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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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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Pet Friendly Hotels In Seoul: The Best Places To Stay With Your Dog In Seoul
Seems like everyone has a pet these days which seems like a bit of a new phenom in Korea. I still remember when we got out cats more than a decade ago and older Koreans would tell me cats were NOT good house pets and shouldn’t be kept inside. Whether it’s cats, dogs, or a hedgehog, more and more people are jumping into pet owning and loving. While it may seem like a trend of sorts though, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind any would-be pet owners that owning a pet is not something you should do on a whim and it does cost money. They will become…
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Where To Stay In Hongdae: Best Hotels, and Guesthouses in Seoul!
Hongdae is one of the best areas to stay in Seoul if you want easy airport access, lively streets, shopping, cafes, and nightlife all in one neighborhood. Centered around Hongik University, it’s popular with both tourists and locals, and after living around Hongdae for more than a decade, I’ve helped plenty of visiting friends and famil figure out where to stay here. Is Hongdae a good place to stay when you visit? It sure it! Now you just have to decide where to stay. After that, here is a list of what to do in Hongdae from brunch to evening. Where do you want to stay in Hongdae? Skip around…
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The Seoul City Tour Bus Guide: What To See & Do When You Hop On Hop Off
If you’ve never joined a City Tour Bus, Seoul is the place to do it. City Tour Buses are a great way to see a city and not have to worry about transportation. See the hot spots of Seoul from the upper level of a bright red bus. I rode my first City Tour Bus in New York City and absolutely loved the experience. It’s just something that is so touristic and fun. Don’t waste money on taxi fares and buses. Don’t get confused in the subway. For your first trip to Seoul, take the time to ride this bus and get views of the city while getting a lay…
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Dalgona Coffee: What It Is, Where It Came From, & Why What You’re Making, Isn’t It!
When you could just make a cup of coffee in less than five minutes, why not spend the next twenty to thirty making dalgona coffee? While Koreans know what dalgona is and where it started, most foreigners don’t despite the challenge’s viral success. I was recently invited out to a cafe in Seoul that makes legit dalgona coffee based off of real Korean dalgona and, surprise!, it is NOT what you’re making at home. They wanted to get the word out about dalgona and asked me to help. Spoiler: The coffee you’re whipping is actually based off an Indian coffee drink, not Korean at all. Mind blown? Yeah, let’s get…
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Seoul Station: Transport Info, Food and Things To Do Nearby
Seoul Station (서울역) is one of the busiest transit hubs in Korea, the terminus for KTX high-speed trains, the connection point for two subway lines, the stop for the AREX airport express from Incheon, and home to a major intercity bus terminal. If you’re arriving in Seoul from the airport or leaving the city by train, you’ll be here. But once you’re oriented, Seoul Station is also worth spending time at. The original 1925 station building next door is now a free arts and culture center. The Seoullo 7017 elevated walkway, a former road converted into an urban park, starts from here. There’s street art, a hidden mirror plaza, a…
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Korea Cherry Blossom Forecast 2026: Bloom Dates and Best Viewing Spots
Spring in Korea doesn’t really feel like spring for many locals and visitors until those beautiful light pink cherry blossoms bloom. One minute the trees are bare, and the next the streets, rivers, and parks turn soft pink, and then it’s gone again in what feels like the blink of an eye (some years it really is that fast if it rains). There are numerous places to see cherry blossoms in Seoul and around Korea with some being more popular than others. You could really walk down the most mundane neighborhood and see cherry blossoms, so while you should and probably will seek to find some of the touted best…
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ShuShu and Sassy: What Happened to Seoul’s Kid-Friendly Beauty Spa
ShuShu and Sassy (슈슈앤쎄씨) was a boutique kids’ beauty spa brand in Seoul, offering child-safe manicures, pedicures, and sheet masks in adorably pink, Instagram-ready salons. The physical locations closed around 2021, though their non-toxic nail polish and skincare products can still be found through select international retailers. When our little lady was younger we visited the Tayo Kids Cafe and the Pororo Kids Cafe but she is quickly got into one of the hottest trends in Korea as soon as she spotted it at hte mall. Kids could get their own manicures, pedicures and glittery hair extensions and my daughter really jumped right onto that bandwagon. Children wanting to mimic…
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Suguksa Temple: Seoul’s Only Golden Temple in Eunpyeong
I have lived in Seoul, Korea for quite awhile and I have seen a lot of Buddhist temples here. I love a visit to a temples in South Korea. They are peaceful and calming and beautiful. Often set up on the mountain or in forests, the views are good and the ambiance lovely. Most temples in Korea are painted reds and greens and maybe there’s a bit of yellow and white in the artwork. That’s pretty standard so when I saw a glimmer of gold as I drove down the street near my house and saw a sign for a temple, I was intrigued. After visiting Suguksa Temple (수국사), I…
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Insadong Seoul Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Eat, and Buy in the Traditional Korean Arts District
Insadong is one of Seoul’s most famous cultural neighborhoods, known for its traditional Korean arts, crafts, tea houses, and street food. Located near Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village, it’s a must-visit destination for travelers looking to explore Korea’s heritage in a walkable tourist-friendly area. Whenever I have a visitor we invariably end up in Insadong at some point and it’s definitely the district to buy all of those Korean souvenirs, if that’s what you need to take home. Some popular souvenirs include the traditional masks that you can see worn in Andong, Korea as well as beautiful Korean mother of pearl products, utensils and beautiful decor items. The area…
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Deoksugung Palace: The Most Unique Palace In Seoul
Deoksugung Palace in Seoul, Korea is the smallest of the five palaces in the capital but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be visited. It’s the most unique palace with various architectural styles and is the only palace to feature a western style garden, fountain and building. Deoksugung Palace means ‘palace of virtue and longevity’ and it is a beautiful palace to visit in downtown Seoul. If you’re in downtown Seoul, it’s easy to visit sitting centrally located and right next to a subway station. It’s a where to see a changing of the guard ceremony if that’s what you’re looking for as so many often are. Looking for some specific…
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14 Best Architecture Spots in Seoul
There are new and improved buildings around Seoul and Korea being built all of the time. Not all of them are beautiful or interesting. In fact, most of them are high rise apartments BUT, there are some that are quite distinctive and for all of the right reasons. If you’re coming to Seoul and want to find the architectural highlights, the buildings that embrace the future with sleek lines, interesting facades, and staircases for days, here is a great start to making an awesome itinerary with the architecture highlights. Want to take some epic photos in Seoul? Don’t miss these Instagrammable places in Seoul. These are some of the must…
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11 Han River Parks in Seoul: Which Hangang Park Should You Visit?
The Han River, or Hangang (한강), is a symbol of Seoul, Korea and a popular place to spend a day for most Seoulites. The parks that line the river are some of the best places to walk, bike, picnic, or just take a breather from the fast pace of the city. The Seoul City Government has done a lot to make the parks that line the river all the more visitor friendly in the past decade with art installations, skateboard parks, outdoor concert venues, museums and fantastic swimming pools. Some parks are best for cherry blossoms and fireworks, some are better for families, some are great for biking and watersports,…
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Things To Do In Gangnam, Seoul: The Local’s Guide to Korea’s Most Glamorous District
Gangnam isn’t a neighbourhood you stumble through and love instantly the way you might Ikseon-dong or Seongsu. It’s a district you need to know how to read. Without a plan, you can end up wandering between glass office towers and luxury car showrooms wondering what the fuss is about. With a plan, you find the viral honey makgeolli bar tucked into Sinsa-dong, the UNESCO-listed royal tombs hidden between skyscrapers, the Sulwhasoo flagship that’s one of the most beautiful spaces in Seoul, and the K-pop history trail that BTS fans cross oceans for. I’ve been visiting Gangnam for two decades, not as often as Hongdae or the neighborhoods north of the…
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Greenhouse Cafes Are Trending In Seoul
Trends can come and go pretty quickly in Seoul, Korea and they’re often at the whim of whichever K-drama is hot at the moment or a sudden burst of attention on Instagram, but I, for one, am hoping the newest trend of greenhouse cafes continues. I’m not sure if it’s due to the higher than normal dust levels the city of Seoul has suffered over the past year, or if it’s just an aesthetically pleasing design that was bound to happen at some point, but greenhouse cafes are trending big time around Korea right now. I went to a few last year and now they’re just getting bigger, better, and…
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Gongdeok District In Seoul May Surprise You
There are some districts of Seoul that seem like straight forward business districts and nothing more. Gongdeok has always been one of those areas for me. I’d pass through the area on the way from Hongdae to Itaewon or visit when I was going down to Yeouido to see the annual fireworks festival, but until last year when I was working in Gongdeok, I hadn’t really stopped to look around. Glad I did though. While there are a ton of businesses in the area, there are also cool cafes, reclaimed spaces, and some good good good eats. So, if you are around and want to try something different, don’t hesitate…
