8 Epic Reasons Why You Should Visit Korea

Korea is an endlessly fascinating country to me. I have been there three times but I think I have only just barely scratched the surface as to what this country offers!

As part of my entry for the Global Wow Korea contest, I present to you my top 8 reasons why I want to visit Korea:

#1 History

My current obsession is the sageuk drama, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. After watching this show, I have become quite curious about Korean history and the different kingdoms that defined the nation. It's all very new to me as I was never really the history buff growing up, but this show - set in the Goryeo dynasty - really piqued my interest. I've gone to the extent of reading books about Korean history, but what I really want to do is to visit the National Museum of Korea (which is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea) and the Baejke Cultural Land, a historical theme park that was also used in the show! Prince Wang So won't be there, but I'm sure there are loads of other interesting things to occupy me there!

Baejke Cultural Land

Baejke Cultural Land

#2 I need to see my oppas

Jung Ji Hoon. Song Joong Ki. Lee Joon Gi. Park Seo Joon. Kang Ha Neul. Kim Soo Hyun. Jung Yong Hwa. The list of oppas I wanna meet goes on and on! It was the Hallyu wave that first got me interested in all things Korean and rightfully so, every trip to Korea should be marked with some major fangirling action! Besides stalking the vicinity around entertainment companies, it would be awesome to attend fan meetings and concerts too!

#3 I wanna eat all my favourite food

Although Singapore has a lot of Korean restaurants and cafes, nothing beats eating the real thing over in Korea!! I am so obsessed with eomuk (fishcake) and banana milk that I literally eat it everyday! And who can forget the samgyeopsal, budae jjigae, tteokbokki, kalguksu, bibimbap, pajeon, hotteok, mandu, japchae, soondubu jjigae, patbingsu etc etc etc! Whether we're dining in upscale restaurants or hole-in-the-wall eateries or just munching on street food, I simply LOVE IT ALL! Mashiseoyo!

#4 I want to shop till i drop

When I travel to Korea, I try my darnest to keep my luggage as empty as possible. WHY? There are endless opportunities to shop up a storm at megamalls, department stores, wholesale markets, fashion streets, luxury boutiques, independent stores etc! Like most girls, I love to shop for made-in-Korea clothes, shoes (i think shoes here are really really well made) accessories and cosmetics. And of course, I never leave Seoul without hitting the supermarkets to stock up on Korean snacks. The only worry is how to cram everything into the luggage and not going over the weight limit!

Photo Credit: visitkorea.or.kr

#5 I want to make snow angels with Do Min Joon

I've visited Korea during the spring and autumn time, but I've never experienced winter. I want to try skiing, making snow angels, and fishing for trout in an ice hole! I often see  couples doing this on variety shows and dramas and it looks like a perfect date activity! And if you're cold, you can just hug each other! HAHAHA!

#6 I want to stay in a Hanok

When I go to places like Insadong and Bukchon, I often look on enviously at people who come in and out of the elegant Hanoks and wonder what it looks inside. If I go visit Korea again, staying in one of these beautifully preserved traditional homes will definitely be on top of my to-do list. The architecture and meaning behind Hanok houses are really interesting and offers a glimpse into how people used to live hundreds of years ago. Staying in one would be a great way to fully immerse ourselves in Korean heritage and culture.

Jeonju Hanok Village

Rakkojae

#7 I want to enjoy the slow life 

As much as I love city life, sometimes you just want to get away from the hustle and bustle and go back to basics. That’s why the concept of slow cities is so appealing to me. The NGO, Cittaslow International, has designated 11 Korean villages as “slow cities”. How fun it would be to experience staying on a farm in the rural countryside or fishing village or even go island-hopping or trekking! 

Terrace fields in Hamyang

Cheongsando Island in Wando

#8 I want to visit an Jjimjilbang

Jjimjilbang are SO MUCH FUN! A jjimjilbang is a bathhouse with numerous hot tubs filled with spring water. There are usually also saunas, spas and massage rooms. I’ve visited one in Busan before and I really want to go again! Once you get over the initial fear of being nekkid in public, you will realise that visiting the jjimjilbang is one of the most relaxing experiences you can have. It’s especially nice to visit after a long day of shopping! And don’t forget to make your own yangmori or lamb head out of the towel they give you!!

Note: This post is done as an entry to participate in the Global Wow Korea contest. See below for more deets! :) 

10 Days Busan Seoul Itinerary

Finally! I have finished writing about our entire Korea trip! For easy reference, I have consolidated all the links to the travel posts here:

Day 1

• Transfer from Seoul to Busan by KTX
• Hotel Almond Busan
• Busan Station and Surroundings

Day 2

• Haedong Yonggunsa Temple
• Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae
• Dongbaekseom, Haeundae Beach & BEXCO
• Shinsegae Centum City

Day 3

• Taejongdae
• Gamcheon Culture Village
• Song Sang-hyeon Square & Seomyeon
• Samgwangsa Temple Buddha Birthday Lantern Festival

Day 4

• Yangdong Folk Village
• Gyochon Traditional Village
• Nampodong

Day 5

• Transfer to Seoul by KTX
• Hotel Rian
• Sungshin Women's University & Myeongdong

Day 6

• My Love From Another Star Exhibition at KINTEX
• Heyri Art Village
• Gyeonggi English Village
• Sulbing

Day 7

• Seoul Grand Park
• Apgujeong Rodeo
• LINE Friends Store & Cafe
• Banpo Hangang Park

Day 8

• Petite France & Nami Island

Day 9

• Insadong & Bukchon Hanok Village
• Samcheongdong & City Hall
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Day 10

• Issac Toast
• Gwangjang Market
• Hyehwa Theatre District

Annyeong Korea! It's been fun! Hope I get a chance to visit again soon! :)

Hyehwa Theatre District (Day 10)

After Gwangjang Market, we hopped on a bus to Hyehwa, a vibrant theatre district frequented by youngsters.

Gwangjang Market (Day 10)

On the last day of our Korea adventure, we decided to keep our sightseeing close to our hotel because we had a plane to catch in the afternoon.

First, we walked over to Gwangjang Market, one of the oldest and largest traditional markets in Korea.

If you’re a fan of Korean street food, then this place would be a food paradise for you. It is particularly famous for bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and gimbap. If street food is not your thing, there are also several sit-down restaurants serving Korean cuisine to choose from.

Unfortunately, we arrived too early in the morning (around 9am) and many of the shops weren’t open yet. Most of the food stalls were still busy preparing food so we could only take in the sights and the smells!

Issac Toast - Best Breakfast in Seoul (Day 10)

If breakfast is not provided at your hotel, finding a proper breakfast place to eat in Seoul can be a bit of a challenge. Locals seem to have their breakfast at home, cafes aren't really open in the early morning and your choices are limited to fast food restaurants, bread from bakeries or stuff from convenience stores.

It was only till the last couple of days of our Seoul trip that we discovered this gem of a place - Issac Toast.

Located just round the corner from Hotel Rian where we stayed, this tiny shop specialises in nothing but toasts. I'm not talking about fancy Shibuya toasts here, this place just sells humble toasts - slices of ham/egg/other ingredients wedged between two pieces of bread. Sounds utterly boring and uninspiring (and sounds like something you can make at home). But on the contrary - the toast was soooooooooooooooooooooo good!!

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (Day 9)

Love it or loathe it, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) has become an iconic landmark in Seoul. It was the most Instagram-tagged location in Korea of the year and really, it's no surprise. One simply can't look away from this jaw-dropping work of art, design and engineering whenever they walk by.

Photo Credit: DDP Website 

Photo Credit: DDP Website

 

Designed by the world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, this curvaceous, spaceship-like building would not be out of place in a science fiction movie. Instead, it is located right in the middle of busy Dongdaemun, a historical district known for its ancient fortress gate as well as its 24-hour wholesale shopping and cafes. It's a jarring contrast at first glance, but actually, much care has been done to integrate the architectural landscape with the ancient city wall and cultural artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations preceding DDP's construction.

Inspired by the flow of liquid, the DDP is a building without any straight lines or walls. Its interior is equally as impressive as its exterior. Most of the spaces (halls and exhibition spaces) are snow-white, with high ceilings and no internal support structures. You might also recall that one of the halls was featured in “My Love from the Star”, recreating a set for the fake action movie Cheon Song Yi was filming in the drama.

Photo Credit: DDP website

Photo Credit: DDP website

 

Beyond the architecture, the real reason why we wanted to visit the DDP was because of a special pop-up exhibition by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) and French artist Paulo Grangeon. Over the weekend, 1,600 papier mâché pandas, in various shapes and sizes, invaded the green roof of the DDP as part of an art project to raise the awareness of environmental issues. And why the number 1,600? Well, that's the number of living pandas left in the wild.

 

Another meaningful art installation to look out for is the LED rose garden that comes to life when night falls. The roses light up after the sun sets, creating a magical sparkly field of white lights. The number of roses is also particularly meaningful. There are 25,550 of them, representing the 70th anniversary of Gwangbok-Jeol (Independence Day) - 365 days times 70 years equals 25,550 roses.

How to get there: 

The nearest subway is Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Line 2), exit 1

What a long day we had! Time to sleep!

Exploring Samcheongdong and City Hall (Day 9)

And then, just around the corner from Bukchon is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Seoul, Samcheong-dong.

In yet another example of how tradition has merged with modernity, hanok houses have been given a new lease of life by transforming into trendy cafes, boutiques and restaurants. I really like the laidback vibe here, there are not a lot of people here and it’s a nice place to shop and eat.

Exploring Insadong and Bukchon Hanok Village (Day 9)

Seoul is well-known for being a unique global city that blends the culture of yesterday with the trends of today.

This is quite evident in places such as Insadong, an area that is filled with traditional antique shops, art galleries, souvenir shops and restaurants.