Must Visit Restaurants near Home

Restaurants near 42SHARE

FOOD!!! okay now you are in your accommodation and want to go out to eat but what? mostly when there are so many options and various restaurants catering similar menus. Following we will provide a list of the best restaurants around 42SHARE halls and around Seoul if you are feeling adventurous!!

Gosami

The Gosami restaurant is famous for their grilled fish such as grilled Godeungoe (Mackerel) and Samchi (Spanish Mackerel). You can also enjoy the fish with Kimchijjigae (Kimchi Stew) and or doenjangjjigae (soy bean).

There are other options in the menu as wel, such as bulgogi and spicy stir fry squid!!

For more information click HERE

Seo Seo Galbi / 서서갈비

No seat KBBQ??? yep that's right!! at this restaurant you will be able to enjoy delicious meat standing up, I know it sounds a bit strange or just different but is one of those experiences you won't want to miss out!!

Seo Seo Galbi has been around for over 50 years and they only serve domestic marinated beef in soy sauce in Korean "Hanwoo Sogalbi". The meat is so delicious that people line up to eat there and you can't make any reservations so it's first come first serve basis. Make sure to head on over quickly since they tend to sell out!! even on weekdays!!

For more information click Here


42SHARE

At 42SHARE there are rooms that have their own kitchen and others that don't but we provide a common kitchenette for residents to use and cook with their friends!! As you can see in our pictures from Yonsei Hall, there is enough space to cook and sit down to eat!! also if the weather allows it you can go outside and enjoy the rooftop overlooking around the buildings!!

You can also invite your friends and have a potluck!! We sometimes host similar events in order to bring everyone together and getting to know each other!!


Bangkok Express

Want some Thai food? Bangkok Express is known to be one of the best Thai food restaurants in Seoul!! They used to be in a smaller location but their popularity forced them to move into a bigger space. Their popular dishes are the soft shelled curry crab served in a yellow curry sauce with rice and the Pad Thai.

Their location is pretty close to our Yonsei Hall!! For more information click Here!!

Sag

Want a quick snack? If you want to try various kinds of fried foods you should visit Sag!! Sag is a tteokbokki place where you can eat sundae, fried banana, dumplings, veggies and chicken as well!!

Their tteokbokki is one of kind because of the well balance of spiciness and savor taste!! It's popular among Ewha students to distress from their daily life and enjoy the delicious food!! Also be aware that during peak hours you might have to wait since the restaurant is quite small and there will be a waiting line, but that proofs how good the place is!!!

Also the place is not well known, therefore a lack of other blogs talking about it, but here is the Address: 12 Ewhayeodae 3-gil, Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Dessert

If you still have room for dessert, go ahead and get some Bingsu!!! (of course if it's in season) There are many cafes that serve this delicious Korean desert, however some locations have different style and tastes for Bingsu. There are three unique Bingsu locations in Sinchon to pick from, click HERE for more information!!

We hope the information was helpful and you get to visit one of these locations!! Remember to read our other blogs about living in Seoul!!

5 Most Recommended Accommodations in Seoul

Living in Seoul

Planning your trip to Seoul can be really exciting and intimidating in having to decide what kind of accommodation you will want to stay in during your time here. However we have a list of the 5 most recommended types of accommodations you can choose from, just remember to do your research and calculate your budget for housing!! (They are not ordered by rank)

Hotels

Depending on how long you will be staying in Seoul, booking a hotel room might be the best option for you and pretty convenient as well!! This option is great too if you are looking to having your own space and privacy. A Tip when looking for a hotel is to always check the location and amenities they have because being at the center of Seoul and close to the stations are the BEST, mostly if its your first time in Seoul!! 

Hamilton Hotel

If you have heard about the Namsan Tower or just Itaewon, you will know that they're the center of Seoul. As mentioned, being in the center of Seoul is really convenient if you are planning to explore all around Seoul west, east, north and south!! Itaewon is not too far from popular areas, it's about 15 min from Hongdae on Subway as well as Gangnam, and about 20 min to Myeongdong. 

The Hamilton Hotel is  located right next to Itaewon Station and on the main street of restaurants, shops and clubs!! Also Itaewon is known to be foreigner friendly so there are quite a few restaurants catering to foreign foods and stores with foreign style clothes. The Hotel also includes a gym (complimentary access) and a rooftop pool (but additional charges might apply), the rooftop is quite popular for sun tanning!! 

Follow this link to Book a room!!

If this Hotel doesn't sound as great, visit this Website for other great Hotels in Seoul!! 

Guest House/Dormitory

This option is among the most popular choices since is more affordable and having the opportunity to meet many people around the world. A usual Guest House would be a place where you either have your own room or share a room and share the common spaces such as the kitchen, living room and sometimes bathroom. There all kinds of styles for this and Dormitories are considered the same. 

Heima Guesthouse Hongdae

This guesthouse is considered as the best one in Seoul by many visitors, anyone who stayed there has left with great memories!! Each room has FREE Wifi and if you are going to stay for long term it will be cheaper!! The rooms are well air-conditioned,a private bathroom with hairdryer, has satellite flat-screen TV, provides a concierge service and luggage storage for guests. Also their location is great for those who will stay around Mapo-gu such as Hongdae, Hapjeong and Sinchon. They are only about 700 m from Hongik University, 2.8 Km from Ewha Womans University and 5 km I'Park mall (which is great for shopping and repairing shops).

Also if you love breakfast, they provide continental breakfast daily!! If you are going to be travelling with someone, they have a rating of 9.8 out of 10 for two-person stay satisfaction!! If you are afraid of a language barrier.... Don't Worry since they have bilingual staffs that can easily help you in anything you need!! 

Follow this link to Book a space!! 


Goshiwon

Maybe if you are familiar with Korean culture, you may have heard of this type of housing most Korean students pick because of their affordable price and locations. Goshiwons are buildings offering small rooms with a desk, chair, cupboard, closet and your bed. The space is really limited and some of the halls offer free rice or noodles!! This type of housing is considered the cheapest option for a University student to pick. 

Since there are a few Universities international students may be attending it's hard to tell which Goshiwon is the "best" therefore follow the link below where there is a website with all the information about booking a goshiwon room!!! 

Click Here!


Stay with 42SHARE

Another great option is to stay with us, 42SHARE!! We hope you have read through our blog posts and watched our amazing residents' videos, they certainly are great and had a memorable time with us during their studies. One of the many reasons you should consider to stay with us, is that we have housing halls in great and convenient locations if you will be studying at Ewha, Yonsei, or Sogang University!! 

To be honest, it will be a lot more affordable for you to stay with us if you are planning to be in Seoul for a long term. Because our prices are reasonable due to the location, room conditions, and the spaces we provide for you to feel comfortable. We have different kinds of rooms you could stay in, depending on how you want to live, such as rooms with their own kitchen and rooms without one but there is a common Kitchenette at the rooftop of the building. 

Click this link to read more about the different kinds of rooms we offer and to start your booking!!

On-Campus Dormitory

A popular and sometimes most convenient form of housing for international students are to just stay at the university's on-campus dormitory. Yes, they can be a cheaper option and more comfortable as well, but there are a lot of restrictions and rules that residents NEED to follow or you will automatically be kicked out!! 

Some of the rules include, having a curfew which usually is 11 pm to 12 am, no guests of the opposite sex or sometimes no guests at all!! Depending on which university you end up going the rules may vary but are all quite similar, also you need to remember how to sort out your trash well or penalties will be applied without warning!! 

For this case, we recommend to look into your University's Dorm rules before signing and think of how you would want your schedule to be like once you are in Korea, will their rules restrict you from excelling your time in Seoul? 

Feel uneasy about the whole Korean recycling system? click HERE for a guide!!  


We hope this short list of different types of most recommended accommodations in Seoul helps you to decide how you would like to live your time in Korea and that you decide what is best for you!! 

Are you an International Student Coming to Seoul?

Got Apps? 

Preparing to come to Seoul or already in Seoul there a few apps that we recommend for you to download as soon as you can since they will be vital during your stay :) 

Kakao Talk  (카카오 톡) 

You may or may not know this but Kakao Talk is a MUST in South Korea, is the main communication app and it's free to download!! Also the emoticons are adorable and have their own store and merchandise. Besides of being the top messaging app in South Korea, the brand has other apps that will help you around the country and you can even shop, receive and send money!! 

Download the KakaoTalk app here:  iOS / Android

Navigation: 

There are a couple of different apps to help you around as you explore the city, but according to your preference and style of liking one might seem better than the other.

Kakao Map vs Naver Map 

Both of these apps are great for navigation however we found that Kakao Map is preferred by users, even Koreans, because of the additional features it has. In Kakao Map you can see the streets in 3D to give you a better sense of where you are and where to go! Excellent when you are lost :)  

Also both apps can be changed to English and most likely than not if your kakao is already set in English then when downloading other related apps, should be in English as well~ 

Both apps have subway maps that you can easily calculate how long would it take you to get to your destination, price, timetable and adjustable as well if you are planning to go later. Both of these apps are great for navigation so it really comes up to you on which style you like best, download both and see :) 

Download the KakaoMap app here:  iOS / Android

Download the Naver Map app here:  iOS / Android

Subway Korea (Subway Route Navigation): 

If you still want an individual app to look for subway routes and timetables, we recommend this one right here! Because it let's you know when a new update is needed maybe due to a subway line change and works great if you go to other major cities such as Busan or Daegu. Of course, this app also allows you to tell it point A to B and will give you information about your route. 

Download the Subway Korea app here:  iOS / Android

Kakao Taxi 

This app is a MUST!! even though you may feel like you will never use a Taxi, trust me you will want to have this app in your phone because you never know!! If you are familiar with Uber or Lyft, then Kakao Taxi will be easy to use as well. As mentioned before if your Kakao Talk is in English already then this app should as well, or you can change it under settings. 

However you do need a Korean phone number or a phone number where you can still receive calls. Because if the driver can't see you they will most likely call!! but in order to avoid calling you make sure you are in a visible accessible place and/or write it down in the special request section. 

For payment, there is an option for you to put your card information and instantly pay the driver or you can also pay in person just click "pay to driver". The app also saves your "use locations" if you want to go back sometime in the future. 

Download Kakao Taxi app here:  iOS / Android

Kakao Bus  

This app is great if you are trying to use the Bus instead of the Subway, which it is a cheaper option!! However either in Naver or Kakao maps you will be able to see bus routes as well to get to your destination, but may or not have enough information about timetables as this app does. 

Download Kakao Bus app here:  iOS / Android

Translator Apps: Papago and WayGo

If you do not know Korean or not enough to understand everything around you, you may want to download these apps since they can translate anything around you either if you type it, speak it or scan it. Also keep in mind that you will need Wifi for these to work!!

Download Papago app here:  iOS / Android

Download the WayGo app here:  iOS 

To Stay Safe Apps: 

One of the things you are going to notice is that if there is a massive natural event occurring people's phone will go off except yours!? well unless you have a phone bought in South Korea. Because of this there are apps that will alert foreign phones about major natural alerts, such as air pollution, heat waves and typhoons. 

Emergency Ready App 

This app is in English and provides useful information in urgent situations, it also includes emergency contact numbers and teaches users how to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). In the app they also have videos about how to use a fire extinguisher, a fire hydrant and shows the location of a nearest shelter. 

Please download this app if you did not bought a phone in Korea or speak Korean!!! 

Download the Emergency Ready app here:  iOS / Android

Air Quality/ AirVisual App 

As you may know, there is a lot of air pollution in South Korea due to various reasons but sometimes it's OK and sometimes it is not so in order to stay healthy is great to have this app on your phone!! Also you can find a face mask in any convenient store such as GS25 or CU!! 

Download the Air Quality/AirVisual app here:  iOS / Android

AccuWeather App

This app is great to know the weather forecast throughout the day and future days, a great thing about this one is that it shows by hour!! Also sends you alerts if heavy or dangerous weather conditions are expected!! 

Download the AccuWeather app here:  iOS / Android

We hope that these apps are really useful for you and that you download the ones that you feel more comfortable with! Also please please stay safe and follow the alerts weather conditions are not a joke!! Remember to check out our other blog post about living in Seoul~ :)