SEOUL TOWER: First Timer’s Guide to Namsan Seoul Tower Experience @KTOManila

The N Seoul Tower is a communication and observation tower and the highest point in Seoul, located on top of Namsan Mountain. It is one of Korea’s iconic tourist spots and a must-visit for that bird’s eye view of Seoul, and to best understand the “teddy bear” and loving culture of Koreans. 

Here’s a photo-essay of my experience at N Seoul Tower…

You take a short but steep 10 minute hike from the drop off point to Seoul Tower. Only vehicles with disabled passengers are allowed to go all the way up. 

It’s best to savor the view and enjoy the nature walk to the top.

The Seoul Tower is 236 meters high and was opened in 1980.

Haechi Seoul welcomes you to Seoul Tower! He is the official mascot and guardian of Seoul City and is based on a creature from Chinese and Korean mythology.

You have to go one level down to enter into the Tower.

 

We visited the bear museum before going up to the observation deck. We did not try any of the dining outlets in the tower. Any recommendations on which resto to try?

 

Teddy Bear Museum

Legend has it that the Koreans originated from the bear, who were the first inhabitants of the Seoul area. 

Hall 1 of the Teddy Bear museum showcased traditional Korean Culture from the Joseon Dynasty…

…like this royal wedding scene depicted using cute teddy bears.

This shows the hustle and bustle of the traditional open marketplace in Jangteo.

This is a moving tram exhibit, which was the innovative mode of transportation at the time.

Teddy Bear Museum Hall 2 showcases scences from modern Korea.

There is a teddy bear zoo… 

…the Korean Presidential Palace… 

…modern street dancing…

…and Teddy Bear, Gangnam Style! 🙂

There’s also a blue screen that can transport you into the Teddy Bear world. 🙂

 
It’s also nice to see other bears in the collection, include Mr. Bean’s famous “Teddy”.

Namsan Teddy Bear Museum
Namsan Seoul Tower
Website: http://www.teddybearmuseum.com/

 

 

N Seoul Tower Observatory Deck

The entrance to the Observatory provides perspective on how tall the Seoul Tower is compared to other Towers in the world.

Like any tourist spot, you are asked to have your picture taken against a green screen for your Seoul Tower souvenir photo.

It only takes 30 seconds to reach the observation deck (135 meters high) while you get entertained by the animation above.

Here’s the awesome view of Seoul City with the 9am morning sun. 

There’s a Weeny Beeny candy store…

…and the Ba:ng souvernir shop.

The observation deck can get quite busy with people from all walks of life. 

Here’s another view of Seoul City from the side facing the communication tower.

You can get a free audio guide with the tour to better appreciate the 360 view of Seoul.

You can also get your souvenir photo at this point before you leave.

There’s also this area where you can post your love messages.

Don’t forget to visit the Love Padlock garden and take a photo in the Love Chair.

For couples, make sure you hang a named padlock on the tower fence as a symbol of eternal love.

Take a photo in the Love Chair, which said to bring couples much closer together.

Just be sure to bring your own lock. Some even use cellphone covers to inscribe longer love messages.

Another must-see is this heart installation art… 

…where you can also hang your padlocks and post photo stickers.

You can also choose to write messages on the love chairs…

…or add to the padlock Christmas trees. There’s a warning to not to throw your key over the fence. 🙂

Be sure to bring padlocks for the kids as well. 🙂

Finally, have a souvenir photo taken with these love flowers before you go. 🙂

Overall, I enjoyed visiting this tower not only because of the 360 view of Seoul, but also because of the Teddy Bear Museum and the chance to hanging a padlock to symbolize forever love with your special someone. Budget is about KRW 14,000/person and it takes around 2 hours to explore the area. I recommend going on a weekday and first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds. 🙂  

N SEOUL TOWER
The N Seoul Tower, officially the YTN Seoul Tower and commonly known as the Namsan Tower or Seoul Tower, is a communication and observation tower located on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul, South Korea. It marks the highest point in Seoul. Wikipedia
Address: 산1-3 Yongsandong 2(i)-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Driving Directions: The best way to get to N Seoul Tower
Telephone: +82 2-3455-9277
Website: http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/

Observatory Operating Hours:

• Sunday to Thursday: 10.00am to 11.00pm
• Friday and Saturday: 10.00am to 12.00pm 
• (Note: Last Entry is 30 minutes before closing time)

Teddy Bear Museum Operating Hours:

• Sunday to Thursday: 10.00am to 10.00pm 
• Friday and Saturday: 10.00am to 11.00pm 
• (Note: Last Entry is at 9.00pm)

 

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• SEOUL TOWER: First Timer’s Guide to Namsan Seoul Tower Experience
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Live an Awesome Life,

 
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com

P.S. Thank you to Korean Tourism Organization of Manila for the Asian On Air Program: Asia Power Bloggers Tour of South Korea! 감사합니다 Kamsahamnida!