I spent 2 weeks in South Korea in May 2023 visiting an old friend and sightseeing. About 9 days were spent in Seoul, with day trips to Nami Island and DMZ (De-Militarized Zone), the rest of the time was spent in Busan and Jeju Island... you can read about them here (Busan) and here (Jeju).
The first thing I did was to get an unlimited data SIM card for 15 days for ₩55,000 (roughly $38). My iPhone allows for dual sim cards as long as one is an e-SIM so I've converted my American SIM to an e-SIm and I usually get a physical SIM card when I travel to countries where I don't have free roaming.
Seoul is pretty far from the airport so my friend (Ije), who lives there, got me a bus ticket to get a ride from the airport to the city. I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the buses were.
If you decide to go this route, make sure to schedule your bus departure not too close to your landing because you'll need to convert your emailed receipt to a physical bus ticket at the ticketing office (after immigration). You'll also need to make sure you are in the right bus line because there are several bus stops at the airport, it takes a long minute for the signs in English to come up, and you don't want to accidentally miss your bus by getting on the wrong bus.
I had an hour and half to kill before my bus arrived so I decided to eat to kill time, as one does. I opted for ramen at a Japanese Ramen and Kotsu place called Mukyoku. I had plans to go to Japan from South Korea so I wanted to compare ramen in the US vs South Korea vs Japan. Total cost was ₩15,500 and to be honest, I had had ramen that was both better than and worse than this in the US but hey, I can now say I have had ramen in South Korea so a win is a win is a win!
Ije was waiting for me at a bus stop then she navigated us to towards Doncheon-dong.
The next day, Sunday, I rested my bones during the day then Ije and I headed out in the evening. We went to Myeongdong Shopping Street (shopping, food, clubbing and bar scenes) - I had a gamja aka twist potato (deep fried, spiral potato on a skewer) for the first time and absolutely loved it!
We also shared some gyoza and duck skewers. Most things cost between ₩5,000 - ₩8,000 and it was difficult resisting the urge to get everything in sight.
From there, we walked to Cheongyecheon Stream, an art walkway around a stream that runs through Seoul.
There's so much to see and do while walking around there so we faffed about while talking, taking photos, and people watching.
We ended up at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main, royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. The National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are also located on the grounds of the palace.
Afterwards, I got a bus card for ₩3,000 and loaded ₩20,000 on it. The card is good for trains and buses all over the country so I ended up using it in Busan and Jeju Island too. You can get them at corner stores as well as train stations.
From there, we went to Gangnam District, the third largest district in Seoul. It is known as Seoul's upscale, modern center. It has gleaming skyscrapers, designer brands and fun nightclubs.
In the heart of the district, there is a nod to PSY's Gangnam Style song, where the song plays on repeat and visitors can stop there to dance and take photos. So much fun!
We of course stopped at Starfield Library in Coex Mall to see their floor to ceiling bookshelves in person.
The library is stunning, with books and seating spots literally everywhere. I thought it would be more of a photo op library but I loved walking around seeing people reading, walking on their laptops, and talking in hushed tones with peers.
Afterwards, we walked to Bongeunsa Temple, a Korean Buddhist temple founded in 794. They offer a temple stay program where visitors can stay at the temple and experience life as a monk.
The temple also has a 23m/75.5ft Maitreya Buddha statue.
Finally, we took the bus to Namsangol Hanok Village, a recreated village of historical, traditional houses called hanok.
We got there when it was closed so we unfortunately couldn't get into any of the buildings. Otherwise, the village is designed to give visitors the opportunity to see a wide cross-section of Joseon dynasty era experiences. Houses have even been furnished to show social class differences in how royalty lived vs how commoners did. I'll certainly go back there if I make it out to South Korea again and highly recommend visiting the village.
While there, you can see Namsan Tower in the background.
On Tuesday, some friends picked us up and drove us to Seoul Juseon Memorial Museum.
The museum features the history of Hanbok (traditional Korean attire) and its modernization over time.
Entry was free and it was so cool to see and read about different parts of the traditional outfit, including the ways in which it has been modernized. I particularly enjoyed reading about Lee Rhee Za, the Korean designer that modernized the Hanbok for beauty pageants in the 1970s and won awards for her designs.
The museum is actually on on Hankook University grounds so we walked around for a bit, it's a really cool campus.
Finally, we got snacks at the coffee shop by the library before saying our goodbyes.
From there, my friend and I took the bus to Kwangjang Market Food Alley for some traditional Korean snacks and street food. My food loving heart was right at home and this remains one of my favorite experiences on the trip.
On Wednesday, we went to Changdeokgung Palace, a 600 year old UNESCO World Heritage Site. It cost ₩3,000 to get in and it was really peaceful exploring the temples and ruins.
On the grounds of the palace, you'll find The Secret Garden (accessible for an additional ₩2000 to your palace ticket) which is only by scheduled, guided tours. Rumor has it it's best to visit The Secret Garden in the Fall when the flowers are in full bloom.
I got a traditional Korean sweet rice drink made with malted barley (Sikhye) and pumpkin for ₩4,500 at the cafe on the temple grounds. It was somehow light and heavy at the same time. Sweet and refreshing... I can't explain it but it left me feeling really good.
On the walk from Changdeokgung Palace, we stopped at Onion, an Instagram and Tik-Tok famous pastry store.
I got a cinnamon with strawberry and cream filling ₩7,000 and a cup of Praha Chai ₩7,000... they were alright to me but if you love pastries, this might feel like heaven to you so it's still worth checking out.
Finally, we got to Bukchong Hanoi Village. This village, like Namsangol Hanok Village, is full of hanoks (traditional Korean houses). However, it has been residential from the early 20th century and well preserved so it is jaw dropping to walk through the neighborhood and immerse yourself in the beauty and rich history of the buildings.
On Thursday, we went to Nami Island through K Tours on Viator and it included stops in Nami Island, Petite France and Garden of Morning Calm. Some tours include attractions like Mount Seorak or Gangchon Rail Bike as well. If you have the time, I highly recommend either doing the tour or renting a car to at least check out Garden of Morning Calm and Nami Island. I write about this day trip and the next one here --> Nami Island and DMZ, South Korea
On Friday, we took another tour to visit the Korean De-Militarized Zone, DMZ. DMZ is a piece of land running across the Korean Peninsula between North and South Korea. You cannot go without a passport and are only allowed in the area through a tour company and military escort because it has restricted civilian access. This tour includes stops at Freedom Bridge, The 3rd Infiltration tunnel, Dora Observatory (you can see North Korea from here), Odusan Unification Village/Observatory etc. It is a humbling experience and I think everyone should go at least once in order to learn the ongoing history of the region and remember that freedom and peace are fickle privileges. Read more here --> Nami Island and DMZ, South Korea
That evening, we went to Itaewon for a night out. It was so much fun seeing crowds in the streets, public performances, influencers with their film crew etc. I unfortunately lost my photos for that night so here's a filler. I had had Taru Milk Tea with boba from this store every other day!
On Saturday, we all slept in to recuperate from the night before then went to Han River. It is one of the most defining landmarks of Seoul and there are so many parks around it where you can go walking, camping, picnicking and so on.
Afterwards, we went to Hongdae, a neighborhood known for its urban arts and indie music culture, local shops, clubs, cafés and entertainment. We stopped at a photobooth store and took these for W4,000.
From there, we did Norebang karaoke (25,000 for an hour) and had mad laughs singing off key, reminiscing on early 2000s hits, and just bonding off the good old days.
It was so much fun that we got an additional 30 minutes (13,000) to belt out some more.
Sunday - Tuesday I took a 59,800 train from Seoul to Busan. Busan is a pretty cool seaside city and I liked it a lot more than Seoul. I stayed close to Gwangilli Bridge and explored the area a bit, visited Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi Fish Market, BIFF Square, Bupyeong Kkangtong Market, the stunning Haedong Yonggugsa Temple, Busan Museum of Movies, and Youngdusan Park. I wrote about it --> Busan
Tuesday-Thursday I flew from Busan to Jeju Island. Jeju Island is the largest island and smallest province in South Korea. It is a volcanic island covered with lava rocks and one of its mountains (Mt Halla) contains a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a really beautiful, chill place to visit, especially for nature lovers. However, if you love food and a slow-paced life, Jeju is also for you. When you throw in the white sand and clear water beaches, waterfalls, Penis Park and tea farms, you quickly realize that the island would make for a perfect honeymoon/baecation spot as well. My stops are marked with X in the first photo below and you can read about my trip here ---> Jeju Island
On Thursday, I flew back to Seoul and went straight from the airport to Spa Lei for a Korean bathhouse experience. Korean bathhouses are traditionally called Jjimjilbang and the modern experience varies significantly depending on how much money you are willing to pay. Spa Lei is a women-only bathhouse that charges 19,000 for 12hour access to the facility. As in, you can spend 12 hours doing everything in the photo below, including sleeping and eating (at the sleeping room and restaurant/snack bars), then rinse and repeat. You can even pay an additional 1,000 per hour is 12 hours isn't enough for you.
For my last evening in the country, Ije, her partner and I went to Four Seasons Restaurant for dinner.
2 weeks in South Korea is not nearly enough to truly see and do everything that there is to see and do in the country. I'm glad I got to also visit Busan and Jeju Island - you can read about them (Busan) and here (Jeju). But that said, here are some of the things on my adventure list that I couldn't get around to. I'll definitely try to visit them next time I'm in the country and I recommend looking them up to see if you might want to visit them too when if you make it out there.
Geoje: a fun island less than an hour south of Busan... Geoje Botanical Garden Jungle Dome, mountains, hiking, beaches, seafood, cherry blossoms in the Spring, hydrangeas in the Summer, a panorama cable car with stunning views, etc. Rumor has it a night at Sono Calm might change your life, especially if you get tickets to the water park. It is also recommended to take the ferry to Oedo island for the day.
Seoraksan National Park: apparently has incredible hiking trails and waterfalls. The recommendation is to stay in Sokcho for the night if you are not in a hurry. Also, check out Yeouido if you're there during cherry blossom season.
Gyeongju: The old Capital city and you can rent bikes to see all the old historical UNESCO sites.
Andong: Soju is said to be originated from here and the Hahoe folk village is considered to be one of the oldest villages in Korea. They are known for their chicken plate and the face masks from the historic masks used to make fun of the royals in the old days.
Danyang: one of the best places for paragliding. This cute little town is know for it wonders including Guisa, temple, a skywalk, Gosu Cave, Dodamsambong Peaks, among others.
Daedunsan Mountain: known for its fall colors, Cloud Bridge, and the steep staircase you have to take to hike all the way to the top of the mountain.
Whatever you do and wherever you go, make sure to eat your way through the country by visiting as many Traditional Markets as possible. I shared my market visits in this Instagram reel.