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Yulgok Botanical Garden and The Hillside Of Chrysanthemums To Find This Fall
If it has “botanical garden” in the name, you can trust that it’s saved on my map to see. If you’re adventuring in the Paju area and heading northwest of Seoul, you’ll want to have it on your list to visit especially in autumn in Korea. Yulgok Botanical Garden (율곡수목원) has one of the most beautiful Siberian chrysanthemum covered hillsides in all of Korea. Of course there are plenty of other reasons to go, but this was the highlight for us, not to mention the cosmos and reeds waving int the winds. Am I making you ready for a fall escape yet? Yulgok Botanical Garden definitely demands a spot on…
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Doganitang: What Is Korean Ox Knee Soup and How To Eat It
The first time I had doganitang (도가니탕), or Korean ox knee soup, I had just finished an English lesson and my 70 year old student invited me to lunch. He was the kind of older Korean guy there was no declining, so I went along and was quite taken aback when the soup he’d ordered us was filled with some sort of gelatinous meat. I wasn’t completely sold at first. But my old friend had good taste, and I knew to trust him and eat what was in front of us. Over the years, doganitang has become one of my favorite Korean soups. On a scale of basic to adventurous…
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The Gimnyeong Craft Metal Mural Village: The Olle-gil Route Where Art & Nature Collide
If you’ve visited Jeju Island in South Korea, you’ve likely come across information regarding the Jeju Olle-gil or Jeju Walking Trail, a path that circles the entire island as well as a number of islands that you can get to easily from Jeju. This walking trail offers a beautiful way to see the coastline of the island, enjoy the beaches, and for many, it becomes a goal to complete the entire thing. If you do, you’ll come to realize that not all parts of the trail are the same. In fact, they each have their own tale to weave really. One such path that has quite an interesting story to…
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Cruises In Korea: From Port Of Incheon And Beyond!
I’m recently back from a cruise down the Elbe River in Europe and enjoyed the hop-on-hop-off aspect of the travel. Seeing so many cities but having one bed. It was fantastic actually and made me wonder why I hadn’t heard more about cruise ships in Korea more. The peninsula is surrounded by water after all. I’ve seen cruise ships in the ocean waters outside of Busan and Jeju Island and wondered, how popular are South Korea cruises? I think they should be more popular. The world of passenger ship cruises has experienced a surge in popularity, with travelers seeking unique and diverse destinations but it seems like a lot of…
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Sundubu Jjigae In Seoul: Where To Eat This Korean Tofu Stew
My first few years in Korea, I had a friend who loved sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개) with a passion that I simply didn’t share yet. It became her comfort food and she ordered it meal after meal. While she had committed to the soft tofu stew immediately, it took me years to appreciate it as much as she did. Now it’s one of my favorites, the kind of dish I start craving and then have to go get immediately. A lot of international visitors are put off by sundubu jjigae on first sight because the bright red color suggests something extremely spicy. It isn’t. The red comes from the gochugaru pepper…
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Lavender Fields In Korea: Where To Find Them
There’s something about the aroma of lavender that just can’t be beat. I can’t help but reach for a lavender shrub when I see one to rub a few leaves between my fingers so that I can enjoy that enchanting scent. If you’re visiting Korea this summer, be sure to take a daytrip to find one of the beautiful lavender fields. There are so many beautiful places to visit and if they have flowers, all the better. This summer in Korea, you should definitely take a trip to see some of the beautiful lavender fields. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale…
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Boribap: What Is Korean Barley Rice and Where To Find It In Seoul
I’m often asked for my tips and tricks for traveling around Korea and finding good food. While there are a plethora of both Korean and international food options when you’re in the heart of Seoul, get out into the countryside and sometimes it can be difficult especially if you’re traveling with children or picky eaters. So, let me tell you what works EVERY TIME! Find the boribap (보리밥) restaurant. Boribap restaurants can look unassuming, rustic even, and sometimes just a room attached to a house, but you will absolutely find the best food made with locally grown vegetables and on top of that, it’s kid-friendly, vegetarian-friendly, and the best part,…
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Samgyetang: What Is It and Where To Eat It In Seoul
If you’ve ever experienced the hottest of summers when the sweat pours and the lethargy and lack of energy takes over leading to afternoon siestas, you may think you already know how to fight the heat. But do you know how to fight the hottest of summer temperatures Korean style? In Korea, there is a concept called iyeol chiyeol (이열치열), basically controlling heat with heat, or fighting fire with fire as we say in English. On the hottest days of the summer in Korea, instead of going for cold treats like patbingsu or even cold soups, of which there are many delicious Korean cold soups, Koreans eat the hottest bowls…
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How To Ride a Bus in Seoul: Colors, Cards, Fares, and All Four Types
When it comes to transportation in Seoul, the infrastructure is amazing. The Seoul Subway System is vast and usually the easiest to use for newcomers. The buses on the other hand, tend to be the hardest for newcomers to master. Bus routes can definitely help you reach certain places a lot easier though, so let me help you learn how to use the buses in Seoul. I personally enjoy taking the bus more than the subway because I can look out the windows and see what’s going on and spot sights in neighborhoods I might not know existed. If you’re going longer distances, the subway is probably your best choice,…
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Tongdosa Temple: The Korean Temple with No Buddha Statue
I’ve heard it said that if you’ve seen on temple in Korea, you’ve seen them all and yet I find that so many of them have history and intrigue far more than people realize. If you’ve visited several Korean Buddhist temples, you may think you know what to expect in the main hall, a large gilded Buddha statue, flanked by attendants, facing the entrance perhaps. At Tongdosa Temple (통도사), Korea’s largest monastic complex, the main hall has no Buddha statue at all however. Surprising isn’t it? Visit and you’ll find a cushion, a window, and beyond the window, a stone altar holding relics of Sakyamuni Buddha himself: a piece of…
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Gwanghwamun Square: What Lies Beneath
How many times have you walked along Gwanghwamun Square? How many events have you seen at Gwanghwamun Square? Have you ever gone beneath the square that sits just south of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul though? The last time I was there and went down to see what was going on, I found the amazing space completely empty. As I made my way through the underground workings, I only came upon two groups of kindergarten students and their teachers. Because of that, I decided to write about what lies beneath Gwanghwamun Square and why you should really go to check it out. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive…
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Culture Day in South Korea: Free Things To Do In Seoul and More
Are you traveling to Korea and wondering how to stretch your budget without missing out? The good news is that South Korea makes it easy. A little local secret known as Culture Day (문화가 있는 날) provides free and discounted entry to museums, palaces, cinemas, performances, and more throughout the country every Wednesday! First launched in 2014, Culture Day was created to make cultural experiences more accessible to everyone, regardless of budget. For over a decade, it ran on the last Wednesday of each month, drawing locals and visitors alike with a wave of deals across hundreds of participating venues. Now, following a Cabinet-approved revision to South Korea’s Framework Act…
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What Is a Korean Ajumma? Meaning, Stereotypes & Why Everyone in Korea Knows Them
When I first came to Korea, I had just graduated from university and I was pretty bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had no idea what was what and I was floating through life having fun, attending parties that seemingly never ended, and traveling around South Korea and other nearby countries. Switch to now and I’ve just turned 40 and l’ve learned how to transition into this next stage of my life from the iconic Korean ajummas that I’ve called neighbors for most of my adult life. After almost two decades living in Seoul and now spending time across Korea, I’ve met countless ajummas who have become part of my…
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Korea House Seoul: Kohojae Royal Tea, Hanjeongsik & Traditional Performance
Ten minutes up the road from the popular Myeongdong shopping district and set near the Namsangol Hanok Village and Pildong mural streets, there’s a driveway that leads up to Korea House (한국의집). What is Korea House? It’s a traditional Hanok culture complex in central Seoul, run by the Cultural Heritage Administration, where you can have a royal-style Korean tea set or full hanjeongsik dinner alongside a traditional performance. It’s actually one the most budget-friendly introductions to Korean culture in my opinion, and yet so many tourists miss it. The tea sets change seasonally and I’ve been in both winter and summer now. If you’re staying in Myeongdong, it is an…
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The Glass Hanok To Find In Hwaseong at the Hwaseong Botanical Garden
When I first saw a photos of Hwaseong Botanical Garden Greenhouse (화성시 우리꽃 식물원) I was awestruck. Like any beautiful greenhouse, it’s all glass and gorgeous, but here, there’s an added and very unique-to-Korea addition, it’s in the shape of a traditional Korean Hanok. If you’ve walked down the Hanok lined streets of Bukchon or visited the Eunpyeong Hanok Village, you’ll know how beautiful a Hanok can be. Now, a gorgeously huge glass Hanok, that is a sight to behold. We love taking road trips in Korea and finding botanical gardens and outdoor spaces along the way to stop and stretch and Hwaseong Botanical Garden Greenhouse made for the perfect…
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Donghwasa Temple: A Beautiful Buddhist Temple in Daegu
When spring breezes sweep across South Korea, one of my favorite pastimes is visiting Buddhist temples. Decorated with colorful lotus lanterns for Buddha’s Birthday, the temples that are always a welcome respite are even more welcoming and beautiful at this time of the year. Donghwasa Temple in Daegu, one of the top scenic sites of the city, is especially beautiful in the spring. With sprawling grounds, lots of history, and stories to tell, if you’re headed to Daegu soon, be sure to visit Donghwasa. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank…
