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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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. I should update that “off the beaten path” line a little, actually, because it’s not quite true anymore. I wrote the first guide to Mullae-dong in 2013! Yes, I’ve been in Seoul for that long… longer actually. Mullae-dong has shifted from off the beaten path to locally known, not quite touristy yet though. In 2025, Time Out named Mullae-dong the 6th…
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The War and Women’s Human Rights Museum: Learn About The Comfort Women In Seoul
There are histories that don’t get told as loudly as they should. The story of the halmoni, Korean survivors of Japan’s WWII military sexual slavery, who chose to call themselves grandmothers rather than accept the term their captors gave them, is one of them. The War and Women’s Human Rights Museum (전쟁과여성인권박물관) in Mapo-gu exists to make sure it isn’t forgotten. I first visited years ago and left unsettled in the way that important things should unsettle you. A recent visit left the same feeling. The museum has grown considerably since it first opened, and what’s here now, the expanded exhibitions, the Memorial Hall, the interactive life records of thirty…
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Jingwansa Temple: Seoul’s Mountain Temple in Bukhansan Park
When it comes to visiting a Buddhist temple in Seoul, you have no shortage of options. But Jingwansa Temple (진관사) in Bukhansan National Park offers something that most Seoul temples can’t: the genuine quiet of the mountains, a history directly tied to Korean royalty, and a story of resistance that only came to light in 2009. It’s one of the four major temples in the suburbs of Seoul, the only temple in the city to perform the Suryukje ceremony, and the place where a Korean flag made from a Japanese flag was found hidden in a wall, along with anti-Japanese newspapers from 1919. The temple sits just beyond Eunpyeong Hanok…
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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 Seoul: Headquarters of Korean Buddhism in Insadong
If you’re looking for the serenity of a Buddhist temple set high in the mountains, Jogyesa Temple (조계사) is not for you. Right in the center of Seoul, in the middle of the daily bustle that makes the city what it is, sits the headquarters of Korean Buddhism, a temple with more than a century of modern history and 1,700 years of tradition behind it. The streets of Insadong don’t quiet down when you step onto the temple grounds. They’re still audible from the courtyard. But those who come here regularly have apparently become masters of meditation, because Jogyesa is an active place of practice, prayers happen here daily, monks…
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Gyeongbokgung Palace at Night 2026: Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
As the sun set over Seoul, families, couples, and curious travelers slowly wandered through the cobblestone paths of Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), soaking up the serene nighttime atmosphere. Once a short weeklong event, the Gyeongbokgung Palace night opening has now become a beloved seasonal affair. It runs for several weeks each spring and autumn, inviting both tourists and locals to experience one of Seoul’s top attractions in a completely different light, literally. Gyeongbokgung only opens for night viewing a handful of weeks a year, and only Wednesday through Sunday within that window, tickets go for as little as W3,000, but they sell out fast. Here’s exactly how to get in, and…
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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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House of Sharing: A Comfort Women Memorial Near Seoul
If you come to Korea and have the opportunity to learn about the comfort women, don’t pass it up. The House of Sharing was established in 1992, funded privately by Korean citizens and a Buddhist organization, as a home for the surviving halmoni, a respectful Korean term meaning grandmother, who had been subjected to wartime sexual slavery during World War II. The day I visited was filled with testimony, tears, and stories of resilience through an ordeal that would leave anyone searching for words. I have not stopped thinking about it. Today, the House of Sharing operates primarily as the Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military, a permanent memorial…
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Wine Wine & More Wine On The Korean Wine Train
This past weekend, a few friends and I decided to hitch a ride on the slow train from Seoul to Yeongdong in Chungcheonbuk-do aboard the wine train. A wine train in Korea? Yes, and it’s brilliant. I love train rides and I love wine so there’s really no better combination. Jump aboard to be whisked away for a fun day. Depart from Seoul Train Station in central Seoul and take a leisurely ride enjoying the views while you sip wine, eat a small plate of appetizers and learn about Korean wine… or just drink it. The experience is pretty unique in Korea and definitely something different to do. Whether you’re…
