You can read earlier posts in this series here.
Seoul Must-Do #14: Leave Your Lock On Namsan
I know how cheesy this is, but all first-timers to Seoul must do it! And even if you are strongly against wasting money on locks and writing mushy sweet-nothings on them, Namsan is still a must-go destination. The air’s good and fresh up there, and you get superb views of the city. It’s always crazy packed with people, but it is a lovely experience just being up there.
Before I even talk about Namsan, I feel the need to talk about the journey there. You get off at Myeongdong Station and take a pretty long walk to the cable car station that will bring you up to Namsan, but this walk is pretty interesting, with many murals and Pororo characters for photo ops. Kid fans of Pororo will be very thrilled, I’m sure!
Up on Namsan, if you have lots of free time on hand (Read: Boliao enough), you can read what others wrote on their locks. There are so many of them and the last I heard, the government would be removing them in batches because they have gotten too heavy and may be hazardous if they all fall off one fine day.
Yes you can bring your own padlocks but there are vendors there selling as well. We bought ours there and marked our 14th wedding anniversary there. Well, 14 years is reason legit enough for something as cheesy as this, no?
The Seoul tower in the distance is accessible by buying separate tickets. I really dun think the views up there are nice at all, especially when the window panes are all dusty and misty, so don’t expect to take clear and sharp photos up there. But then again, it’s another kind of a ‘first-timers-should-do’ kind of thing. Once is really more than enough.
That’s the best I could capture from up there after 110938129413 tries. Not exaggerating because there’s really nothing else you can do except take photos when you are up there on Seoul Tower, unless you want to spend a bomb on dinner at their restaurant.
To get to Namsan:
Myeongdong Station Exit 3
Take the wide road next to 7 Eleven convenience store, then walk straight to the left of Pacific Hotel & keep walking up in the direction of Mt. Namsan where the cable car platform is situated. Need to take cable car up to tower.
Seoul Must-Do #15: Try Different Lattes!
I love it that there are different lattes to try in Seoul, and I’m positive they will all be here in Singapore in no time. Before that happens, make sure you drink to your heart’s content when you are in Seoul. My favourites are Sweet Potato Latte and Black Bean Latte – both of which were fragrant, moderately sweet and very comforting on the tummy. Not exaggerating, but there is a sense of bliss when I was savouring the drinks in the cool weather in Seoul.
Seoul Must-Do #16: Have A Fried Chicken Feast!
Oh yes, you must! For an even more authentic experience, order home delivery of a bucket of fried chicken and enjoy it with beer in your hotel room or apartment! We have a little thing about keeping our hotel free from weird smells, so we ate directly in a restaurant. There is something different about fried chicken in Seoul – How do they do it so darn well?!
This restaurant - Dosirack Chicken - in Hongdae offers a set meal with fried chicken, pasta and side dishes – Everything was yummy and we couldn’t finish the big portion. Nonetheless, one of our most satisfying meals in Seoul.
The fried chicken was soooooo juicy on the inside and perfectly crispy & light on the outside. Can we do chicken like that in Singapore, please?!
And that brings me to my next point – My all-time fav place in Seoul.
Seoul Must-Do #17: Spend A Relaxing Night At Hongdae
We liked the place so much, we returned on two other nights. There are abundant dining and shopping options here, as well as street performances – really solid & good-quality street performances that would leave you mesmerized. It’s a little like Ximending in Taipei. Many people would sit around and chill while enjoying the performances and then leave some dimes for the performers before they leave. I love this culture – Young people get a chance to display their talents and grow bolder during public performances. Great atmosphere & ambience!
(Image source: https://socoolkorea.com/2015/03/31/night-out-in-neverland-hongdae/)
Hongdae is accessible from Hongik University Station.
Final post in this series coming up next as I conclude the 20 Must-Do in Seoul.
