Neon lights flash everywhere as I wander aimlessly through the bustling streets of the trendy Myeongdong neighbourhood in the South Korean capital. The entire area is dedicated to commerce, with thousands of Koreans and Asian tourists wandering in and out of the fashion and cosmetics shops that abound in the neighbourhood, while sampling all kinds of food from the street stalls that line the main avenue every night. Myengdong is another example of the inexhaustible energy of Seoul, which with 25 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, half the population of South Korea, is the technological, economic and cultural centre of the country.
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Seoul became the capital of Korea in the 14th century after the establishment of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). It remained so until the partition of the country after the end of World War II into two states: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Although Seoul was damaged, first by the Japanese occupation (1910-1945) and then during the Korean War, the city managed to retain some of its heritage in the form of ancient palaces, Buddhist temples and traditional neighbourhoods.
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Seoul's spectacular palaces
A good place to start getting to know this city of contrasts is the Insadong neighbourhood. Its main avenue is lined with souvenir shops, handicraft shops and traditional restaurants. At the end of the street are the ramparts of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the former royal residence. As soon as I pass through the main gate, the architectural style reminds me of the magnificent Forbidden City in Beijing. Although many of the buildings are reconstructions, as the palace was badly damaged during the Japanese occupation, a visit here gives you an idea of the luxury in which Korea's rulers lived.
The Hanok tradition
After leaving Gyeongbokgung, I walk around the palace grounds to its easternmost side. In this part of the city, the streets become narrower as you walk, and soon the first grey-tiled roofs begin to appear, heralding the approach of the Bukcheon neighbourhood. Until well into the 20th century, much of Korea was populated by hanok, the traditional Korean one-storey houses built of wood and adobe and arranged around a courtyard. The wars and then the rapid modernisation of the country in the late 1960s meant that the inhabitants preferred to move to the modern flats that were being built in the city, and so whole neighbourhoods of hanok were lost.
I wander aimlessly through Bukcheon's steep, labyrinthine alleyways, where hanok rooftops contrast with the skyscrapers towering in the distance. Finally I arrive in front of the walls protecting Changdeokgung, the best preserved palace of the Joseon dynasty , which was used by members of the royal family until the early 20th century. The most charming part of the grounds is the Secret Garden, an extensive park with small pavilions, ponds and buildings that were used by the rulers to rest, hold poetry contests or hold banquets.
All the faces of Seoul
Just a ten-minute walk separates me from Jongmyo, the sober and elegant Confucian shrine that the royal family used to reverence the spirits of their ancestors. For centuries, Confucian philosophy governed the destinies of Koreans, based on principles such as veneration of elders and ancestors, the importance of harmony in society and respect for hierarchy. After the end of the Joseon dynasty and during the course of the 20th century, Confucianism was relegated to the past, but some of its principles still permeate Korean society.
Seoul is also known for its almost endless options for boredom. From wandering through bustling shopping areas like Itaewon, where neon lights glow late into the night, to wandering around the luxurious neighbourhood of the Gangnam Style song, made famous halfway around the world in 2012. During the day you can dive into the bustling Gwangjang market, a perfect place to sample all manner of Korean dishes at one of the hundreds of makeshift stalls. And then be fascinated by the curved, metallic forms of the DongdaemunDesign Plaza (DDP) designed by Zaha Hadid and inaugurated in 2014. To enjoy nature and fantastic views at the same time, you can follow the old city wall all the way to Mount Inwangsan, or head to the popular Namsan Park and climb the 236m-high Seoul Tower observation deck .
Seoraksan, the stone giants
Beyond Seoul, the Korean peninsula is a mountainous landscape covered in lush forests that disappear into the horizon. Along the coast of the Sea of Japan (East Sea to Koreans), the mountains of Seoraksan National Park rise up like stone giants . From the top of their rocky peaks, which reach up to 1,700m and can be reached by a network of well-maintained trails, you can look out over a landscape where forest and sea intermingle as far as the eye can see. After a day of hiking the trails, it's best to head to the nearby coastal town of Sokcho for a delicious dish of fresh fish or stuffed squid, the region's speciality.
The historic village of Hahoe
We leave the coastline behind and head south into the interior of the country to visit its religious centres and ancient sites. The first stop is the small village of Hahoe. Its name means "village enveloped by water", as it is situated on the banks of the Nakdong River, which winds its way through green hills and rice paddies. With a population of just 300, Hahoe has maintained its original structure according to the precepts of feng shui, which in the past determined the construction not only of houses but also of towns.
Hahoe is most famous for its mask dances, which are part of ancient ceremonies dedicated to the protective spirits. Interestingly, these dances are related to shamanic rites from Siberia and Manchuria, where the original inhabitants of Korea originated. Both the masks - each representing a different social status - and the dances have been preserved to this day by being passed down from one generation to the next over the centuries.
Religion in South Korea
Buddhism was introduced to Korea from China around the 4th century, but its golden age came from the 7th century onwards, during the late Silla Dynasty (57 BC-935) and especially with the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), when it became a state religion. From the establishment of the Joseon dynasty in the 14th century, Buddhism began a slow decline due to the neo-Confucian ideas of the new rulers, who severely repressed Buddhist manifestations over the next six centuries.
Today, half of South Korea's population is non-believing, with most of the rest professing Christianity. Buddhism experienced a renaissance in the second half of the 20th century and now ranks as the second largest religion, with 20 per cent of adherents.
Judging by the sheer number of Buddhist temples in the country, it seems that the Buddha's faith has not lost its primacy as a spiritual guide for Koreans. Some of the most remarkable sacred precincts are located in remote places, such as Haeinsa, one of the most important in Korea and the next stop on my trip.
The grandiose Haeinsa Buddhist complex stands in the middle of Gayasan National Park - accessible by bus from the city of Daegu - and its elegant pavilions seem to blend in with the surrounding nature. At the back of the grounds is the Janggyeong Panjeon, a 15th-century wooden building that preserves the Korean Tripitaka, the world's most important collection of Buddhist texts, engraved on 81,340 wooden blocks dating back to the 13th century. Thanks to the ingenious design of the building, which maintains ideal ventilation, humidity and temperature, the wooden blocks have been preserved intact to this day.
Gyeongju Archaeological Site
Heading south towards Busan, the country's second city, there are a couple of must-see sites. A little over an hour's drive to the east brings you to historic Gyeongju. In the 1st century BC, the city was the capital of the Silla kingdom, which succeeded in subjugating the other kingdoms on the peninsula and creating a unified Korea in the 7th century, by which time Gyeongju had become the country's capital, with a population approaching one million.
In the 10th century the Silla monarchs were defeated by the Goryeo dynasty, which moved the capital to Kaesong. Gyeongju then began a slow decline, but to this day it has preserved many archaeological remains that give a glimpse of its splendid past. Indeed, Gyeongju is full of ancient treasures, such as Silla Dynasty tombs in the form of burial mounds.
There are also historic temples, including Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto, which preserves a 1200-year-old granite Buddha flanked by Buddhist deities. Or the mysterious Cheomseongdae observatory, a tower dating back to the 7th century BC, which was probably used to study the sky. And of course, Mount Namsan (494m), a hill next to Gyeongju ideal for enjoying a walk surrounded by greenery while visiting ancient pagodas and discovering Buddhist figures carved into rocks along the paths, or giant statues of seated Buddhas that emanate wisdom and peace to visitors.
Amazing Busan
After visiting venerable Gyeongju, cosmopolitan Busan seems out of this world. In this port city on the east coast, the skyscrapers look towards Japan while the mountains that border it from behind remind you of its South Korean identity. Busan is undoubtedly the liveliest city in the country, where you can lose yourself for a few days to enjoy its magnificent restaurants and fish markets, and be surprised by such groundbreaking buildings as the Busan Cinema Center, home to the city's International Film Festival. Among its historic sites is the United Nations Cemetery, where hundreds of soldiers from different countries who fought under US leadership in the Korean War (1950-53) against North Korean communist troops backed by China and the USSR are buried. Busan's newest attraction is the eclectic Gamcheon, a neighbourhood of shantytowns and steep streets scattered along the hillside . Thanks to the efforts of its inhabitants to paint and decorate the houses, Gamcheon has become a tourist attraction in recent years.
The South Coast
Busan is the ideal starting point for a tour of the south coast. Along this rugged coastline alternate thousands of islands, such as those forming part of the Hallyeohaesang National Park, small fishing villages like Tongyeong, as well as large infrastructure works in the form of long suspension bridges and some of the world's largest shipyards. A good place to end your journey along this coast is Suncheon Bay, a protected wetland area that serves as a haven for migratory birds and offers fabulous sunsets.
Jeju Island, just 100km from the mainland, is a good end to the trip. It is the country's top holiday destination, a volcanic island with a temperate climate that Koreans consider their own personal Hawaii. From the plane window, I see the imposing figure of the 1950-metre-high Hallasan volcano and the dozens of smaller cones (oreum) that characterise the island's skyline.
The haenyeo women of Jeju Island
The first thing that strikes you about Jeju is the laid-back atmosphere as soon as you set foot on the island, even though it is a popular destination for Koreans. One of the best ways to get to know Jeju is to walk along one of the Olle walking trails. This route circles the island and takes you past villages, fields and ancient volcanoes, some as spectacular as the Ilchulbong cone that seems to rise out of the sea.
The wind blows relentlessly on this island famous for its wind, rocks and even female divers. I stop for a while in front of the sea; a black surface of dry lava covers most of this stretch of wave-lashed coastline. I see an older woman emerge from the water, dressed in a rustic wetsuit and a bag full of seafood. She is a haenyeo, the women for whom the island is known and who for centuries have provided a livelihood for their families with this hard work in which, armed only with a knife and a net, they go free-diving to gather the fruits of the sea. Although they have even been recognised by Unesco and declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity, today there are only around 4000 haenyeo left, and experts believe that this will be the last generation, as young people do not want to do this kind of work. Despite their slow disappearance, they will remain the symbol of Jeju Island and one of South Korea's most striking traditions.