June 2025
South Korea has been at the top of my travel list, and I finally got to experience it! Opportunity to attend a travel event came by for few days in Seoul so I jumped on it, and when my trip to South Korea finally happened and I have few days before and after and I used the time to the limit to enjoy the city.
Day 1.
I arrived in Seoul at sunrise. My room at Conrad Hotel on the 28th floor has floor to ceiling windows with river view, with modern esthetics and Korean touches. Computer control of lights, toto like toilets, plush bedding. Since I arrived at 6am, I booked another day from the night before, so my room was ready for me. I enjoyed breakfast with different Korean stations: build your own noodle dish, bibigamp station, congee, and many. There was also Western food, but I was excited to be in Asia and eat Asian food. The breakfast kept me full for a big part of the day. Today I used it as a recovery day after 15-hour flight. I spent it at the hotel’s pool and spa. The spa at Conrad is the best in the city. I also took a few hours to shop since IFC and Hyundai malls were attached to the first-floor elevator!
Day 2.
First day of Seoul’s exploration. I decided to utilize public transportation with my guide so I will take a crash course on Seoul Subway. It is not difficult to use the Naver or Google map transit option and check carefully at direction where you need to go. I used T-money car and for efficiency, I used a private guide. I’ve met my guide Lina at the hotel’s lobby and we went to the Gyeongbokgung palace.
Here is a photo of me with Seoul Haechim the mascot of the city. Haechim is a mythical creature from Korean folklore that resembles a lion or a dog-dragon hybrid. It has a horn on its head and is known as a guardian against fire and evil spirits. It symbolizes justice, integrity, and protection.
We had tea in a traditional Korean tea house. Lina suggested tea from dates. It was served with rice cakes and was delicious.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest royal palace in Seoul. I saw Changing of the Royal Guard Ceremony, colorful reenactment. Many people were renting and wearing a traditional Korean hanbok dress, if they do this, it includes entrance fees. They do not have to buy tickets.
After the ceremony we explored palace grounds and gardens. Seoul is a beautiful city with ancient traditions and cutting-edge modernity. And the people are very nice!
We went to Bukchon Hanok Village, picturesque neighborhood in Seoul, famous for its well-preserved hanoks
(traditional Korean houses) and offers a unique window into Korea’s Joseon-era lifestyle — all in the middle of a modern city.
People do live there so the tourist visits are limited to certain day times and there are local volunteers asking tourists to speak low and do not disturb residents. There is one unique boutique luxury accommodation in Hanok, Nostalgia, they make it possible to stay in restored houses, with all modern comfort and concierge services. These private villas are thoughtfully curated with antique furnishings, contemporary art pieces, and serene gardens, providing a tranquil retreat amidst the bustling city. Notably, the hotel was recognized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government as a “2023 Best Seoul Stay” for its exceptional boutique accommodations.
We had authentic Korean chicken Korean Chicken and Beer — known in Korean as “Chimaek” — is a beloved food pairing and a cultural phenomenon in South Korea. Korean fried chicken is crispy, juicy, and often double-fried, making the skin thinner and crunchier than Western-style fried chicken. It went together well with Korean beer. portion. Even if there is one person, they serve whole chicken pieces cut and fried.
Day 3
This morning with my guide Lina we visited Noryangjin wholesale market. is not just a market—it’s a cultural immersion into Korea’s seafood world, Seoul’s largest 24/7 seafood hub, with over 700 stalls and a fascinating blend of wholesale auctions and retail shopping. It had an amazing variety of fish.
You can buy seafood on the first floor, bring it upstairs basement restaurants for preparation — sashimi, grilled, steamed, or spicy stews the way you want!
There were giant prawns, sizes of lobster, scallops, skye, squid, variety of crabs, octopus, you name it! Also fermented squid and salted dry fish. Amazing variety!
We continued eating on our way through the market. Also featured in Netflix Street Food Seoul, the mung bean pancakes featured in the Seoul episode of Netflix’s Street Food Asia.
Next stop we went to Gwangjang market to see Cho Yoonsoon, who runs a humble stall at there. She learned the art of making kalguksu (knife‑cut noodles) from her mother and opened the stall to support her family during financial hardship. Also featured in the documentary “Street Food” episode “Seoul” where she shares her story of rising from debt and societal challenges to becoming a beloved vendor.
Now she is very popular, and her soup and noodles were delicious, and her stall is very busy. I was glad I got a photo with her!
We went to Seoul Tower, which offers breathtaking 360° views of Seoul.
They do a good job attracting romantic couples. Couples come from all over the world to attach padlocks to the fences around the tower as a symbol of everlasting love. The colorful display of thousands of locks adds to the romantic atmosphere, and many couples bring personalized locks with their initials. The Heart Chair is a photo spot designed for couples. It’s a specially crafted bench where the backrests are tilted inward, so when two people sit on it, they naturally lean toward each other.
The revolving restaurant at the top of the tower offers fine dining with stunning views, perfect for a romantic dinner. There are also cozy cafés ideal for sharing dessert or coffee. Great for the proposal!
We went to Seoul’s Royal tombs. The stone statues (guardian figures) found at Seoul’s royal tombs of 15c are symbolic elements of the Joseon Dynasty burial grounds.
Next was Bongeunsa Temple, founded in 794 during Silla Dynasty is a beautiful and historic Buddhist temple located in Gangnam. It offers a peaceful oasis amidst the bustling city, combining traditional Korean Buddhist architecture with serene natural surroundings, beautiful lanterns and Buddha statue.
We enjoyed strolling and shopping in Gangham, a district in Seoul famous both for its affluent lifestyle and for being the setting of PSY’s hit song “Gangnam Style”.
The song parodied the area’s luxurious lifestyle and became a global phenomenon, bringing international attention to Gangnam.
We ended our day at COEX Mall, in a fashionable Starfield Library, which is an open public space where anyone can freely sit down, take a break, and immerse themselves in books along with other bibliophiles.
It is visually stunning and spectacular design: 13 meters tall curving bookshelves in a 2,800 sq meters. IPads can be used to read e-books.
While some people just take instagrammable photo on an escalator, myself included! Still I saw majority were reading, including families with children.
I returned to Conrad to get ready for opening of Connections.
Connections are all about experiences and our first experience was a special moonlight tour at Changgyeongung Palace. The palace was beautiful with special lighting, and we took great photos and even saw performances of cultural dances and singing.
Day 4.
I usually do not blog about trade shows, but at Connections, instead of sitting with each buyer vs supplier, we are paired, and we go together to participate at selected immersive experiences. So these are experiences you can enjoy in Seoul.
Color analysis.
A core concept in K-beauty and fashion, helps identify the most flattering colors for each individual’s skin tone, hair color, and eye color. In Korea, this practice is widely embraced and used to optimize makeup and style choices. K-beauty advisor determined that my palette is pastel light green, blue, grey. I usually wear black, khaki and white!
I left not just with better fashion tips, but with a new sense of how I see myself.
Tea ceremony.
The Korean tea ceremony is a traditional ritual for preparing and drinking tea in Korea, emphasizing harmony, respect, and tranquility. It is less formal than its Japanese counterpart but deeply rooted in Confucian, Buddhist, and aesthetic values. We had Oolong tea served in a beautiful cup.
Preparing Korean dessert from nuts and seeds.
Mix honey, cinnamon, oil with nut mix in wok, then framing it and cut it.
K-beauty session. Makeup, hairbrush and photoshoot for professional headshot image.
Roof walk experience.
The sessions took place in Seoul’s DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza). DDP, the largest 3D amorphous structure in the world Designed by Zaha Hadid, the first female architect to win the Pritzker Prize, the DDP is the showcases a future-oriented building design resembling a spaceship, cutting-edge construction technology, and content, world’s largest three-dimensional atypical building. There are no corners in the structure.
We were equipped with helmets and harnesses, signed waivers and walked on the roof of DDP. “A New Journey, an Unfamiliar Landscape.” The DDP Rooftop Tour offers an opportunity to explore DDP’s unique structure—walk along the three-dimensional curved panels of the roof and enjoy the vibrant urban landscape of the Dongdaemun area.
Beyond simply experiencing DDP’s iconic streamlined spaces, you can delve into the structural and facility designs that bring the space to life and even walk directly on the curved panels of the roof. At the end of the walk each participant got a photo postcard.
Lunch was beautifully presented with vegetarian sustainable, organic bibimgap.
The day ended at Four Seasons Seoul hotel where we inspected rooms and suites followed by reception and performance of K pop dancers. The audience joined in.
It was a great day which went fast!
Day 5.
Yesterday was a day about modern Korea, today is a traditional experience. We were at the beautiful venue, the cultural center Korea House. Day started with cultural performance followed by coffee break.
Experience:
Visiting Hanok Village. We learned how people lived in 15c. We dressed up as for Korean Wedding.
Soy Sauce and Kimchi
We had presentation from the well-known Yang family, known by the name, has been crafting heirloom soy sauce recipes handed down through generations—reportedly over 360 years family company who are producers of Korean Soy Sauce. Their soy sauce is still brewed using clay pots and traditional fermenting methods that produce at least one bottle aged 1 year (a light, clear style or cheongjang) and another aged 1–4 years (a darker, richer version or joungjang. In Korean tradition, soy sauce is more than a condiment—it’s also a status symbol, reflecting the family’s skill and cultural heritage. Both boast no added sugar or artificial coloring, using pure fermentation to develop flavor. While mass-market yangjo ganjang (naturally brewed) and jin ganjang (blended chemically brewed) dominate Korea, Yang family regains attention with their purely fermented, artisanal approach. We all had a chance to mix our own kimchi paste and bottle soy sauce. Very educational experience especially if you like to cook Asian food.
And just like that, Connections Luxury Seoul ended. It was a great trade show, amazing local experiences, great suppliers, excellent management team, I’ve met great people from all over the world. I learned so much about the country and I can’t wait to offer these amazing products to my clients!
Day 6.
I took a taxi to my next hotel, Lotte Seul in Myendong.
After checking in, I went to explore the area. It had a lot of stores, people and street food
I had lunch at a local restaurant called Kyoja.
One of Seoul’s most popular and inexpensive restaurants, Myeongdong Kyoja has been serving up delicious hand-made dumplings and noodles to hungry locals for decades. Founded in the 1960s, Myeongdong Kyoja has a simple but succulent menu comprising of just 4 dishes: Kalgaksu = hand cut noodles (served in a warm broth / soup), Mandu steamed dumplings, Bimbimguksu = a cold spicy wheat noodle dish (generally eaten in the summer), and Konguksu = Cold bean soup in a cold (often milk) broth garnished with cucumber (this one is not pictured below).
I had noodles and dumplings. Nobody spoke English and only locals were eating but I figured it out. Downstairs there is menu where you pick your food and pay. Then they send you upstairs and food is brought to the table. There are some sauces and of course kimchi. They bring you ice cold water, which I appreciate. It was delicious. You will find utensils in the table drawer. I had to eat noodles with chopsticks and spoon. I just watched how locals do it and did the same. It was filling, delicious and cheap. For noodles soup and dumplings cost about $15. Huge bowl.
I continued with fruit smoothies on the street and brought some local pastries from vendors to the room.
As for shopping, I went to the Lotte Department store mall and bought some cosmetics today at the department store (Sulwhasoo) and more at Olive Young. Got new prescription glasses in 15 minutes for $60.
I ended my day in the woman traditional sauna which also had great hot and cold tubs. It is like Japanese public onsen. No clothes, and no photos. You put shoes to one locker, proceed to put your clothes in another locker and use women sauna and hot baths. Cold and hot jacuzzi. Very nice.
Day 7.
I woke up early and worked. Afterwards, I went to the pool and woman traditional sauna at hotel. By 8am I was rested and ready to explore.
Another market area Namdaemun was recommended and concierge said they have one way shuttle. I took a ride there and strolled the market. The abundance of clothes, little plush cute characters, hair accessories was overwhelming. I liked some dresses but decided to wait. Back walking to hotel, I was lost somewhat but Lotte shuttle miraculously appeared and while they provide only one way lift, he was empty and let me in. Turned out I was close. I went back to Myeongdong to shop. I did not have breakfast, so my nose led me to smell of bread. I bought salt bread (fresh rolls are sold in threes). I went to the new Hello Kitty Cafe to load souvenirs for my granddaughters, very cute.
I got a bit tired from the hustle and bustle of Myeongdong and stumbled at cat café. 
Curious, I walked in. It is a fee to enter and be in cats house lol. I am not sure why I stayed there long! They gave me one drink and a little package with cat food and cats were all over me. Cuteness overload! I can relate to cat’s computer scratch pad!
Going back to the hotel, I bought sweet pastries from Curonjii guy. I am addicted. Today he wrapped it for me like ice cream cone and added soft ice cream.
Day 8.
Today I booked a tour to DMZ.
The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is a must‑see 45 km strip just north of Seoul—one of the most fortified and historically powerful borders in the world.
I got a driver guide to allow me flexibility and we also stopped at the lake with a suspension bridge, to enjoy beautiful scenery, not far from the DMZ.
We strolled Imjingak Park – Memorial Park with poignant artwork and the symbolic Freedom Bridge, where POWs crossed after the Korean War. Then we took DMZ bus to the first stop – 3rd tunnel. Was built by North Korea, we descended descend ~500 m underground. Hard to go back but I made it. Benches to rest every 50m or so. Its was not claustrophobic.
And the last stop at DMZ tour is Unification village. It was established in 1973 as part of South Korea’s efforts to repopulate border areas. It’s located close to Dorasan Station and Dorasan Observatory, major stops on most DMZ tours. Despite its proximity to North Korea, the village is peaceful and agricultural.
One of the most surreal moments was standing at the DMZ and seeing North Korea at a distance. It was quiet. Still. So close, yet impossibly far. In that moment, I wasn’t just a traveler, I was a witness to history, division, and resilience. That view, framed by barbed wire and binoculars, will stay with me forever.
After leaving DMZ, we stopped by in Seoul at Korean War Memorial, which serves as a powerful tribute to those who served and sacrificed during the Korean War (1950–1953), as well as other conflicts involving Korea.
For dinner, I asked my guide Harry for raw soy marinated crab, or in Korean called ganjang-gejang, for dinner, which I also saw in Neflix food series about Korean food. He did some research and found a restaurant with good reviews. The female chef Jang Ji Nyeong is recipient many awards.
Although first mentioned in a 17th-century book covering the diet and recipes of the Joseon Dynasty, this folk dish has an even longer history and has remained one of the country’s representative fermented dishes.
An abundant harvest of blue crabs and diverse local ingredients, coupled with the advancement of food preservation, has helped Korea’s southwestern coastal region develop a range of crab marinating recipes. A transition from salt marination to soy sauce marination has allowed ganjang-gejang to become a popular national food.
I chose female crab since it had roe. It also came with marinated shrimp and another separate spicy marinated crab. They also had rice, kimchi, and seaweed soup (kind of miso soup). The drink was barley tea.
The crab was flavorful, soft to crack, they give you scissors to cut, and is very briny. It is indeed a pool of soy sauce which is not salty.
Amazing, unique food.
Day 9.
I went this morning to women sauna at hotel. I also added a body scrub for 30 min. My skin felt good.
Seoul is synonymous with skincare, but the beauty rituals here go so much deeper. I treated myself to a luxurious 18-step Korean hair treatment, a multi-layered ritual of protein masks, collagen serums, and scalp therapy that left my hair silkier than ever. It wasn’t just pampering—it was a cultural experience, a reflection of how much care and artistry go into self-care here.
I went back to the hotel, snacking on the way street food. I bought some face masks, don’t know why! The sales lady dragged me into the store, showed and I got hooked. All these insane cosmetics, need you or not.
Day 10.
Today was the last day.
It was a Saturday and lots of people expressed their protests in the city.
I saw:
- A March against Chinese eating cats and dogs!
- A group whatever they are for Jesus singing. As their sign says, if you don’t believe in Jesus or sin, you will go to hell.
- One demonstration against LGBT and across against discrimination of LGBT.
It was fun to be there!
I did a photo session with a professional photographer for my business photo presentation. It was much better priced than to do in the US. A photographer and makeup artists, two young women from Tashkent, did a good job.
The rest of the day was finishing shopping, it was a beautiful upscale food court in Lotte mall. Just like in London and Paris but of course Korean specialties.
I had bibigamp, lots of vegetables but not as good as I had in Seattle (!) I also had all kinds of bibimgaps in Korea including at breakfast buffet, but they all were different. I think there are a variety of bibimgaps!
I also had a sushi snack from the rolling conveyor of sushi. You just take what you like and at the end they count your plates.
Day 11, departure
I am glad I came to the airport one hour earlier than needed. So much to do here! Great stores so you can finish your shopping. It’s clean, spacious, comfortable and very efficient. The check-in started sharp at 1pm and very soon I passed the security to shop, had brunch in a lounge and soon depart for 13 hour flight to Atlanta.
The bonus was a performance of reenacted medieval soldiers. So, if you missed changing of the guard at the palace, you can catch up on performance in the airport. Bathrooms are clean and have toto toilets.
That concluded my trip to Korea.
Food experiences
I specialize in food and wine trips, so food was an important aspect to me.
Food in Seoul is a celebration. From the vibrant flavor xs of kimchi and bulgogi to the comforting warmth of tteokguk and japchae, every meal was memorable. I wandered the bustling alleys of Gwangjang Market, slurped spicy noodles, and tried mung bean pancakes from a street food vendor featured in a Netflix documentary. Even convenience store snacks were addictive.
Here are some tips, I hope travelers will find them helpful.
At shopping area, there are no trash cans anywhere. You can give it back to the vendor or if you walk away, keep it. I had a plastic bag with me for this purpose.
Korea hotels are modern, and technology is used to make stay comfortable. No climbing under table or moving head bed to find that elusive power outlet. It is well thought.
Most toilets are Toto type.
The Dyson hair dryer at hotels wass magnetic, ionic and locked up very easily and dried well. I will be looking for it to buy at home.
The water bottles are recyclable so there is no paper label on it.
Google maps do not work well. Use Naver.
Not all ATM except American debit cards. Find the one which says “global ATM”.
Not everyone speaks English. Download google translate or Kakao talk and you can communicate.
People were kind and helpful, even some did not speak English.
Public WIFI. I was able to find it often.
Get a metro card (T-money) and load at least 5,000 Won for easy travel. Remember that to top up in small shops, you will need cash as cards are only accepted to purchase the physical card. You can use it for all public transportation, including taxis.
Accessibility: There are many stairs; some subway stations and underground passages have elevators and escalators, but not all. It can be challenging for wheelchair users. The ability to walk is essential. Stairs can be an issue, as well as the verticality of businesses; a lot of places you might want to go to that’ll be on the 2nd+ floor.
If you can’t find cutlery at the restaurant, check the side drawer on the table.
Final thoughts:
Seoul surprised me in the best ways. It made me feel seen, inspired, and alive. It’s a city of contrasts—glamour and depth, fast-paced yet reflective. I came for the culture, but I left with so much more: new insights, beautiful memories, and a longing to return.
Special thanks to Blair and Mina, who helped me to plan this exploration, my guides Lina and Harry, Connections and Seoul Metropolitan Government for this experience!
Next time I will visit Jeju island, Gyeongju, Jeonju and Busan!
Copyrights 2025, Sophia’s Travel, EMCO Travel LLC