A predominant feature of Seoul's landscape is the infrastructure. Perhaps this sounds obvious, but it really is not. While other cities attempt to downplay, to minimize, the visual impact of city infrastructure, Seoul seems to praise it. If a city is a patchwork quilt and the stitching is the infrastructure, in some cities the thread is hidden by color matching and simple stitches whilst in cities like Seoul, oversized stitches in bold contrasting colours are used. There is no shame in the daily functioning of the city, no romanticism, there is function. There is pride in this function. Millions of people can move around thanks to the road and rail networks. Typically, we think of these things as the dirty necessities of life, perhaps more pertinent to daily life but less prideful than magnificent skyscrapers, parks and monuments that define other cities. To be honest, to an outsider, the Namsan Tower is not easily identifiable like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty or the Statue of Christ the Redeemer. Some might know there is a tower atop a hill in Seoul, but may struggle to decipher it from Tokyo Tower. Through the centre of Seoul runs the Han river, and again, is perhaps not as salient as the Hudson, the Seine, or the Thames. Seoul has tall buildings, but the 63 building doesn't have the same international cache as the Empire State Building, the Gherkin, the Sears tower, or even the Marina Bay Sands. And certainly Seoul has rich historical sites, such as the ancient gates (Namdaemun) and several palaces, but they remain less recognizable than the forbidden city or the Taj Mahal. So defines Seoul? One of the most famous parts of Seoul isn't even in Seoul. The Incheon international airport has gained international renown as one of the best airports on Earth. Its efficiency is unsurpassed. If we give Seoul credit for the Incheon airport, we should keep in mind that an image of this place doesn't easily come to mind. It is a site of function. Fantastic function. But function nonetheless. A good reputation is good, but it doesn't necessitate an iconic image. In this same vein, Seoul's other major landmark is not a specific place, but a network: the Seoul Metro subway system. Again, perhaps it is not as famous as Tokyo's network, but it is one of the great prides of the city. The air and rail networks are part of the triple crown, the remaining jewel being the road network. As unpopular a notion as it may be to the Western contemporary city sensibility, the road network, particularly the expressway system are explicit. One of the stamps of the 1988 Summer Olympics is not a sporting facility, but a road. The 88 expressway weaves alongside the Han river (and at points hovers above it), in a way that would make many a Westerner cringe.