Established in 1885, Yonsei University in Seoul is both the oldest and most prestigious university in South Korea. Primarily a private research institution, the university has over 30,000 enrolled students.
Yonsei University’s main campus is well known for its beauty, with ivy-clad buildings constructed in the European style. Its 19th century founding was at the hands of an American missionary, hence the Western architecture. Travelling couples won’t want to miss a hand-in-hand stroll along Cheomseongdae, the area’s romantic walking path. Filled with ample foliage, the campus is especially beautiful in autumn as the leaves change colours.
The main Sinchon campus of Yonsei University is located to the west of the Seoul city centre, with bus stops near the campus. A ride from Itaewon or the N Seoul Tower would take a little under an hour. A ride from Gyeongbokgung Palace would take around 30 minutes.
Yonsei University’s roots owe mainly to medical education. Its 1885 establishment was as the Yonsei University Medical School, connected to the opening of the first Western hospital in Korea. The Chosun Christian College, founded in 1915 and shortly renamed Yonhi University, struggled under years of Japanese rule and U.S. occupation until it merged into Yonsei University after World War II.