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A Guide To Gift Giving In Korea: From Weddings To Housewarming Parties
Whether you’re just living in Korea for a short time, living for an extended period, or perhaps marry into the culture, it’s important to know proper gift giving etiquette in Korea. When you’re in another country and are invited to an event that involves giving the person you’re celebrating a gift, it is so important to do your research and not look clueless or worse, give something taboo. This is the guide for those people living in Korea or coming to Korea for an event, check out this guide if you want gifts to give your Korean-loving friends. If you’re wondering what the best gift to give at a wedding…
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Tea Therapy: The Cafe and Foot Bath To Find In Bukchon
There’s never a bad reason to head downtown to Jongno in Seoul. I often find myself there when I want to spend time in a tea house, get a view of Hanok rooftops or just take a stroll and find something new to see. Tea Therapy (티테라피) is one of those wonderful spots I visited some months back on a stroll in the area. If you like tea or you just want a lovely place to take a break near the Bukchon Hanok Village, this is most certainly a spot to get on your list. Looking for a tea house in Jongno? Here’s more information about Tea Therapy: (This post contains…
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SKIN1004: The Madagascar Centella Toner & Ampoule Review
Centella asiatica has most certainly become one of my favorite skincare ingredients so it probably comes as no surprise that I really love the Madagascar Centella Toning Toner and the Madagascar Centella Ampoule from SKIN1004. I was actually surprised though since the toner and ampoule seemed quite light and watery but they really pack a wonderful punch of hydration. Want to learn about SKIN1004 and their Kbeauty products? Here is the review on this Korean skincare company that produces EWG green grade products. Need some centella, or cica, goodness? You need to try these. Are you ready to dive in to this review? Let’s go! (This post contains affiliate links,…
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WoodWatch: The Eco-Friendly Watch & BlueBlock Lense Review
When you start down the path of eco-friendly and sustainable living, you begin to notice the things that are staring you in the face that aren’t. One I noticed happened to be on my wrist. I had gotten a compostable phone case from Pela when I needed to replace my old one, and started buying Allbirds sustainable shoes over anything else so when it was time to get a watch, it was time for WoodWatch to step in. Because wood is free of harmful toxins and artificial materials, a wooden watch is not only the sustainable and eco-conscious choice, but it’s also better for your body. If you’re looking for…
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Gangjin’s Secrets: What To Do In Jeollanam-do, Korea
There are plenty of places around Korea to take an adventure and some are really hidden. This year has been the year for adventuring to hidden gems in Korea, hasn’t it? Gangjin is a beautiful place to go in Jeollanam-do. I’ve been to and through the area twice and both times in the spring and was lucky to just find the most gorgeous cherry blossom lined lanes with absolutely no traffic nor people. Ever wonder where you can see cherry blossoms in Korea? Literally every where and if you just take a drive to the far reaches, you’ll find cherry blossoms that only you will be enjoying. Are you ready…
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What You Need To Know About Taxes If You’re An American In Korea
Have you moved to Korea? Working as an ESL teacher for a year or starting a business perhaps? Whether you’re living here for a short time or long term, you’ll want to be aware of what you need to do to file taxes. Did you know, as an American, you’re expected to file taxes every year no matter where you’re living? Not every country requires this but as an American expat, it is your responsibility to file taxes. If you’re an American living in Korea, make sure you know how to file taxes from abroad. If at some point you move home and you never filed, you could find yourself…
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Naksan Temple: A Guide To The Seaside Temple In Yangyang-Gun
A few years ago I remember hearing someone remark that Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in Busan was the only seaside temple in Korea. I sat back in my chair and thought about my trip to Naksansa Temple (낙산사) in Yangyang-gun and how it most surely must count as a seaside temple with a pavilion and paths that literally take you to Naksan Beach and waves that splash against the cliffs beneath your feet. There are often signs placed on landmarks on sites here that read the “tallest this”, or the “largest that” and they will be a string of words that are technically correct, but not really true in the way…
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Where To Buy A Baby Hanbok Online: Joteta
The first time most families look into buying a Hanbok is when their child is turning 100 days old or celebrating their first birthday. To celebrate the occasion and to hold a Dol Ceremony, the first purchase is a baby Hanbok. If you’re abroad, that can be a bit tricky as there are far less retailers than you can find if you’re in Korea. That said, online shopping is become the standard and it’s getting easier and easier whether you’re in Korea or abroad to get everything you need with just a click of a button. I’ve been asked again and again from readers abroad where to buy a baby…
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How To Rent Bikes In Seoul: Bike On The Han River Or Just Get From A To B
Do you want to see Seoul, Korea in a different way? Wonder how easy it is to rent a bike in Seoul? Getting around the city can be super fun. I know for me, when I want to make a day of traversing around the city, I want to make it more memorable. Of course walking is a great way to explore any city, but sometimes you want to put the pedal to the metal. Korea has so many different options for biking and scooter rentals to ride around the city and parks. The ones I’ll be telling you about in this post are located in Seoul but there are…
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Farm Kamille: A Beautiful Garden To See In Taean-gun
Farm Kamille (팜카밀레) is a gorgeous garden in Chungcheongbuk-do that makes a great addition to any trip to Taean-gun. I’ve been to Taean-gun on the west coast of Korea a few times now and each time find something beautiful to see. It’s an area of Korea that is easy to get to from Seoul and makes a perfect weekend away without much hassle. You could easily spend a weekend seeing plenty from the beaches to the gardens and parks. Take a road trip and stop at Ami Museum on the way or in the spring don’t miss the flowers on the mountainside at Yoogibanggaoak and you’ll end up with a…
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Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence: My Review Of The Best Sunscreen Out There
The biggest take away I’ve had from the Kbeauty events I’ve been to and the Kbeauty influencers I’ve befriended is that the must use skincare product is sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen. Some suncreens are better than others and it took me a little bit to find my favorite sunscreen and the best sunscreen to wear with makeup but I do believe, this is the one. The Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence SPF 50 was actually one of the first sunscreens I started using consistently many years ago, tried some others, but ultimately, I’ve come back to it and will succinctly say, this is indeed the best sunscreen in my opinion. Whether…
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Yongmeori Coast: What You Need To See On Jeju Island
There are stunning natural wonders to see all over Jeju Island which is why it’s one of my favorite places in all of Korea to visit. On a recent trip, we made it down to Yongmeori Coast (용머리해안), or Dragon’s Head Cliff, and enjoyed quite the afternoon exploring the cliffs, mountains and views that can be had there. Yongmeori Coast is a tourist site on the southwest coast of Jeju Island which is important to note because Jeju Island is large so you’ll want to explore it in quadrants to make the best use of your time. Yongmeori Coast is definitely a must-see on Jeju Island and something you need…
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Chuidasun: The Hotel For Tea & Meditation Lovers On Jeju Island
Chuidasun Resort is one of the newest additions to the list of official Wellness Travel Destinations recommended by the Korea Tourism Organization and I got to visit for some tea ceremonies, meditation, and Jeju views recently. If you’re a tea-lover coming to Korea, or a tea-lover heading to Jeju I should say, check out this stay to check in. Jeju is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Korea and though I’ve visited the Hawai’i of Korea four times, I’m still seeing new and amazing places. This is definitely one of the best places to stay in Jeju if you want to visit the east side of the…
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The Gimpo Sculpture Park: A Fun Thing To Do Near Seoul
Always on the lookout for nature and artistic spots, seeing anything on that map that possibly melds the two becomes a must-see for me. After visiting the beautiful Anyang Art Park down south, I began searching for other art parks around Seoul and Korea to see what else there was to find and the nearby Gimpo Sculpture Park (김포조각공원) came onto my radar. I haven’t spent a lot of time in Gimpo and generally just pass through as I’m headed to the Gimpo Airport bound or other spots but there are some great things to do in Gimpo and it’s an easy area to get to if you’re still looking…
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Teamlab Is Finally Back In Seoul With teamlab:LIFE!
After quite the hiatus from Seoul, Korea, teamLab is finally back! If you missed it a few years ago, there was actually a long term exhibition in Jamsil’s Lotte World Tower called teamLab: World that was awesome. Unfortunately, after a couple years, it closed. Anyone in Korea hoping to visit teamLab were relegated to taking a trip to “nearby” Tokyo to see teamLab: Borderless or Shanghai’s teamLab: Borderless. If you like teamLab, you should still probably go, BUT before teamLab: World ends here in Seoul, go go go! This is NOT a long term exhibit like Borderless or World, this exhibition is only running until April so NOW is most…
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Ami Art Museum: Stop In Chungcheongnam-do Now
Whenever I plan road trips or a day trip in Korea, I get on my map and find all of the random bits and bobs that I’ve tagged and see if anything aligns. So often the coolest of places are found in the most random of places and then ideally, there’s a restaurant or cafe nearby with food so the trip has an experience, some refreshments, and something beautiful. One of my favorite finds that we’ve now visited a few times when moving back and forth across nearby Chungcheongnam-do is Ami Art Museum (아미미술관). It’s a place that combines art, nature, and there’s a nice cafe to get a coffee…
