I recently had the pleasure and privilege of visiting my best friend Erica in Seoul, South Korea where she now lives and works.

Although this visit was unfortunately only for a long weekend, Erica jam-packed the weekend with activities that she had come to discover during her time in Korea and wanted to share. And so, in no particular order, here are 10 things that I highly recommend to do in Seoul recommended to me by someone who lives there.

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1. Try Samgyeopsal

What is “samgyeopsal”? Basically, Korean BBQ. The meat is incredibly juicy, tender, and full of flavor. But really it’s an experience. Your table has a grill in the center and upon placing your order, beef or pork cutlets are placed across it to begin cooking. Beside the grill, bowls of “banchan” (various side dishes) to compliment your meat such as garlic, radish, kimchi, spicy sauces, and more fill the table.

As the meat sizzles on the grill, use your tongs to turn it as needed and ensure it is cooked to perfection. During her innumerable experiences getting samgyeopsal, Erica found a tried and true method to eat the Korean BBQ when it was ready that she picked up from watching the Korean locals:

How to eat Samgyeopsal:

Take a leaf of lettuce.
Place one of the pieces of meat that has finished cooking from the grill onto your leaf.
Add your side dishes as desired (Erica recommends some spicy sauce and a lightly sautéed piece of garlic).
Wrap the lettuce leaf around the meat and goodies.
Shove it all in your mouth in one bite. Enjoy.

2. Explore Hongdae

Over the last few months that Erica has been living in Seoul, nearly every time we talked, “Hongdae” came up in her weekend plans. After visiting, I can clearly see why. Hongdae is vibrant and young, with streets bustling with stylish people. Shop signs blink and beckon, both dazzling and overwhelming. Along the sides of the streets, shop owners peddle their wares in lines of racks and tables. All of the merchandise is cheap and trendy, appealing to the young crowds.

Hongdae has a myriad of things to offer. Shopping, dessert cafes, animal cafes such as cat cafes and even raccoon cafes, restaurants offering everything from traditional Korean food to Vietnamese and American, and clubs bouncing with people and lines wrapping the block are just a few of the points that come to mind when thinking of Hongdae. During the day, the only thing that changes is the lack of both flashing lights and lines down the streets outside of the popular clubs. Otherwise, it is just as busy and full of life.

3. Go to a dessert cafe

On every corner and on at least one floor of each of the multi-story buildings lining the streets of Seoul you will find a dessert cafe. Because couple culture is extremely prominent in South Korea, you will find these cafes bustling with couples sharing some sort of cute and extravagant dessert item.

There is a myriad of options for dessert cafes in Seoul, but I particularly enjoyed the shaved ice that Erica had me try. It was like no shaved ice I had ever experienced before. Shaved extremely thinly, it was like a fluffy cloud placed before me. Each bite was just as cloud-like and instantly melted in my mouth into a light and refreshing icecream. There were a wide variety of flavors from chocolate cheesecake (which Erica and I got) to fruit flavors.

4. Try honey butter bread

Honey butter bread is highly popular in South Korea and upon tasting it (or even looking at it) it isn’t hard to understand why. The flavor is so popular in fact that they have chips and snacks available in honey butter bread flavor! Why don’t we have this in America? Someone needs to get on this.

Honey butter bread has the perfect balance of sweet, sugary, cinnamon, honey, and butter flavors coating a fluffy pillow of bread that is surely just as much air as it is actual bread. One could honestly use this bread in place of a memory foam pillow – the midnight snack is just a bonus. This delicious dish is available at many cafes, which litter every street due to Koreas’s ever-present cafe culture.

5. Explore Insadong

As a cab driver said to us later that day, Insadong is the “touristy” area of Seoul. But touristy things generally attract tourists for a reason and this was no different with Insadong. The area has so much to do, see, and eat it can be a little overwhelming. Both traditional and more tourist-focused souvenir shops are present throughout Insadong which is perfect for those looking for a little something to bring home. Hanbok rentals are available at a number of locations down the main street as entry to the Palaces is free to those dressed in the traditional Korean clothing. Besides the palaces, you can also visit Jogyesa Temple (조계사) to get a taste of Korean history.

Speaking of taste – there are plenty of food shops tucked between the souvenir stores and historical spots. Erica and I stopped by a dumpling shop in a side street and were happily impressed. Then we topped it off with some of the creamiest ice cream I’ve ever tasted in Vanilla and Melon flavor.

6. Try Chimaek

What does “chimaek” mean? It’s a Korean word formed from chicken and “maekju”, the Korean word for beer. Yup, it’s chicken and beer! But Linny, I’ve had chicken and beer plenty of times in my own country you may be saying. Well, it turns out that chicken and beer is very much a traditional Korean dish and a deep-rooted part of the culture.

Down any given street there are a number of chimaek restaurants to choose from. There is an extensive variety of chicken offered, ranging from bone-in (commonly) to boneless, spicy or mild, and even those with flavors and toppings. The green onion boneless chicken that Erica and I chose came out in a pile of tender pieces covered in crisp, flaky breading and topped with a heap of fresh green onions. The flavor was divine, if you can use that word to describe chicken. Just beware of onion breath that lasts until the following morning.

7. Get breakfast in Gangnam

Why only “get breakfast” in Gangnam? I feel like I can’t recommend exploring Gangnam because I didn’t have the chance to. But Erica tells me that the area boasts a wealth of shopping, fantastic restaurants, and hopping clubs – all on the higher end as Gangnam is known for. Properly exploring Gangnam is a priority for my next visit, but this time around we just had time to grab breakfast.

Koreans don’t really have “breakfast” – eating kimchi, rice, or BBQ like any other meal. However, Erica had discovered a traditional American-style breakfast joint in Gangnam that took breakfast to a new level. Butterfinger Pancakes offers an extensive range of options including extravagant waffles and pancakes in a range of flavors, covered in toppings such as cheese, fruits, chocolate, and even ice creams. Wanting both a savory and a sweet item, Erica and I split a three-cheese bake waffle and an order of raspberry creme pancakes. They were fluffy, indulgent, and left us in a state of food coma.

8. See the Floating Islands

The Floating Islands, or Some Sevit (세빛섬), near Banpo Hangang Park consist of three man-made islands in the Han River. They are truly an architectural feat and beautiful to behold. Apparently, they were created with the idea of being “flowers of the Han River” representing life and nature. This comes across in their flowing and organic forms.

The buildings themselves house event spaces, water sports facilities, a garden, and restaurants that are open to the public. Although Erica and I didn’t have the chance to explore the within these buildings, we enjoyed their majesty while strolling the walkways outside, making our way to each island and eventually around to the Banpo Bridge. The backdrop of the Han River and the cityscape beyond on a lovely spring day paired with these impressive structures made for an awe-inspiring view.

9. Go to Seoul Forest

One place that particularly impressed me with its wealth of things to do and see was Seoul Forest (서울숲). Seoul Forest is a large park in Seongdong-gu area that is open year-round. It boasts a butterfly house, bug exhibit, small animal exhibit, well-manicured gardens, buildings with exotic plants, bugs, fish, and even a petting area with tortoise and rabbits. There is also an outdoor rabbit enclosure and a region of the park devoted to Chinese Water Deer that visitors can pet and feed. And admission to the park is completely free! Considering how much this park had to offer I was truly surprised by this. So there really is no reason not to visit this park. Seoul Forest is compared as the Central Park of Seoul. As big nature and animal lovers, Erica and I spent a few hours here exploring the park and trying to get a picture with the deer.

10. Visit Namsan Tower

Namsan Tower (남산서울타워), or the N Seoul Tower, is a must-see in Seoul. Located on Namsan Mountain, the height of the tower combined with the height of the mountain puts the tower at almost 480m above sea level making it one of the tallest towers in the Orient. The view is breath-taking.

Erica and I planned our visit for my final night in Korea so that we could overlook the lights of Seoul all aglow from the observation deck. The observation level is surrounded by floor to ceiling windows on all sides, allowing us to take in the city lights twinkle before us as far as the eye could see in every direction. It was magical, to say the least. Along with the observation deck, the tower is home to the famous Heart Lock area where couples write their names and vows of eternal love on locks and attach them to the designated fencing. Unlike other famed love lock sites around the world where the governments actively cut down these locks, Seoul’s officials actively encourage this here with signage and instructions, even selling locks at the bottom of the tower. This area also allows for an open-air view of the city that is even more remarkable.

Are you planning a visit to Seoul, South Korea?

If you’re interested in a more personal, detailed post about my visit to see Erica and experience her new life, check out the blog post: Visiting Erica in South Korea. I’m also planning on making a blog post about my experience getting an “illegal” tattoo while I was in Korea… Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already so that you don’t miss it! Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for updates. Thank you for stopping by my blog!

Have you ever been to Korea? What are some things that you would recommend doing while in Seoul? Please share them in the comments below!

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