Name: Best South Korea Travel Guide: Part 1- The Planning
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Best South Korea Travel Guide: Part 1- The Planning

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Skip to contentPlanning South Korea Travel for families, where to stay, facts about Korea, customs and etiquette, the areas of Seoul, how much Korea travel can cost“The Korean Wave”: K-beauty, K-drama, BTS and K-pop has exploded into the global mainstream space in recent years making South Korea one of the most popular destinations in Asia.South Korea boasts a vibrant culture, rich history, delicious food, natural beauty, unique shopping, innovative technology and superb transportation infrastructure.There’s something for every kind of traveler. In this blog post, I’ll share a comprehensive travel guide series that can guide you on your next trip to South Korea.The main language of Korea is Korean. There are also numerous dialects. You’ll find Seoul Korean slightly different from Busan or even Jeju Korean. Seoul Korean is the standard and what most people use.South Korea’s currency is won. Check here for the conversation calculculator. You can exchange to Korean won at US banks before you leave, at the Korean airport or foreign currency exchange shops located all over Seoul.I exchanged mine at this Gangnam exchange shop and the rate was very good. I just needed to present my passport and no other fees were charged.You can also find a lot in Myeong Dong. You can look up “foreign currency exchange” on Naver map (Korea’s google) or Kakao map. Google map doesn’t work well in Korea.South Korea is a technologically advanced country. You can connect to the fastest internet virtually anywhere, even underground subways. You’ll even find buses with free wifi.South Korea is about 17 hours ahead of California and 14 hours away from the East Coast.LG E-SIM On my last trip, I used LG’s e-Sim service which was convenient, affordable and easy to use. You can choose from between data, data + voice and portable wifi. I purchased data + voice and ended up purchasing additional minutes while I was there. You get a notification via text if you’re running out of your purchased data minutes.Adding esim on your phone is quick and easy.I also put my US phone number on international roaming just in case.For iphone users, you go to settings, “Add esim” and follow the instructions on the website. I liked that I was assigned a Korean phone number while I was there which was useful when making restaurant reservations and skincare/hair appointments.You can purchase it anytime, add the e-sim and activate it once you arrive in Korea. I turned it on as soon as I landed at Incheon Airport and it automatically detected the LG signal. You can toggle back and forth between your assigned Korean number and your US number.Korea is a modern and technologically advanced city. It’s family-friendly but also very fast-paced. People tend to mind their own business on the streets and in subways, but as a Korean, I also know that Korean culture is sentimental and warm with strong family values and respect for others.Some things to take note:This is probably the most popular but difficult question to answer. My answer? It depends on what you want to do.My biggest tip is to make an itinerary and figure out where you want to visit first. Do some Google research, mark the areas you want to visit on a map. Then find lodging around those areas.I personally like staying at Gangnam because this is where I meet my family and friends but gangbuk has a lot of touristy areas too. It can be cheaper to stay outside of gangnam in areas close to myeongdong, hongdae and jongro.Seoul is not very big but can get very congested especially during rush hour so it can take 30 minute to 1 hour to get to point A from point B especially by taxi and bus. This is why subways are a popular transportation in South Korea.There are 25 wards, called “gu” and each “gu” has a downtown. All the different areas or “gu”s of South Korea boasts a different vibe and atmosphere for different age groups and interests.Where you want to visit depends on your interests and age group. If you are a teenager or in early 20’s, you’ll like Hongdae or Yeonnam near Hongdae station.If you are working 30’s and 40’s, you may like Gangnam, Jonggak or Euljiro. Ikseon-dong, Samcheong–dong(right by Kyung Bok Palace) and Hyoja-dong(Seochon) are particularly traditional and unique areas.I personally love Chungdam with classier restaurants and bars. This area is similar to Beverly Hills with higher end designer shopping and luxurious venues. Apgu used to be the hottest spot in the 90’s, now feels a little dated, but I still visit for nostalgia and hair shops.I also like Garosugil in Shinsa-dong, which is filled with cute boutique shops and instagram worthy coffee shops. Sungsoodong is another popular destination for cute cafes and restaurants.Myeong-dong and Itaewon are fun for tourists and you’ll find most English speaking people here.Gangnam is the center of Seoul, with global companies headquarters located there. Teheran-ro (where we stayed last time) is like the wallstreet of Korea.Jamsil, Coex and Lotte are fun for families.Jongro and Gwanghwamoon are the old center of Seoul with historical places, narrow allies, and old palaces. Insadong is lined with traditional coffee shops and historic stores.My father’s family used to live in Jongro and I remember its hanoks and old narrow allyways. Jongro is a good place to see the historical side of Seoul.Pros of hotels:Cons of hotels:Pros of airbnbs:Cons of airbnbs:Residences (레지던스) are full service hotels with larger suites that include a kitchen and laundry machine. It’s a great choice for larger families or longer trips. I’m staying in one this summer, so I’ll update this section after the trip.The two popular residences in Seoul areCoex Oakwood Premier The Classic 500 PentazRound trip plane tickets: About $1000-1500 per person for economy round trip (Korean or Asiana Air), $3000-5000 for business class seats. Air Premia now offers economy for about $1000-1200 and premium economy for about $2000-2500.Room/lodging: About $100-300 per night depending on your location and choice of lodging. Seoul is not a cheap city so I would be wary of any place that costs less than this especially when traveling with kids.Food: Anywhere from $5-10 to hundreds depending on what you eat. You can find more affordable street food to more expensive high end restaurants anywhere in Seoul. (More on this later)Shopping: Shopping can be really fun and cheap in South Korea. You can find really good deals on K-beauty products at any Olive Young and underground shopping centers like gotomall underground shopping.Most clothing, shoes and accessories are 30-40% off retail at GoToMall and you can find some really good deals here!You can read about my flight to South Korea, the different flight options and my Korean Air business class experience here.What questions do you have for family travel to Seoul Korea? Please comment below!Join the ConversationCancel replyFamilyHow to be More Family-OrientedLifestyleHow To Be A Happy Parent CopyDecorHow to make your own Valentines Day WreathFamily10 Fun Snow Day ActivitiesView moremommydiaryCelebrating 100 Days For Baby: A Korean TraditionHi everyone! 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Skip to contentPlanning South Korea Travel for families, where to stay, facts about Korea, customs and etiquette, the areas of Seoul, how much Korea travel can cost“The Korean Wave”: K-beauty, K-drama, BTS and K-pop has exploded into the global mainstream space in recent years making South Korea one of the most popular destinations in Asia.South Korea boasts a vibrant culture, rich history, delicious food, natural beauty, unique shopping, innovative technology and superb transportation infrastructure.There’s something for every kind of traveler. In this blog post, I’ll share a comprehensive...

Best South Korea Travel Guide: Part 1- The Planning

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