I flew to Seoul via Asiana airlines during the Christmas holidays. The weather was freezing cold. It was probably around -14 degrees. Since I was fully prepared for this crazy weather, I wasn’t bothered by it at all.
About Seoul Korea
Seoul is the capital city of South Korea. It is the place for kimchi and K-pop. If you are nuts about kimchi, fermented vegetables or seafood, you will be amazed by the number of different kimchi available here. K-pop is another reason why people from all over the world like to visit South Korea.
The currency used here is known as Won. 1 US dollar is about 1,120 Won at the moment. For most visitors, they are allowed to stay in SK for 90 days. For more information about tourist visa, please click here
In South Korea the power plugs and sockets are of type C and F. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz.
If travelling free and easy to Seoul, the only problem I foresee would be ordering in local restaurants. The restaurant owners don’t understand English or any foreign languages. But, you will not have any problem whatsoever if you eat at the eateries in Myeongdong or Hongdae.
Seoul Korea flight
I bought the air ticket 2 months prior to this flight as I know from experience that it will be expensive if I were to buy it nearer to the travel date. I paid about S$982.70 for a return flight. Asiana site.
Seoul Korea Travel insurance
I always buy travel insurance before I travel because you never know what will happen before and after the flight. A friend of mine travelled to the US without buying travel insurance and unfortunately got really sick. She was admitted to a hospital and had to pay the hefty medical fee herself.
Seoul Korea weather in Winter
Winter in Korea is not a joke. When the cold wind hit your face, it feels like being cut by a knife. My skin has been damaged by the cold weather. In order to protect your face, you should put on a mask or use your winter muffler to cover your face. Better to have a winter coat that comes with a hood to block the cold wind from hitting your face and ears.
The popular winter wear in Seoul presently is puffer jackets with duck or goose feathers. Almost every Korean I saw was wearing this type of winter jacket. It is believed to be extra warm when wearing it.
Another important inner wear you should get before flying to cold countries, like Korea, are these Uniglo heattech extra warm leggings and t-shirt (crew or turtle neck). I wore them under my knit wear (not wool or cashmere) but I did not feel cold.
Top 8 things to do in and around Seoul Korea
1. See Christmas lighting at Cheonggyecheon Stream
Cheonggyecheon is a 10.9-kilometre-long stream situated in downtown, Seoul. It is surrounded by beautiful trees and commercial buildings. A very nice place to relax your tied feet after a long walk.
During Christmas or other festivals in Seoul Korea, the stream comes alive with beautiful lighting. You can walk along the stream to have a closer view of the decorations if you don’t mind the crowd. This Christmas, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to see these beautiful Christmas lighting.
The best time to visit this place is evening or night. Winters is very cold so dress warm before heading out.
2. Watch street performances at Hongdae Seoul Korea
Hongdae is the hot place to go to when in Seoul. It is near to Hongik University, hence the name Hongdae ( Hong as in Hongik, Daehakgyo is University). This area is well known for trendy cafes, bars and nightclubs. I am not a big fan of bars or nightclubs, but I went there for the street performances happening around evening / night every day, but mostly Friday and Saturdays. Street performances can be viewed near exits 8 and 9 of the Hongik University Station on line 2 (green line) on Eoulmadag-ro.
3. Eating Korean street food
What to eat in Seoul? Korean street food, of course! Korean Street food is something you should not miss out when you visit Korea. It can be found in almost every part of Seoul. Popular street food like Tteok-bokki ( stir-fried rice cakes), Emok Tang (fishcake) and hotteok (Korean pancake) are some of my personal favourite.
If you are into something unusual and out of the ordinary, you can try Sannakji (live baby octopus), Beondegi (Steamed silkworm pupae), or Hongeo (fermented skate).
Korean food, and not just Korean street food, is generally spicy. Korean, especially those from Seoul, love their Korean food to be extra spicy. My whole mouth was numbed after eating spicy Chicken feet in Seoul. I had to drink lots of water to cool my mouth. Korean from other parts of Korea could not take this level of spiciness as well. If you like to cook Korean food yourself, this is the site I go to learn how to cook delicious and authentic Korean food.
If you like watching Korean drama like me, you will definitely see them eating Jajangmyeon ( Noodle in black bean sauce) and tangsuyuk (Sweet and sour pork). Both are Chinese Korean dishes you should try when in Korea. The best place to go to for these dishes would be the chain eatery in Myeongdong called Hong Kong Banjum 0410 Plus. They have many chains all over Seoul, but I prefer to come to this particular store whenever I am there. This chain restaurant is founded by the famous celebrity chef, Baek Jong-won.
4. Play baseball at batting cages in Seoul Korea
Are you a fan of baseball? I totally enjoyed watching and playing this game. As a matter of fact, I watched a live game at Tokyo dome when I was in Tokyo a few years back. As baseball is the hottest sport in Korea over the last 50 years, there are many batting cages where you can pitch your skill against a robotic pitcher shooting at 90km/hr or 100km/hr.
The cost for a game is around 1,000 won or 2,000 won. If you are interested, you can take the train to Jongno 3-ga station (Purple line) and Exit 5 to play a game at Insadong Batting cage. If Gangnam interest you more, you can take the train to Gangnam station (Line 2) and Exit 10.
5. Release your stress at Seoul rage room
Stressed out and want to get your rage out?? Seoul rage room is your answer to vent all your stress out. Located near Hongik University (Hongdae), this place offers several types of stress release treatments. “Vandalism” cost 10,000 for 10 minutes is the most moderate option. The somewhat costly “Madness” option, which costs 180,000 won, allows the customers to break as many ceramics as they want and break an appliance which is often an old television, computer monitor or printer.
6. Take KTX train to Gangneung from Seoul Korea
Gangneung is a city in the province of Gangwon-do situated on the east coast of South Korea. It is 2 hours away from Seoul via KTX. Gangneung station is after Pyeongchang station, the venue where the Pyeongchnag Winter Olympic game was held. Gangneung has many beautiful beaches with blue water and soft white sand. This place is packed with locals during the hot Summer season. Visiting beaches in the Winter is refreshing, although it can be cold. However, as the weather in Gangneung is milder than in other areas of Korea, it is still enjoyable to take walk at the beach even in winter.
Gyeongpo Beach is a sand bank formed between Gyeongpo Lake and the ocean. This beautiful beach extends to a length of 6 km and is famous for its picturesque sunrise and tranquil moonrise.
Besides beaches, you can enjoy good coffee, beer and bread when visiting Gangneung. Head to Gangneung coffee street, 17, Changhae-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, where you can find a stretch of cafes facing the Anmok Beach. You can enjoy your coffee and dessert with a spectacular sea view as the cafes have windows facing the sea. The cafe I visited this trip is CAFE BOSSANOVA. Besides tasty coffee beverages using the highest quality coffee beans, you can access their rooftop terrace for a incredible ocean views of the East Sea (aka Sea of Japan).
Locals also like to visit Gangneung to see the sunrise. From the hotel we were staying, St. John Hotel, we could see the sunrise from the balcony of our room. It was really very beautiful. A unforgettable experience indeed.
St. John Hotel is a newly built hotel in Gangneung. The rooms are huge with comfortable beds. I would recommend to include a buffet styled breakfast in your stay. Varieties of food, Korean, Western and Chinese, to choose from. The breakfast area is also clean and spacious.
7. Visit themed cafes in Seoul Korea
There numerous themed cafes spreading all over Seoul. In Hongdae visit Thank Nature Cafe, a cafe with 2 lovely sheeps; Ho Ho Myoll, a cafe named after a cat living in a real Volkswagen parked close to the shopfront; and Banji cafe that has a ring craft shop allowing customers to make their own rings, necklaces and bracelets.
Another area for themed cafes would be Itewon. If you are a fan of LINE ( chat), you must pay this cafe a visit. Banana tree is another interesting cafe to visit in Itewon whereby their cakes are served in a miniature flower pot with a spoon that looks like mini shovel.
Of all the themed cafes in Seoul, the one that I like is Cafe Yeonnam-dong 239-20. The cafe is about 10 to 15 minutes on foot from Hongik University subway station (Exit 3). The cafe’s interior is inspired by the Korean drama ” W – Two World”. Thus, when you stepped into the cafe, you feel as if you have stepped into a comic world. The wall, the mugs, the furniture were all styled like a comic book.
8. Meeting K-pop idols in Seoul Korea
Who is your favourite K-pop group or solo artist? Twice, BTS or IU? I personally like IU for the songs she wrote herself. If you are crazy about K-pop, you may meet them the artists on the street by heading to the neighbourhood where the k-pop agencies are located. The headquarters of SM, FNC, Cube and JYP can be found near each other in Cheongdam-dong, while YG is in Hongdae.
There, you have it. Top 8 things you can do when in Seoul, Korea.
Survival Korean
Why not learn a few Korean phrases before you fly to the land of the kimchi.
