5 Best Activities for Rainy Days in Seoul

There’s nothing worse than having your carefully laid travel plans rained out by heavy monsoons, but it happens. And, if you’re traveling in Seoul during the summer, it happens often.

So even if you’re set on walking through Gyeongbokgung Palace or sitting along the banks of the Cheonggyecheon Stream, it pays to have backup plans just in case the sky opens up on you.

Here are 5 places in Seoul that’ll help you escape the rain.

Explore the National Museum of Korea

Located in Yongsan-gu, the National Museum of Korea in Seoul ranked #6 out of 100 museums and galleries worldwide by total number of visitors in 2023. And for that year, it was the MOST visited museum in all of Asia. There are three floors exploring the history of Korea from pre-historic times to the Three Kingdoms era along with the Joseon Dynasty.

Best of all, the permanent exhibits are all free. There are traveling exhibits from other museums in Korea or collections from abroad that require paid-entry, but the main section of the museum can be enjoyed without paying a dime.

Address:

• 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04383 (Google Maps)
• 04383 서울시 용산구 서빙고로 137 (Naver Map)

Discover the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul

If NMOK explores the history of Korea, the MMCA explores the contemporary art scene of the country. There are two floors full of galleries including exhibitions by foreign artists as well as domestic artists.

The MMCA Collection is the permanent show highlighting 90 major pieces from Korean artists reaching as far back as the 1960’s. The pieces rotate each year, but there are some amazing works of art that will take your breath away.

Entry into the MMCA isn’t free, but it’s damned close. Each ticket costs just 7,000 KRW and gives you access to all of the exhibits showing on the grounds.

• Address:
  • 30 Samcheong-ro, Jongno District, Seoul (Google Maps)
  • 서울 종로구 삼청로 30 (Naver Map)

Go Shopping at Starfield COEX or the Hyundai (or Suwon Starfield)

Art and culture are great, yes, but sometimes you just want to go shopping somewhere cool. Our top two choices for Seoul are Starfield COEX in Samsung and the Hyundai in Yeouido. Both offer a large selection of stores and places to enjoy coffee while staring out at a nice view.

The Starfield COEX edges out the Hyundai, in our opinion, because of Luxury M, the high-end movie theater. We’re big fans of watching movies on couches while enjoying table service. If you’ve got time for a longer trip, the Suwon Starfield Mall is certainly worth the trip as well.

• Address:
  • 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam District, Seoul (Google Maps)
  • 서울 강남구 영동대로 513 스타필드 코엑스몰 B1 (Naver Map)

Check Out Lotte World

This one’s a bit of a cheat. About a third of the theme park is located outside (Magic Island), but that only accounts for 17 rides. The other 22 are in the indoor Lotte World Adventure park, safely out of the elements.

Lotte World isn’t anywhere near the caliber of a Disney park, but it’s still a lot of fun. We recommend the carousel, the Sinbad Ride and the Viking Ship as a general rule. But you can’t say you went to Lotte World without trying some fried chicken, tteokbokki or having a beer (if you’re old enough) in the park.

• Address:
  • 서울 송파구 올림픽로 240 (Naver Map)
  • 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa District, Seoul (Google Maps)

Visit a Painting Cafe

Seoul is home to plenty of themed and specialty cafes, but the painting cafes hold a special place in my heart. These cafes typically offer either free-painting with a blank canvas or painting on a printed sheet. It’s basically a coloring book but for adults.

Painting cafes offer easels, paints, brushes, aprons, and canvases along with coffee and snacks. They always have really laid-back vibes and are a popular date choice on rainy days.

• Address:
  • 서울 마포구 성미산로 170 2층 (Naver Map)
  • Seoul, Mapo-gu, Seongmisan-ro, 170번지 그림제작소 2층 (Google Maps)