I decided to dedicate one of the last days of my trip to Seoul to exploring a district located on the southern side of the Han River. This part of the city isn’t considered particularly touristy, but there are still a few interesting places to see. I managed to visit Seoul’s Olympic Park and the massive Lotte World Tower, which ranks among the tallest buildings in the world.
Jamsil Bridge and Olympic Park
I began my route near Gangbyeon Station. First, I had to cross the river via the Jamsil Bridge. One section of the bridge is for pedestrians, another is used by the subway, and the third is for car traffic. From the bridge, there’s a great view of Lotte World Tower — we’ll get there soon.
About a kilometer and a half from the southern exit of the bridge lies Olympic Park, a landmark that is part of the legacy of the 1988 Olympic Games held in the city. Back then, athletes from 159 countries gathered in Seoul.
Olympic Park is often described as multifunctional: in addition to sports facilities and walking paths, it includes the Olympic Museum, the Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, a culture park, a musical fountain, an ecological park, and an area dedicated to the history of South Korea.
In the western part of the park, there is a large Peace Square with giant gates and an eternal flame.
Lotte World Tower
I exited through the park gates and continued along a boulevard lined with Olympic-themed sculptures. About a kilometer from there, the towering structure of Lotte World Tower comes into view. According to some city guidebooks, this skyscraper ranks fifth among the tallest buildings in the world, while Wikipedia currently places it sixth on that list.
Either way, Lotte World Tower is truly impressive. The building stands 555 meters tall and has 123 floors. Construction was completed in 2016.
Inside the tower and the nearby buildings, you’ll find shops, a cinema, a hotel, an aquarium, and an art museum. At the very top of the skyscraper, there is an observation deck offering a 360-degree view of the city. As of May 2025, a standard adult ticket costs 31,000 won.
Those who have been to Seoul know that the city is full of places with the name “Lotte” — it's the name of one of South Korea’s largest corporations. Not far from the tower, there’s also the Lotte World amusement park. If you enjoy such attractions, you might want to visit it after seeing the tower or doing some shopping. As for me, I decided to keep walking and ended up at the COEX Mall shopping center.
My next article about Seoul will be about a trip to Namsan Park and the climb to the famous Seoul Tower.
Have a nice trip!
