A view of Seoul from the Bukchon Hanok Village in the Jongno District.South Korea – a place where K-Pop reigns, shopping is abundant ,and the history is both fractured and fascinating. I recently had the pleasure of travelling to Seoul with Heineken, who were there transforming the city’s many unused rooftops into vibrant hubs of social connection (more on that later).Seoul is obviously just one of the amazing places you can visit in South Korea, but since it’s a sprawling metropolis where over half of the country’s population resides, it is a pretty good place to start when exploring South Korea.With so much to see and do in Seoul, here are just a few places I recommend checking out, including a day trip if you’re looking to explore beyond the city limits. Plus, some handy tips I’d pass on to anyone looking to visit for the first time!Ikseon-dong (Hanok Street)View this post on InstagramA post shared by Visit Seoul (@visitseoul_official)This was probably my favourite part of Seoul that I visited, on account of how calm, picturesque and tucked away it was. The area is characterised by its charming alleyways and hanok style architecture (a hanok is a traditional Korean house, and they are so gorgeous to behold).Ikseon-dong is easily accessible via the city’s metro system, and has a variety of cute stores, bakeries and most importantly, cafés – the area is full of them! My favourites include Nakwon (which has a little train track running through it), Rain Report (where you can watch artificial rain falling in the mini courtyard) and Mil Toasthouse.I loved looking around the many shops here, including Jayeondo Sogeumppang.If I were to visit Seoul again, I would absolutely stop here for a longer amount of time. Also, make sure you get yourself some delicious Jayeondo salt bread from the store here or somewhere else in the city – you will NOT regret it.Myeong-dong Night MarketsMyeong-dong is one of Seoul s busiest areas.Already quite a famous destination in Seoul, Myeong-dong is kind of similar to London’s Camden market, and it’s where I did the bulk of my shopping on the trip. The area has plenty of awesome clothes stores with the coolest stuff, as well as lots of K-Pop stores and shops that sell cute gifts and trinkets.Its night markets sell an amazing array of street food, which threw us into total decision paralysis because everything looked so good! I ended up trying some honey soy fried chicken with tteokbokki (rice cakes) and a bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastry) filled with custard, which were both delicious.Rooftops bars aren t as rowdy as in the UK, and the views are impressive.You’ll find lots of cool bars here, too, so it’s a great place to spend an evening. Try the cocktails at The Roof Seoul and take to the roof if it’s not too cold!DMZ Day TripPhotos near the DMZ sign are encouraged, but photography in other areas is restricted.Have you ever wondered how Korea split into two warring factions? Well, a trip to the Demilitarized Zone (a fortified border between North and South Korea) will tell you everything you need to know about the two countries and their astonishing history.We took a 50-minute coach there and visited with a tour guide, who took us around the Imjingak Peace Park, the Dora Observatory and deep into the Third Tunnel – a tunnel dug by North Korea to invade the South, at the end of which, you can glimpse North Korea through a small window that lies just 170m away from it.Our tour group poses in front of The Peace Bell before heading to The Gamaksan Suspension Bridge.It was quite a surreal experience, and rules around things like photography can be very strict there, but learning more about North Korea and its relationship with South Korea was a truly fascinating experience. Note: you need your passport to enter the DMZ – no exceptions!Rooftop Party With HeinekenAt the first Heineken event, Dino of SEVENTEEN gave us an intimate performance.Whilst in Seoul, we hooked up with Heineken who were interested in Seoul’s many green rooftops (and there are A LOT of them). New research has suggested that cities around the world, like Seoul, are designed for work and productivity rather than socialising and connecting.Heineken aimed to challenge that by transforming several rooftops into eclectic social events. The event locations were dropped from space via satellite imagery – taken by photographer Tom Hegen – which showed the iconic red Heineken star on a classic green Seoul rooftop.Renowned aerial photographer Tom Hegen documented the transformationSeoulites then had to track them down, whereupon they could join the event and, of course, have a cold beer. In Seocho-dong, we joined for an intimate set with Dino of SEVENTEEN fame, and then, not far from Seongsu-dong, we joined a hands-on design workshop with contemporary artist Cha Inchul!Seongsu-dong (the Brooklyn of Seoul)Seongsu is where you ll find the coolest fashion stores in the city.One my final full day in Seoul, I visited an area sometimes dubbed the “Brooklyn of the city” – Seongsu. As a lover of New York, I can attest there is a definite Williamsburg-esque feel to this district, with its flatter buildings and industrial aesthetic.I walked there from the nearby Seoul Forest, which is a large and very beautiful park that I wish I’d had longer to explore. We shopped at some really cool clothes stores including NYU NYU, Musinsa and Blue Elephant, and also grabbed drinks in a couple of cute cafes including Dalim Bread.Truthfully, Seongsu is a sort of pop-up store heaven, with brands from Dior to Aesop opening up stores there, so be ready to do some shopping there!Handy Tips To Know Before You Go To SeoulSeoul from a distance.To close out, here are some things I think are helpful to know about Seoul before you rock up there.Google and Apple apps are spotty, so it’s recommended to download a Korean alternative like Naver Map, or you can use CityMapper pretty easily.Uber is a great way to get around because taxis are cheap and quick to arrive. However, traffic can quickly accumulate on the roads around rush hour, which will slow you down.The metro is clean, safe and fairly easy to use, but you will need a T-Money rechargeable smart card to use it and other public transport like the bus. Also, beware that stations have multiple exits that can be far apart, so always know which number exit you need to get to in advance.Payment methods in South Korea are little complicated. Some stores accept Apple and Samsung Pay or bank cards, others prefer cash. You can use your T-Money to pay for things in shops, too – that’s a great, easy way to make sure you’re always okay to pay in Seoul.You’ll want extra luggage space to take back all the things you buy in Seoul, because not only is everything so cool and cute, it’s also very affordable! Case and point, I bought four pairs of normal glasses and three pairs of sunglasses while I was there.Flight times can be very long, especially if you transit through somewhere, so be prepared for that.If you don’t have international cover on your phone plan, something like a Korean SIM card for a set amount of time might be a good idea. I sourced mine via WOWPass, where you also manage your T-Money account.Always carry your passport as stores offer tourists tax deductions when paying for items of a significant value. You can also scan your receipts at the airport to receive tax back on your purchase, so keep a hold of those.Related...3 Hidden Gem City Breaks To Book This Winter – And How To Do It On A Budget9 Destinations Travel Influencers Return To Again And AgainA Travel Pro Spills Her Secret(s) To Bagging Cheap Family Holidays
Monday 13 October 2025
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5 Must-See Things To Do In Seoul, South Korea


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