Day 4 → 11+ km walked 🚶♀️
Seoul really has a lot of palaces to visit… and yes, I still want to see them all 😆
Today we explored Changdeokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace, two royal palaces from the Joseon Dynasty located close to each other in central Seoul. Many of the palaces in the city were built as secondary residences or extensions of Gyeongbokgung, and although each one has its own layout and purpose, they do start to look quite similar after a while 😄
On the subway, we met an elderly couple from Germany, and it turned out we were heading to exactly the same place. Small world moment 😊
If Gyeongbokgung is the “main face” of Seoul’s palaces, then Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung feel like its quieter siblings, sitting just next to each other in the heart of the city.
Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung was built in 1405 during the Joseon Dynasty as a secondary royal palace after Gyeongbokgung. Even though it wasn’t the official main palace, it actually became the preferred residence for many kings for centuries.
One of its most unique features is its layout - instead of strict symmetry, the palace was designed to blend into the natural landscape. Hills, trees, and buildings flow together in harmony, which is one of the reasons it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Like most palaces in Korea, Changdeokgung was destroyed during the Japanese invasions in 1592 and later rebuilt in the early 1600s. Over time, it became one of the most important royal residences again and was used for about 270 years as the main working palace of the kings.
Behind the palace lies its most famous feature - the Secret Garden (Huwon), a large royal garden area once reserved exclusively for the royal family. It’s known for its natural, untouched design with ponds, pavilions, and forest-like scenery.
We sadly didn’t get to visit it because tickets need to be booked in advance. Something to remember for next time!
Changgyeonggung Palace
Right next to it is Changgyeonggung, originally built in the 15th century and expanded in 1483 by King Seongjong for royal family members such as queens and mothers, so it was more of a residential palace rather than a political center.
Because of that, it feels slightly different from other palaces in Seoul. It is less grand and more relaxed, with more greenery and open spaces.
Changgyeonggung also has a complicated history, it was heavily damaged during invasions and later even turned into a park, zoo, and botanical garden during the Japanese colonial period before being restored again after independence.
Today, it feels calmer and more open compared to the more ceremonial palaces like Gyeongbokgung.
Even though the two palaces are right next to each other, you actually have to exit one and walk quite a bit to enter the other. It feels like they should be connected… but they’re not 😅 (well technically, they share the Secret Garden area).
We also used lockers to store our bags and explored freely. Changgyeonggung felt smaller and quieter, and after visiting several palaces in a row, they definitely start to blend together a little.
Random travel moments
One thing that surprised me over these past days is how many different languages we’ve heard around Seoul, but not that much Korean 😆 At almost every historical site, we also randomly heard someone speaking Polish!
And honestly… travelling Korea without a Taiwanese person can be quite a challenge 😂 There is so much Traditional Chinese signage around the palaces that I constantly needed a translator 😜
Gwangjang Market & food adventures
Of course, we couldn’t skip food.
We went to Gwangjang Market, one of Seoul’s oldest traditional markets, known for its street food, narrow alleys, and lively atmosphere. It’s the kind of place where you just walk around and eat whatever looks good.
We tried hotteok (sweet filled pancakes) and samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup). Both were really delicious, especially the samgyetang, which felt like the perfect warm meal after a lot of walking.
Still no luck with the claw machines… but we did find super cute Ditto-transformed Pikachu plushies that I’ve never seen anywhere else before.
At this point, I’m starting to think the machines are just there for emotional damage 😂
Dinner & Final Stop
For dinner, Adrian convinced us (again) to have Korean fried chicken 😆 He was extremely happy. Maybe it really is that good? He normally doesn’t ask for the same thing twice unless sugar is involved 🍭
We also stopped by a supermarket… or at least we tried to. Surprisingly, it’s quite hard to find a big, proper supermarket in the city. The only one we really found was at Seoul Station, with most other places being smaller convenience stores.
We also adopted a tiny Munchlax plush toy, which has been travelling with us ever since. We’ve been taking photos of it around the palaces, and honestly… it might already have more pictures than we do 😂
By the end of the day, we were tired but still somehow ended up walking through the city again.
Another day in Seoul: lots of walking, lots of food, no claw machine wins… but somehow still perfect.
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