12 Most Instagrammable Spots in Seoul
When it comes to the most lists about the ‘most instagrammable places’ I usually turn away. While such articles mention some fantastic places for Instagram photos in Seoul, I often come away thinking that the lists have missed so many great places.
On top of that – there are hundreds upon hundreds (and perhaps thousands) of great instagrammable spots in Seoul. How can any list possibly contain them all? With these thoughts in mind, I always steered myself away from doing a similar post. After all, any unique or beautiful location is instagrammable.
However, after some more thought I decided that I wanted to do such a list. While no list can contain all of the best photo spots in the capital, I wanted to add a few great Instagram spots that are often overlooked.
With that in mind, I am finally getting around to making my list containing some of the best Instagram spots in Seoul! Many such lists already exist, and many of them already partly overlap. For that reason, I tried to include as many ‘new’ places as I could.
Some of the locations you may have heard of before, though. For example, the Coex Starfield Library is almost always mentioned. However, I still wanted to include it because it truly is a unique spot for social media photos.
I will do my best to keep updating this post to add more locations in the future! If you are interested in taking some beautiful photos in Seoul, why not check out the best sunsets in the capital.
Finally, although this post is targeted at those looking to take Instagram photos, there’s no reason you can’t visit them otherwise! If you are looking to take photos for any reason, these locations are well worth visiting. Even if you aren’t interested in photos at all, there’s no reason not to visit these places!
The model in these photos is Rebecca from BerryLoveFashion. If you want to learn more about Korean fashion, make sure to check out her Korean fashion blog! You can also follow her on Instagram.
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1. Colorpool Museum
The first entry on this list is one that I myself named the most Instagrammable spot in Seoul. Recently, I have seen photos from the Colorpool Museum all over the platform and it seems as though many other people agree with me!
This museum is still relatively new and I believe that is why it has so far escaped the view of many people. However, it’s quickly becoming very popular and for good reason. Not only does the museum offer some very unique photo locations, but it offers quite a few of them!
Colorpool Museum is a museum only by name. Rather, it is more like a playground filled with bright and colourful rooms. Most of these rooms also feature hundreds of balls which make for some very fun and exciting photos.
To top it all off, there are many accessories available for customers to take photos with. When we last visited there was a variety of glasses, flowers, and more to take photos with. For this reason, Colorpool easily makes it on this list of the most instagrammable places in Seoul!
2. Jonggak Solar Garden
The Jonggak Solar Garden is the first solar-powered underground garden in the world. While the garden (located inside Jonggak Metro Station) is a technological marvel, it is also a fantastic place to take unique Instagram photos.
The garden is quite small and fills up a few flower beds within Jonggak Station. However, despite being small the garden is also very colourful and well-maintained. Even though it is underground, there are fruit trees fruiting year-round and many flowers.
When we visited to take photos a few months ago, the garden was in great condition. It was filled with a large variety of plants and the underground nature of the garden makes it truly unique – it’s unlike anywhere else in the world.
While the Jonggak Solar Garden isn’t as colourful as Colorpool Museum, it is a great spot to take Instagram photos because it’s easy to reach, free to explore, and it also stands out in photos. After all, an underground garden that is powered by the sun is quite a unique talking point!
3. Seoullo 7017
Similar to the Jonggak Solar Garden, Seoullo 7017 is another location in Seoul where the natural and concrete jungle meets. This condemned highway was turned into an overpass when the government decided that the highway could be reused and turned into something that could be enjoyed by the citizens of Seoul.
Seoullo 7017 is located just outside of Seoul Station and it has a few different locations to take Instagram shots. You can either choose to take photos of central Seoul (the view from the highway is quite nice!) or of the garden/walkway itself.
What makes the converted highway such an instagrammable location is the fact that the views from the highway paint a great picture of downtown Seoul. On top of that, the highway itself lights up at night time and the atmosphere completely changes.
Another benefit of Seoullo 7017 is that it is totally free and also easy to reach. It is located within walking distance of Namdaemun Market and Seoul Station, meaning that you can easily visit anytime you are visiting either of those attractions!
4. Cafe Seoulism
Cafe Seoulism sits close to Colorpool Museum in terms of being one of the most instagrammable places in Seoul. It’s a well-known cafe among locals, but somehow it still escapes the view of many visitors to Korea.
This cafe is located near Lotte Tower and provides breathtaking views over the buildings in Jamsil. Even better, the cafe provides one of the best views of Lotte Tower that you can see in the whole city! It’s truly a sight to behold.
On the roof of the cafe you can find a sign saying ‘SEOUL’ in lit-up letters. You may have seen this sign on Instagram before, as it has become quite iconic. If you are looking for one photo to remember your trip to Seoul by, then Cafe Seoulism offers one of the best.
You will need to purchase at least one coffee per person when visiting the cafe. Expect this to cost between 7000-10000KRW per person. While this is a bit pricey compared to other cafes in Seoul, you also can’t find this view anywhere else.
I would highly recommend this cafe for anyone that wants to take a truly iconic photo in Korea. While some areas such as Colorpool and the Jonggak Solar Garden make for great Instagram photos, they don’t really show off Seoul itself. Seoulism does.
5. Ikseondong
Ikseondong is a hanok village located near Jongno 3-ga and Anguk stations. Hanok villages are areas that are made up of traditional Korean ‘hanok’ housing. In other words, they are areas that show off the architecture from Korea’s past.
Ikseondong is my personal favourite hanok village in the city. While Bukchon Hanok Village is also very popular, I don’t think it offers anywhere near the Instagramability of Ikseondong. This village is full of unique photo opportunities and it also has many colourful areas that really make photos pop.
Even better, Ikseondong offers some unique outfits that can be worn to add another element to your photos. Both vintage clothing and hanbok can be rented in Ikseondong. However, whether or not you choose to hire some of this unique clothing you can get some stunning photos!
Perhaps the best spot for Instagram photos in Ikseondong is the Madang Flower Store. This store is a flower store that doubles as a cafe which is located on one of the corners in Ikseondong. The outside of this store has hanging umbrellas of all colours and many plants, making for some very colourful photos.
6. Coex Library
Okay, I’ll admit that this entry is very unique as I’ve seen it on many lists already. However, I feel like this list would be incomplete without it. This library is located in Starfield Coex Mall in Gangnam. You’ve probably already seen photos of it – it’s one of the most fascinating libraries that I’ve seen.
The Starfield Library isn’t really a library. While you can find books to read, many of the shelves are also 10 or more metres tall! This makes the bookshelves tower over everyone, and allows for some very unique photos for Instagram.
On top of the incredibly tall shelves, the library also has some little nooks that you can curl up in to read a book. Even better, you can take some special photos in these areas. The biggest downside of the Starfield Coex Library is that it can be quite busy at times.
While this library has already taken over Instagram, there’s no reason that you can’t also take your own amazing photos here. If you’re needing to do some shopping, the Starfield Library is perfect – you can visit it easily as it’s located right in the middle of the mall.
7. Seoul Botanic Park
As you might be able to tell by now, I am a big fan of natural attractions as I think they make for some of the best Instagram photos. Seoul Botanic Park is perhaps at the top of the list of natural attractions in Seoul.
This massive indoor garden is located on the outskirts of Seoul and has an incredibly diverse array of flora from different areas of the globe. The garden is divided into two main parts, the arid sphere and the tropical sphere. Both of these are distinctly different, and both allow for some beautiful photos.
Perhaps the best photo location (and definitely my favourite) is the waterfall in the tropical sphere. This waterfall comes down over the path and comes out absolutely stunning in photos! In fact, I took one of my favourite Instagram photos ever here.
Besides the waterfall there are many more attractions. From the cactuses and water features in the arid area to the giant palm leaves and skywalk in the tropical area. If you visit here, expect to come away with a lot of photos!
8. Cheonggyecheon
Cheonggyecheon is a very famous stream located in Gwanghwamun in Seoul. If you are unsure of where that is, it is only 10 minutes away from Gyeongbokgung Palace. In other words, it’s very convenient to visit and it’s definitely worth it!
While the stream itself is very famous, I haven’t seen it mentioned very much as an Instagram photo location. I don’t know why this is the case though, as it is stunning. This is even more true when the stream is holding one of the festivals that it holds throughout the year (such as the lantern festival).
At day and night the stream takes on totally different feelings. At day, you can see the wildlife along the stream as well as the many plants and other sights. However, at night the stream will be lit up (with hundreds of colors at times). If you are looking for the best photos, I recommend visiting at night!
Cheonggyecheon is another free attraction on this list and that is another reason why I highly recommend visiting. Why spend money when you can visit many of Seoul’s most instagrammable spots for free?
9. Olympic Park
Olympic Park is one of the best parks in Seoul. Not only is it very big, with a range of different areas (it has everything from indoor garden areas to lakes, hillsides, and more) but it also has some great Instagrammable photo locations.
While the whole park allows for great photos, there are some areas that particularly stand out. The most famous landmark in the park is the ‘lone tree’, and you may have come across this in photos before. However, it’s mostly famous among Seoulites rather than visitors to the city.
The lone tree is iconic because it is the only tree on a large hillside. This makes it really stand out in photos, and it looks even better in seasons such as spring and fall.
Other than the tree, you can also find many other photo locations around the park. It’s quite large and you can easily spend a few hours here. If you are looking for some other photo spots I recommend checking out the lakes near the entrance and the gardens out the back of the park (past the lone tree).
10. Changdeokgung Palace
Of course, this list couldn’t be complete without a mention of the palaces in Seoul. While there are quite a few palaces located within the city, I tend to choose Changdeokgung Palace for photos. This is because it’s quite large, but it’s also much less busy than Gyeongbokgung and it is also located very close to many hanbok rental stores.
Changdeokgung has free entrance for anyone wearing a hanbok. For people not wearing hanbok, the entrance fee is a very reasonable 3000KRW per adult. This price makes Changdeokgung a great place to visit – whether for photos or not.
The palace offers many unique sights that you will struggle to find anywhere else. This particular palace also has a secret garden located at the back of the palace. If you visit at the right time, there are guided tours through this garden allowing for even more beautiful photos!
11. World Cup Stadium
Another park makes this list to the surprise of… Well, probably no one by this point! World Cup Stadium is a park located on the west side of Seoul, just a few stops away from Hongdae Station.
World Cup Stadium is best known for Haneul Park, a park that is located on top of a hill with thousands of Silver Grass plants. While this park is indeed a beautiful sight to behold, World Cup Stadium also offers a large range of other parks and gardens.
In the main park you will find a lot of different plants, along with lakes, playgrounds, a cafe, and more. While the parks are great year-round, they are particularly stunning in fall, and visiting World Cup Stadium is one of my recommended fall activities in Seoul.
Finally, the park also borders the Han River with Nanji Hangang Park (one of the parks that makes up World Cup Stadium). If you are looking for some Han River photos for Instagram, then this is a great spot.
12. Seoul Forest
Seoul Forest is a park that is located near the Han River in northern Seoul. Although being yet another park on this list, Seoul Forest offers some unique views that can’t be found in the other parks and gardens of Korea’s capital.
Personally, I find Seoul Forest to be the best garden on this list for Instagram photos – besides maybe Seoul Botanic Park. The reflections and views offered by the lake are absolutely stunning, and I really enjoy taking photos here.
Other than Instagram photos, the park itself is a lot of fun to explore and the atmosphere is fantastic, especially in summer and spring! However, the park is worth visiting no matter which season you can manage to visit. Wondering which season is the best to visit Seoul?
While the lakes are beautiful, Seoul Forest also offers some other scenery. There is a swamp area as well as a nicely forested area. There is a lot of variety here and you can easily find a lot of different backdrops for your social media photos.
Instagrammable Spots in Seoul FAQ
Where in the Best Indoor Location to Take Instagram Photos?
If you are looking to take some indoor photos for Instagram, then I recommend checking out Colorpool Museum, flower cafes, animal cafes, or the Seoul Botanic Park.
Where Is the Most Colourful Place to Take Instagram Photos?
If you are looking to take colourful photos for Instagram, then Colorpool Museum is undoubtedly the best place to do so.
Where Can I Take Iconic Seoul Instagram Photos?
If you are looking to take photos for Instagram that represent Seoul, I highly recommend checking out Cafe Seoulism.
What Parks Have Great Instagrammable Spots in Seoul?
Many parks in Seoul have great Instagrammable spots. However, those that stand out the best to me are Olympic Park, World Cup Stadium (especially Haneul Park), the Seoul Botanic Park and Seoul Forest.
What Makes for Good Instagram Photos in Seoul?
This is up to you! However, I do have a few recommendations. For the most unique photos, see if you can include either a Seoul landmark or the city in the image. On top of this, you could also considering hiring Hanbok to make the most unique Instagram photos.