The N Seoul Tower love locks: how it works and what it costs

Padlocks began appearing on the terrace railings around 2006 and were adopted as an attraction in 2007. By 2018 the accumulated weight had been assessed at 82 tonnes. Reaching the terraces costs nothing at all — they sit outside the tower’s paid levels, on open ground, with no ticket and no gate. You buy a padlock, which is sold on site and is a paid add-on on some tickets, write on it, attach it and put the key in one of the key-deposit boxes provided at the plaza. That is the whole procedure, and it is the same whether or not you go up the tower.

Locks first appearedAround 2006

Adopted as an attraction2007

Assessed weight, 201882 tonnes

Cost to reach the terracesNothing

Cost to attach oneThe price of the lock

KeysKey-deposit boxes at the plaza

What it is like now

Dense. Whole railings, fences and purpose-built frames are covered several layers deep, and sections are filled, cleared and rearranged over time, which is worth knowing if you are trying to find a particular spot you have seen before. It is also the most photographed part of the whole site, and almost none of those photographs were taken from behind a ticket barrier.

Bring one or buy one

Locks are sold on site, so you do not need to arrive carrying one, though people who want something specific bring their own. Use the key boxes rather than throwing keys off the hill — there is a park down there, and people walk in it. The terraces are open air and are not bound by the tower’s indoor hours, so an evening visit works; the best light is around forty minutes before sunset, as set out on day or night.

Check dates for the observatory & cable car ticket

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Frequently asked questions

How much do the love locks at N Seoul Tower cost?

Only the price of the padlock, which is sold on site and is a paid add-on on some tickets. Reaching the terraces is free, because they sit outside the tower’s ticketed levels.

Do you need a ticket to see the love locks?

No. The terraces are open ground at the base of the tower with no gate and no admission, and they are not bound by the indoor opening hours — see what is free.

What happens to the keys?

Key-deposit boxes are provided at the plaza. Use them rather than throwing keys down the hill; Namsan Park is directly below and people walk the trails on it, as described on walking up Namsan.