South Korea - it's a wrap

South Korea - It's a wrap

16 July 2025

As has become standard for me when I've ended a trip I've taken to doing a last summary or a 'greatest hits' review whenever I managed to complete the final entry on the 'how, why, when and whatever else may have been alcohol related' blog series of my most recent escapades.  Usually at this point I’ll write, ‘sticking with the tradition of other escapades’, but the fact is that in more recent entries I just didn’t get around to completing a wrap. So lets now celebrate the belated return of the tour wrap ……

,,,,,I therefore bring you the close out of my South Korea experience, So let’s do it, here are the highs, lows, hits and misses of imagining your own Korea tour.

[Morocco - Europe wrap - June/July 2008]

[Laos wrap - April 2009]

[Vietnam-Malaysia wrap - December/January 2009/10]

[Europe - Morocco - South America wrap 2010]

[USA - Mexico wrap - February/March 2011]

[Brazil/U.A.E wrap - December/January 2011/12]

South Korea - 2025

Favourite places

In Seoul it has to be Euljiro, or as the locals call it, ‘Hipjiro’ – one of Seoul’s most captivating contrasts. By day, a maze of hardware shops and prints stores, but by night, this place exudes mystery, energy and promise. A hidden playground of speakeasies, craft beer bars, restaurants and multi-coloured neon-lit alleyways – to quote myself from the original blog piece, a neon-soaked playground of vibrant energy with subtle dystopian undertones. Intoxicating a vibrant, this is stands out as my favourite nighttime destination in Seoul.

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

In Busan I rate Gwangalli beach highly. I was drawn to it by its Saturday evening drone show and then quickly came to realise that this location had a laid-back seaside charm that also has a buzzing nightlife equal to any major city. Framed by the glittering Gwangan bridge, I witnessed the shoreline transform during the early evening into a strip of bustling, thrumming, bars and restaurants. At some point I found myself in a bowling alley on the 10^th floor of a building, having a drink and looking out onto the Gwangan bridge – that to me was the epitome of a cool experience and kinds of sums up what I think of South Korea.

Gwangalli Beach - Busan - South Korea

Gwangan bridge from Gwangalli Beach - Busan - South Korea

Most surprising

This response is less about a place or area and more about Seoul’s café culture obsession. If Melbourne is the café hub of Australia ( a badge that it wears with pride), then Seoul is an alpha city, competing easily with any contender or pretender to that throne. Every neighbourhood boasts stylish, themed, and very ‘Instagrammable’ destinations. On my first day in Seoul I spent some time on Café Onion, in Anguk (Jongo) district, and it was an experience. I also passed Soha Salt Pond in Ikseon-dong, which from the outside looked like more of a destination than a place to get a caffeine hit, but be sure, the output is certainly equal to the hype. For my experience, Anguk, Ikseon-dong & Seongsu-dong were teeming with cafes – which also aligns to another surprising element beyond the caffeine fixes, there seems to be a deep appreciation and loved for baked goods. Obviously there’s an association here but boutique bakeries are everywhere. I often passed the Artist Bakery in Anguk and there was never a time that the line didn’t go out the door and wind around the building. Each bakery takes the time to carefully craft & present their delicate, artisanal wares. This is an experience and something not to be missed when in Seoul.

Cafe Onion - Anguk - Jongno District - Seoul - South Korea

Cafe Onion - Anguk - Jongno District - Seoul - South Korea

Coolest place for a night out

Euljiro in Seoul and Gwangalli Beach in Busan were my standouts. Honourable mentions in Seoul go to Hongdae, Itaewon and Ikseon-dong, with Ikseon-dong being my favourite from the runners-up. To me, Ikseon-dong felt like a secret village hidden in plain sight. In a city of 8 million people, stepping off the main street and into its hanok alleys was like walking into an open air speakeasy. Intimate bars, cocktail dens and quirky cafes abound in the midst of beautiful collaboration of old world charm and modern creativity. I also want to highlight Seosulla-gil  in the Jongno District which became familiar to me through my nightly walks home. An ‘up and comer’ in Seoul, this is being identified as a ‘to-be’ hip destination before being widely accepted as such. Get there now.

Ikseon-dong - Seoul - South Korea

Ikseon-dong - Seoul - South Korea

Best accommodation

I only stayed in two locations, so instead of nominating an actual property, I'll nominated the areas that I think would make great stays. In Seoul, for me the Jongno District or Ikseon-dong had it in spades. In all my pre-travel research I was taking bets on Myeongdong for how central it is, or, Itaewon for its integrated nightlife - I don't believe that either would have been appropriate for me. Jongno and Ikseon-dong have a lovely blend of the old charm of Seoul, with the new, creative, modern hip spirit of youth. These areas feel more refined, are trendier and less crowded, but have far more appeal that the high flyers mentioned. In Busan I stayed on Haeundae beach, which was fantastic but would give this one to Gwangalli beach on reflection. Gwangalli seemed to have a bit more of everything in the night life stakes but with that said, both were fantastic.

Best drink

Soju is the undeniable king here. With me it had an inauspicious start on my second morning when I grabbed a bottle out of fridge at the Benikea – The Bliss, hotel in Incheon. It didn’t earn any plaudits on its debut. Usually a distilled rice drink, it presents as clear, smooth and slightly sweet. Drinking it out of the bottle ‘just for kicks’ did nothing, but with that said, I knew nothing. The moment that I paired it with my favourite style of meal, usually a spicy or savoury dish, then the whole world of soju made perfect sense.

Soju - Itaewon - Seoul - South Korea

Best meal

This one is easy, Dak-galbi is a dish of bite sized chicken pieces marinated in the wonderful gochujang sauce/marinade, which imparts a spice, sweet and savoury taste. The chicken is stir-fried with vegetables and then topped with cheese. When paired with soju the combination is an epicurean delight. An honourable mention goes to tteokbokki, also a fiery & sweet street made food, made from chewy rice cakes and simmered in a bold gochujang sauce. That darn gochujang is so addictive that it was one of the first things I sought out once I arrived back in Melbourne. A shout out to the stall holders at Gwangjang market that made my tteokbokki experience all the more enjoyable.

My favourite disk - Dak-galbi - Itaewon - Seoul - South Korea

Gwangjan market - Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Tteok-Bokki - Gwangjan market - Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Best bars

Honestly, too many to mention. I’ve already identified Euljiro and Gwangalli beach as key in Seoul and Busan, and I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention Huaendae beach in Busan, which was the near equal of Gwangalli. So rather than naming the best bar, I’ll give this one to both an interesting and surprising option, which is Sul 24 on Seousulla-gil 53 - Jongno District – Seoul. This place is literally an unmanned bar, run 24hrs per day, 365 days of the year. There’s no staff, no pressure, just grab your own drinks and enjoy. It says a lot about South Korea and its people that this place work without an issue.

Sul 24 on Seousulla-gil 53 - Jongno District – Seoul - South Korea

Favourite photos

The nightscape is so vibrant - Gunam-ro - Haeundae - Busan - South Korea

The back alleys of Euljiro - this to me is evokes those feels of mystery, energy and discovery

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

I took this whilst walking the back streets of Itaewon - its simple but there's something cool about it

Itaewon - Seoul - South Korea

Sky capsules in Haeundae - I love how the capsules traverses the skyline

Haeundae beach - Busan - South Korea

Early evening on Cheonggyecheon canal - Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Coolest moments

Sitting outside at another wonderful bar in Euljiro, looking out onto a little lantern filled alley, I was just in the moment and truly enjoying the whole experience.

Un-coolest moment

Seoul works so efficiently, everything makes sense and is intuitive, even for the first time tourist, but what I can’t figure out for the life of me is why a travel pass can only be topped up with cash. There was no option to top up with a credit card, which in itself presented a problem to me when I lost my initial travel card and was able to get a replacement, but couldn’t place any credit onto it. Going around to find an ATM presented such an unnecessary nuisance, especially on my last day.

Most random but still cool moment

On my first night wondering Anguk, I walked into a cute little bar hidden inside a Hanok village, and there I met barman Min, bartender, resident DJ and great guy extraordinaire. He was so attentive, so personable and on my second night in attendance, he let me bash out a really bad version of What’s the story morning glory. If I can somehow find the name of the bar at a later stage, I’ll include the link.

My man Min, spinning some tunes for me in Anguk - Seoul - South Korea

Best comeback

This relates directly to my un-coolest moment and just goes to show how acting like a confused foreigner will give you liberties that otherwise wouldn’t exist. After misplacing my travel card the evening before and not wanting to run around with my luggage to find an ATM, I elected to play dumb through various metro lines, acting confused and bewildered whenever I was pulled up for ‘insufficient funds’. The most I was every interrogated was at my final stop at Incheon Airport where the transit officer quizzed me on where I purchased the card, how many won I added, etc. After a couple minutes of a circular argument he obviously realised the futility of the situation and let me through – case closed.

Travel breakdown

Total number of flights - 2

Total flying hours – 18 hrs

Total time spent in airports - 'Not many, if any...' - All recognition and rights to that line go to Scribe, not may people can roll like him!

Total number of train rides - 1

Total number of bus rides - 1

Total number of sky capsule ride - 2

Total distance travelled – 17220 kms

Total bottles of Soju downed - 12 (give or take)

Thank you South Korea

Incheon Airport - Incheon - South Korea

South Korea, the surprise packet! Energetic, vibrant and running towards the future, whilst at the same time, incorporating its culture in a number of ways to ensure that its preserved for generations to come. A truly engaging, wonderful place. I can’t wait to come back and spend more time here.

Busan (South Korea) to Seoul (South Korea) - Little by little

 

Busan (South Korea) – Seoul (South Korea)

13 July – 14 July 2025

On my last morning in Busan I knew that I had under-stayed my visit by a couple of days. A feeling of that nature is always bittersweet. It leaves you with a desire to return, to reminisce for the experiences that you had, and also, for those that were lost due to the temerity of time. The darn clock just keeps ticking and it doesn’t answer to anyone.

Heading out from the intercity bus station in Busan and making my way back into Seoul was as simple as you’d want it to be. Nothing hard, deceptive or counter-intuitive, and the connections from metro, to bus and back onto metro in Seoul were how you always imagine transport connections to be if they were designed with efficiency and effectiveness in mind.

Back in Seoul and I returned to the initial neighbourhood that I stayed in just a few days before, Jongno. There’s something nice about coming back to a place where you feel comfortable with your surrounds, and also a something a little arrogant about watching other ‘newbies’ turning up the area and watching them struggle – like looking down on them seems inherently normal even though you were in the same position just days earlier.

For this Sunday afternoon I decided that I would spend it in the ‘up and coming’ (with a bullet) hoods of Seongsu

Seongsu-dong

Seongsu-dong is one of those neighbourhoods in Seoul where the past and present collide in the most unexpected way. Once known mainly as the city’s shoe-making hub, its old factories and warehouses are now being reimagined as cafés, art galleries, and boutique shops. In another example of drawing an analogy of an iconic global neighbourhood, Seongsu-dong has been called the ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’. Aha, here we go again, that metaphorical comparison where a place itself bestows the characteristics and qualities of another through repetitive and reinforced narratives. I often wonder if doing this somehow infuses the community with the desire to pursue the vision which is being bestowed on them, or, whether its visitors such as myself that reinforce the vision by repeating the marketing narrative? I anticipate, if I’m being rational, that the feedback loop from a community perspective creates the frame by which is can aspire to be likened to a well known place, and likewise, it’s people like me that produce that quick mental shortcut to draw a comparison and develop a frame of reference by which we can experience and new destination. Either way, it worked. On this day I had the choice of exploring ‘Psy’s Gangum’, or, delving into the ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’. Having only passed through Brooklyn the single time that I’d been to New York, I chose the latter option.

Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

My expectations were somehow set within the framework of a gentrified industrial space. For some reason my idea of Brooklyn seemed to be rooted in that context. On arriving in Seongsu-dong, that’s what I felt like I was met with. An heavily industrial canvas, an area of gritty authenticity, with veins of creativity and commercialism running through its construct.

A gorgeous cafe in Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

Windows over Brooklyn - Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

On a late Sunday afternoon the streets were buzzing with teens and twenty-somethings lining up for various stores, occupying tables in what looked to be some very hip restaurants, or simply cruising the streets as an indulgent pastime. Certainly, there was an imbued energy that permeated through the neighbourhood. There was street art, murals and installations that punctuated what must have been a very different neighbourhood in the past. From what I discovered, the transformation came in the early 2010’s when the young creatives of the city were drawn by the area’s low rents, convenient transport connections and collective mindset of creativity. And certainly, you can see that, walking its blocks, turning into random streets and alleyways, there are stylish and chic bars that draw the attention. It’s almost like an onion, revealing itself in all the more alluring layers through each step that you take into its interior. Designers, artists, and musicians have made the district their playground, filling the warehouses with their studios, cafés, and concept stores.

Rooftop play pool - Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

Sunset in Seongsu-dong - Seoul - South Korea

I slowly drifted through Seongsu, with no real planned destination but just kind of dragged along with the current, happy to be led rather than target anything specifically. I found myself in some really spectacular cafes and bars, intrigued each time by the element of surprise and by both the audacity and creativity.

There are plenty of “Instagrammable” corners in Seoul, but Seongsu is easily one of the most celebrated. Locals flock to its ever-changing side streets, where traditional shoemakers still practise their craft beside cutting-edge galleries and sleek design spaces. The result is a neighbourhood defined by contrast, a place where the city’s industrial roots stand shoulder to shoulder with its dynamic, creative future.

Euljiro – a neon-soaked playground of vibrant energy with subtle dystopian undertones

Euljiro!! This is what I needed.

I loved Jogno and Ikseon-dong. Had fun in Hongdae & Itaewon, and meandered through Myeongdong but this was it. I discovered some truly irresistible spots that perfectly match the kind of nightlife I crave. There’s something intoxicating about the way the narrow streets wrap you in their own world of mystery, the subtle rush of endorphins as you step this space that seems to have its own rules. Especially at night, when shadows and neon collide, that feeling of being completely absorbed by the city is exhilarating. Alleyways that reveal a hive of hip and sometimes, well hidden bars, craft beer joints, and some great late-night eateries. This place is cool. The atmosphere is charged and yet the area is unpolished, deliberately shabby, with exteriors meant to disarm. Exposed pipes, concreate walls, fluorescent lights, all reimagined as the backdrop for some really interesting nightlife spots. There were doors and walls that I walked past a number of times before realising the ‘secret’ only when I saw people walking through a random vending machine into a heaving bar, or seeing the entrance to what looked to be a decrepit tailors shop and realising that there was much, much more going on inside.

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

An area of Seoul that has now become one of this most exciting after dark playgrounds, I entered somehow by chance and with no real expectation. But this neighbourhood off gritty industrial charm and sometime, blinding neon

Euljiro was fantastic. In some ways as exciting as San Telmo in Buenos Aires. Barri Gotic in Barcelona or the Old Quarter in Hanoi. This was was ‘my Korea’, or rather, me ‘imagining my Korea’. Without at all disparaging other areas, this was certainly my favourite. A blend of the old and new, minimalist wine bars, retro-themed bars, the multi-coloured glow of neon, and those intriguing undertones of how you feel a dystopian world may present itself.

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

A travel themed bar in Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

I LOVED the backstreets of Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

Another bar in 'Hipjiro' - Euljiro - Seoul - South Korea

The locals call this area ‘Hipjiro’, which , a nod to its transformation into a cultural hotspot, but its appeal lies in the fact that it hasn’t lost its gritty, working-class roots.  Far less polished than Gangnam and less tourist-driven than Hongdae, its nightlife is as much about exploration as it is about drinking, half the fun is weaving through the labyrinth of alleys to see what hidden gem you’ll find next. For me, this area was truly Seouls’ major drawcard and an unforgettable. If and when Seoul has me back, Euljiro will be No.1 on the list as to why I’ll be returning.

Walking back to Jongno, I crossed Cheonggyecheon stream - Euljiro - South Korea 

The truly fabulous dish, dak-galbi  - Itaewon - South Korea 

In fact, I did return to Eurljiro the next evening after making my way down to Itaewon for a magical plate of Dak-galbi, which as I’ve mentioned earlier, is a masterful dish of marinated chicken stir-fried  with vegetables in the magical ‘sauce’ or chilli paste, gochujang. The version I had was topped off with cheese and it was absolutely my favourite dish during my time in Korea.