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| Image credit: Celia Neser @https://celianeserphotography.weebly.com/ |
Whether it was the drama or the music that did us in, Korea has become a Mecca for the K-drama and K-pop fandoms, especially Seoul. This metropolis capital city of South Korea is it, the center for all the attraction that drew us in. Between the two media, there are many attractions to get the fill you’ve been craving for ages. It’s almost too hard to choose! Recently, a couple of friends and I took a short trip to Seoul after years of planning and saving. With only eight days to pursue our dream vacation, we had to pick and choose which attractions we’d visit and the type of experience we wanted to have. But we realized that it’s all too big to conquer in only eight days! So between the K-drama sites and K-pop attractions, these are a few you might consider, as well as a few tips for first-time travelers to Seoul.
K-drama Attractions
Seoul actually knows many of us are coming
because of the dramas, to the point that you can pick up a Hallyu Stamp Tour
pamphlet free of charge from any one of the stops. The pamphlet lists 10
locations that you might recognize from your favorite dramas. We picked ours up
from the Namsangol Hanock Village. It’s fun to think that there are so many
places where you could stand in the same spot your favorite star stood!
Although it’s fun to collect the stamps and the stations are well-kept, we
quickly realized that the Stamp Tour is just not inclusive enough. There’s a
lot more drama filming sites in Seoul than what is really considered on the
list. Moreover, some of the locations may be out of date or permanently closed,
such as the Teddy Bear Museum (famous in Goong).
You’re more likely to get your fill of the drama locations by your own research
or by the following suggestions!
1. Namsan (N Seoul) Tower
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| Image credit: Celia Neser @https://celianeserphotography.weebly.com/ |
2. Han River
Pick any bank or bridge of the Han River
and you’re bound to feel like a character in your own K-drama. Especially at
any one of the river-side parks, you could have flashbacks to She was Pretty, or Bride of Habaek (Bride of the
Water God).
3. Gyeongbukgung Palace
Gyeongbukgung Palace is possibly the
largest tourist attraction in all of Seoul and is known as a filming location
for Moon Embracing the Sun, as well
as Goblin (right outside the main
gate). Right at the head of Gwanghwamun Square, it’s impossible to miss the
massive palace gate that stands apart from the urban civic buildings and
embassies. For only 3,000 won admission, you can tour the palace at your
leisure with a complementary map in whatever language or attend a guided tour
in English (every day at 10:30 AM). A guided tour typically takes about an
hour, but the tour guides can really enlighten your experience in the palace
and knowledge about the royal daily life. The National Museums are also highly
educational and are free to the public, with nearly every plaque translating
into English for foreigner convenience. It is true that admission is free to
all the palaces in Seoul if you wear a hanbok, or traditional Korean attire,
but the 3,000 won isn’t much to spend either.
4. Bukchon Hanock Village
Directly East of the Gyeongbukgung Palace
and West of the Changdeokgung Palace lies the Bukchon Hanock Village. These
traditional Korean homes have been preserved and ever-so-slightly revamped to
suit modern living and small businesses. The village is a real neighborhood
with residents, so you have to remember to be respectful of the area. While you’re
there, you might find the wall Kim Shin first passes by Ji Eun-Tak on that
rainy day or the Reaper’s tea house from Goblin,
or the street corner well-known in Heirs.
5. Gwanghwamun Square
This central plaza in Seoul just South of
Gyeongbukgung Palace is well known for being the playground of dramas such as City Hunter. On the North end of the
square sits a giant monument of the Great King Sejong, best known for
introducing the current Korean alphabet that diverged away from the use of
Chinese characters. On the South end you’ll find the statue of the Admiral Yi
Sun-Sin, the naval commander well known for his war victories and invention of
the turtle ship (maybe you’ll recognize it from Faith: the Great Doctor, or Gu
Family Book). If you hang around long enough at the feet of the Admiral,
you might catch a soak and cool-down from the ground level fountain that runs
every couple hours or so. You’ll feel like you’re in the center of Seoul and
the center of your very own K-drama.
There were a few more accessible
attractions in Seoul that have appeared in our favorite K-dramas, but we didn’t
have the time to search them out or experience them. For example, the
restaurant Oliva Garden from Something in
the Rain was right on our way between our lodgings and the nearest subway
station. We also considered the Mapo Bridge that crosses over the Han River,
from the drama W: Two Worlds, or the
Sinchon Graffiti Tunnel from Goblin.
Lotte World, as Seoul’s largest amusement park, was also a tempting option
among the attractions we visited in Seoul but one that we couldn’t manage to
visit. It’s another popular filming site that promises buckets of fun all on
its own!
K-Pop Attractions
If the dramas didn’t sweep you into the
Hallyu Wave, K-pop definitely did. Really, there’s something about that music
that transcends language. We didn’t manage too many K-pop-related parts of the
trip, but here are a few to consider:
1. Line Friends Store/Café in
Myeongdong
If you’re into BTS, there is no way you’re
not familiar with all of the BT21 characters. You might even have one on your
keys like me. The cuteness is overwhelming. In the Myeongdong shopping
neighborhood, you’ll find a huge Line Friends store. Check out a map at any one
of the shopping neighborhood’s information booths, or even just ask the store’s
whereabouts from one of the guides. We managed to find it by chance, but it’s
pretty hard to miss with that giant
bear guarding the store’s entrance, Brown. I highly recommend catching a photo
with him—it’s free and who knows the next time an 11ft teddy bear will come
into our lives! This Line Friends store also sports a small café. Enjoy a sweet
treat shaped like your favorite Line Friend!
[See the following list for more Line
Friends locations in Seoul]
Doota
Mall, Gwanghui-dong, Jung-gu
200
Itaewon-ro, Itaewon 1(il)-dong
27
Dosan-daero 13-gil, Sinsa-dong
Lotte
Young Plaza, Namdaemunno, 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu
When you’ve had your fill of the Myeongdong
shopping district, head to the Myeongdong station mini-mall, located in the
underground of Myeongdong’s subway station. In these smaller shops, you’ll find
the best deals on K-pop albums for any group or artist you can think of. There’s
plenty of merchandise for your favorite groups and idols too!
2. K-pop Mall in Namdaemun
The Line Friends shop in Namdaemun is also
part of an entire shopping complex celebrating K-pop. Head downstairs to “K-pop
Corner” to see the latest featured albums and get to know new groups.
3. SM Town
We didn’t visit on our trip, but I’ve
consistently heard cool things about SM Town in Gangnam. In this neighborhood
dedicated to the entertainment agency, you’ll even find star-owned cafes and
restaurants. Many of the activities you’ll find are there to give you an
innovative experience with the groups and music. You can find it at 513
Yeongdong-daero, Samseong 1(il)dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Tips for the rest of your stay in Seoul:
1. Draw cash from your card using
bank ATMs. Make sure the ATM you pick has an option for foreign cards (there should
be at least one). It will only incur a $2.50 transaction fee, so take out lump
sums and keep your cash in different places around your person.
2. Don’t worry about food! Any
restaurant would be happy to take you, regardless of your language ability (or
lack thereof)! Most places have a picture menu available even if they can’t
offer service in English. I also highly recommend trying the food carts in
Namdaemun for those authentic tastes. If you get really curious, we stumbled
across a McDonald’s in Myeong-dong with fascinating different menu options.
3. Our experience was enhanced by
using Airbnb to find lodging. We stayed in a traditional hanock in a
neighborhood very close to the Gyeongbukgung Station. Staying there gave us a
real feel for life in Seoul! Using Airbnb could help immerse you in the culture
better than seeking out a standard hotel. Our Airbnb provider also supplied
local tidbits, even tech suited to the power conversion!
4. The subway system is very efficient. Avoid buses if you can
(they aren’t translated as well) and use the subway instead. We managed to get
around most places with just the subway and our feet. Using the subway, you
have the option to use a day pass or load a T-money card. T-money cards can be
found at most shopping districts (we even found personalized cards in
Myeong-dong) and you can use them to tap-on/tap-off on the subway or grab a
snack from 7-Eleven, like triangle kimbap!
5. Shopping is a must, even if you
don’t think you’re going to spend much. 1,000 won is equivalent to about $0.88.
Shopping can be done all over Seoul, but there are a few neighborhoods specific
to the types of items you might find. For example, Insadong is all about
tourist souvenirs and traditional or hand-crafted merchandise. Itaewon has many
English or American products. As mentioned in Myeong-dong, below you might find
K-pop merch, cultural souvenirs, and even clothes, and above you will find a
plethora of cosmetics, restaurants, and accessory shops (all circling the
Myeong-dong Catholic Cathedral). Namdaemun will look confusing (it might
seriously go on forever, we gave up after getting lost the third time), but you
could find just about anything,
wholesale of it too! Lucky for us, there were information booths and guides
available as well.
Personally, my favorite shopping experience
was at Daiso. Maybe you’ve heard of Daiso Japan if you’ve been the West Coast
of the U.S., but Daiso Korea is on a whole new level! Prices vary depending on
the items, but it’s all affordable and practical. Stores aren’t difficult to
find, either. Just look for that red square with circles in the logo and you
can’t miss it!
To conclude, I’ve already decided that I have
to go back to Seoul. There’s so much to see and do that I didn’t approach! And
I loved my time there-- I felt like I was living a dream! No vacation ever goes
as perfectly as planned, but we can’t let that bother us when we’re out
traveling a new place and experiencing new things. So I’m going back. I don’t
know when, but I will!
DISCLAIMER: Since this was only our first
trip and we only had a week to explore Seoul, there’s probably a lot in the
city that we missed. These are recommendations to first-time travelers, much
like myself. If there are attractions that I missed or you’d like more information
on, please comment below.
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