Seoul, the heart of the country, is home to Korea’s major cultural sites, including many palaces. The five grand Joseon palaces-Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Gyeong-ungung (now Deoksugung) and Gyeonghuigung-connect the past and present. Visitors feel as if they have been transported back to the past as they step over the threshold into these majestic royal residences.
As Seoul served as the starting point of the modern state of Korea, it is also home to a colorful modern culture. The
city has not only striven to develop the modern aspects of its way of life, but has also reinterpreted the ancient culture from a modern perspective.
