[Cultural Excursion] 'Old and Modern Gangnam Style'

TITLE:
'Old and Modern Gangnam Style'
LEADER: Jun Y.G. SHIN
DATE: Saturday, April 25, 2026. 1:00pm to 5:00pm
DESTINATION: Seolleung Royal Tombs, Bongeun-sa Temple and COEX at Samsung-dong, Gangnam
COST: KRW 25,000 for Members; KRW 30,000 for Non-members (Admission to Seolleung Royal Tombs is included in the excursion fee)
MEETING POINT: At the top of Exit 10 of Seolleung Station (선릉역, Green Line (LINE 2) & Suin-Bundang Line). At 1:00PM.
REGISTRATION: RSVP by April 23 (Thursday) with payment of the fee via bank transfer. Please register one RSVP at a time.
RSVP: https://forms.gle/852QoriWQh6a6RFSA
☞Payment to be remitted to the following account:
SHINHAN BANK ACCOUNT # 100-026-383501 (RAS-KB)
*Reservation is not confirmed until payment has been received by RAS Korea in advance of the event.

Since the runaway success of a satirical song by a rotund Korean rapper PSY, the phrase ‘Gangnam Style’ has earned worldwide fame. There is, however, another side to Gangnam. Amid the hustle and bustle of the sleekest, most modern part of Seoul, lie quiet corners, lush greenery, and traces of the Korea’s past.
Join us for a walking excursion that explores both the old and the new sides of Gangnam. Our route includes Seolleung Royal Tombs, a serene green space that preserves important royal tombs from the Joseon Dynasty; COEX (Korea Convention and Exhibition Center), a landmark of modern Seoul; and Bongeunsa Temple, one of the city’s largest and most vibrant Buddhist temples.
The two historic sites on our excursion—Seolleung Royal Tombs and Bongeunsa Temple—are deeply connected to Confucianism and Buddhism, the two belief systems that have shaped Korean life and thought more than any other religions. At Seolleung, we will examine the main structures and overall layout of the royal tomb complex. At Bongeunsa, a temple with more than a thousand years of history, participants will gain insight into Korean Buddhist history and culture while viewing a rich variety of Buddha, Bodhisattva, and Arhat statues, as well as temple buildings, paintings, and ritual instruments.
On our way from Seolleung Royal Tombs to Bongeunsa Temple, we will stop by COEX, one of the most iconic symbols of modern Gangnam and a showcase of Korea’s contemporary consumer culture. There, we’ll take photos under the famous Gangnam Style statue, look up at the massive outdoor advertisements reminiscent of New York’s Times Square, and explore the Starfield Library located at the center of COEX’s main plaza.
There will be a considerable amount of walking, so please wear appropriate footwear. The excursion will proceed as scheduled even if it rains – just put on your rain gear and bring your umbrella!
Jun Y. G. SHIN is a life member of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea and serves on its council.