Visiting South Korea has been a dream of mine since I was 16 years-old. It was actually my third option on the country choice list for my foreign exchange in high school. Plus I was one of those kids that liked K-Pop wayyyyy before it was cool, circa 2005, and within the past year have gotten into K-Dramas and may I say American TV shows just cannot compare.

Finally about 12 years after my dream began, I hopped on a plane, ventured almost 20 hours to the other side of the world, and touched down at Incheon International airport. Additionally, I only planned this trip one month in advance! I'm all for pre-planning especially for far destinations but sometimes you just have to book it and go.

I'll start off by letting you know I booked this trip as a package on Expedia after Priceline decided to fail me multiple times and I had over $10k in pending charges on my card that needed to fall off even after calling customer service. Long story short I'll NEVER use Priceline again.

I did start this trip a bit more ambitious than I should have. Korea is small, but I was only visiting for one week as my boyfriend, who went with me, couldn't get any more PTO. So my plans to visit the DMZ & a day trip to Busan did not come to fruition, but it's ok because it's an excuse to go back!

So where did I stay? My hotel was Staz Hotel Myeongdong II which was in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul. It was basically in a touristy, shopping district with a ton of amazing food. Upon arrival the staff were very polite and check-in was easy. The room was clean and the bathroom even had a bidet for those who are more adventurous in that aspect. My only complaint is the mattress and pillows were hard which made sleeping a bit difficult. Also, a cleaning lady tried to come in once when we were still sleeping which was awkward.

I can't put every single place I went as a lot of it was just roaming around and finding things as we went, I do want to highlight some of the best activities and food to inspire your next visit to Seoul!

Food

Marinated Soy Blue Crab - Pro Soy Crab (프로 간장게장)

If you like sushi, then this should be right up your alley. This marinated crab is raw and so much more succulent and flavorful than I would have imagined and this restaurant is in the heart of Gangnam! According to my sources, aka my Korean-American boyfriend, this dish is something you really have to seek out and can be considered a delicacy. The more common version of the dish I've been told is the spicy marinated crab, but it's the soy you want to get. We ordered the medium female crabs with sides of rice which with the banchan and complimentary soup was plenty of food! This was one of the more expensive meals on this trip at around ₩100,000 (approx. $75 USD) or so but was well worth the experience. Do be careful eating these as you break apart the shell, you don't want to accidentally swallow something sharp!

Instant Ramen Cafe - 24-hour Unstaffed Ramen Convenience Store

Funny enough, this was not on the bucket list before we left but something that

came up while on our trip. Did you know that Korea just has these little stores filled with instant ramen and toppings with no cashier and they trust people to just pay at the machine (of course there's still a security camera)??? NEVER would this happen in the USA! Instant ramen definitely gets a bad rep for it's high sodium content and I was iffy about going to just have instant ramen for lunch as it's something I don't even like to eat anymore but I swallowed my "pride" and went anyway. Now, I'm not saying that Korean instant ramen/ramyun is necessarily healthier than the American imports but it sure as hell tasted better! My first reaction was how much less salty it was, which is part of why I've stopped eating it in the US. What is so nifty about this is when you walk in there's a whole wall of dozens of packets to choose from. You then grab one of the disposable bowls and fill it with your soup and noodle contents and place it into the holder under the water dispenser. Fortunately, there was an English translation of the operating instructions and the water came out to the perfect level, the machine boiled the noodles and had a countdown with a beeper when it was ready. You then filled our bowl with whatever available toppings you wanted, I did fish cake and green onion, plus a side of kimchi and enjoy! This was such a fun experience and something I would definitely do again! Oh yeah plus for two people it only cost about $6 USD.....mind blown. Just look one of these up as they have them all over the city! The one I went to was about an eight minute walk from Ikseon-dong Hanok Village.

Wangbijib

I actually found this via another blog when researching what to do in Myeongdong and sadly I can't find them again, but thank you so much for the recommendation! This is a famous BBQ spot with a few locations around Seoul but I specifically went to the second location in Myeongdong. The wait wasn't too bad on a weekday, maybe 10 minutes, but there was still a line. We ordered marinated Soowon galbi and non-marinated sirloin. Now listen. I've had my fair share of Korean BBQ in the United States, for one it's not a cheap meal and I've pretty much always loved the marinated meats the most. Korea, different story entirely! The sirloin on its own, dipped in salt or with samjang.....magical. I think there's just something pure about a high quality piece of meat cooked over fire. The galbi was also great, don't get me wrong, but it's a completely different flavor profile. Korea also has plenty of specialty BBQ spots that only serve one kind of animal which we did a few times as well so don't pass up on those either! It's a totally different experience from the ones that do "everything". Plus BBQ in Korea is about 1/3 of the price of what it costs in the US.

Honeycomb Ice Cream

I first saw this from an influencer I follow that lives in Korea and as it's something I've never seen in my part of the world it was a must try! Surprisingly, I found it on my first night in town at a street fair in Myeongdong at one of the food stands. This isn't just ice cream that tastes like honeycomb, although I've had that and it's amazing, it's vanilla ice cream with a real piece of sticky honeycomb on top and it's fabulous! The honeycomb is like a natural crunchy candy and is perfectly sweet without being overwhelming. If you can track this down, highly recommend!

Gwangjang Market

If you like stalls upon stalls of endless food this is the spot for you! It's not only a food market, they also sell clothes and other items. This market is hustling and bustling with choices from tteokboki, mandu, ramyun, jeon, fresh squeezed juice and more. There really is something for everyone. I would definitely stop by for a  snack!

Kimchi Jiggae - 김북순김치찌게

If you follow my personal instagram, you would know how much I love to make

this stew at home! Of course it's not the same as getting it straight from the source. This restaurant (unfortunately I couldn't find an English Translation) came as a personal recommendation from my boyfriend's colleague and it did not disappoint! They specialize in kimchi jiggae and offer multiple kinds with their most popular being pork and spam. I went with the traditional pork and it was delicious! They come out in these wide and thin pots that have seen better days but that's what gives them that traditional and home cooked feel. How was it? Fabulous. Just fabulous. I would say one stew per person with rice and banchan is a filling meal, plus think of all those probiotics from the fermented kimchi!

Lamb Skewers

This is another thing that wasn't on my list before departing on this adventure. My trip dates happened to coincide with my sister's birthday who to lives around Seoul (I swear I didn't plan that) and this meal was her request for her special day since I was able to see her. I can't recommend a specific restaurant as we just found the closest one to us that sold them, but the concept is semi-similar to K-BBQ except it's Korean/Chinese fusion. You order your raw skewers and cook them on a roller grill at your table. Superb! We also got boiled dumplings plus banchan (because you get that everywhere). Banchan did feel a little out of place with the Chinese element of the meal.

Historical Sites

Gyeongbokgung Palace

If you're going to see just one palace in Seoul, make it this one! It's the main palace of the Joseon dynasty and the one where everyone wears the traditional Hanbok (you get free entry if you wear one!). Sadly, I forgot and didn't rent one, but wasn't alone in that regard. It's also incredibly cheap to get in anyway, right around ₩3000 per person. Walk the whole grounds and see everything! It's a truly magnificent sight to behold and perfect for photos. 

Deoksugung Palace

This is a smaller walled compound of palaces that has been mostly dismantled.

However, what remains is beautiful! There's also an interesting mix of traditional and Western architecture. Entry only costs around ₩3000 and it's worth it for sure. They also have a changing of the guard ceremony if you can catch it!

Seodaemun Prison

Not all history is magical, as we know, and the stories within the walls of this place are nothing but dark. I still highly recommend visiting if you want a more in-depth understanding of the history of Korea and some of the atrocities they experienced even up into the last century. I probably spent a good hour and half here and I won't lie to you when I say it's chilling. During my visit though school children were there on a trip and I respect Korea for making sure everyone knows their country's history, even the bad. If you're particularly sensitive to the topics of war and torture it might be better to skip out on this one, but for those who are not it's an enlightening piece of history. Cost of entrance is around ₩3000.

Jongmyo Shrine

This absolutely gorgeous shrine we stumbled upon by accident and I'm so glad we did! As soon as you walk in there's an elevated stone path that you're not supposed to walk on as it's "for the spirits" (there was a sign with a translation). There's beautiful greenery, traditional buildings and plenty of other walking paths. We also found a cat! Spent about 45 minutes walking around and it was worth every second. They do host tours but only in Korean. Cost of entrance is ₩1000.

Shopping

COEX Starfield Mall

Right in Gangnam this mall is the home to an aquarium, stores, restaurants, and even a convention center. We mostly stopped by because this was a recommendation but what we quickly learned is this also connects to a few other massive shopping centers, so it was easy to accidentally leave COEX. An interesting place to take kids, plus it's the largest mall in Asia!

Namdaemun Market

This is an outdoor market filled with stalls selling spices, fish, souvenirs, clothes, etc. I actually picked myself up a brand new coin purse here! Very fun if you're looking to do some souvenir shopping that's not super touristy.

Ikseon-dong Hanok Village

This is essentially a market built into old style Korean buildings. It's definitely a bit more of a touristy vibe but if you want to pick up some boutique clothes, have some yummy snacks, or enjoy outdoor Korean BBQ it's a great place to walk around! This is also the oldest Hanok village in Seoul!

7-Eleven

If you're not aware, 7-Eleven is completely different in Asia than in the United States. I've now been to them in both Taiwan & South Korea and let me tell you the US better step up because it doesn't compare at all! You can get actual edible food that won't kill you and the place is CLEAN! I know this seems like an odd recommendation but please just trust me and check it out. Plus, it's a great spot to grab super cheap drinks on the go!

Activities for Couples

Namsan Tower

You may have heard about the Love Lock Bridge in Paris, but did you know that Korea has their own version at Namsan Tower? You buy a lock for ₩10,000 and write on it you and your sweetheart's name to the thousands of others from around the world! They'll also try to sell you a permanent marker for ₩1000, so I recommend having one with you. The tower itself is also really interesting as it's an observation deck and has a great view of Seoul!

Sauna

Korea is famous for spas & saunas! I only had time to check out one during my trip but it was unique indeed! I wound up going to a regular sauna and got there an hour before they closed, but to me this was the perfect amount of time to be there. It also only cost ₩12,000 which is such a steal. At least for the spot that I went to, there were two sets of lockers. In the first one you placed your shoes and in the second the rest of your belongings including all your clothes! You guessed it, you do this naked! Before jumping in you quickly shower and then into the tubs you go. Now I should probably preface that these do tend to be segregated by sex so this will be some great personal relaxation time that you and your special someone can chat about after you're done rather than do together. Plunging between the hot and cold baths really helped increase my circulation (at least that's how it felt to me) and after I felt very refreshed! Was a bit awkward being nude in front of the cleaning lady that was probably annoyed we got there so close to closing, but still a great experience!

Noraebang

If you enjoy karaoke, then this is right up your alley! Noraebang is the Korean version and they have two styles, room and coin. Basically pay-per-hour or pay-per-song. I only went to the pay-per-hour version but will have to check out the coin version next time! Something I really appreciated was the HUGE, popular, and recent selection of English songs which is something I've had issues with in song books in other countries. Alcohol is plentiful and it's just an overall great time. The control device is, however, all in Korean so hopefully you speak it, know someone who does, or have an app that can translate images. Do not skip out on this as it's great any day of the week!

Best Apps to Download Before You Go

Naver Map - Google & Apple maps don't work!

Do not try to rely on Google or Apple, you will get frustrated! Download Naver so you can navigate around Korea with ease! Even typing in English versions of locations I was able to find 99% of the places I wanted to go and the directions worked really well! Kakao maps is another option, but I heard Naver is superior.

App Store

Google Play

Kakao T - Uber of Korea

Works very similarly to taxi or ride shares apps in the US, except the app doesn't completely translate in English. Thankfully, we were able to select the correct taxi type with the help of the front desk at our hotel when checking out to go to the airport. Otherwise, it worked perfectly! Taxis are also very inexpensive! A one hour taxi ride to the airport only cost about ₩65,000.

App Store

Google Play

Naver Papago - AI Translator

I know there are plenty of translating apps out there to choose from but this was the one recommended to me by someone I know who lives in Korea and it was very helpful! You can take photos of things in Korean, it will scan the image, and replace it with the text of the language you need right on the picture. Don't forget, non-human translations aren't perfect, but if you're like me and your hangul needs a lot of work, it was a god send for when something wasn't in English. 

App Store

Google Play

Airline You're Flying

A lot of airlines offer free messaging for long haul flights and if you don't have it downloaded ahead of time you could miss out on that! Plus it's great to get real time alerts if anything if your flight changes.

Need Data?

Holafly

Personally, my main phone plan in the US is Mint Mobile and I love them dearly. It's cheap and I've noticed no change in service since switching from "the big guys". However, their international options SUCK. So for someone like me that's a problem. Here comes Holafly! They provide international eSims so when you land in your destination country you can immediately go live. Of course you can always pick up a local sim too if that's more your style. I had zero issues with my eSim and my data was perfect. I got an 8GB plan for $45 that lasted for 30 days. Too be honest I used 5GB in 7 days.

VLOG - Part 1