Autumn has thrown a color party in Seoul, with warm November days adding light and joy for watchers at home and abroad Ginkgo trees arrive in gold and maples in crimson, dressing the capital’s mountain paths and palace grounds in the season’s brightest shades.
From Namsan’s wooded slopes to Deoksugung’s stone walls, the city offers plenty of reasons to slow down and look up.
Namsan, dressed for the occasion
Above the busy streets of central Seoul, yellow, orange and red sweep across Namsan’s slopes. N Seoul Tower rises above the canopy, anchoring a scene where autumn foliage meets the urban skyline. Along the northern circular walking trail, the colors draw closer.
Branches frame the path overhead while fallen leaves add another layer underfoot. At the mountain’s viewpoints, Seoul stretches beyond the trees — a dense city softened at its edges by autumn.
Gold along the palace walls
At Deoksugung, ginkgo leaves bring a splash of gold to the palace’s weathered stone walls.
The adjoining road, Deoksugung Doldam-gil, invites an unhurried stroll. Some visitors pause for photographs beneath the branches; others simply walk through the color.
Inside the palace grounds, foliage frames traditional rooflines and the Western-style Seokjojeon Hall. Against stone, wood and tiled roofs, yellow and crimson take center stage.
An invitation to linger
The celebration extends to Seoul Forest’s broad walking paths and Changdeokgung’s gardens, where trees and historic buildings share the autumn light.
For now, winter can wait. Seoul is dressed for fall.
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