Welcome to Seoul, South Korea! With this video we wanted to take you on a
tour of one of our favourite cities in Asia. Seoul (서울) is a place where street food
abounds, where cafe culture is taken to a whole different level, where ancient palaces
sit next to towering glass constructions, and where pockets of art and creativity give
the city its pulse. In short, it’s a place you have to see for
yourself! In this video we’ll be showing you 50 things
to do in Seoul. We realize this is a pretty long travel guide,
so we’ve listed all of the sights, attractions, and foods to try in the description box to
make it easy for you to navigate to the places you’re most interested in. We’ll hope you enjoy this tour of Seoul;
now let’s get started! Let’s start at Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장),
which is home to two important figures. First up, you’ll see the statue of Yi Sun-Sin
(충무공 이순신 동상). He was a Korean navy commander responsible
for many victories at sea, and it still revered today. Then just a few steps north, you’ll come
across a seated statue of King Sejong the Great (세종대왕 동상), who was the fourth
king of the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for promoting literacy by
creating the Korean alphabet, known as hangul. From there you can continue to Gyeongbokgung
Palace (경복궁 - 景福宮) to watch the changing of the royal guard, which takes place
twice a day and is a pretty cool ceremony to witness - uniforms, weapons and live music
included. Once the changing of the guard is over, you
can then purchase your tickets to Gyeongbokgung (경복궁 - 景福宮) and tour the grounds. Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁 - 景福宮) is
the largest and most impressive of the 5 Grand Palaces in Seoul (서울) - yes, there are
lot of palaces in this city! So this morning we're visiting the Bukchon
Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을 - 北村韓屋) and Hanok (한옥) is a traditional type of
house that dates back to the Joseon dynasty. So it is pretty cool. You don't really see this type of construction
anymore so we're going to be wandering around the neighborhood checking out these homes. But wherever you go you see these signs reminding
you to keep quiet because families do still live here and I mean you've got tourists coming
around with their cameras. Ourselves included so let's try to keep quiet. So we're going to try not to be too annoying. Yes! But let's go take pictures. If this sounds like your kind of thing, you
can pick up a free map of Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을 - 北村韓屋) outside
of Anguk Station (안국역), and go on your own self-guided tour from there. Now let’s talk about food for a second. We’ll be giving you lots of recommendations
throughout this video, but one of our favourites that we want to mention right away is galbi
(갈비). Let us show you why: So for today's lunch we're actually first
at the restaurant. This place is empty. It is about 11 AM but we were super hungry
so we are going to be having something called Galbi (갈비) and that is marinated short
ribs. You can get pork or beef. We've ordered pork because it is a little
bit cheaper and it comes in a really sweet marinade which we really enjoy so we're going
to be cooking those at the table. And another thing that sets Kalbi (갈비)
apart from say Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) or another meat is that it is cooked over charcoal. So they're going to be bringing that soon
and just putting it right there. I know. Super excited. This is like the ultimate Korean grill barbecue
experience. That smells great. Like you can already smell the sweetness coming
off of the meat. That is so good. I know. I'm like. We've had this, I have to admit we had this
maybe two days ago. No, I think it was four or five days. Was it? But like it was so good and coming back here
again and filming it. Like we know what we're getting. Oh yes. Our mouth is watering. Yeah, I feel like the Pavlovian dog here. I'm just salivating at the sight of this meat. This looks incredible. Okay so Sam is ready to assemble his first
piece. Oh man, you better believe it. The Galbi (갈비). I can't believe how kind the people are here. The service is incredible. Like they just. They cooked it for us. They didn't have to do that and they did. Which was so nice of them. I think like I mean we could have done it
by ourselves but you know it is always nice to have a local doing it because they really
know the ins and outs of cooking it. So I am basically. I've got my piece of Galbi (갈비) and I've
dipped it into some Ssamjang (쌈장) sauce here. Let me put a little bit more on. I've got onions, I've got lettuce and look
here comes the jiggae (찌개). More food coming. Gamsahamnida (감사 합니다). So it has all been assembled here. Just time to pop it into my mouth. You really taste the marinade and then what
I love the Ssamjang (쌈장) gives it a bit of a kick. That has red pepper paste and also the soy
paste. And then when you combine it with lettuce
and onion it just is aww amazing. The meat is really tender. Next, we have Namsan (남산) which offers
an easy hike in the middle of the city. So to reach Seoul Tower you basically have
two options. You can take the cable car which is the lazy
route. Or you can hike up Namsan Park. And that is exactly what we're doing. That is how it is done. That is how it is done. That is how you earn those views of Seoul. We're going up N Seoul Tower. We got our tickets. It was 10,000 Won per person. The view. Made it to the top now time to enjoy the views
that we've earned. Yeah. You know what? It has gotten a little bit hazy since earlier
this morning so it might be a little gray but we still get to see the whole city. On top of Namsan (남산), you’ll find N
Seoul Tower (N서울타워), which is a major landmark. If you ride the elevator to the top, you can
get 360 degree views of the city. Aside from that, they also have cultural performances
on the square directly below the tower, so be sure to check the schedule while you’re
there. For a taste of where Seoul’s youth hang
out, hop over to Hongdae (홍대 - 弘大). The area gets its name from Hongik Daehakgyo,
which is one of the leading art universities. That translates into an area full of creativity,
and it’s also a great area for nightlife… Which brings us to our next point: noraebang
(노래방)! So if there is one thing you need to try while
you're in Seoul (ソウル) it is Noraebang. And that is a singing room. Yeah, these Korean singing rooms are awesome. Like they are so much fun. We didn't even enjoy singing before we came
to Korea and now we're really into it. So that is how cool it is. How it works, is that you rent a room with
a few friends for an hour, and then you can sing your heart out complete with tambourines. It’s a lot of fun and we both got into it. Another experience not to be missed is visiting
a jjimjilbang (찜질방). This is a sauna, bathhouse, and communal space
where you can either crash after a late night out, or go to relax and pamper yourself a
little bit. Jjjimjilbangs (찜질방) have different spaces
where you can sleep, watch movies, read, work out, eat, play video games, and so much more. We went to Siloam sauna (실로암사우나)
which is one of the best in the city and is also conveniently located across from Seoul
Station (서울역). So we're heading inside the charcoal room. It is only twenty two degrees and that is
the coldest room we've been able to find. Aside from the ice room. The others are like fifty or sixty degrees
which is just unbearable for me. Yeah, that would be bad for the camera. So let's go in. Quietly, because people are sleeping. Come in. One neighbourhood to tack on to your itinerary
is Insadong (인사동 - 仁寺洞). This area is home to antique stores, art galleries,
and souvenir shops where you can pick up traditional Korean gifts to take back home with you. If you wander down Insadong’s (인사동
- 仁寺洞) side streets and back alleys, you’ll also discover lots of cute tea houses,
which brings us to our next point: Insadong’s tea houses (차) offer a quiet
escape from the buzz of the main street, and dropping by for some tea is a great way to
unwind in between all the shopping and sightseeing. Many of the teahouses (찻집) are set in
old hanok buildings, where you sit on mats on the ground. Have arrived. Tell us what we're having. Yeah, so the one that I ordered is called
gyepi cha (계피 차) and you can have a look at it down here. It comes in a nice like kind of fancy traditional
cup. It is almost like a soup bowl. Yeah, it really is. And this is a Korean cinnamon tea (한국어
계피 차) so I'm really excited about this. I love anything with cinnamon so this should
be great. Okay, so for mine I got the Maesilcha (매실차,
梅實茶) which is a green plum tea and it has got ice cubes in it. Much needed today. Hahaha. You can actually see behind you there is the
air conditioner guys. That huge air conditioner. That is so so hot. And this is so good it is like juice. It is like a sweet syrupy plum juice. Refreshing? Um hum. So good. And we also ordered some sweets to go along
with the tea. So what can you tell us? What are we having there. Yeah, so this is really exciting. We've got persimmon slices. They've been dried and then we have some special
tteok (떡) which is the Korean rice cakes and they appear to have it looks like rice
crispies around them. Yeah they're actually instead of cakes they're
more like rice crisps. And I think we've had these ones before like
several years ago and they're really airy. They're almost like rice puffs but they are
sweet. From Insadong (인사동) it’s only a short
walk to another cool neighbourhood called Samcheong-dong (삼청동 - 三淸洞). This is a very artistic neighbourhood with
lots of indie boutiques, coffee shops, and galleries, and it’s one of my favourite
parts of the city. So for today's lunch we are going to be having
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) and that is a Korean pork belly that you cook yourself at the table. It is like really fatty pork, so it is going
to be nice and crisp. Yeah, it kind of reminds me a little bit of
Canadian bacon except more thickly sliced. Bacon for lunch. So they came and helped us out a little bit. And they basically cut the meat into little
pieces so that they can cook a little bit further and get nice and golden. Also, I should mention this meat isn't seasoned
at all and they didn't add any oil to cook it either. I think the idea is just that the fat is going
to start melting and that will allow it to cook. You know cook in its own fat and give it more
flavor. So yeah, we're just waiting now. Waiting for it to turn golden and crispy. I like mine really burnt. Yeah, me too. Which is kind of strange because like if I'm
eating steak or something else like that I tend to like it a bit more rare. Yeah, a bit more raw. But with Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) I find it
tastes optimum when it is like charred a bit. Yeah, it is so fatty that you kind of want
it to be golden and crispy. Otherwise it is just like chewing fat and
I'm not a huge fan of that. Okay, so time to make this happen. Let's assemble your first bite. It sure is time. I can't wait for this. So I'm grabbing my piece of Samgyeopsal (삼겹살),
the Korean pork belly and you know what I am going for a super one here so I'm putting
my garlic, my manul on here, a little bit of ssamjang put that right like that and a
little bit some salad. Wow that is going to be a big bite. Perfect. It is going to be a huge bite. And now I'm going to roll that all up. Gamsahamnida (감사합니다). Scrunch it up into a ball. And one shot. One bomb. Mmmmm. Oh man. That is so good. So I think tonight we are going to try and
show you the nightlife in Seoul. Gumbae! Gumbae! A typical night out in Korea (대한민국)
could start out with chicken and beer or barbecue and soju, and you can go bar hopping from
there. As the evening progresses, you could end up
singing the night away at a noraebang or documenting your adventures at a photo booth. So we're having a photo shoot after soju and
beer. How do we do this? Oh what background do you want? Uh, cutesy. We've never done this before. I don't even know what is going on. Okay so now we get to decorate our pictures. Hahaha. Hahaha. Woah. Haha. As far as museums go, we really enjoyed visiting
the National Hangeul Museum (국립한글박물관) which focuses on the history of the Korean
alphabet. Just a short walk away, you also have the
National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관) which is the largest museum in the country
and covers Korea’s history from ancient times to the modern era. Lastly, for a more sobering museum, you have
the War Memorial of Korea (전쟁기념관). This museum is located in the old Army Headquarters
and the exhibitions showcase military equipment and war memorabilia. So we're at Jogyesa temple (조계사) right
now and we can smell the incense burning in the air. So Jogyesa Buddhist Temple (조계사) is
a really cool temple located basically in the heart of Seoul. Very close to Insadong. And what is really cool here is that you can
do a tea ceremony and you can also do a temple stay for like a couple of nights. Korean street food is a good idea anytime
of day as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, so we're at the Mangwon Market (망원시장). This is a really cool market here in Seoul
(서울). It is not one of those popular touristy markets. It is very much a local market. It is nearby Hapjeong (합정) and also Hongdae
(홍대) area. So we're just going to check it out. We're going to show you guys what you can
find here as well as sample a whole bunch of different Korean street food (한국 길거리
음식) here in Seoul. Let's do it. Exciting times. Let's start eating. We can’t speak of visiting Korea (대한민국)
without mentioning all the delicious Korean street food (한국 거리 음식) there is
to try! You could easily turn a visit to the market
into a full meal by wandering from one vendor to the next. Okay so Sam is pretty pumped about today's
outing. Tell us what are we doing? This is the one thing I've been looking forward
to doing in Seoul more than just about anything else. We are going to a baseball game here in Seoul. A Yagu (야구) game. So baseball in Korea is about much more than
just the sport. You come here with friends to eat chicken,
drink beer, chew on some squid. Yes, you can even get dried squid. ojing-eo (오징어). So we are going to load up. We're basically going to have our dinner here
before the game starts. Exactly. Let's go. Let's go find food. So Sam may have come for the game but I'm
here for the cheerleading and the dancing. That is the only thing I'm looking forward
to. Seriously impressive. Over there! So we're currently at the Dongdaemun History
and Cultural Park. And this place is super futuristic. Check it out. The most eye-catching element is Dongdaemun
Design Plaza (동대문역사문화공원) which looks straight out of space and is used
for exhibitions that range from architecture and design, to fine art and fashion. Then right across from the Dongdaemun History
and Culture Park (동대문역사문화공원), you have Dongdaemun Market (동대문시장
- 東大門市場), which is a commercial district made up of shopping centres and a
few traditional markets. Gwangjang Market (광장시장 - 廣藏市場)
is the place for foodies! A few dishes to look out for include bindaetteok
(빈대떡), which is a mung bean pancake; gimbap (김밥), which is a seaweed rice roll
filled with fresh and pickled veggies; and sundae (순대), which is a sausage made with
pig’s blood and noodles. For a day out in nature, Bukhansan National
Park (북한산국립공원 - 北漢山國立公園) is a reasonable commute away. There’s a vast network of trails that vary
in length and level of difficulty, and you could easily turn this into a half-day or
full-day outing. As a little tip, there are lots of restaurants
at the base of the mountain, so you can finish the excursion with a big meal. So it is time for yet another delicious meal
here in Korea. Today we're having sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개)
which is a tofu stew and this is probably my favorite Korean dish. It is so tasty and I can't wait for it to
get here. Anyways, the food is here. We're having our Sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개)
so if you take a look here it comes in this earthen ware pot and when it first came out
it was still bubbling because it was fresh off of the stove so it was like pipping hot. It was still boiling but anyways here is the
dish so look at all of those massive chunks of tofu. Yeah, this is all the fresh tofu. The soft tofu and they are so generous here. Like they give you so so much. We’ve already mentioned N Seoul Tower, however,
another option for views of Seoul (서울) is The 63 Building (63 빌딩 - 육삼 빌딩). This skyscraper sits on Yeouido island overlooking
the Han River, and it was once the tallest building in South Korea. Myeongdong (명동 - 明洞) is synonymous
with shopping. It’s a bit of a zoo if you visit on weekends,
but if you’re willing to brave the crowds, you can find everything from Korean beauty
products to the latest fashion. Another fun activity you can do in Seoul (首尔
- 首爾) is rent a hanbok (한복 - 韓服), which is the traditional Korean dress. So we just got here and now we're waiting
for our turn to pick out some outfits. Yeah, so we did come on the weekend so it
is quite busy. We'll just wait and eventually get to try
it on. Yeah, but you know what it would be better
if we had made a reservation. You can actually do that online. We were just a bit lazy. Now we know. So Sam has to choose two outfits he likes. Yeah, and it is basically a three piece set. So you choose your long shirt and then you
get your vest over here and then finally the pants down there. So this is kind of cool. They have like a beauty counter with straighteners
and you can do your hair before you go out. Headbands. Oh my gosh a headband. Ah, this is awesome. And I feel like a true princess. I went for some autumn colors. So some gold, some deep reds, some creams. Ah, I feel girly. What can I say. I don't know. And because wearing a hanbok (한복 - 韓服)
gives you free admission to the palaces in Seoul (서울), this is the perfect time to
do so. We took this as an opportunity to visit Changdeokgung
Palace (창덕궁 - 昌德宮), Changyeongung Palace (창경궁 - 昌慶宮), and the Jongmyo
Shrine (종묘 - 宗廟), all of which are within walking distance of each other. So we have arrived at our first palace of
the day. Feeling pretty royal in our outfits. Yeah, we're at Changdeokgung (창덕궁 - 昌德宮). Yes. And it is incredible to be walking around
in Hanbok (한복). I mean how often do you get to do this. So this afternoon we are visiting Namsangol
and this is a Korean Folk Village right at the base of Namsan. And it is free to visit which is amazing. Themed-cafes are very popular in Seoul, so
we made time to visit one of Sam’s favourite cat cafes (고양이 카페) in the city. It's like what? He's like no it is not caviar it is just chicken. Being the dog lover that she is, we also made
time to visit a dog cafe (개 카페) where Audrey could befriend all the dogs - and she
didn’t even have to bribe them with treats! As you can probably tell we're at a puppy
cafe and I am very happy surrounded by my new friends here. And this is the Sang Sang puppy Cafe in Hongdae. Oh yes, and I'm feeling the love. Look at this. It just licked you. And for something rather unusual, we also
went to a raccoon cafe (너구리 카페). Yes, you heard that right, a cafe where you
can enjoy a beverage and then watch raccoons run amok in a crawlspace. So right now we're visiting the Cheonggyecheon. This is our favorite place to go walking in
Seoul and we're going to show you why. The Cheonggyecheon (청계천 - 淸溪川)
was once a neglected stream forgotten beneath an overpass, but today it’s a modern urban
park that runs through the city. It’s a nice spot for a lunch break or a
stroll. So Namdaemun Sijang (남대문시장) Namdaemun
Market is the oldest market in Seoul (서울) and it is also one of the best places to get
Korean street food (한국 길거리 음식). So we're just going to go on a rampage and
eat as much Korean street food as we possibly can. A rampage! You heard it here first. Let's go eat. Again, this place (남대문시장 - 南大門市場)
is home to some delicious street eats, so we basically hopped from vendor to vendor
in search of fish cakes, corn dogs covered in crinkle fries, and fried pancakes filled
with sugar and cinnamon. Yum all around! So we are currently in the National Folk Museum
of Korea and the best part is free admission. The Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관
- 國立民俗博物館) is located within the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The museum showcases everyday artifacts that
would have been used in Korea from prehistoric times to the end of the Joseon Dynasty. Ewha Womans University (이화여자대학교
- 梨花女子大學校) is a private university for women in Seoul (서울) and it has a beautiful
campus with a rather unique design. You can visit the main grounds even if you’re
not a student, so if you enjoy architecture, it’s worth the detour. One place that we’d recommend checking out
on a weekend is the Hangang (한강), or the Han River (한강). If the weather is nice, you’ll catch people
enjoying water sports, biking, long boarding, picnicking, or just camping out in tents for
the day. In the middle of the Han River, you’ll also
find Seonyudo Island (선유도 공원), which was once an industrial area that today offers
a little oasis. Another cool place to feel close to nature
is Seoul Forest (서울숲, which was once a royal hunting ground for kings. Next up, let’s talk about Gangnam (강남
- 江南) of “Gangnam Style” world fame thanks to Psy. This is Seoul’s ritzy district, and while
you can find good restaurants and nightlife here, you can expect the price tag to match! Another neighbourhood to visit is Itaewon
(이태원 - 梨泰院), which is kind of a global village. There are lots of international restaurants
and it’s a popular area with foreigners and expats. Alright, so time for another delicious lunch
in Seoul (서울). Yeah, exactly. So today we're going for a very classic Korean
dish. We're having Bulgogi (불고기) which literally
means 'fire meat' and we've placed our order. We've also ordered something else that is
a bit of a mystery and we'll show it to you once it arrives. We had kongbul which is a mix of bulgogi (불고기)
and bean sprouts. We also got a second order that was heavy
on the spice and covered in cheese, and it was absolutely delicious. The Olympic Park (올림픽공원) is located
on the fringes of the city and it’s a bit of a long ride, but it has some really interesting
sculptures and lots of open spaces, so it can be worth the visit. While in Seoul (서울), we also made time
to visit the Noryangjin Fisheries Market (노량진수산시장 - 鷺梁津水産市場), where you can buy
your fish to take home, or eat it at one of the many restaurants on the second floor. We went for the latter. So we finally settled on a restaurant. I mean there is a lot to choose from. So we're just walking around and I'm like
finally let's make a decision. So we saw that this place had some people
and it had some nice traditional seating. So we're like 'yes' let's give it a shot. And it had a relatively affordable menu. Yeah. Because seafood here appears to be quite expensive. Well you can get really expensive seafood. The stuff that we're getting isn't as expensive. We're getting chobap (초밥) which is a kind
of basically the best way to explain it is kind of like Korean sushi and we're also getting
Hoedeopbap (회덮밥) which is basically sliced raw fish with rice. So we've got those two dishes coming and man
I can't wait to have them. My meal has arrived. Sam actually chose this because I had no clue
what to get. But this is called Hoedeopbap (회덮밥)
and it is basically rice with vegetables and raw fish on top. Um, the rice actually comes here on the side
in this separate little bowl. So what makes deopbap different from say bokkumbap
which is the mixed rice is the deopbap you get like your ingredients and then you get
your rice so they're not mixed together. They're not. So yeah, lots of veggies here. It looks like we got. Look at all of the sesame seeds. I know so many sesame seeds. Some cabbage, some carrots. Seaweed. That looks delicious. Cucumbers. And apparently I need to add this. Yeah. Correct? You need to put the gochujang sauce (고추장). That looks like it is in a ketchup dispenser. It is not ketchup guys. Do you think that is enough? Yeah, that is good. Give it a try. Try it with a little bit of rice. Try a bit of fish with some vegetables and
rice. Let's grab a spoon. This is my first time having this. Ever. Exciting times. Ever. here. Oh. Messy. Make sure you get your fish. It will probably be easier with chopsticks. Haha. Trying to get vegetables as well. Yeah. Rice, fish, vegetables, sauce. Big bite. Mmmm. That is good. How is that? The fish is very mild. Like its a white fish it is not very fatty
so it doesn't have a strong flavor. It is like having sashimi with rice and veg. It is good. But it needs the sauce for sure. Otherwise it would be a little bit bland. Mmmm. Maybe I should be adding wasabi to this. Just mix it all in. So your food is here now. Yeah my dish has now arrived. Yours came first. So I'm having chobap (초밥) which is the
Korean sushi. So take a look down here. I have ten nicely displayed pieces. And as you can see you have of course the
sushi kind of Korean chobap (초밥) appearance. It has got the rice and then the fish on top. So I'm just going to grab a piece. Yeah. And let's take it for a dunk in the soy sauce. Take it for a swim. No wasabi? Come on! Mmmm. I did put a bit on. Yeah? How is it? It is good. This is a really. It is not. It is a very chewy fish. It is not um. It doesn't disintegrate in your mouth. I'm really having to power through it. It is very light. I think we're both having the same fish. Yeah it is very light. It tastes good. And but as you said it is the kind of fish
that it needs a strong sauce to go with it. Either the gochujang (고추장) or the soy
sauce the kangjang. With the wasabi. Wow, there is some rice flying out of your
mouth. There. Whoops. Lotte World (롯데월드) is a massive indoors
theme park. Here you can enjoy rides, go ice skating,
play video games, or dance your heart out. And wrapping things up with a rather quirky
attraction, why not drop by a poo-themed cafe (또옹카페). Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like and
here’s the evidence. Wearing poo hats. And my pooh just fell off of my head. Is that your poo? Is that your poo Sam? It is a very sad poo. And that’s a wrap for this rather massive
video guide to Seoul. We hope that you enjoyed watching along and
that you picked up a few ideas of things to do on your upcoming visit. As always, if you’ve been to Seoul before
and are familiar with the city, we’d love to hear some of your suggestions of fun things
to do, see, and eat around there, so feel free to share those in the comments below. Happy travels and until next time!
