Top10 Things to do in Seoul ~ 사이공감 42SHARE

Top 10 things to do in Seoul

Wear Hanbok
Eat Traditional Korean Food as well as Modern-day Favorites
Go to the Wide Variety of Markets
Go to Museums
Bike or Walk along the Han River or Visit Parks
Walkthrough a Traditional Hanok Village
Visit a Variety of Themed Cafes
Go to Korean Bathhouse aka Jjimjilbang
Go to Norebang or PC Bang with your Friends
Go Visit other Universities

There is so much to do in Seoul but to get the best experience in your time here you should take a look at doing these activities at some point. You should also research the different spots before you go since we cannot discuss everything in this archive.

Hanbok is widely known as the traditional clothes of Korea and the name translates to Korean clothing. This was worn daily until about 100 years ago but is now only worn for special occasions and anniversaries. The design has changed throughout the years with the country but still has some of its traditional elements. The clothing is formal wear so many Koreans do keep one for those special occasions. These special occasions can be a wedding or funeral, kids even wear it for their first birthday. Some people even rent it out from rental shops to wear as everyday wear. There is an official “Hanbok Day” where Koreans are encouraged to wear traditional clothing. This is something you should do while in Seoul if you want to read more, look at Wearing Hanbok.

While Korean food can be its own archive, there are some foods you just have to have when in South Korea. The food here is such a wide variety of flavors and spiciness levels. The first thing you should know is that Koreans love spicy food. You will have to be careful when ordering if you do not like spicy food. However, there is food for you if you do not like it as well. If you are vegetarian, you may struggle to find food here, however, there are a few shops scattered around the city. Koreans love to eat meat, even more so than Americans and it shows in the multiple ways you can eat food. The top 2 things you will want to eat while here are Korean BBQ and Korean fried chicken. You will also want to try street food and traditional food. Learn more about the types of food at Food in Seoul.

To find some traditional foods you may have to go to different markets around the city. Markets are an awesome way to get food and trinkets you wouldn’t be able to find in the modern-day city. Many of these markets are also known for being very large, spanning multiple blocks. Compared to American markets, these seem more like malls. There are so many stalls all holding different items. If you’ve been to a farmers market, you will love visiting the markets in Seoul. To learn more about the markets, read Visiting Markets in Seoul.

Another way to learn more about Korean culture over the years is to go to different museums in Seoul. There are over 100 scattered around the city that you can visit. They all have different parts of Korean culture they cover ranging from Kimchi to a War Memorial. If you do not like those types of museums there are also museums like the trickeye museum that have fun, interactive exhibits for the public. To find more information on the different museums take a lot at Museums in Seoul.

With all the studying you are doing, you may want to go out and enjoy the outdoors at a park or by the Han River. This is very popular with college-aged students as you can order food and sit by the Han River with friends for hours. You can also visit scenic parks all around the city, no matter where your school is. To learn more about parks and things to do by the Han River, check out Things to do in Nature in Seoul.

Visiting a Hanok Village is another must-do thing in Seoul. If you really want to understand the culture, visiting a village can help you immerse yourself in the past. There are several villages scattered around the city and they all offer multiple programs for people to learn about what life was like when they were built. However, do be respectful as people do also live in these areas still. To learn more about visiting a village check out Hanok Villages.

If you have done any research on Seoul, you will know that it offers a wide variety of cafes for you to visit. They range from animal cafes to themed cafes to normal everyday cafes like those in the United States. Each cafe offers a different experience and it’s up to you how much you get out of it. They all also offer their own sets of rules and hours of operation so make sure to do your research before going. To learn more about the different cafes, take a look at Cafes of Seoul.

One of the less popular places for foreigners is Korean bathhouses also known as Jjimjilbangs. Many foreigners avoid going here since they do not think they will be comfortable here. To be honest, it is something you should try since there isn’t anything similar to this in American culture. Your hygiene and cleanliness are very important in Korean culture and many locals come to these once a month at least. If you want to be immersed in Korean culture you need to visit one of these while you are here. To learn more about Jjimjilbangs take a look at Korean Bathhouses.

There are many different types of entertainment bangs offered in Korea, many of which you would not see in the USA. The most popular is the noraebangs which are Korean karaoke rooms and PC Bangs. Noraebangs are popular with youth who want to take a quick break from shopping or studying while PC Bangs are known for another reason. PC Bangs are well known as areas where students can go play games with their friends after school. You can rent computers by the hour and play games or surf the internet. While it may not seem as exciting as other things on the list this is something you should try. To learn more, check out Noraebangs and PC Bangs.

Studying South Korea is also amazing because there are over 100 other universities scattered around the city. Not only is Seoul home to the best university in Korea, Seoul National University, but also Korea University and Yonsei University which round out the top 3 schools in Seoul. While there is a lot of debate on who is number 2 and who is 3 both universities hold the title of being in the top 3 in Seoul. These 3 are also a part of SKY Universities which is an acronym for the 3 most prestigious universities in South Korea. This means they are considered the Ivy League of schools in Korea and are on par or better then Ivies in the states. Besides that, there are Ewha Women’s University, Kyunghee University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Hongik University that hold the title of some of the most scenic campuses in Seoul. Being in a city with many universities so close to one another is definitely something you should take advantage of. To find out more about the different universities check out Universities in Seoul to Visit.

While you do not need to follow the list, this is the top 10 things you should do while in Seoul. There is a wide variety so you will hopefully find something that suits your interests.

By Marissa Owens, Intern Editor

Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

mowens3107@outlook.com

7.11.2020

Top10 Things to do in Seoul

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