After years of waiting the moment winter sports enthusiasts from all over world have anticipated has finally arrived! Yes, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic comes barreling into Korea in a matter of days! To that end if you, my dear readers, are like me then you perhaps only enjoy one winter sport: ice skating. So, if that’s the case, then you’ll need The Olympic Tourist’s Guide to Seoul for the motley assortment of activities to keep you occupied between those bouts of ice skating duels.
What follows entails exactly that! With Seoul just a hop and a skip from the Olympic festivities everyone should find something to tickle their fancy.
Lifestyle & Culture
Do you like plants? Yes, Great! You’ll love the Botanical Gardens. No? Then you’ll at least get a taste of what the tropical weather might feel like! It’s a nice little activity away from the games.
Seoul isn’t the only bastion of art and culture in South Korea. Way up north toward the border with North Korea amidst the harsh mountains, isolated towns, and cold blustering winds awaits a tiny enclave filled with architectural wonder, sculptural delights, and galleries galore.
The National Palace Museum of Korea opened it’s doors in December of 1992. Throughout it’s history it has undergone a name change in 2005 and a renovation in 2007. The collection houses over 40,000 artifacts from the palaces of both the Korean Empire and the Joseon Dynasty with 14 treasures and one national treasure.
A selfie lover’s ideal spot for pictures galore!
Going back to school may not sound like fun for some, but drop in for a Korean language class and you may find a new language to love. The Seoul Global Center also offers various cultural events throughout the month.
Entertainment
A Healing Cafe isn’t exactly what you think it is. It’s not some mini-hospital or pharmacy but instead a place of relaxation and rest. In a Healing Cafe you’ll find super deluxe massage chairs straight out of some Sci-Fi movie designed to poke, prod, and massage your body into a blissful state of being.
4 D Movies in Seoul have taken the movie going experience into uncharted territory. How can one go back to the simpler times of sitting peacefully in a seat when the sensory overload of pleasures await at a Four D cinema? Easy answer. You can’t. You see Seoul’s 4 D experience rules the cinemas, defying the ho hum mundane shows that everyone doesn’t realize they should do without.
On a lark Ian and I decided to venture off in search of one of the fabled Korean fortune tellers. I know you’ve seen them. They have tents set up all throughout the city. You can find them inside the CGV lobby, Myeong Dong Shopping alleyways, COEX, and anywhere else you can imagine.
No, it’s not what you think. Bang is a romanization of the Korean word 방, meaning “room” and it’s all about having fun. Whether it’s board games, PCs, singing, or all of the above you’ll have a blast and escape from the Olympic fever for a few hours…. or days!
I haven’t done this in years, but the last time I did I had a blast. You can rent skates as well as partake in delicious Christmas drinks and snacks. You can live out your own Olympic dreams!
I’d heard of the drips becoming the latest fad over the last few years, but I never considered doing it myself. He had and wholeheartedly recommended I do the same. So if you’re in need of a Pre or Post Olympic pick me up, why not?
Shopping Spree
Hongdae offers more than just a late night party lover’s paradise. Skip the clubs and bars and instead check out the countless shops, boutiques, and shopping stalls just waiting to take your money.
Tried and True, Insadong remains a stalwart of the shopping scene in Seoul. Here you’ll find the more traditional gifts and souvenirs for family and friends back home.
Myeong Dong remains synonymous with shopping in Seoul. It’s one of the biggest spots in the city to shop. Bring your money and get ready to get to dive into the crowds.
Bundle up, wait till the sun drops, and head out to Dongdaemun for the night shopping. Here you can peruse the stalls along with the other hundreds of other late night shoppers.
In Seoul I stands for Electronics, not E, because every electronic good you might want can be found at the I-Park Electronic mall by Yongsan Station.
Built with the same type of shipping containers, over 200 instead of a dozen, the sprawling bright blue Common Ground takes shape as some odd Lego inspired real life Jenga game come to life. At a glance it makes you smile. Doubly so when you realize the containers can be moved, allowing Common Ground to transform Ground into an infinite number of shapes.
Nightlife
A study in contrast awaits you at two completely different but equally fantastic spots in Seoul. On one hand you can partake of Cuban cigars and fine whiskey at Burn in Hal on the other you could chug beers and rock out to some head banging indie music at Freebird. Who says you have to choose? Do both!
A tale of two hills. If you want a fun night out then I recommend hitting up both Hooker and Homo hill for some unbridled fun. Now don’t let the names scare you off. You will definitely find both hookers and homos on these hills and you’ll have a great time as well. The bars are welcoming and full so go ahead and indulge! Dance! Drink! And anything or anyone else you spend your money on is totally your business. No judgement here.
Food and Drink
When it comes to food you’ll find a plethora of wonderful Korean dishes. However, I’d like to steer you toward a few of the more uncommon foods you might not find in that Olympic guide brochure!
However if you want something more familiar then I suggest heading over to my good friend Gemma’s blog over at A Fatgirl’s Food Guide! She’ll point you in the direction of the most delicious of eats in Seoul.
There you have it folks! This guide should be enough to keep you running around Seoul in-between your Olympic events. Enjoy!
Excellent guide for those new to Seoul via the Olympics! I met a few people that were visiting Korea for the first time to catch the games and were planning to explore Seoul afterward.
Have you actually gotten your fortune read?! A couple of my friends have and I was somewhat curious but never quite enough to go through with it haha
Did you make it to the Olympics?
This “olympic” guide has been helpful even to me even though the olympics have been long done! You should make more guides. I have suggestions!
Hi Brian! Thanks for the ideas! There are a couple that I definitely haven’t tried and want to! Especially the vitmain drip and Dongdaemun Night market! You have given me some great ideas for my next trip up to Seoul!
The vitamin drip was great but the effects did dissipate sooner rather than later.
Oh man talk about making me miss Korea! So many awesome recommendations – noraebang is a must isn’t it! Gutted we didn’t get to experience the Olympics in Korea bet its an incredible atmosphere.
Noraebang is my first love about korea lol.
This list will really come in handy for the Olympic tourists we have at this time… I haven’t done the vitamin boost yet but i was almost tempted to do it last year. I heard this is really effective and will make you feel well-rested after. Hmmm…. tourists will be needing this to keep going and keep going and keep going.
It’s definitely worth a try!
Great list of things to do! I, for one, really love the multi-bangs which have games, movies, karaoke… etc. all available for a reasonable hourly rate. So much fun!
You could add visiting a 한의원 to the list, too! Nothing like a little acupuncture and suction-cuppy time to make you realize you’re in a different country. It’s pretty relaxing too. Thanks for putting together this list!
OOoo acupuncture is a great idea to add! Just for the photo op alone!
Gahh!! Too much to do in Seoul. Always! I’ve been here 9 years, and still haven’t done half of what’s on your list… really gotta get on that. 😉
I know what you mean! I still have a ton of stuff on my list. It’s fun checking them off though! We should do a korea blogger group activity!
That’s a lot of things to do! However, I think you missed going to Jjimjilbang (Korean Sauna). I think it’s one of the activities tourists must try.
On another note, do these Korean fortune tellers speak English?
They would have to get a translator or hit one of the ones in a more touristy area. There’s one in itaewon who speaks English.
Fantastic list of things to do!! And not just for Olympic visitors. I live just outside of Seoul, but still hadn’t heard of half the things on this list haha. How’d the vitamin drip workout?