Seoul is a place that you can never get bored with. Coming to Seoul on the first trip or visiting the city again in another adventure, Seoul in 2026 is a mixture of modernity and excitement, tradition and modernity, and futuristic experience. The city is dynamic, with new attractions being added and old attractions being enhanced.
In order to experience the best of Seoul, this guide points out six things that will be memorable and you will not forget them.
1 – Visit the Futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Dongdaemun Design Plaza still remains one of the most remarkable architectural sites in Seoul in 2026. Once you enter, you get the impression that you are walking into a futuristic building. Its polished lines, walls covered with silver and huge vacant halls make it ideal to take photos, design shows and hold light performances at night. DDP is the place where new events, fashion shows, art festivals and cultural shows are always held. The LED rose garden lasts up to nighttime around the plaza, which is particularly beautiful. It gives a magical feeling, which is calm in the midst of the busy city.
2 – Excursion in Traditional Bukchon Hanok Village
Bukchon Hanok Village provides a beautiful contrast to the modern parts of the city. You get to see the quiet and traditional side of Seoul. The old Korean architecture is felt as you stroll down the small streets crowded with wooden houses known as hanok. The houses are well-maintained and consist of curving roofs, beams of wood, and small courtyards. A lot of the Hanok houses have been converted into tea houses, cultural hubs and guesthouses.
3 – Live Gangnam Nightlife in Karaoke Shirt Rooms
Gangnam is the most popular neighborhood in Seoul, which is associated with luxury, style, and nightlife. The fast energy and excitement can be experienced when you are walking along its bright streets at night. The most distinct ones are the executive karaoke shirt rooms, which are a type of luxury norebang.
Executive shirt rooms are entertainment rooms with karaoke and are created to accommodate Gangnam public karaoke for groups who cherish the finer things in life. Upon entry, you will be taking a step into a smooth room with dim lighting, leather seats, sound systems of professional level and beautifully done interiors. The rooms are personalised and comfortable, and as a result, celebrities, corporate clientele, and travellers prefer these rooms as they are more sophisticated than the ordinary karaoke. There is also an opportunity to sing your favorite songs in-house, get high-quality services, and spend time with friends in a cool interior that makes it seem like a personal lounge.
4 – Have a Korean Jjimjilbang (Spa)
Jjimjilbang is a Korean type of spa in which you take a break, heat your body, and leave your stress behind. Most jjimjilbangs in Seoul have now advanced some amenities such as heated salt rooms, gemstone saunas, ice rooms, sleeping areas, and digital meditation zones (2026). Upon entering, you get soft clothes, and you can spend hours traveling between hot rooms, baths, and relaxation spaces.
Other jjimjilbangs go to the extent of providing entertainment areas that have food outlets, television lounges and napping chairs. One of the most suitable activities to experience local culture is visiting a jjimjilbang since it is one of the activities that Koreans engage in frequently.
5 – New Seoul Sky Garden
Another recent 2026 attraction is the Seoul Sky Garden. It was just built on floating platforms along the Han River and is one of the most captivating. In this garden, it is a blend of nature, technology and art that is creative. Going through the floating paths, you have a glimpse of the colorful gardens, interactive screens and art pieces responding to movement and sound. The river view, bridges and the city skyline are amazing, especially in the sunset. Lighting effects are also applied at night, where lights are installed in the water and this makes the site a tranquil and romantic experience.
6 – Shop and Snack Through Myeong-dong
Myeong-dong has always been a shopping and street food place. It is also a more modernized, organized and entertaining place. As you walk down the redesigned streets, you will discover new pop-up shops, screens, themed cafes and even good stuff in the makeup stores. All the food, including spicy rice cakes, hotteok, cheese-skewers, and colored fruit beverages, is sold in the food stalls. You can go to foreign fashion brands, as well as discover something new in the K-beauty that is difficult to find anywhere.