Seoul’s Best Arts and Leisure

Quirkiest Museum [1]: Few would have predicted that the world needed a poultry-dedicated facility like the Museum of Chicken Art [1], but, confounding the naysayers, it’s proven a runaway hit.

Best Local Contemporary Art Venue [2]: If you only have time to acquaint yourself with one local artist, make it the pioneering Kim Whanki, whose dynamic oeuvre is on full display at the Whanki Museum [2] in beautiful Buam-dong.

Best Festival [3]: The Lotus Lantern Festival [3], which celebrates Buddha’s birthday, culminates in a winding parade of illuminated lanterns throughout central Seoul. It is a visually stunning spectacle that never fails to uplift.

Most Spiritual Place to Burn Calories [4]: The trails up craggy Inwangsan [4] wind past temples, monuments, and shamanist shrines. You might even spot a ceremony taking place when you stop to catch your breath.

Best Place for Pampering [5]: The colossal Dragon Hill Spa [5] offers a multitude of ways to soak, stretch, scrub, massage, and otherwise coddle your body in plush surroundings at a relatively low price.