South Korea Guide
Gyeonggi and Gangwon
Suwon
All but swallowed up by Seoul, SUWON is a city with something of an identity crisis. Despite a million-strong population, and an impressive history of its own – best embodied by the UNESCO-listed fortress at its centre – it has had to resort to unconventional methods to distance itself culturally from the capital, the best example being the dozens of individually commissioned public toilets that pepper the city. The city, in fact, came close to usurping Seoul as Korea's seat of power following the construction of its fortress in the final years of the eighteenth century, but though the move was doomed to failure, Suwon grew in importance in a way that remains visible to this day – from the higher parts of the fortress wall, it's evident that this once-little settlement burst through its stone confines, eventually creating the noisy hotchpotch of buildings that now forms one of Korea's largest cities.
An hour away from central Seoul, Suwon is certainly within easy day-trip territory of the capital, though those who choose to stay will benefit from cheaper accommodation, and get the chance to explore an interesting nightlife scene. East of the centre lie a number of interesting sights, though these can usually be reached just as easily from Seoul.
Read more ▼
- Practical Information ▼
- Sight(s) ▼