Suwon to Seodaemun (Seoul)

Michael’s South Korean railway journey continues in Seoul. Travelling across one of the world’s largest metro systems, he heads south to Suwon to visit Samsung’s headquarters, tracing the rise of the family-run company from a small trading business to a global technology giant and symbol of Korea’s post-war economic miracle. Touring a futuristic smart home, Michael explores how innovation now shapes everyday life.

Back in central Seoul, he visits the city’s original railway station, built during Japanese rule and now preserved as a cultural space, reflecting the complexities of Korea’s colonial past. In Gangnam, a district propelled to global stardom by a K-pop hit, he explores the international success of Korean popular culture, meeting the boss and dancers at a K-pop academy to understand how Hallyu – the Korean cultural wave - has conquered international audiences.

Finally, in Seodaemun, Michael visits a former prison and Independence Park to uncover the story of the 1919 March 1st Movement, a pivotal moment in Korea’s struggle for independence from Japan, meeting a descendant of a leading resistance figure whose courage helped shape Korea’s struggle for freedom.