Seoul, South Korea
Gangnam good for k pop
Malina itinerary:
- Gwangjang Market
- Bukchon Hanok Village
- Changgyeonggung Palace + Secret Garden (Huwon)
- Ikseondong Hanok Village"
- Gyeongbokgung Palace and the changing of the guard ceremony. 10am
- Gwanghwamun Square
- Explore Insadong for traditional tea houses + Samcheongdong-gil?
- Cheonggyecheon Stream (walk by water)"
"- Seoul Forest
- Herbal tea tour 3pm
- Ihwa Mural Village"
"- Chemin de ronde de la forteresse de Suwon
- Street art
- Palais Hwaseong Heanggung
- K-Drama film location (vois insta)"""
"- Pause
- The Park Spa Land or Insadong Spa & Sauna (JimJilbang)
- salon de thé chats"
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"Day Trip to Gapyeong: Nami Island, The Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France & Gapyeong Rail Park 8am- Yeongdeungpo Yeouido Spring Flower Festival
Coex
Bongeunsa temple"
Temple matin
Royal tombs
Seokchon Lake"
Bucheon
Yeouido park - Yeongdeungpo Yeouido Spring Flower Festival
Line Esthe
Women & War Museum
Quartier jeune
walk along the water + waterfalls
Palace tour with Hanbok
Olive Young/Tea set, Nana/Milien
Namsan Tower by night + Street food
"Massage spa. + Hanok tea?
Aprem: Seoul National Museum of Korea + Hybe
Palace by night
Seoul Tips from Jack
Skincare
• There’s a shop called Beauty Play (run by the Korea Cosmetic Association). They offer a free skin analysis using a high-tech machine that scans your face and breaks down hydration, pores, wrinkles, pigmentation, etc.
• They’ll walk you through the results on-screen – make sure to take photos of every slide.
• I uploaded mine into ChatGPT and asked it to design a routine based on the analysis, noting that I was in Korea and open to buying products locally. It gave me a custom routine and product list, which I then bought at local pharmacies. I shipped everything back home via freight (took ~2.5 months, but cheap and fine if you’re traveling longer). I’m now using that routine and it’s been great.
Neighborhoods & Areas
• Hongdae – Very cool, youthful area with street performers, trendy food, and unique shopping. Great spot to pick up extra skincare or fashion (you can ship things home with your skincare haul).
• Hangang River – Chill spot to relax by the water. You can grab snacks, rent bikes, or just enjoy the parks. There’s also a riverside park with quirky art sculptures.
• Gyeongbokgung Palace – Impressive, especially if you catch the changing of the guard ceremony (around 10:30am, but double-check online). There’s also a free English walking tour (often around 11am) which is worth joining. There’s also the National Folk Museum, located inside the palace grounds.
• Bukchon Hanok Village – Traditional Korean houses and narrow alleys. Picturesque but often crowded.
• Ikseon-dong (Ikseon) – A bit quieter than Bukchon, with lots of charming cafes, boutique shops, and art galleries in a mix of old hanok buildings.
Day Trips
• I didn’t go but some people I mean went to the DMZ. Reviews are mixed – some find it fascinating, others say it feels a bit staged – but it’s a unique experience if you have the time.
Food
• explore street food markets (like Gwangjang) for local bites.