8 Things to Do in Seoul When it Rains

Starfield Library situated in Starfield COEX Mall is an open cultural space for books, rest, and people. The 13-metre high Central Plaza has around 70,000 books of different fields including humanities, economy, hobby, and travel and you can also find a foreign book section. Sometimes they hold book fairs of famous writers. Not only can you read a book freely here, but at times enjoy lectures and talk concerts of notables of culture and art and a variety of exhibitions for free.

You can read a book or watch a DVD while enjoying a cup of coffee at the coffee shop in the library. There is a place for families with kids as well. This popular destination was born from the brilliant idea of creating a cosy rest area in COEX Mall. Take your time, enjoy some happiness, and inspire yourself in a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

G-Plex is one of the most popular multiplex game arcades in Seoul. Occupying a 3-storey building in Sinchon, it offers a wide variety of entertainment facilities for those looking to spend some time indoors. On the first floor, you can play nostalgic games such as basketball, whac-a-mole, toy grabber machines, and punching games. On the second floor, you can enjoy some video games such as Hidden Catch, Spot the Difference, and Bubble Bobble. On the third floor, enjoy some dynamic rhythm games, Tekken, shooting games, racing games, and darts with your friends.

Unlike other game arcades, G-Plex is surrounded by glass walls allowing you to see outside, which create a more pleasant atmosphere. Enjoy fun games with your friends and then drink a cup of coffee on the rooftop garden.

The Trick Eye Museum is a conceptual entertainment venue that applies AR technology to works of art for the first time in art galleries. With this technology, you become a character in paintings. Artworks move on the walls, floors, and ceilings as if they are alive. You will feel like actually being in the artworks. Trick Eye is a traditional art technique that causes optical illusions by turning two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional images. Install the XR MUSEUM App and take a picture or video at a moderate distance from a piece. Then, you will experience an amazing AR effect. Enjoy a variety of contents in six different theme zones.

You can make a video of yourself being a character in a world-famous painting or experience the unknown world in a myth with a swimming effect and realistic sounds. The Trick Eye Museum is for people of all ages. Enjoy and experience the fantastic world of AR.

In Seoul Botanic Park, you can see a diversity of wild plants and foreign plants set in an urban botanical garden. The park is as big as 70 football stadiums, which resemble a park embracing a botanical garden. It consists of four themed spaces: Botanic Garden, Forest Field, Lake Garden, and Wetland. Of its unique themed parks, Traditional Garden, Themed Gardens consisting of unique gardens, Botanic Centre, and Magok Culture Hall are the most popular spots.

Seoul Botanic Park holds various seasonal events and festivals. In particular, its summer tour program, consisting of rare aquatic plants including the water lily, cattail, and water lettuce, is well received. Take a walk along the lake and enjoy the beautiful night view lit up with rainbow coloured LED lights.

CGV Cinema is a popular multiplex loved by families, friends, and couples as well as movie fans. The concept of a multiplex consisting of multiple screens in a single complex has completely changed and enormously expanded the movie market. Not only are multiplexes for movies, but they are developing as comprehensive cultural and shopping destinations in association with other industries. CGV Cinema has more than 3,000 screens. Outside of Korea, you can easily find CGV Cinemas in large cities of China and Southeast Asia.

Have a special experience at Tempur Cinema and Stressless Cinema offering reclining sofas for the first time in the world and Cherish Cinema with a sophisticated lounge and sofa seats. In Cine de Chef, you can enjoy a course meal while watching a movie.

Seoul Museum of Art situated next to Deoksugung Stone Wall Path was founded to raise understanding of contemporary art and expand its base through a variety of exhibitions. The former Supreme Court building was remodelled into the current museum, only with its façade being preserved. The six exhibition halls in the main buildings continually hold art exhibitions. At the museum, you can see masterpieces of world-famous artists such as Andy Warhol known as the master of contemporary art and pop art, Marc Chagall popular for his fantastic use of colours, and Auguste Rodin called the Hand of God. In addition, the educational programs held at the museum including plastic arts play are being well received.

Its wall-less trail, another space of art, is decorated with beautiful landscape and sculptures. Be in an artistic contemplative mood, surrounded by trees that have witnessed history for hundreds of years.

Namdaemun Market, one of the largest traditional markets, shows both the past and present of Seoul. Every day, about 500,000 people visit Namdaemun Market. The market, first built during the Joseon Dynasty, has a long history and offers more than 1,700 types of products. There is a saying, if you don't find it at Namdaemun Market, you won’t find it anywhere in Korea. Numerous people from all over the world, including China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East as well as Korea visit the market to enjoy shopping. Namdaemun Market is one of the most popular tourist destinations for shopping and food with foreign tourists as it is geographically adjacent to Myeong-dong, N Seoul Tower, Namsan Hanok Village, and the Seoul City Wall Trails as well as Sungnyemun Gate, Deoksugung Palace, and Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Do not miss out on Namdaemun Market's unique and popular dishes. You can find popular restaurants in Galchi Jorim Alley and Kalguksu Alley. In addition, you may want to try North Korean-style cold buckwheat noodles at Buwonmyeonok or visit Korea's oldest oxtail and beef bone soup restaurant.

Gangnam Station Underground Shopping Centre, especially popular with young fashionistas, consists of over 200 stores offering a wide range of items such as branded clothes, shoes, and accessories. Gangnam Station, constantly crowded with young people with a daily floating population of over 600,000, is known as one of the largest business districts in Seoul. You can find numerous domestic and overseas brand shops and street shops here. The type of customers changes depending on the time of the day. During the day, students mainly search for new and unique fashion items. During the peak time at night, office workers and couples visit this place to look around the stores and buy items at reasonable prices.

If you feel tired while out enjoying shopping, visit Herb Plaza and enjoy various cultural performances. Don't forget to check the map at the entrance to the subway station to easily find the stores you want to visit.