Rise & Shine! Discover Korea with Samsung Day 2 is packed with museum tours, but we have no complains! Personally, I think that that all these new attractions (new for me, at least) is a must go whenever you found yourself in Seoul!
Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Dongdaemun Design Plaza, DDP is is the newest and most iconic landmark of the Korean design industry. Located at the center of the Dongdaemun area, the DDP will serve as a key venue for design-related shows and conferences, exhibitions, and other events and gatherings.
Designed by world renowned architect, Zaha Hadid, DDP is the world’s largest atypical architecture. The DDP is compromised of five halls: Art Hall, Museum, Design Lab, Design Market, and Dongdaemun History and Culture Park.
From time to time, DDP will host exhibitions of different themes and interest.We were lucky as we were there during the Esprit Dior Exhibition that is happening from 20 June to 25 August 2015. 
The exhibition is a journey into the extraordinary universe of Christian Dior: his imagination, deeply influenced by art, his friendships with the most famous artists of his time, his unique talent for offering sublime and inimitable silhouettes with each new collection, his love of 18th century splendor, and his sense of the marvelous. From the creations of yesterday to the resolutely modern work of Christian Dior’s latest successor, Raf Simons, Esprit Dior highlights the exceptional virtuosity of the House of Dior, synonymous with French elegance and Parisian chic. Here, the Haute Couture ateliers unveil their parade of wonders, and the world of Dior perfumes adds to the magic.
Regardless of whether you are a DIOR fan, the subtle interplay of gowns, fragrances, accessories, historical documents and photographs is sure to mesmerize anyone who has an eye for beautiful things. Admission to the exhibition is free.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza Add: 281 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul Hours: Art Hall 10:00~21:00, Museum 10:00~19:00(Wed,Fri.~21:00), Design Shop (Weekday) 10:00~21:00, Design Shop (Weekend,Holiday) 10:00~22:00. Closed every Monday Getting Here: [Subway] Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Seoul Subway Line 2, 4 ,5), Exit 1. – Walk 60 m straight and turn right. – Continue walking 73m.
Lunch @ Two Plus Korean BBQ
Two Plus Itaewon is a famous hanwoo beef restaurant, specializes in 1++ beef, the highest grade for korean beef. I loved its chic interior and comfortable dining area. Our bulgogi lunch was amazing too!
Two Plus Itaewon
Add: 36, Itaewon-ro 27na-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-858, South Korea
Tel: 02-796-7277
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art 
In my humble opinion, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art is another must-see attraction in Seoul. It is one of the most well managed art museum in the world, displaying both Korean and world’s art pieces. The late Hoam Lee Byung-chul, the founder of Samsung, had displayed his beloved collections of Korean national treasures and art pieces in the Ho-Am Art Museum, Ho-Am Gallery, and the Rodin Gallery. Inheriting the founder’s will, Mr. Lee Kun-hee, the president of Samsung, has been passionately collecting fine artworks of Korean and international contemporary artists, accumulating and preserving Korean treasures with a high historical value. Even the impressive looking buildings of The Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art were designed by the internationally renowned architects Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas to combine the past, present, and future of art and culture, and are in themselves remarkable artistic experiences.
The collections are exquisite and beautifully curated, especially the celadon and porcelain pieces. The high tech Digital Guide in the form of Samsung Note 3 automatically start playing the relevant section as soon as you approach an object. The art explanations are detailed and very interesting. It enables me to appreciate the art pieces even more.The Digital Guide is offered in four different languages; Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese.
The museum is also surrounded by a few streets lined by beautiful quaint cafe. A great place to spend my afternoon!
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art
Add: 60-16 Itaewon-ro 55-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea 140-893
Hours: 10.30 am to 8.00 pm Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Wednesdays.
Admission: Adults Permanent Exhibition 10,000 won, Adults Special Exhibition 8,000 won, Day Pass 14,000 won. Digital Guide available for rent. English Guided Tour available during weekends from 15.00 to 1630. Admission 50% discount on every last Wednesday of the month.
Getting Here: From Hangangjin Station (Subway Line 6) Exit 1, walk straight for 100m towards Itaewon. Make a right turn at the first intersection and alley, walk up the hill for about 5 minutes.
Seoul Museum of Art
It was my first time in Seoul Museum of Art, a Korean modern art museum conveniently located in the Deoksugung Palace area near the Jeongdong Theater (traditional performances) and the Nanta Theater.
An art museum popular among both locals and visitors, SeMA holds internationally renowned exhibitions twice a year and has hosted Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh, Pompidou, and many other famous collections. However, our sole purpose of this visit is for G-Dragon’s peaceminusone exhibition.
I have to admit that I’m not a die-hard G-Dragon fan but it was an interesting exhibition. If you rent an audio guide, you can hear the entire exhibition narrated by him in Korean.
The exhibition consists of rich encounters of art and the pop culture through G?Dragon’s collaboration with artists of home and abroad.
Seoul Museum of Art
Add: Misulgwan-gil 30 (Seosomun-dong 37), Jung-gu, Seoul (100-813)
Hours: Weekdays 10 am to 8pm, Weekends 10 am to 7 pm
Getting Here:
City Hall Station (Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 1.
– Go to the right and turn down the first street on your left before Deoksugung Palace.
– Keep going for 5 minutes; the museum is on a small hill to the left.
or
Gwanghwamun Station (Subway Line 5), Exit 5
– Go straight 5 minutes until reaching Seoul Plaza.
– Cross the road, go towards Deoksugung Palace, and turn right immediately after the palace’s main gate.
Dinner @ Congdu
Rated as one of the best restaurants in Seoul, Congdu is housed inside a traditional Korean building used by the last Chosun king’s grandmother.
Congdu’s menu features modern-Korean cuisine. The restaurant owner travels around Korea to source for top quality local ingredients.
The 48-hour, slow-cooked Jeju pork shoulder with aged kimchi was mind blowing! The beautiful, soft flesh with lots of flavour literally melts in my mouth.
Steamed Dokdo shrimp marinated in rice wine with prawn caviar. The shrimp was so succulent and juicy! I was so happy to devour the juice from the head, then eat the delicate and roes in abundance followed by the sweeter-than-lobster flesh!
Even dessert looked too good to eat! I did polished up everything anyway, the mulberry ice cream and korean rice puffs were so delicious!
Congdu is the place to go if you feel like splurging on a nice, lavish meal.
Congdu
Add: 116-1 Deoksu Palace-gil Junggu
Tel: +82 2 722 7002
Hours: lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., cafe, 2-5:30 p.m., dinner, 5:30-10 p.m.
Thank you Samsung for this great travel opportunity. I’m so happy to revisit Seoul, one of my favourite cities in the world.
