When you think of South Korea, what comes up in your mind? It’s probably how their pop culture is probably one of the most dominating in the world with Kpop, Kdrama, Kbeauty, K-everything, as South Korea has been a leader in producing some of the up-to-date and technological advances there are. After all, South Korea’s industry in manufacturing is the sixth highest in the world and the second largest highest in producing semiconductors. When I went to Seoul, South Korea, it was evident how advanced and innovative the country is.
Some of the best local experiences to have in Seoul aren’t just the high tech but are located in just neighboring sections of Seoul that bring locals and tourists together. I’ve listed out below some of the unique best uniques you probably did not think about of doing in Seoul but that you have to try out!
1. Go to bakeries and cafes, and get their pastries and drinks.
South Korea takes pride in their craftsmanship in baking. Call it an influence of the European with their bakeries and pastries and some of their famous bakeries named in French (for example, Paris Baguette and Tous le Jours), but South Korea also takes pride in their marketing. There are literally so many bakeries and cafes to go for in Seoul, but here are some to narrow it down:
Go to Seongsu-dong, Seoul for some of the best bakeries/cafes next to each other. Seongsu-dong is known for their industrial warehouse buildings that businesses live in and for their modern, hip vibes just like Brooklyn, New York, that’s why its nickname is “Brooklyn of Seoul”.
One of the more popular spots in Seongsu-dong is Onion Cafe, a cafe that is located in a 1970s industrial building that offers a good selection of pastries and coffee and the place has a chill atmosphere to it. In Seonsu-dong, there’s Better Than Yours Cafe, a robot cafe that is ran by robots that serve ice cream and customizable drinks. It’s entertaining to see these robots at work and even dance with the music while waiting for someone to order. Marly is a cafe that has a selection of artisan pastries and drinks; from here, we tried one of those spongy cakes with light whipped cream with strawberries and it was the perfect sweetness (not that sweet). They have crepe cakes, bottled fresh juices, tiramisu, bottled milk tea latte, and more.
In Seoul, you might find a few other cafe chains like Caffe Pascucci, which derives from Italy but has collaborated with South Korea and they have Italian espresso, a variety of coffee and tea drinks, pastries, and savory foods, perfect for breakfast and lunch. You may even come across from chains from America like Dunkin’ Donuts, but the menu will be slightly different. I absolutely loved the black sesame latte (and wish it was in America!) and their donuts are a lot lighter in terms of dough and still sweet, but not as sweet.
2. Try salt bread.
As I mentioned above, there are so many pastries to find in Seoul. One of the pastries I recommend (actually recommended by my oldest sister as she was so determined on a mission to find it) is the salt bread. This bread is probably one of the best breads you’ll ever try in your life! What makes this bread so different and delicious than your other breads? Well, for one, it is pretty known and can be found in Seongsu-dong; we went to Jayeon Do Salt Bread where the line was long but it was worth it. In fact, we found it because of the long line!
Two, the bread is light and buttery inside, topped with salt, and the outside is crispy. I guess you can say it can compare to a croissant bread, but it is still different. The salt is from France, the wheat is from Canada, and they use premium butter.
3. Shop at Olive Young.
Koreans are known for their super clear and youthful skin and it’s all because of the innovation they put behind skincare. There’s a store known in Korea called Olive Young, think of it like a Sephora in America. This store is a store you’ll find products that won’t be found abroad. Their products doesn’t only range in skincare but from beauty care, hair care, supplements, and k-pop albums. You can spend a certain amount (just ask the workers) and you can get tax free from them if you show a cashier your passport. Fun fact about me: I mostly only use skincare from Korean brands, so if you are into that too, you wil find this stop exciting.
4. Try Korean food.
Of course, when you’re traveling to a new country, why wouldn’t you want to try the local foods or foods traditional to the country? So, I have to recommend Korean food and you can make it your experience around your travels here, if you’re a foodie traveler.
You may heard or known from where you are about Korean BBQ and I have to confirm, the KBBQ is the best in South Korea itself! We went to this Korean BBQ restaurant (sadly I did not note the name) connected to the building of the Airbnb apartment we rented. It was an elegant place (almost giving off fine dining vibes) with the BEST customer service and their selection of meat and veggies were good. They also offered cold barley tea (which is known in South Korea). I recommend trying a KBBQ because you’ll experience the authenticity of it.
Koreans also love their chicken and a fried chicken spot I recommend in Seongsu-dong is below (I do not know what it’s translated; it’s not far from the Olive Young there), but it seems to look like a woman-owned business and through the windows, you can see the women working to cook the fried chicken. It’s like being at home and watching your own family cook! The amazing smell attracted us to find this place and their chicken was amazing, we got original and garlic soy sauce one.
One food item that is known in Seoul is tonkatsu, the same one served like in Japan except there’s a Koreanized version of it. Tonkatsu is breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet and they are usually served with rice, vegetables, and topped with sauce. I recommend this place called Suzak Katsu, which is going to be right across the jewelry workshop in the next point (so you can make two trips in one!). Next to it is also a little cute bakery called The Cacao where I got to try their delicious homemade chocolate milk and black sesame bread.
If you want to try tonkatsu in a fast food setting, I recommend LOTTERIA. Lotteria is a famous fast food spot in South Korea where they offer pork cutlet (tonkatsu) sandwiches and I recommend their shake-shake chicken which is where you can shake chicken in a bag with seasoning.
5. Make silver jewelry in this workshop.
Airbnb experiences are great to do as a tourist. My sisters and I highly enjoyed this Korean woman’s workshop that takes place in her studio in Seocho District, Seoul. In this workshop, you will take an introductory class to learn how to make silver jewelry, whether it’s a necklace pendent, bracelet, or a ring. I chose to make a ring where I got to choose one gem to embed in there. The jewelry turns out so beautiful so I truly appreciate the craftsmanship behind it. And yes, it is genuine silver that is used!
If you’re interested, you can check out her Airbnb experience page here to book with 근아. She’s also English speaking (as she went to school slightly in New York!) so you can have an easier time learning to create. After you’re done, you can have dinner or a snack from the places I mentioned above (Suzak Katsu and The Cacao) as it’s right across the studio.
6. Visit Gyeongbokgung in Seoul
In the middle bustling city of Seoul is a historic location called the Gyeongbokgung Palace. This location was once the main royal place back in the Joseon Dynasty. It goes way back in 1395 and the place represents Confucianism, the belief of ancestor worship and virtues for a peaceful life that developed from the teachings of ancient China, but Korea has their own take on it.
Connected to the National Folk Museum of Korea, you can tour the village grounds of Gyeongbokgung and the remaining buildings (they were actually rebuilt). You can see a glimpse of the palace from around the village too. Close by is also Bukchon Hanok Village. In these areas, you may find some women and men dressed in Hanok outfits that can be rented (I recommend going to Airbnb experiences to hire a photographer who will tell you also where to rent the outfit; I did not do this.)
7. Do photo booths!
What’s fun about Seoul is their love for self photo booths. They’re incredibly affordable and inexpensive. You can have fun with them by choosing themes and using props to get some printed photos. In Seongsu-dong (you can tell we loved this area, there’s a lot to do!), we did the DON’T LXXK UP photo booth and the photos reminded me of being in a 90s hip-hop music video. You can choose from a few colors for your photo booth pics.
Tell me what you thought below!