HOW TO SPEND 48 HOURS IN SEOUL, KOREA
After recently completing our third visit to Japan and a week getaway in Taiwan, we just knew it was time we finally make the trip over to Korea as we have been told that our love for the land of the rising sun will flow through the vibrant mountainside city of Seoul - and they were right!
We feel so grateful that the incredible team at Sony Australia invited us to spend a couple of days exploring Seoul to test out their brand new vlogging camera - the Sony a6400. One of our most asked questions is "what do we use to shoot our travel videos and photos on" and we have been users of Sony cameras for almost 4 years now! If you are interested in what we think of this new camera for photo and video check out our 48 Hours in Seoul video below, and keep scrolling to find out everything we did during our time here exploring the incredible city of Seoul.
1. Eat Street Food at Gwangjang Market
If you are looking for traditional Korean street food here in Seoul than you need to hit up the Gwangjang Market. This bustling market has a huge variety of stalls selling all types of popular street food. Our favourites were the mungbean pancakes and the tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).
2. Explore Bukchon Hanok Village
This has got to be our favourite neighbourhood in Seoul. Full of traditional hanok style homes that people still live in today, this is the spot where old meets new. We enjoyed spending the afternoon walking up and down the hilly hanok lined streets and snapping way too many photos. This ancient village has been preserved for over 600 years!
3. Stay in the Tallest Building in Korea
Seoul is home to the tallest building in Korea, and has made its way into in the top 10 tallest in the world - the Lotte World Tower. To fully experience the incredible views why not spend the night at the hotel located within the building, Signiel Seoul!
We spent the night on the 81st floor and was hands down one of the best city hotel experiences we have ever had! The views from our room were insane, breakfast was delicious and the staff were some of the friendliest we have ever had.
4. Join in a K-Pop Dance Class
If you haven't heard of it, K-Pop (Korean Pop) is a very popular genre of music originating from South Korea. While you are spending time in the city we highly recommend you experience a K-Pop dance class to really immerse yourself in the K-Pop culture. There are many dance studios throughout Seoul where you can join a 90 minute K-Pop dance class and learn a routine to your favourite K-Pop song.
5. Enjoy the Roller Coasters at Lotte World
If you've been following us for a while you know how much we love our theme parks, and located in Seoul is a giant indoor/outdoor amusement park, Lotte World! Here you will find a huge castle, a bunch of roller coasters, bumper cars, a massive indoor skating rink and a huge shopping mall attached ... right in the heart of the city!
6. Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in a Traditional Hanbok
The Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395 and is one of the largest palaces in South Korea. Unfortunately in the early 20th century it was destroyed by the Japanese but has been gradually reconstructed over the years. A unique way to visit is to first head to one of the many stores renting traditional Hanboks nearby the palace. Dressing up in the traditional dress and roaming the ponds and residential villas of the palace was one of our favourite experiences here in Seoul.
7. Experience a Taekwondo Class
Taekwondo is one of Koreas traditional sports and what a better way to learn more about it than doing a 2 hour beginner's class in the sport. We had a black belt instructor train us on simple movements for attack and defence and how to discipline the mind. After some practice we even had the opportunity to have a go at breaking a wooden board!
8. Have a Buddhist Temple Dinner
Korea is usually known for its fried chicken and Korean BBQ, but if you are looking for a unique, vegetarian friendly meal you can head off the beaten path to one of Seouls Buddhist temples that offer clean and modest meat-free meals. We spent the night sitting on the floor with a group of friends enjoying this unique dining experience over wine as we watched traditional Korean dance performances. This was the most unique meal we had during our time in Seoul and would highly recommend it.
9. Experience a Pottery Class in Icheon
Icheon is a village an hour outside Seoul that produces the highest quality ceramics in the country. The village has become the center of traditional pottery for over 500 years due to the rich clay in the area. There are currently over 80 pottery factories and 300 pottery kilns in use at this village! During our time in Icheon we observed the pottery production process by a pottery master, and even had a go at creating our own piece.
10. Enjoy a Pamper Session at Jenny House
Korea is known for its incredible beauty and facial treatments - and if you are looking at having a pamper session in the city we highly recommend heading to Jenny House. With chandeliers and marble flooring, this is a high-end spot which sees K-Pop stars and Korean celebrities as customers. We spent an afternoon here getting a full makeover, from hair treatments, incredible facials and the full hair and makeup experience.
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READ MORE: 6 REASONS YOU NEED TO GO TO JAPAN IN THE WINTER
Thanks to Sony Australia for inviting Flying The Nest to experience Seoul, as always all opinions are our own.