Today I skipped out on the conference entirely to go have a look around the city. I started at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest and most well preserved palace complex from the Chosun dynasty which ruled Korea for over 500 years until the Japanese annexed Korea in about 1910. The complex originally had about 300 buildings, of which only about 30 or so survived the Japanese invasion.

I was one of the first visitors of the day and unwittingly avoided the huge crowds that followed. Another stroke of luck.

Seoul is a city of many contrasts. In addition to royal palaces, Buddhist temples and some Western style buildings from the early 20th century, there are a slew of modern skyscrapers, like the Rafael Vinoly designed Jongno Tower, below, and a building that looks like it’s been split in two by an axe.