© Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0

South of the river, Gangnam is Seoul's glossy face: designer flagships along Apgujeong's Rodeo and tree-lined Garosu-gil, the vast COEX mall with its Instagram-famous Starfield Library, and — improbably calm amid the towers — the thousand-year-old Bongeunsa temple.

Where to go

Culture01

Bongeunsa Temple

A 1,200-year-old temple among Gangnam's towers.

Samseong · 1 hour

Landmark02

Starfield Library (COEX)

A soaring open library inside a giant mall.

Samseong · 1 hour

Play03

Garosu-gil

A ginkgo-lined boutique-and-café boulevard in Sinsa.

Sinsa · 1–2 hours

Play04

Apgujeong Rodeo

Luxury boutiques and K-entertainment glamour.

Apgujeong · 1 hour

Family05

COEX Aquarium

A sprawling city-centre aquarium under the mall.

Samseong · 1.5 hours

Where to eat

Korean BBQ · ₩₩₩₩

Samwon Garden

Apgujeong's grand old galbi institution.

Apgujeong · Restaurant · ₩40,000

Korean BBQ · ₩₩₩

Saebyeokjip

24-hour Gangnam galbi and raw-beef institution.

Apgujeong · Restaurant · ₩25,000

Fried Chicken · ₩₩

BHC Chicken

Cult cheese-and-spice fried chicken chain.

Gangnam · Restaurant · ₩20,000

Café & Bakery · ₩₩₩

Nudake (Gentle Monster)

Avant-garde dessert art by Gentle Monster.

Apgujeong · Café · ₩18,000

Noodles · ₩₩₩

Gangseo Myeonok

Pyongyang cold-noodle institution since 1948.

Apgujeong · Restaurant · ₩16,000

Street Food · ₩₩

Lee's Kimbap

Premium gimbap, packed with fillings.

Apgujeong · Restaurant · ₩5,000–8,000

Fried Chicken · ₩₩

Hanchu

Soy-garlic fried wings and fried chillies.

Sinsa · Restaurant · ₩20,000

Café & Bakery · ₩₩

Café Knotted Dosan

Pastel cream-filled donuts and the Sugar Bear.

Apgujeong · Café · ₩3,900