Seoul Searching: I Had High Expectations, but South Korea’s Capital Delivered

Destinations like Japan, Europe and the US are always top of mind for Aussie travellers, but don’t sleep on a visit to Seoul. As someone who’s watched South Korean dramas, loved the cuisine and consumed the pop culture, my first trip to the country was a long time coming. I had high expectations: delicious food, well-preserved heritage sites, catchy music, trendy clothes, cool youth districts and plenty of photo ops. I got all that and more.

Seoul surprised me with the way it felt like home; I never wanted to leave. Of course, I had to – but not before fitting in as many things as I could in four short but well-spent days. If it’s your first time visiting Seoul, here are the highlights you need to add to your itinerary.

Photography: Courtesy of Seoul Tourism Archive

No overseas trip is complete without trying out local dishes, and as someone who already considered Korean cuisine a favourite before visiting, I was most excited to try authentic street food. Gwangjang Market is arguably the best place for it – we wandered along rows lined with vendors selling familiar dishes like gimbap (rice rolls wrapped in dried seaweed) and tteokbokki (chewy rice cakes in a sweet and spicy sauce) to intriguing bites like soondae (blood sausage with sticky rice).

Don’t skip out on the bindaetteok or mung bean pancake, one of the market’s specialties: the shallow-fried savoury pancake is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, served with a soy vinegar for dipping.

We also ordered knife-cut noodles and handmade dumplings from Gohyang Kalguksu Stall, which you might recognise from Netflix’s Street Food: Asia. Owner (and now TV star) Cho Yonsoon served us with a massive smile, and her food was worth the queues.

Photography: Courtesy of Seoul Tourism Archive

Once the main royal palace of Korea’s Joseon dynasty, the sprawling Gyeongbokgung Palace can be found in the capital’s north. Built in 1395, its heritage architecture contrasts the busy streets and skyscrapers nearby but stepping inside feels like being transported back in time – especially when you’re surrounded by other visitors wearing traditional garb.

Plenty of shops around the palace let you rent hanbok, the traditional clothing or dress of Korea, to take photos in for the day. They come in different colours and materials, from pastel satins and intricately embroidered cotton to jewel tones and sheer tulle. If you want to see Seoul’s grandest palace without the crowds, it’s a good idea to go in the morning.

About 50 kilometres north of Seoul lies a four-kilometre stretch of no-man’s-land between the two Koreas. It was established in 1953 when the sister nations signed an armistice to end fighting during the Korean War, but one thing we learned on this tour is no peace treaty was ever signed, which means South Korea and North Korea are technically still at war.

You can only visit the demilitarised zone (DMZ) by booking a private or public group tour; our bus picked us up early in the morning and our guide Grace explained the history of the conflict on the ride over. At one point we travelled deep into a tunnel allegedly dug by North Korea under the border, most likely to invade Seoul. Four tunnels have been discovered, but defectors from the north claim there could be up to 20 in total.

We also visited Dora Observatory, where binoculars on the deck allow visitors to take a peek at a North Korean village across the DMZ. It felt voyeuristic, but we saw a soldier standing guard, a ute driving around and a handful of people going about their day. I had no idea if they knew about the observatory or were aware they were being watched. It was an awe-inspiring, if sombre, experience.

Photography: Courtesy of Seoul Tourism Archive

Seoul has its own versions of Fitzroy, Paddington and Fortitude Valley. Well, sort of. A handful of neighbourhoods around the capital are known for attracting a younger crowd, boutiques stocking the latest fashion trends, even more pharmacies with a plethora of tried-and-tested Korean skincare, restaurants with diverse cuisines, new-wave cafes and bakeries serving hybrid pastries (South Korea popularised the croffle, after all) and vibrant nightlife.

You can spend hours with no set itinerary, just walking around the main streets and wandering down alleyways. That’s what we did in Myeongdong, a haven for fashion and beauty shopping; urban arts and indie music hub Hongdae; and in Insadong – just a short stroll from the Moxy Seoul Insadong where we stayed – there were Korean barbeque eateries, whisky bars and photo booths.

Other neighbourhoods I wish we got to explore more include Gangnam (yes, from viral 2012 earworm Gangnam Style – there’s a reason Korean rapper Psy penned an ode to this bustling and affluent neighbourhood) and Itaewon, which is popular for its vibrant nightlife.

Photography: Courtesy of Himal Rana on Unsplash

While the selection at Gwangjang Market is excellent, it’s mostly limited to street food and quick service stalls. But Korean cuisine is so diverse and there are plenty more dishes to try all over the place.

Korean fried chicken can be found on every corner (fun fact: there are more fried chook shops in the country than there are Macca’s locations all over the world). BHC Chicken is one of the more popular chains, and its signature “bburinkle” fried chicken coated in a cheesy, oniony, garlicky seasoning was crispy, moreish and worth fighting over the last piece.

Of course, you can’t skip out on Korean barbeque: gather the group together around the grill and cook your choice of meats such as pork belly, beef bulgogi, galbi (short ribs) and more. Late at night I also stumbled upon a random diner in Gangnam with no English menu and ordered kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake) with the help of Google Translate – one of my favourite experiences exploring the city solo.

About two hours’ drive from Seoul, Nami Island is a popular daytrip destination known for its picturesque scenery. Take a private tour, hire car or public transportation to
Gapyeong Wharf – from there you can either take a ferry to the island or take the adventurous route like we did, via the Skyline Zipwire, a nearly kilometre-long zipline that goes up to 56 kilometres an hour, which takes you across the Han River to the islet.

Nami Island has tall, picturesque scenery with woodlands, a storybook-like village, riverside walks and plenty more that look good all year round. Afterwards, we took the ferry back to the wharf, passing mountain views and blue water, and piled into the car with heavy hearts. Not because Nami Island was underwhelming – on the contrary, it sadly marked the end of a whirlwind trip. I hope it won’t be long until I return.

This writer visited Seoul, Korea, as a guest of Jetstar. Jetstar runs daily flights between Australia and Korea, with routes from Sydney to Seoul (one-way from $499) and Brisbane to Seoul (one-way from $359). Check out flights and deals on the Jetstar website.