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Christmas In Seoul: The 2024 Holiday Guide To Markets, Lights & Events!
The Christmas season has begun this 2024… at least Starbucks seems to suggest so since they’ve started playing their Christmas CD on repeat. Who is getting excited for the Christmas tree at Starfield Library in COEX and the twinkle lights? Everyone is in search of where to get the holiday goods, gifts and more so I culled this list of markets to check out with mulled wine to quench the holiday thirst, gardens with twinkling lights and holiday events. What will you get into this holiday season? This post has been updated for 2024 and more will be added as companies release their events and restaurants, so get ready. With…
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Ski In Korea: A Guide For Where To Go & How To Get There
When I first came to Korea a decade ago, I packed my bags and that included a snowboard. I remember reading about how mountainous the peninsular country was and after searching “where to ski in Korea” “can I ski in Korea” and “how close to Seoul can I ski?”, I saw numerous options. Korea is very mountainous if you didn’t know and there are plenty of places to go skiing in Korea. Here are the Korean slopes, the Korean ski resorts, and the Korean mountains to check out this winter, where they are, and how to get to them. Plan to stay at some of the awesome ski resorts in…
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Changgyeonggung: The Hidden Palace In Seoul
There are five palaces in Seoul and not all of them attract equal attention. This is good to know if you want to walk around a gorgeous Korean palace WITHOUT all of the crowds. As far as Korean palaces go, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace in Seoul, and Changdeokgung featuring the Secret Garden always seem to top the lists but if you were to ask me, I’d say visiting Changgyeonggung (์ฐฝ๊ฒฝ๊ถ) is even better… for a number of reasons. Different palaces for different feels I guess. I do love Gyeongbokgung from time to time and always take short term tourists there, but if I want to visit a palace and…
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Pocheon: What To See & What To Do Northeast Of Seoul
Pocheon is an area that sits to the northeast of Seoul in the Gyeonggi province. Last summer, I headed northeast to visit the beautiful flowery fields of Nari Park which is just south of the Pocheon area. It was an invitation to explore more in that region this year. Here are some places in Pocheon that are must sees and for those K-drama addicted among us, quite a few recognizable dramas have been filmed in these places, so enjoy! Want a day trip option from Seoul? This is a great area to explore with numerous nature spots and artistic finds too. I’ve got you covered if you’re looking for places…
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The Seoul Derby: Autumn Edition Recap
The Seoul Derby just keeps getting bigger and better each time I host it. Last year, I hosted it just once and thatย wasย the plan this year. However, there were just too many people interested and I was happy to host again if Arielle from Soju4Two was down so hosted again we did. The first one was in the beginning of the summer, as they usually are. If you missed that one AND this one, then get ready next spring and be on the look out! This time around we rounded up the teams at the Malli-dong Plaza near Seoullo. It’s one of my favorite spots with an installation that is…
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The Seoul Botanic Park: Find Nature In Seoul
Whether or not you enjoy gardens or botany, the gorgeous architecture of the large greenhouse is definitely a draw at this new hot spot in Seoul. The Seoul Botanic Park (์์ธ์๋ฌผ์) was opened in Magok in the Gangseo-gu district which was an interesting choice for the massive park. This area of Seoul has been getting a lot of development and even has an Ando Tadao building now, the LG Art Center. This is THE spot to visit in spring in Seoul or even summer in Seoul. We love parks and if you do too, this is definitely one you can’t miss here in Seoul, Korea. Here is where you’ll find…
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Danyang, Korea: A Guide To The Best Things To See & Do
When it comes to getting away and taking a weekend to travel, I know it’s not just me, I search out a coastal city and head straight to the nearest one with an available hotel and a seaside view. The center of Korea has been quite overlooked by me… and I imagine many others, but I’m gonna put this little post up here with a little reminder that there is indeed plenty to see and DO in the middle of Korea. To be fair, I had visited Danyang (๋จ์๊ตฐ) many… many years… okay, maybe a decade ago. It was actually one of the FIRST places I ever enjoyed a weekend…
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Why Namsan Tower Is A Must See In Seoul
If you’re a tourist headed to Seoul, South Korea, chances are you’ve heard of the iconic N Seoul Tower. Nestled atop Namsan Mountain, this observatory offers unforgettable views of Seoul. As one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, this towering structure boasts not only breathtaking panoramic views of the sprawling metropolis but also a rich cultural significance and should definitely be on your Seoul itinerary even if you’re in the city for a short time. Plan your trip to N Seoul Tower now: (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…
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Camp Greaves: An Abandoned Military Base With An Artistic Future In The Korean DMZ
The DMZ has never been calling to me so much as it has this year. I didn’t visit the area for most of the past decade living in Korea and somehow have been quite a few times in just mere months. Here’s the thing, I like authentic historical sites and have never been interested in the touristy/photo zone spots and somehow the DMZ mingles between both. It’s an odd thing for me to go someplace that has so much meaning for separated families and people that fought here, then to see an amusement park and photo zones really throws me. Some areas along the line are worth the trip and…
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The Langogo AI Translator: A Review Of The Real-Time Translation Device
Once you start traveling, you realize how many MORE places there are to see. You might also realize how many of those places don’t speak your language and while some people may be daunted by the thought of going to a place where communication will be difficult, it revs my engines. If you’ve got time to learn some key phrases before you travel, awesome. If not though, in steps an AI translator. Taking a translating device on travels really changes the way you can travel. Maybe you have an allergy or want to make sure the taxi driver is taking you to the right place. In both of those situations…
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Ganghwado: What To Do On The Island Just An Hour From Seoul
Ganghwado Island (๊ฐํ๋) is the fifth largest island in Korea and is one of numerous islands that can be found out in Incheon in northwest Korea. (Want to check out some of the other islands, start with Modo, Sindo, and Sido which you can also see from Ganghwado Island.) It seems to be the next hot spot location… though I didn’t know that the first time I headed out. With flower dreams and beach views, I was in search of an island that was easy to get to. Once I realized Ganghwado Island was just an hour west of the city, no one was going to keep me from visiting…
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Myeongdong, Seoul: What To Do, What To Eat, What To See, & More!
The Myeongdong area in Seoul, Korea is probably the most popular shopping district in the entire city with both international brands and local retail shops bursting from the seams. You can find everything you’re looking for from K-beauty to fashion and some awesomely delicious food in between. Myeongdong is so popular with tourists that most vendors are able and very willing to speak multiple languages to get that sale made. You’ll hear English, Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean as you walk through the alleys of this Seoul hot spot. Because Myeongdong is so popular, I decided to make a guide to some of the spots and surprises you might not know…
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The Hanok Village You’ve Probably Never Heard About In Seoul: The Eunpyeong Hanok Village
Everyone knows about the beautiful Hanok homes that make up Bukchon Hanok Village but have you heard of the Eunpyeong Hanok Village (์ํํ์ฅ๋ง์)? Considering Bukchon residents are looking to limit the number of tourists in and out of their area so they can enjoy more of a residential feel, I thought it high time to let you know about a little spot I found years ago. Actually, I first came upon this area many years back after the hiking club I was with came down off of the Bukhansan Mountain range. At the time only a few Hanoks were standing but it was clear, this was going to be a…
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The Most Colorful Of Places To Find In Seoul RIGHT NOW!
There’s something about summer in Korea that screams go bold, go vibrant, go colorful… or just go home. Granted, with the heat that is overwhelming the country at the moment, the choice to go home might be really really appealing right now. But, there are far too many things to see and beautiful places to go. So, let’s get out there! It’s been a hot minute since I was out taking Friday adventures since most of my pals work on Fridays, but this week the timing just worked and I found a fun gal pal to catch up on our colorful fun together.ย (This post contains affiliate links, which means…
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The Hottest Days of Summer In Korea: What To Know
When it is summer in Korea, it can be surprising just how fierce and fast that heat wave strikes. The added bonus of a monsoon season makes it all the better with humidity up the wazoo. Yes, I said bonus. Is it really? My hair would disagree but I’m from a valley in Ohio so humid summers are nothing new to me. Still, I forget every year just how humid it really is here. Just when you think you know what to expect out of summer in Korea, then Sambok or Boknal arrive and it’s a whole new beast. Are you ready for a hot summer in Korea? (This post…
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Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan: Good Location To Do It All
Back in March, I won a weekend staycation from the Korean beauty brand COSRX to stay in the new Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan. Who doesn’t want to win a hotel stay in Seoul, Korea!? I was excited to say the least. The Novotel Ambassador is one of four hotels in the Seoul Dragon City (์์ธ๋๋๊ณค์ํฐ) lifestyle hotel-plex in centrally located Yongsan, Seoul. I’m often asked for the best areas in Seoul to stay by incoming tourists and I really think this Yongsan is up there. From here you can easily reach Seoul Station, go further to the palaces and historical districts, but also go right down to the Han River…
