Min Young & Andrew
Things To Do
Bukchon 북촌
Bukchon is an area about 20 minutes public transit from the venue (Westin Josun). It's a nice historic area to spend a day to experience Korean culture. 1. Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌 한옥마을 - Neighborhood with traditional houses ("hanok"). Tons of cafes and restaurants, and good for walking around. 2. Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁 - Main and largest palace of Korea, built in 1395. 3. Insadong 인사동 - Area with tons of shops, restaurants, cafes, art. 4. Bugaksan 북악산 - Mountain where you can see the city and specifically Gyeongbokgung at the top. Can be mildly steep (1-2 hrs hike).
Myeong-dong 명동
Myeong-dong is a popular tourist area with tons of modern department stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. You can find both Korean and Western food here. 1. Gwanghwamun Square 광화문 - A large square that extends from the south entrance of Gyeongbukgung. 2. Cheonggyecheon 청계천 - A 6-mile stream that used to be a highway. Nice to walk just a portion. 3. Myeong-dong Night Market 명동야시장 - Korean street food and shops EAT: - Myeongdong Kyoja 명동교자: Maybe the most famous kalguksu soup noodle place in Korea
Gangnam 강남
Gangnam is a district in Seoul, directly translating to "south of river". It has a mix of residential (where Andrew grew up before moving to Maryland), financial, and tourist areas. 1. Kyobo Book Center 교보문고 - An underground bookstore. We tend to buy books and stationary souvenirs here. 2. Gangnam-daero 강남대로 - A large street that runs north-south of the main downtown area of Gangnam. Tons of clothing, bars, and restaurants on this main road especially if you go in to the alleys one block in. Most things are between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station. 3. COEX 코엑스 - One of the largest malls in Asia, with massive library. EAT: - Kodachaya Gangnam: Underground street food court with self-serve soju and beer. Andrew's favorite place in world to drink). - Jeongdon: A chain that serves tonkatsu pork and chicken cutlets
Dongdaemun 동대문
Dongdaemun means "east gate" and is one of the historic areas of Seoul. 1. Gwangjang Market 광장시장 - Featured in Netflix Street Food's Seoul episode, this market is one of the oldest in Korea for street food, traditional clothing, and souvenirs. 2. DDP - Event / art venue - There's usually cool exhibits happening here, but even if not the entire building is amazing architecture. If you can find it, there is an internal winding path that takes you from ground to top floor. 3. Seoul City Wall Trail - Trail that follows the old city stone wall. Good 2-4 hour hike with views. EAT: - Buchon Yukhoe 부촌육회: Inside Gwangjang Market, they have the best beef tartare. It's difficult to explain exactly where it is located, but if you walk around the market there is one alley with a ton of people standing in line outside