Anyeong-haseyo! My maiden trip to Seoul for a really short 5D6N trip, with 2D2N spent in Jeju-do. We didn't manage to cover as much as we would love to but we definitely saw some bits of Seoul from the perspective of a tourist, as well as a local (because I used to have a friend living in Seoul!).
We stayed at Bangrang Hostel during the 4 nights in Seoul. This hostel is owned by a young man who used to be a backpacker himself until he settled down in his homeland, Korea. The owner speaks English and the unit is clean, The pantry is filled with bread and spread if you're ever hungry. What I like most about it is how friendly the owner is and ever helpful with suggestions on where to go.
In fact, we reached Seoul quite late in the evening. Since we do not have much time to waste, after catching up with my friend for a quick supper at a very traditional Korean home restaurant, we headed off to Dongdaemun. The t-money card was obtained from a convenience store and we just top up and we go. Dongdaemun is a really vibrant area and if you're up for late night shopping or to get stock for your e-business, this is the place to go.
Living up to its name as a city that never sleeps, you could find a lot of food stalls still open even at midnight to cater to the visitors at the shopping malls.
If you're not up for mall hopping, then perhaps you'll be interested to visit some of the street vendors all around Dongdaemun at night. They carry just as many varieties but the plus side is that you don't have to buy in bulk.
The next day, we took the train to Gyeongbukgong Station for a visit. At the subway tunnel, we saw this old man writing calligraphy. It really was an interesting site as there seem to be no barrier for him to set up a counter like that in the middle of a public area to pursue his interest.
Of the 4 palaces in the city, we visited the largest one. Gyeongbukgong Palace is also known as the Northern Palace because it is geographically located at the north-most part relative to the other 3 palaces. Similar to the Chinese history of such historical sites, the actual palace was burnt down during the Japanese invasion years. It was subsequently restored by one of the kings of Korea.
If you're into the changing of guards ceremony, you should visit the Changdeokgung Palace. However, if you would like to have a glimpse of those olden day officials, you could very well see these guards at Gyeongbukgong. Similar to the British guards, they're not easily distracted by the swarm of tourists taking photo of and with them.
The interior of the palace ground is similar to that of the Chinese emperors of the past. The palace ground is vast and you could very well see that much maintenance effort were put in place to ensure that the palace remains in tip-top condition.
You would also spot ancient tools like the one above which tells the time of the day. There is another tablet in the grounds of the palace which shows you the meaning of your zodiac. Lookout for them if you're heading there for a visit.
The Gyeongbokgung Palace ticket provides complimentary entry to the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum, which are located at the southern and eastern side of the palace gates respectively.
The pictures show some of the exhibits in the museum which depict the lifestyle in the ancient times. You would recall, if you're one who follows Korean drama, that these scenes were re-enacted in modern time dramas as well!
Given the popularity of the palace as a tourist attraction, a guard was also stationed there to divert traffic for tourists to cross the busy Seoul street safely and easily.
Seoul is reputable for its cafe culture. We spotted many with very unique interior and exterior, alluding some really nice atmosphere within the cafe itself.
Many of these cafes were run by youngsters and I was told by my friend that the turnover rate of the cafe culture in Seoul and many parts of Korea is exceptionally high.
To be able to thrive and succeed in this competitive industry, the design of the cafe alone is not sufficient. There must also be good food and great service. Dodo cafe happens to be one of those which managed to find a balance between the food quality and the vintage-themed design.
Having refueled our energy level, we continued walking along the street in search of Buchok Hanon. We stumbled across some of these wooden plates where people write their wish and hang on a tree, very much like the Japanese culture.
Bukchon Hanok is actually approximately 30 minutes walk from Gyeongbukgong Palace. This place is in fact a residential area surrounded by the palaces.
There are many signs put up around the village to remind tourists to be quiet and considerate for the people living there. Some of them have turned their houses into BnB and you could well find them on AirBNB if you're up to living in a traditional Korean home. The tourism board in Bukchon Hanok have also setup many camera taking spots, and you can go in search of these highlighted spots based on the map provided by the information center.
After Bukchon Hanok, we visited another UNESCO World Heritage site. Jongmyo Shrine is the primary worship place for the ancient kings of Joseon dynasty. If you're up for a guided tour, do take note that the English tour is every 2-hourly. We missed out on the tour and weren't going to wait for another 2 hours so we skitter off with another Korean guided tour group. Unfortunately, since we do not understand anything from the tour, we didn't have much to take away from this visit.
Nevertheless, we stayed with the group to venture the shrine area together and came across a group of ahjummas pulling out weeds from the grounds of the main shrine. Considering the heat in summer, their dedication is really admirable.
After a full day of walking, it's time to head off for some street food at Insadong. We were going to meet up with another friend nearby for a dinner catch-up so we just roam around without purchasing much.
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