South Korea

June 2026

Flying to Seoul South Korea

June 17. Such easy check in and security, the airport is quiet…hardly anyone around. We’re here too early but we wander, sit at the gate where a little boy really wants to talk to us but we don’t share a language…he’s shy but stands smiling at us. Just over a two hour flight from Beijing to Seoul, an hour drive from the airport to The Prima Hotel Jongno. Rooms are much smaller than in China and a lot more expensive, over double the price, $200 a night. A grinning stone cat at the entrance. We’re in a great area…old Seoul, over the river lies ‘new Seoul’ the business hub; skyscrapers glitz and Gangnam.

Near the hotel we wander Insa-dong…narrow streets of cafes, boutiques, art shops, pottery. It’s busy but no scooters and bicycles pushing through. We can use credit cards and Apple Pay again…no firewall; social media and WhatsApp all work as usual. It’s a relief not to be battling VPNs like we’ve just been doing for a month in China, but we’re missing the buzz of China. Google maps doesn’t work well so we download the Korean app Naver. I buy a skirt and linen top (a surprise because I’m terrible at shopping). Old and new buildings rub up together…signage everywhere, on everything.

Down a narrow alley we find a Korean bbq restaurant ‘Soegojip’ run by Mr. Kim. We sit next to a rack of drying socks in a tiny courtyard whilst waiting for a table. It’s a great find, packed out with Korean people, lively. Our table is set up with a bbq, small plates; kimchi, lettuce, rice potato. We order a plate of hanger beef another of pork belly. They cook on the bbq alongside fresh garlic cloves onions and mushrooms, a pot of soup simmering in the middle. It’s tasty and we clear every plate.

Seoul

June 18. A hairdresser appointment; 10 weeks, I needed sorting out. Johnny at Salon Balyage is in the Hongdae neighbourhood in a building on the second floor. He does a fantastic cut and root colour for $73. In New York it’s $240 plus tip. Madness. He lived in Canada 15 years so we chatted easily in English. Afterwards I wander the narrow streets of Hongdae then have a go at taking the subway back from Hongik University Station but couldn’t use Apple Pay for the gates. Meanwhile Dave went to meet a Sony Music Korea colleague, Jude for a lunch of beef broth. Jude’s wife kindly gifted me great Korean skin care products sent back with Dave in a bag.

Meeting back at the hotel, I downloaded the subway app and we hopped on at Anguk. A little confusing but similar enough to living in London and New York. Had to find a clinic to get antibiotics for an infection…way easier than I thought it would be; walked in, seen immediately and inexpensive. Luckily the Doc and the pharmacy spoke English. The Doctor’s young assistant stood dutifully in a corner during the consultation, in deference to those higher in ‘rank’. It feels awkward. Back in the waiting room a 6 year old Bangladeshi girl is teaching Dave mathematics from her school books. She tells him he must be 99 years old and that she has millions of friends.

These first couple of days have been more about maintenance than sightseeing. Hankering for comfort food we headed to Paulie’s Pizza.

DMZ and Jogyesa Temple

June 19. South Korea are playing Mexico in the World Cup. We walk against groups of people in football shirts heading to watch the game on giant outdoor screens. We’re joining a tour group led by Sadie picking up from City Hall to go to the DMZ…the demilitarised zone which separates South and North Korea.

We’re 56km from Seoul on the outskirts of the city of Paju. We stop in Imjingak Park, a symbolic site dedicated to Korean unification on the Gyeongui railway tracks. The ‘Freedom Bridge’ crosses Imjin river, a former railway bridge used by repatriated POWs/soldiers returning from North Korea. A rusting steam engine riddled with bullet holes; a relic of war. Cable cars cross the river and bizarrely there’s a ‘Peace Amusement park’. Everything is immaculate, the original wooden bridge rebuilt. Our guide gave us an excellent history lesson on the bus but once here shows us a couple of things and leaves us to it. We have a short time to explore the monument park with little information in English for us to understand it.

Inside the UN controlled military zone, photography is limited…but hey there’s a souvenir shop and ice-cream. At Dora Observatory we head to the roof for binocular views of North Korea. Ironically encouraged to survey a nation of people known for being heavily surveilled. In a bunker beneath the observatory we watch a screening about North Korean defectors. A sombre music score accompanies the lives of North Koreans changing to a cheerful optimistic score for the South. Everything is propaganda. And then something does move us. A former North Korean defector holds a Q and A using an interpreter. Her job in North Korea was to drive around the country preaching North Korean propaganda. Wanting a future for her son, they escaped in her husband’s fishing boat and now live as South Korean citizens.

The Third Tunnel, also known as the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel is one of 4 known tunnels dug by North Korea beneath the Demilitarized Zone for a surprise attack on the South. They believe there could be another 20. At the entrance we secure our possessions in a locker, (no photography allowed), pick up a hard hat and begin our descent. The tunnel is 1 mile long, 240 feet underground. The descent is steeply sloped, getting narrower the further we descend, stooping lower and lower to a dead end 170 metres from the North Korean border. At the end we can look through a hole cut in to an obstructing wall….at a fern leaf. Turn around and make the tortuous walk back up. I’ll have shin splints, Dave (over 6ft) is bent double negotiating jagged overhead rock. Was it worth it? Not sure.

We leave the DMZ the same way, through a military passport check then over Cow Bridge; we pass the closed border. The bus pulls in to Unification village where shops and rice paddies are run by South Koreans. More tourist souvenirs, more places to eat…we’ve learned a lot more than we knew about the DMZ and Korean history…and learned that absolutely anything can be marketed. It’s been an odd day.

Back in Seoul we dodge rain, eating at 4 Brothers in the basement of Jongno Tower; Pad Thai and Nasi Goreng. There’s a basement garden and bookstore, 5 levels of restaurants. A cake shop sells creamy slices of cheesecake….with corn on the cob on top.

A short walk from the hotel is Jogyesa Buddhist temple, where the monks’ prayers are accompanied by drums…sonorous and calming. It’s a cheerful looking space fluttering with thousands of coloured prayer flags and lanterns. Three gold Buddhas preside over the main hall where monks lead the service. A woman knelt in prayer has ‘Cherry Yu Me’ printed across the bum of her jeans.

Seoul Art and Music

June 20. Dropped from 32c to 22c and light rain. A welcome break from the humidity. We take the subway to Leeum Museum of Art in the Yongsan district, greeted at the long sloping entrance by 3 people shouting repeatedly “this is so contemporary”. They do it whenever someone enters or leaves. It’s funny the first time. Overall it’s underwhelming. A famously poignant Rodin sculpture (a 12th edition when I ask) is marooned in a corner with no way to walk around it…like it’s been left there by accident. Acres of carpet and beaded curtains host slow performance art which involves a lot of lying down or hugging. Most visitors look bemused. A frequency sound installation induces anxiety whilst walking through throbbing yellow or red colour zones. I last a couple of minutes, it’s driving my ears nuts. Glazed ancient pottery in illuminated cases would be interesting except it all looks the same. Dave enjoys chucking feathers about in a room with a mum and her little girl who’s delighted. There’s someone with a leaf blower at the exit to remove feathers from your clothing, lint rollers on a table. Wherever we wander in the gallery there’s feather deposits. I do love the Olafur Eliasson installation in his signature warm yellow light, suspended above a mirrored staircase. Calming and beautiful.

A short walk takes us to the fabulous Hyundai Card Music Library on Itaewon-ro. Commissioned by credit card company Hyundai as a free space for its members, we download the app and sign up, it gets us in. There’s over 10,000 vinyl records, turntables set up for listening. Couples sit together in headphones nodding in time to the music. It’s a double height space with a mezzanine packed with shelves of music books, magazines and a complete collection of Rolling Stone since its first issue in 1967 (John Lennon on the first cover). There’s an artwork by a favourite streetartist, Vhils. A bar/coffee shop on the first floor and two more levels below ground house a 500 capacity music venue and 3 studios.

Next door is the Vinyl Plastic record store above which is another Hyundai library; art books and magazines including a collection of New York’s MOMA museum’s exhibition catalogues.

We find a sandwich cafe called ‘andwich’. Entrance at street level through the bakery kitchen, upstairs to the cafe where we place our orders on a screen then wait for our number. Great fillings in fresh baked bread.

Back on the subway to the DPP Design Park, a vast space designed by late architect Zaha Hadid. I’m a fan of her buildings and this doesn’t disappoint…from the outside, it reminds me of Anish Kapoor sculptures. But inside there’s acres of blank white walls, only a few utilised to any effect.

We follow music and are lucky to catch the last few songs by a Korean band called 6band. The two lead members, Yook Joong-wan and Kang Joon-woo were in a popular Korean band called Rose Motel. They’ve got great energy…the singer and guitarist run around the space. We love it. They finish playing and I get a photo of Joong-wan. The power of music is uplifting.

After buying a few things from Olive Young (like Boots or CVS) and a T-shirt for Dave…we head back to the hotel.

Train to Gyeongju

June 21. An easy train journey to Gyeongju, a few young army soldiers in the same carriage. I’m assuming they’re serving their national service, mandatory in South Korea. Just over 2 hours later we arrive in Gyeongju, checking in to Coolstay Hotel.

Heading straight out to Cheomseongdae Observatory surrounded by parkland. A temporary stage is set up where a troupe of traditionally dressed singers are rehearsing a show, the little we can understand through Google translate’s microphone seems to be a musical folk tale. One of the costumed ladies smiles at me off-stage and takes my hand.

The Observatory is surprisingly shorter than I envisioned. Built in 27 layers its 365 pieces of stone are said to represent the days in a lunar year. A UNESCO heritage site due to being Asia’s oldest surviving observatory it dates to the 7th century of the Silla Kingdom. A halfway window gave access for stargazing to track weather and seasons to aid agriculture.

Further in to the park we cross the covered Woljeonggyo Bridge originally built 760 AD, lost during the Joseon period, and rebuilt in 2018. We take the pedestrian stepping stones over the shallow Namcheon river. We walk back through Hwangnidan-gil, hanok-style alleys, hanbok (dress up) rental shops.

Silla Tombs and museum visit

June 22. We’ve got a tall fridge looking thing in our room turns out to be a clothes steaming unit. I put my trousers in still damp from the wash and 30 minutes later they’re warm and dry..still wrinkled, but it’s amazing I figured out the instructions this far. We have an ‘intelligent’ toilet which I covet. A heated seat, directional water jets, something which fans hot air across your bum…automatically flushing when you stand. We got upgraded (first room was dark) the new room is huge with two queen beds and a dining table for 6 at which we eat breakfast. Dave wanders out to find a post office, successfully returning with stamps for our postcards to Auntie Rita, Dave’s Mum and Dad and our old friend Alex on Vancouver Island who held me to a promise to send one from each country, (like we did travelling 16 countries, 18 years ago). It’s increasingly difficult to find postcards in an age of social media and email. It becomes an amusing/frustrating treasure hunt each time we arrive in another country.

Out in to an overcast but pleasantly cooler day we wander through the market sellers set up on the pavement with bundles of garlic, fish, live eels, potatoes, sweet smelling tomatoes. A local character greets us enthusiastically and loudly, leaving us, we can hear him exclaiming in to the distance. A handsome man smiles and gives me a fresh plum. Turning on to Golden street; clothing, furniture, air conditioning units, hairdressers…I’m surprised to see a Benetton.

To the Daereungwon tomb complex in Hwangnam-dong where 23 immaculate grassy burial mounds contain the remains of kings, queens, and nobles from the Silla Dynasty. Cheonmachong (Heavenly Horse Tomb/excavated 1973) is a small museum. Inside, the reconstructed royal burial chamber shows how the King’s coffin was placed in a wooden ‘room’ then piled over with heavy river boulders before being sealed by a massive mound of earth and grass. A successful system which never collapsed and prevented access to grave robbers for 1,500 years. The reconstruction and replica treasures gives context for our next destination.

At Gyeongju National Museum we see the original 5th century Silla Dynasty treasures from Cheonmachong tomb. Bronze Age earthenware jars, jade, horse stirrups, arrow heads, spearheads…rusted disintegrated swords in intact gold sheaths; treasures stored in the Hwangnamdaechong tomb to honour the Maripgan in the afterlife.

Everything beautifully displayed in large glass cases like rooms. There are six rare golden crowns from the Silla period. My favourite item is the Chimi (Ridge-end Tile) placed either end of the roof to stabilise and decorate. This ancient example from the Silla Hwangnyongsa temple site. A handless Buddha, a 1917 photograph showing him holding a medicine jar. Who took his hands?

To the cafe with floor to ceiling views overlooking trees and a large lilly pond. Huge mugs, a chocolate cake and an interesting sweet bun with cheese in it…tastier than the chocolate.

Walking back past more lilly ponds along the main road. Cutting through the commercial hanok where I ask a young Korean couple to pose for me. He throws the peace sign, I joke that Kings and Queens wouldn’t have done that and he suddenly removes his glasses, hides his phone and looks regal.

Only a short walk from the park and tombs, we’re in the tatty side streets with girlie show posters and pee stinking doorways. We eat at the popular fried chicken chain BHC “Always Awesome Place.” Korean chicken wings are delicious.

Gyeongju Buddhas

June 23. Cooked myself scrambled eggs on the portable gas stove set up on the hotel breakfast counter. Out in to an Uber by 10am to drive through drizzle for 30 minutes to the Bulguksa Temple on Tohamsan Mountain. Rebuilt in 1920 on the original 15th century site (King Beopheung’s reign), it’s now a UNESCO protected cultural heritage site.

The original temple was burnt down during the 1593 Japanese invasion. Some things remain from the Silla period; two stone pagodas and several stone bridges. It’s an ongoing restoration project. We’ve seen many Buddhist temples and this mirrors them; the golden Buddha, beautifully hand painted roof supports and ceilings, prayer pennants and lanterns. There’s a large drum set on the back of a turtle…an animal often occurring in Buddhist parables representing mindfulness and patience. Painted dragons are tucked up in the roof brackets.

Seokguram Grotto is situated further up a steep winding road of Mount Toham. In to another Uber as it’s too far to walk, the higher we drive the more mist we’re enclosed by. Once there we climb steep steps for a breathtaking view (protected behind thick glass) of a seated carved stone Buddha 3.5 metres high. Surrounding the Buddha stone relief panels depict bodhisattvas, disciples, saints and two Hindu gods Brahma and Indra. It’s situated in a grotto shaped by hundreds of granite stones, no mortar used, held together by stone rivets. It is a serene place, quite moving. No photography allowed. Back down the winding mountain through beautiful trees, out of the mist and in to the city…temperatures much lower today at 19c. It feels great. There’s a Paris Baguette near the hotel with sandwiches and a custard filled doughnut. I’m fulfilled.

The Train to Busan

June 24. We loved the Korean zombie movie based on this train and it was the initial reason for researching Busan as daft as that sounds. I joke with a Polish couples’ kids in the hotel lobby that I hope they’re prepared to fight zombies. Turns out they’re going by bus.

A 30 minute train journey and we’re in Busan and into a car. Police sirens, a red brick church on a hill…huge letters claiming “Jesus Loves You.” It’s overcast and cloudy but warm. The road leads in a wide climbing spiral going higher and higher until we’re on the suspension bridge looking across to the harbour. Loading cranes, masses of stacked shipping containers in red, blue and orange; it looks like a painting. We’re near the sea, the bay surrounded by hundreds of apartment blocks and towers of glass backdropped by mountains.

Our hotel room at The Best Louis Hamilton is large with a ‘70s vibe of carpet, wood and dark glass, a large bed and floor to ceiling windows across one wall, half windows along the wall behind the bed. We love it. It’s on a nondescript tatty street with a 7/11 opposite, ubiquitous throughout South Korea. We walk to Haeundae beach, people are swimming though clouds have moved in and it’s raining, quite cold. Turning off on to the streets, walking by restaurants, a mall, an American bar. A massive city of towering skyscrapers on a beach, it’s an unusual juxtaposition.

We follow the crowds to Haeundae market, a long street selling desserts, savoury street food and a lot of seafood; tanks of live eels, Sea Squirts (Sea Pineapple-filter feeders), the slug like Sea Cucumbers, Hagfish and the pink fleshy penis like Spoonworms. It’s all disturbingly ugly. A nearby bakery is selling Cephalopod squid ink pies and squid ink salt bread which is black as charcoal. I’ve had an infection so we choose to eat delivered pizza to our hotel. We’re struggling with Korean food, other than Korean BBQ, chicken wings, kimchi, there’s not a lot else we’ve liked and there’s little in the way of steamed vegetables which I found easily in China.

Busan by the Sea

June 25. Another day another Buddhist temple, this one overlooking the Sea of Japan. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple feels very commercial. We walk a steep slope seaward, flanked both sides by street hawker stalls selling food and souvenirs. In the temple complex cut out gold hearts with hand written messages flutter in the sea breeze tied to fences by visitors.

There’s a couple of glossy gold painted pigs for people to hug for good luck. Stupas built on a cliff (you can’t walk to them) and a set of steps lead to a view back to the temple, sadly closed off. We climb stone steps to the statue ‘Seaside Great Goddess Buddha of Mercy’. A laughing pot-bellied gold Buddha is being rubbed for good luck. This is more like a Disney attraction than an ancient spiritual place.

From the temple we walk the boardwalk following the tracks of the small tourist train, we turn off on to the Cheongsapo skywalk. Beautiful views and a glass walkway, we look down on to fishermen and women casting lines from the rocks.

Back on the boardwalk looking through trees to the beach, we see two soldiers with automatic guns clamber the rocks, bent low like they’re looking for something or someone. North Korean spy boats attempted to infiltrate the Busan coast in 1983 and 1985 but were sunk in a firefight with South Korea before the spies could reach shore. The two soldiers reach a large rock and remove yellow tape from around it. Perhaps it’s a military exercise but surreal to see. We stand with a Russian couple, an architect and geologist, also fascinated by what’s going on. We’ve met a lot of Russian travellers here and in China; flights from Moscow easy to get and not long.

We’re now under the Sky capsule monorail which travels so slowly we decided not to take it. We walk on to another skywalk bridge, not as pretty but glass floors again.

The end of the boardwalk puts us back on the section of Haeundae not far from our hotel. There’s a Korean Elvis impersonator singing on the beach following the words on his laptop. We eat at BHC chicken again, not as good as in Gyeongju. Put our feet up at the hotel, watch more episodes of The Chestnut Man on Netflix. I’m gripped.

Busan cultural villages

June 26. We start the day taking a taxi to Gamcheon ‘Culture Village’ where colourful houses tumble down the hills backed by the mountains. Fun to walk about but packed with shops full of tourist tat (who buys this crap?). The streets are teeming with young people, girls dressing up and posing…the endless selfies. Yeah yeah I’m getting old but bloody hell the narcissism grates…it never stops. It’s way more interesting in the real neighbourhood away from the tourist part. Walking down steps through narrow alleys between homes, old ladies climbing up hills bent double carrying shopping.

We walk all the way down, painted steps, mosaics, old men tending plants, little patches of concrete used to hang out the washing, grow some vegetables, socialise with neighbours. It’s fascinating. It levels out at the bottom in to busier roads then a major junction, big old office blocks that look built in the ‘80s, faded plastic flourishes, odd shapes. Two older ladies sell vegetables on the pavement shaded by a large parasol.

In a car to Huinnyeoul Culture Village…these places all seem to be called cultural villages. A main street of shops and cafes with steps leading down through blue and white painted houses to the harbour. Colourful cartoonish scenes painted on walls.

Before heading down we get lunch at ‘Merci Nook’. It’s not French, mainly pasta, great food in a welcoming small space. Down on the seafront we walk along the wall dead ending either end before walking a steep 154 steps back to the top. It’s another place mainly of young people posing for photos and selfies again…not stepping out of the way even though lanes and stairs are narrow. It’s frustrating but predictable.

We pack again, watch the last two episodes of Chestnut Man, a brutal finale. Taking the train back to Seoul tomorrow at midday. We’ll get a lazy lie in in one of my favourite hotel rooms we’ve stayed in. I’ll miss its spacious ‘70s vibe.

Back to Seoul

June 27. Two and a half hours on the train. Headphones on I watch Harry Hole try to stay sober and solve murders in Oslo. The series is as good as the Jo Nesbo books it’s based on. Back in Seoul the train empties and a long line of passengers form a queue to exit via the escalator. Two stops on the subway and we’re back at the same Jongno Hotel, not as friendly a check in and even smaller room…I put the chair in the bathroom so we’ve got room to open suitcases.

Back out for a late afternoon walk, it’s hot but pleasant, busy with Saturday shoppers. I buy a tiger T-shirt from a small place on Insa-dong. There’s some great statues around here. We eat at a simple Vietnamese place sitting on stools at metal tables, friendly staff. I eat a plate of Morning Glory with garlic, I’m craving vegetables…we’ve seen few on menus other than kimchi. One more day and we fly to Vietnam…we’re both ready to go.

Last day South Korea

June 28. Lazy to sightsee but interested to see a library we’ve heard about…we’re back in a mall again. The Starfield Library (and cultural event space) is an impressive sight. Located in the middle of the Starfield Coex Mall surrounded by restaurants, coffee shops and sportswear brands, it’s a visually dramatic centrepiece. 13 metres high bookshelves tower over two floors…accessibility to a lot of it impossible raising the question of how much of this is a public service and how much is ticking the marketing box for influencers on Tik-Tok. Are all the books real?

Busy on a Sunday, we wander aimlessly, buying a day-pack which will come in handy…eventually heading back on the metro to eat at Paulie’s Pizza (again), pack our cases and get an early night for a 4am start tomorrow. We’ve had fun in South Korea but it felt like landing back to earth with a bump after the heady thrill of China. It’s been an easy uncomplicated 12 days, a welcome rest but a little too sedate…reserved, dare I say it a little repressed, too strict. Impossible to dig in to a country in so short a time but we’re both looking forward to moving on to Vietnam.