Korea's 100 Must-Visit Spots: The Official List, Region by Region

The Korea Tourism Organization maintains an official list of 100 spots spread across the country’s eight tourism regions, from Seoul’s grand palaces down to a purple-flowered island off the southwest coast. It’s less a ranked countdown than a working reference, the kind of list a domestic tourism campaign builds to spread visitors beyond the same five Seoul landmarks.

A full 100-spot table is below, organized the same way the Korea Tourism Organization groups it. After that, three spots get a closer look, all UNESCO-connected, all genuinely reachable, and all skipped by most short itineraries anyway.

What This List Actually Is

This is the Korea Tourism Organization’s own curated list, not a crowd-ranked “best of” or a single travel writer’s opinion, and it gets revisited periodically as new attractions open and others fade. Treat it as a starting reference for spreading a trip beyond the obvious stops, not a checklist to complete in one visit. Nobody sees all 100 in a single trip, and the list isn’t designed for that.

The Full List, Region by Region

Spot	Region
Five Grand Palaces	Seoul
N Seoul Tower	Seoul
Gwanghwamun Square / Cheonggye Plaza	Seoul
National Museum of Korea	Seoul
Seoul Sky / Lotte World	Seoul
Seongsu-dong Street / Seoul Forest	Seoul
Blue House Area / Seochon Village	Seoul
Hangang Park	Seoul
Hongdae Red Road	Seoul
Gaehang Cultural District / Chinatown	Incheon
Gyodong Island	Incheon
Songdo Central Park	Incheon
Garden of Morning Calm	Gyeonggi-do
Seoul Grand Park / Seoul Land	Gyeonggi-do
Gwangmyeong Cave	Gyeonggi-do
Hwaseong Fortress	Gyeonggi-do
Dumulmeori	Gyeonggi-do
Korean Folk Village	Gyeonggi-do
Everland / Caribbean Bay	Gyeonggi-do
Imjingak / Paju DMZ	Gyeonggi-do
Heyri Art Village	Gyeonggi-do
Jebu Island / Sea Cable Car	Gyeonggi-do
Jeongdongjin-Simgok Sea Bujaegil	Gangwon-do
Dokkaebi Valley Sky Valley	Gangwon-do
Muryeong Valley	Gangwon-do
Seoraksan National Park	Gangwon-do
Sokcho Tourist Fish Market	Gangwon-do
Museum SAN / Ganhyeon Tourist Area	Gangwon-do
Wondae-ri Birch Forest	Gangwon-do
Cheorwon Hantan River Columnar Joints Trail	Gangwon-do
Nami Island	Gangwon-do
Daegwallyeong	Gangwon-do
Baekwangsan (Thousand-Year Forest Trail)	Gangwon-do
Jangtaesan Recreational Forest	Daejeon
Sejong National Arboretum	Sejong
Dodam Sambong	Chungcheongbuk-do
Mancheonha Skywalk / Danyang River Trail	Chungcheongbuk-do
Beopjusa Temple / Songnisan Theme Park	Chungcheongbuk-do
Cheongpung Lake	Chungcheongbuk-do
Cheongnamdae (Presidential Retreat)	Chungcheongbuk-do
Gongju Baekje Historic Sites	Chungcheongnam-do
Daecheon Beach	Chungcheongnam-do
Buyeo Baekje Historic Sites	Chungcheongnam-do
Haemi Eupseong (Walled Town)	Chungcheongnam-do
Hyeonchungsa Shrine	Chungcheongnam-do
Yedang Tourist Area	Chungcheongnam-do
Independence Hall of Korea	Chungcheongnam-do
Kkotji Beach	Chungcheongnam-do
Asia Culture Center	Gwangju
Mudeungsan National Park	Gwangju
Namwon Tourist Area / Gwanghalluwon Garden	Jeollabuk-do
Bandi Land / Taekwondowon	Jeollabuk-do
Byeonsan Peninsula National Park	Jeollabuk-do
Gangcheonsan County Park	Jeollabuk-do
Oseong Hanok Village	Jeollabuk-do
Jeonju Hanok Village	Jeollabuk-do
Naejangsan National Park	Jeollabuk-do
Maisan Provincial Park	Jeollabuk-do
Seomjingang Train Village	Jeollanam-do
Gwangyang Plum Village	Jeollanam-do
Juknokwon Bamboo Garden	Jeollanam-do
Mokpo Modern History Museum / Cable Car	Jeollanam-do
Suncheon Bay National Garden / Wetland	Jeollanam-do
Bora (Purple) Island	Jeollanam-do
Expo Ocean Park	Jeollanam-do
Jeongnamjin Cypress Forest	Jeollanam-do
Gamcheon Culture Village	Busan
Gwangalli Beach / SUP Zone	Busan
Busan X the Sky / Green Railway	Busan
Taejongdae Park	Busan
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple	Busan
Haeundae Beach / Songjeong Beach	Busan
Sayuwon Garden	Daegu
Seomun Market / Dongseongno Street	Daegu
Palgongsan National Park	Daegu
Daewangam Park	Ulsan
Yeongnam Alps (Ganwoljae)	Ulsan
Taehwagang National Garden	Ulsan
Gyeongju Daereungwon / Woljeonggyo	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Bulguksa Temple / Seokguram Grotto	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Baekdudaegan Arboretum	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Andong Hahoe Village	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Ulleungdo / Dokdo	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Juwangsan National Park / Jusanji Pond	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Spacewalk	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Geoje Botania	Gyeongsangnam-do
German Village	Gyeongsangnam-do
Sacheon Sea Cable Car / Aquarium	Gyeongsangnam-do
Donguibogam Village	Gyeongsangnam-do
Tongdosa Temple	Gyeongsangnam-do
Jinju Fortress	Gyeongsangnam-do
Upo Wetland	Gyeongsangnam-do
DPIRANG Media Park	Gyeongsangnam-do
Ssanggyesa Temple / Hwagae Market	Gyeongsangnam-do
Mosewat Forest Trail	Jeju
Bijarim Forest	Jeju
Seongsan Ilchulbong	Jeju
Udo Island	Jeju
Jeju Olle Trail	Jeju
Hallasan National Park	Jeju

Hwaseong Fortress: The Easiest UNESCO Day Trip from Seoul

Hwaseong Fortress, in Suwon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that most Seoul-based visitors skip simply because it isn’t inside the city. That’s the whole appeal: a subway ride away, genuinely quiet compared to Seoul’s palaces, and cheap. Basic admission is 1,500 KRW for adults, or 4,000 KRW for a combination ticket covering the fortress, a nearby palace, and two museums. Entry is free for hanbok wearers, seniors, young children, and on the last Wednesday of each month.

Take Line 1 from Seoul Station to Suwon Station, about 55 to 65 minutes for 1,850 KRW, then walk roughly 15 minutes north to the fortress’s main gate, or catch a one-stop city bus. A KTX connection cuts the ride to about 20 minutes for 7,400 KRW. From May through October, the fortress opens for night viewing on Wednesdays through Sundays, 6 PM to 9:30 PM, when the walls light up and the crowds thin out further.

Hahoe Village: Korea’s Best-Preserved Clan Village

Hahoe, wrapped almost entirely by a bend in the Nakdong River, is a centuries-old village still shaped by the two clans that have lived there for generations, not a rebuilt or relocated folk village. Admission is 5,000 KRW, and the village stays open sunrise to sunset year round. From Andong Station, city bus 46 takes about an hour to reach the entrance.

The village is also home to Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori, an eight-century-old satirical mask dance drama, performed regularly and showcased each year at the Andong International Mask Dance Festival, which runs from late September into early October.

The Jeju Olle Trail: Walking the Island Instead of Driving It

Rather than one continuous path, the Jeju Olle Trail is a network of 21 connected main routes plus 6 shorter side routes, adding up to roughly 437 km, averaging about 16 km per route. Most sections follow the island’s coastline through fishing villages and past beaches rather than climbing inland, and each route is walkable on its own in a few hours without committing to the entire network.

The trail works as a genuine alternative to renting a car for at least part of a Jeju trip, especially for visitors who’d rather see the coast at walking pace than from behind a windshield.

Korea’s 100 Spots: Quick Answers