If you’re looking for great places to visit in Seoul, South Korea, the 63 Building observatory and 63 SkyPicnic are absolutely worth adding to your list.
When people think of a Seoul observatory, they usually picture N Seoul Tower or Seoul Sky at Lotte World Tower first. Lately, though, the newly renovated 63 Building observatory— 63 SkyPicnic— has been getting a lot of buzz.
You get sweeping Seoul city views, media art installations, and even special exhibitions all in one visit. The rooftop is especially memorable because you can look out over Seoul without glass in the way, which makes the whole experience feel much more open and immersive.
I visited with my 15-month-old baby, and it was surprisingly easy to do with a child. The route wasn’t complicated, it took about an hour to see everything, and there were plenty of photo spots, so I left really happy with the experience.
Parking and How to Get There
If you’re driving, the 63 Building underground parking lotis the easiest option. On weekdays, there seemed to be plenty of spaces, and the parking spots were fairly wide, which made things much easier.
Parking at the 63 Building isn’t exactly cheap at about 1,000 KRW per 10 minutes, but visitors to 63 SkyPicnic can get 1 to 2 hours of free parking, so it didn’t feel too expensive overall.
To get to the observatory, head down to the GF level in the basement and look for the ticket booth.
The signage was a little hard to spot because the lettering was small and it only said “63 SKY PICNIC” in English. If you find % Arabica, the ticket booth is nearby on the same GF level.
This is the entrance to the 63 SkyPicnic observatory.
Ticket Discounts and Booking Tips
The regular 63 Building observatory ticket price is 27,000 KRW for adults and 23,000 KRW for children.
Adults are ages 13 and up, and children are 36 months to 12 years old. Kids under 36 months get in free with proof of age.
If you’re visiting the Pompidou Center Hanwha or qualify for a special promotion, you may be able to get 20% to 50% off when paying on-site. Otherwise, most visitors will need to pay the full 27,000 KRW regular price at the door.
That’s why I booked online in advance, and if you buy your ticket through Klook, you can get about 10% off.
As soon as I booked, the mobile ticket was sent right away, so it was possible to use it the same day.
If you’re visiting with a baby, one thing to know is that strollers are not allowed inside the observatory. You’ll need to leave yours in the stroller parking area in front of the ticket booth. Wheelchairs are also not permitted.
From the dedicated elevator in front of the ticket booth, you go straight up to the 60th floor. Since the elevator has glass windows, you can already start enjoying the Seoul skyline on the way up.
60th Floor Media Art Observatory
As soon as you step out on the 60th floor, you’re led directly into the media art exhibition space, which is also the observatory itself.
At first, you can’t actually see the view, so I briefly wondered if this was really the observatory. But after about 20 minutes, when the media art show ends, the blackout blinds lift and the windows are revealed.
Of course, if you arrive on the 60th floor during a time when the city view is already visible, then after a while the blinds will come down and the media art video will begin instead.
Since the whole space is filled with media art, I was a little worried my baby might get scared. But instead of being frightened, my little one looked around curiously and kept pointing at everything.
There were lots of beautiful visual backdrops, so it’s also a great place to take unique photos.
Once the media art ends, the lights dim and the blinds rise all at once.
Then you get this wide-open view over Yeouido and the rest of Seoul. Compared with some other observatories, it’s a bit lower in height, so you may not see quite as far into the distance, but nearby landmarks feel bigger and easier to appreciate, which was actually really fun.
Of course, I made sure to take plenty of souvenir photos too.
Along one wall of the observatory, there’s a row of silver curtains, and behind one of them is the immersive exhibition room.
It feels like a cozy little room, but video is projected on five sides except for the ceiling, so it really gives you that fully surrounded, inside-the-art kind of feeling.
There are cloud-like characters and even a giant cat in the visuals, so the whole video felt playful, charming, and surprisingly cute.
Rooftop Observatory
Once you’ve finished exploring the 60th floor observatory, it’s time to head up to the rooftop on the 63rd floor.
One important thing to know: once you go up to the rooftop, you can’t come back down to the 60th floor observatory, so make sure you’ve seen everything before heading up.
The rooftop may be temporarily closed or suspended depending on weather conditions, like rain or strong winds. Large belongings also aren’t allowed, so you’ll need to store them in a locker before going up.
Unfortunately, the only way to get from the 60th floor to the 63rd floor is by emergency stairs. I went in the middle of summer, and it already felt hot from the stairwell alone. Carrying a baby up there was definitely a workout.
After one last climb up the stairs,
you finally arrive on the rooftop of the 63 Building. On a weekday, it can be this empty.
I loved how open it felt, but there’s absolutely nowhere to hide from the sun, so it was intensely hot.
I’d recommend taking your photos quickly at the main photo spots and then heading back down.
Hologram Ball Special Exhibition
After coming down from the rooftop, the route naturally leads into the final space: the Hologram Ball special exhibition.
In this mirrored room with huge floor-to-ceiling windows, hologram balls in different sizes roll around the space. It’s such a pretty setup.
There are signs asking visitors not to throw or roll them around, but when I visited, a bunch of elementary school kids were kicking them and climbing on them nonstop.
Still, the photos come out really unique and beautiful. I showed up in casual sweats, but if you want cute mirror selfies, this is definitely a place to dress up a little. Also, the floor is mirrored, so I wouldn’t recommend wearing a skirt.
Even when other people are around, it’s still possible to angle your shots carefully so no one else ends up in the frame.
Gift Shop and Starbucks
On the way out past the hologram ball area, you’ll pass through the gift shop.
There’s merch related to the 63 Building observatory as well as Seoul souvenirs. Inside the shop, there’s also a four-cut photo booth, and it cost 8,000 KRW when I visited.
Right outside the gift shop, there’s a Starbucks, and interestingly, they even sell cocktails. A Starbucks where you can drink alcohol feels pretty unusual, right?
Before this, the highest Starbucks I’d visited was Starbucks Gwanggyo SK VIEW Lake 41F in Suwon, South Korea. Now the 60th-floor Starbucks here has officially become the highest one I’ve personally been to.
Even if you don’t visit the observatory, you can still stop by just for Starbucks. It’s open until 10 p.m., so it could be a fun place to come for a cocktail with a view.
Final Thoughts
I’d easily recommend this spot for couples planning a date in Yeouido, travelers visiting Seoul, or anyone looking for a place to take foreign friends in Seoul, South Korea.
I’d also recommend it to anyone like me who enjoys exploring the city with a baby.
What I liked most was that this wasn’t just a standard observatory visit. You get media art, a rooftop experience, and a special exhibition all in one, which made it feel packed and genuinely fun.
For timing, I’d set aside about one hour for the full visit.
Book at 10% Off on Klook
10% Discount on MyRealTrip