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15 Reasons Why You Should Visit South Korea at Least Once in Your Lifetime
While South Korea might not yet be the number one travel destination for many around the world, there are plentiful reasons why you should visit the country of the morning calm on your next vacation. From history to culture and food to religion, take a look at our guide to the top reasons why you should visit South Korea at least once in your lifetime.
Pulsating culture.
Natural Feature
Due to their long history, South Koreans have a variety of traditions they have kept alive throughout centuries. Still today, you can watch traditional Korean dance and music performances, while people love to dress in traditional clothes ( hanbok ) – you can rent it to wear around Seoul and Jeonju , for example. Even in modern Seoul, you can still find traditional hanok house neighborhoods with lovely teahouses that have been in existence for decades. This mix of old and new is truly fun to explore when traveling in South Korea.
Rich History
The history of South Korea is long and dating back over a thousand years. Due to the natural isolation of the Korean Peninsula, the country’s culture hasn’t changed as much as in other regions. Still today, you can stand in awe of some of the most significant cultural heritage sites of the country, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace , the main palace situated in Seoul . The city of Gyeongju is also a place of historic value and is often called a ‘museum without walls’. Gyeongju was the capital of Korea during the Silla Dynasty from 57 BC – 935 AD and is home to countless royal tombs, palaces, and temples that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Year-round Festivals
When you are for the first time in South Korea, make sure you visit a festival . Every year, there are more festivals in South Korea than one could attend, with a couple of main festivities everyone likes to join in with. When the snow melts and the weather gets warmer, pink and white cherry blossoms transform South Korea into a magical wonderland for a short period at the beginning of spring, and thousands of people come to see the blossoms from all over the country. Buddha’s Birthday is another major holiday celebrated in May with lantern parades and performances at local temples, while in fall, Koreans celebrate their own version of Thanksgiving during Chuseok and honor their ancestors during proudly conducted ceremonies. In fact, there are festivals in every month of the year for every taste.
Exciting Food
Koreans are very proud of their unique cuisine. This is another result of the country’s natural isolation and climate leading to particular food preparation methods. Take kimchi , for example, the country’s number one side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables that are kept in jars for months, one of many practices used to protect food during harsh winters. Over the centuries, Koreans have created a fascinating and rich food culture made up of meat dishes, stews, soups, noodle dishes, seafood and many vegetable side dishes. Visit South Korea and you should spend an entire day roaming street markets sampling your way through this concert of flavors.
Vibrant Cities
While Seoul is arguably the most thrilling city in South Korea, it’s not the only large city that’s worth a visit. Despite its small size, South Korea has plenty of exciting cities from north to south. Busan in the very south, for example, is the country’s second largest city and located on a beautiful coastline with sandy beaches and clear ocean water. Jeonju in the west of the country is one of the last places featuring a traditional old town with Korean hanok houses and a beautiful destination in spring and fall. Each of Korea’s nine provinces has its own local cuisine and attractions that are worth exploring.
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K-pop Culture
South Korea is world-famous for its exciting music culture. K-pop is not only a music genre, it’s part of Korean culture that captures people all over Asia and the world. Walking down main pedestrian streets in South Korea, you will hear the latest hits of the industry. K-pop fans visit South Korea in waves and visit their favorite group’s or singer’s music label, get a K-pop makeover or visit K-pop-themed cafés. If you’re not yet into Korean music, we guarantee you that after you visit South Korea, you will be.
Korean Trendsetters
K-pop and Korean fashion go almost hand in hand. However, in recent years, South Korea has not only become known for coming up with quirky outfits for their boy and girl groups but also setting global trends in regular fashion. Seoul Fashion Week, for example, is becoming more and more visited by international designers and fashion labels who visit fashion shows to import Korean fashion lines to their home countries in Europe, America, Africa and all over Asia. Visiting Seoul, visitors will also notice that South Koreans, in general, are very fashionable and love to experiment and show off their hot streetwear on the streets of Seoul. Visit Dongdaemun, Gangnam or Myeongdong to get your own sets of Korean outfits to take home with you.
Quirky Entertainment Options
Entertainment is very important to South Koreans and they come up with new ways to keep themselves amused almost every month. We have all heard of the quirky themed cafés all over Seoul that offer visitors the chance to pet cats or dogs, play with racoons, cuddle with meerkats and engage with all kinds of other animals. There are also themed cafés that allow you to dress up as a princess and take pictures or eat food shaped like poop. Karaoke rooms have also been part of Korean entertainment for decades and are popular among all age groups. PC rooms are also well-visited, usually by a younger crowd, who compete in a variety of online games with people from all over the world – so much so that South Korea has become a leading force in global e-sports.
You can find even more tranquility and inner peace when joining a one- or two-day templestay program, which allows you to spend some time living like Buddhist monks in temples across Korea. While the Korean templestay program might not be as heard of around the world, it’s a well-established organization offering English-speaking programs to anyone around the country. Whether you want to experience a templestay in downtown Seoul or in rural South Korea on top of a mountain, the options are endless and the results are incredibly rewarding.
Futuristic Modernity
In contrast to its historic landmarks, South Korea is a pioneer in creating new and innovative structures. Looking at Seoul, for example, you are surrounded by futuristic buildings in one part of the city, such as the Dongdaemun Design Plaza by Zaha Hadid, while traditional hanok neighborhoods lie just around the corner. Earlier this year, Seoul proudly opened the world’s fifth largest skyscraper piercing majestically out of the ground overlooking the Han River. It comes with little surprise that some of the world’s leading companies are also located here, including Samsung, Hyundai and Kia.
Make-up and Skincare
Ever wonder why Korean women (and men!) have flawless and stunningly beautiful skin? Koreans see taking care of their skin as an essential part of their daily lives and they spend more money on skincare and beauty than anywhere else in the world. Many Koreans even have a ten-step morning and night routine they strictly follow day after day to maintain their beautiful skin. It’s therefore no wonder that South Korea is home to countless skincare and make-up brands offering the most innovative and futuristic products on the global market. If that’s not a great reason to come to Korea, then we don’t know what is!
Quiet Countryside
As South Korea is not yet a worldwide popular vacation destination like its neighbors China and Japan , you will find untouched rural areas giving insight into traditional Korean lifestyle. While around 20% of all South Koreans live in and near Seoul, it’s especially the small rural villages where you can find peace and quiet. The well-connected railway and express bus systems make it easy to also explore the less visited areas of the country. You’ll be surprised that you can find lush rice terraces and hidden temples right here in South Korea.
Stunning Coastline and Beaches
Due to South Korea being a peninsula, the country offers miles and miles of beautiful coast and stunning beaches. Korea also has a lot of beautiful islands, the most popular and largest one being Jeju Island . Jeju Island is one of Korea’s most visited destinations thanks to its exceptional natural wonders and breathtaking beaches. Another beautiful beach and coastal region is Jeollado in the west of the country. Moreover, the eastern coast is famous for beautiful sunrises, the earliest in the country.
Picturesque Mountain Ranges
South Korean attractions include beautiful national parks. Despite its small size, South Korea is home to 22 national parks with countless mountains. The island of Jeju has the highest peak in South Korea, the shield volcano Hallasan. Another popular hiking area is Seoraksan, the third tallest mountain in the country at 1,708 meters (5,603 feet). You can hike around this national park on Culture Trip’s 10-day adventure around South Korea . It’s exactly this combination of mountains and coast that make South Korea such a thrilling destination.
Four Amazing Seasons
Due to South Korea’s location in East Asia, the country is blessed with changing seasons. This makes Korea an exciting place to travel and live. No matter when you travel to Korea, you’ll be surprised with breathtaking seasonal changes in nature, such as cherry blossoms in the spring, flower fields in the summer, colorful foliage in the fall and a white wonderland in the winter. Besides the changing weather, each season also has special festivals and also dishes, such as the Taebaeksan Snow Festival in winter and cold noodles in summer.
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8 Reasons Why I Love Korea
From street food to food fit for royalty in Seoul to cold water dives and horse rides on Jeju Island, South Korea is home to iconic sites and lesser known finds you should discover. I love the diversity of experiences in Seoul and beyond. If you’re thinking of traveling to South Korea, read on to find out why I love Korea and why you should go.
With locals as my guides, I was able to visit South Korea to film for my PBS TV series, Travels with Darley. We paired the capital city of Seoul, with its dynamic history and culture, with Jeju Island, the “Hawaii of Asia.” On Jeju Island, exotic seafood and strong women mixed with stunning landscapes and tasty tea.
The eight reasons why I love Korea obviously have to start with the food.
#1 Korean BBQ
One of my all-time favorite dishes is Korean BBQ. Dining on Korean BBQ in Korea is truly a treat. The diversity of accompaniments for your grilled beef, chicken or pork are spectacular. Many of your typical side dishes may include kimchi, rice, egg souffle, spicy radish salad and green onion salad. Make sure to try galbi, marinated beef short ribs, as they are usually super tender and tasty.
If you’re on Jeju Island, dive into pork from the Jeju black pig. This thick, fatty pork can sometimes look more like a steak. Whether you like your barbecue with marinated thin meats (bulgogi), thick, smokey or garlicky, you have lots of choices. For a more street food style experience and to sample lots of different food options, head to Gwangjang Market.
I loved it well before I went to Korea and often try to find the best in NYC in Koreatown and beyond. I recently did, dining at a Michelin-star Korean steakhouse, Cote, located near Madison Square Park in NYC. What an amazing feast of various cuts of steak, as well as Korean “bacon”, marinated short ribs, kimchi, egg souffle and more. Fantastic!
#2 Jeju Island Seafood
Jeju Island is known for its seafood and if you’re visiting, you can have a sea to table experience with the locals… if you’re brave. A strong community of women represent a semi-matriarchal society on Jeju Island and have for centuries. Called the Haenyeo, still today, these women, many of whom are now older, free dive in Jeju’s sometimes chilly waters to harvest seafood for their families and communities. During the summer, they work the fields to bring in crops. On UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Haenyeo continue their practices today and also run a diving school outside of Jeju City.
Established in 2008, their diving school works to pass down traditions to the younger generations on Jeju Island as well as sharing them with outsiders through a live theatre performance and meal. You’ll try what the women have caught, likely that day, including dishes like sea urchin noodles. Make sure to visit Shindaepark Sushi Restaurant and wash your meal down with a local beer from Jeju Beer Company. If you’ve never had it, abalone is another popular fish, including abalone porridge.
Heard of the boy band BTS? How about the girl group Miss A? If you don’t know them by name, you may recognize a song or a few! K-pop is a global phenomenon that is thought to have begun to taken off in the 1990s. K-pop encompasses hints of hip-hop, R&B, Jazz, black pop, soul, funk, techno, disco, Afrobeats and house. I love the music and think a great way to experience it in South Korea is to dance! At Dance Joa in Seoul, you can take a k-pop dance lesson with the locals and truly get a sense of how dedicated locals are to K-pop. It’s fun!
#4 K-Beauty
Korea is known all over the world for its beauty products and locals have quite the beauty regimen. If you’re traveling to Seoul, take some time to visit a spa, like Sulwhasoo, to learn more about K-beauty and to give yourself a break. In Seoul, numerous spas provide a K-beauty experience, and focus not just on your face, but other parts of your body too. At Seoul’s Sulwhasoo spa, I indulged in a red ginseng foot scrub. Ginseng is a big ingredient in a lot of the K-beauty products. My guide Jooyeon Cho relayed to me that on average Koreans have eight steps in their bedtime regimen.
If you’re looking to buy more inexpensive K-beauty gifts for friends and family, head to Olive Young, akin to a US Sephora. You’ll find these stores throughout Seoul.
#5 Jeju Horses
Horses are thought to have been on Jeju Island from the end of the Stone Age or the beginning of the Bronze Age. Smaller in stature and sweet in temperament, they remind me of horses from Iceland and their modern versions may have influences from Mongolia. I love these sweet horses, which you can see grazing along in fields driving around the island or for horseback riding on the beach.
I was able to go horseback riding on a beach with views of Sunrise Peak, another of Jeju’s, distinctive crater formations that draws in travelers for sunrises, especially on New Year’s Day. It’s also listed by UNESCO as an outstanding landscape.
#6 K-Nature
You don’t just need to travel outside of Seoul for a nature adventure in the capital city. The city’s much-loved park at N Seoul Tower is a wonderful green space with both green and urban views. You can hike on trails here and go up in N Seoul Tower, also known as Namsan Seoul Tower, to take in sweeping views of Seoul from the highest point in the city.
On Jeju Island, nature enthusiasts will enjoy the beaches and inland areas, where you can find a diversity of terrains. Take a walk at Sangumburi Crater, where silvergrass lines a nearly vertical crater that’s over 425 feet, 130 meters deep, as deep as the highest mountain on Jeju island. Popular with honeymooners and photography enthusiasts, it’s a great place to get further insight into life on Jeju island. For nature lovers who also have a sweet tooth, take a break at One & Only Café on the beach. This coffee shop and eatery reminded me of California with striking beach views. Order their signature chocolate lava cake, modeled after Sangbangsan Mountain, a large lava dome on Jeju’s south shore that’s considered to be sacred, it’s one example of the more than 300 volcanic domes, craters, cones and rings on the island.
#7 Historic Architecture
The old mixes with the new in Seoul and throughout South Korea. Traveling around, you’re sure to find amazing and beautiful architecture. One must-visit location is Bukchon Hanok Village, you can get a sense of how the noble people used to live. It’s one of the most visited neighborhoods in Seoul, where traditional Korean architecture has been preserved for a couple of hundred years. One of the key words of Korean architecture is harmony. The curved roofs here resemble Korea’s hills and mountains. It’s so well preserved that it is definitely worth the trip.
Another great location to combine history, culture and architecture is at Gyeongbokgung Palace, which served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty. Much like Buckingham Palace, they also have changing of the guard ceremony.
#8 Korean Culture
At the Korea House in Seoul, travelers can learn about Korean customs firsthand, including cooking classes and royal cuisine in an onsite restaurant. I tried on a hanbok, a traditional Korean costume known for its delicate lines and angles. The colors of the hanbok get more vivid as your status increases. I walked with Andrew Park to see the clay pots where kimchi made on site would ferment from a month to six months. The longer you ferment it, the deeper taste it gains. We then went inside to enjoy a cooking lesson with a master kimchi chef. Chef Mikyung Lee has been making kimchi for 36 years and shared that there are more than 200 kinds of kimchi. That’s a lot of diversity.
There are many more reasons why I love South Korea. Check out my “Travels with Darley: South Korea” episode to see my adventures first-hand and find out why you should plan a trip to Korea. Want to explore Korea vacations? Check out Darley Vacations and our South Korea trip itinerary modeled after my trip there. You can book this trip through my preferred travel advisor, Cathy Moha .
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