“I’ll be the first to admit, Seoul wasn’t always at the top of my must visit list – until I married a Korean guy, had a half-korean daughter and met BTS. Now? It’s my home away from home and at the top of my favorite places list. Even if you’re not into Kpop, the shopping, the food and the sights are too good to pass up!”
HERE’S MY TOP 3 FAVORITE PLACES TO VISIT IN KOREA:
MYEONGDONG
Perfect for first-timers, Myeongdong is the Waikiki of Seoul.
MUST DOS
• Eat at a street food cart. Carts roll out around 4pm and stay open ’til about 10pm.
My faves? Kimbap, chicken skewers and hotteok.
• Shop all the skincare. Olive Young, Skinfood, Laneige, Innisfree, oh my!
My favorite is Olive Young (there’s one near Apple, it’s new and always empty!)
• Shop the streets for cute accessories. Word to the wise? There’s more underground!
• And for my BTS lovers. Find Myeongdong Exit 6 (close to Namsan!) for all things KPop.
“I can’t talk about Myeongdong without talking about that time Aunty TanTan got called up on stage to make mandoo during NANTA. That was my favorite memory of Myeongdong! PUUUUUUUUNCH.”
NANTA is an amazing interactive cooking show, so funny and fun!
Book here.
NAMSAN
If you watch Kdramas, you’ve for sure seen this iconic spot. It’s become more of a symbolic place for me since Chloe’s passed but still one of my favorite places in all of Seoul!
MUST DOS
• Take a glass cable car up to the top of the tower.
Pro tip? Take a taxi from Myeongdong to the cable car entrance to save some steps.
• Put up your LOVE LOCK. Since Chloe passed away in 2023, we’ve visited her at least 5 times and have added a new lock up each time! Bring your own heart lock to save some Korean Won.
• Snap some scenery pics. A 360 view of the city if you walk around the whole tower.
TIP!
Beat the heat and travel up to Namsan in the Winter. It’s gorgeous when it’s snow capped and you can escape the chill downstairs in the tower. Bonus? Go look for the drawing I left on the wall!
NAMSAN HACK!
Catching a car from the top of Myeongdong Street makes getting up to the glass cable car entrance point a breeze. If you opt to walk, be prepared for at least 10 flights of stairs and a vertical incline.
JAMSIL
This is my newest favorite spot in Korea. Set outside of Seoul, it’s a laid back spot perfect for families.
MUST DO
• Book a room overlooking Seokchan Lake.
We spent my birthday at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel Seoul. It’s about an hour from the airport, 10 minute walk to Lotte World.
• Visit Lotte World. An indoor AND outdoor theme park?! Perfect for occupying your family for at least 2 days. The indoor park makes for fun days no matter the weather.
• Shop, a lot! The Lotte World Tower sits on top of a popular subway station and has all the shops you’d ever want (think: Lush, Olive Young, Daiso and Lotte Mart – the biggest grocery store in Jamsil).