The Coolest and Most Unique Tech Attractions in South Korea

Planning for your trip to this tech-obsessed nation? Make sure your visit is top of the range by booking a spot on one of these guided tours in South Korea.

Ranked among the best airports in the world, Incheon International Airport is so much more than a transport hub. Packed with amenities and facilities that could make even the most jet-lagged traveler love their layover, the airport is also a leader in tech innovation. Here, robots help passengers find their way around the massive complex; photovoltaic panels on the roof keep heating and ventilation costs down; and self-service check-in kiosks, self-bag drop and automated immigration processing make the airport experience more seamless than ever. There’s even a café called Beat where coffee is made by robots, and orders are placed via the company’s app or using a self-checkout kiosk.

Unlike many museums, which generally paint a picture of the past, Samsung d’light enables visitors to better imagine the role technology might play in our world in the next decade and beyond. Instead of simply featuring how its products convey its vision, Samsung Electronics demonstrates how its devices and solutions are changing the way we live through a series of immersive activities. The “Sense” area, for example, lets visitors utilize gestures to interact with cutting-edge mirror displays, while the “Home of the Future” exhibition uses augmented reality to illustrate how the Internet of Things will make everyday life more convenient and connected. The future is here!

Let your inner geek run wild at Seoul’s Robot Museum. Here, exhibitions invite visitors to follow the development of robots, from the earliest models to the highly complex AI designs of today. Learn about the aspirations and inspirations of developers and designers as you explore a number of interactive displays created under the theme of “Entertoyment,” a concept centered on advancing conventional education and entertainment through the technologies of tomorrow.

Representing SK Telecom’s – one of Korea’s biggest wireless telecommunications operators – enthusiasm for bringing to life the technologies of the future, T.um invites visitors to get a sneak peek of tomorrow through themed zones where SK’s state-of-the-art IT technologies are incorporated. Self-driving cars, for example, can be previewed at the “U-Driving” zone, or sit back in the motion-sensored living room of the future in the “U-Home” area. Fashionistas shouldn’t miss the “U-Fashion” zone, where they can make a highly accurate avatar of themselves, and virtually try on the latest trends.

Established in 1988 as part of a Seoul Metropolitan Government rehabilitation project, the Yongsan Electronics Market is today comprised of more than 3,000 stores selling every kind of electronic imaginable. From computers and cameras to imported audio systems and game consoles, the market offers both general and specialty products and parts at prices 15 to 30% cheaper than those at retail stores. Keep in mind, however, that bargaining is acceptable, and is often anticipated by the vendors, so put your negotiating skills to use.