Explore Seoul (서울탐험)
Top things to see in Seoul. The best things to do in Seoul. Best cafes and restaurants to find in Seoul. Mountains, parks, and more things to do in Seoul, Korea. (서울에서 볼 수 있는 최고의 물건들. 서울에서 할 수 있는 가장 좋은 일들. 서울에서 찾을 수 있는 최고의 카페와 식당. 산, 공원, 그리고 한국의 서울에서 할 수 있는 더 많은 것들이 있다.)
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Hongdae & The Street Art To Find There
Blank walls and boring shutters are just asking to be painted when they’re near a university known for art students. Ask anyone about Hongik University in Seoul and they’ll be sure to mention art. The surrounding area, Hongdae, is generally known as the go to place for a good time in the evening and an ideal place to find live music, but another highlight of the neighborhood is that there is street art and graffiti all over the walls and it is constantly being redone so it never really has time to get old. While it’s not as popular as the Ihwa Mural Village but a bit more known than…
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Hongdae… After The Party Is Over
Have you ever wondered what Hongdae looks like after the party is over and everyone has gone? The smell of food trash and alcohol mingles with the smell of early morning dew drops on trees and benches. Sounds of birds chirping and brooms being swept on sidewalks clash with the drunken laughter and yelling from basement hofs and songs being sung out of tune spill out of noraebongs. There are a ton of things to do in Hongdae and plenty of really nice places to stay in Hongdae too which makes it popular with both tourists and locals. Even though it’s well known for nightlife, there are people awake in…
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Paris In Seoul? No, It’s Just a Park
One of my favorite things about Seoul is how many parks there are scattered throughout the city. Big parks and small parks can pop up out of nowhere and once a path leading in is taken suddenly the sounds of cars and honking horns and construction is hidden by birds chirping and cicadas or other bugs buzzing. Some parks cater to kids and feature swings and slides and they’re usually not nearly as large or as far from the road. Some parks sit a flight of steps or more above the street below and can be more difficult to discern. Most of them have some built in outdoor exercise equipment…
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Things To Do In Mullae-dong: A Guide To The Street Art and Culinary Scene
Want to get off the beaten path in Seoul and find something a little different? A little noisy? A little colorful? Definitely cool? Head to Mullae-dong. An area built around metalworks factories and popularized in recent years by artists that moved south from Hongdae when it got too expensive. You won’t know what you’ll find around every corner but there are plenty of murals, regenerated cafes, and restaurants to hang out in. Here’s one neighborhood in Seoul you won’t find a lot of information about online, but that just means it’s up to you to explore it. Find out more about Mullae-dong in Seoul, Korea: (This post contains affiliate links,…
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The War and Women’s Human Rights Museum: Learn About The Comfort Women In Seoul
Just over two years ago I headed to the House of Sharing in Seoul to learn more about the “comfort women” and their history and cause here in Korea. Hearing completely honest and horrific testimonies from the sex slaves during WWII left me wondering why these women are still not recognized in Japanese history. If you spend any time in Seoul, you should plan to make a visit to this museum. While you may learn about the Korean war and other wars on the peninsula, the comfort women is a topic that doesn’t get talked about as much as it should. Learn more now. Plan a trip to the War…
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Jingwansa Temple: A Beautiful Temple In Seoul
When it comes to visiting a Buddhist temple in Seoul, Korea, there are plenty to choose from. Jingwansa Temple (진관사) in Bukhansan National Park is a gorgeous temple complex that is just beyond the Eunpyeong Hanok Village. It is the western most of the four major temples in the suburbs of Seoul, along with Bulamsa to the east, Sammaksa to the south and Seunggasa to the north. You could easily visit Jogyesa Temple or Bongeunsa Temple in downtown Seoul, but if you want a more serene experience, find Jingwansa Buddhist Temple. Plan your trip to Jingwansa Temple in Seoul, Korea: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a…
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Gilsangsa Temple: Where to Temple Stay in Seoul
Gilsangsa Temple, located on the southern side of Mt. Samgaksan in northern Seoul, Korea, may not be the oldest Buddhist temple in Seoul, only just registered in 1995, but it offers some great programs for those wishing to learn more about Korean Buddhism. Visit in the spring for some gorgeous views with colorful lanterns in celebration of Buddha’s birthday strung across the courtyards and lining the roads. Or if you’re wondering where you can temple stay in Seoul, this is the place. Learn more about visiting Gilsangsa Temple: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no…
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Gyeonghuigung Palace: The Smallest Palace In Seoul
You can walk up Yulgok-ro and see three palaces in one day if you really wanted to here in Seoul, those being Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung. Or walk down Saejong Dae-ro from Gyeongbokgung passing Gwangwhamun and find your fourth palace, Deoksugung Palace. But there’s a fifth smaller and lesser known, and probably for that reason, free palace known as Gyeonghuigung (경희궁) in the vicinity as well. It’s not in the very touristy area as the others, but a lovely place to meander without the crowds too. Its name translates to Palace of Serene Harmony and it truly lives up to the name with so few visitors meandering around. Plan a…
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Sajik Park: History in Downtown Seoul
When you ride a bus in Seoul, you begin to notice things you never noticed before. There are traditional gates that sit here and there and you might begin to wonder where they lead. After visiting major sites like Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, you might be interested in finding the smaller hidden gems like Sajik Park. A traditional gate opens onto a path that sits on the southeastern side of Mt. Inwang. Finding a gate ajar on the east side, we stepped in and found a kind of space I hadn’t yet seen in Korea. Learn more about this historical place in downtown Seoul: (This post contains affiliate links, which…
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Bongwonsa Temple In Seoul: Less Touristy, More Buddhas
When beginning to build an itinerary for Seoul, there are usually a few things that people want to make sure are included. A palace, a traditional market, and often a stop at a local Korean Buddhist Temple. The Buddhist temples here are beautiful and while most are located on the mountainsides outside of Seoul, there are a few in central Seoul that are easy to access. Two temples have become the most popular on tourist itineraries, those being Jogyesa Temple and Bongeunsa Temple, but not too far away sits the beautiful Bongwonsa Temple. Generally quieter and without tourists, this Korean temple in Seoul Visit this beautiful Buddhist temple in the…
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Jogyesa Temple: How To Get There & What To See
If you’re looking for the serenity and calm surroundings of most Buddhist temples set high up in the mountains outside of Seoul, Jogyesa Temple (조계사) is not for you. Right down in the center of the city where all of the daily hustle and bustle that makes Seoul famous occurs, sits a temple with more than 100 years of history. The commotion of the nearby streets in the popular Insadong district doesn’t end where the temple begins and this certainly makes it a different experience inside from most temples in the country. A religion where meditation is extremely important, with a temple in one of the busiest areas of the…
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Gyeongbokgung Palace: How To Get Tickets To See It At Night
People young and old, families and couples meandered at their leisure along the cobbled pathways that make up the Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) complex in Seoul, Korea late into the night this past week. What started as a weeklong event many years ago, has now been expanded weeks long spring and autumn events to the enjoyment for tourists and locals coming to Korea. Gyeongbokgung Palace is now open late into the night from April through May and then again from September through October. The evening experience sees more than 100,000 visitors. Gyeongbokgung Palace at night is just spectacular and is a truly special way to experience the main palace of the…
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Dapsimni Antique Town: A Market In Seoul, Korea
Antiques big and small everywhere is what you’ll see around Dapsimni Station. Having lived here for around 6 years now and realizing I won’t be leaving any time soon, I’ve decided I want my house to feel more like a home and less like an interim abode in a far off land. If you’re looking for antiques in Korea, or Korean antiques, then make sure to check out the Dapsimni Antique Market (답십리고미술상가). (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 support.) How To Get There Address: 530 Dapsimni-dong…
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The Mural Village In Seoul You Haven’t Heard About
There are hidden gems all over the city of Seoul and Gaemi Maeul (개미마을), or Ant Village, is one of them. This mural village in Seoul was painted by students in a similar fashion to the much more popular Ihwa Mural Village and also the murals in Mullae-dong. This mural village sits on the side of Mt Inwang, Inwangsan, which is popular with hikers in Seoul. And that’s probably the only people that find this mural village really. Get off the beaten path in Seoul and see something different… like the Ant Mural Village. This mural village in Seoul is hidden away. Find it if you can: (This post contains…
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Hiking In Seoul: Gwanak-san Mountain
Saturday some of the teachers in the Men’s Hiking Club asked me to join them for their hike up Gwanak Mountain. A little back story: I’m at an all boys private high school. Because it’s all boys it makes sense that most of the teachers are male as well, just to keep the order I imagine. When I say most I mean 64 of the 69 are male. In the private and public schools teachers seem to have a club for just about anything they have more than 4 teachers interested in and at my school they’re mostly based around a sport of some kind. At the training for the…
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The House of Sharing: Learn About The Comfort Women In Seoul
If you come to Korea and have the opportunity to learn about the comfort women from the women themselves, don’t pass it up. The House of Sharing was set up in 1992 funded privately by some Koreans and a Buddhist organization. Originally housing 12 of the surviving grandmothers, or comfort women from WWII, as of 2019 there were 6 women living in the home. These women have become activists, giving testimonies of the atrocities they endured, protesting and traveling abroad to spread awareness of a system that is still happening today around the world. Should we learn about the past so we don’t repeat it in the future? Yes, and…
