National Museum of Korean Contemporary History (대한민국역사박물관)
I loved the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History (대한민국역사박물관). It contained a wealth of information about modern Korean history, from the 1860s to present. For me, the most fascinating of them all were the years after World War II which led to the separation of North Korea and South Korea. It felt like an expensive social experiment carried out by the then superpowers. The Koreans did not gain anything from this but only suffered through it. Through the exhibit, I could clearly feel their yearning for reunification.
Another nice exhibit was the rapid urbanization of South Korea and its development of the high tech industry that rivals the Japanese.
Old Korean newspaper
Display of an old Korean newspaper. I was surprised to see that the Koreans used to borrow a lot of Chinese characters (Hanja) in their language. Nowadays, however, you will not be able to see a single Hanja on the Korean streets. The evolution of their language was still evolving rapidly in modern times.
Gongpyeong Historic Site Museum
What a pleasant surprise when we discovered this museum while we were wandering around downtown Seoul. It housed the old alleyways and building sites of the historic city of Seoul, from the times of Joseon Kingdom’s “Hanyang” to the more recent “Gyeongseong,” both former names of present-day Seoul. The exhibit showcased the ways that people lived in the old days and their buildings.
This museum was not a popular tourist attraction so it's not crowded. However, my sons loved it because it's spacious and very focused. In addition, there was a VR station where you could walk through the site in virtual reality. It was a big hit for kids and adults alike.
Dongmyo Flea Market
Along the way to the Cheongyecheon Stream, we found the Dongmyo Flea Market. It was located next to the Dongmyo Shrine and was a famous street for vintage shopping. As you can see from the picutre, a single store has almost everything imaginable, from second-hand clothes to antiques, vinyl records and many miscellaneous goods. And this is just one vendor. Imagine the entire street filled with them and you will get the picture of what the flea market is like.
Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천)
Living in North America, we sometimes forget to appreciate the vast greenery we have. Luckily, in Seoul, there are still some green space where you can relax and decompress. If you want to escape from the bustling Dongmyo Flea Market, you can walk along the nearby Cheonggyecheon Stream. It was a wonderful place for kids and adults alike. There were paved walkway along the stream and stepping stones from time to time to let you walk across. You can also choose to leave whenever you like, making it a perfect place to relax between stops.