Travel: Seoul, South Korea

You may recall my story about my solo travel around Asia when I went to Bali… My solo trip had a few more stops, so today I will share little bit about my experience in Seoul, South Korea!

My friend that encouraged me to take my solo trip to Asia in 2015 lived in S. Korea at the time because of her husband’s job, so I was able to stay with them and explore this wonderful city. They were living in Ulsan, so we took a very fun weekend trip to Seoul!

Here are few things you should definitely know and do if you visit Seoul:

Take the Train
The second you arrive to the Incheon International Airport, you will have to take the train to get to Seoul or any other city. Pay attention and count your stops! they DON’T have English announcements.

Korean BBQ + Cass beer + Soju
I deeply recommend that one of your first meals you eat is Korean BBQ! It is such a fun and delicious experience. Don’t forget to try some local beer like Cass and to take a shot of Soju. Soju is vodka-like rice liquor that is hard core AF! So get ready for that burn.

Gyeongbokgung Palace
This palace is definitely a MUST VISIT! It’s absolutely beautiful and you can catch the changing of the guards ceremony twice a day in front of Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (except on Tuesdays)

Karaoke
I mean come one…You are in the land of K Pop! of course you have to do this. 😉

Party
Who knew Koreans could be so lit! 🙂 We partied until 6:00AM!

Market
Walk around and try what the locals snack on, it’s always very fun and interesting. Experiences like this really make you connect with the culture… Even if you don’t speak the language!

Grocery Store
This might sound random, but I was so impressed on how PERFECT everything was set up at a regular grocery store.

Fun Fact: Hyundai is NOT just a car brand…. they also have department stores and grocery stores! (the one below) 😉

Food
After you had your authentic Korean BBQ, you MUST try:
Gimbap- made from cooked rice and various other ingredients rolled in gim (dried sheets of seaweed) and served in bite-size slices. It is served with danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and kimchi. Looks like sushi, but does NOT taste like it!

Bibimbap- literally means “mixed rice”. Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with vegetables and gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, or doenjang (a fermented soybean paste). Some people add a fried egg and sliced meat.

Take pics with random props and beauty products.
Korea is HUGE on beauty products, so you can pop into mini Sephora like stores in every corner and stack up on masks, lipsticks and creams!