SEOUL, KOREA
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Korea is a place I wish I could visit more often, even maybe stay for a couple months. 9 days just didn't feel like enough but maybe that's because I'm Korean American living in NY with limited access to Korean food and culture. It's different walking outside and being completely immersed in the culture than having to take the L train to the Q train only to be trampled on by all the tourists and pay a lot of money for food you probably could've cooked at home after calling mom for the recipe. I still love New York though.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Neighborhoods:
Hannam-dong, Insa-dong, Myeong-dong, Apgujeong, Itaewon
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Culture + Sights:
Bukchon Hanok Maeul, Jeonju Hanok Maeul, Starfield Library, Namsan Tower
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Cafes + Coffee Shops:
Fritz Coffee, Osulloc Tea House, Frankie Coffee, Nudake
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Shopping:
Nonfiction, Mardi Mercredi, Vinyl & Plastic, Glowny, Beaker, Warped, Tamburins
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Restaurants:
La Ferme, Summerlane Brunch, Oasis Brunch, Nanpo Hannam, 37.5 Signature
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Hannam-dong
Hanok Maeul are traditional villages that have now become museums all throughout Korea. Often times, there are vendors right outside renting or selling Hanbok, which is the traditional Korean clothing, so that you can dress up and enjoy the full experience.
BUSAN, KOREA
My family took the bullet train from Seoul to Busan, a beach town in the southern part of the country. Busan is known for its seaside, beautiful ocean views, and night life. It's a city like Seoul, vibrant and bustling. My dad had planned this trip without booking a hotel because he "wanted to choose the hotel with the best view" while the control freak in me (and my mom) panicked at the thought of nowhere to stay. Seeing from this photo, he scored.
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There were so many places to eat but we were so hungry that we quickly sat down at this Hanok style noodle shop. We are not a foodie family but we love to eat and we often times get lucky with choosing restaurants without doing any research beforehand. After filling our stomaches, we continued our tour of Busan. There's so many shops and restaurants packed into alleyways and its easy to lose track of time while walking through them all.
The alleys packed with small food marts and restaurants reminded me of the bodegas and delis back at home in NY. These spots are often where I have my favorite interactions with the locals.
