First Impressions of South Korea – A Crazy Walking Trip to Seoul During 2016 National Day

Every year, I agonize over holiday destinations. For someone like me with only five days of annual leave, every trip feels incredibly precious. Originally, this year's plan was a cherry blossom trip to Japan in April, but for various reasons, it never materialized. It kept getting postponed until the second half of the year. Since I had never tried traveling during Golden Week, I thought I'd pick a place I didn't have high expectations for, just have some casual fun, and not get disappointed by the National Day crowds. South Korea had never been on my travel list because I'm not particularly into shopping and I'm not a big fan of Korean dramas. So that's how this National Day trip to Seoul came about.

Once the destination was decided, things became much simpler. I'm absolutely an action-oriented person, so I immediately booked a package tour on Ctrip. Since it was still about two months before Golden Week, the price wasn't crazily high yet. Don't ask me why I always choose Ctrip: first, because I hate trouble – having flights, hotels, and airport transfers all arranged in one go is perfect for a lazy person; second, I really like Ctrip's WeChat group leader service. Every time I travel independently, they create a small group based on departure date and destination, assigning a group leader, similar to a tour guide on a package tour. You can ask any travel-related questions, and it's really practical. By the way, when I booked the trip, I hadn't even started applying for a visa yet. That's just how us Geminis are – I was confident I wouldn't be rejected, hahaha... And it turned out to be true. Of course, you guys shouldn't follow my example; it's safer to get your visa first and then book the itinerary. I got the visa from the same agency that handled my Thai visa last time. I won't go into the documents here; it took ten working days to process, which was fairly fast. Since I already had experience with an independent overseas trip to Thailand, preparing the pre-trip guide this time was much easier. I started preparing about two weeks before departure.

1. Bought a Korean SIM card. To use WeChat and make domestic long-distance calls anytime, a SIM card is essential. Of course, some people choose to rent a Wi-Fi egg, which can be shared by several people, but the problem is you can't make calls. If you get separated, it's hard to find each other (we got separated several times, luckily we had SIM cards), and I also find the rental process troublesome. The SIM card cost over 60 yuan, which was reasonable. After arriving there, I found out that many so-called SIM cards are actually freebies from duty-free shops.

2. Bought a T-money transportation card. This card is very convenient. You can use it on the subway, buses, and taxis in Seoul (the key is it's cheaper than buying tickets without a card), and you can also use it at many convenience stores. I bought a card online pre-loaded with 20,000 won. You can also buy an empty card and top it up at convenience stores or subway station machines, which is also convenient. Any leftover balance can be refunded.

3. Downloaded some useful apps. The two apps I used most during my days in Seoul were "Where I Am" and "Seoul Subway."

4. Bought a plug adapter. The plugs in Korea are different from those in China, so it's best to buy one at home and bring it. Luckily, the hotel I booked had outlets compatible with Chinese plugs; I checked beforehand, so I didn't buy one.

5. Prepared a Chinese map of Seoul in advance and carefully studied the city layout. I marked the locations I planned to visit over the trip. With my hotel as the center, I prepared subway routes to each attraction and shopping area, including which line to take, which station to get off, and which exit to use. Since it was quite detailed, I basically didn't waste much time finding places.

6. The most crucial part: shopping. The two major duty-free shops in Korea are Lotte and Shilla. Both have online stores. Download their apps two months before departure, and you can start shopping happily before even leaving the country. Shilla allows online shopping two months in advance, while Lotte only allows one month. So most of the items on my shopping list were bought from Shilla. Now, here's the key: how to get the cheapest deals? Log in to the duty-free app every day, participate in events to collect red envelopes, and the cash points you earn can be used as discounts. There are many activities, so you must log in daily to do various tasks. If you're lucky, you can earn about 100 yuan worth of points each day. You can use up to 30% of the purchase price in cash points, which is equivalent to a 7% discount. In other words, if you have enough points, you can buy every item at 30% off. And the best part is that other online promotions can be combined with this. For example, if an item is on sale at 40% off, you can apply the additional 30% off, making it really, really cheap. So I bought a YSL lipstick for 140 yuan, a Dior lip balm for over 120 yuan, a Givenchy loose powder for over 230 yuan, and a SK-II 330ml lotion for over 800 yuan, hahaha. Remember to make a pick-up list for items bought online, so you don't forget anything when picking them up at the airport.

With all these preparations, you can set off with a happy mood.

DAY 1: Shanghai – Seoul

Flew from Shanghai Hongqiao to Seoul Gimpo. Choosing these airports was a very wise decision. Instead of Pudong and Incheon, I selected airports that mainly handle domestic flights. As it turned out, even during the crazy Golden Week when many Chinese travel abroad, the crowds at these two airports were no different from usual. Security checks and immigration didn't require much queuing. Asiana Airlines was very reliable, with on-time departures and arrivals. The airplane food was delicious, far better than domestic airlines. We arrived in Seoul at 20:50 local time. Since it was late, I had pre-booked Ctrip's airport transfer service at 40 yuan, which was very cost-effective. The driver was punctual and took us directly to the hotel. If you don't book a transfer, you can also take the 6021 airport bus (goes directly to Myeongdong) or the subway, which is also convenient to reach the city center (Seoul Station, etc.). You can choose based on your arrival time and preferences; all are convenient. We booked four nights at the Seoul Star Hotel Myeongdong 2. The hotel was new, with an excellent location – about a 7-8 minute walk to Myeongdong, walkable to Namsan Tower, and close to Myeongdong Station and Chungmuro Station. The front desk staff was nice. On the first night, because they switched my booked double bed room to a twin room temporarily, they gave us two complimentary breakfast vouchers. There was no Chinese service, but my broken English was sufficient for communication. The only downside was that the room was small, but it had everything needed. What I liked most was the automatic heated, water-spraying toilet seat; it was really comfortable, and I almost wanted to take it home.

DAY 2: Gyeongbokgung Palace – Bukchon Hanok Village – Samcheong-dong – Myeongdong – Namsan Tower

Although the day seemed packed, it was actually quite relaxed. Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Samcheong-dong are all connected and close to each other; we walked everywhere. At Gyeongbokgung Palace, you can watch the changing of the guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate at 10:00. The scenery inside is actually quite ordinary; after seeing the Forbidden City in China, no other palace will surprise you. Admission is 3,000 won per person, and it's free for those wearing hanbok. Cheongwadae (the Blue House) is very close to Gyeongbokgung, and you can book a tour on its official website, but it's said you need to make a reservation at least two months in advance, so we didn't go. Bukchon Hanok Village is great for renting a hanbok, taking pictures, and posing. We just walked into a random photo studio where you can rent hanbok and take indoor photos freely; the price was about 15,000 won per person per hour. Samcheong-dong is adjacent to Hanok Village and is a stylish, artsy street where you can wander aimlessly. In the evening, we returned to Myeongdong to continue strolling around. There were all kinds of street food, dazzling cosmetic shops, and colorful neon lights. Only the crowds in Myeongdong could rival those in China. After dinner, we headed to Namsan Tower. Waiting for the cable car took over an hour – it was the only unpleasant experience during this National Day trip. After walking all day, queuing for another hour left us exhausted. But the night view from the top was beautiful; every city's night view has its own charm. Under the neon lights, Seoul looked just right. Round-trip cable car tickets were 8,500 won per person; you could also buy a one-way ticket, go up by cable car, then walk down – it's not very far.

Changing of the guard ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Gate

Cool Korean oppa

Beautiful blue sky after the rain

Compared to China, this crowd is nothing

Gyeongbokgung look

Pigeons leisurely strolling inside Gyeongbokgung

Such great weather, isn't it?

Clean streets in Samcheong-dong

Seeing this Mickey Mouse couple marks the entrance to Bukchon Hanok Village

One more shot in modern clothes

Namsan Tower, often seen in Korean dramas

Overlooking the entire city at night from Namsan Tower

DAY 3: Ewha Womans University – Hongik University Area – Myeongdong Nanta Show – Lotte Duty Free

Today was a university area day trip. The campus of Ewha Womans University is beautiful. Notable photo spots include the Ewha Relief Wall and the Ewha Campus Complex (the sunken building with glass walls on both sides). But personally, I think Tsinghua University's campus is more beautiful. For lunch, we bought boxed meals from the campus convenience store – economical, tasty, and it seemed like most students also ate from convenience stores. Or does Seoul's university not have student cafeterias? Convenience stores like GS25, 7-Eleven, CU, etc., are everywhere in Seoul, each equipped with a microwave. Except for the first day when we had breakfast at the hotel, we had all other meals at convenience stores. My favorites were banana milk and kimbap, which I ate every day. Around Ewha, you can check out the Ewha Woman's Street. Girls might enjoy going to the Hello Kitty café for photos. After yesterday's intense walking, I was obviously feeling exhausted, so I didn't explore much around the campus. At 5 p.m., we had booked the Myeongdong Nanta Show. Wherever I go, I like to watch local theater performances; they help understand the local culture. In Thailand, I saw a ladyboy show; in Korea, I chose the Nanta Show. It's something like a non-verbal comedy with energetic performances and lots of audience interaction – very entertaining and worth watching. After the show, without even eating dinner, we headed straight to Lotte Duty Free and shopped until the store closed (omitting a thousand words here). My feet were numb. Then we found a street stall for dinner. Mr. Wang deliberately chose a stall with many locals. Don't be surprised that we could distinguish Koreans from Chinese. Even though both are East Asians, you can really tell the difference. Koreans look much more polished, especially elderly Korean women, who always put on delicate makeup before going out. Their whole demeanor is completely different. Our choice proved right again; the food at this stall was delicious – the best meal I had in Korea.

Beautiful campus of Ewha Womans University

Famous photo spot 1 – Sunken glass-walled building

Famous photo spot 1 – Sunken glass-walled building

Famous photo spot 2 – Ewha Wall

Mr. Wang pretending to be a student

Campus bus stop

Lunch bought at Ewha convenience store

The most delicious street food

DAY 4: Lotte Duty Free – Yongsan Spa

On our last day in Korea, we woke up naturally, checked our shopping list, and continued replenishing at the duty-free shop. For dinner, we had grilled meat at Wangbijip in Myeongdong. It has a big reputation, but the taste was average, and the price was exorbitant. Beef was over 200 yuan per serving with very small portions – low value for money. The cheaper street-side barbecue places probably taste better. After dinner, we headed to Yongsan Spa to spend the night. If you like Korean dramas, you probably want to experience the authentic Korean jjimjilbang, eating boiled eggs and wearing sheep horn towels. It turned out to be exactly like on TV. Many locals stay overnight there. The price was about 11,000 won per person (I don't remember exactly). It includes bathing, hot springs, and sauna – no extra charge. But body scrubbing, games, food, and drinks cost extra. They sell a kind of sweet rice drink that is very refreshing and cold. I recommend bringing your own toiletries for the bath; the bathhouse only provides free soap (communal). If you forget, you can buy toiletries at the counter on the third floor women's locker room. All consumption inside is charged to your wristband, and you pay at the front desk when you leave. I decided that next time I come, I'll book one fewer night at the hotel and spend a night here.

For the photo above, Mr. Wang dropped his ice cream on the ground while posing.

Myeongdong is a foodie's paradise

Myeongdong is a foodie's paradise

Prominent sign of Yongsan Spa

Silly couple having fun

Delicious rice drink and eggs

DAY 5: The day to head home.

Our flight from Gimpo Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao was at 4 p.m., so we could slowly get up, pack our luggage, and take the subway to the airport. Taking the subway saved us a lot of money. During our days in Korea, besides our own two feet, we only used the subway – no taxis, no buses. Thanks to my thorough pre-trip guide, we rarely needed to ask for directions. Only once, we couldn't find the transfer line in a subway station, and then we met a kind local grandmother. She first asked us for directions, then found out we were going in the same direction, so she led us to find the way. She was very nice, fashionable, spoke Japanese, and a little English. We communicated in broken English along the way.

The banana milk I still craved after returning home

My first impression was cleanliness and quietness. There was no trash or debris on the streets, even in isolated spots. Whether in hotel bathrooms or public restrooms in shopping malls, there were cleaners cleaning continuously. Seoul has a dense population, and traffic jams are severe during rush hours, but despite the bustling streets and vehicles, there was no noise, no honking. On narrow streets with many pedestrians, cars would silently follow behind people, unhurried.

Second, the citizens have high quality. When shopping in Korea, you don't worry about your wallet being stolen. The minimum monthly income for Seoul citizens is about 6,000 RMB per person, so there's no need for high-risk illegal activities. On escalators, Seoulites stand on one side, leaving the other side for those in a hurry. Cars on the street consciously yield to pedestrians. Since we are used to letting cars go first, we often encountered situations where people yield to cars and cars yield to people – mutual courtesy. These examples are countless.

Seoul is a charming city. There's always a reason to want to go again. Next time, I want to go in the season of heavy snowfall and truly seek out the romantic stories from Korean dramas.

It seems my travel journal has more text than pictures, but I think some friends still prefer straightforward written narratives. I hope this can be helpful for those planning a trip to Seoul.