East Asian culture — as a broad scope — has been synonymous with health and wellness for centuries, from Thai massage to Japanese onsen. But South Korea, in particular, has its own vast wealth of places where those looking to unwind, relax, and soothe their aching bodies or minds can go to escape it all. …
Discover Korea
If there’s one country’s food that has taken off on a global scale this past decade, it’s Korean food. Second only to kpop music, the cuisine of South Korea is one of the nation’s biggest draws, and rightly so. Korean food is varied, indulgent, experimental, and exciting. And when you visit South Korea, what to …
While many may associate Busan with Haeundae beach, delectable fish cake, and Haedong Yonggungsa temple, there just so happens to be another spot in Busan no less amazing than these aforementioned spots! That is Bosudong Book Street. While many things in Korea focus on the newest, the latest, the most luxurious, the name brand, and …
When you think of a sauna, the first thing that comes to mind is the sweltering-hot Turkish and Swedish saunas popular among Europeans, or the Japanese hot springs. However, Koreans have also mastered the art of unwinding and cleaning their bodies. If you are in Korea, visiting the jimjilbang is a must! Bathhouse Culture in …
Seoul is a wonderfully unusual city. It’s one of the world’s most popular capital cities; a place of colourful music, a lively bar scene, fantastic spicy foods, and passionate people. Yet, despite its popularity, it’s easy to get around. Seoul isn’t big, not compared to neighbouring cities like Tokyo and Shanghai. You can see the …
Hongdae takes its name from the nearby Hongik University (with the Korean word for ‘university’ being ‘daehag’ so ‘Hongdae’ simply being the first half of each word smooshed together). The area of Hongdae, Seoul itself is considered by many to be the modern hub of the city. It’s not the place to go for traditional …
Gwanghwamun Square is one of the coolest, most historic, artistic, and beautiful parts of Seoul. It’s where you’ll find the epic statues of King Sejong and General Yi Sun-sin, as well as the Sejong Center and the grand Gyeongbokgung Palace. Just outside of Gwanghwamun Square is also the Bukcheon Hanok Village, where you can rent …
With the rise of tour sites like Oh my Oppa and the huge surge in the popularity of Kdramas, the idea of dating a Korean has become idealised. However, it’s handy to know that there are some key differences in dating styles between North America and Korea. As always, what may seem normal in one culture may …
Korea’s cafe culture is something to be reckoned with and it’s only when you head elsewhere you realise quite how impressive it is. From themed cafes to hipster joints, to cosy nooks, you could easily make a top-ten list for every city in South Korea and you still wouldn’t scratch the surface. Nonetheless, if you’re …
When we travel or move abroad, there are often specific home comforts we seek out. For me, it’s English books. And so, what a delight it was to find the excellent Itaewon Foreign Bookstore in the heart of Korea’s capital. The store is owned by a delightfully grumpy old Korean man, who has been known …