Things to do in Seoul?

May 3, 2008 11:41 PM

What to do with 10 days in Seoul?

I've read the previous posts (for shorter trips), and basically, I was just wondering if you guys knew of any must-sees to tackle in my 10 day trip, bearing in mind I have a little more time.

posted by nile_red to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

Go on a tour of the DMZ with the USO.
See a baseball game! I saw the Doosan Bears when I was there, you'll have to do some searching to find out who's in town (there's a number of local teams).
posted by Bunglegirl at 9:35 AM on May 4

How lucky are you? Seoul is a fantastic city.

Make sure to save time for Namdaemun Market. I'm not a big shopping guy, personally, but this place is amazing. Try street food - the crazy orange meat sliced off braised pig feet is good - and make sure to take a camera.
posted by cr_joe at 9:50 AM on May 4

I miss Seoul so badly.

Ok, 2nding going on a DMZ tour through the USO. Absolutely fascinating.
The weather in Korea right now should be lovely, so take a trip to the Korean Folk Village just south of Seoul. Take the free shuttle bus from Suwon station. It's quite green and lush and a nice way to take a break from the concrete and neon of the city.

Are you going to be in Seoul on May 12? That's Buddha's Birthday! All Buddhist temples will be holding lantern festivals, but the main festivities in Seoul will be centered around JoGye Temple. During the day there will be a street festival and at night, a lantern parade.

The university district is a lot of fun and great for eating, shopping, and people watching. Hongdae district at Hongik University station is the most popular and great for clubbing and nightlife. Next door is Sinchon district (at Sinchon station) which is smack in the middle of four major universities.

One of my favourite areas is Insadong (Anguk station). You can pick up traditional souvenirs here, but the real fun is to wander off the main road and discover the tiny tea houses tucked into the back alleys. Sanchon, a fairly famous Buddhist (i.e. vegetarian) restaurant, is located here. They have traditional dance performances in the evening. North of Insadong (Jongno 3-ga station and Gyeongbokgung station) is Gyeongbok palace. The streets around the perimeter of the palace are lovely with lots of cafes and galleries to visit.

And finally, Seoul is chock-full of tiny and bizarre museums that are often impossible to find, but they're worth it when you do. For example:
Lock Museum
Chicken Art Museum
Owl Museum
Rolling Ball Museum
Kimchee Museum
There are also supposedly two sex museums in Seoul but I could find neither (and god knows I tried).
posted by Rora at 2:12 PM on May 4 [1 favorite]