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“Korea has emerged as the preeminent cultural and industrial force in East Asia,” says Indagare ambassador Joohee Muromcew, who just returned from a trip to Seoul, “but getting to know its people and culture on the ground illuminates the drive and expansive mindset that got them there.”
Joohee took her four young adult children to Korea for the first time to meet extended family and get to know Korea. They stayed at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Plaza.
Contact Indagare or your Trip Designer to learn more about visiting Seoul. Our team can match you with the accommodations, reservations and activities that are right for you.
We were in Seoul from December 16-26th, the peak of its very festive holiday season. Seoul greatly exceeded my expectations in its cultural offerings, great food and bar scene, and all around welcoming nature. The city is clean and orderly, art is everywhere. There is a thriving craft beer/quirky pub life across the city, with cool little jazz clubs popping up. Consumerism is a big part of Korean life, so the shopping is fantastic no matter what you are shopping for: fresh seafood, luxury goods, antiques, etc.
Christmas is a popular time for city dwellers to take a “staycation” and check into a nice hotel so our choices were limited. The JW Marriott Dongdaemun was our best option. Our rooms were lovely with beautiful views of the Dongdaemun gate, but it’s not up to the level of most Indagare travelers. The service is just not there. We wanted a hotel close to the subway (ruling out the Four Seasons and near Myeongdong. The Park Hyatt and JW Marriott Seoul get good reviews, but are in Gangnam, which is a solid 60 minute subway trip or even longer taxi. Gangnam is very upscale, but there is not much to do there.
Bukchon Hanok Village. Similar to the cultural village in Busan, this is a lovingly restored and maintained historical neighborhood that has evolved into a low key tourist destination. We spent hours wandering its charming streets where older traditional “hanok” homes remain as residences or have become cafes, galleries, and very locally-owned shops.
Lucy, in Bukchon Hanok Village. The boutique sells gorgeous, colorful leather and vegan leather handbags, all made locally.
Christmas is a major season in Seoul, though not really a holiday. Korea is about 50 percent Christian, but Christmas is more of a “couple’s holiday” for exchanging sweet gifts with a partner.
Hiking down from N Seoul Tower, on Namsan Hill. It was a frigid morning, but we took the cable car to the top of Namsan Park and enjoyed beautiful views of the city. Selfies and photo booth stops ensued! We decided to walk back down to Myeongdong on one of the many paths. Halfway down, I suddenly remembered taking the same walk—the trees, the cobbled road, the steep hilly path—as a toddler with my grandfather.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza is an iconic architectural wonder of the late Zaha Hadid. Art and architecture lovers—and really anyone—will enjoy seeing this very cool building (but the teen Instagrammer may get bored after an initial view). We stayed for a couple hours. (Note: There are many markets and galleries within this cavernous space, and it’s easy to get lost.)
We did a private guided tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Even if you book a “private tour” you will eventually be grouped with other groups as the military strictly controls all entry and exit into the DMZ.
Christmas in Seoul is so beautiful. The city is festively lit and decorated to rival London and New York, but it was also very cold. I underestimated how cold it would be. One thing I came to realize about Korea is that the weather is not very good! I would venture that May and October are the best months to go weather-wise—and to avoid the summer crowds.
A lot of room. We stocked up on amazing Korean beauty products at killer prices!
I was so happy to introduce my children to Korea and for them to feel welcomed there. There was a time not long ago that Americans, and particularly Korean-Americans, were discriminated against. There was always a mutual curiosity about all things Korean and American.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Published onFebruary 15, 2024
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