Lotte Tower (서울스카이)

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하늘 (ha-neul) means Sky
서울스카이 (Seoul Sky) is the name of the observatory.

Fun Facts

5^th tallest building in the world—South Korea’s tallest building.
One of the world’s fastest elevators—travels at 10m per second.
Consists of 20,000 glass panels that light up at night.
In 2023, more than 2,000 people participated in the annual Lotte Tower “Sky Run” marathon where they ran up the 2,917 steps to the Observatory. The fastest time recorded was 19 mins 46 secs.

A marvel of engineering, Lotte World Tower soars 123 floors above the heart of Seoul. Completed in 2017 as South Korea’s first skyscraper to exceed 100 floors, the building is host to housing, retail spaces, offices, and a luxury hotel. The Seoul Sky Observatory occupies the top seven floors and offers visitors a chance to take in the fresh air and panoramic views on its Sky Terrace or experience the sensation of floating above the city on the glass floor of the Sky Deck.

Travel Tips

For a thrilling experience, sign up for the Sky Bridge Tour.
Pay attention to the weather. Rain, clouds, fog, or fine dust can limit visibility from the top. So, pick a clear day.
If you want to avoid the crowds, try visiting on a weekday.

Address

English: 300, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Hangeul: 서울특별시 송파구 올림픽로 300

The short video shown just before entering the Seoul Sky observatory was a very special moment for me. After all the months of planning and preparing ourselves for the Sky Bridge tour, it was finally happening. After riding the elevator to the top of the tower, we stepped out into a dark hallway and then into a dark room with no windows so we couldn’t see how high up we were. The brief video was about the change of Seoul over time and the construction of the tower. As the video reached its climax, the wall in front of us suddenly opened upwards, giving us our first glimpse of the city skyline from the height of 117 stories. It was amazing! I also really enjoyed taking photos of my own feet hovering over the city below and watching the other visitors’ reactions as they walked across the glass floor observatory.

The views from the Lotte Tower and especially the Sky Deck are spectacular! What an amazing experience it is to sit in the Seoul Sky Café sipping a signature Blue Latte while listening to my daughter play the grand piano on the floor below (okay, she was forced – but hey, I paid for those lessons!). Well worth the visit. An hour or two will give you the full experience. A favorite, though I must admit I would never even try to participate in the “Sky Run” marathon—the super-fast elevator is the way for me!