South Korea's Top Sights to See
South Korea’s landmark sights split into two groups: the royal palaces of Seoul, where entry rules shift depending on whether you show up in a hanbok, and the Silla-era sites around Gyeongju, most of which are now free to walk into.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul
The main palace of the Joseon Dynasty, first built in 1395, centers on the Gwanghwamun Gate, the Geunjeongjeon throne hall, and the Gyeonghoeru banquet pavilion resting on 48 granite pillars over a lotus pond. The Royal Guard-Changing Ceremony runs daily at 10am and 2pm in front of Gwanghwamun Gate, free to watch. Hours run 9am to 6pm in spring and autumn, later in summer and earlier in winter, and the palace is closed on Tuesdays. Admission is 3,000 won for adults, free for anyone wearing a full hanbok, per the schedule on royal.cha.go.kr . Book a Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon guided walk on GetYourGuide if you want the guard ceremony explained rather than just watched.
Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, Changdeokgung is known for how its buildings follow the natural slope of the land rather than a rigid grid. Palace grounds entry is 3,000 won, free with a hanbok, but the Secret Garden behind it is a separate, timed, guided add-on at 5,000 won for adults, and it is not covered by the hanbok discount. English tours run at 10:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 3:30pm, exactly 100 tickets per slot, half released online six days ahead at 10am KST and half sold same-day at the box office; the online allocation can sell out within minutes in autumn. Book through the official Korea Royal Palaces site .
The Royal Palace Pass
A combined ticket at 6,000 won covers the four fee-charging palaces, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung, plus Jongmyo Shrine, valid for six months from purchase. The Secret Garden at Changdeokgung and free-entry Gyeonghuigung are not part of it. Buying the same five admissions separately would cost 9,000 won, so the pass mainly buys convenience rather than a big saving.
Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju
Inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1995, Bulguksa holds the granite Dabotap and Seokgatap pagodas and two stone bridges; Seokguram, 4km higher on Mount Tohamsan, houses a 3.5-meter granite Buddha inside an artificial cave rotunda facing the East Sea. Both have been free of charge since May 2023, when the Cultural Heritage Administration abolished admission fees at 65 major national temples. Bus 10 or 11 from Gyeongju KTX Station reaches Bulguksa in about 45 minutes. Book a Gyeongju UNESCO sites day tour on Viator to cover Bulguksa, Seokguram and the Royal Tombs without piecing together local buses.
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, Gyeongju
Formerly known as Anapji Pond, this Silla banquet complex dates to 674 CE and is best known for its nighttime illumination, when the lit pavilions reflect across the water. Open daily 9am to 10pm, last entry 9:30pm, admission 3,000 won for adults. It is a protected heritage excavation site surrounded by stone embankments; there are no rowboats on the pond, only a perimeter walk.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Busan
One of the country’s rare coastal temples, founded in 1376 and built directly onto rocky cliffs above the sea. Free admission, open 4:30am to 7:30pm daily, reached by Bus 181 or 1001 from Haeundae.
The verdict
Wear a hanbok on your first palace day; the free entry alone covers the rental cost within two stops. For the guided version of a DMZ or Seoraksan day to pair with these sights, see the South Korea attraction tours guide .
Before you go
Book the Secret Garden’s English tour the moment your Gyeongju dates are fixed; the 100-ticket-per-slot cap sells out fastest in October.