National Museum of Korea: A Museum of Chinese Character Documents

On the second day, our itinerary was mainly a cultural tour. Our first stop was the largest museum in South Korea—the National Museum of Korea. Located at 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Special City, it is the center and representative of the Korean museum system. Building area: approximately 134,000 square meters, making it the sixth largest museum in the world. Exhibition space: extremely vast, with three floors of permanent exhibition halls covering archaeology, history, fine arts, and other fields. Number of artifacts: according to the introduction, there are over 420,000 artifacts, including 12 national treasures. Features: The building is magnificent, with the front square and reflection pool being iconic landscapes. The exhibits cover the entire history of Korea from prehistoric times to the Joseon Dynasty. There is also a children's museum, a beautiful outdoor park, restaurants, and cafes inside, suitable for spending half a day or even a full day touring.

When we entered, we happened to come across a group of South Korean soldiers. They looked quite dashing, not as bad as some people say online.

I think the biggest feature of this museum is that most of the documents inside are written in Chinese characters, fully reflecting its status as a vassal state of the Ming and Qing dynasties and its cultural subordination. However, it is evident that Korean society has been steadily de-Sinicizing its writing, as many modern materials are entirely in Korean. Actually, compared to museums in China, although the facilities here are quite good, the artifacts are far less exquisite and culturally rich. After all, Korean history only spans a little over 500 years. But when visiting a place, one should still take a look at its local history and culture—this is an essential quality of a cultured person.

Our second stop was Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and the largest and most famous of Seoul's five grand palaces, similar to the Forbidden City in China. Take subway Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5, or Line 5 to Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 2. The subway station itself has an antique-style decoration, similar to the Yonghe Temple Station in Beijing. Ticket price: adults 3,000 KRW (about 15 RMB).

Entry is free if wearing a hanbok. However, when we went, there was no ticket inspection—maybe because of the rain or some other reason. The crowds were not particularly large, much smaller than those at the Forbidden City, making for a relatively smooth visit. Overall, it does not have the grandeur of the Forbidden City, nor the luxury seen in Korean dramas.

It is said that the changing of the guard ceremony is a must-see! It takes place in front of Gwanghwamun every day (except Tuesdays), usually at 10:00, 13:00, and 15:00. Specific times can be checked on the official website in advance. Maybe it was canceled due to rain or we were too late—we didn't see it either. Having watched Korean dramas for so many years, especially some time-travel dramas that depict ancient Korea as magnificent and with exquisite makeup, when you stand in front of Gwanghwamun, with history to the north (scattered ancient buildings) and modernity to the south (rows of high-rise buildings), scenes from long-forgotten Korean drama episodes flash through my mind, creating a truly montage-like magic.

Key highlights of Gyeongbokgung: Gwanghwamun: The best place to watch the guard-changing ceremony. Geunjeongjeon: The highest hall where the king held court ceremonies, very grand. Gyeonghoeru: An elegant pavilion built on a pond, used for banquets, and featured on the back of the 10,000 won banknote. Gangnyeongjeon and Gyotaejeon: The king's and queen's bedchambers, offering insight into court life. Hyangwonjeong: A beautiful lotus pond and pavilion in the rear palace area, very photogenic. Note: Closed on Tuesdays, so don't go on that day. Exiting through Sinmumun, you will face Cheong Wa Dae (now open to the public), with the National Folk Museum on the left and Samcheong-dong district on the right—making it convenient to visit multiple sites in one go. Due to time constraints and the rain, we only took a look from the entrance.

Not far from Gyeongbokgung is Bukchon Hanok Village. We seemed to take a bus for a few stops, and on the bus we asked a kind local who told us where to get off.