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Seoul

Things to know about Seoul

Pros: Super safe. Very friendly locals! They are so hospitable and catering. Despite the language barrier, they do their best to help. THE FOOD. Omg get ready to unbuckle your belt loops. A huge selection of things to do — markets, skincare, restaurants, cultural attractions, shopping, nightlife. I didn’t know what a massive city this is and how many bridges there are — its so beautiful! Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll have a good time here.
Cons: Language barrier, just have a translation app ready to go. Navigation can be tough but once you figure out the public transportation system, its very efficient. Google map isn’t reliable if you’re mapping for public transport. You’ll need
Naver maps
⁠
(download this before going!) It’s challenging to find the address you have in google map on Naver map bc everything is in Korean (apparently they’re working on translations natively in the app, so hopefully this improves). I recommend entering landmarks instead of addresses. Lastly, its a massive city so buffer lots of time if you need to get across town.
Uber is the best way to go as a foreigner. Taxi’s are difficult unless you speak Korean since drivers won’t know where you’re trying to go unless you have the Korean address.
Yelp isn’t too reliable, people use
Catch Table
⁠
to book restaurants.
It’s super cold in winter so be prepared
Local foods to try
tteokbokki - glutinous rice cakes in a red chili pepper sauce, can be spicy!
kimchee - fermented cabbage and this is served with just about everything!
hoeddeok - fried dough with fillings
samgyetang - ginseng chicken soup
seolleongtang - oxbone soup
kimbap - korean sushi with assortment of fillings
korean bbq - because obviously
fried chicken - i know this is everywhere in the world but Korea takes the cake for bomb fried chicken
Cultural things to know:
You’ll notice people are a lot more covered up out there. 1. They dont like sun exposure 2. Skin exposure can be scandalous; you might get stares but as a foreigner, its more lenient.
Dont wait for the bill to come to you. Go up to the counter when you’re finished eating for the bill.
They don’t expect nor take tips.
When passing or receiving something, like a credit card, use both hands but as a foreigner, not a big deal.
People usually keep to themselves. They usually dont look you in the eyes.
Respect the elders. You should be doing this anyways, but its important here in particular.
You’ll notice a lot of designer goods here. South Korea is one of the world's largest consumers of luxury goods, and is the world's biggest per capita spender on luxury goods.

Neighborhoods in Seoul

Gyeongnidan-gil Street 경리단길 - street on a hill that’s full of cafes, restaurants, and bars. The top has rly good view
Seongsudong + Seoul forest - it’s like Williamsburg (Brooklyn) of Seoul, up and coming & an amazing park with deer. Factories and warehouses gentrified into hip galleries, cafes, and restaurants. Fun place to people watch– a lot of street fashion.
Myeongdong - Great place for tourist souvenir shopping and to buy skincare. At night, there is a lot of street food
Garosugil - trendy and upscale cafes and shopping.
Apgujeong - (casual) bougie, boutiques, and bars
Hannam - next to itaewon, it’s a little more residential and upscale.
Mullae-dong 문래동 - little art area w galleries and cafes. A little out of the normal areas but an up & coming little treasures
Itaewon area - international and more casual/grungy
Euljiro - known as “hip-jiro” is an up&coming area
Cheungdam area - bougie and more expensive - there are a few cool speakeasies.
Hongdae - college town - lots of bars and clubs. Very young energy. I don’t really recommend unless you’re in the area.
Dongdaemun District - Shopping district of Seoul; At night, they do wholesale but during the day, you can buy retail

Skincare

⁠
Olive Young Shopping List
⁠
⁠
Popular skin treatments: aquapeels, botox, pico toning, shurink, LDM, Rejuran Healer, micro needling
Hair salons
Women’s
⁠
https://naver.me/5oX9ukbB
⁠
⁠
I love Cho Ijin.
Men’s
Kingston Mans Hair
서울 강남구 선릉로157길 6
https://naver.me/xkIlhhfE
Skincare med spa — Recommend that you do your own research, but most places in apgujeong/sinsa area should be pretty decent. I recommend staying away from spots in Gangnam station area or Myeongdong as they can be a little sus.
Skin Treatment Clinics
⁠


Recommendations

“Wow there’s so many recs, its overwhelming!” Personally I like to just bookmark and move around using google maps. Here’s my list —
google maps.
⁠
⁠
Use the filter drop-downs to narrow in on what you’re looking for
Recs are either vetted by me or spots others who have spent lots of time in Seoul recommend.
Search
Activity Type
What
Address
Details
Link
Vetted by Lucy
1
Beauty
Spa 1899 Donginbi
​
~$200 for 120 min body massage + facial
2
Beauty
Sulwhasoo SPA Flagship Store
​
​
3
Beauty
Jeonggwanjang Spa, Gangnam-gu
​
​
4
Food
Nae-gah jjim han dak
9 Gangnam-daero 96-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
best jjimdak - braised chicken
1
5
Food
Cheongsudang
​
Brunch cafe. Try matcha latte and souffle castera
6
Food
Solsot Restaurant
​
dinner - bibimpbap w/ waygu
7
Food
Namdo Bunsik
33 Supyo-ro 28-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Good tteokbokki places (rice cake)
8
Food
Samcheong-dont Soojaebi
101-1 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Michelin knife cut noodle soup.
9
Food
Mimi Myeonga
​
Michelin. Cold noodles. Get the egg, root veggie, noodles
10
Food
Hwanggob
mapo-gu, eoulmadang-ro, 149 1
korean bbq
1
11
Food
Myeongdong Kyoja
​
Michelin. Noodle soup and dumplings. 3 locations - 2 in Myeongdong and Itaewon
1
12
Food
Namdaemun Market
​
look for IBK Bank Namdaemun market for Yachae Hotteok - street food
13
Food
Chicken with Scorched Rice Ttukseom Recreation Area Branch
서울 광진구 능동로 7
Near han river park - nice for walking. The chicken w scorched rice is so good. Also add on the corn cheese if hungry!
14
Food
Hanguk Bar Anssi Makgeolli
서울 용산구 회나무로 3 아름누리빌딩 1층
This place is near itaewon and they have an amazing selection of rice wine and newer take on Korean food. It was my friends’ fave meal in korea
15
Food
Chime
서울 용산구 신흥로 30 2층 춈(CHOME)
love this spot. It’s cute, Korean fusion. Recommend you try their signature dishes
16
Food
Mapo Charcoal Grilled Short Ribs
서울 강남구 도산대로 232 마포숯불갈비
Local spot for marinade bbq.
17
Food
Yeonnam Seo Restaurant
서울 서대문구 연희맛로 15
This place has no frills. They don’t even have chairs. It’s is super affordable.
Go early because they ALWAYS sell out
Kinda close to hongdae
18
Food
Galbit
서울 영등포구 도림로125길 14
go at off hours or early the line gets insane
This spot has insanely good beef tartare, marinaded beef and the star is the cold Bibim noodles.
19
Food
The Royal Food & Drink
​
Cafe with an amazing view
20
Food
Orang Orang Cafe
​
Hipster cafe and cute neighborhood
21
Food
Wangbijib
​
The Korean BBQ experience – right down to the excellent ventilation system – has been perfected at Wangbijib
22
Food
Myeongdong Kyoja
​
Korean kalguksu noodles and dumplings
Michelin guide
23
Food
Maboklim Wonjo Halmeonijip Ttokbokki
​
Famous Ttokbokki (spicy Korean rice cake) store. Hole in the wall, very cheap
24
Food
Peaches
​
Luxury car repair brand turned cultural center with cafe, donuts, bar, burger joint, ice cream, cool rooftop
1
25
Food
Daelim Changgo
​
Warehouse turned into cool cafe and art gallery
26
Food
Somunnan Gamjatang
​
Famous Pork Bone Soup place; open 24/7
1
27
Food
Sinsajeon
​
Korean seafood pancake, kimchi pancake + Korean rice wine
28
Food
GENTLE MONSTER FLAGSHIP STORE SINSA
​
Korean sunglass brand with large flagship store
1
29
Food
Born and Bred
​
Korean hanwoo beef omakase
30
Food
Jungsik Seoul
​
Touted as a pioneer of modern Korean fine dining, Chef Yim Jung-sik — with his Seoul and New York restaurants
is credited for introducing Korean cuisine to the world with an innovative flair that is entirely his own.
Two MICHELIN stars
31
Food
Mongtan
​
Have to rush at lunch to get a reservation for dinner
Famous for their smoky barbecue cooked over a straw fire, Mongtan has generated an infamously long queue in a quiet alley near Samgakji Station
32
Food
Gebangsikdang
​
Soy sauce-marinated crab and stylish décor don’t always go hand in hand, but at Gebangsikdang, they do. A collaboration between fashion marketer Bang Geon-hyuk and his parents, veterans of the soy sauce marinated crab restaurant business, Gebangsikdang caters to a trend-conscious crowd with its polished interior and its wide selection of raw crab dishes.
33
Food
Budnamujip
​
Budnamujip, meaning "Willow Tree House" is a Korean beef barbecue restaurant that uses only 1++ grade meat from Pyeongchang and Hoengseong farms. This restaurant has cultivated the loyalty of patrons since 1977 and retains its unique traditional feel. Marinated beef ribs, which have been sold since its opening, is its signature dish. Beef is presented on a grill over charcoal.
34
Food
Gom Ba Wie
​
Gom Ba Wie, which has been open for more than 30 years, is loved by gourmets as it offers special parts of Korean beef, mainly innards such as tripe.
35
Food
Geumdwaeji Sikdang
​
Yummy Korean barbecue than samgyeopsal - pork belly
36
Food
Mukjeon
​
Traditional Korean seafood pancakes and pancake assortment with makkgeoli Korean rice wine
37
Museum
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Foundation
30 Samcheong-ro, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Korea’s modern art museum
Great exhibitions, highly recommend
38
Museum
Kukje Gallery
54 Samcheong-ro, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Modern art gallery, have great exhibits
One of Korea’s largest galleries
39
Nightlife
Tellus 9.5
153 Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
rooftop bar to see night view of Seoul. in a hotel called Anteroom
40
Nightlife
Craft Roo
17-7 Supyo-ro 28-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
brew own beers. get a tasting
41
Nightlife
Jean Frigo
Toegye-ro 62-gil, Gwanghuidong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Speakeasy bar
42
Nightlife
Zoosindang
South Korea, Seoul, Jung-gu, 퇴계로 411 6 Zoosindang
customized zodiac sign drinks. really nondescript looking bar
43
Nightlife
Sinsajeon
536-3 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu
honey comb makgeolli
44
Nightlife
Bar Lupin 바 루팡
​
Speakeasy
45
Nightlife
Resolver Cigar Bar 레졸베르
​
Speakeasy
46
Nightlife
Bar Alice cheongdam 바 엘리스
​
Speakeasy
1
47
Nightlife
mister children 미스터 칠드런
​
Speakeasy
1
48
Nightlife
le chamber 르챔버
​
Speakeasy
49
Nightlife
Jean Frigo
​
Speakeasy bar that looks like a grocery store from the outside. If you open the fridge door, you can enter the bar
50
Nightlife
Amazing Brewing Company
​
Korean craft brewery. You can taste a bunch of different beers
51
Nightlife
Jang Saeng Korean Cocktail Ba
​
In the Nonhyeon Area, this bar is in the middle of a wet market
The building used to be a Oriental Medicine Shop but it turned into a speakeasy
Vibe and the cocktails have Korean specialties like Tteobbokki, Fermented Bean,
Sesame Leaves (tastes better than it sounds!)
A lot of the ingredients are sourced from the market
52
Nightlife
Bar Cham
​
Cocktail bar inside of a traditional Korean Hanok - In the Seochon neighborhood (near the palace)
53
Nightlife
Cobbler
​
Whiskey bar inside of a traditional Korean Hanok. Near Greongbokgung Station
54
Nightlife
ZEST Seoul
​
In the upscale Chungdam neighborhood - Modern cocktails with Korean twist
1
55
Nightlife
Times
​
Hip hop club, where a lot of people are going these days
56
Nightlife
Jay and Jason
​
Lounge bar that has been around, staple of the area
57
Shopping
Samcheong-dong Road and Alleyway
​
iconic mural of old couple kissing. mom and pop stores
58
Shopping
Lotte World Mall
​
​
59
Shopping
Gentle Monster Haus
50 Apgjeong-ro 46-gil, Gangnam-gu
​
1
60
Shopping
Myeongdong Shopping Street
​
​
61
Touristy
Boryeong Mud Festival
123 Mud-ro, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do
​
62
Touristy
Broom Studio
​
fun photobooth pics. secret attic
63
Touristy
Starfield Library
​
crazy huge looking library. go at like 9AM so it's not packed
64
Touristy
Insadong culture street
​
​
65
Touristy
Bukchon Hanok village
​
Village dating to the 14th century filled with narrow streets lined with restored traditional hanok homes.
66
Touristy
Dongdaemun design plaza
​
​
67
Touristy
Cheungaecheon river
​
​
68
Touristy
Namsan tower
​
Local landmark in Seoul
1 hour hike to the top or you can take a cable car
Friends and lovers put locks at the top
69
Touristy
Lotte Tower
300 Olympic-ro, Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea
insane 360 views of Seoul, and connected to a giant mall w so many brands
70
Touristy
Korean Royal Palace Gyeongbokgung
161 Sajik-ro, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Great for first time visitors
Main Royal Palace in Korea
If you rent a hanbok (traditional dress), you can enter for free– this is quite fun!
71
Touristy
Gwanghwamun Square
​
Public square with over 600 years of history
72
Touristy
Cheonggyecheon Stream
​
10.9-kilometre-long modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea
Nice to stroll through
73
Touristy
Ikseon-dong
​
Korean hanoks remodelled into cute cafes and restaurants
74
Touristy
Insadong Street
​
Traditional Korean crafts and cute places to buy souvenirs
There are no rows in this table
⁠

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