Unfiltered opinions after the first trip to Seoul.
Before going to Seoul I was frantically asking around where to go and Googling a lot on “Best Things To Do”. While there are the usual suspects for shopping and food, I am now able to list out places that are really worth your time to visit. A few things that I noticed about Seoul:
– The houses are similar to Japan, tiny but well built and occasionally you will stumble upon Wallpaper-worthy residential buildings and unique stores in cute neighborhoods
– The subway map is as complicated as any huge metropolitan cities but it is easy to navigate and very efficient. We loved the very adorable “Ringtone” that blasts through the station sound system whenever a train is about to arrive
– The city is not as clean as Japan, but again, nowhere on Earth can beat Japan for its cleanliness and recycling
– 99% of the cafes are “hipster” with great ambiance, you can never finish your list of must-go cafes. On another note, the coffee quality is pretty average
Here’re are my personal top 5 things to do in Seoul:
1. Soak in Hongdae
The epicenter of urban culture in Seoul – indie shops, graffiti, nightlife, and bars – Hongdae is a popular district where you will feel young all over again. Due to the close proximity of all the must-go places, you can spend time going from shop to shop, cafe to cafe without much walking in this concentrated hot spot.
Flower cafe Blüte – 12, Wausan-ro 14-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Sheep cafe, 486 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Museums
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) > Leeum Samsung Museum of Art. While Leeum is more prestigious, located near a hill surrounded by foreign embassies, MMCA has larger exhibitions and a more affordable entry fee. That being said, allocate at least 3 hours to comb through all the galleries and even the surrounding neighborhood!
Leeum, 60-16 Itaewon-to 55-Gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
MMCA 30 Samcheong-to, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
3. Architecturally Speaking…
No trip to Seoul should be made without a visit to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), the majestic neo-futuristic landmark designed by the late Zaha Hadid. The best time to go is from late afternoon to evening when you can see DDP being breath-taking in both day and night time.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza 281 Eulji-to, Jung-gu, Seoul
Sulwhasoo flagship 650, Sinsadong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Even if you are not a skincare junkie, you can’t miss the Gangnam flagship store of Sulwhasoo, designed by renowned Shanghai architect duo Neri & Hu. The super chic flagship exudes an air of class and refined luxury, you feel expensive just walking into the 5 story building.
Common Ground 17-1 Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
Common ground has all the elements of hipster – “pop-up” and “container”. Get there to take an #OOTD or simply for food and shopping.
Hyundai Card Music Library,
Another container-style shop to visit: Music Library at Itaewon. Record stores are a rare sighting in some parts of Asia (especially in Singapore) and to know there’s a members-only library for 10,000+ records, you have to see it with your own eyes.
Ewha Woman’s University 52 Ewhayeodae-Gil, Seodaemun-gu, South Korea
You might find it weird to visit a University while on vacation but there are tourists flocking over to Ewha Woman’s University just to see the building designed by Dominique Perrault. The campus sinks deep into the ground with a luscious roof garden at the top. The pictures simply do not do this piece of art any justice.
4. Local food
Besides the typical Korean fare like Bibimbap, BBQ, ginseng chicken soup, and Kimchi, my personal favorite must be Bonjuk, a chain store for Korean porridge, and Isaac toast. Both are ideal local breakfasts. A lot of the restaurants in Seoul offer western and hipster cuisine, to really try authentic Korean food, head to restaurants where the menu and staff don’t utter a word of English.
Noryangjin fish market, 674 Nodeul-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
Noryangjin is where you buy fresh seafood from the vendors, bring the live seafood to a restaurant upstairs and let them cook it for you on the spot whatever style you like. Tip: you cannot bargain for a lower price with the vendors but you can ask for a higher quantity at the same price.
5. Urban Planning.
Cheonggyecheon stream is an 11 km long stream flowing through downtown Seoul that has been restored as part of an urban renewal project. The stream has become a tourist attraction as well as a recreation space for the locals, a place of zen amidst the concrete jungle. Be in awe of the construction and urban planning as you walk alongside the river on a good sunny day.
