[2] However, it is home to Bongeunsa Temple, which dates back to the Unified Silla period, as well as Seonjeongneung, royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, and the gravesite of Gwangpyeong Daegun and his family’s land, which are preserved as national treasures.

Apgujeong, in particular, became notable from the early Joseon period as it was the site where Han Myeong-hoe, a high-ranking official during King Sejo's reign, built and lived in his villa.

Combined with the neighboring districts of Seocho and Songpa, the Greater Gangnam Area accounts for almost 10% of the land value of the entire country.

Other notable companies based in Gangnam include Dongbu Fire Insurance, Young Poong Group, T'way Airlines and Procter & Gamble Korea.

Gangnam is also home to many IT and other internet-related companies including NC Soft and Pandora TV, and is also a strong hub of the country's financial and banking sectors.

Many international companies also operate key offices in Gangnam, including Google,[7] IBM, Toyota, and AMI.

The Korean subsidiary of American Megatrends, AMI Korea, is headquartered in Daechidong, Gangnam District.

Both long-standing locally owned schools such as the Seoul Korean Academy, and more recent foreign-owned entities such as Lexis Korea report a significant increase in interest in the location.

[20] The area has a large concentration of vegetarian and other upscale restaurants that serve Korean cuisine with a modern twist, namely on the main street from Bongeunsa to Park Hyatt Hotel in Samseong-dong.

Following the anti-American protests in Seoul in the early 2000s, the local authorities in the Gangnam District have organized various cultural and sporting events, such as the International Peace Marathon, jointly with the United States Forces Korea.