South Korea

Soo Kim is a South Korean journalist and author based in London, UK. She is the author of How to Live Korean and co-author of Hello, South Korea: Meet the Country Behind Hallyu. She has been a reporter for Newsweek, an international news publication, from 2019, covering the latest in travel, design, as well as Korean culture and entertainment. Soo was a travel reporter and commissioning editor for the award-winning travel section of The Daily Telegraph, a leading UK national newspaper, for nearly a decade from 2010. She has been featured on several BBC Radio stations, including BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, the BBC News channel, and the South Korean national television channel Arirang TV, the country’s largest English broadcasting station. She has reported on various major news events, including extensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement, the war in Afghanistan, the US and Canadian elections, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Follow Soo on Instagram at @miss.soo.kim

• IntroductionSeoul (서울특별시)Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) – Grandest Joseon-era palace; don’t miss the guard ceremony. Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을) – Traditional houses between palaces. Insadong (인사동) – Arts, antiques, and tea houses. Myeongdong (명동) – Major shopping and street food area. Namsan Seoul Tower (남산서울타워) – Iconic skyline view. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) – Futuristic architecture and fashion hub. Hongdae (홍대) – Youth culture, indie music, and nightlife. Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천) – Urban stream walk through the city center. Seoul City Wall (한양도성)- for walking and hiking trails, such as Naksan Mountain Trail, which is beautifully illuminated at night, famed filming location. Changdeokgung Palace (창덕궁) - UNESCO-designated palace. Starfield Library (별마당도서관) - there is a Starfield library that opened more recently in Suwon in 2024 - this library is featured in several K-dramas. Bukhansan National Park (북한산국립공원) - the only national park found in the Seoul metro area. Gwangjang Market (광장시장) - famed food market known for beloved street foods like kimbap, tteokbokki and various types of jeon. Seongsu-dong (성수동) - hip neighborhood known for industrial past, with its former red-brick factories/warehouses turned into cafes, shops etc. Notable sites include the Seoul Forest and the recently opened Haus Nowhere Seoul building. Lotte World Tower (롯데월드타워)- the tallest building in South Korea and the sixth tallest building in the world. Banpo Bridge (반포대교) - one of the famed bridges in Seoul, known for its fountain feature (the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain), which holds Guinness World Record for being world’s longest bridge fountain.Incheon (인천광역시)Incheon Chinatown – Korea’s oldest Chinatown. Songdo Central Park – Futuristic eco- city and park. Wolmido Island – Amusement park and seaside cafés. Ganghwa Island (강화도) – Historic dolmens, temples, and coastal scenery.Gyeonggi-do (경기도)Suwon Hwaseong Fortress (수원 화성) – UNESCO World Heritage Site. DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) – Panmunjom, Dora Observatory tours. Petite France & Garden of Morning Calm – European-style village and botanical garden near Gapyeong. Korean Folk Village (한국민속촌) - recreated traditional Korean folk village from the Joseon dynasty period serving as an open-air museum showcasing life from that era.Gangwon-do (강원도)Nami Island (남이섬) – Romantic island famous from K-drama Winter Sonata. Seoraksan National Park (설악산국립공원) – Top hiking destination. Gangneung (강릉) – Beaches, coffee street, and Ojukheon House. Pyeongchang (평창) – 2018 Winter Olympics site. Sokcho (속초) – Seafood markets and coastal views. Jeongdongjin (정동진) – Famous sunrise spot.Chungcheong-do (충청도)Gongju & Buyeo – Ancient Baekje Kingdom relics (UNESCO sites). Daejeon (대전) – Expo Science Park and Yuseong Hot Springs. Cheongnamdae Presidential Villa – Former presidential retreat near Cheongju. Sudeoksa Temple (수덕사) – Historic mountain temple.Jeolla-do (전라도)North Jeolla (전라북도): Jeonju Hanok Village (전주한옥마을) – Best-preserved hanok village. Jeonju Bibimbap Street – Birthplace of bibimbap. Maisan Provincial Park (마이산도립공원) – Twin-peaked mountain and Tapsa Temple. South Jeolla (전라남도): Gwangju (광주) - city that was the capital of the South Jeolla province before it was promoted as a metropolitan city independent from the province. It’s a historically significant place for the Gwangju Uprising and the Gwangju Biennale, which is Asia’s oldest biennial of contemporary art. Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve (순천만습지) – Vast reed fields and migratory birds. Boseong Green Tea Fields (보성녹차밭) – Terraced green hills. Yeosu (여수) – Scenic harbor, Odongdo Island, and cable car views. Damyang (담양) – Bamboo forest and metasequoia road. Gyeongsang-do (경상도) North Gyeongsang (경상북도): Gyeongju (경주) – “Museum without walls”: Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Tumuli Park. Andong Hahoe Folk Village (안동하회마을) – UNESCO heritage village. Pohang (포항) – Homigot sunrise point and Space Walk sculpture. South Gyeongsang (경상남도): Busan (부산) – Haeundae & Gwangalli Beaches, Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi Market. Tongyeong (통영) – “Naples of Korea,” famous for coastal views and murals. Geoje Island (거제도) – Beaches, cliffs, and Oedo Botania garden.Jeju Island (제주도)Hallasan National Park (한라산) – Korea’s highest peak. Seongsan Ilchulbong – volcanic UNESCO World Heritage site. Hyeopjae Beach (협재해수욕장) - known for white sand and emerald waters Jungmun Saekdal Beach (중문·색달해변) - known for its multi- colored sand and black basalt. Columnar Joint Along Daepo Coast, a.k.a Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff (주상절리대) - volcanic rock formation. Bijarim Forest (비자림) - known for its Torreya (nutmeg trees) that are around 800 years old.