10 Things You Should Know Before Traveling to Seoul

These are 10 Things you Should Know Before Traveling to Seoul, South Korea. Not only will it help you better plan your trip, but also assure you to spend an amazing time.

Last year, I decided to go on my first solo trip to Seoul and it was amazing! I had always dreamed about going to Asia and I never thought that my first time going there would be on my own.

I did not know what to expect, but let me tell you… it was an unforgettable trip! Today, I will share with you 10 things I think everyone should know before going on a trip to Seoul.

1. There are Five Grand Palaces

The Five Grand Palaces in Seoul were built by the Joseon dynasty. The Changdeokgung palace is part of the UNESCO’s world heritage list. Crazy, is not it?

During my stay in Seoul, South Korea, I went to this palace and I even got the opportunity to wear a Hanbok. You may asks yourselves “what on Earth is a Hanbok?”. The answer is pretty simple, it is the traditional Korean dress.

When I went there I booked an Airbnb experience, which included a guided tour around the palace, a Hanbok rental, and a meal. It was my first time booking any of this experiences, mostly because it was barely new at the time. Overall it was the perfect fit for me!

I got the opportunity to meet locals
Meet other solo travelers
Discover Seoul through the lens of a local

2. Free entry to the palaces when wearing a Hanbok

You can enter for free to Seoul’s Royal Palaces if you are wearing a Hanbok! Yes, for free! Is not that awesome! Of course you will have to pay for the Hanbok rental, so in a way it is not entirely for free. However, if you were planning on renting one or have friends who can lend you one, then it is a pretty good deal.

3. The government has their own FREE WALKING TOURS

While I was in Seoul, I discovered that the government organizes their own free walking tours under the guidance of an expert. There are more than 12 different tours and you can book them here. I had no clue this existed while I was planning my trip to Seoul. It was life changing!

All you have to do is make a reservation, where you will have to select a date, time and number of participants. And then all you have to do is enjoy your free walking tour!

You can go to the Changdeokgung Palace, the Namsan Wall, the Buckchon Hanok Village and more…!

I personally recommend you to take the Namsan Wall or the Gyeongbokgung Palace tour, which are the ones that I took. They were pretty great! The tour guides were friendly and I got to meet other solo travelers.

4. Food is DELICIOUS!

I have always loved Asian food. Therefore, when I tasted traditional Korean food, it conquered my palate! Korean food can be very spicy, but you can also find non spicy options.

There are so many different dishes that you should try. Even though I felt like I ate A LOT, I still have so many Korean dishes left to try when I go back. However, the ones that I have tried so far and that I recommend you are:

Pajeon (파전): Korean pancakes with scallions
Bulgogi (불고기): meat with vegetables
Jajangmyeon (자장면): a noodle dish normally served with pork
Bibimpap (비빔밥): a dish with lots of vegetables, an egg, meat or tofu and rice

*Kimchi is always served as a side dish to accompany your food. You should try it out!

5. Korean BBQ is everywhere

You can find Korean BBQ almost everywhere. If you enjoy eating meat from time to time, you should definitely try this. Something that you should know is that Korean BBQ is meant to be shared with other people as it is a lot of food! If you are a solo traveler I recommend you to go to free walking tours, or stay at a hostel were they organize BBQs, or if your wallet allows you book a BBQ tour. It is part of the experience :)!

6. Insa-dong, a traditional place

Insa-dong is surrounded by alleys in which you can find beautiful galleries, traditional restaurants, cafes and cute shops. Every Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00 and Sundays from 10:00 to 22:00, the main street transforms into a cultural place. If you are looking for souvenirs, I recommend you to go to Insa-dong.

For more information, here is the official tourism page.

7. Ssamzigil Mall is a magical place

Ssamzigil (쌈지길) is a mall located in Insa-dong. It has a spiraling walkway that guides you from different craft shops, restaurants, souvenir shops to a Sky Garden. You can even find poop bread (chocolate bread in the form of poop)!

8. There are coffee shops EVERYWHERE!

Before my trip to Seoul, I had no idea that there would be that many coffee shops in the city. I remember that when I was on my way to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, at least 2 out of 3 people were carrying a coffee drink. Surprising, is not it?!

I even joined the club and found myself drinking different types of bubble tea! I had the best one ever in Seoul. Although, I still have to try the “original” bubble tea in Taiwan.

9. Karaoke night is a thing

Another thing that you should do while traveling to Seoul, is going to karaoke. It is ideal if you love singing. There are places in Seoul where you can go and sing your heart out, it is so much fun! You pay, I believe an hour fee for the room and you can sing all you want. The only down side is that not all songs are available. But still, you can find really good songs and have tons of fun with your friends!

10. Somaek and Korea BBQ go together

In one of the tours that I took, our guide explained to us that koreans usually accompany BBQ with Somaek. It is beer with soju and it is a great combination! Of course, do not drink alcohol if you are a minor.

The part that I liked the most is the one on the picture below. He poured soju and beer into two different size glasses. Then, he put the little ones at the top, as shown in the photo. After, he pushed them so that they dropped inside the glasses with beer and then we drank Somaek. I really recommend adults to try this! It is a worth it experience!