Travel

Heading to South Korea

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Deal Addict
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Oct 5, 2004
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Toronto
Speaking of Seul. Those who have layovers can do a city tour(s) for free, paid by the government. They have tours 1-6 hour long and it doesn't cost anything. While not the best way to explore the city, it is better than sitting at the airport...



ilove wrote: It's a surreal experience. Just an hour long drive away from the hustle and bustle of a 20+ million metropolitan area and you are footsteps away from the most notoriously oppressive regime in the world. You can learn history from books but nothing like being there in person.
I have other views on it, but I can see your side and how what you are saying makes sense to a lot of people
.
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May 18, 2009
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demi2004 wrote: Not sure why anyone would go to DMZ. It's a sad place with nothing really to see, not to mention overcrowded with tourists. I avoided it and recommend to avoid this place for everyone else.

Give 2 day to explore Seul then find a way to get in the country. There are tours available into villages, hiking,

chrl120 gave some really good places to visit!
I joined one of those DMZ tours. I rmbr seeing the tunnel the NKs dug to try to invade SK, a NK ghost village from a cliff (a fake village to show the SKs that they are doing well), and bought a NK wine from the gift shop. Nothing "spectacular" but it was something worthwhile - something more interesting than temples or hiking imo.
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Sep 23, 2007
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My 2 cents:

Almost everything in Seoul is close to a subway. Seoul is one of the most convenient cities to travel.

Attractions:
-DMZ is a must. This will take most of a day. You'll return early evening.
-I visited all the palaces. Not sure if it's just me but they all look about the same. So stick with the most famous one Gyeongbokgung. I got the palace pass. It was only 10,000W so not a big deal. But visiting all the palaces was very exhausting.
-If you like museums, there are some good ones. An odd museum is the prison where Koreans were kept during colonization. It's not advertised but I thought it was interesting. Korea has some niche museums.
-Try walking the man-made river. Lots of couples go here.
-I personally did not find anything special in gangnam or any other upscale shopping/fashion areas. Maybe that's because I'm a guy.
-If you're going with your wife, there are some good spots for couples in Seoul. One would be the Seoul Tower. Insadong is also pretty good for tourists and couples. There's a Ssamjigil plaza which is pretty nice
-They have some k-pop concert experience programs for foreigners. You might be on TV!

Food:
Koreans eat some truly strange food. I recommend you step out of your comfort zone and try some things you can't get in Canada. I can write Korean so if you need help, I can write you the food name to solve some of the language barriers. If you stick with touristy places, you'll just end up with the same Korean foods in Canada.
-Raw octopus. You can youtube it.
-Try some street food. They make great snacks.
-Korean style sashimi. It's like Japanese except they also make a soup with the left over bones
-Anju bars. They are like restaurants but more designed for drinking. Instead of full meal, snacks are served
-Shaved ice, often with red bean. This is not the Taiwan style shaved ice. Koreans have their own twist to it
-Koreans are pretty fond of seafood. Try abalone, or the many kinds of fish they have. Eel is also popular. If you're brave, try spoon worms.
-Try a Pojangmacha. These are increasingly rare. Basically these are tents with plastic tables set up outside for a quick meal. It's very common to drink soju when eating here. If you've seen Korean dramas, you've very likely seen a Pojangmacha.
-A very Korean thing to do is to go to a park by the Han river, and order fried chicken. They deliver to the park (or at least to the edge of the park). Drinking alcohol outside is allowed, and very commonly done with the fried chicken.
-There's also the infamous dog stew. I haven't worked up the courage to try it yet.

Have fun and ask me if you have questions about Seoul.
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Mar 31, 2008
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Try to make some friends there online. Have them take you out for a night out. You'll have a blast.
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Oct 16, 2008
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BananaHunter wrote: My 2 cents:

Almost everything in Seoul is close to a subway. Seoul is one of the most convenient cities to travel.

Attractions:
-DMZ is a must. This will take most of a day. You'll return early evening.
-I visited all the palaces. Not sure if it's just me but they all look about the same. So stick with the most famous one Gyeongbokgung. I got the palace pass. It was only 10,000W so not a big deal. But visiting all the palaces was very exhausting.
-If you like museums, there are some good ones. An odd museum is the prison where Koreans were kept during colonization. It's not advertised but I thought it was interesting. Korea has some niche museums.
-Try walking the man-made river. Lots of couples go here.
-I personally did not find anything special in gangnam or any other upscale shopping/fashion areas. Maybe that's because I'm a guy.
-If you're going with your wife, there are some good spots for couples in Seoul. One would be the Seoul Tower. Insadong is also pretty good for tourists and couples. There's a Ssamjigil plaza which is pretty nice
-They have some k-pop concert experience programs for foreigners. You might be on TV!

Food:
Koreans eat some truly strange food. I recommend you step out of your comfort zone and try some things you can't get in Canada. I can write Korean so if you need help, I can write you the food name to solve some of the language barriers. If you stick with touristy places, you'll just end up with the same Korean foods in Canada.
-Raw octopus. You can youtube it.
-Try some street food. They make great snacks.
-Korean style sashimi. It's like Japanese except they also make a soup with the left over bones
-Anju bars. They are like restaurants but more designed for drinking. Instead of full meal, snacks are served
-Shaved ice, often with red bean. This is not the Taiwan style shaved ice. Koreans have their own twist to it
-Koreans are pretty fond of seafood. Try abalone, or the many kinds of fish they have. Eel is also popular. If you're brave, try spoon worms.
-Try a Pojangmacha. These are increasingly rare. Basically these are tents with plastic tables set up outside for a quick meal. It's very common to drink soju when eating here. If you've seen Korean dramas, you've very likely seen a Pojangmacha.
-A very Korean thing to do is to go to a park by the Han river, and order fried chicken. They deliver to the park (or at least to the edge of the park). Drinking alcohol outside is allowed, and very commonly done with the fried chicken.
-There's also the infamous dog stew. I haven't worked up the courage to try it yet.

Have fun and ask me if you have questions about Seoul.
I'm going to nitpick your post. If I had to choose just one palace I would pick Changdeokgung over Gyeongbokgung. And Korean style sashimi is different from Japanese. So different to the point that I prefer the Japanese style over Korean.
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Feb 15, 2005
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chrl120 wrote: -Seoul N Tower and Namsam (overrated, IMO) - have those heart lock things EVERYWHERE
-Insadong - ultra touristy, don’t buy any souvenirs from this area and save it for Namedaemun or Dongdaemun

P.S. you have to try jimjilbang.
The markets in Namdaemun and Dongdaemun are overrated. There's nothing special there and quality is lacking. Best to buy your stuff from Lotte.


Love locks are overrated. Good luck finding a space...
ImageSeoul Tower - Love Lock trees by rf134a, on Flickr
ImageSeoul Tower - Love Locks by rf134a, on Flickr

Jimjibang is definitely a different experience for a Westerner. :)
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Newbie
Aug 7, 2008
10 posts
Ontario
Hi I am also thinking of a trip to Korea for about 10 days at the end of April. Are there currently any good deals going on? I have keeping a close eye on cheapoair and the cheapest is $1100 but it requires a transfer to a different airport in NYC (LA Guardia to JFK) Does anyone knows how this works regarding your luggage? Would I need to take everything with me or would it automatically be transferred for me ?
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May 18, 2009
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i would also like to know what are some good high-end korean traditional restaurants in Seoul/daegu/busan that is tourist friendly (some English on menus).
Newbie
Feb 2, 2011
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Toronto
Swtess wrote: Hi I am also thinking of a trip to Korea for about 10 days at the end of April. Are there currently any good deals going on? I have keeping a close eye on cheapoair and the cheapest is $1100 but it requires a transfer to a different airport in NYC (LA Guardia to JFK) Does anyone knows how this works regarding your luggage? Would I need to take everything with me or would it automatically be transferred for me ?
I'm going to Seoul at the end of April also. I bought the tickets for $1280.60, returning end of August.

I've been keeping an eye out for deals on various sites, and the cheapest I ever saw was about $1140 round trip. However, you have to switch airports at New York, like you said. I did some digging and 3.5hrs isn't really enough time.

Once you get out, which on a good day may take 15 mins, you need to get your luggage, which can take anywhere from 10 mins to 1 hour. By taxi, the two airports are about 15 mins apart, but that depends on traffic and whether or not you can find one right away. Subway is about an hour. They have shuttles and such, but their wait times are 15-30 mins. Once you get there, you'll have to check in again. Not to mention any delays.

All this to save a little under $200. That's the reasoning I gave myself to opt for a more expensive flight. When you calculate the expense from the two airports, taxi/subway/shuttle fares, you might only be saving a little over $100. Just eat less or opt for a cheaper hotel during your trip and you can easily save the $100.
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Aug 1, 2010
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Montreal
When drinking with local Koreans, do not finish your drink if you want to stop drinking. They will fill up your cup as soon as you empty it and rejecting a drink is very impolite.

Source: Korean-Canadian myself
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Jul 10, 2014
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demi2004 wrote: Not sure why anyone would go to DMZ. It's a sad place with nothing really to see, not to mention overcrowded with tourists. I avoided it and recommend to avoid this place for everyone else.

Give 2 day to explore Seul then find a way to get in the country. There are tours available into villages, hiking,

chrl120 gave some really good places to visit!
I didn't plan ahead and get my passport cleared and thus couldn't go and it was my only regret. So I think it's just something you have to witness and see for yourself because my curiosity has never let me live it down.
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Jun 28, 2003
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Bumping up an older thread as I am heading to South Korea in a few weeks and am looking for ideas on off the beaten path places and activities in Seoul and surrounding cities.

This will be my 4th trip to South Korea (wife is Korean) so you can imagine I have pretty much done all of the touristy places and attractions. I will be in South Korea for 20 days but I will be doing a couple of trips (East Coast and Jeju Island), 4 days each, so I figure I have about 10 days left, give or take. Some of which will obviously be spent with families and friends.

From my research, here are some of the off-the-beaten path places in Seoul that I have not done. I don't speak Korean but have had no problem navigating Seoul on my own or with a buddy on prior trips so feel free to suggest anything you deem fit :)

In no particular order.

- Namseong Market
- Inwangsan
- Konkuk University
- Dapsimni Antique Market
- Seoul Wall of Fortress
- Moran Meat Market :)
Newbie
Aug 16, 2014
61 posts
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Regina, SK
canabiz wrote: Bumping up an older thread as I am heading to South Korea in a few weeks and am looking for ideas on off the beaten path places and activities in Seoul and surrounding cities.

This will be my 4th trip to South Korea (wife is Korean) so you can imagine I have pretty much done all of the touristy places and attractions. I will be in South Korea for 20 days but I will be doing a couple of trips (East Coast and Jeju Island), 4 days each, so I figure I have about 10 days left, give or take. Some of which will obviously be spent with families and friends.

From my research, here are some of the off-the-beaten path places in Seoul that I have not done. I don't speak Korean but have had no problem navigating Seoul on my own or with a buddy on prior trips so feel free to suggest anything you deem fit :)

In no particular order.

- Namseong Market
- Inwangsan
- Konkuk University
- Dapsimni Antique Market
- Seoul Wall of Fortress
- Moran Meat Market :)
Stay anywhere in Hongdae and you won't regret it. It's an amazing part of the city that never sleeps.
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Jan 31, 2016
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AB
canabiz wrote: Bumping up an older thread as I am heading to South Korea in a few weeks and am looking for ideas on off the beaten path places and activities in Seoul and surrounding cities.

This will be my 4th trip to South Korea (wife is Korean) so you can imagine I have pretty much done all of the touristy places and attractions. I will be in South Korea for 20 days but I will be doing a couple of trips (East Coast and Jeju Island), 4 days each, so I figure I have about 10 days left, give or take. Some of which will obviously be spent with families and friends.

From my research, here are some of the off-the-beaten path places in Seoul that I have not done. I don't speak Korean but have had no problem navigating Seoul on my own or with a buddy on prior trips so feel free to suggest anything you deem fit :)

In no particular order.

- Namseong Market
- Inwangsan
- Konkuk University
- Dapsimni Antique Market
- Seoul Wall of Fortress
- Moran Meat Market :)
If you are into hiking, you should check out Bukhansan. Great place to hike and lots of areas where you can picnic. Metro line 3, Gupabal station.
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Mar 27, 2009
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Hamilton
I'll be heading to Seoul in a few months. This will be my second time there. On my first trip, I had to borrow a plug adapter from the hotel as the pins of the conventional EU plug were too small, and SK sockets require the plug to have square (if I recall correctly) notches on either side of it . Would someone tell me where in Seoul I can buy a couple of these plugs? It was frustrating to only have one plug when I had multiple devices to charge/use.

Thanks in advance.
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Jan 16, 2003
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canabiz wrote: Bumping up an older thread as I am heading to South Korea in a few weeks and am looking for ideas on off the beaten path places and activities in Seoul and surrounding cities.
Search for my trip report in the tripadvisor forum. 2500km in south korea or something like that. same username
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Jun 28, 2003
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destiny9 wrote: I'll be heading to Seoul in a few months. This will be my second time there. On my first trip, I had to borrow a plug adapter from the hotel as the pins of the conventional EU plug were too small, and SK sockets require the plug to have square (if I recall correctly) notches on either side of it . Would someone tell me where in Seoul I can buy a couple of these plugs? It was frustrating to only have one plug when I had multiple devices to charge/use.

Thanks in advance.
You should be able to get a travel adapter in Canada and bring it along for the trip. That is what I did and have been using it in South Korea so far. I also tried it in Japan but ended up plugging my devices directly into the power outlets.

Thanks for the suggestions on some of the more off the beaten path stuff in Seoul, lads. I have been here for 1 week but only got time to explore some places today and knocked a few off my list as I started the day visiting the War Memorial then Namseong Market then Little Russia in Dongdaemun and finished at Tongin Market. Still on tap is Dapsimni Market, Moran Market and Seoul Fortress.

Btw I highly recommend getting the Seoul City Pass Plus to get around. You can Google for more info but there are numerous benefits. I picked mine up at a GS25 convenience store but you could also get them from vending machines at selected subway stations.
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Oct 18, 2014
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It seems like everyone likes to do Seoul. My personal favorite nearby is Busan, direct train from the airport or the main station downtown Seoul. If you like Vancouver, Busan is the place to go. Seoul is just another concrete jungle with very little culture in my experience, but very touristy if that what you are looking for.
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McKinsey wrote: It seems like everyone likes to do Seoul. My personal favorite nearby is Busan, direct train from the airport or the main station downtown Seoul. If you like Vancouver, Busan is the place to go. Seoul is just another concrete jungle with very little culture in my experience, but very touristy if that what you are looking for.
While you are correct Busan is a very nice city and should be on the itinerary if you are going to visit South Korea and your time and budget allow so, I think Seoul is still the main attraction here. It has something for everyone. Where else are you going to see a nice temple opposite one of the biggest mall in Asia (COEX). Yes it can be a concrete jungle and may be too 'touristy' but it certainly has its own unique attractions.
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And keep in mind Busan isn't exactly "nearby." It may seem like it to us Canadians whose territory is 2nd largest in the world but Busan is about an hour away from Seoul by flight.

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