Annyeong haseyo! A natural first destination to fly into South Korea, Seoul is the bustling capital city of this country. Well-known for its blend of old structures and new skyscrapers, Seoul provides endless unique experiences. While I know five nights in Seoul is nowhere near enough time to get past the tip of the iceberg but it’s a good start for my first time in Korea.
Quick Itinerary
Just a general gist of where to go each day.
Day 1: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanbok Village, Han River Park
Day 2: Seoul Tower, Itaewon, Myeongdong
Day 3: DMZ Tour, Insadong, Ikseondong
Day 4: KBBQ, Gangnam, Hongdae
Know Before You Go
- Getting Around: Google Maps essentially doesn’t exist in South Korea (which is sad because I am 1000% a Google Maps person). So the apps, Naver or Kakao Maps, will be your best friend here! I couldn’t really figure out Kakao Maps so my go-to was Naver.
- Money Cards: There are many options for public transportation cards such as . My cousin studied in South Korea and had extra T-Money cards, which are rechargeable smart cards.
- Where to Stay: As first-timers, we chose to stay in Myeongdong which was a perfect central location for us and we absolutely loved eating at the street food markets! Hongdae and Insadong are also popular options.
Day 1: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Han River Park
Gyeongbokgung Palace
This place is probably one of the first things that come up on a list of things you must do in Seoul. Gyeongbokgung Palace is the main and largest palaces out of the five palaces from the Joseon Dynasty. It was unfortunately destroyed a few times during the Japanese occupation but has since undergone renovation and is still being restored.
The palace grounds are crazy big, so I would plan to spend around 2-3 hours if you want to leisurely explore all the different areas and buildings.
It is also well known for the royal changing of the guards which takes place twice a day at 10 am and 2 pm. Unfortunately, we were on a time crunch and weren’t able to see it but it looks so cool, so fingers crossed for next time!
Many people rent hanboks or traditional Korean clothing here to take photos with the old palace and its surroundings. If you wear a hanbok, the entrance fee is actually waived and you can get in for free! Otherwise, the admission fee for adults is 3,000 won.
Another popular destination that people wear hanboks is at Bukchon Hanok Village!
Bukchon Hanok Village
This residential area is well known for their traditional Korean style homes, called hanoks.
We are walking folk so coming from Gyeongbokgung Palace, it was about a 20 to 25 minute walk. I really enjoyed this walk though, because we passed so many cute and trendy shops and restaurants along our way to the hanoks!
We arrived right before sunset so it was nice it wasn’t too busy and people were starting to clear out.
Remember to be respectful: Although it’s a popular tourist destination, it should also be noted that people still live here so it’s best to not visit past sundown or make too much noise. Obviously do not trespass onto people’s property to try to get the best photo op. There were kids screaming and running loudly through the streets so don’t be those people. To make sure we followed these rules, we were gone before the sun set!
Han River Park
Although eating delicious ramen with a view of Seoul was still on our bucket list, the main reason we came to Han River Park was to see the cherry blossoms! We had just missed the cherry blossom festival (Yeouido Spring Flower Festival) by a few days, but it was no worries for us because the trees were still in progress of blossoming.
The best time to see cherry blossoms in South Korea is early to mid April. We thought we were going to miss them in Korea since we arrived to Seoul on the last day of March, but we lucked out and the flowers started to bloom early! These plants are hard to plan around though, because I heard of people changing their flight last minute because the flowers were supposed to bloom a few weeks later.
Eating ramen on the Han River from the 7-Eleven has blown up on TikTok, which is how I first saw it, but I’m sure locals have been doing this forever. There are food stand stalls where people are selling packets of ramen and cardboard bowls to cook it in, but we opted to go for 7-Eleven to also grab some refreshing beers and add an egg into our noodles!
I got a Shin ramen (my go-to) while Matt got a Buldak ramen (he loves his maximum spice), as well as an egg and tteokbokki. Since all the instructions were in Korean and I’m sure we looked very confused, a nice employee helped us out with the cooking, saved my egg that dropped on the ground, and gave us cardboard boxes to easily hold our bowls while we found a spot to enjoy the sunset!
We loved people watching here as the sky got darker and the city lights brightened! It was cute to see locals enjoying their Sunday night here, sort of like how going to the lakefront in Chicago is.
Day 2: Seoul Tower, Itaewon, Myeongdong
Namsan Seoul Tower
The N Seoul Tower (also known as Namsan Tower, Seoul Tower, or YTN Seoul Tower) is recognizable in iconic Korean dramas and along the city skyline. You can take a cable car up to near the base of the tower or choose to hike the stairs up! We walked from our Myeongdong hotel which took around an hour or so with stopping at viewpoints to take a rest along the way.
There’s an observation deck on the top of the tower but we opted not to go so we could visit other attractions on this day. We had great views of the city anyways!
Itaewon
After walking back down from Seoul Tower, we hopped on the subway to check out the Itaewon neighborhood. This lively and trendy area is popular amongst foreigners and known for its nightlife. A. nice place to grab a beer at an Irish pub!
Myeongdong Street Market & Shopping
Food crawl!! Myeongdong is a bustling area filled with fashion brands, luxury shops, and cosmetics stores. In addition to these shops, the streets are lined with rows of street vendors selling everything from fried chicken to grilled lobsters to nutella crepes to korean corn dogs!
Our hotel was right across the street so this was a natural stop for us to grab some late night food after Itaewon and try a variety of options. Some local must try ones are egg bread, sweet pancakes (hotteok), tteokbokki rice cakes.
We even got the cutest caricature drawing that only took a minute from Acorn Caricature.
Day 3: DMZ Tour, Insadong, Ikseondong
Half Day DMZ Tour
Ever wondered what it’s like to look into North Korea? Near the 38th parallel north, traveling to the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea requires visiting with a tour guide. Each tour receives a time slot that they can enter the DMZ in the morning, leaving Seoul any time from 5 am to 7 am. The tour guides find out the time slot late the night before so be prepared to wake up earlier than you initially sign up for!
As we drove up to the heavily militarized area, we had to stop at a checkpoint for officers to check our passport and identity.
Third Infiltration Tunnel (Third Tunnel of Aggression)
During the war, North Koreans built tunnels used to invade South Korea. We had to lock up our bags and all cameras and phones because we are not allowed to take any photos or videos. This is the only photo I have:
The walk down the tunnel is pretty steep and sometimes slippery so I would suggest good walking shoes. It was nice to get hard hat helmets because the ceiling of the tunnel is low and I hit my head at least twice. With a tired back, we reached the end of the tunnel where you can see through a small slot into the lush and vibrant green vegetation of the DMZ. Since the DMZ has so little people set foot there, rare wildlife has been able to thrive and it unintentionally is a fantastic nature preserve.
Dora Observatory
The observatory was the main reason we wanted to do the DMZ tour, because it allows you to look across the border into North Korea and its cities and farmland. We grabbed a pair of binoculars that we made sure were as clear as possible and basically switched off at that one the remainder of our time slot. Luckily, the observatory wasn’t too busy so there was no one waiting around for binoculars.
Our tour guide pointed out the Inter-Korean Liaison Office building that was bombed in 2020, the propaganda city of Kijong-dong, and the fake Hollywood sign.
As we looked around the binoculars, we were able to see numerous farmers walking through the fields and even a solider at their post.
Peace Memorials
While some people visited the Freedom Bridge, we had some time to wander and see memorials for peace and unification. Here, we were able to see the train car covered with bullet holes, North and South Korean girls statues, and fence tied with scarves.
Insadong
This shopping street is fantastic for unique souvenirs, art, cafes, and restaurants. Ssamzigil Shopping Mall is a cute shopping complex filled with various independent stalls and would be my go-to for handmade gifts and souvenirs.
Ikseondong Hanok Street
Compared to the traditional residential area of Bukchon, these alleyways within Ikseondong Hanok village is a trending area with popping restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, tea houses and more. (The actual area is much cuter, I just didn’t take enough pictures)
The night we went happened to be filled with locals on the street pubs and Korean barbecue restaurants so we decided to join in with a beer and nachos! (Would not recommend the nachos, don’t come at me for ordering nachos in Korea)
Gwangjang Market
If you’re feeling hungry for some authentic Korean street food, you don’t want to miss Gwangjang Market! It is one of the oldest and largest traditional markets in South Korea, with over 5000 shops. Although this market is known for clothes, by the time we went, the clothing shops were mainly closed and the food stalls were where all the people were.
Many food stalls serve similar food, but popular items are bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), japchae (glass noodles), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), mayak kimball, and so much more. Just sit down at a stall that looks good and try some dishes!
Day 4: KBBQ, Gangnam, Hongdae
KBBQ at a Campsite
It’s popular among locals to rent a camping site for an hour or few and have your own korean bbq! While we were in Barcelona in the fall, we met a couple who lives outside of Seoul from Chungju. They took us to grab all the ingredients we needed at the Lotte World supermarket beforehand such as meat, vegetables, rice, noodles, and more before heading to our grill out area.
Of course it’s a bit harder to do this without a car, so you can choose to skip this and explore the other neighborhoods of Seoul!
Gangnam
No, it’s not just a PSY song. Gangnam is one of the largest districts in Seoul and is often associated with luxury shopping and high-end fashion.
Starfield Library
This Instagram and Tiktok popular library became famous for its tall rows of bookshelves and escalators. Located within COEX Mall is a library filled with approximately 70,000 books in floor to ceiling shelves.
What is even crazier is that all the books are free and nobody is monitoring them – the trust in citizens in South Korea is very different than the U.S.. For a bookworm like me, this place is a paradise I could get stuck in for hours. Whether you’re taking a reading break in this cozy space or looking for research books to study on, this is a very unique place to Seoul!
Gangnam Hands
Right outside the Starfield Mall is a giant pair of bronze hands from the iconic horse dance in Psy’s music video for Gangnam Style. Stupidly, we didn’t even realize they were that close and just missed it!
Hongdae
Unfortunately, we didn’t have too much time to wander out Hongdae but I wished we could have! I know – HOW did we go to Seoul but not explore Hongdae?
As another lively neighborhood, Hongdae is home to various clubs/bars and fashion-forward boutiques. It is another popular destination for travelers to stay since there’s just so much to do in this area. It will be the first place I go whenever I’m back in Seoul!
Color Analysis
Finding your best color shades blew up on TikTok after many went to Korea to get a color analysis and TikTok filters were created. I’m still a bit skeptical what I am since I went to two different color analysis consultations and was told the opposite things but it’s a great experience to learn more about yourself and your appearance!
Where to Next?
Seoul is HUUUUGE and filled with lots more to do that aren’t just the normal touristy spots. I would love to come back and explore everything I’ve missed. Continuing on our trip in South Korea, our next destination is the traditional hanok style streets of Jeonju!
Thanks (or kamsahamnida) for reading my little blog! 🙂 Have you been to Seoul or planning a trip there? Send me your thoughts about what you loved the most or are most excited about! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
(Side note: After a 3 year break from blogging – oops – I’m back and have lots of travels to update! So get ready for a lot more posts, woohoo!)
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