Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With Kids
Children are more than welcome in Seoul - this is a safe and
family friendly city with plenty of interesting museums (in-
cluding several devoted to kids themselves), as well as parks,
amusement parks and fun events that will appeal to all age
groups.
K-Pop Rules
The best way to cut down on child grumbles in Seoul is to mix your sampling of traditional
Korean culture with things that the kids are more likely to enjoy. Fortunately, thanks to the
global appeal of local pop culture, the young ones are likely to be more au fait with con-
temporary Korean pop culture than you are! Be prepared to search out shops stocking
Girls' Generation posters, DVDs of Korean TV soap operas such as
Boys Over Flowers
, or
manhwa
(Korean comics and graphic novels). Kyobo Bookstore is a good place to start.
Educational Experiences
Not that museums and other traditional culture centres need be boring. The National Mu-
seum of Korea and the National Folk Museum have fun, hands-on children's sections, and
the War Memorial of Korea has outdoor warplanes and tanks that make for a popular play-
ground. Various events, some involving dressing up in traditional costumes or having a go
at taekwondo happen at Namsangol Hanok Village. Older kids and teenagers will likely
want to visit places such as the Seoul Animation Center to learn more about local animated
TV series and films, or Samsung D'Light to play with the latest digital technology. Non-
verbal shows such as
Nanta
and
Jump
are great family entertainment.
