All about Korea: Jongno&Dongdaemun

For this edition of the night tour of Seoul, we present Jongno, one of the oldest downtown districts of Seoul, and Dongdaemun, one of the oldest markets of Seoul. Jongno is an entertainment and shopping district with numerous restaurants, bars, and jewelry shops. Dongdaemun was one of the two traditional markets of Seoul. Now, it has turned into a concentration of large-scale fashion malls and buildings. In particular, Dongdaemun is a great destination for a night tour because it is bustling with shoppers at night. The two areas are located close to each other and connected by subway, so it is convenient to visit both places.

KNTO e-Marketing Team web designers Ms. Kong Hye-sung (25) and Ms. Koo Min-hee (23) shared with us their night tour experience of Jongno and Dongdaemun. For this edition, they had dinner at Top Cloud in Chongno Tower, which is operated by the deluxe hotel Shilla, where they enjoyed the splendid night view of Seoul. Then, they moved on to Dongdaemun for shopping.

[More Details on Top Cloud & Reservation Information]

Top Cloud is divided into two parts. One is the Grill, where reservations are required; the other is the Bar, where people can have a buffet meal without making reservations. If you want to secure a table with a great night view at the Grill, it is advised to make a reservation at least 3 to 4 days in advance. The buffet is open only at designated hours during lunchtime and dinnertime. During all other times, the Bar serves drinks and cocktails only.

Top Cloud	Operating Hours & Telephone	Price
Grill	Lunch : Noon ~ 2:30 pm Dinner : 6:00 pm ~ 10:00 pm Tel : +82-2-2230-3000 ~1 (English, Japanese)	Venus \ 35,000 (Lunch) Jupiter \ 45,000 (Lunch) Propose \ 85,000 (Dinner) Gourmet \ 120,000 (Dinner)
BAR(Buffet)	11:50 am ~ Midnight Lunch Buffet : 11:50 am ~ 2:00 pm Dinner Buffet : 6:00 pm ~ 8:30 pm Tel : +82-2-2230-3002~3 (English, Japanese)	Lunch Buffet \ 27,000 Dinner Buffet \ 34,000

* The above information is as of November 2004 and is subject to change.
* There is an additional 10% service charge.

[The Jongno & Dongdaemun Expedition of Hye-sung and Min-hee!]

◆ Heading for Top Cloud – 5:30 pm


The way to Millennium Plaza		Entrance to Millennium Plaza		In front of the elevators

Chongno Tower, which houses Top Cloud, is connected with Jonggak Station of Subway Line 1 by an underground shopping area. Here, you will find signs showing the direction to Chongno Tower and the Millennium Plaza. Follow the signs to a downward staircase that leads to the Millennium Plaza on the basement level 2 of Chongno Tower. Go inside the Millennium Plaza and take an elevator to the 32nd floor. Otherwise, go out from exit 3 at Jonggak Station; take an elevator on the first floor of Chongno Tower and go up to the 32nd floor.

◆ Dinner at Top Cloud Grill – 6:00 pm ~ 8:00 pm

At night, it is possible to see Jongno, Myeong-dong, Mt. Namsan, and Seoul Tower at a glance from Top Cloud. It takes about an hour and a half to two hours to have dinner while enjoying the splendid night-lights through the window and listening to live music. Western dishes are served in courses, so you can take your time and enjoy the nightscape during the meal. The glass windows of Chongno Tower enable those sitting by a window to enjoy the fantastic night view and skyline of Seoul from their seats. Those who have acrophobia should avoid sitting by the window.
When making a reservation at Top Cloud Grill, just confirm the time. You can order your meal at the restaurant. If you want to enjoy the nightscape at Top Cloud and dine at a more affordable price, then go for the buffet. Seating is on a first come first served basis, so you might want to get there early if you want to secure a window seat. Make sure to visit the restroom. You will be surprised by the simple and stylish interior and the great night view. Live music is played from 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm at a corner of the Top Cloud Bar.

[Top Cloud Night Views] --- Click on the small photos to enlarge.

Night View from the Grill	Inside the Grill	Snapshot with the Night View as a Backdrop
	View of Jongno Outside the Windows

	Live Performance

Top Cloud Buffet	Restroom Washstand	Hye-sung and Min-hee joking around in the Restroom

◆ Shopping in Dongdaemun – 8:30 pm ~ 11:00 pm
- Click for Dongdaemun Shopping Map and More Information

Take Subway Line 1 at Jonggak, transfer to Line 4 at Dongdaemun and get off at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (takes about 15 minutes). Go out Exit 14 and go straight. You will find shopping malls Hello apM, Migliore, and Doosan Tower on the left. Hye-sung and Min-hee visited Doosan Tower at the far end. They started out at the wholesale shopping district for provincial retailers, because the large-scale shopping malls of Dongdaemun sell clothes at low prices. Since the shopping centers are so huge, you will find your feet aching even after looking around one mall. Therefore, it is better to wear comfortable shoes. In any mall, you will be able to find all types of clothing and accessories that you can try on, from clothing to shoes, bags, and accessories. To attract the many young people who come to shop in the evening, each mall organizes various events on the stage in front of the building. This is a great opportunity to see dance performances or hear amateur artists sing.
-> Click for More Information on Doosan Tower

[Pictures of Hye-sung and Min-hee Shopping]