Five luxury things to do in South Korea

For us, luxury isn’t simply about five-star hotels (although they can make for a very special vacation, too). It’s about experiences you wouldn’t ordinarily have. Meeting masters of their craft, staying in traditional homes that are yours and yours alone, or eating Michelin-starred food unlike anything you’ve tried before.

In South Korea, that might mean meeting a master potter in the Sunchang countryside, returning to your private hanok courtyard after a day exploring Seoul, or learning about Korea’s tea traditions from someone who has spent a lifetime perfecting them.

Luxury means different things to different people. These five experiences combine exceptional places to stay with opportunities to get closer to Korean culture, often in ways that few other travelers will.

Image

1. Korea's fine dining scene

South Korea's fine dining scene has come a long way in a relatively short time. Until recently, the concept of “fine dining” was relatively unheard of. Today, the capital has 42 Michelin-starred restaurants, with chefs finding inventive ways to reinterpret Korean ingredients, recipes, and cooking techniques.

Restaurant Allen holds two of these Michelin stars. Its menu changes with Korea's four distinct seasons, making the most of local ingredients in dishes such as Jeju black pork with autumn radish.

For something a little more experimental, Ryunique combines seasonal Korean ingredients with Japanese and French cooking techniques and a little molecular gastronomy. Their tasting menu that changes throughout the year, with familiar ingredients presented in unexpected ways. Think sea bream, scallops and yuba, with tea and petit four after dessert.

Outside Seoul, Yosukgung 1779 in Gyeongju offers a different take on Korean fine dining. Set in a 300-year-old hanok, the restaurant is run by descendants of the Choi family, whose recipes have been passed down through 12 generations. The family has quite a history beyond the kitchen, too. Once among Korea's wealthiest families, they used their fortune to support the Korean independence movement during Japanese rule, and their home provided shelter for independence activists.

If food is a big part of why you travel, let us know. We’ll make sure your South Korea vacation includes some meals worth remembering.

Image

2. Learn from Korea’s master artisans

South Korea has rapidly modernized, but that doesn’t mean its traditional crafts have been left behind.

Across the country, artisans continue to practice skills that have been passed down through generations. And we know a few of them happy to share their skills. From ceramics to folk painting and natural dyeing, these are opportunities to learn from people who have spent decades perfecting their craft. And, better still, have a go yourself.

Just outside Busan, master ceramicist Ahn Hong-gwan recreates tea bowls from Korea's Joseon period. He sources clay from the surrounding mountains, shapes each piece by hand and fires it in a wood-fired kiln. His workshop has been recognized for its dedication to traditional craftsmanship, and visitors can try their hand at pottery under his guidance.

In Jeonju, Kim Dan-woo specializes in minhwa, Korea's traditional folk painting. A certified heritage restoration artisan, Kim works on recreating historic artworks and runs workshops in a restored hanok. You'll use paints made using traditional Korean methods to recreate designs on wooden panels, learning what the animals, plants and other symbols represent along the way.

At the foot of Wolchulsan Mountain in Yeongam, master dyer Lee Hye-sook has spent more than 20 years working with natural indigo. Using plants grown on site, she teaches visitors how repeated dyeing builds up layers of blue and how different techniques produce intricate patterns in the fabric.

And in Sunchang, master potter Kwon Un-ju draws on more than 35 years of experience in the ceramic arts. The region is particularly known for onggi, the earthenware jars used to ferment Korean staples such as doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang (red chili paste). Kwon combines traditional methods with contemporary designs, and you can join him at the pottery wheel before sitting down together over a cup of Korean tea.

Image

3. Stay in a traditional hanok retreat

Hanok are traditional Korean homes designed to sit in harmony with their surroundings. Some have been converted into private luxury residences, combining centuries-old architecture with modern comforts – and you can stay in one.

In Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village, once home to Joseon-era nobility, Nostalgia Hanok is a collection of restored residences. Behind their wooden gates are private courtyards, antique furniture and carefully chosen artwork – each with their own character. From Bluejae's distinctive blue roof tiles to Hillojae's city views and the more secluded Hiddenjae – you can book an entire hanok residence out for exclusive use.

In Andong, Rakkojae Giwa Main Complex takes inspiration from Korea's royal palaces. Five buildings are modeled on structures within Seoul's Changdeokgung Palace, including a two-bedroom suite inspired by Nakseonjae, once a private royal residence. Waterways running through the grounds reflect the landscape of nearby UNESCO-listed Hahoe Folk Village.

In Gyeongju, Sillaheon offers exclusive use of a hanok arranged around a light-filled courtyard. Its gardens were designed by Hwang Ji-hae, and you have three bathing spaces to choose from: indoor and outdoor baths and a cypress-wood tub. After a day visiting Gyeongju's temples and royal tombs, it's a good place to spend an evening doing very little.

Fancy a hanok of your own for a night or two? We'll make it happen.

Image

4. Tea beyond the teapot

Tea, representing the Korean ideas of balance, seasonality and hospitality, has long been part of daily life in Korea. And there’s more than one way to have a Korean cuppa.

At Cha Cha Tea Club in Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village, a tea sommelier introduces you to teas from Korea, China and Japan. You'll taste three varieties, learn to brew them using traditional tea ware (a step up from the chipped mug at the back of your cupboard) and try tea-inspired mocktails.

Over in Seoul's Seongsu neighborhood, OMOT Tea House puts a contemporary spin on the tea ceremony. Korean teas are paired with sweets, with each tasting built around a cultural theme, like the Ten Symbols of Longevity and even Korean banknotes.

Further south, in Gangjin, Baegunchasil is home to Baegun Okpancha, regarded as Korea's first tea brand. Run by generations of the Lee family, the estate also has links to the independence movement during Japanese rule. Here, you can make fermented tea, walk through the tea fields and finish with a tasting in a traditional hanok.

Image

5. Explore Korea’s gardens and architectural landscapes

In Korea, some of the most interesting gardens have been designed as carefully as the buildings around them. From contemporary art museums to royal retreats, these are places where it's worth taking your time.

Designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Museum SAN sits in the mountains near Wonju. The way you’ll approach the museum is all part of the experience, with paths leading through flower gardens and a grove of birch trees before reaching a water garden, where Alexander Liberman's bright red sculpture, Archway, frames the museum entrance. Inside, galleries devoted to Korean art lead to installations by James Turrell, who uses light and space to play with your perception.

At the foot of Palgongsan Mountain in Daegu, Sayuwon Garden covers an impressive 700,000 square meters. Among its woodland paths are buildings by architects Álvaro Siza and Seung H-Sang. Climb Siza's observation tower, Sodae, for views across the trees, or Seung H-Sang's sunken meditation garden, Myeongjeong, where high walls frame a patch of open sky.

For something a little more historic, visit the Secret Garden at Seoul's Changdeok Palace. Created for the Joseon royal court, its ponds, pavilions and wooded hills follow the natural contours of the land. Once a setting for poetry, scholarly discussion and royal banquets, the garden is now open to visitors on guided tours.

Luxury means something different to everyone. Whether it's a private hanok, a meal worth traveling for or time spent learning from a master artisan, we'll help you experience South Korea your way.

Take a look at our Majestic Korea Small Group Tour or Luxury South Korea itinerary, and talk to us about customizing it just for you.