Many people are wondering every day if it’s Korea that they want to visit. There are many other beautiful countries so, is it really Korea that you want to visit. That question I asked myself many years ago.
After thinking about it for many days, I’ve finally decided to visit Korea, and it was the best choice of my life. There are many places you should visit. We’ll explain below what you should visit Korea. Let’s get right to the juicy info.
1. Seoul
Seoul should be the first place to visit if you’re going to Korea. It’s the capital of Korea and definitely worth visiting. There are many fun things you can do while you’re in Seoul like, going to the karaoke bar, visiting cafes, or just relaxing.
It might be a bit more expensive if you’re eating out all day so what I did when visiting Seoul was creating a budget. By creating a budget that suits your lifestyle gives you more room to work with. The last thing you want to happen is to run out of money.
I saw that one of my friends I was traveling with didn’t bring enough, so I covered him. He felt pretty bad, so make a budget and stick to it.
Another place you should visit is the Jangseng Geongangwon in the Gangnam District. They have one of the best cocktails that you can get. Try to enjoy it for as long as possible because time flies by, especially if you’re planning to party a lot.
2. The Culture
Korean culture is very traditional, where people still bow to each other. In other countries, you don’t see this happen often. We’d rather give a handshake than bowing, but in Korea, this isn’t the case at all. So, try getting used to bowing, especially when you see elders.
This was a mistake I made in the beginning when I asked where the train station was. It’s pretty disrespectful if you don’t bow, so make sure you do. Another tip is to take your shoes off when going inside a house or apartment.
This is very important because Koreans really dislike walking inside with shoes on. Koreans are known to be very clean, and make sure you keep it like that.
There are also different pronounces to use when talking to people. Older people are called differently. Try learning more about the Korean language if you’re planning to stay in Korea for a very long time.
3. Korean Shopping
Shopping in Korea is very fun because you have a wide range of choices. There are many designer brands you can purchase from. However, the most fun stores are the ones on the market. There are many affordable pieces with very high quality.
The only thing you should look out for is to avoid getting ripped off. It doesn’t happen often but still, in case, make sure to ask yourself if the price is worth it. When I was visiting some other countries, people in street markets tried to rip me off by paying 4x the price other people were paying.
A great tip is to bargain. Another plus that I really liked when shopping in Korea is the online sites. Shopping online on stores like GMarket is extremely easy and fast. The delivery is often within delivered next day.
4. Hanbok (Korean traditional clothing)
Hanboks are traditional Korean clothing. It’s very fun to wear. You can find these types of clothing pretty much everywhere you go. The best place to wear a hanbok is when visiting a Korean is in Seoul. Yes indeed! You can wear your hanbok everywhere, and people won’t look weird at you.
There are two types of hanboks for men and women:
Women:
- chima
- jeogori
Men:
- baji
- jeogori
These hanboks are very popular, and if you have the chance to visit Korea, make sure to wear a Hanbok. It’s really fun, especially if you’ve never worn one before. The most fun experience was when meeting different foreigners wear Hanboks, and you should try to do that too.
5. Korean BBQ
Korean barbecue is very popular in Korea and other countries. It’s one of the must-try foods when visiting Korea. The meat is on a different level. You might not notice it, but the quality of meat they have in Korea is insane.
It can be a bit more expensive, but if you have the budget, it’s definitely worth it. I’ve been craving wagyu for a long time now, especially in Korea, because that’s really on a different scale. If you like eating Korean barbecue already, then this will blow your mind.
Many people in television programs or game shows often win a pack of high-quality meat. Yes, you’ve guessed it right a pack of high-quality meat from a game show. It’s because of the value, and many people can’t afford to eat it every day.
This reason alone should be enough to visit Korea, the quality of meat is different when you compare it to the USA, Europe, or Canada. Also, Koreans have a different way of cooking meat. They grill it on a plate while foreign countries do this on a regular barbecue.
6. Karaoke Bars in Korea
Karaoke bars are really fun, especially if you’re going with friends. However, karaoke bars are also a place to rest and chill. Many people visit them alone when they want to release stress. It might look lonely at first, but that’s not really the case because hundreds of people visit alone every day.
In Karaoke bars, you can get drinks, food, and snacks. So, it’s a great place to chill and relax. If you’ve never been to a karaoke bar before, make sure you do. You can’t find many karaoke bars in foreign countries because they aren’t popular enough.
In Korea, this is the opposite, and karaoke bars are one of the most popular activities you can do. Another plus is that you can practice your singing skills, it’s not expensive at all.
So, you don’t need a big budget to practice singing, and you don’t have to worry about singing in Korean because there are many English songs you can sing.
7. Fashion – Seoul Fashion Week
Fashion is huge in Korea, and it’s often because of the celebrities promoting new products. Every year there’s a Seoul Fashion Week. This is where the most popular celebrities attend the walkway. It has been one of the most popular fashion activities in Korea all year round.
If you’re really into fashion, this could be a great reason for you to visit. You could impress everyone else by wearing something that no one has ever thought of.
What I really like about Seoul is that you can wear anything you like and people won’t look weird at you. The fashion styles in Korea are very different from the ones overseas, and that’s really what makes it special.
Make sure to visit Korea if you’re really into fashion and want to attend the Seoul Fashion Week yourself. It’s a great way to expand your network in the fashion industry and build connections.
8. Korean Drama
Korean Drama is huge in Korea. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people, watch it every day. Korean drama has been expanding to different countries by releasing the episodes on Netflix. This is, of course, very lucrative for Korea itself because it creates another income source.
Streaming Korean drama is very easy, and you might even see one of your favorite actors/actress walking outside. That can really happen because it has happened to one of my friends that saw a huge crowd surrounding an actor.
Many Korean dramas are put together very well, and that’s what the audience likes. Korean drama could be one of the reasons why Korea is worth visiting, and this is probably because you want to visit the same restaurant’s people eat at in dramas.
Another reason could be that you want to visit the places where the dramas are shot at. Well, I’ve done both and must say that it’s definitely worth it.
9. The Weather
The weather in Korea is awesome. Even if it rains, you see hundreds of people walking outside. If you’re planning to visit during the summer, make sure to use lots of sunscreens. Getting sunburned in Korea is very common, and it has happened many times to me.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit Korea during the spring, make sure you do. It’s beautiful with all those cherry blossoms. You can’t find these anywhere else in the world, and this has been one of the reasons why I keep coming back to Korea.
The majority of people that are planning to visit Korea are often visiting during vacations. This is also when it’s the busiest on the streets, but that makes it even more fun.
10. Easy and Fast Transportation
Using transportation is very easy and fast in Korea. It doesn’t require much knowledge since even people that can’t read Korean can easily travel. I’ve been to Korea multiple times now, and traveling has been one of the most fun trips.
You get to see many beautiful places while also feeling comfortable. Every time I’m traveling to another city in Korea, it’s a pleasure to travel by train. It’s one of the best transportations I’ve ever used, and I hope my other countries will follow.
I highly recommend getting a Korean rail pass, especially if you’re planning to travel a lot through Korea. Traveling to Jeju island and other smaller villages is easy but make sure to plan in advance. You don’t want to get lost.
What I normally do is plan the whole trip and buying the tickets in advance, which’s less expensive, and the stress is also gone.
11. K-pop
K-pop is huge in Korea and has slowly become one of the most popular music genres worldwide. The Kpop boyband BTS has been blowing up lately, which makes K-pop as a music genre also get more popular. If you’ve never heard about this, you’re really missing out.
What I really like about K-pop is that there are many different groups. In fact, there are too many to follow them all. However, the ones that are the most popular often have the best songs. I highly recommend you checking some groups out, especially if you’re planning to visit Korea.
K-pop is one of the main reasons why foreigners visit Korea, and it’s a great destination for tourists. When visiting Korea, make sure to visit a lot of K-pop cafes that are started by idols themselves.
FAQ
Which City Should You Visit In Korea?
The city that’s most visited in Korea is Seoul, and the main reason is because of the wide range of activities you can do. It’s affordable, and there are many other foreigners you can meet. Another plus is that there are many students that live in Seoul, which makes it even more attractive.
Why Do People Still Visit North Korea?
The majority of people that still visit North Korea are often the ones that want to know more about the history or find some secret hidden things they don’t show to the outside world. Those people don’t go the North Korea to enjoy and relax because they’re keeping their eyes on you 24/7.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve come to the end of this article, you’ve probably known the 11 reasons why people want to visit Korea. So back to the question, is Korea worth visiting? Yes, in my opinion, it definitely is because of the great activities you can do.
The nightlife, food, and much more things you can do make Korea really special. Even if you’re into fashion, Korea is a great hotspot to build new connections and meet people. Korea has been attracting more tourists every year.
This is probably because of Kpop, BTS has been blowing up lately, and many other Kpop groups. Other reasons could be because people really enjoy visiting Korea and like sightseeing.