When people plan a trip to Seoul, eastern Gangnam usually gets filed under Jamsil. Lotte World Tower, Seokchon Lake, Jamsil Baseball Stadium. But look at the map: just west of Jamsil, pressed against the southern bank of the Han River, sits Samseong-dong. And most people skip right past it.
Which is strange. Because within a 15-minute walk of each other, Samseong-dong packs Asia’s largest underground shopping complex, a UNESCO World Heritage royal tomb site, and a temple that’s been standing for over 1,200 years.
And these three aren’t here by coincidence. They were originally one piece of land.
The short answer
- The ground COEX now occupies was Bongeunsa's Seunggwa-pyeong (僧科坪) during the Joseon dynasty — an open field where the monk civil service exams were held. Grand Masters Seosan and Samyeong, who would later lead monk armies during the Imjin War, came out of this system.
- Bongeunsa and Seonjeongneung belong together. Queen Jeonghyeon, buried at Seolleung, rebuilt the temple in 1498 as the guardian shrine for her husband King Seongjong's tomb and renamed it Bongeunsa (奉恩寺) — "Temple of Receiving Grace."
- Bongeunsa's Panjeon Hall (1856) is the oldest structure on the grounds. Its signboard is believed to be the final calligraphy work of Kim Jeong-hui (Chusa), written shortly before his death.
- On the COEX side, you can duck in just for Starfield Library (with its 13-meter-high bookshelves) and leave satisfied — or add the aquarium and Megabox for a full half-day.
- The food scene here caters to Teheran-ro office workers, not tourists. That means lunch is crowded and affordable, and many places close on Sundays.
Where exactly is Samseong-dong in Seoul?
Administratively, it’s Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. To the north: the Han River (Cheongdam-dong). To the east: Tancheon Stream and Jamsil (Songpa-gu). To the south: Daechi-dong. To the west: Yeoksam-dong. It occupies the northeastern corner of Gangnam-gu — the seam between Gangnam and Jamsil.
Four subway lines pass through it.
🚇 Getting to Samseong-dong — best station by destination
| Destination | Best Station | Exit · Notes |
|---|---|---|
| COEX Mall · Starfield Library | Line 2 Samseong Station | Exits 5 & 6, direct underground connection. No need to go above ground |
| Bongeunsa | Line 9 Bongeunsa Station | Exit 1, 1-minute walk. About a 10-minute walk from Samseong Station |
| Seonjeongneung | Line 9 / Suin-Bundang Line Seonjeongneung Station | Closer to the main gate than Seolleung Station (Line 2) |
| Hyundai Department Store Trade Center | Line 2 Samseong Station | Underground connection from COEX |
| Parnas Mall · InterContinental | Line 2 Samseong Station | 521 Teheran-ro, B1. Direct connection to Samseong Station |
Route tips
- On rainy days, in midsummer, or in midwinter, you can do COEX Mall–Parnas Mall–Hyundai Department Store entirely underground from Samseong Station. You never have to step outside.
- When the weather's good, do Bongeunsa Station → Bongeunsa → COEX North Gate → Starfield Library. The drop from temple silence to shopping-mall hum is this neighborhood's signature experience.
- COEX Mall is vast with a looping layout that can disorient you fast. Use Starfield Library as your anchor point and navigate from there.
The Land Beneath COEX Was Once a Temple Courtyard — The Seunggwa-pyeong Story
There’s one key to understanding this neighborhood. Bongeunsa was here first. COEX came much later.
Bongeunsa traces its origins to Gyeonseongsa (見性寺), founded in the year 794 (the 10th year of King Wonseong of Silla) by Master Yeonhoe. It’s one of the oldest temples in Seoul. But the name didn’t change to Bongeunsa until about 700 years after that.
In 1498, Queen Jeonghyeon — the second queen consort of King Seongjong — rebuilt the temple on a grand scale beside her husband’s royal tomb (Seolleung) and renamed it Bongeunsa (奉恩寺). The name means “Temple of Receiving Grace.” In other words, Bongeunsa was reborn as the guardian shrine for Seolleung. This is why Seonjeongneung and Bongeunsa, which we visit as separate destinations today, were originally one set.
How a royal temple thrived in a country that suppressed Buddhism
Joseon was a Confucian state that suppressed Buddhism. But during the regency of Queen Munjeong under King Myeongjong, the current briefly reversed. Queen Munjeong installed Master Bou as the head monk of Bongeunsa, elevated it to the head temple of the Seon (Zen) school, and revived the long-abolished seunggwa (僧科) — the monk civil service examination system.
The open field where these exams took place, right in front of Bongeunsa, was the Seunggwa-pyeong (僧科坪). That is the very ground where COEX and the World Trade Center now stand. And among the notable figures who passed these exams were Great Master Seosan (Hyujeong) and Great Master Samyeong (Yujeong), who later led the monk armies against the Japanese during the Imjin War.
To put it plainly: on the exact spot where international exhibitions are held and K-pop ads flicker today, monks sat for state examinations 450-some years ago. There are few places in Seoul where the history of the land flips this dramatically.
4 Things You Actually Need to See at Bongeunsa
Bongeunsa is large, and on a first visit it’s easy to walk a full loop without knowing what to look at. Just lock onto these four.
I’d suggest pausing in front of Panjeon Hall. Kim Jeong-hui (1786–1856), better known by his pen name Chusa, spent his final years at Bongeunsa helping Monk Yeonggi with the woodblock carving of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Panjeon Hall stores those woodblocks, and its signboard is his final calligraphy. The script — unpolished, almost childlike to some eyes — being the endpoint of Joseon’s greatest calligrapher is what makes this building special.
Seonjeongneung — A UNESCO World Heritage Site Between Office Towers
Walk southwest from Bongeunsa and you’ll reach Seonjeongneung. As the name suggests, it’s Seolleung + Jeongneung.
👑 Who's Buried at Seonjeongneung
| Tomb | Occupant | Connection to this story |
|---|---|---|
| Seolleung | Joseon’s 9th ruler King Seongjong and his second queen consort Queen Jeonghyeon | Queen Jeonghyeon rebuilt Bongeunsa to guard this very tomb |
| Jeongneung | Joseon’s 11th ruler King Jungjong | Son of King Seongjong; husband of Queen Munjeong |
In other words, the people buried at Seonjeongneung and the people who grew Bongeunsa belong to the same family. Visit them separately and they’re just a royal tomb and a temple. Visit them in sequence and they become one story.
Good to know
- The Joseon Royal Tombs were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009. Seonjeongneung is the one that survives in the middle of a city center.
- Paid admission (around ₩1,000 for adults). Discounts exist for Gangnam-gu residents, and free admission on certain holidays.
- Hours vary by season. In spring and fall, the grounds stay open late, and plenty of locals use it as an after-work walking course.
- The burial mound area is accessible only along designated paths. Do not step onto the grass mounds.
COEX — What to See and What to Skip
COEX is the exhibition hall of the Korea World Trade Center complex, and the shopping mall beneath it is Starfield COEX Mall — billed as Asia’s largest underground shopping space. Trying to see it all is pointless. It’s better to approach it by purpose.
🏬 COEX by Zone — a go-or-skip cheat sheet
| Venue | What It Is | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Starfield Library | Three 13m-high book walls, ~70,000 volumes, 2,800㎡ split-level space | ✅ If you see one thing in Samseong-dong, make it this. COEX’s defining landmark since opening in 2017 |
| COEX Aquarium | Large-scale indoor aquarium | 🔶 Worth it with kids. Adults only: lower priority |
| Megabox COEX | Major multiplex cinema | 🔶 Rainy-day time-killer |
| K-POP Square | Giant LED signage on COEX’s exterior wall | ✅ Free. Dubbed “Korea’s Times Square” after the area was designated a free outdoor advertising zone in 2018 |
| Hyundai Department Store Trade Center | Department store + basement food hall | 🔶 Useful for gifts and food shopping |
| Parnas Mall | 521 Teheran-ro, B1. Direct connection to Samseong Station | 🔶 Quieter than COEX Mall, higher restaurant density |
How to see Starfield Library differently
- For photos, the 2nd-floor railing looking down onto the bookshelves is your best angle. The ground floor front catches too many people in the frame.
- The books on the upper shelves are decorative. Only the lower shelves within arm's reach are actual browsable books. Knowing this saves you from hunting for a ladder.
- With over 600 magazine titles including international ones, it's a great place to sit while waiting for your group.
- It's free and open-access, so weekend afternoons get packed. Weekday mornings are peaceful.
Why Is This Neighborhood Full of Construction?
Walk around Samseong Station and you’ll keep running into large construction hoardings. Two projects overlap:
- Hyundai Motor Group GBC (Global Business Center) — on the former KEPCO site. Originally planned as a single 105-story tower, the project stalled and was later redesigned as three 49-story, 242m towers, now targeting completion by late 2031. The complex will include office space, a hotel, and an exhibition hall.
- Yeongdong-daero Transit Center — a large-scale underground transit hub linking multiple commuter rail lines.
For travelers, one thing matters: ground-level pedestrian routes around Samseong Station change frequently. Don’t get lost above ground — use the underground passageways.
If you were looking for the Samseong-dong City Airport Terminal
The Samseong-dong City Airport Terminal (CALT) — with its early check-in and baggage drop service that older travel guides mention — ended operations in January 2023. An Easy Drop baggage drop point opened at COEX in May 2025, but it's not the same as the old setup where you could check in with your airline ahead of time. Do not plan your departure day around this.
Where to Eat in Samseong-dong — Start by Understanding the Food Landscape
Restaurants in Samseong-dong don’t cater to tourists. Their bread and butter is the office population along Teheran-ro and the Trade Center, plus COEX exhibition visitors. This creates three distinct patterns:
- Lunch (11:30–13:00) is a warzone. Walk in before 11:30 and there’s no wait.
- Dinner is a company-dinner scene, so solo diners can feel out of place at some spots.
- Many places close Sundays and public holidays. This is the trap that catches weekend travelers most often.
🍚 Samseong-dong's 4 Dining Zones — Vibe & Budget
| Zone | Character | Budget (1 person) | When to Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samseong Station backstreets (Samseong-ro alleys) | Office worker staples: bapsang, gukbap, kalguksu | ₩10,000–15,000 | Weekday lunch |
| COEX Mall basement food court | Mostly franchises, low risk of disappointment | ₩12,000–20,000 | Rainy days, weekends |
| Parnas Mall · Hotels | Quiet dining, business meals, dates | ₩30,000+ | Evening, special occasions |
| Bongeunsa Station → Cheongdam direction | Italian, Japanese, omakase, etc. | ₩30,000+ | Evening |
🍽️ Shortlist (Under Review — In-Person Verification Needed)
| Type | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gukbap | Bakseobang Sundae Gukbap, Samseong Main Branch | A long-standing sundae-gukbap spot with a quiet reputation among Samseong-dong office workers |
| Bapsang | Daebak Sikdang (11 Samseong-ro 103-gil) | Home-style set meals that change daily. Expect a line after noon |
| Noodles | Munbaedong Yukkal | Spicy beef kalguksu. Fast turnover at lunch |
| Rice bowl | Yangsando | Eel over rice. Low barrier for solo diners |
| Italian | Cipolla Rosso, Samseong Main | 1-minute walk from Bongeunsa Station. Evening and group dining |
| Japanese | Ilsang Jeongwon, COEX | Oakwood Premier basement. Quiet, course-menu setting |
| Hotel | Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas | Long talked about for its buffet and naengmyeon (cold noodles) |
Eating inside COEX
- On days with exhibitions or events, every restaurant in the mall fills up at once. Check the COEX event calendar ahead of time and avoid those dates — it'll save you serious waiting time.
- The basement food court has photo menus and English labeling throughout, so no Korean skills needed.
- By contrast, the bapsang joints in the Samseong-ro backstreets often have Korean-only menus. On the flip side, that's the real taste of lunch in this neighborhood.
Samseong-dong Cafés — Three Entirely Different Choices
Cafés in this neighborhood have sharply distinct personalities. Don’t choose by ambiance — choose by purpose.
A Half-Day Samseong-dong Course — This Order Works Best
Recommended route (about 4–5 hours)
- 09:30 Line 9 Seonjeongneung Station → Seonjeongneung stroll (about 1 hour). Best time of day for the air and the light
- 11:00 Walk or one-stop hop → Bongeunsa. Panjeon Hall → Mireuk Daebul → Yeonhoe Dawon, in that order (about 1 hour 30 min)
- 12:30 Cross Bongeunsa-ro for lunch. Weekday: Samseong-ro backstreets. Weekend: COEX Mall
- 14:00 COEX North Gate → Starfield Library → wander the mall (about 1 hour 30 min)
- 15:30 If you still have energy: aquarium or Hyundai Department Store Trade Center. Otherwise, wrap up at Samseong Station
There’s a reason for this order. It moves from outdoors (tombs, temple) to indoors (underground mall), so even if the afternoon turns hot or rainy, your plan doesn’t break. Reverse it and you’ll be left with outdoor stops after emerging from air-conditioned comfort — taking on all the weather risk.
So, Samseong-dong Instead of Jamsil?
Not instead. In addition. The two sit right next to each other across Tancheon Stream, just a few subway stops apart.
But their personalities differ. Jamsil is a neighborhood of height — a 555m tower, an observation deck, a lake. Samseong-dong is a neighborhood of layers — a temple from 794, a royal tomb from 1498, an exhibition hall from 1988, and a supertall complex slated for 2031, all stacked within a 1km radius.
Walking the ground where monk civil service exams gave way to international trade fairs is an experience you won’t find in any other Seoul neighborhood. If you’ve got one more day to spend in eastern Gangnam, spend it in Samseong-dong.
Sources & References
- Bongeunsa history, Seunggwa-pyeong, Panjeon Hall — Bongeunsa Templestay — Temple Introduction
- Bongeunsa Panjeon Hall (Seoul Tangible Cultural Heritage) designation details — Korea Heritage Service Portal
- Kim Jeong-hui's Panjeon Hall signboard — Wikipedia — Bongeunsa Panjeon Hall Signboard
- Starfield Library dimensions and collection — Starfield COEX Mall Official
- Seolleung and Jeongneung visitor information — Korea Heritage Service — Joseon Royal Tombs
- Joseon Royal Tombs UNESCO inscription — UNESCO and Heritage — Korea
- Hyundai GBC design revision and target completion — Seoul Metropolitan Government
- Samseong-dong City Airport Terminal service termination — Gangnam-gu Office Press Release
- Yeonhoe Dawon opening and operation — Daangn — Local Business Profile
- Starfield COEX Mall scale — Wikipedia
Prices, hours, and operating status are subject to change. Restaurant and café entries in particular are pre-verification; checked dates will be added after on-site confirmation.