Guest Post by Jane Kang
Meet Jane Kang
Jane Kang was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. when she was three-months-old. With Chicago as her adopted hometown, Jane grew up rooting for the Bears, Bulls, and Cubs (she still can’t believe they won the World Series!) and stayed local for college. Thirsting for adventure, Jane left Chicago after college to work in New York City, Seoul and Hong Kong and then moved to the Bay Area to attend graduate school. She now calls the Bay Area home with her husband and twin teenagers. In her free time, Jane enjoys catching up with friends, hosting dinner parties, volunteering and traveling (of course!).
Jane’s Favorite Travel Tip
Jane’s latest travel tip is to use an app called Wanderlog. She used it to plan recent trips to Europe (the Netherlands and Italy) and Mexico City which made planning super easy and efficient. In the past, she would use a combo of Google My Maps (to pin interesting attractions on a map), TripIt (to consolidate flight, hotel and rental car information) and Excel (to create an itinerary). She can easily do all of this now using Wanderlog.
Jane’s Favorite Places to Travel To
To date, Jane’s favorite places are France, Croatia, French Polynesia, Vietnam and South Korea. She is looking forward to being an empty nester so she can travel more and would love to find a way to live overseas again.
Q&A Guest Post with Jane Kang: Seoul 🇰🇷
Q: Tell me why Seoul is such a great travel destination.
A: There is something for everyone in Seoul. Want bright lights, big city? Check out Seoul’s high energy nightlife with its late night restaurants, clubs, bars, night markets and more. Want nature? Hike Namsan Mountain (located in the center of Seoul), bike along the Han River and walk the paths of Seoul Forest. Seek culture? There are plenty of museums, palaces and temples to choose from. You can have it all in Seoul. Despite being a large city, Seoul is very manageable. Getting around is easy with its extensive subway and bus systems and abundance of cheap taxis. It’s also clean for a big city and the food is amazing.
Seoul has become increasingly popular with tourists with the global emergence of K-pop and K-dramas and the growing interest in Korean cuisine. The Korean government has put in a lot of effort to make Seoul more foreigner friendly with English-based train, taxi and other travel apps. Last summer when I visited, I was surprised to see so many tourists from all over the world. This was not the Seoul that I knew when I worked there in the 1990s.
Please know that Seoul is also a very affordable place to visit. Hotels are reasonably priced and you can eat very well for pretty cheap. And, the cherry on top is no tipping! Tips are not expected at all. In fact, some will be offended if you try to tip.
Q: How many days should you plan to visit Seoul to truly experience the city, food and culture?
A: I would recommend that you stay a minimum of five to six days to explore many of Seoul’s interesting neighborhoods. If possible, try to stay longer to check out other parts of South Korea.
Q: When is the best time of year to visit? What is the weather like then?
A: The best time to visit Seoul is in the spring and fall. Spring weather is moderate and sunny. And, if you time your visit just right, you can see the cherry blossoms. The weather will start to cool off in the fall but it’s still comfortable. An added plus for the fall is that there aren’t as many tourists compared to spring and summer.
If you don’t mind bundling up, going in the winter may be an option as it’s less crowded. Consider yourself lucky if you happen to experience the first snowfall of the winter season. This is considered to be a romantic and magical time. Koreans believe that if you witness the first snowfall of the season with the person you like, true love will blossom and it will be everlasting.
In my opinion, the worst time to visit is in the summer when it’s monsoon season and very hot and humid. Plus, there are a lot of tourists. If summer is the best time for you to visit, don’t worry as almost everything is air conditioned…even the subway.
Q: What should you not forget to pack when visiting Seoul?
A: The most important thing to pack is a pair of comfortable walking shoes. Seoul is best to explore on foot. It’s a great walking city with sidewalks, underground paths and clear traffic signals. In terms of getting to different parts of Seoul, traffic can be crazy so I would recommend the subway which is clean, hyper efficient and very user-friendly with signage in English. Buses also have their own dedicated traffic lane so oftentimes it’s a better option than a taxi when the roads are congested.
If you come to Seoul in the summer, don’t forget to pack slippers or flip flops and an umbrella. Skip the nice shoes if you would hate to see them get trashed from heavy rainfall.
There is so much to buy–particularly for women and children–including clothing, accessories, cutesy trinkets and beauty and skincare products. If anything, I would recommend that you have plenty of empty space in your suitcase to make room for your purchases. Everything is very affordable in Korea.
Q: What is the best airport to fly in/out out of? Any specific airport tips?
A: Incheon International Airport (ICN) replaced Gimpo Airport in 2001 as the main international hub in Seoul. Located about one hour west of Seoul, Incheon is very clean, user-friendly and efficient with luxurious amenities, extensive duty free shopping and even access to a golf course, casino, movie theater, ice rink and more. Incheon regularly ranks on lists of best world airports, including the #3 spot on Skytrax’s 2024 Best World Airport list.
Q: After arriving at the airport, is it best to take a taxi to your destination? Rent a car? Take public transportation? Do they have rideshare services in Seoul?
A: One of the easier ways to get to Seoul would be to take the K Airport Limousine Bus, especially for first-time visitors whose hotel is on or close to one of the limousine bus routes. The limousine bus provides comfortable seating and ample luggage space with multiple routes that go to the major hotels in Seoul.
Another option is to take the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) Train which can get you to Seoul Station in 45+ minutes. From Seoul Station, you can take a taxi or the local subway to get to your hotel. If you don’t need to go all the way to Seoul Station, you can take the AREX All Stop train which has 10 major subway stations along the way.
There are taxi stands at Incheon. Just know that traffic can get pretty bad and can take you over 1.5+ hours to get to your hotel depending on its location. My most recent flight landed in Incheon at 4:30am on a Saturday. I knew there would be zero traffic so I opted to take a taxi and it took about 50 minutes to get to my hotel. If you decide to take a taxi, I would budget around US$80 to 100+.
In terms of rideshares, Uber is available in Seoul. When you open your Uber app, it will automatically convert to the local UT app. Just know that Uber service can be spotty at times, especially late at night. For locals, the leading taxi-hailing service is Kakao T. In the past, you needed a local phone number to set up an account. But Kakao T recently launched K.ride which is foreigner-friendly with support for English among other languages. It also supports non-Korean phone numbers and credit and debit cards issued outside of South Korea. Another foreigner-friendly taxi hailing app is Taba. Make sure you download these apps and set up your accounts before heading to Seoul. If all else fails, you can just raise and wave your arm to hail a taxi. Overall, Ubers and taxis are very cheap in Seoul (I would estimate it’s around a half to a third of the cost compared to the US).
Q: Is Seoul kid-friendly?
A: Seoul is a very kid-friendly city. There are plenty of attractions for kids including animal cafes (where you can pet cats, dogs and even sheep while drinking a latte), kid cafes (indoor playgrounds where kids can run around while you relax and eat delicious food), photo booth shops (with lots of fun accessories and filters) and kid museums (including Seoul Children’s Museum and Alive Museum). There are several theme parks with Lotte World as the biggest and most well-known. It’s located a little further out from central Seoul but in addition to having rides and attractions it also houses an aquarium, indoor ice skating rink, water park and even a shopping mall.
If your kids are big K-pop fans, take them to K-Star Road in Gangnam where many of the Korean entertainment companies are based. There are 17 teddy bear statues, representing different popular K-pop groups such as BTS and Girls’ Generation, dotted along K-Star Road.
For teenagers, I would recommend that you give them some independence and let them venture off on their own. Seoul is a pretty safe city and it is easy to get around. My teenagers were very comfortable exploring without me. They took the subway all around Seoul, checked out attractions, found places to eat and shopped for souvenirs. My only requirement was that they needed to be back at the hotel room by 11pm. I never worried about their safety.
Q: What are the best areas to stay in Seoul? What hotels do you recommend?
A: Seoul has two major districts with the Han River serving as a natural boundary. Gangbuk (“gang” means river and “buk” means north) is located north of the Han River and considered to be the older, more traditional part of Seoul with many cultural attractions, traditional markets and historical architecture. Gangnam (“nam” means south) is located south of the Han River and is the newer, more affluent part of Seoul and home to upscale shopping, cafes and restaurants. For first-time tourists, I would recommend staying in Gangbuk which is where most of the popular tourist attractions are located.
In my opinion, the Westin Josun located in Gangbuk has the most convenient location, with easy access to several different subway lines, minimizing transfer and travel times. It’s also not too far from many of the most popular attractions so it’s easy to jump into a taxi after a long day of sightseeing. Late night shopping and restaurants are nearby. The K Airport Limousine Bus conveniently has a stop at the Westin Josun so getting to and from the airport is easy.
If you are willing to spend more, the Lotte Hotel Seoul is next to the Westin Josun. And, if you prefer to spend less, there are several clean and cheaper hotels, including the Aloft, L7 and Moxy in Myeung-dong, which are not too far from the Westin Josun.
If your preference is to stay in Gangnam, the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas is a popular pick with its central location and access to the Starfield COEX Mall.
Q: What are some must-visit sites in Seoul?
A: Seoul is home to five traditional royal palaces (located near each other) that were once used by the royal families during the Joseon area. The most well-known are Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Gyeongbokgung Palace tends to be the main draw as the oldest and largest palace but Changdeokgung Palace offers a very popular Secret Garden Tour. The admission fee is waived for anyone wearing the traditional Korean hanbok (there are several hanbok rental shops near the palaces).
Nearby are Insa-dong, Ikseon-dong and Bukchon Hanok Village. Insa-dong is a historic artsy neighborhood known for its art galleries, antique, pottery and stationery shops, and restaurants and teahouses that are housed in a “hanok” (a traditional Korean house). Ikseon-dong is considered to be the modern sibling of Insa-dong. Like Insa-dong, Ikseon-dong features hanoks but with more hip and trendy cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Bukchon Hanok Village is a stunning neighborhood of well-preserved hanoks where people actually reside. Spend some time walking through the hilly, narrow alleyways and you will be rewarded with stunning views of Seoul.
If you are like me and take days to get over jet lag, consider getting an early start to your morning by hiking up Namsan Mountain before it gets busy. Our hotel in Myeung-dong was a pleasant 15-minute walk to the base of Namsan Mountain (the bonus was that our walk included going through Myeung-dong’s Cartoon Street). From there, it took us about 30 to 40 minutes to hike to the N Seoul Tower observation deck where we were treated to a wonderful panoramic view of Seoul. Note that you can also take a cable car to the observation deck. If you go with your loved one, don’t forget to attach a “love lock” on the observation fence (you can buy locks at the observation deck shop).
After seeing Namsan Mountain, you can head over to the neighboring Myeung-dong, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun areas. Myeung-dong is a busy shopping area packed with Korean and international fashion brands, department stores and Korean beauty and skincare stores (don’t miss the flagship “Sephora-esque” Olive Young store). The dining tends to be more casual with options from restaurants to street vendors and everything is open late. Namdaemun has the largest traditional market providing a bustling and authentic Seoul experience with stalls selling a wide range of items from clothing and electronics to toys and housewares. You can also sample different Korean dishes at Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) Alley, Streetfood Alley and Galchi Jorim (classic Korean fish dish) Alley. Also, check out the Dongdaemun Design Plaza with its iconic, futuristic-looking building and public art installations and walk along Cheonggyecheon Stream, a seven-mile stream and urban garden. It’s amazing to go to Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Cheonggyecheon Stream at night when everything is lit up.
Another fun day could be spent exploring the Yongsan, Itaewon and Hannam-dong neighborhoods. In Yongsan, check out the War Memorial of Korea, the National Museum of Korea and the Amorepacific Museum of Art. Itaewon, considered to be the most international part of Seoul, is just a stone’s throw away. The origin of its melting pot reputation began when it became the residential and commercial area for American soldiers and foreigners working in the nearby embassies. With English widely spoken in Itaewon, it is known for its nightlife and international restaurants and bars. It is also very LGBTQ+ friendly. Hannam-dong, home to some of the wealthiest families in Korea, is located in the same vicinity and is a beautiful neighborhood with elegant restaurants, boutiques and the Leeum Museum, run by the Samsung Foundation.
The Hongdae neighborhood is home to Hongik University which is known for its architecture, art and design programs. As a result, the neighborhood is a trendy, artsy area with many galleries, murals and street performances as well as live music bars, night clubs and hip restaurants and cafes. If you consider staying here, just know that it is not conveniently located. It will take you at least 30+ minutes (but probably much longer) to explore other parts of Seoul.
Seongsu-dong, the former shoe district of Seoul, is now the “it” spot and dubbed the Brooklyn of Seoul. With artists moving in, it’s a cool neighborhood with great street art and converted warehouses that are now art galleries, hip restaurants, bars and boutique shops. And, don’t forget to walk through the Seoul Forest.
No trip to Seoul is complete without a visit to Gangnam (south of the Han River). PSY put Gangnam on the international map when his “Gangnam Style” video went viral. Seoul even commemorated it with a bronze Gangnam Style statue of a pair of hands doing the horse dance that plays the Gangnam Style song (…oh sexy lady!). One of the largest draws in the Gangnam area is the Starfield COEX Mall which features the Instagrammable Starfield Library (a two-story library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves crammed with books), aquarium and more. Also check out the Bongeunsa Temple which is a quick walk from the COEX. There are bigger Buddhist temples in Seoul but this is a favorite of mine because it just seems more approachable. Apgujeong, Cheongdam-dong and Sinsa-dong are excellent for upscale shopping, dining and people watching.
And if you have time, check out the Seoul City Wall, a defensive fortress wall that was built in the 1390s. The old city wall in itself is beautiful and mostly intact and the trail is easy to follow and extremely scenic. If you don’t want to commit to the entire trail then opt for the stretch around Namdaemun.
Q: What are some must-do activities/unique experiences to do while in Seoul?
A: If you want to experience a day like a local, check out a Korean sauna called a “jjim-jil-bang” which literally means heated room. These are typically equipped with hot tubs, cold baths, showers and multiple sauna rooms that use different materials such as salt, clay, jade, amethyst and charcoal (all are supposed to offer various health properties). They also provide televisions, gaming rooms, sleeping quarters and snack bars that serve very good food. If you want to take it one step further, ask for the “seshin” which is a Korean body scrub where a therapist will use a special scrubbing mitt to vigorously scrub the dead skin cells off your entire body.
Koreans are obsessed with skincare and are considered to be the pioneers in the latest skincare treatments and technology. Many tourists are now flying to Seoul to get everything from simple facials, laser and Botox to more advanced skin treatments because of its affordability and advanced technology. There are many dermatology clinics such as Muse and Renovo that cater to foreign travelers. But be sure to do your research. There is a lot of information you can find on the Internet and remember to schedule online consultations ahead of time to discuss your specific concerns and goals. This will help you make an informed decision and choose a clinic that best aligns with your skincare needs.
Other unique experiences include attending a K-pop concert and a Korean baseball game. Tickets for popular K-pop groups sell out but you may be able to snag last minute tickets for rookie bands or artists here. There are two baseball stadiums located in Seoul: Jamsil Baseball Stadium and Gocheok Sky Dome. It’s best to buy tickets at the stadium before the game because you can’t buy baseball tickets online without a Korean credit card. Unless it’s post-season, tickets don’t really sell out (check with your concierge who should know and can help). Koreans take baseball seriously. The crowds go crazy and every player has their own dedicated cheer and song. Even though you don’t know the cheers, be sure to sit in the cheering zone to feel the crowd energy and be part of the action.
Q: Where can you find the best shopping in Seoul? What area can you find unique, artisan goods and clothes?
A: Insa-dong is where one would go to buy antiques, traditional Korean pottery and art, stationery items and souvenirs. If you want a special souvenir, you can order a customized “dojang” (a stone or wooden stamp with your name in Korean). Historically, a dojang was used in lieu of a signature for contracts and other important documents. A personal dojang is still widely used today in real estate transactions.
If you want to shop for hip clothing and skincare and beauty products, Myeung-dong and Hongdae are the places to go. If you love to haggle pricing, check out Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets. If you want designer clothing and goods, go to any of the big department stores such as Lotte, Hyundai and Shinsegae or head south to the Gangnam area to the upscale shopping areas of Apgujeong Rodeo Street, Cheongdam-dong and Sinsa-dong’s Garosu-gil.
If you are looking for an overall shopping experience, check out the Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido which is Seoul’s largest shopping mall known for its exquisite architecture, photo zones (to take perfect Instagram-ready photos), pop-up stores from local artisans and art exhibits. It also houses Korea’s largest food court.
Be sure to shop with your passport for VAT refunds. Typically, a retailer will give you paperwork to get your tax refund at the airport. However, some major department stores as well as retailers like Olive Young will give you an immediate refund at checkout.
Q: What are some great day-trips from Seoul? What’s the best way to get there?
A: I would recommend checking out the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which is the area separating South and North Korea. There is literally no place like this in the world. It’s a half-day trip from Seoul and you must sign up with a tour operator. If you can, try to include the unique Joint Security Area (JSA) as part of your tour. The JSA is the only portion of the DMZ where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. The two countries coexist here with the help of the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission.
If you can spare an extra two days or more in your itinerary, I would recommend exploring Busan and/or Jeju Island. Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and considered to be South Korea’s LA/Miami with its more relaxed vibe, beaches and access to great seafood. It’s an easy 2+ hour high-speed KTX train ride from Seoul. Jeju Island (aka the Hawaii of South Korea) is roughly a 2.5 hour plane ride.
Q: Let’s talk food! Tell me about the food scene in Seoul. What restaurants should not be missed?
A: The food scene is amazing, from Michelin star restaurants to street food stalls and everything in between. There are so many great restaurants that it’s hard to recommmend just a few. Find restaurants that specialize in just a few dishes.
On a recent trip, my local friends took me to some amazing restaurants: Gulgune in Itaewon for grilled Korean pork belly, Doseulbak in Sinsa-dong for refined Korean fusion and Kukbingwan (housed in a traditional hanok) near Gyeongbokgung Palace for briquette-grilled premium Hanwoo beef. I loved that these restaurants were a bit off the beaten path and not touristy.
If you want to explore just beyond Korean BBQ and japchae, one tip would be to go to a food court early in your trip. This way, you can try lots of different types of Korean dishes at once and see what you like. Most department stores have food courts in their basement. The best overall food courts are located at the Starfield COEX and the Hyundai Seoul.
Here’s another tip if you don’t like being overscheduled with many restaurant reservations (or if you are a last-minute planner). I’ve found the map feature of the Michelin app to be quite handy. When I’m wandering around and start to feel hungry, I’ll look to see what Bib Gourmand restaurants (typically very casual and don’t require reservations) are located nearby. I’ve eaten a lot of delicious food in Seoul this way.
If you want to check out some tourist food attractions, go to Kyoja in Myeung-dong, Gwangjang Market (be sure to watch Netflix’s “Street Food: Asia” special on Seoul’s Gwangjang Market), Namdaemun Market and Mangwon Market.
Q: Where can you find the best bars in Seoul? What’s the main drink?
A: You can find bars all over Seoul but I’ll point out a few that are good for English speakers. The upscale bars tend to be in the nicer hotels. The best one is Charles H, located in the Four Seasons. It’s tucked behind a hidden door and gives off a speakeasy vibe. If you want something more casual, there are several bars that cater to foreigners in the Itaewon and Hongdae areas. My favorite bar in Seoul is called Cobbler. It’s a small bar that is tucked out of the way in a maze of alleyways in Euljiro (once an industrial area with printing and tool shops but is now known as “Hip-jiro” with hip cafes, restaurants and bars). Cobbler is situated in a traditional hanok and they welcome each guest with a cobbler pie. There is no drink menu. Just tell the bartender what type of drink you typically like and the bartender will customize a drink for you. My favorite cocktail was vodka-based with muddled cherry tomatoes and basil.
The main drink of choice for many Koreans is soju (similar to vodka) but you don’t need to go to a bar to try it. Most restaurants will have soju so you can try it with your meal. If you want to take it a step further, ask for “so-maek” which is combining soju with maekju (Korean word for beer). So-maek is thirst quenching and also good for those who don’t really like the taste of beer.
Q: Any additional recommendations or tips about traveling to Seoul that you’d like to share?
A: In terms of getting around, please note that Google Maps does not work well in Seoul. I would recommend that you download both Naver Map and Kakao Maps on your phone. Also, make sure you have Papago or Google Translate on your phone to help with any language translations.
My final piece of advice is to learn how to say hello (ahn-nyeong-ha-se-yo) and thank you (gahm-sa-hab-ni-da) in Korean. If you want to take it a step further, do a little head nod when you say these words. Koreans will deeply appreciate it and the extra effort will likely result in warmer and better service.
