Limited time in Seoul? What To Skip And What Not To

 If you have only a couple of days in Seoul and are overwhelmed by the numerous recommendations from your friends, don’t be. Seoul is a beautiful place with plenty of things to do but there are some places we honestly feel that you won’t miss much even if you skip them.

But first, let’s start with what you shouldn’t skip:

#1. A stay at the traditional hanoks

We stayed at Bukchon Maru and absolutely enjoyed our stay. The place wasn’t easy to find but we were in awe when we arrived. It’s everything we thought of a hanok (traditional Korea houses) and even better. You’ll also get a taste of traditional Korean breakfast (it’s super delicious) and to try on the traditional Korean costume as part of the stay.

One-night stay starts from SGD 175 onwards but I’m sure you’ll be able to find something that fits your budget better as there are plenty of hanok stays in the area!

 #2. Traditional Korean porridge


Credit: ILoveMyFoodLots

Some of my friends find it a little bland but I thought it was delicious! It’s difficult to find something light for breakfast but this is perfect. A bowl of porridge at Bonjuk costs about SGD 10 but it’s big enough to feed two.

In case you don’t know, you can easily find Bonjuk in Myeongdong, Ehwa and even Insadong!

#3. Lotte Mart (or any hypermarts you can find!)


Credit: VisitKorea

Remember the days we had our own Carrefour hypermarket? The joy of browsing those never-ending aisles of snacks is indescribable. But be warned, there will be an army of tourists who are all ready to snap up all those popular Korea snacks such as the Market O brownies and Honey Butter Chips! Go early if you want to avoid that.

Find out what are the 8 must-buy when you are in a Korean supermarket 

#4. Dakgalbi

Although I can’t stomach more than one meal of Dakgalbi in one Korea trip, it’s an absolute must-have. Yoogane serves awesome dakgalbi but we really love the one at Chuncheonjip Dakgalbi Makguksu. At just 9000 won per person, you’ll be served one huge pan of grilled chicken, noodles, cheese and vegetables. If that’s still not enough, request for a plate of seaweed fried rice which the staff will happily stir into your remaining dakgalbi. So good, so good.

The boss also made sure we didn’t leave without a bottle of yoghurt after the meal!

 #5. Shopping at Myeongdong

The energy at Myeongdong is unbeatable, especially in the late afternoon. I’ve been to Myeongdong several times but I feel like I still have not finished exploring this shopping maze. There’s everything you need here, from make up to sports shoes to famous restaurants/cafes – you can spend one whole day here and it still isn’t enough!

Stay till the evening because that’s when the street stalls are being set up – think steaming hot corns cobs, fresh pomegranate juice, deep fried  potato rings and many more. Most shops are open till 9pm at least!

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So, what should you skip?

Basically, you should categorize the places you want to visit and only visit one of them. For example, there are so many palaces in Seoul but you really shouldn’t be visiting all of them if you are short of time. Here’s what we think you should pick:

#1. Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace vs Changdeokgung

We prefer Gyeongbokgung and it’s bigger too! Time your visit so you can watch the guard changing ceremony (i.e. every hour from 10am to 3pm, except Tuesday)

#2. Shopping

Myeongdong vs Dongdaemun/Namdaemun

Definitely Myeongdong if you are looking for variety! There are plenty of midnight shopping options in Dongdaemun but items are on the high side. Myeongdong is alot more compact!

#3. Dakgalbi

Yoogane vs Chuncheonjip

There’s already Yoogane in Singapore, why would you want to try that in Seoul right?

#4. Toast

Issac Toast vs Hobong toast

Issac Toast prepares your toast upon order but our Hobong toast wasn’t. Isn’t hard to guess which one we are going to pick isn’t it?

#5. Supermarket

Lotte Mart vs E-mart

E-mart items are slightly cheaper but they may be a little out of the way if you are not staying in the area. Unless you are planning to buy tons of items, we think you can make do with Lotte Mart which is conveniently situated at Seoul station.

Emma
My parents think I travel too much but if not now, then when? New experiences excite me the most and that's why I rarely visit the same city twice unless (a) they have awesome food and (b) they have awesome food.
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