The CBT surveyed 100 students from CBNU about the most desirable Korean cities to visit. Seoul was selected by 34 students, and Jeju Island was next with 27 students. CBT reporters visited Seoul, the most beloved city. Seoul is the capital of South Korea and the most populated city in Korea. Seoul is a significant location for modern architecture and has many tourist attractions such as N Seoul Tower, 63 Building, Han River, Lotte Tower, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Lotte World, and Cheonggye Stream. Also, the birthplace of K-pop, Seoul, secured more than 10 million overseas visitors in 2014. Many festivals are held because it is one of the best places to visit. To enjoy a variety of attractions, CBT reporters visited Seoul. The reporters arrived at Seoul Express Bus Terminal after riding on an express bus. As the saying goes, Seoul can reach anywhere in the country, so there were many buses.

  Banpo Han River Park
  Banpo Han River Park is not far from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal. If visitors walk for about 10 minutes, they will see the Han River and the Banpo Han River Park next to it. At the park, there are many convenient facilities. There were sports facilities such as a playground, a roller skating hub, a soccer field, and a picnic area. In the picnic area, many people were relaxing on mats or in tents. There were trails and bike paths, so many people rode bicycles along the Han River. People can rent a bike at the bike rental shop and enjoy it with others. It costs 3,000 won for one person and 5,000 won for two people per hour. There is an unspoken rule that the cyclists on the right want to see the scenery and the ones on the left want to exercise. Everyone was following these rules. If visitors want to ride a bike, they will see a garden with pink mollies beside the track. They can see not only pink mollies but also various other flowers there. There were also many people taking pictures. The garden was beautiful, and there was a photo zone where people could take beautiful pictures. However, many people went into restricted zones to take pictures closer to the flowers. As a result, many flowers were damaged.
  People in Cheongju usually like to go on a picnic or ride a bike. However, if they feel bored with their daily life, it would be an excellent experience to visit Banpo Han River Park where the Han River flows.




  Daehangno
  If visitors take the No. 143 bus from Banpo Han River Park, they can go straight to Daehangno. In the past, Seoul National University (SNU) Headquarters and various college buildings were located on both sides of the Seoul National University Road. In 1975, all institutions, except the medical school, were moved to the Gwanak Campus in Sinrim-dong, Gwanak-gu, where Marronier Park was created. The remaining sites include some cultural and artistic organizations, and the area has been called Daehangno ever since. As various performances such as plays, movies, musicals, and concerts take place at the outdoor facilities on that street, it has become famous as a place where many people visit for culture and the arts. There are typically many people selling tickets or promoting their plays for theater performances around bus stops and subway entrances. The price of a play is not much different from the price of a movie. Visitors can see a play if they pay around 10,000 won. Unlike a movie, the distance between the actors and the audience is so close that the audience can observe the expressions of the actors. In particular, it was impressive to see the audience communicating with the actors. The actors and actresses acted according to their respective characters, so the audience could enjoy watching the play. After the play, the audience was also given time to take pictures and talk with the actors.

  Naksan Park
  Naksan Park is not far from Daehangno. During the Joseon Dynasty, cows supplying milk for the royal family were raised there. In modern times, it is a favorite place for couples to visit on a date and enjoy the night view. Couples were walking around the castle holding hands and watching the night view of Seoul. Since it is located higher than other regions, it is possible to see Seoul more beautifully. Also, because of the various lights and the castle walls, Naksan Park is more romantic at night. If visitors want to enjoy a beautiful night view, Naksan Park would be an excellent way to do it.

  Seoul Lantern Festival
  From November 2nd to 18th, the Seoul Lantern Festival is held at Cheonggye Stream. Starting in 2009, the festival has attracted more than 2.5 million visitors each year. As the 10th anniversary of the festival was held in 2018, many people from all over the country came to enjoy the festival. There were many street vendors selling goods related to lights. LED balloons and LED propellers attracted children’s attention. As there were so many people, there were guides for visitors around the festival. The theme of the festival was ‘Dream of Seoul, Into Light.’ The festival showed the city of the future in which people are living in Seoul, the capital of popular cultures, and there were scenes of Joseon people holding joyful feasts 600 years ago. The festival started with some pansori, a traditional wedding ceremony, some namsadang, and a display of some skycars and delivery drones. Walking along Cheonggye stream while enjoying the festival, adults and young children look for a place where they can make wishes and float their wish lanterns down the Cheonggye Stream.



  As Seoul is the representative city of Korea, there are many things that people can enjoy. In Seoul, people can enjoy nature by riding a bicycle along the Han River, going to Daehangno, watching a play, or spectating the various busking on the street. After that, they can go to Naksan Park to watch the night view. Visitors can also enjoy the various festivals held in Seoul.
  If students feel bored with daily life and want to do something new or enjoy various cultural activities, let’s all go to Seoul, the capital of Korea, and enjoy it together!

By Jung Jun-hoe | jjh38@cbnu.ac.kr
By Nam Min-woo | mw38@cbnu.ac.kr