and the surrounding attractions, including Namsan Park and Namsangol Hanok Village, add to its appeal. Visitors can enter the tower for a fee, which varies for children, teenagers, adults, and seniors, as well as by group size and package.

N Seoul Tower is lit up in blue from sunset to 11 PM (10 PM in winter) on days when Seoul’s air quality is 45 or below. 

Love padlocks

Locks of Love is a popular spot where couples attach padlocks as a symbol of their eternal love. The tradition, featured in many Korean TV dramas and movies, involves writing names or messages on a padlock, securing it to the fence, and throwing away the key to symbolize lasting love. This is similar to the love locks tradition on Paris’ Pont Neuf bridge.

Wishing Pond and Observatory

The N Tower features several other attractions, including the Wishing Pond and the digital observatory. Visitors can toss coins into the Wishing Pond, located on the second floor, while making a wish.

 The coins are later donated to schools in underdeveloped areas of China and Southeast Asia. 

From levels 1 to 4 of the tower, OLED panels are displayed. On the first level, visitors are greeted by a 9-meter OLED tunnel featuring red rose petals and welcome messages. A 15m x 3m curved OLED display shows a panoramic view of Gwanghwamun Gate and Gyeongbokgung Palace through the seasons. 

On the second level, the OLED Circle—a round, suspended structure—can be seen. Level four features a 24-meter-long wavy structure adorned with images of wish lanterns, flames, and traditional Korean patterns, representing the beautiful Seoul skyline. Visitors can also experience a ‘3D video world’ on this level.

A visit

I’m glad we walked up the mountain. It was a nice hike. The tower as such is very touristy. Such panoramic towers are more interesting when you know the surrounding areas well. 

It’s a thing to do in Seoul. 

South Korea 2024

1. QUESTION | Should you be scared of travelling to South Korea?.
2. REVIEW | Qatar Airways – economy – Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner – Brussels to Doha.
3. QATAR | Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha.
4. REVIEW | Qatar Airways – economy – Airbus A350 – Doha to Seoul / Incheon.
5. SOUTH KOREA | Landing at Incheon, retrieving the Wowpass and taking the AREX to Seoul Station.
6. REVIEW | Fraser Place Namdaemun Seoul near City Hall.
7. SEOUL | Deoksugung Palace by day.
8. SEOUL | Admiral Yi Sun-sin – King Sejong the Great – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folk Museum SEOUL | Admiral Yi Sun-sin – King Sejong the Great – Gyeongbokgung Palace – National Folk Museum.
9. SEOUL | Bukchon Hanok Village – Insadong Culture Street – Jogyesa Temple – Gwangjang Market – Cheonggyecheon Stream.
10. SEOUL 2024 | Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
11. SHOPPING IN SEOUL | Myeongdong – Lotte Young Plaza – Avenuel – Lotte Department Store.