Seoul Searching | Gwanghwamun Square.

It's almost autumn in Seoul, but I'm still not done with my Seoul Searching posts. There are still a few more places that I have yet to blog about starting with Gwanghwamun Square, which we visited last spring - the day after the South Korean presidential elections.

Yue meets King Sejong.

A national landmark located in the heart of Seoul, Gwanghwamun Square is a public open space which connects Gwanghwamun Gate, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, to Cheonggye Plaza, which marks the starting point of Cheonggye Stream. Gwanghwamun Square is divided into six sections, with the statue of King Sejong as its focal point. He is one of Korea's most famous kings, and one of the only two Korean rulers honored with the appellation 'the Great'.

Hangul, the Korean alphabet.

King Sejong, who placed great emphasis in education during his reign, created the Korean alphabet, Hangul. This, and his other main inventions such as as the sundial, rain gauge, and celestial globe, are on display in front of his statue at Gwanghwamun Square.

Rain gauge.

Celestial globe.

Sun dial.

At the other end of the square, you'll find the statue of Admiral Yi Sun Shin, a Korean admiral and national hero whose naval victories were instrumental in repelling Japanese invasions of Korea in the 1590s. If you've seen the movie 'Roaring Currents', then you probably have an idea why Yi Sun Shin is a much revered figure in Korean history.

Yue meets Admiral Yi Sun Shin.

In front of his statue is the 12.23 Fountain, a symbolic fountain which honors the achievements of the brave admiral. The fountain commemorates the 23 battles he fought with 12 warships when he led Koreans to victory during the Imjin War. The water jet rises to a height of 18 meters along with 300 smaller jets, which symbolizes the battles he fought on the sea. In the summer, this fountain is opened to the public, allowing kids and even adults to play with the water.

Honoring the great Admiral Yi Sun Shin.

As we walked around Gwanghwamun Square, we discovered a door located behind King Sejong's statue. Apparently, this is the entrance to the exhibition hall and museum dedicated to both King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun Shin. Entrance to both exhibitions is free, with operating hours from 10 am to 9 pm, Tuesdays to Sundays.

Entrance to The Story of King Sejong.

And since Yue and I love museums, we made our way to the exhibition hall which is actually located underneath the statues, at the basement of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

The Story of King Sejong.

More of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun Shin after the jump!

Seoul Searching | Gyeongbokgung Palace.

After enjoying the sights and sounds of Bukchon Hanok Village, Yue and I took a leisurely stroll down the streets of Samcheongdong as we made our way to nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Lost in Seoul? Ask these ladies for directions.
They'd be more than glad to help you!

Quirky displays are a familiar sight at Samcheongdong.

Polar Bear and Yue Bear.

Jinsun Book Cafe.

'Nearby' is actually an understatement because it took us about fifteen minutes or so before we reached Sinmumun Gate, the north gate that's right across Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) where the President of Korea resides. And mind you, we were walking in the dead of winter! 

Daehan Minguk! 

Sinmumun Gate used to be closed to the public for a long time because of its proximity to Cheong Wa Dae, but it was finally made accessible in 2006, at the insistence of then president Roh Moo-hyun.

The pathway leading to Sinmumun Gate.

Cheong Wa Dae.

Yue was starting to get whiny from all that walking, but I just kept on telling him, 'We're almost there, just a few more steps'. Took us probably a thousand to get there. Haha!

Sinmumun Gate, finally!

He heaved a sigh of relief after we reached the north gate, but his relief turned to worry after realizing how huge the palace grounds were.

The grandeur of Gyeongbokgung after the jump!