6 Places to Visit While Studying in Korea

 Alright, so now you’re in Korea, your classes are done for the day (or week) and you’re wondering, “What is there to do in Seoul?” Well, glad you asked. Seoul, I found, has plenty of attractions to offer in pretty much any interest from historical attractions to shopping. Below I’ll cover 6 of the top places to visit while studying in Korea both for fun and to experience Korean culture.

1.      Hongdae- The Hongdae area consists of the neighborhoods and area surrounding both Hongdae station and Hongik University. Hongik is one of the major art schools in Seoul so the area is a major indie scene full of restaurants, clubs, bars, street food, and of course your artsy students. During the day, this is a good place to do some shopping from the numerous small stores throughout the area that sell clothes, scarves, crafts, and other miscellaneous stuff. At night, this is a good place to catch some street musicians and have fun at some of the clubs near the children’s park close to the university.

2.      Itaewon-  Itaewon district, outside Itaewon station, is basically the foreigner mecca of Seoul. This is the place to visit if you happen to be craving some western food or just be in the company of your fellow foreigners for the day. During the day, there are plenty of shops and stalls to shop for souvenirs and clothing in western sizes, though do expect a considerable markup in prices. Itaewon is also one of the main nightlife areas with it being home to numerous nightclubs such as Club Move and Club B One.

3.      Gyeongbok Palace- Fort those of you who happen to love visiting cultural areas this is one of the places to visit. Located outside Anguk station, Gyeongbok Palace is probably the most well-known royal palace within Seoul itself. On the grounds you can see parts of the palace itself, ponds full of water lilies, and also located within the grounds is the Museum of Folk History for a dose of Korean history.

4.      Bukchon Hanok Village- Also within walking distance of Anguk station, this area provides you the opportunity to see what old style traditional Korean homes were like. The contrast between this touristic area and the more modern Seoul is really a sight to see. The area itself also contains plenty of small shops where you are able to buy a variety of Korean crafts.

 

5.      Gangnam- The Gangnam area is basically the Hollywood posh area of Seoul. This is where all the rich socialites, actors and wealthy individuals live. Within Gangnam you can find many of the name brand luxury stores. This area of Seoul is also one of the three main nightlife/clubbing areas of the capital, alongside Itaewon and Hongdae, with it being home to clubs such as Ellui, Syndrome, and Octagon. Though if you do go to these, expect entrance fees of around thirty dollars and expensive drinks.

6.      Hwaseong Fortress- Though not technically within Seoul itself, it being about an hour south in Suwon, this fortress is easily reached through the Seoul Metro. For those of you interested in historical sites, this is definitely one of the places you should not miss. Hwaseong Fortress is composed of an outer wall structure a little over 5 km long that surrounds Suwon itself and contains numerous gates, gunports, and towers. Not only is it an incredible site to see, the trail running alongside the wall is a wonderful route for those, who like myself, like to hike/walk and take in the scenery.

Aside from these top 6 places to visit, I will be sure to cover additional areas and provide more in depth details on the above places in later posts.