Seoul
South Korea
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is South Korea's capital and its biggest city. About 9.6 million people lived there in 2024, and the wider Seoul Metropolitan Area, which includes Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, is home to more than half of the country's population.
Condé Nast Traveller (UK) readers ranked Seoul No. 8 in the Readers' Choice Awards 2026, with a score of 93.76, calling it one of Asia's most exhilarating cities, with old palaces, karaoke bars, shopping, food and views from N Seoul Tower. Time Out placed it No. 9 in Best Cities in the World 2026, describing it as "a master of all trades" across the seasons and highlighting its bakery scene.
Seoul's history goes back to 18 BC, when it was founded by the Baekje kingdom, and it became the official capital under the Joseon dynasty, enclosed by the Fortress Wall of Seoul. It was occupied by Japan in the early 20th century and changed hands four times during the Korean War, which left it largely in ruins, before rapid rebuilding. In 2022 the metropolitan area was the world's sixth-largest metropolitan economy, according to Wikipedia.
Sources of this text: Wikipedia · Condé Nast Traveller (UK) · Time Out
Place =3
In 2 of 6 rankings, together with 7 others named by the same number of rankings. The more trusted rankings name an entry, the higher its place; inside a shared place, votes decide the order.
0 votes · 0 voters
1 vote ($1.99) to pass New York
Named by
On Instagram
A post shared by @seoulcity on Instagram