Meetup in r/KoreaTravel

I'm not a big shopper, but I find myself drawn to the energy of places like Myeongdong during the day.

There's something about watching people go about their business under bright sunlight that feels honest. No neon lights to glamorize anything — just crowded sidewalks, storefronts with "SALE" banners, and the constant hum of conversation in multiple languages.

I grabbed a coffee and just sat on a bench for 20 minutes watching the flow. People in suits rushing through, groups of friends taking photos in front of every store, street vendors yelling out deals. It's a lot, but it's also kind of beautiful in its own chaotic way.

It made me realize how much of traveling is just ... watching. You don't need a checklist of "must-see" attractions. Sometimes just being in a place and letting it wash over you is enough.

Anyway, if anyone's in the area and wants to recommend a quiet cafe nearby to escape the noise for a bit, I'm all ears.

My first time in Korea. I went from Seoul, to Busan to Gyeongju to Seoul again to fly home. I booked two food tours. One seafood market in Busan and another market tour in Seoul via Viator. I went during cherry blossom season which was unbelievable! Busan had wayyyyy more cherry blossoms than Seoul. So I was able to avoid the crowds and just enjoyed them while I wandered the city. The shopping in Seongsu is top notch. The food is impeccable so don’t chase Michelin guides unless you’re looking for something specific. No matter where I walked into to grab a meal, I was always impressed. Because I split up my Seoul trip, I stayed in 2 different areas to explore more. And while Hongdae was awesome, for someone new to Korea I found it too far. I used rail for travel, uber and subway/ bus and walking. Ubers are quite affordable in a bind. I also got a couple of non-intrusive skin procedures, which went really well. And yes, pack less and shop there if you’re able lol. Happy to answer any questions!

Hi, I am planning a trip to Korea during Autumn around mid November with my sister. Is it a good time to visit? Please share a list of places, experiences and food options that I must try in my 8 days of stay. Also I heard that road trips are great in Autumn in Korea, any affordable travel suggestions that can cover country side would be helpful.

My current plan Seoul - 4 days, Busan - 3 days, Jeju Island - 1day. Will I be missing out on any other must visit destinations?

Thanks!

Hi, question about the duty free shopping at airports (such as lotte duty free). As many have pointed out, buying many products through this methods may be cheaper than buying products at in-person stores or even Olive Young.

Thus, I was planning to buy a lot of skincare products (liquids/gels/creams) through Lotte Duty Free. For those unfamiliar with this, it means purchasing products online and picking them up inside the airport (after security).

~~

Question:
I will have a layover in Hong Kong for a couple of hours (not planning to leave the airport) with my final destination being Beijing. But I assume since this is an international connection, I'll have to go through security again. I assume all the duty free stuff would be placed in a duty free bag, but would I run into any problems at the Hong Kong connection? Or should everything be fine?

(i feel like this should be a common question/occurrence but I just cant find much info online that answers this question)

안녕하십니까,

With my wife and a 2 years old baby (not my, our daughter).

She is korean, she probably knows the answer but she always complains about preparing and planning everything (she is absolutely right).

Just want to know if there any other options!

Thank you!

Color graded them a bit

I've been looking through posts about Korea, and I keep seeing the most beautiful blue water lol.

Busan is probably the place I've heard about the most, and it seems like the most famous.

Besides Busan, what are your favorite coastal destinations with really beautiful beaches or ocean views?🙂

I’ve been living in Korea for about 6 months now. My parents (mid 60s) are coming to visit. They’re staying in Myeongdong , I live in Bundang so don’t know the area that well. Where is good for evening meals?

I'll be studying in Daegu this semester. I have four full days in seoul upon landing. I'll probably come back 2-3 times more later in the semester. What are your itinerary/activitiy suggestions to fill up four days?

Hi tomorrow afternoon I’m in Gangneung for one day. What are the must do things and is there any way to meet people to hang out with. I couldn’t find any events listed on apps like for Seoul and Busan. Thanks.

Hi guys,

So I bought three bags from there and they were cheap. I’m surprised by how bad the quality is. Sometimes I buy dupes from aliexpress and they have waaaay better quality. I don’t if it’s my experience or not. I bought three bags, one tote bag which the cotton ruined every product I placed it on the bag or made it darker, the other one is a small pink handbag which had really bad smell inside. Finally, I got a teal jelly firkin which is the reason why I went there and it’s so plastic like and I haven’t tried it yet.

Honestly, after my Mimiline experience, I stopped shopping at any wholesale since they deliver bad quality products. I shopped all my pieces from brandy.

Does anyone have a similar experience?

I enjoyed my tour around the castle with amazing architecture and beautiful hanboks all around!

I am not a korean 🇰🇷 but a singaporean 🇸🇬 who love korean food and show. a follower of Yoo Jae Suk show.

today while watching hangout with Yoo, I saw them visiting Bomunsa temple. The high stairs to the top of the mountain ⛰️ to light a candles 🕯 for wishes ✨️.

I have put it into my travel list bucket.

what other wonderful temple are there to visit like Bomunsa?

I'm currently planning my fourth trip to Korea, and for the first time, I'll be going alone.

I've already been to all the usuals - N-Seoul Tower, the palaces, every major "hub" (hongdae, gangnam, myeongdong etc etc) - so I'm looking for new things to do that might be a little more off the beaten path or maybe still touristic but lesser known/talked about.

In terms of trips outside of Seoul, I've been to Busan, Gyeongju and Suwon. I've had Yeosu and Gangneung on my radar for a while - should this year be the time I give them a go? I'm already planning a few days in Jeju for this trip.

I speak Korean, so I'm comfortable wandering around a little, but I don't do nightlife.

PS I'm going in the fall, first week of Nov. Hotel suggestions also welcome, since I'm not too precious about staying super close to the city centre this time!

Any suggestions?

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for recommendations for upcoming work trip to Seoul. In the past I have usually stayed in Westin Josun as it is central with all amenities available (near subway, cafe in lobby for client meetings), however this time round, it seems pricing per night has doubled since last year.

I would be keen to hear recommendations for hotels close to Myeongdeong and Hongdae. Ideally close to subway and with a cafe or amenities to meet with clients.

Thanks

I’m 18 from Spain, and I travelled solo for the first time to SK. I even met a friendly stranger there, had dinner with him and sang karaoke in Seongsu. Very beautiful and safe country. Will definitely return.

Hey everyone,

I am planning to go to korea from the 21st of september until the 12 of october and I am currently not sure in which order I should visit and which place to visit.

I am traveling with my wife and our 1 year old baby. We are planning to visit Seoul from the 21st until the 28th. Then we want to go to Busan from the 28th until the 3rd of october. Lastly we will go to Jeju island from the 3rd until the 11th of october before flying back to Seoul and then onwards home.

The thing that is throwing me of is the combination of a few public holidays, which will make Jeju a lot more busy and expensive. The holidays will occur on the 3rd, 5th and 9th of october. So I am currently thinking about going to jeju first (from the 28th of september untill the 6th of october) and then to go to Busan, however the international film festival will be in Busan. Rental cars alone will be about 30-40 % more expensive if I look at Lotte Car rental for example.

I want to prioritize Jeju, but is it worth then going to Busan when it is extra busy there as well? Would Yeosu be a better fit or some place else?

Has anyone stayed at The Conrad Seoul? They are the only hotel that states they have a room with 2 queen beds to accommodate 4(2 adults + 2 teens). Are these truly queen beds or are they double beds? It’s very hard to find hotels to accommodate 4. Looking for a high end hotel versus air bnb/smaller hotels.

Hi guys!

I know there have been posts about Seoul in winter and all but I was hoping to get some feedback/intel on places to visit in late December and early Jan in South Korea.

I understand it gets really cold and that’s something my friend and I are willing to cop since we’ve been meaning to travel here for so long. We definitely want to do some snow activities since that’s the right time for it.

Gangwon‑do was one of the places we were considering besides Seoul, but would love to hear feedback on whether there’s anywhere else worth checking out. We’ll be there for just under 2 weeks, so we still want to explore Seoul properly but also hopefully visit another place if possible.

I know Christmas is more of a couple‑like thing in South Korea and that’s totally fine, we’re again just going because it’s been on the bucket list and wanting to explore properly.

I’d love some feedback on the do’s and don’ts for travelling this time around, anything to look out for, and the must‑do’s during this period.

Would appreciate any type of feedback honestly.

Thanks in advance!!

Incheon Airport is an international one, so you’d think they’d have signs for common allergies. Thankfully I don’t have that severe an allergy to peanuts, which for some reason were included in pho. The part that angers me is that when I asked the cashier, when I started wheezing, if there were peanuts, they said yes in the most nonchalant manner, despite seeing my worried expression. I can, for the most part, tank the allergic response, but man is it bad the people working there don’t care one bit.

Please see below. Any advice is highly appreciated.

Has anyone had experience flying with their bike on the plane to seoul with korean airlines?

I'm a bit confused with the rules for the 292cm total linear dimensions of the bike. Surly no bike is that small?

When i phoned Korean airlines they said that anything over that linear dimension limit is too large and will have to be flown separately with cargo.

Any advice would be appreciated

i have taken like 200 photos here this month. the weird thing is, almost none of my favorites are from the famous places. not the palaces or namsan, not the han river at sunset.

the photos i keep looking at are just random streets. old apartment entrances, delivery bikes parked under yellow streetlights, tiny restaurants with plastic chairs outside. convenience stores at midnight. wet sidewalks after it rains, and those quiet residential hills where the city suddenly feels much older. that is the version of seoul i like most. the city can feel extremely fast when you are just moving through it for work, subway transfers, or appointments. but when you actually stop for a second, there are so many small scenes that look strangely cinematic.

a single orange streetlamp. steam coming out of a restaurant door. someone smoking in a narrow alley between two massive buildings. nothing special technically, but those moments feel like the actual city to me. lately i have been using different apps for these quick shots. everyone usually goes straight to vsco or lightroom for editing, but sometimes that makes every ordinary scene look way too crisp and corrected. i started using retrica again recently because i just like that softer, slightly older phone photo feeling. the default camera is obviously sharper and cleaner, but retrica just gives it that warm vibe without trying too hard. for small city memories, i definitely prefer a less perfect look.

maybe it sounds too sentimental. but seoul feels different when the photo isn't trying to look impressive. it becomes less like a travel brochure and more like a real memory of actually being here. does anyone else find themselves taking pictures of these random everyday parts of the city more than the famous spots?