Wow! I heard you can experience all four seasons in one trip to Seoul??

Study tour keywords: history + environmental protection + technology + fashion, comprehensive experience of city style

Route: Line Friends Flagship Store - Seoul Botanic Park - Changdeokgung Palace – Korea University - Seoul Energy Center

I've never forgotten how Cheer Chen sang in "The Meaning of Travel": "You've accumulated many flights, you carefully choose souvenirs, you collect every beautiful sunny day on the map, you embrace the passionate islands, you bury the memories of Turkey, you linger in beautiful but unreal scenes in movies..." Repeating over and over, the lyrics probably express everyone's desire for travel. Next to our country, I'm sure everyone knows the well-known city of Seoul in South Korea. It is full of cultural charm and also has colorful scenery in all four seasons, vibrant and eye-catching. Our four-season travel route is clearly "seasonal," not only fun but also diverse in format, perfect for middle and high school students' study tours. While playing and traveling, you learn and experience many new things. I believe you must be very curious. So, are you ready? Our four-season journey is about to begin.

First stop, spring chapter of the four seasons: On a fine day, I seek spring by the river's edge; boundless new scenes greet my eyes at every turn.

You might not know that in 2011, LINE FRIENDS was born as sticker characters for the mobile messaging app "LINE." With friendly and relatable images that bring joy to users, LINE FRIENDS characters have transcended their origin in mobile communication, allowing us to encounter them up close in everyday life. LINE FRIENDS focuses on creating cute cartoon derivative products for a refined daily life, from plush dolls, stationery, phone cases, to clothing, producing over 6,400 types of lifestyle items. Beyond adorable designs, they emphasize the combination of product quality and practicality. The Hongdae Line Friends store, located near Hongik University Station, occupies a three-story building. Notably, the second floor features BTS × Line Friends merchandise, the first floor has the iconic Brown Bear and Line products, and B1F is the super cute B.ROUND café. The colorful cartoons and merchandise make you feel as if you're in a vibrant painting, and the lively atmosphere makes you experience the spring-like vitality and charm of a study tour in Seoul.

Hongdae Line Friends Flagship Store Address: 141 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Business Hours: Daily 11:00-22:00

Second stop, summer chapter of the four seasons: The shade of trees is thick at noon, and in a dream I hear the oriole's song.

Seoul Botanic Park, located in Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, is the largest greenhouse botanical park in Korea. The park includes four main spaces: Theme Park, Open Forest, Lake Garden, and Wetland Garden, covering a total area of 504,000 square meters, equivalent to 70 football fields.

In the Theme Park, 12 plants from 12 cities (Hanoi, São Paulo, Jakarta, Bogotá, Perth, Barcelona, San Francisco, Rome, Tashkent, Athens, Istanbul, and Cape Town) represent their unique plant cultures and distinct climates of different geographical locations.

In the Theme Garden, you can experience Korea's unique nature and courtyard culture. The Theme Garden has eight themes, integrating tropical and Mediterranean plants, and is the center of Seoul Botanic Park.

Upon entering the greenhouse, you can first see the tropical plant pavilions of four cities: Hawaii, Jakarta, São Paulo, and Bogotá. Adjacent to the tropical pavilions, separated by a wall, is the Mediterranean pavilion with representative plants from eight cities including Barcelona and San Francisco. Take the elevator in the center of the Mediterranean pavilion to the skywalk for a panoramic view of the tropical pavilion. Exit the door to find souvenir shops, a café, a seed library, and more.

The Open Forest is located behind the visitor center. After viewing, you can continue along the waterside walking path on the left or the Theme Garden on the right. The waterside walking path on the left surrounds a lake. Walking along the boardwalk by the lake, you can observe various plants such as blue flag iris and Louis Anana grass. The diverse plants symbolize the life of summer. We experience the wonders of nature, learn richer natural knowledge, enrich our extracurricular life, and make this study tour more meaningful.

Seoul Botanic Park Address: 812 Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul

Business Hours: Closed every Monday, Tuesday to Sunday 9:30-18:00

Fee: Outdoor exhibition area free, indoor exhibition area 5,000 KRW

Third stop, autumn chapter of the four seasons: I stop the carriage to enjoy the evening maple grove; its frosted leaves outshine the February flowers.

Changdeokgung Palace was built in the third year of King Taejong's reign (1405) during the Joseon Dynasty as a detached palace of the main palace Gyeongbokgung. Located east of Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung are together called the "Eastern Palaces." After all palaces were burned down during the Japanese invasions of Korea (Imjin War), Changdeokgung was rebuilt by King Gwanghaegun and served as the main palace until King Gojong reconstructed Gyeongbokgung, making it the palace where kings resided the longest. Changdeokgung means "to promote the virtue of "De" and pass it on to posterity." It is the most well-preserved of the five great palaces built at that time. Its rear garden, with uniquely styled pavilions, lotus ponds, trees, and rocks forming natural landscapes, is one of Korea's most beautiful gardens. Among the existing Joseon Dynasty palaces, Changdeokgung best preserves its original form, embodying nature and harmony, and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.

Especially during the autumn maple season, Changdeokgung is breathtakingly beautiful. Dense red maple leaves flutter in the gentle evening breeze. The historical and cultural heritage, with its blue tiles and red pillars, brings you closer to the taste of autumn, deepening the cultural experience of this study tour and adding profound meaning.

Changdeokgung Palace Address: 2-71 Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Operating Hours: February–May & September–October, 09:00–18:00; June–August, 09:00–18:30; November–January, 09:00–17:30. Closed every Monday.

Secret Garden: February & November, 10:00–17:00; March–May & September–October, 10:00–17:30; June–August, 10:00–18:00; December–January, 10:00–16:30

Fee: Adults 3,000 KRW, minors 1,500 KRW; Secret Garden (reservation required) Adults 5,000 KRW, minors 2,500 KRW

Fourth stop, winter chapter of the four seasons: At dusk it threatens snow; can you drink a cup with me?

Korea University, often abbreviated as KU or Koryeo Univ., is one of South Korea's top-tier, world-class research-oriented comprehensive universities. Along with Seoul National University and Yonsei University, it is known as the "S.K.Y." universities of Korea. Founded in 1905 by Yi Yong-ik, then Minister of the Imperial Household of the Korean Empire, under the philosophy of "educating to save the nation," it was originally a private college called Bosung College and is the first higher education institution established with private capital in Korea. As a top 100 global university and ranked second in Korea, Korea University enjoys a high international reputation. It is a member of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), the Asia Pacific International Trade and Education Research Alliance (APITERA), a founding member of the Asia Pacific International Education Association, and a founding member of Universitas 21, as well as a BK21 Plus outstanding university in Korea.

As the most vibrant higher education institution in Korea, Korea University has been cultivating modern talents through innovative academics since its foundation. Over its more than 100 years of history, it has played an active role in the development of various fields such as Korean politics, economy, society, and culture, earning the title of "National University."

Korea University is not only renowned for its outstanding academic achievements but also for its magnificent campus, which exudes unique charm and attracts students from home and abroad. Like many Korean universities, the campus of Korea University is built on a hill with undulating terrain and layered landscapes. The buildings are mostly Gothic style, simple yet ornate. Surrounded by lush trees and flowers, they add vitality and romance to the solemn Western-style architecture. The Central Library is not only the oldest library in Korea but also one of the best in terms of conditions and facilities. With its grand scale and European castle-like architecture, it is majestic and solemn, making you feel the profound historical aura and rich academic atmosphere of the century-old prestigious school the moment you step through the gate.

Notably, as a member university of the University Ice Hockey League, the ice rink in Korea University's gymnasium measures 30m by 61m and meets international standards. While admiring the beautiful campus and experiencing the atmosphere of a Korean university, you can also enjoy the ice skating fun that is only available in northern winters without seasonal restrictions at this rink.

Korea University Address: 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Operating Hours: All day

Fifth stop, the four seasons chapter: Spring has flowers, autumn has the moon; summer has cool breezes, winter has snow.

The Seoul Energy Dream Center is a comprehensive cultural space for learning and experiencing eco-friendly energy technologies. The main building is Korea's first energy self-sufficient new building. Inside the Seoul Energy Dream Center, there is a cutting-edge technology experience space and an experiential environmental education space.

Through Seoul's first energy self-sufficient public building, the Seoul Energy Dream Center, you can understand the principles of various energy sources. It also operates a variety of programs that everyone from children to adults can experience together. The Energy Dream Center has three floors. The first floor is the Energy Dream Hall, and the second floor is the Seoul Climate Change Learning Area. Here, you can deeply appreciate the wonderful principles of energy and gain fresh and interesting knowledge. In this magical building, it feels as if the air currents of the four seasons fill your entire body and mind with your senses, making the whole study tour very interesting and memorable.

Seoul Energy Dream Center Address: 14 Jeungsan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Business Hours: Closed every Monday, Tuesday to Sunday 9:30-17:30

After this fulfilling and enjoyable itinerary, you might feel a little tired, but what you have accumulated is an unprecedented range of humanities knowledge and scientific experiences. Moreover, it will open a window to a new world, letting you encounter a new language and a new food culture. But most of all, your heart will be filled with joy—you have satisfied your pursuit of color and the experience of the seasons, feeling the infinite amplification of fun. I believe that many years later, this precious memory will follow your figure and the flow of time, slowly stretching on. Thank you, you who love to travel, thank you, you who are willing to see the world, thank you, you who discover the beauty of life. We look forward to meeting again next time. Seoul, goodbye.