17 Things To See and Do In Jamsil
There are a few majorly popular things to do in Jamsil (์ ์ค๋) like Lotte World Amusement Park and visiting the tallest observatory in Korea in Lotte World Tower. Yes, the most popular things to see in Jamsil are highly marketed by the biggest Korean conglomerate, Lotte, so I’m sure you’ve heard of them by now. But, there are more things to see and do in Jamsil than you might realize and if you’re going to head to southeast Seoul, you should know about them.
I lived in Songpa-gu for my first year in Korea and spent many weekends in Jamsil. At the time, there wasn’t nearly as much to see and do and every time I’m in the area, I’m amazed at how much has changed and grown.
Get ready to see everything there is to see in Jamsil:
- What to know about Jamsil
- Things to do in Jamsil
- Visit the iconic Olympic Park (์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ ๊ณต์)
- See the epic views from Seoul Sky Observatory (์์ธ ์ค์นด์ด)
- Drink Champagne with epic views at Bar81
- See an exhibition at Lotte Museum of Art (๋กฏ๋ฐ๋ฎค์ง์)
- Join a fun decorative cooking class
- Have a picnic in Jamsil Hangang Park (์ ์ค ํ๊ฐ๊ณต์)
- Walk around Seokchon Lake (์์ดํธ์๊ณต์)
- Rent a Korean style school uniform at Gamsung Gyobok Jamsil Main Branch
- Have fun at Lotte World Amusement Park (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์ด๋๋ฒค์ฒ)
- Go shopping in Lotte World Mall (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋๋ชฐ)
- See sealife at Lotte World Aquarium (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์์ฟ ์๋ฆฌ์)
- Buy books at the Seoul Book Bogo (์์ธ์ฑ ๋ณด๊ณ )
- Go shopping in Jamsil Station (์ ์ค์ญ)
- See a baseball game at Jamsil Stadium (์ ์ค ์ผ๊ตฌ์ฅ)
- Learn at the Lotte World Folk Museum (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ๋ฏผ์๋ฐ๋ฌผ๊ด)
- Be transported back in time at Seoul Baekje Museum (ํ์ฑ๋ฐฑ์ ๋ฐ๋ฌผ๊ด)
- Go ice skating at Lotte World Ice Rink (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์์ด์ค๋งํฌ)
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What to know about Jamsil
Jamsil-dong is a district in the Songpa-gu area of Seoul, Korea. A trendy neighbor of Gangnam, you’ll find the same luxuries in Jamsil as you’ll find in Gangnam. Major sports stadiums, skyscrapers, and luxury shops dot the landscape next to a lot of the major Lotte group must sees. The major Korean conglomerate owns some large swaths of land in Jamsil and you can’t miss all of their major fun-filled spaces.
Things to do in Jamsil
While most tourists headed to Jamsil are going for something of the Lotte variety, Lotte World, Lotte Tower, Lotte Mall, etc., there is more than that. This list of things to do in Jamsil includes all of the Lotte greats and everything in between.
Visit the iconic Olympic Park (์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ ๊ณต์)
This massive park holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike. Steeped in history, it was the main venue for the 1988 Summer Olympics, a pivotal moment that put Seoul on the global stage. Today, it continues to draw crowds for its fusion of recreational spaces, lush landscapes, and attractions.
As you stroll through Olympic Park, you’ll see the legacy of the Games through the iconic Olympic Stadium and the beautifully preserved facilities. The park’s allure extends beyond sports enthusiasts, enticing nature lovers with its serene walking trails, ponds, and artfully designed gardens. It’s the perfect escape from the bustling city, where you can unwind and immerse yourself in the peaceful surroundings.
The park is pretty massive though so if you want to see everything, consider renting bikes to get around. You can rent bikes at a shop between the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium and Woori Art Hall.
Visit in the autumn for the Olympic Park Cosmos Field
One of the most popular places to see the beautiful cosmos flowers each fall in Korea is the cosmos field in Olympic Park. The park is so big that a lot of people go and wander and wander and can’t find the field. So, if you’re headed to the park for the cosmos, head to the southern corner of the park.
Visit in the summer for the Olympic Park Rose Garden
Another popular garden in the park is the rose garden. Also located in the southern corner of Olympic Park, you can find so many varieties and colors of beautiful roses in the summer.
For those seeking a taste of Korean traditions, the park also hosts various festivals and events, showcasing the nation’s vibrant heritage through dance, music, and crafts. Whether you’re an avid explorer or a leisurely stroller, Olympic Park promises quite the adventure.
- Address: 424 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 424)
See the epic views from Seoul Sky Observatory (์์ธ ์ค์นด์ด)
The Seoul Sky Observatory is the fifth highest observatory in the world but features the highest glass deck in the world and has easily topped my list of spots to get the best views of the city of Seoul from above. It’s gorgeous and makes a trip to Jamsil pretty darn special.
- Address: Lotte World Tower, 300, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 300 ๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ํ์ (์ ์ฒ๋))
- Note the Sky Bridge Tower experience is only open from 1:00pm ~ 6:00pm and goes hourly.
- Hours: Sunday โ Thursday: 11:00am ~ 10:00pm; Friday โ Saturday: 11:00am ~ 11:00pm
- Days: Open all year round
- Admission: Seoul Sky Tower Entrance: Adult (13+): W27,000; Child (3-12): W24,000; Children under 3 are free with an adult & with proper identification showing the age of the child. Fast Pass: W50,000; Sky Bridge Experience: W100,000 per person and includes 2 photos.
- How To Get Tickets: The tickets are limited to 500 entrants per 30 minutes. When there arenโt close to 500 people, you can enter early or late without problem. When we were headed in, there were still 425 some tickets open for our time slot so it was practically devoid of people. However, if youโll be traveling over a holiday period and have a set itinerary, youโll want to get the tickets online to make sure you can get that time without a problem.
- Klook: Klook has the Sky Tower General Tickets available at a discount. Check it out to save some money.
Drink Champagne with epic views at Bar81
Located in the amazingly tall Lotte World Tower (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ํ์), Bar 81 has the largest champagne collection in Asia. This upscale champagne bar is in the tallest building in Korea. The bar is beautiful and the best seats are the ones near the window for obvious reasons. Floating above the space is a gorgeous installation that is meant to depict the floating bubbles in a champagne glass. As the sun sets and the lights turn on, youโll really see how it dazzles.
Take a sip and enjoy the view. This is a great spot for an amazing date night in Seoul.
- Address: Lotte World Tower, 81st Floor 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 300 ๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ํ์ 81์ธต)
See an exhibition at Lotte Museum of Art (๋กฏ๋ฐ๋ฎค์ง์)
Located on the 7th floor of Lotte World Tower, the Lotte Museum of Art introduces new waves of modern art around the world and aims to share dynamic energy. We’ve seen some beautiful installations there. Don’t miss a stop there when you’re in the area.
- Address: 7th floor, Lotte World Tower, 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 300 ๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ํ์7์ธต)
- Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:30am ~ 7:00pm
- Admission: Adults: W20,000; Youth 13-18: W15,000; Children 4-12: W12,000; Under 4: Free
- Cultural Day: Save money by visiting on the last Wednesday of the month. Adults: W12,000; Youth 13-18: W11,000; Children 4-12: W11,000
Join a fun decorative cooking class
Create your own beautiful rice cake using bean paste to create beautiful flower decorations. I’ve taken a few classes like this by myself and with my daughter and they are so fun, not to mention you get something delicious to take home with you.
- Address: #136-15, B1 Galleria Palace, 212 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 212)
- Book your experience: You should book your experience in advance. It takes 2 to 3 hours.
Have a picnic in Jamsil Hangang Park (์ ์ค ํ๊ฐ๊ณต์)
There are 11 beautiful Han River Parks and Jamsil Hangang Park is one of them. There are 50,000 plants among 279 species in the park as well as a pinwheel garden, aquatic plant garden, and a walking and biking path to follow. The Han River park is the perfect place for a picnic.
- Address: 65 Hangaram-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ํ๊ฐ๋๋ก 65)
Walk around Seokchon Lake (์์ดํธ์๊ณต์)
Seokchon Lake’s allure lies in its perfect blend of serene tranquility and exciting activities. The glistening waters and scenic walking trails offer an ideal escape from the city’s hustle and bustle, where you can enjoy a leisurely stroll, take in the fresh air, and marvel at the changing seasons painting the landscape.
During the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, Seokchon Lake turns into a fairy-tale land with its mesmerizing pink blooms, attracting thousands of visitors who come to witness this natural wonder. It’s just one of the beautiful places to see cherry blossoms in Seoul.
- Address: 136 Samhaksa-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ผํ์ฌ๋ก 136)
- Hours: Open 24 hours a day
Rent a Korean style school uniform at Gamsung Gyobok Jamsil Main Branch
A popular afternoon activity for Korean students and tourists is wearing Korean style school uniforms and visiting touristy sites and taking photos together. This rental spot is right on Seokchon Lake and you’ll see a lot of young people taking pictures on the lake in the uniforms. Have fun!
- Address: 234 Seokchonhosu-ro, Seokchon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์์ด๋ ์์ดํธ์๋ก 234)
- Book your experience: Pre-book your Korean school uniform rental so you can get in and out faster and take all of the cute pics you can imagine.
Have fun at Lotte World Amusement Park (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์ด๋๋ฒค์ฒ)
This iconic amusement park has been delighting locals and travelers since its grand opening in 1989, making it a beloved landmark with a rich history. Boasting two exciting sections โ the thrilling indoor Adventure and the picturesque outdoor Magic Island โ Lotte World Amusement Park promises an unforgettable experience that appeals to visitors of all ages.
The main reason why Lotte World is a must-visit destination is its unparalleled blend of excitement and charm. As one of the world’s largest indoor theme parks, you can revel in a whirlwind of rides and attractions regardless of the weather. The park’s diverse array of roller coasters, water rides, and thrilling simulations cater to adrenaline junkies seeking an adrenaline rush. And for those looking for a touch of magic, the enchanting Magic Island offers a captivating outdoor experience with its fairytale-inspired rides and performances.
Besides the rides, Lotte World is also renowned for its live shows and parades that showcase the extraordinary talents of performers from around the world. From dazzling acrobatic spectacles to heartwarming musicals, the entertainment options are as diverse as they are delightful.
- Address: 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 240)
- Hours: 9:30am ~ 10:00pm
- Days: Lotte World is open 365 days a year making it especially popular on the holidays when other things are closed.
- Admission: Adults: W62,000; Youth: W54,000; Child: W47,000; Baby: W15,000; After 4:00pm: Adults: W50,000; Youth: W43,000; Child: W36,000; Baby: W15,000
- How to get discounted tickets for Lotte World: Donโt buy tickets at the door if you can help it! You will absolutely get better deals online.
- Klook: Lotte World 1 day Pass. With Klookโs option, you can also add the Lotte World Aquarium, the Fast Track Magic Pass 1, Fast Track Magic Pass 3, Fast Track Magic Pass 5.
- Trazy: Lotte World Ticket (+ Premium Magic Pass optional). They also offer a Lotte World 1 Day Pass and Lotte World Aquarium Combo Discount Ticket. Klook also has the Songpa L Pass which would get you into Lotte World Adventure, Lotte World Aquarium, and Seoul Sky at a great discount.
Go shopping in Lotte World Shopping Mall (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์ผํ๋ชฐ)
Near Lotte World and Lotte Tower, head into the Lotte World Mall to find a cinema, concert hall, aquarium, and art museum sitting among luxury and budget friendly shops and restaurants.
- Address: 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 240)
Step inside Lotte World Mall Gallery
Though not as big as the Lotte Museum of Art, this smaller gallery in Lotte World Mall is free and always worth a quick stop. As you’re checking out the shops and restaurants, be sure to stop in so you can see the beautiful installations and artworks on display.
See sealife at Lotte World Aquarium (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์์ฟ ์๋ฆฌ์)
This marine wonderland has been captivating visitors since its inception in 2014, and it’s no surprise why it’s become one of Seoul’s top attractions. Step into a world of marine marvels, where you can witness an incredible array of aquatic life from around the globe.
Don’t miss the chance to stroll through the magnificent underwater tunnel. Feel the thrill of being surrounded by sharks, rays, and other magnificent sea creatures as they glide gracefully overhead. It’s a mesmerizing encounter that’ll leave you in awe of the ocean’s beauty and power.
- Address: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 300 ๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ๋ชฐ B1)
- Hours: Monday – Thursday: 10:00am ~ 8:00pm; Friday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 10:00pm
- Admission: Adults & Teenagers: W31,000; Children: W27,000
- Buy in advance: If you pre-purchase your tickets online with Klook you can get a discount on the entrance fee.
Buy books at the Seoul Book Bogo (์์ธ์ฑ ๋ณด๊ณ )
Calling all bookworms and literary enthusiasts โ get ready to lose yourself in the captivating world of Seoul Book Bogo, a book lover’s haven located in the heart of Jamsil, Seoul, Korea! This cultural space created by the Seoul Metropolitan Government houses old and secondhand books that have been collected from old bookstores around the city. They have a massive collection that includes Korean and English books. You can find some great deals on books and take part in cultural book programs as well.
- Address: 1 Ogeum-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์์กํ๊ตฌ ์ค๊ธ๋ก 1)
- Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10:30am ~ 8:30pm; Saturday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 9:00pm
- Website: https://www.seoulbookbogo.kr/
Go shopping in Jamsil Station (์ ์ค์ญ)
There are some great subway station shopping centers to check out in the city. Not all subway stations are as immense, but Jamsil Station has a vast underground shopping mall that is very fun to peruse. Even if you’re just passing through, take a few extra minutes and see if there’s anything that stands out to you.
See a baseball game at Jamsil Stadium (์ ์ค ์ผ๊ตฌ์ฅ)
This stadium holds 25,000 people and is home to the LG Twins and Doosan Bears of the KBO League. If you’ve never been to a Korean baseball game and want to see one in Seoul, go here! There are cheerleaders, Koreans have specific chants for their teams and songs too. Get ready for all of the fun!
While you can pre-purchase tickets online if you have a Korean phone number and card, for most games, unless they’re playoffs, you can just walk up and get tickets. The weekdays box office opens 90 minutes before the game so that anyone (including visitors from overseas) can buy baseball tickets. On weekends the box office opens 2 hours before the game starts.
- Address: 25 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 25)
Learn at the Lotte World Folk Museum (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ๋ฏผ์๋ฐ๋ฌผ๊ด)
For a touch of Korean nostalgia, head to Lotte World’s Folk Museum, where you can delve into Korea’s rich cultural heritage and history through captivating exhibits and interactive displays. From ancient artifacts and traditional crafts to lifelike dioramas depicting daily life in different historical periods, every corner offers a unique insight into the essence of Korean identity.
The museum’s commitment to preserving and promoting Korean culture shines through various interactive programs and workshops. Engage in hands-on experiences like traditional craft making, folk music performances, and ancient games, allowing you to become an active participant in the cultural heritage.
- Address: 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 240)
- Hours: Weekdays: 11:00am ~ 7:00pm; Weekends: 11:00am ~ 8:00pm
- Admission: Adults: W5,000; Aged 14-19: W3,000; Children 3-13: W2,000
Be transported back in time at Seoul Baekje Museum (ํ์ฑ๋ฐฑ์ ๋ฐ๋ฌผ๊ด)
This museum offers a window into the ancient Baekje Kingdom, one of Korea’s most influential dynasties that flourished over 1,400 years ago.
Seoul Baekje Museum’s popularity lies in its remarkable ability to bring the past to life. As you explore the meticulously curated exhibits, you’ll be transported back in time to the golden era of Baekje. The museum’s impressive collection of artifacts, archaeological finds, and replicas showcase the kingdom’s art, culture, and way of life, providing valuable insights into this significant period of Korean history.
For a more immersive experience, the museum hosts various interactive programs and workshops, allowing you to try your hand at traditional crafts, experience ancient rituals, and gain a deeper understanding of Baekje’s rich legacy.
- Address: 71 Wiryeseong-daero, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์๋ก์ฑ๋๋ก 71)
- Hours: Tuesdays – Fridays: 9:00am ~ 7:00pm; Weekends: 9:00am ~ 7:00pm
Go ice skating at Lotte World Ice Rink (๋กฏ๋ฐ์๋ ์์ด์ค๋งํฌ)
With a history that dates back to its grand opening in 1980, this iconic ice rink has been a beloved destination for both locals and tourists seeking winter fun and excitement.
Lotte World Ice Rink’s popularity is no surprise โ it offers a delightful escape from the ordinary and a chance to embrace the joy of ice-skating in the heart of the city. Whether you’re a seasoned skater or just starting, the rink welcomes all levels of expertise, providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
- Address: 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์กํ๊ตฌ ์ฌ๋ฆผํฝ๋ก 240)
- Hours: Weekdays: 12:00pm ~ 9:00pm; Weekends: 11:00am ~ 9:00pm
There might be a lot more things to do in Jamsil than you realize and I hope you get out to see and do more!
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