8 surprising reasons you should visit South Korea

It’s safe to say that South Korea is having a moment – Korean food is super trendy and making its way to a high street near you. So, here’s why you should visit what might just be Asia’s most exciting city right now – perhaps as an extra trip when you’re visiting Japan. Here’s our list of great things you can do when you get there.

We suggest kicking off with a hike through Namsan Park, on the slopes of Namsan Mountain, in Seoul city centre. The current must-have accessory for hikers is not a trekking pole or a water bottle – it’s a lollipop-like slab of golden honeycomb, purchased for a handful of Korean won from the vendors hawking their snacks at the side of the snake-like hiking trail. Known as dalgona, their popularity soared following the Squid Game episode in which contestants were asked to dissect the popular snack by cutting it into very specific pieces.

N Tower

At its peak is the N Seoul Tower, with its restaurants, bars and observation deck, and it’s a fantastic spot from which to get your bearings. Gazing down on South Korea’s capital from 497 metres above sea level is a great way to make sense of this sprawling city – one that has expanded rapidly over the years while still being moulded and shaped by nature.

Seoul is a place not just surrounded by hills, but punctuated by them – peaks such as Bukhansan, the forested slopes of which are easily accessible from the city centre.

Prefer to stick to ground level? Opt for a stroll or a bicycle ride – tourists who have purchased a Seoul pass can rent one of the city’s Seoul Public Bicycle scheme’s bikes for free – and wander through one of its many parks, proof of the authorities’ determination to incorporate green space into the urban environment.

We recommend Gyeongui Railway Forest Park, a six-kilometre linear park in the footprint of a former railway (reminders of which are the benches made from railway sleepers). Walk its length and you’ll pass through some of the city’s most colourful neighbourhoods – places such as Hongdae, an achingly hip neighbourhood filled with galleries and bars, and Yeonnam-dong, a tranquil, village-like district famous for its family-run restaurants and independent boutiques.

There are numerous opportunities to rest your weary legs – the park is lined with cafés and art installations.

Another fantastic spot for some time out is Cheonggyecheon, in the city centre. Here, a stream dating back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) is now one of the city’s most spectacular urban renewal projects – an 11-kilometre stretch of water lined with shaded walkways. Every few metres, carefully positioned rows of stepping stones allow walkers to hop from one side to the other.

Cheonggyecheon Stream

Take a seat on one of the benches to watch herons or spoonbills pluck fresh fish from the glass-clear water – it’s hardly surprisingly this linear park is popular with birdwatchers.

Prefer to snap selfies, not spoonbills? You’re in luck – in Seoul, you’re never far from a purikura (photo) booth, whether it’s a standalone booth similar to the ones used to snap passport photos in the UK, or vast complexes of cubicles kitted out with changing rooms stuffed with wigs and fancy-dress outfits. The idea is simple – throw caution to the wind, don a quirky accessory, step into the photo-booth and snap a selfie, before super-imposing an equally quirky backdrop, slogan or 3D effect (animal ears appear to be especially popular).

Finally, print your creation. Trust us – those 'I love Seoul' magnets have nothing on these.

Although Seoul has evolved at lightning speed, it’s filled with reminders of its past. Take Gangnam, a hip, vibrant neighbourhood made famous by rapper PSY’s Gangnam Style hit song, and where one of the biggest attractions is the Bongeunsa Buddhist Temple, which dates back to 794 and comprises numerous halls filled with ancient woodblock carvings.

But this is also just across the road from the ultra-modern Starfield COEX Mall, home to what’s often referred to as the world’s most spectacular library. Step inside the Starfield Library and you’ll find almost 100,000 thousand books filling 13-metre-tall shelves, which curve around a beautiful two-storey atrium.

We suggest heading to the library’s Billy Angel Cake Company café (you’ll inevitably have to dodge a few selfie sticks en route) and bagging a table overlooking the softly lit central hall.

Other sights are just as surprising, but for very different reasons. Take the biohazard protective gear you’ll see at every underground train station, kept under lock and key in glass panels next to information panels explaining what to do in the event of an emergency. It’s a reminder that the heavily militarised border with North Korea is just 50 kilometres away.

Sign up for guided tour to the DMZ (the security area around the four-kilometre-wide strip of wilderness marking the dividing line between North and South Korea) and you’ll get to peer through telescopes into North Korea. Then explore a tunnel dug by the North Koreans (and only discovered – and promptly sealed – when a North Korean geologist defected and revealed all to the South Koreans in 1978).

The more harrowing stop-offs during the tour include the memorials dedicated to families wrenched apart by the ongoing conflict; the two countries are technically still at war.

For further insights into the city’s history, don’t miss the National Palace Museum of Korea, where the most fascinating galleries explore traditions relating to events such as weddings and births. One of the most common celebratory foods is injeolmi (rice cakes) made with red beans and given as housewarming presents due to the colour red’s associations with protection. Prefer kimchi – a dish of fermented vegetables a bit like sauerkraut, much fêted by gut health experts? Don’t miss Museum Kimchikan, where you can taste different varieties of this beloved national food before signing up for a kimchi cookery class.

Another foodie hotspot is Gwangjang Market In the downtown neighbourhood of Jongno-gu. Korean specialities on offer here include kimbap (seaweed – kim – wrapped around rice – bap), corn dogs, which are hot dogs encased in batter and panko (a type of breadcrumb) and sprinkled with sugar, and mung bean pancakes.

Gwangjang Market

Head to the centre of the market to find a stall run by an elderly lady toiling away behind a poster showing her feeding her famous kimbap to TV chef Gordon Ramsay – a move that has obviously become her trademark, and which she’ll happily re-enact for hungry tourists.

Finally, South Koreans love their tea, and the best place to sample the country’s national drink is Seoul’s beautiful, temple-like Osulloc Tea House, again in the Jongno-gu neighbourhood. You’ll be invited to select your brew by looking at tasting notes displayed on the counter, before your tea is served with a timer to ensure the optimum brewing period. We recommend the Moon Walk tea, which has notes of Korean pear and honey. The only downside? Your go-to cup of Yorkshire Tea will now look rather plain….

Image credits: Getty

How can I experience this?

Visit Seoul on our Essence of Japan with South Korea tour.