Hallie Bradley

Last Updated on June 16, 2026 You might think you’ve seen Seoul’s best temples just by visiting the famous ones downtown. Jogyesa Temple and Bongeunsa Temple are certainly the easiest ones to get to, but tucked inside the folds of Bukhansan National Park, about an hour from the city center, is a temple with so many stories to tell. Doseonsa Temple (도선사) is a Buddhist temple in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, founded in 862 AD, it’s the largest and most historically significant temple complex on the mountain.

Last Updated on June 11, 2026 Bulguksa Temple (불국사) in Gyeongju is the most famous Buddhist temple in Korea, and once you’ve visited, it’s easy to understand why. I first visited Bulguksa in 2006, the year I arrived in Korea. I had no real context for what I was seeing then, just a sense that this place was extraordinary. I’ve been back twice since, and each visit has given me something new. That’s the thing about Bulguksa.

Last Updated on June 9, 2026 There are two types of folk villages in Korea, authentic, lived-in villages where some residents still call the old homes their own, and recreated villages built specifically for visitors to learn, engage with, and experience Korean history and culture. One is not better than the other; they are just different and offer different things. I bring this up because one of the most well-known examples you’ll come across when searching is the Korean Folk Village (한국민속촌).