We didn’t know quite what to expect at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, but we’d certainly heard that the place is a must-stop spot when in Seoul. We headed to the multi-purpose cultural complex in the early afternoon after our visit to the Starfield COEX Mall and Library: there are two options to get there, either by subway but involving at least one change in train line, or by a direct bus – number 301. We opted for the latter, and the ride took about 45 minutes compared to ~35 minutes by subway: but the bus ride was at least straightforward with minimum hassle.
My first impression of the DDP? It looks like I’m walking underneath the saucer section of the USS Enterprise! The buildings are massive, and it houses several facilities, including exhibition halls, design studios, and a shopping mall.
We really enjoyed our visit to the DDP, and spent 2 hours in it – we could have spent more if we could afford the time! The hall with the interactive design exhibits: one could easily spend at least an hour alone there to try everything. With hindsight, we should have stayed at the DDP even longer: because we left the DDP in the mid-afternoon to make our way to the Seoul Park Skating Rink only to find out that the place was already crowded with visitors. We ended up postponing our ice-staking activity to a different date – have to work out which one now. So, Day 14 was a fairly short day then with us finishing the day with an early dinner back at Seoul Station Connect.
Continued onto Day 15 tomorrow!