South Korea Seoul Trip Part 15: Paradise City, the First Integrated Resort (IR) in South Korea

[Introduction]

I traveled to Seoul, South Korea, in early September. Although I was not blessed with weather at all, I enjoyed the trip as the food was delicious and people were kind. In this article, I will write about Paradise City as part of Day 5. “Paradise City” has been expanding its facilities even now and perhaps it was too early to visit it, but I was able to enjoy it including its art works.

[Visit Places (series of articles)]
* Day 1: Fly to Gimpo International Airport
* Day 1: Myeong-dong
* Day 1: Myeong-dong (Light-up)
* Day 2: National Museum of Korea
* Day 2: War Memorial of Korea
* Day 2: Dongdaemun
* Day 2: Dongdaemun (Light-up)
* Day 3: Gyeongbokgung Palace
* Day 3: National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art etc.
* Day 3: Seoul Station
* Day 3: Seoul Station (Light-up)
* Day 4: Coex Aquarium and Starfield Library
* Day 4: Lotte World
* Day 4: Lotte World (Light-up)
* Day 5: Paradise City [This Article]
* Day 5: Return Home from Incheon Airport & Stay Overnight at Narita Airport

[Travel Date]
2018.09.05-09

[Main Part]

Check out “Sejong Hotel”

It was the fifth day, the final day, of my Seoul trip. To begin with, I checked out “Sejong Hotel” where I stayed.

To recap “Sejong Hotel”, overall I was satisfied wit it in terms of cost-effectiveness, though I felt the facility was a little bit old. The location was very convenient for sightseeings and there were lots of restaurants around the hotel. In addition, the hotel had a gym, which was helpful for me.

Check-in Service at Seoul Station and Move to Incheon Int’l Airport with AREX

While my return flight is in the afternoon, I will visit “Paradise City” near Incheon International Airport in the morning, so I will move to the airport with AREX (Airport Railroad Express).

By the way, the check-in service including immigration was available at Seoul station for international flights passengers departing from Incheon Int’l Airport on the day of departure as long as they use Airport Express train, so I will use this service.

First, I will buy an Express train ticket.

FYI: KKday, a Taiwanese optional tour sales site, offers discount tickets of Incheon Airport Express Train, so I bought the ticket via KKday.

Check-in counter.

Immigration.

In terms of the passport record, I am supposed to have left South Korea already.

I will move to the airport.

In the AREX (Airport Railroad Express).

I arrived at the first terminal station of Incheon International Airport after a 43-minute ride.

Mascot character of AREX (Airport Railroad Express).

As I haven’t eaten anything in the morning, I will have breakfast in the airport. I visited “A Twosome Place”, a coffee chain.

I had a light meal.

Paradise City

Now I will move to “Paradise City”. Between Incheon International Airport and “Paradise City”, shuttle buses and maglev trains are available, both of which are for free, and I chose to use maglev trains.

The platform of maglev trains.

A maglev train car.

Unlike maglev trains in Shanghai (see the related article), maglev trains of Seoul did not run at high speed, and it took about 10 minutes from the airport to “Paradise City”.

“Paradise City” was opened in April 2017 as the first integrated resort (IR) in South Korea. The facility includes two luxurious hotels, a casino exclusively for foreign people, a convention center and a shopping arcade.

In addition, as one of the key features of “Paradise City”, a variety of art works are exhibited and I will watch some of them.

This art work is called “Together”. Perhaps, it was developed in the motif of “Statue of Brothers” at “War Memorial of Korea” (see the related article).

A tram was used for a drink stand.

A colorful chair.

A set of chic table and chairs.

Classic movie stars. I think Audrey Hepburn in her youth was really beautiful.

This art work was indeed distorted.

The art work, located at the center of the facility, was “GREAT GIGANTIC PUMPKIN” by Yayoi Kusama, a famous Japanese contemporary artist.

The entrance of the casino was also located here.

Speaking of the art work of “PUMPKIN” by Yayoi Kusama, I also watched it at “Millenia Tower” in Singapore (see the related article). I would like to watch another one at Naoshima, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, in the future.

This art work was called “GOLDEN LEGEND”.

This “LOVE” object is often seen all over the world including Japan.

I went out of the building.

Art works were exhibited at the entrance as well.

It was really gorgeous.

“Paradise Casino”.

Basically, I was not interested in gambling at all, but the casino offered a coupon with a small present, so I just tried once.

This space was called “PARADISE WALK”.

As time passed, colors changed.

One, two, three …

I just found an impressive building.

It seemed an indoor theme park called “WANDERBOX”.

I was not blessed with the weather at all through five days during my trip, but finally I was able to see the sun.

However, now it was time, so I will go back to Incheon International Airport with maglev to return home.

[Closing]

That’s it for the article about Paradise City as part of Day 5.

“Paradise City”, which was opened in 2017, has been expanding its facilities even now and I saw several construction works here and there, so perhaps it was too early to visit it. However, the casino and the hotels, which were core facilities, were fully operating and I was able to enjoy “Paradise City” including its art works. It is located near Incheon International Airport, so if you are interested in “Paradise City”, why don’t you visit it?

In the next article, as the final article of my Seoul trip series, I will write about return home from Incheon Airport and stay overnight at Narita Airport as part of Day 5.

[Map]

1 Sejong Hotel
2 Seoul Station
3 Incheon International Airport
4 Paradise City

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