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The Atlas Obscura Guide To South Korea

108 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in South Korea

Updated March 21, 2025

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  1. Andong
  2. Gangneung
  3. Gumi
  4. Gwangju
  5. Gyeongju
  6. Incheon
  7. Jeju Si
  8. Jeongseon
  9. Paju
  10. Pohang
  11. Seogwipo
  12. Seoul

Unusual Attractions in South Korea

See All 108 Things To Do in South Korea

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in South Korea

See all 11 Places to Eat in South Korea
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108
Architecture 24
History & Culture 18
Museums 15
Buddhism 14
Architectural Oddities 11
Temples 10
Water 8
Art 7

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Recent South Korea Activity

Stories About South Korea

Grilled eel and all the sides.

Go Beyond the Beef at Korean Barbecue

Enjoy sizzling shellfish and duck over charcoal.
by Caroline Shin
Mafra Palace Library is home to a colony of itty-bitty bats that keep its many historic volumes safe from pests.

5 of Our Favorite Podcast Episodes About Wildlife in Unexpected Places

Life finds a way, from the bats that haunt and hunt in a majestic library to a bird sanctuary in one of the most dangerous places in the world.
by The Podcast Team
Here, brunost shavings garnish a cup of ice cream.

How South Korea Fell in Love With Norway's Unique Cheese

Brunost is kind of a big deal.
by Jessica Furseth
The Gocta Waterfalls in northwestern Peru are the subject of one of our favorite recent Atlas Obscura Podcast episodes.

7 Recent Atlas Obscura Podcast Episodes You Just Have to Hear

For our two-year pod-iversary we're headed back to some of the coolest places we've taken you recently.
by April White
At Yangdong Market in Gwangju, a statue of a hand holding jumeokbap aloft honors the humble food.

How 'Fist Rice' Became a Symbol of Korean Democracy

In the city of Gwangju, this food fueled a fight for freedom.
by Jia Jung
The no-man’s-land between North and South Korea.

Podcast: Cranes of the DMZ

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
Earlier this year, excavations at Wolseong Palace unearthed more evidence of human sacrifice during its construction.

Why Were Human Sacrifices Buried Beneath Ancient Korea's 'Moon Castle'?

Remains sealed in the foundations suggest builders would do anything to protect the heart of a fledgling kingdom.
by Bridget Alex
Standard toilets like this one are not usually profitable enterprises for the user, but a new project in South Korea is changing that.

Students Are Getting Paid to Poop at a South Korean University

The project transforms human waste into biogas, and allows participants to buy everything from bananas to socks.
by Jessica Leigh Hester

Lists Featuring South Korea

Third Tunnel of Aggression. (Wikimedia Commons)
Heyri Art Valley
The not-at-all bustling entrance to Dorasan Station.
Bridge of No Return

7 Places Worth Trying to See on a Visit to the Korean DMZ

One of the world’s most historically contentious borders is peppered with intriguing attractions.

7

Including Third Tunnel of Aggression, Heyri Art Valley, and Dorasan Station

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