Fun and food in Jamsil, Seoul

Must-visit attractions
Jamsil is made up of Seoul’s largest cultural and artistic neighborhoods with many fun places to visit, including shopping malls, entertainment facilities, parks, famous eateries, and so much more.

Lotte World has a central presence in Jamsil and you’ll find three large Lotte complexes - Lotte World Tower, Lotte World Mall and Lotte World. Since the construction of these sites, the amount of activities in Jamsil has increased, so you’ll definitely want to plan ahead. Here are some of the great places in Jamsil to visit while you’re in Seoul!

E-guidebook
This guidebook produced by Songpa-gu District Office has all the information you need to know about Jamsil area. Check it out before your trip to Jamsil!
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Lotte World Tower & Mall

(Left) file photo, (Right) Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

Although the Tower and Mall are in different buildings, it’s easy to visit both thanks to their connecting passageway.

Lotte World Tower is a significant landmark and, at 123 stories tall, is the fifth tallest building in the world. In addition to office space, the tower has a luxury hotel and, more importantly, Seoul Sky, an attraction offering a 360-degree view of Seoul from high above.

For lunch and some shopping, hop over to Lotte World Mall. The busy shopping destination has shopping, restaurants and cultural and art experiences. Visitors can shop for luxury goods at Avenuel and Lotte Duty Free Shop, home appliances at Hi-Mark and enjoy the hundreds of other shops inside. Lotte World Mall even has an aquarium, concert hall and cinema. You’ll run out of time long before you run out of fun at this mall!

Address: Line 2 & 8. Jamsil station exit 1-2
Seoul Sky (117-123F in Lotte World Tower)

• Hours: 10:30 a.m. –10 p.m. (Sun-Thu), 10:30 a.m.–11 p.m. (Fri-Sat)
• Ticket

Lotte World

Photos courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

This is a large tourist complex consisting of Lotte World Adventure, Folk Museum, an ice rink, Lotte Department store, and Charlotte Theater. Lotte World often refers only to Lotte World Adventure, an indoor and outdoor theme park, but in fact, the theme park is one of the facilities belonging to Lotte World.

The area is a great one-day trip for families to enjoy the Lotte World Adventure theme park and Folk Museum. The educational museum features displays of Korean daily life starting from the Stone Age to Japanese occupation. Grab a multi-pass ticket to enter both theme park and museum for the best bang for your buck!

Address: Line 2 & 8. Jamsil station exit 3-4
Ticket

Seokchon Lake

Photos courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

Seokchon Lake is a wonderful spot to visit year-round, but especially during the cherry blossom and fall foliage seasons. The lake brings nature in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the busy city. While walking through the trail, you’ll find a great view of Lotte World Tower and Lotte World Adventure Magic Island across the beautiful lake. In addition, the lake is a famous spot for various public art projects such as the viral giant rubber duck, and cultural festivals.

Address: Line 2 & 8. Jamsil Station Exits 1-3

Songridan-gil Street

Photos Hyemin Lee, Stripes Korea

On the east side of Seokchon Lake, head to Songridan-gil Street for a nice meal or drink at one of the many hip cafes and restaurants. Thanks to social media, the area has quickly become popular among young people and is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Seoul.

Address: Seokchon lake café street (East Seokchon lake) – Line 9. Songpanaru station exit 1

Han-jeong-sik full-course meal tasty way to experience Korean cuisine
If you are an adventurous eater, I highly recommend you try han-jeong-sik, a premium and traditional Korean full course meal. During a han-jeong-sik, you’ll try over 20 different Korean dishes, including rice, soup, seafood and meat dishes, and vegetable side dishes. The colorful and neat presentation of dishes covering the entire table will amaze you!

Through Han-jeong-sik, you are not only going to experience the true taste of Korea, but also discover many cultural aspects of Korean food. While a bowl of rice is served for each person, soup and other dishes are shared with others. Sharing dishes is a big part of Korean food culture.

There are many restaurants specializing in han-jeong-sik and these are a great place for Koreans to bring their important guests. Koreans culturally believe the quantity of side dishes can determine a well-prepared and dedicated meal table. Setting the table full of various plates is a way to show affection or respect for their guest. Also, as the harmony of colors on the table is significant in Korean culture, the meal course table is truly a feast for the mouth and the eyes.

San-deul-hae (산들해)
San-deul-hae, only a 10-minute walk from Jamsil Station, is a terrific han-jeong-sik restaurant for friends to enjoy some tasty Korean dishes together in Seoul!

The staff at San-deul-chae literally brings a tabletop with 24 different traditional Korean dishes and slides it in front of you. Try them all, and if you want more, don’t hesitate to call the staff. They will keep bringing your favorites because unlimited refills are available for all the dishes. This full-course meal is about $16 and there’s no time limit!

This restaurant is very popular among locals so expect to wait about 20 to 30 minutes for a table. According to the staff, between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the best hour to avoid the long line. Reservations are available for groups of 5 to 8 people a week in advance.

Address: Line 8, Mongchon Toseong Station Exit 2 or 2F Hyundai Topics, 6 Wiryeseong-daero, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Break: 3-5 p.m.)
Cost: 21,000 won ($16) per head
Phone: 02-448-3457 
Parking: 2 hours free