Your feel good guide to Seoul

Maybe you watched Crash Landing On You and can’t stop dreaming about Hyun Bin’s earnest smile. Maybe you grew up on a steady diet of Exo and BTS and have posters inside your wardrobe. Maybe your favourite cheat meal is a deep fried hot dog from Bunsik. Maybe you’re currently obsessed with colour analysis or ginseng beauty. Surely one of these references tick the box for you (if not, spend more time around pop culture smh). Possibly you’ve always dreamed about that long-haul flight to Seoul. Who doesn’t want to try the Dalgona candy from Squid Game?

Well, I’m just as invested as you. So when Intrepid Travel offered me a chance to experience their Essential South Korea trip, I didn’t hesitate before jumping on the opportunity. The nine-day tour is carefully curated in collaboration with a local team for 18-35 year olds across the world to experience the East Asian country and all it has to offer for a young and curious audience. Be prepared to experience history and culture like no South Korean drama or song could capture for you.

From sleeping on heated floors, 24/7 spas and making kimchi to trying never-before-heard street food and walking in centuries’ old palaces, this trip packs a deep dive of newness. Get a glimpse of everything to see, do, eat and experience in Seoul through our feel good guide below.

Where to eat

Gwangjang Market

South Korea is known for its diverse and unique street food, and this market is a great place to begin your taste exploration journey. Rich smells and sounds greet you when you enter: from soft shell crab, fried chicken and silk worms to kimchi pancakes and bubble tea, you’ll see it all here. If you enjoy fermented food, try a jar of pickles – and feel free to ask the sellers for a little taster.

Hodori Hof

This little bar and restaurant in Seoul gives you a taste of how the locals do it. Expect a menu rich with small plates including pineapple sherbet, butter squid, boneless fried chicken with gochujang, deep fried pollack and sea snails. Chow it all down with some classic Korean beer, asking your server for a recommendation.

Jayson Shabu Shabu

Koreans love sharing their food and shabu shabu – a hot pot – is the best place to see this live. Diners gather around the table to boil the broth and cook the meat, enjoying it bite-by-bite, unbothered by shared chopsticks and skewers. While the endless variety of meat is impressive, I was personally taken by the different kinds of mushrooms that the restaurant had on offer, a true culinary delight.

Korean BBQ Dinner

Are you noticing a pattern? The act of cooking at the table, serving, sharing and group taste-testing seems ingrained in Korean culture. Pick between lamb skewers, grilled mackerel, fried pork, juicy steaks, sliced potato or eggplant and gently roast it on the open flame before passing it on to your neighbour. It’s considered unkind if young people eat before serving those older than them, so don’t just dig in.

What to see

Gyeongbokgung Palace

An example of the ornate architecture from the Joseon Dynasty, this 14th century palace will transport you to a different era with its intricate pagoda style. Arrive at 11am to witness the changing of the guards, a costumed recreation of the royal ceremony from the past. You’re also bound to see families taking photos in traditional hanboks, readily available for rent around the palace.

HiKR Ground

A cultural centre created by the Korean Tourism Organisation, this four-storey building is an interactive playground featuring memorabilia from your favourite K-stars. The K-pop museum not only allows you to see BTS and BLACKPINK sets and gear, but a performance area also lets you become a pop celebrity yourself by filming videos against digital backdrops of their most famous locations. Don’t miss the doughnut stall on the second floor for traditional Korean flavours; mung bean dessert anyone?

Olive Young

What is South Korea without K-Beauty? Every street in the bustling city is peppered with this popular multi-brand beauty retailer and the in-store experience is nothing like you’ve seen before. Discounts galore, with Korean brands including Laneige and Dr.Jart+, every aisle has a shop assistant and yet you’ll find yourself lost in the crowd, trying to get your hands on a shelf while several people around you attempt the same. I’ve never impulse shopped the way I did in this store and tbh, no regrets x

Clo Studio

Speaking of retail therapy, this boutique in Seoul’s Hongdae district is unmissable. It’s chic enough to be in Hackney, but without the towering price tags. While the clothes are minimal and edgy, keep an eye out for the accessories: the bags – in an array of rare shades – make for dreamy arm candy.

Myers Briggs Astrology Cafe

Remember the popular personality test created by Myers Briggs? Whether you’re ENFJ or INTP, this cafe in Hongdae will predict your future based on your personality type. You just put a coin in a booth based on your type and then a random fortune ball cracks open your predicted life story. It’s silly, it’s fun and it’s one of those rare astro-science combinations that you’d only find in Seoul.

What to experience

K-Pop dance

Make your way to FRZM studio for a quick K-Pop dance lesson. The classes are beginner-friendly – I promise! – and the instructors are super cool without a hint of intimidation. We learnt a fun routine to NewJeans’ banging tune ‘Super Shy’ and couldn’t stop humming it for the rest of the week. Don’t forget to record yourself at the end!

Korean lessons

A trip to South Korea is such an essential, humbling experience for those of us who rely on multilingual people to speak in English for our convenience. The locals go out of their way to accommodate tourists – the smiles, the little waves, the chivalry – but don’t leave Seoul without taking a bit of their language with you. Try a Korean language class at Ga-na-da School, our instructor was Lee Soojin and she was wonderful.

Kimchi making

While you’ll find fermented vegetable-making classes in the heart of Seoul as well, I’d recommend taking a day trip to Jeonju village for an authentic lesson from Kim Myeong Ok – something of a kimchi icon in the country. The chef talked us through every step of the fermentation process and let us get our hands messy with the marination. She has an expert setup that makes you feel like you’re on Masterchef and once you’re done, you get to take a jar of the delicious dish back home. No better souvenir than that.

Taekwondo

Book yourself a beginner’s class at Martial Arts Black Belt Academy. The instructors give you the uniform to wear during the class, and that alone makes you feel a lot more powerful and confident. I was mesmerised when the teacher ran through the routine – it was like a mix between a really hot dance performance and a choreographed fight sequence in a film. What I wouldn’t give to be able to recreate that… but a class is a good start.

Day trips from Seoul

Jeonju

The city is split into two: the historic Jeonju village that houses traditional Korean hanoks and a more modern counterpart with towering skyscrapers and busy markets. Be sure to stop by at Jeonju Bibimbap, a generational family restaurant that boasts the most scrumptious bibimbap in the city. Take a stroll around to spot countless kimchi cabbage plants sprouting up all over the streets and make your way to the top of the viewpoint to see traditional Korean roofs make an unlikely, absolutely stunning skyline. If you’re in the mood for a full body scrub, The Hanok Spa is a must visit. The highlight of Jeonju is experiencing an old-school hanok: for one night, swap your plush beds and sleep on heated wooden floors.

Busan

If I’m honest, a day isn’t nearly enough to take in the beauty and expansiveness of Busan. The second largest city in South Korea, it’s home to buzzing nightclubs, BTS shrines and the largest spa in Asia. Start your trip by visiting the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. A testament to the natural and historic beauty of the country, the Buddhist monument is situated 108 steps above, with mountains on one side and lapping waves on the other. Then make your way to the TikTok-famous Gamcheon Culture Village, a children’s book come to life. The neighbourhood features colourful houses and twisting streets that make for a picture-perfect view. If you like knick knacks, this is the place to be: find cute printed socks, hand painted magnets and countless portrait making stalls that will lure you in with their skill and charm. Keep an eye out for the countless BTS murals, the fandom really is everywhere.

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