Top Landmark in Korea
The War Memorial of Korea was ranked No. 1 landmark to visit in Korea by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2015. It is also the largest of its type in the world.
I was very surprised by this result done by TripAdvisor. As a citizen of Seoul, I had never visited this landmark before. I did not expect anything related to the war would be interesting.
However, I was very wrong. I went to this war museum last autumn, and I must admit that I was impressed how nice and well organized this place was.
There are 8 main exhibits inside and plenty to see outside too. I think at least 3 hours are needed to explore the whole complex of the museum.
Key to understanding contemporary Korea
There have been a lot of wars in Korean history with the most recent Korean War in the 1950s. The War Memorial of Korea covers the whole war history of Korea.
This museum is especially dedicated to Korean War, which affected not only the Korean peninsula but also Asia and the world. Its legacy still permeates contemporary Korean society. The museum will help you a lot to understand the existing tension between North Korea and South Korea. I also learnt some new things about the Korean War, so I am pretty sure most foreigners will have the chance to broaden their perspectives on North Korea, Korean War, and the still ongoing tension between S. Korea and N. Korea.
Military-Themed Amusement Park
The War Memorial of Korea is not an amusement park but a museum. But it gives visitors the feelings of being in the amusement park with 4D features, artillery, tanks, missiles, ships, helicopters and airplanes.
Don’t miss Combat Experience Room on the third floor. Vivid special effects such as video and canon smoke take people to the scene of a night battle in the Korean War. The aim of this room is to create a fully immersive experience of what the battle must have been like.
I have been to many war museums and memorials in different countries and I would put this museum at the top of the list. Even I, who has no interest in military matters like military tactics, weapons technology or games, enjoyed this museum a lot. Therefore, I believe most people would find this place informative and fun.
War Memorial of Korea
Address : 29 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Operating Hours : From Tuesday to Sunday 09:00AM–6:00PM
Admission : Free
Website : www.warmemo.or.kr
Transportation
1) Samgakji Station (Seoul Subway Line 6), Exit 1, 11 or 12.
2) Namyeong Station (Seoul Subway Line 1), Exit 1.
