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Solgaheon: A Foot Bath & Tea in Bukchon
(This cafe has closed unfortunately. For another option in the area, head to Tea Therapy where you can also sip tea and have a foot bath.) Bukchon has a handful of experience programs set in traditional Hanok houses that I have been able to try over the years and I have enjoyed every single one of them. There’s just something about the unique traditional setting, the opportunity to learn a bit more about the Korean culture in a different way and the history of the area. A few weeks ago, I headed over to Solgaheon (솔가헌) which specializes in rejuvenation for the immune system through medicinal herbal teas. Walk down…
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Yongma Land: The Abandoned Amusement Park in Seoul
Yongma Land (용마랜드) is a small failed amusement park in northeastern Seoul that has become popular with photographers and photo-op seeking teenagers in recent years. The abandoned amusement area offers some of the standard rides like the iconic carousel and the “Viking” as well as a mini train that is now covered in vines. Whether you’re looking for abandoned places in Seoul or want to film your own Kpop video to mimic your favorite artists, this is the place to go in Seoul. It’s not the most common addition to a Seoul itinerary, but it’s a cool spot if you want something unique in the capital of Korea. Plan a…
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Seoullo 7017: Where To Walk In Seoul, Korea
If you’re headed down to central Seoul, Korea and happen to be transiting through Seoul Station, then you cannot miss a walk along Seoullo 7017. This elevated pedestrian walkway completely changed the major roadway outside of the ever busy Seoul Station in 2017 and hosts events by day and light shows by night. There’s more to see around Seoul Station than most people realize and this is one thing that has gained a lot of attention not only for what it provides to see like the Seoullo 7017 Skygarden, but also what it provides a safe place to walk for pedestrians in the downtown Seoul area. If you’re headed downtown…
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15 Of The Best Beaches in Korea You Haven’t Heard About
When summer comes, it’s amazing how fast those beaches start beckoning. With the temperatures rise, the sun’s rays are strong and all I can think about are lapping waters, sandy beaches and swimming, swimming, swimming. The salty seas refresh and luckily in Korea there are miles and miles of beaches to choose from. The western coast, eastern coast and southern coast of Korea offers up beautiful beaches of all kinds. From white sand and clear blue waters in the east to the long mud flat fun of the west and then the sprawling beaches of the south, not to mention Jeju’s beautiful white sand, black sand and rocky beaches too,…
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Cafe Valor: K-Drama Filming Location, Coffee & More!
[NOW CLOSED] Cafe Valor (카페발로) first drew my attention when I was planning my trip out to Incheon to stay at the immaculately designed Nest Hotel some months back but I didn’t get a chance to visit the cafe/studio until recently. Not having spent terribly much time in Incheon, I wanted to know what there was to see and one tool at my disposal was, of course, Instagram. I ended up with a great itinerary for the westernmost coast of Incheon that included Incheon’s Chinatown, the Fairytale Village and more but just couldn’t find the time to get to Cafe Valor which really took my fancy. Was it a cafe? Was…
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The Soul of Seoul | Operation High Jinks Recap
This past weekend I hosted an AMAZINGLY fun event called “Operation High Jinks”. A bit Amazing Race missions, a bit Running Man hysterics and a bit scavenger hunt clues, it was a race planned to introduce attendees to Korea of today in a fun way. Not only did teams get to meet local Koreans and cook Kimchi jeon (Kimchi pancakes), they got to meet a local photographer and get a photo, meet some local expat entrepreneurs and more. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking. Thank you for your support.) Finding things unique to Korea like dressed…
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The Cold Korean Soups Calling My Name In The Summer
When summer hits Korea, it can be pretty hot, humid and sweaty… well for the foreigners anyway. My Korean husband seems to only sweat when he’s eating hot soup. While traditional Korean belief promotes the idea of iyeol chiyeol (이열치열), or the idea of controlling heat with heat which means that Koreans eat HOT soups on the HOTTEST of days in order to feel cooler, not all Korean summer soups are hot. Some of my favorite summer meals in Korea are when we sit down to lunch on a delightfully cool bowl of Korean soupy goodness that may or may not also have some ice cubes floating around too. Looking…
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The Discover Seoul Pass: Travel On A Budget In Seoul
Whether you’re planning your trip to Seoul or already here, make sure you’ve looked into the Discover Seoul Pass if you want to travel Seoul on a budget. When used correctly, there are some great advantages but you need to understand how the Discover Seoul Pass works and how it will work for you and you need to have a plan or at least a good itinerary for your day or days of FREE site visits. Do not just buy the pass and then set out for the day. There are some things to consider. The Discover Seoul pass is more than just a pass to landmarks for free, you…
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The Soul of Seoul | Operation High Jinks
When it comes to summer, all I can think about is getting out and about and having fun. For me, fun includes walking in parks, swimming in the ocean and playing games. I LOVE a good game. I’ve got a competitive spirit but I also don’t think games are just for the kids. Last year, I noticed that there just weren’t events of the get out and about and learn while playing sort. There used to be many years ago, but seems the groups that used to plan adventurous games stopped. So I took up the helm and planned not one, but two scavenger hunts with the help of some…
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Incheon Chinatown: A Guide To The Area
People flock to Incheon’s China Town (인천 차이나타운) looking for authentic Chinese food and the quintessential red lanterns hanging from windows. Once leased territory to Qing China in 1884, the area is now known as the birthplace of the Korean-Chinese delicacy ‘jjajangmyeon‘. That should tell you something about what you’ll find out there. While there is authentic Korean-Chinese food, I’d say it’s pretty difficult to find authentic Chinese food. While that’s something to be aware of, it’s still a fun area to visit to eat it up and walk around while learning about the port city that is still home to the descendants of those first Chinese settlers in the…
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Ihwa Mural Village: A Guide & Guidelines For Seeing The Area
Mt. Naksan in Seoul is home to one of the most popular mountainside mural villages in Korea. Ihwa Mural Village (이화동벽화마을) is known as a moon village or “daldongne” due to being set on the hillside which means you should be prepared for a bit of a hike up to see this famous village and the views of surrounding Seoul from the village. If you’re looking for a mural village in Seoul, this is the first one that will come up when you begin your search and there’s good reason for that. Learn more about this popular tourist destination in Seoul, Korea. Get ready to see Ihwa Mural Village: (This…
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Vineworks: Interactive Wine Tasting in Seoul
Looking for a wine bar in Hongdae? A great place to have a wine tasting in Seoul to learn about wines? When it comes to wine, Ian Ashworth is not only knowledgeable but he is super enthusiastic in making wine as approachable as possible and that’s why he founded Vineworks. If you’re on the lookout for a Seoul wine bar, Vineworks is a fabulous place to try different wines, learn about wine, and eat delicious food whether you’re going to an event or attending just for dinner with some friends. Learn about Vineworks, a Seoul wine bar that does tastings and more: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I…
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11 Summer Music Festivals In Korea! Here We Come!
Those summer music festivals that everyone looks forward to each year to get out and about, chill out and listen to some awesome live acts actually start a little earlier than you might expect! Starting in May, the outdoor music fests can be heard blasting some awesome music around the country. From camping under the stars with some awesome rock bands to dancing the night away to some EDM, there are plenty of awesome music festivals in Korea to choose from to fill your summer weekends with fun. Get ready to rock out at a music festival in Korea: Beautiful Mint Life Greenplugged Seoul Jazz Festival Seoul World DJ Festival…
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A One Day Incheon Itinerary: From Chinatown to Fairytales
Do you want to make the most of a daytrip to Incheon? If you’re looking for a packed Incheon itinerary so you can eat until your belly is content, find plenty to take pictures of, and have some fun, then this is it. Incheon, Korea has a lot to do and Incheon is actually a lot more than just the Incheon International Airport, so don’t be confused. For this itinerary in Incheon, we’re headed to the popular Jung-gu district home to the only official Chinatown in Korea, the Songwol-dong Fairytale Village and more! Here’s what to go on a daytrip to Jung-gu, Incheon, Korea: (This post contains affiliate links, which…
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The World Cup Park: A Complete Guide To The Most Underrated Park In Seoul
What is the best park in Seoul? There are a lot of answers but I think World Cup Park is the most underrated park in Seoul. It’s massive and most visitors only see a very small popular part of it and nothing else. Living so close to the World Cup Parks means that I’ve been able to go there and have a good look around on plenty of occasions. Last year, when the little one was just learning to walk, we must have headed there at least once a week to climb, dig, walk, run, fall, pick flowers and do all kinds of other things. From flowering cherry blossom trees…
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15 Hot Spots In Mangwon-dong For Eats & Treats
Mangwon-dong in Seoul, Korea sits just a subway stop away from the night out artsy district known as Hongdae. The districts around this university art and music neighborhood have been getting more and more hype because cool places are moving out of Hongdae, likely due to high rent prices, and moving into Mangwon and other nearby districts. Yeonnam-dong is another nearby neighborhood that has experienced a boom in the past couple of years. The area is now host to a beautiful park as well as foodie hot spots and neat cafes. Mangwon is Yeonnam’s understated little brother, but he’s piping up for attention! Since my husband has had a studio in the area…