10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions in South Korea

1. Gyeongbokgung Palace

Built in 1394 under orders of King Taejo, the first king and founder of the Joseon Dynasty. The Gyeongbokgung Palace houses the National Folk Museum and the National Palace Museum of Korea. The palace is composed of several buildings including the Gangnyeongjeon (Gangnyeongjeon Hall), which was used as the king's main sleeping and living quarters. It is arguably the most beautiful of its four sister palaces, which are all in Seoul. The Gyeongbokgung Palace was originally a massive complex of 330 buildings and 5,792 rooms. Many of the buildings were destroyed during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945). Since 1989, the Korean government is in the process of rebuilding the structures that were destroyed.