Day 4 - Namsan Tower - Seoul, South Korea

I have been to South Korea 5 times before and this was actually the first time I've gone up the N Seoul Tower or the Namsan Tower.  Well, actually, I didn't actually go up the tower.  I just went the mountain and took some pictures under the tower.

Stupidly, I decided to take the No 5 bus near Myeongdong to go up the mountain when it's rush hour. I thought I can save a few thousand wons that way.  So, I took the bus around 4pm.  There were a lot of people lining up and so I didn't get a seat in the bus.  The bus was going at the speed of a snail with so much traffic.  But don't be mistaken.  Although it was slow, it was a very bumpy ride with sudden breaks and acceleration.  Is there really a need to step on the gas that hard when there are so many cars blocking the way?  The bus circulated around the circle at a speed slower than my grandma for more than an hour before we arrived.  I almost gave up as my feet were really hurting from all the walking and standing.  This time, it was Cho who encouraged us to carry on as we were already on the bus and we came to Korea so many times without going up the mountain.  So, we should go up at least once.  So, after more than an hour we arrived.  The sky was getting dark already.  We were greeted with the tower...and that was pretty much it...suddenly, we all felt stupid for enduring that ridiculously tough and long bus ride for just this....

After I took this picture, I just sat down at one of the benches and rested my feet for 10 minutes while Cho went to take some more selfies.  I was too tired and upset to take any selfies at that point.

The place was so crowded so there was no way we were going to line up for the bus down.  That would take FOREVER.  We went for the cable car!  On the way to the cable car, there are lots of love locks.  

Finally, we were on the cable! The one way trip is 6000 won....if we bought the round trip, it was only 8000.  We could have saved so much energy and time if we have only went up by cable car!  The most upsetting thing is that the ride down only took about 2 or 3 minutes!!!  We tortured ourselves by taking the bus for only a few thousand wons!!!!!

Is the Namsan Tower worth going?  In my opinion, no.  You can just look at the pictures online and it would be the same.  Why go all the way up and waste your time?

N Seoul Tower (N 서울타워) Address:
105, Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
서울특별시 용산구 남산공원길 105 (용산동2가)

Direction:

For me, I took the damn bus up thinking I would be saving some money.  I took Bus No.05 as below:

Namsan Circular Shuttle Bus No. 05
-Take the bus from the closest subway station: Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 3 or Chungmuro Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2 (in front of Daehan Cinema).
-Interval: every 15 min
-Operating hours: 07:30 – 23:30

[[Cable Car]
-Boarding point: Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4) Exit 3, walk for about 15 minutes following the street of the right side of the Pacific Hotel. The boarding place should be seen.
-Operating hours: 10:00 - 23:00

If I were to knew beforehand, I would NEVER have chosen to take the bus.  I would take the cable car for sure!  It's just a little more expensive but can save you at least an hour of standing in a bumpy crowded bus ride that circulates around the city in traffic where a 99 year old grandma can walk faster.

Namsan Tower is at point R in the list "Places Part 2" on the map below:

Chi

Day 1: Arriving at Hongdae
Day 2: Rail Bike --> Lunch at 명가춘닭갈비 --> Nami Island --> Gwanjang Market --> Nail Art Shop in Miglore --> LED Rose at DDP --> BBQ Dinner
Day 3: Haneul Park --> Incheon China Town --> Jjajangmyeon at 新勝飯店  --> Incheon Fairytale Village --> Dinner at Meat-ing --> Desserts at Sulbing
Day 4: Breakfast at 돈수백 홍대직영점 (猪寿百 弘大直营店) --> Change Airbnb Room --> Majang Market --> Common Ground --> Namsan Tower --> Myeongdong --> Dinner at Chicken678 --> Desserts at Sulbing
Day 5: Persimmon Juice --> Semi Breakfast at 김선생 --> Brunch at Pizza Mall --> Shopping Hapjeong --> Gyeongbokgung --> Apugjeong Rodeo --> Dinner at Hi-Meat
Day 6: Naenmyeong at Naenmyeong Town --> Deer Feeding at Seoul Forest --> Dinner at Myth Jokbal --> Rice Ice Cream at Subok
Day 7: Teobbokki at Teobbokki Town --> Seoul Grand Zoo