10 Reasons to go to South Korea
1. The People.
Koreans are a joy — and they will want to get involved in your trip. We suggest you let them.
Koreans are among the friendliest and most open people in Asia. That first bellowing call across a busy restaurant will be the waitress shouting across “I have a spare table here for you”. The second from the man two tables down “Hey new friends, join me for a drink” and the third from his wife “Try this dish with the drink, it will taste amazing”.
It can take a little getting used to, but you soon love the rowdiness of Korean people. They'll tell you what to eat and laugh if it's too spicy for you, yell loudly as you cheers (geonbae!) and welcome you into their mix. They are a real boisterous, fun and bonkers lot.
Being fun, open and friendly is part of Korea’s DNA.
Be sure to smile back!
2. The food
You get hungry, find a restaurant you like the look of, eat until you’re full and then dinner is done, right? Wrong.
In Korea eating out is an all-night, big group affair which goes on for rounds and rounds. Perhaps, you'll head to a BBQ restaurant, then move to a chicken place, then to a bar for copious amounts of booze and more snacks. Embrace Korean food culture and you'll be out for hours, check out our guide to drinking and dining in South Korea to prep yourself!
And what of the food itself? It's the product of thousands of years of trying, testing and refining flavors: nuanced spices strong enough to both gently burn your mouth and heal your spirit, sour and astringent textures that party with your senses, and subtle sweetness filling your palate with warmth. Korean food is a declaration of life, and testament to this passionate culture.
No matter where you go or what you order, most meals come with endless and diverse side dishes (called banchan) that quickly crowd the table to bursting.
One of our absolute favorite places to experience this is Makgeolli Alley, in the foodie paradise of Jeonju. Here, you don’t even order anything off the menu. You only order how much bubbly makgeolli (rice wine) you want — enough for 2, 4, 6 people or a small elephant. The food is attached to the drinks order and just comes — kimchi pancakes, tofu, blisteringly spicy soup, a whole fish (or two!) and more, until you can’t eat another bite or drink another drop. It's so good, we made sure to include it on our Soul of Korea Small Group Tour.
Banchan, a typical assortment of side dishes
3. The hiking is world class
If you like to keep active on your travels (you might feel the need to after all that food), then Korea is perfect for you.
70% of South Korea’s terrain is mountainous, there are 22 national parks to choose from and three trails span the length of the west, south and east coasts. Whether you want a gentle riverside stroll or a more serious half-day mountain hike, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Transportation to and from popular entry points is accessible and simple, and the services around major national parks have everything you need from maps to food stops.
Even in densely populated cities, forested trails criss-cross the surrounding hills that are extremely approachable from a time and difficulty perspective.
A one-stop for hiking at every level? We suggest you give Seoraksan National Park a try.
Nature is never far away from you
4. Stark seasonal differences
Unlike much of Asia, South Korea has four distinct seasons - with huge swings in temperature and festivals to celebrate from New Year to Korean Thanksgiving (Cheuseok).
Come in the spring for cherry blossoms that rival those of Japan, and colorful festivals that celebrate the arrival of spring flowers.
Summer is beach season — go surfing on the east coast in Gangneung , diving on Jeju Island, or escape the humid heat and retreat to the mountains. But be warned, the temperatures can be infernal!
Autumn leaves flames across the country - and it's a real "Goldilocks" time of year for hiking temperature-wise.
If you can brave sub-zero temperature, head to South Korea in winter to see the palaces decorated in dramatic snowy scenery, or experience the world-class ski resorts of Pyeongchang.
Temples are often surrounded by nature
5. A rich history and deep sense of tradition
Don’t let the bright lights and shiny buildings fool you into thinking that Korea only has eyes for the future, Koreans have a proud sense of identity and a strong connection to their past.
You’ll see Korea’s history everywhere: ancient walls dotted across city and countryside, statues — old and new — in parks, islands and mountains, and temples, tombs and monuments, peacefully coexisting with skyscrapers and countryside alike. There are cultural villages where each picture-perfect building remains someone’s home or business.
Seoul itself has not one but five royal palaces, all unique in their own way, with dramatic gates and vibrant colors adorning every wall and roof.
For those of us who want to go even further back, a trip out to Gyeongju gives a glimpse of the capital of the Silla Kingdom, which ruled much of the Korean Peninsula between 57 BC and 935 AD.
One of our favorite places to peek into the past here is the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. These two sights contain some of best and most important examples of Buddhist sculpture and architecture in the country!
Fast-forward thousands of years to recent history, and just an hour north of Seoul you’ll experience a sobering reminder of South Korea’s ongoing conflict with the North: sterile buildings, barbed wire, land mines and watchtowers. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a starkly different world to what many of us are used to, but it’s part of this country’s living history.
Keep one eye on the past during your South Korea cultural adventure and everything will, well, make much more sense.
Traditional roofs have a meticulous design
6. Contemporary Korea is vibrant, fun and hurtling towards the future
You might already be more connected to Korea than you think. What car do you drive? What phone do you use? What was the last hit TV series you watched? Almost without realizing, the world has found itself leaning into Korea more and more, and the modern side of Korean culture is waiting to amaze you, amuse you, and (sometimes) confuse you during your trip.
Korea’s cities offer some fabulous modern hotels and some eye-catching contemporary architecture. The soaring skyscrapers of Seoul and Busan make it clear that these are two cities that are rushing headlong into the future. Those who have a head for heights can cross the 11-meter sky bridge at Lotte World Tower (Korea’s tallest building), 541 meters above street level.
You’ll feel it as you browse the boutiques in Gangnam or stroll between gleaming tower blocks and the sea at Haeundae Beach. Or by asking one of the roaming robots for directions at Hyundai, Korea’s first eco-friendly future-concept department store.
Wander down K-Star road and spot your favorite idol's "art toy statues" or even a glimpse the star themselves, if you’re lucky. Join the locals for after-work drinks, then dinner (and more drinks!), then party the night away to a backdrop of K-pop energy, as you let the Hallyu wave flow over you!
LED lights and sleek design are part of everyday life
7. Korea’s love of art, design and beauty is evident everywhere
As well as its world-class museums and galleries there are installations and street art a-plenty in both cities and countryside. It makes strolling the streets a joy, we recommend some aimless wandering just to see what you find.
In Seoul, just steps from the futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, you can find the charming Cheongyecheon Stream, an oasis of calm below the city streets which features an ever-changing range of art displays throughout the seasons.
Whilst traversing the Han River, Banpo Bridge turns on its extravagant light and water fountain display each night for a visual display to rival that of the Bellagio.
A trip to the serene Ihwa Mural Village in Seoul is a delight, especially getting lost in its narrow alleyways; but for true artistic beauty you cannot look further than the Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan where art murals and sculptural pieces are dotted throughout the valley of pistachio and peach houses that make up the neighborhood.
8. The cafe/bar culture is booming, and fun
If Korea is 70% mountains then perhaps it's remaining 30% is trendy coffee shops. From converted hanok houses, to deep inside the warehouses of Seongsu (the Brooklyn of Seoul), beachside shacks in Jeju or boutique roasteries in Gangneung, you’ll find cafés in the most unlikely places. And it's not just aesthetic venues on offer, but quirky takes on the traditional latte too – purple sweet potato flavor, anyone?
And the fun really starts in the evening; if New York is the city that never sleeps, then South Korea is the country that never sleeps. It can feel as though the whole population is out hitting the soju until the early morning hours – join the locals who crowd the pojangmacha tents that line the city streets at night.
If you prefer something a little more refined (or just less rowdy), a plethora of craft breweries have popped up in recent years, or try a chic rooftop bar with cityscape views.
Coffee, tea, and endless nibbles: make sure to try different cafés!
9. Jeju Island — the Hawaii of South Korea
It’s hard to overstate beauty of Jeju Island. Though just an hour’s flight from Seoul, Jeju has a rich, indigenous culture all of its own.
Jeju is best known for its startlingly beautiful countryside, which all races up to Korea’s highest mountain – 1,950 meter-high Hallasan (it’s not that hard to climb if the weather agrees). Landscaped gardens filled with cacti and bonsai, staggeringly beautiful waterfalls, ringed by beaches, museums dedicated to everything from teddy bears to sex to modern art, a volcano to climb... honestly, we could go on and on. Even the two cities, Jeju City and Seogwipo, are lovely.
And your island adventure need not start and finish with Jeju; a short ferry-ride away is Udo, which somehow contrives to be even more bucolic, and makes a grand place for a bike or buggy ride. Connected to Udo is the tiny islet of Biyangdo (current population: two), which was once a base for the haenyeo, Jeju’s most famous residents: the legendary, free-diving “sea women”, some of whom still ply this perilous trade well into what most would call retirement years.
These stone statues are the signature mark of Jeju island
10. You don't have to choose... you can have it all
South Korea’s eclectic, dramatically diverse experiences and culture mean you can have it all in one trip: art, history, food, tradition, futurism, coast, mountains and hedonistic fun.
Touchdown in Seoul and you'll be welcomed by skyscrapers, museums and street art around every corner. In the same neighborhood, you’ll be met with the smell of incense and the sound of monks leading Buddhist chants, from one of the ancient city temples.
Korea is a country that works hard and plays hard — in the restaurants and bars, but also in out in nature — green spaces, parks, mountains. There are island getaways and vast rural areas. There really is something for everyone – but that something will be uniquely Korean.
South Korea keeps you on your toes, and if you expect the unexpected, it’s brilliant.
Even the statues will welcome you!
Feeling inspired to visit South Korea for yourself? Explore our favorite routes here.
You can also download our South Korea brochure here.
