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Grocery Stores In Korea: Supermarkets, Convenience Stores and Online Options
If you’ve just moved to Korea and are wondering where to pick up your groceries, you’ve come to the right place. Moving country comes with various questions, but the first one on most peoples’ minds once they land and have a house is where to get food. Fortunately, there are plenty of options when it comes to Korean supermarkets. Whether you’re looking for your favorite, or maybe soon-to-be favorite, Korean snacks, or the cooking staples your kitchen needs, find out more about the grocery stores in Korea. From fresh produce, meat, or seafood, or the foods to simply satisfy your cravings, this guide will have you covered. There are a…
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Tipping In Korea: The Complete Guide to Tipping Culture, Etiquette, and When It’s Actually Rude
I was out for lunch with an old Korean halabeoji, or grandpa, I’ve known for about a decade. He’s the kind of man who orders soju at noon without hesitation and insists you join him even if you have work afterward. We go to all kinds of restaurants together and he acts like he knows everyone everywhere. He might honestly. On this particular day, he did something that genuinely surprised me. On the way out, he tipped the restaurant staff. Then he tipped the valet who brought his car around. Tipping in Korea is not the norm. But it happens, and knowing when it’s appropriate, when it’s unnecessary, and when…
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4 Arts and Nature Places To See In Wanju, Korea
Headed to Jeonju, Korea soon and want to get off the beaten path a bit? You should go to Wanju. This quiet county in Jeollabuk-do is rich in history and culture and has some really cool regenerated arts and culture spaces. Get ready for an adventure to see the Sansok Lighthouse, Samrye Culture and Arts Village, Daea Arboretum and more! It’s off the beaten path and worth adding a day in Jeonju to see. Get ready for an trip to Wanju: (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 you for your…
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Where To Get A Facial In Seoul: Spas, Clinics and What To Expect
Where do you get a facial in Seoul, and more importantly, how do you book one without speaking Korean? I get this question constantly, partly because I go to Korean beauty events regularly, and partly because most facial guides for visitors stop at “go to Myeongdong” without explaining what actually happens once you’re in the chair. The short answer is that Seoul is one of the best cities in the world to get a facial, and visitors are only just starting to catch on. Taking care of one’s appearance is woven into daily Korean life: bath houses in every neighborhood, public exercise equipment on every block, beauty shops lining every…
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A List of K-Dramas With Great Stories and Catchy Music
This list of Korean dramas probably isn’t like other lists you’ve seen. It’s not a list of the best K-dramas of all time, or the top Korean dramas of this year even. My husband, Jae-oo Jeong, is a guitarist and music producer and he has written and produced music for almost 20 Korean dramas… I might be forgetting a few. This list is a list for the Korean drama lover of music and good OSTs. I might be a bit bias, but I can say without a doubt that my husband and his team were some of the first music producers in Korea to produce musical scores for Korean television…
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7 Tadao Ando Buildings To See In Korea
You might walk down the streets of Korea and conclude that the architecture is not much to write home about. Apartment towers all look the same. Cement buildings sprawl in every direction with traditional Hanok villages interspersed. But if you know where to look, there are some remarkable architectural gems scattered across the country, and a surprising number of them were designed by a single architect. Tadao Ando has seven buildings in Korea, spread across Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and Jeju Island. For architecture lovers, this makes Korea an unexpectedly rewarding destination. For travelers who happen to stumble into Museum San or the Glass House, they tend to leave wondering why…
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Donuimun Museum Village: Explore Seoul In The 1960s
[The Donuimun Museum Village has been closed for renovation from August 31, 2025.] When people think about traveling back in time in Seoul, they often think of visiting the traditional Bukchon Hanok Village and walking down alleys still resembling time during the Joseon Dynasty. There’s another historical village area that you can visit though called the Donuimun Museum Village (돈의문박물관마을). This historical neighborhood will have you picturing Seoul in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Visit living museum spaces, eat lunch, and experience the nostalgia of the period. Visit this historical village in the heart of Seoul: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a…
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Gaehang-ro: Explore This Cool Neighborhood In Incheon
Incheon has a lot of cool things to see and do and one neighborhood you should check out if you like good food, reading, and nice cafes, is Gaehang-ro (개항로). Full of established book stores and newtro cafes, there is a lot to hunt out and enjoy. There are a lot of cool things to see in Incheon and since it’s just west of Seoul, it makes for a great daytrip from Seoul. This is a cool little area to spend the day in hopping from good eatery to café to gallery. Ready to see what’s cool in Gaehang-ro? (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain…
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How To Get Korean Snacks Outside of Korea
(Note: Seoulbox has discontinued service.) I don’t know about you, but I love Korean snacks. There’s sweet, savory, salty, something for everyone really. Also there are special snack releases in Korea, seasonal snack releases in Korea, and Kpop related snack releases in Korea. Just… so many options! You might need to visit Korea to see what I mean. But, even if you can’t visit now or later, you can still get some awesome Korean snacks shipped right to your door and here’s how. Get Korean snacks right to your door with this Korean snack subscription box: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a…
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MIZON Phyto Plump Collagen Line Review: All 5 Products Tested
Heard of collagen? Heard it’s good for your skin? Well, you heard right and MIZON’s Phyto Plump Collagen Line is really good for your skin. I love learning more about the Korean beauty and Korean skincare scene and am forever grateful for the beauty mentors in my life pointing me in the right direction when it comes to skincare. I was told this line would provide a more youthful appearance and hydration and boy did I get that in spades. I tested the entire MIZON Phyto Plump Collagen line including toner, serum, eye patches, day cream, and night cream and here is what I thought. Learn more about the MIZON…
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Eungbongsan: Where To See Forsythias This Spring In Korea
Spring in Korea is gorgeous and most people look forward to the cherry blossoms that will bloom across the country. However, there are some flowers that bloom just a bit earlier and as soon as they do, they paint the scenery a glorious yellow. If you’re ready for spring and are ready for any and all flowers, then don’t miss the forsythias (개나리). You can find them all over, but one mountainside stands out when we mention forsythias in Seoul and that is Eungbongsan Mountain (응봉산) because it’s just covered in the beautiful golden yellow flowers. This mountain is small and easy to get up and down on in just…
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Ordering Food and Groceries Online With Shuttle In Korea
If you tried to order food online in Korea, chances are you’ve come across Shuttle (셔틀) especially if you were searching in English. The company that caters to foreigners looking for foreign food continues to add more services for their growing customer base across South Korea. Want to order food online in Korea? Get groceries delivered to your door when going to the grocery store in Korea is overwhelming? There are options and even if you don’t have a local bank account or bank card, you can still use Shuttle which makes them the go-to option for tourists in Korea too. Staying in a hotel but want to order in?…
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What To Do in Suwon, Korea: Hwaseong Fortress, Food & Getting Around
Is Suwon worth a day trip from Seoul? Absolutely, yes! With access to the subway line in Seoul and buses going back and forth quickly, Suwon is an easy day trip, too. Over time it has become very popular for urban and cultural development leading it to be an excellent area of interest for travelers and locals alike. Built entirely around a UNESCO fortress you can walk, bike, or ride a trolley around. Walk along the Hwaseong Fortress Walls and then take a hot air balloon ride up over to get the full scope of the fortress. See art and eat chicken… maybe even spend a weekend in Suwon to…
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Seoul Upcycling Plaza and Sewerage Museum: Learning With Kids
Someone recently asked me about where to take kids to teach them about sustainability in Seoul and I realized I had never posted about our trip to the Seoul Upcycling Plaza (서울새활용플라자) and the nearby, literally just in front, Seoul Sewerage Museum (서울하수도과학관). From how poo goes through pipes and gets reused to upcycling trash, there is a lot to learn between these two cool places. There’s also a great outdoor park here. If you’re looking for some great museums and learning spaces in Seoul, check these two out in Seongdong-gu. It’s just one of many great things to do with kids in Seoul. Get ready to learn about sustainability…
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Having a Baby in Korea as a Foreigner: A Resident’s Guide to Benefits, Leave, and Paperwork
Last verified: September 2026, against the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s April 2026 “Childbirth Support” guide, the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s 2025–2026 leave amendments, and direct Korean-language government sources. This is a living document. If something has changed, leave a comment and I’ll get it fixed. This article is a compilation of information that our local Jax Monchick put together during her stay here in South Korea. If you’re looking to start a family in Korea, there is a lot of information you should be aware of and a lot of things are different if you and your partner are both foreigners versus when you’re married with a Korean…
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19 Cable Cars You Can Find In Korea
When it comes to getting mountain top views in Korea, it’s a lot easier than you might think. Sure, you could hike to the top of those gorgeous mountains, but taking a cable car in Korea is another great option and there are plenty to choose from. Koreans love their mountains and there are suspension bridges and cable cars that make it easier than ever to get up to and enjoy the views. Much like the suspension bridge building boom that has happened over the past decade, cable cars are now prevalent around South Korea. There are some more popular cable cars in Korea than others, and some that take…
