Seoul is the heart and Seoul of South Korea , a place of puns, and a city full of fun. Seoul’s city brand is “I Seoul U” (try saying that without an English accent). It is to represent that Seoul is a place where “You” and “I” connect and coexist.
Like its brand, the city of Seoul is all about coexistence amongst its history, modern culture, diverse nationalities and generations, skyscrapers, nature, and everything in between. As one can imagine, when it comes visiting, there is an abundance of things to do in Seoul. These are a few of my favorites:
1. Go Cosmetics Shopping
If there’s one thing to do in Seoul, it’s cosmetics shopping! South Korea is the cosmetics capital of the world. Please. Do yourself (and your skin) a favor and don’t leave this country without purchasing some skincare products or trying out some Korean beauty trends.
Seoul has an incredible selection of every type of cosmetics store you could ever wish for. Wander around Garosu-gil or Myeong-dong for the best selection of stores and products.
Want to know my faves? – Most of which you can buy online without even traveling to South Korea! Get a list of my favorite Korean cosmetic products here.
2. Go Coffee Shop Hopping
Seoul is the ultimate hub for coffee shops of every shape and size. Dog café? Check. Raccoon café? Check. Poop café?… um, check? They even have a Harry Potter café where you can order a butterbeer and [attempt to] fly on a Nimbus 2000 (man, life’s a struggle when you’re a muggle).
Don’t worry, there are plenty of “tamer” options, as well. Grab your beverage of choice and the ultimate donut. Feel like a cartoon in a black and white drawing café. Or simply pop in to one of the many Instagrammable cafés you’ll find wandering around. After your Tour de Seoul, you’ll laugh at the next Starbucks you see. These Seoul cafés are life-changing!
3. Trick Eye Museum
This perfect rainy-day activity will keep you and your friends entertained for hours. Weave through this interactive museum, stopping by each display to take a picture from a certain angle to make it look like you are part of the scene. For certain displays, you’ll be instructed to turn your picture upside-down or do something silly to make the scene look more realistic. You can even download the Trickeye app and make each display come to life!
After you’ve had your fun at the Trick Eye Museum, check out the attached Love Museum and Ice Museum. The Love Museum is the same concept as the Trick Eye, except a little more … “adult-friendly”. The Ice Museum is just a big room with everything made out of ice. They even have an ice slide you can slide down.
4. Lantern Festival
If you find yourself in Seoul in the month of November, you’re in luck! Seoul hosts a fabulous Lantern Festival that takes place for about two weeks each year. Huge, intricate lanterns fill the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Each year, there are different themes of the lanterns that are sectioned-off in different parts of the river.
If you head upstream, you’ll find a section of the river blocked off for visitors to send-off a floating lantern into the river to make a wish. The fun part is being able to make your own lantern. Pay a small fee for the supplies and follow step-by-step instructions to create your lantern before sending it down the river.
Can’t make it to Seoul in November? Don’t worry, Koreans love to celebrate . From art festivals to jazz festivals, summer festivals and drum festivals, there’s always something going on nearly any time of the year.
5. Seek Out Some Speakeasies
Le Chamber Speakeasy in Gangnam Most nightlife in South Korea consists of soju and partying. Seek out some quieter (and classier) vibes exploring some of the speakeasy bars in Seoul . Although speakeasies are authentic to the United States, the popularity of these prohibition-themed bars has caught-on around the world. There are a handful of speakeasies scattered throughout the city of Seoul…if you can find them
