The busy Gangnam District is probably one of Seoul’s best known district thanks to Psy’s mega-hit song “Gangnam Style”. Literally meaning “south of the river”, Gangnam is a large region of Seoul offering a lot to see and do and here are some of the best things to see and do there.

The main Gangnam area in the surrounding Gangnam and Sinnonhyeon Station area is one of Seoul’s most popular areas to meet. You’ll find an ample selection of global and local stores, restaurants, and shops. Electronics lovers should head to the Samsung d’light store within the Samsung Electronics Building here which showcases and previews the latest and next generation electronics and technology. Book lovers can head to Kyobo book store to catch up on some reading as the store has a large foreign books section as well.
A bit north of the main Gangnam area is the popular area of Sinsa which is considered one of the trendiest areas of Seoul. Fashionistas and shopping lovers should enjoy this area which is filled with boutique shops and stores dedicated to fashion, accessories, cosmetics, and beauty treatments.

Further east is Apgujeong which was, at one point, among the trendiest area in Seoul. There are still ample shops and department stores around and the area is also popular for getting beauty and cosmetic treatments done as evidenced by the many clinics around. If you have questions or want to find out more about medical procedures, the Gangnam Medical Tour Center is intended for foreign medical tourists and they have staff that can speak a variety of languages to assist you.

The luxurious Cheongdamdong area attracts a lot of opulent shoppers as it is home to many global luxury brands but it also draws K-Pop fans for the many entertainment agencies in the vicinity as well as nightlife lovers for the variety of popular clubs and bars around.

South of the Cheongdamdong area you’ll come to the Coex vicinity. Coex is not only Seoul’s largest exhibition and convention center but it also houses an enormous shopping mall, movie theater, and aquarium underneath it. You can check the Coex homepage to see what exhibitions are going on as some are open to the public on everything from baking shows to coffee shows.
If the hectic pace of Gangnam is getting to you, there are quite a few areas to collect your mind. Right by Coex is Bongeunsa, a Buddhist temple that has more than 1,000 years of history. The temple grounds holds a number of national treasures and its iconic Buddha statue that overlooks the grounds is popular for picture takers.

Just west of Coex, you will find the royal burial grounds of Seonjeongneung. On the grounds are buried two Joseon Dynasty Kings and one queen. You can find wide, green spaces, lush trees, and wildlife here making it a wonderful natural break from largely urban Gangnam. The significance of the site is reflected in its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.

And encompassing the Gangnam area you’ll find plenty of parks and streams. To the north of the Gangnam area is the Han River with plenty of park space for resting, exercising, and relaxing. Bikers and joggers will love the many trails along Tancheon stream and Yangjaecheon Stream while hikers will enjoy climbs up Guryongsan and Daemosan.