I came prepared to visit Seoul with a stack of local currency, an eSIM card, and a list of sights to visit. Those 10 days flew by, and leaving Seoul felt like being awoken in the middle of a fantastic dream. There’s no end to the cultural, culinary, and wallet-opening opportunities here. This is a brief overview, accompanied by about 1/20th of my photo collection. Please feel free to leave any tips or discoveries for our readers who may be considering a future visit!
Coffee Culture
Whether you’re into Starbucks, local coffee brands or sipping at luxurious cafés, you’ll find that Seoul is a coffee paradise! Frappuccinos are sold in some pretty interesting flavours too, and when the weather is steamy, nothing refreshes quite like an iced americano (I dig Mega Coffee, many locations around the city and affordable).
A Fabulous Metro System
Pick up a T-Money Card at any CU, 7-Eleven or GS25, load it up with cash, and get onto the subway! Seoul’s got an extensive multi-line (air conditioned!) network with signage and on-board announcements in both Korean and English. Use the Naver app on your smart phone and let the live map guide you right from start to finish (including the all-important metro EXIT to take once you’ve arrived).
Tapping in and out of the station turnstile shows current card balance, and you can top up inside metro stations and at convenience stores (cash only). Also note that you can use the T-Money Card to pay for purchases at the above convenience stores (plus many smaller shops around Seoul).
Markets
For food, souvenirs, and cheap threads, check out some of the city’s famous markets (Namdaemun, Gwangjang, and Dongdaemun are the three major ones). Within these markets are alleys spreading in all directions, with locals packing the restaurants in the evening (I spotted grilled fish and whole chicken stew alleys in Dongdaemun!).
The Kingdom of Cute Friends
Once you’ve made your way into Seoul, expect to find branded friends animals, keychains, plushies, collectible figurines, toys, accessories, foodstuffs, and the list goes on. HBAF and Friends, Kakao Friends, Line Friends, K-Pop Friends, and Wiggle Wiggle are just a few of collections I encountered during my time here.
And yes, I’ve became a fan of both HBAF (Honey Butter Almond and Friends, a snack brand) and Wiggle Wiggle, giving in with my wallet while adding some ultra-cute goods to my suitcase to bring home.
People are Friendly and Trustworthy
Seoul is a very safe place to travel around without worrying about theft. While I kept my passport in hotel safes, many tourists brought them along on duty-free shopping missions. Pro tip: Shops can provide duty-free refunds on the spot once you’ve spent 15,000 won or more (or in some cases, give a barcoded receipt to declare a refund at the airport).
[High above the city via the Namsam Cable Car]
Koreans are both friendly and helpful, and I took the time to chat with several locals while exploring. At COEX Mall, a Korean woman on her lunch hour spent nearly 20 minutes walking me through the enormous basement level to help me choose a lunch spot!
At Wiggle Wiggle, a group of Korean girls gave me endless tips on the best things to buy as they worked on their hauls.
[At Jogyesa Temple, Insadong]
I spent 10 days in the Korean capital, which was just the tip of the iceberg. You could easily plan to spend a month here, as high-speed trains will whisk you to other regions worthy of your time as well.
[Love locks on Namsan Mountain]
Make a list of desired spots to explore, then plan on cutting that list in half: You’ll become easily drawn to hidden streets, cute toy/souvenir ops, and more photo-worthy places!
Also note that Seoul is a shopping MECCA. I’ve seen tourists literally packing suitcases in stores with K-beauty products, cute toys, and snacks, which appear to be the top three things to bring home.
Also, if you’re headed out this way from the US, I highly recommend stopping at your local Trader Joe’s and picking up several canvas tote shopping bags to make some fast friends!
The tote is a hot commodity, and I spotted dozens during my time here. Who knew that such a simple bag would become a hit all the way over here!
[Come on, you know you want to! Get up close to the Gangnam Style statue and dance like nobody’s watching]
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