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The Atlas Obscura Guide To South Korea

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

Updated November 3, 2022

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Unusual Attractions in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea

Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park

Plenty of old carney magic still haunts this photogenic amusement park.

Seoul, South Korea

Trick Eye Museum

South Korea's love of the silly photograph is on full display at this goofy collection of trompe l'oeil paintings.

Seoul, South Korea

Cafe Yeonnam-Dong 223-14

Step into a cartoon at this Seoul café that aims to evoke a two-dimensional scene.

Imsil-gun, South Korea

Imsil Cheese Theme Park

A 32-acre fun park dedicated to all things cheese.

Jeju-si, South Korea

Jeju Glass Castle Theme Park

A theme park made of glass, from the gleaming books on the shelves to the crystal fish in the mirror lake.

Gwangju-si, South Korea

Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital

The abandoned hospital whose elaborate ghost stories cover up the dirty truth - an uneventful sanitation issue and other mundane reasons for its demise.

Paju, South Korea

Third Tunnel of Aggression

Secret North Korean passage discovered below the world's most dangerous border.

Pohang, South Korea

Daewonsa Temple

To enter the lower hall of this temple, you must first walk through a dragon.

See All 87 Things To Do in South Korea

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea

Cafe Yeonnam-Dong 223-14

Step into a cartoon at this Seoul café that aims to evoke a two-dimensional scene.

Imsil-gun, South Korea

Imsil Cheese Theme Park

A 32-acre fun park dedicated to all things cheese.

Seoul, South Korea

Coffee Hanyakbang

About as hidden as can be, this specialty coffee shop is wedged between multi-story buildings at the end of a dark, skinny alleyway in Seoul.

Yangpyeong, South Korea

Dreamy Camera Cafe

This quirky Korean eatery is built to resemble an equally quirky vintage camera.

See all 10 Places to Eat in South Korea

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Guided Tours of South Korea

Explore South Korea

History & Culture 14

Architectural Oddities 11

Sacred Spaces 5

Museums And Collections 4

Places To Stay 2

South Korea Leaderboard

Places Added

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Places Visited

Recent South Korea Activity

neonpigeon

wants to go to Museum Kimchikan
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wants to go to Poopoo Land
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wants to go to Unhyeongung
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wants to go to Wongaksa Pagoda
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wants to go to Jongmyo Shrine

Stories About South Korea

How 'Fist Rice' Became a Symbol of Korean Democracy

In the city of Gwangju, this food fueled a fight for freedom.

November 3, 2022

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

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

October 15, 2021

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

The Oldest Cookbook in Korean Was Written by a Genius Noblewoman

A poet and artist, she penned the recipes in her old age.

September 3, 2020

On Streets and Subways in South Korea, Poetry Hides in Plain Sight

You'll find poems in hostels, restaurants, and even on mountain trails—if you know where to look.

August 24, 2020

For Centuries, Massive Meals Amazed Visitors to Korea

Scholars, writers, and missionaries all exclaimed over how much food was available.

September 12, 2019

5 Unique South Korean Foods You Can Order Online

Celebrate the Winter Olympics with tangy rice wine and acorn jelly.

by The Gastro Obscura Team

February 15, 2018

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.

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

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