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Line Friends: The Cutest Stores In Seoul
Always on the lookout for cute things in Seoul and fun shops, of course when the LINE FRIENDS stores started popping up, we had to check them out. These stores looks very kid friendly with huge teddy bears, ducks, bunnies and other furry friends in the windows and decorating the doorway so walking by with a two year old and NOT entering was NOT an option. If you’re on the lookout for LINE FRIENDS stores in Seoul, you’re in luck, because there are a number of them. BUT, only a few have the big characters to take pictures with AND all of the LINE FRIENDS products you could want. Get…
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Best Buddhist Temples in Korea: 25 Must-Visit Sites From Seoul to Busan
There are around 900 traditional Buddhist temples in Korea, welcoming visitors for quiet meditation and extraordinary architecture. They range from a few modest buildings to complexes spanning dozens of structures across mountainsides. From the UNESCO-listed Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju to the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa, the range is extraordinary. What they share is an almost universal commitment to beauty, intricately painted facades, religious relics housed in lacquered halls, and grounds that feel genuinely set apart from wherever you’ve just come from. Some sit in the middle of cities. Some require a two-hour hike into the mountains. Some look out at the ocean. Some are built into cliff faces or carved…
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10 Years In Korea: How I’ve Lived Abroad For A Decade Happily
Living abroad is amazing, scary, enlightening, humorous, lonely and from there the list of adjectives could just go on and on. Traveling abroad is one thing but most that take the adventure know that at some point they’ll go home which can effect an entire outlook on how they experience a place. Living abroad takes a whole host of adjustments and immeasurable levels of acceptance in many ways. (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost to you. Thanks for the support!) I wrote an article for Groove Korea Magazine in October…
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Lights, Art & Interaction: The Future Of Theme Parks At Team Lab World In Seoul
teamLab World just opened in Seoul, Korea in August and it is mesmerizing in the best immersive way. (UPDATE: teamLab is no longer in Seoul.) The interactive play place is fun for children and adults and has activities in every corner of the space appealing to the eyes at every turn. Upon entrance, guests are thrust into the depths of a futuristic fun world. Guides in each space invite everyone to partake in the fun by playing, exploring and learning through movement, drawing, hopping, jumping, skipping, sliding and all other haphazard methods that could lead to exploration and amusement. (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on…
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caFACE: A Selfie Obsession Of The Latte Variety
In a selfie obsessed world, why not dive in and start sticking that face on every other thing under the sun including the latte that you savor in the cafe up the road? I’m not anti selfie, do NOT get me wrong. I’ve been known to take a few. Hey, I took a selfie of myself holding a latte with a selfied photo of me in this here post. How often can one even do that? I dare say the chances are slim that most will ever be able to do this but if you’re in Seoul, then you’ve got better chances than most. A Seoul cafe with the sole…
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Compromise, Acceptance & Happiness In A Multicultural Marriage
Five years! We are celebrating our five year anniversary this year.. well actually at the beginning of next year. Okay, that’s confusing. Five years ago in October of 2011, we wed in traditional Korean fashion down in Busan, Korea. While the ceremony was colorful, interesting and fun, we also wed stateside in Ohio in January of 2012. We actually celebrate our wedding anniversary in January using our American ceremony date, BUT that doesn’t stop me from reminiscing over our Korean ceremony each year come the autumn foliage and cool breezes in October. Just look at us all done up in those gorgeous Korean traditional duds! Getting into them required a…
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Shopping In Seoul: The Best Districts, Markets and Malls
Shopping in Seoul can be fun, frenzied, and in the hustling bustling shopping neighborhoods, Seoul seems anything but calm. If you’re in the market for K-beauty products, Korean fashion, or just some fun Korean souvenirs, there are plenty of areas you can go. Shopping is a pastime for many a local and some tourists come to Seoul with the sole purpose of filling up their luggage with Korean goods. From flagship fashion districts to underground bargain tunnels to traditional markets with vintage finds, here is where to go and what you’ll find. For a dedicated guide to Seoul’s shopping malls specifically, read the complete shopping malls in Seoul guide. Get…
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Fall In Seoul: The Foliage, Festivals & Fun Guide
From fall foliage to roadside eats that send cinnamon and nutty aromas into the air, there is so much to enjoy for the short time that autumn hits the Korean peninsula. Fall is the best time to visit Korea and here is why. Watch as the perfectly shaped maple leaves fall to the ground and look forward to the magnificently yellow Ginkgo leaves lining the streets. Enjoy the air that isn’t humid anymore and the views that are just crisper somehow. Here is a guide to fall in Seoul. Want to skip around this post? Here are the sections to look out for: (This page contains affiliate links. That means…
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Yeonnam-dong Seoul Guide: Things To Do, Where To Eat, and the Best Cafes
Yeonnam-dong, a neighborhood near Hongdae (a hotspot for live music, bars, and a local busking scene), has quietly become one of Seoul’s most loved areas to wander. The first six years I lived in the area, it was under construction and no one wanted to cross the street to walk the area. That all changed when Gyeongui Line Forest Park opened. Locals quickly nicknamed it Yeontral Park, a playful nod to New York’s Central Park, and suddenly Yeonnam-dong became a place people wanted to linger. Today, Yeonnam-dong is filled with cafes, restaurants, creative studios, and a long, thin green park where locals picnic, walk dogs, and rest between errands. If…
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Seoul Fortress Wall: A Guide To The 8 Gates and Best Walking Routes
The Seoul Fortress Wall runs 18.6 kilometers around the center of the city, sitting high on the mountains of Bugaksan, Naksan, Namsan, and Inwangsan, and dropping low through neighborhoods like Dongdaemun. Most tourists don’t directly seek it out but encounter it while wandering, and then wish they’d planned around it from the start. Initially built in 1396 in just 98 days by more than 197,000 people, the wall passes through or near eight historic gates, most of which are free to enter. Walking even a section of it gives you a perspective on Seoul that no palace or museum can match, the city spread out below, the wall stretching ahead…
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Mt. Munboksan & Epic Camping In Korea
Camping in Korea has gotten more and more popular over the past few years though it could seem like it’s more popular than it really is with the number of tents that can be seen in every park on every weekend. Don’t be confused. If you want to go camping in Korea, look into some of the great mountainous camp sites like the ones on Munboksan Mountain. We stayed at Munboksan Camping Grounds (문복산캠핑장) and it was great, family-friendly, and near some beautiful views. (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost…
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A Day At The Horse Races in Seoul
Looking to head to the horse races in Korea? Well, you can. One of only two parks in Korea for thoroughbred flat races, the Seoul Lets Run Park (렛츠런파크서울) in Gwacheon is huge and really takes the cake for a place offering a different kind of fun day out. Head just south of Seoul to Gwacheon, Korea and you can enjoy the Seoul horse races at this family-friendly venue. Experience the horse races in Korea: (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost to you to keep up this blog. Thanks for…
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12 Fun Fall Festivals in Korea
Fall is one of those seasons that is just dazzling in South Korea, if you’re not staying indoors depressed that summer is saying goodbye for another nine months. From cultural and traditional events to foodie fun and performances, too, there is much to enjoy all around the country. Here are the fun autumn festivals in Korea to check out. (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost to you. Thanks for the support!) 1. Pyeongchang Hyoseok Cultural Festival (평창 효석문화제) When: September 5, 2025 ~ September 14, 2025 A celebration of life…
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Korean Hangover Cures: The Drinks, Soups, and More!
If you’ve had a night out in Seoul, you know that Korean nightlife is a serious undertaking. There are Korean drinking games, multiple rounds at multiple venues, and the night can easily go until sunrise. Koreans are very good at this. They are, statistically, the people in the world who drink the most hard liquor per capita, 13.7 shots per week on average according to Korea Herald data, and soju alone accounts for 97% of the country’s spirit market. None of the countries below them on the global list even come close. The result of this level of dedication is a multi-billion dollar hangover recovery industry that was first debuted…
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See The Beauty of Seoknamsa Temple in Ulsan
Seoknamsa Temple (석남사-울산) sits on the southern side of the Gaji mountain range in Ulsan, Korea and is one of the four major Buddhist temples of the Gajisan Provincial Park. A peaceful escape in Ulsan, this Buddhist temple is easily accessible and just gorgeous with quiet walking paths, forest air, and colorful architecture that will draw you in. Take a trip outside of Ulsan, Korea and see what you can see! (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I will get a percentage of the transaction at no cost to you. Thanks for the support!) Basic Info Address: 557 Seongnam-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun,…
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Animal Fun For Everyone at Zoolung Zoolung
Looking for things to do in Seoul with kids? We are always on the hunt for great places to take kids that are clean, kid-friendly, and allow our daughter to experience and learn something. Zoolung Zoolung (주렁주렁) is one of those places just made for the child in all of us and definitely geared toward the children we have tag along with us. Looking for a petting zoo in Korea? A place for your kids to learn about animals and maybe feed a few? This is where to go. The staff are great, ready to share knowledge, and of course the furry and scaly friends are cute. What To Know…
