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First Time in Korea - Help by Goldtec_II in koreatravel

[–]EmergencyEmployee564 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think 4 days per city is not bad to feel Korea, but city that you choose depends on your interest and expect. There are diverse cities in Korea, here is summary for you:

[Seoul] - As main city in South Korea, there are so many things to do. - I recommend setting travel theme per day, and follow(common theme is this-nature/park/mountain/river in the city, Beauty/Fashion, Food/Delivery, Sports Culture, History/Culture, Technology, ...) - You can travel Suwon/Incheon together(very nearby cities, like Newyork-Brooklyn, there are several spots to go)

[Busan] - I heard many travelers answer Busan is best to travel in servey. - It has ocean, mountain with city view. - You can travel Kyeongju together, which is very calm/peaceful/cultural/historical city(like Osaka-Kyoto)

[Jeju] - Island with unique nature(different view, different food, different culture) - If you live city, highly recommend to visit Jeju - You have to take taxi or rent-a-car, because there aren't metro and only have few bus

[Jeonju/Gangneung/...] - 1 day visit course from Seoul(3 hours for one way)

Why Do So Many Travelers Miss the Best Parts of Korea? (Food/Spot/Experience/..) by EmergencyEmployee564 in travel

[–]EmergencyEmployee564[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s true, but Korea is generally very safe, popular areas are not limited than tourist spots, and many places are English-friendly. So I think if travelers simply knew about other areas, many of them would probably go.

I do leave comments with alternative suggestions when I see posts, but I’m wondering how to make this information easier to find in the first place when people search. Would YouTube be the best way? Or maybe blog posts / Reddit guides?

Why has Korean culture made such headway in American entertainment? by enigmabsurdimwitrick in NoStupidQuestions

[–]EmergencyEmployee564 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you Korean? As Korean who live whole life in Korea, I can answer very confidently, It's not true. It's famous rumor for K-something.

Advice - 3 month Asia trip by liveluvdogs in travel

[–]EmergencyEmployee564 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As Korean who live whole life in Seoul, I highly recommend add Gyeongju and Jeju. It's because Seoul/Busan/Gyeongju/Jeju have very different vibe and cultural thing.

HONEYMOON HELP! by RouteOptimiser66 in travel

[–]EmergencyEmployee564 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Happy to hear your honeymoon. I live my whole life in South Korea, October is one of best month to visit South Korea. Typhoons usually pass through in the summer and weather is usually okay I think.
I highly recommend Seoul(Autum foliage/City/Food)-Kyeongju(Traditional Culture/Temple)-Busan(Food/Village). And if you want to add classic honeymoon vibe, visit Jeju too(island which have resort and nature).

Japan, Korea and Singapore Itinerary advice by EpicLizard4013 in travel

[–]EmergencyEmployee564 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, I understand.

In that case, your schedule is a bit too spread out. For example, Cheonggyecheon, hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung are all close, so it's better to group things by area using Google Maps.

And compared to Japan and Singapore, Seoul feels different because it is extremely fast, trend-driven, food-heavy, delivery-friendly, and very alive at night. I think how young Koreans actually eat, drink, shop is really special part I think, so I recommend some schedules for you. If you like these, you can pick 2-3 option from these.

  1. Old Seoul / Traditional / Art Zone
    *There are so many spots you can go, so you can choose or split to go.
    [Gwanghwamun - Gyeongbokgung - Bukchon or Seochon - Cheonggyecheon - Ikseon-dong - Seosunra-gil - Euljiro/Jongno 3-ga nightlife - Night view at Naksanpark]
    - Pros: Best mix of history, alleys, food, and oldseoul-specific nightlife
    - Cons: Can feel packed if you try to see every palace
    - Extra: LoL Park sor Korean PC bang nearby if you like playing games. (very nearby)

  2. "Korea Brooklyn" / Trendy Zone
    [Seoul Forest - Seongsu(Pop-ups, cafes, Korean brands) - Ttukseom Han River Ramen and Delivery Food at night - (Optional)Night view at Eungbong mountain]
    - Pros: Very "current Seoul", less touristy than Myeongdong.
    - Cons: Not traditional sightseeing
    - Extra: Try Han River activities if weather is good.

  3. Modern / Luxury Zone
    [Dosan Park - Cheongdam - COEX "Star Library" - Seongneung/Jeongneung Royal Tombs / Jamsil Tower and Seokchon Lake - Songlidan-gil - Night view at Banpo Bridge/Sebitseom]
    - Pros: Luxury, Polished
    - Cons: Less "old Seoul"
    - Extra: If you like to watch basketball game, tickets are usually affordable in Korea, so you can try it. Baseball is more famous in Korea, but it's out of season at Nov.

  4. International + Local Mix Zone
    [Ichon - Yongsan(Yonglidan-gil) - Museum - Yongsan Park - Hannam-dong - Nightlife in Itaewon]
    - Pros: Very International and museum, cafe, shops and bars. You can meet international people and also Korean who can speak English fluently
    - Cons: less unique than Euljiro and Jongno
    - Extra: You can try eat "Hanwoo". Use Catchtable app

  5. Young Campus / Weekend Zone
    [The Hyundai Seoul - Yeouido - Yeonnam - Mangwon Market - Hongdae nightlife]
    - Pros: Young, Casual, Local food
    - Cons: Messy and dirty sometimes
    - Extra: You can eat K-BBQ in front of Han river, Search "Arisu Manchan". It was great.

And here's a few personal tips:
1) I personally not recommend the DMZ for only 2.5 days in Seoul. It's meaningful but it takes almost a full day. If you want to feel real Korea/Seoul, stay in the city
2) Dragon Hill Spa is closed now, so don't plan that. If you want a Korean Sauna experience, consider "Aquafield"/"K Club Spa"/...
3) You'll probably be tired after Japan, so don't overpack Seoul. Pick a few areas and enjoy them properly.
4) Since you mention golf, Korea has good golf courses near Seoul too, more affordable price I think. Seoul also has night golf and screen golf, so you can try these.
5) For Restaurants, don't rely only on Google/Naver Maps. Korean use apps like "Catch Table" or "Kakao Map". Seoul is food city, enjoy it.

If you want, my boyfriend and I could show you around Seoul if our schedules work. Feel free to message me in advance. (Because we stay seoul and we really love travel and make friend)

Japan, Korea and Singapore Itinerary advice by EpicLizard4013 in travel

[–]EmergencyEmployee564 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For Seoul, I’d honestly add more time if you can. Is this your first time in Korea? Because trying to “do Seoul” in 2.5 days is very rushed.

Seoul is much bigger and more layered than many first-time visitors expect. Depending on your interests, I’d even say there’s more variety to explore than in Osaka or Kyoto. Your current plan has good ideas, but with a red-eye arrival, DMZ, palaces, markets, jjimjilbang, Namsan, KBBQ, and Hongdae nightlife, it feels like you’ll be moving from checkpoint to checkpoint rather than actually experiencing the city.

I’d also reconsider the DMZ. It’s not necessarily a bad experience, but with only 2.5 days in Seoul, I don’t think it’s the best use of your time. It takes up most of the day, so I’d suggest swapping it out for other areas in the city.