South Korea Travels

[Murphy101]

I’m going this fall! I’m so excited!

If you’ve been - please share!

Random excitement over-flowing thoughts:

I’m excited at how inexpensive so much is going to be. I mean they talk about all these “expensive” things. Like the Seoul Discover Pass is actually kind of expensive if you don’t do Lotte World and eland (which I want to do) It lists the palaces and museums as free with it BUT the palaces are free anyways if you rent a hanbok to wear into it.  And the majority of the museums are 1000₩, which sounds like a lot until you realize that’s like 79¢.

Or the tourist only Climate card for the transit system - it’s a flat rate for a certain number of days and then ride all you want. I think they are pretty darn cheap since the last time I was in DC we spent $40 for 3 days and we didn’t even use the metro a total of 15 times iirc.

I know it all adds up fast but dadgum why is America so insanely expensive?!  Anyhoo.

We are staying in Hongdae, the entire 14 nights. I briefly thought about town hopping and I know that’s really popular. But I prefer to really sink into a homebase so to speak. Other than zip lining to Nami Island and then taking the ferry back, we are not *currently* planning to leave Seoul.  Hongdae is known to be a fun place for college kids but whatever.  Myeongdong and Insadong were my other preferences and the prices to stay there just didn’t seem worth it when they are only 15/20 minutes away from Hongdae.  I *think* we will be there long enough to not feel so hectic that 15 minutes to somewhere would seem stressful. Guess I’ll find out.

I have no plans to rent a car on this trip. I’m not at all scared of driving there but the cost of a rental car is more than the cost of the apartment with kitchenette and washer. And that’s not including the parking costs.   Mostly tho I just don’t think we will need it and think exploring a culture is better using what the people who live there use.   

But we want to do all the things in Seoul. I want to eat fried chicken and sip soju under the fireworks along the Han River But I’ll probably have coffee bc I’m the only adult with 2 teens and I rarely drink even at home. LOL.
I want to have more coffee before the entire city wakes up from a rooftop terrace or green onion pancakes and cider after a short Mountain hike.  I think we might miss the fall colors or get there just at the tippy start of them.  

We will absolutely be wearing rented hanboks and getting photos done while touring the palaces.

Several museums are on our current list.

Namsan Tower and cable ride

Possibly Lotte World.

The Hyundai mall - has a fabulous botanical garden on the roof and an aquarium in the basement. Also this is the mall used as Queens Group in Queen of Tears.

Just. There’s a lot. I’m working on making an itinerary spreadsheet.

I kinda want to do some facial stuff via dermatologist there but I’m so intimidated.  You know what before and after I need to see? I need a white gal who parents didn’t ever once own sunscreen and at 50 still has the fab trifecta of excema and acne and wrinkles.  Don’t show me some debutant with imaginary worry lines who goes in already gorgeous and comes out glowy gorgeous.  But it does take forever to get into a good dermatologist here and not there. 

My teen daughter wants a hair and facial and makeup consult.

My son… wants to eat all the food and explore. 

I have made mentions about a sauna/spa day. Not the all nakeds kind. Bc it’d be mean to ditch son on the men side alone.  Me and daughter might ditch him elsewhere and go do that by ourselves while he does something we don’t want to do. 

[crazyforlatin]

You just want to live out your Kdrama dreams! Lucky you, I heard that skin treatments are really cheap. For that matter so is surgery. I’ve never been, but  hopefully you keep us posted with your travels, I’m really excited for you! 

[Murphy101]

34 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said:

You just want to live out your Kdrama dreams! Lucky you, I heard that skin treatments are really cheap. For that matter so is surgery. I’ve never been, but  hopefully you keep us posted with your travels, I’m really excited for you! 

Not all wrong!  But I’m kinda like that anywhere I travel. I always wanna know 3 things as a priority:

Where’s the good coffee?

Where’s the nearest body of water?

Where do the locals eat and what in life and history brought them there?

Skin treatments and dermatology are cheaper than state-side but it doesn’t take much to be cheaper given how expensive it is here. Cheaper is still not pennies. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

@Murphy101

I'm so happy for you.  I hope your trip is everything you dream it will be, plus more. 

My youngest (18) is moving to Seoul next week (🥲) to begin her Masters. I'll be visiting her a week later to check in on her. 

My daughter and I have traveled there twice before, so please let me know if you have any specific questions. 

[Murphy101]

19 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

@Murphy101

I'm so happy for you.  I hope your trip is everything you dream it will be, plus more. 

My youngest (18) is moving to Seoul next week (🥲) to begin her Masters. I'll be visiting her a week later to check in on her. 

My daughter and I have traveled there twice before, so please let me know if you have any specific questions. 

I’m sure the trip will be a roller coaster of dream highs and what the heck just happened.  That’s life everywhere.  (Me paying for this trip and woke up at 3am this morning drenched in sweat bc the downstairs ac stopped working. Murphy’s law is heavily enforced around here.  🫠)

That’s so exciting for your daughter! My teen daughter (15) wants to tour some campuses while there.  We will be very close to Hongik university. What made your daughter decide on Korea for college vs Europe or stateside? If I may ask?  

One reason we are staying in Seoul area is because I have hopes that we will be able to swing bringing my husband and 2-3 more of the kids with us to southern Korea in 2025.  I’m eager to camp on Jeju and see Busan and Geongju…  So if you have experience outside of Seoul, do share so I can note for future visit.

My questions of the moment:

What experience or location do either of you feel is a must not miss but doesn’t get much notice?  Could be anything.  Favorite cafe to some gem info you stumbled on while there.

We want to try things that aren’t touristy but are very unique to Korea. Any suggestions? For example I hear tell some of the movie theaters there are 2050 kind of next level - so we might just go to the movies one afternoon when our feet are killing us.

Practical:

Any tips for navigating Naver or Kakao maps?  How essential is it to have a Korean phone number while there? I’ll have use of my phone same as now. But I’m contemplating renting a phone there so I have a Korean phone number and my 13 yr old who normally wouldn’t have his own phone will have one while there in case we want to divide up to do different things. 

[SKL]

Jealous!  South Korea is still on my bucket list, but we won't be going this year.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

10 hours ago, Murphy101 said:

I’m sure the trip will be a roller coaster of dream highs and what the heck just happened.  That’s life everywhere.  (Me paying for this trip and woke up at 3am this morning drenched in sweat bc the downstairs ac stopped working. Murphy’s law is heavily enforced around here.  🫠)

That’s so exciting for your daughter! My teen daughter (15) wants to tour some campuses while there.  We will be very close to Hongik university. What made your daughter decide on Korea for college vs Europe or stateside? If I may ask?  

One reason we are staying in Seoul area is because I have hopes that we will be able to swing bringing my husband and 2-3 more of the kids with us to southern Korea in 2025.  I’m eager to camp on Jeju and see Busan and Geongju…  So if you have experience outside of Seoul, do share so I can note for future visit.

My questions of the moment:

What experience or location do either of you feel is a must not miss but doesn’t get much notice?  Could be anything.  Favorite cafe to some gem info you stumbled on while there.

We want to try things that aren’t touristy but are very unique to Korea. Any suggestions? For example I hear tell some of the movie theaters there are 2050 kind of next level - so we might just go to the movies one afternoon when our feet are killing us.

Practical:

Any tips for navigating Naver or Kakao maps?  How essential is it to have a Korean phone number while there? I’ll have use of my phone same as now. But I’m contemplating renting a phone there so I have a Korean phone number and my 13 yr old who normally wouldn’t have his own phone will have one while there in case we want to divide up to do different things. 

Firstly, I LOVE Hongdae. The vibes there are just fabulous. 

My daughter is fluent in Korean and has studied in Seoul before. It has just been a natural progression that she'd finish her Bachelor degrees here in Australia and then move to Seoul for her Masters. She's never shown any interest in studying elsewhere. The go go go culture, balanced with a love of beauty (look at their cake shops and florists!) of Korea really suits her. And the Korean entertainment industry is her dream industry to work in, and her Masters should open doors for this.

Regarding things to do - I think this really depends on the people, interests and purposes for the trip. For our trips, we weren't there as tourists as such. We were living there while my daughter studied and took dance classes. We did try to squeeze in some sightseeing, but it wasn't our priority. We really enjoyed living in a family area and living like the locals. 

Having said that, I LOVE the tower. Paying to go to the top is worth it, in my opinion. We got pebble icecream from a vending machine and soaked up the views. Precious memories.

What sort of things do you and your kids like? If you're into kpop, I can offer some suggestions. For kdrama, I don't really know anything, but we did stumble across filming in the street twice, purely by accident, and it was really interesting to watch. We stay near DMC, and there is always something interesting happening in the streets there. 

Re Naver maps - I have never learnt how to use this, because my daughter did all the navigating. But she uses Naver. I'll ask her for any tips. When I visit her in a couple of weeks, my goal will be a crash course in Naver, so that I'm not dependent on her.

Re phone number - yes, it seemed quite important. There were times when you needed to put a phone number into a machine just for things like ordering a coffee, but also for things like making bookings. We just went to a phone kiosk at the airport and got prepaid sims to put in our normal phones.

I suggest you have some cash on you when you land. Some things require cash, and some machines only take smaller notes. 

At the airport, be prepared for 'taxis' to bombard you with offers of lifts. This isn't necessary. The train is excellent and will take you to Hongdae. We had two experiences in taxis and neither were good. It was downright scary to be on the roads there.

There's a really lovely cafe in Hongdae that I'll try to dig up the name for. It isn't one of the chains (which are all excellent, by the way). This is an artsy cafe that looks like a set for a kdrama. 

Bingsu! Go to a bingsu cafe in Hongdae. So great. 

Edited July 31 by chocolate-chip chooky

[Murphy101]

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Firstly, I LOVE Hongdae. The vibes there are just fabulous. 

My daughter is fluent in Korean and has studied in Seoul before. It has just been a natural progression that she'd finish her Bachelor degrees here in Australia and then move to Seoul for her Masters. She's never shown any interest in studying elsewhere. The go go go culture, balanced with a love of beauty (look at their cake shops and florists!) of Korea really suits her. And the Korean entertainment industry is her dream industry to work in, and her Masters should open doors for this.

that’s wonderful! 

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

We really enjoyed living in a family area and living like the locals.

I prefer that unless it’s too far away to do all the things. There’s plenty things that we will want to that may be touristy like the palaces and museums but we also like to just settle in too. We want to eat fabulous food but don’t really care about the latest tourist trap restaurant. And we love meeting locals and finding the off the beaten path stuff too. 

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Having said that, I LOVE the tower. Paying to go to the top is worth it, in my opinion. We got pebble icecream from a vending machine and soaked up the views. Precious memories.

pebble ice cream? Sooo Dibbin Dots?! 
talk about bringing back childhood memories!

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

What sort of things do you and your kids like? If you're into kpop, I can offer some suggestions.

We very much like kpop.  Favorite show is Running Man though we like a lot of kdramas too.  

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

For kdrama, I don't really know anything, but we did stumble across filming in the street twice, purely by accident, and it was really interesting to watch. We stay near DMC, and there is always something interesting happening in the streets there.

good to know!

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Re phone number - yes, it seemed quite important. There were times when you needed to put a phone number into a machine just for things like ordering a coffee, but also for things like making bookings. We just went to a phone kiosk at the airport and got prepaid sims to put in our normal phones.

drat. I have an iPhone and it won’t let me do that. I’ll just kee my phone and also rent a Korean phone for my teens to use. Win win. I was going to take the “house” cellphone for them to use on the trip but renting one will give us a Korean number. 

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I suggest you have some cash on you when you land. Some things require cash, and some machines only take smaller notes. 
 

👍

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

At the airport, be prepared for 'taxis' to bombard you with offers of lifts. This isn't necessary. The train is excellent and will take you to Hongdae. We had two experiences in taxis and neither were good. It was downright scary to be on the roads there.

we will have a driver pick us up at the airport and bring us back so I’m not worried about that.  It’s “expensive” but I think it will be worth it for a first visit and Korean “expensive” is … not.

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

There's a really lovely cafe in Hongdae that I'll try to dig up the name for. It isn't one of the chains (which are all excellent, by the way). This is an artsy cafe that looks like a set for a kdrama. 

Bingsu! Go to a bingsu cafe in Hongdae. So great. 

Yes! We have Bingsu on our list! And I always appreciate a cafe recommendation. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

I discussed all of this with my daughter, and she agrees that a Korean phone number is pretty important. You could live without it, but you may have trouble making bookings for things.

She emphasised to use Naver and not Google Maps. 

And she pointed out the need for your daughter to be careful at Hongdae at night if she is ever alone. Hongdae is a known pickup spot for Korean men to approach foreigners. 

Depending on your level of interest in kpop, there are a range of things you can do. For example, radio shows hosted by kpop idols are able to be watched from outside the studio.  The window of the studio faces onto an area for fans. Also, weekly music shows are close to impossible to get into, but you can see the groups driving in and out. They usually wave out the windows to fans. Also, DMC on a Saturday usually has outdoor fan meetings.

We never planned anything like this, but just walking through DMC we'd see all sorts of things going on. One time we stumbled across an ATEEZ fan meeting, so that was really fun. 

[wathe]

Lotte World was underwhelming.  It felt tired and a bit dated.

We used eSims for data for our iPhones, and made calls through WhatsApp. This worked very well.   I didn't need a Korean phone number -- but I didn't have to make any bookings,  (my trip was all pre-arranged through our Jamboree contingent travel planners).

We enjoyed museums,  botanical gardens and palaces.  The Korean National War Memorial and Museum is very good.

Kakao maps was great and easy to use.

The Seoul subway app is fantastic.  It will map your trip for your, and give you step-by-step instructions on which stops, which side of the platform, which level of the station to get the next train for transfers etc.  

Seoul felt very safe (at least the tourist areas and university campuses where we stayed).  Very little street crime.

[Murphy101]

2 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I discussed all of this with my daughter, and she agrees that a Korean phone number is pretty important. You could live without it, but you may have trouble making bookings for things.

noted. Sigh. I’ll either rent an entire phone when I get there or use an eSIM. Or maybe a combo of both since there will be 3 of us there. 

2 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

She emphasised to use Naver and not Google Maps.

yes I’ve been using Naver and Kakao maps for a while now to note where everything is and see what it actually looks like at various places. Kakao has a street view option and Naver has all the public CCTVs you can look at. 

2 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

And she pointed out the need for your daughter to be careful at Hongdae at night if she is ever alone. Hongdae is a known pickup spot for Korean men to approach foreigners. 

To be fair, it’s a college town and I’m not sure there exists a college town that doesn’t have a pickup rep in general. So I very much expected that. 

2 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Depending on your level of interest in kpop, there are a range of things you can do. For example, radio shows hosted by kpop idols are able to be watched from outside the studio.  The window of the studio faces onto an area for fans. Also, weekly music shows are close to impossible to get into, but you can see the groups driving in and out. They usually wave out the windows to fans. Also, DMC on a Saturday usually has outdoor fan meetings.

We never planned anything like this, but just walking through DMC we'd see all sorts of things going on. One time we stumbled across an ATEEZ fan meeting, so that was really fun. 

I’m not all that into the fandoms but it would still be fun! My daughter would think that’s fun. Thanks for the note!  

1 hour ago, wathe said:

Lotte World was underwhelming.  It felt tired and a bit dated.

We used eSims for data for our iPhones, and made calls through WhatsApp. This worked very well.   I didn't need a Korean phone number -- but I didn't have to make any bookings,  (my trip was all pre-arranged through our Jamboree contingent travel planners).

Yeah I’ve been on the fence about Lottie World. Frankly many of the highlights there are the type of attractions that could be better found elsewhere.

I sure hope they manage world youth day 2027 better than that World Scout Jamboree. That. Was. A. Cluster from an outsider pov. 

They are starting to the kickoff to prep for it already. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/258466/seoul-paves-the-way-for-world-youth-day-2027-with-launch-event

1 hour ago, wathe said:

We enjoyed museums,  botanical gardens and palaces.  The Korean National War Memorial and Museum is very good.

The stuff I’ve seen online for the War Museum looks great so that’s on our list. Both of the kids were the ones to suggest it be added.

1 hour ago, wathe said:

The Seoul subway app is fantastic.  It will map your trip for your, and give you step-by-step instructions on which stops, which side of the platform, which level of the station to get the next train for transfers etc.  

really?! Off to download.  I saw that app but went right past it bc of the very low reviews and have been trying to navigate the Korea subway app, which is all Korean.  Well not all Korean you can change the tabs and stuff like that to English but the map itself says Korean. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

@Murphy101

My daughter is in Seoul now, and I'll be there in a few days to help her settle in.

If there's anything in particular you'd like me to ask her or look into myself, please let me know.

 

[Kareni]

Safe travels, @chocolate-chip chooky!

I hope that you and your family will have a wonderful time this fall, @Murphy101.

Regards,

Kareni

[Murphy101]

2 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

@Murphy101

My daughter is in Seoul now, and I'll be there in a few days to help her settle in.

If there's anything in particular you'd like me to ask her or look into myself, please let me know.

 

Golly. Where to start. 

I think I’ve settled that we are going to get climate cards (if we can) bc we will be in Seoul enough to make it a savings.  But should we also get a tmoney cards for the routes not covered by the climate card?  I’m hoping to settle all this at the airport.  Is there a preference for where to do this at the airport? If not, where’s the nearest place to Hongik University? (We are staying very close to there.)  

My daughter wants to do an idol session - hair styling, makeup lesson and photo session.  Suggestions? Especially if they show her how to do the makeup herself.

I wouldn’t mind getting some work done on my face but I think it’s hopeless given my budget and I’d rather go have fun than spend it bandaged up.  Lol

She would like to tour a college but is unsure which one.  She’s only 15  but she kinda likes the idea of going abroad for college. So 🤷‍♀️

My son is 13.  But other than gaming doesn’t do electronics much. I plan to go to one of the big arcades - recommendations?

Some favorite things to do before 10am? 

We are planning to zip line to Nami island and take the ferry back? Any suggestions for not to miss things there?

We plan to take in many museums and all the palaces.  War museum, truck eye museum, natural history museum, alive art museum.

Hyundai Mall for the garden and aquarium.

Hope to picnic on the Han on a firework night with some delivered fried chicken.

We want to spend some time on at least one hike.  Suggestions?

What is her or your favorite place or event in Seoul?  We love doing stuff that is not on the tourist list.  I’m not renting a car except for the private driver to/from airport. But I would if necessary for a recommended experience.

I love love love cafe recommendations and food recommendations in general.  Either for the great food or the great experience, both if possible. We want to try chicken feet.  Lol

I’m still working on the itinerary.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

@Murphy101

I'm just acknowledging that I've seen your post. I'll be back in touch asap.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

On 8/11/2024 at 12:02 PM, Murphy101 said:

Golly. Where to start. 

I think I’ve settled that we are going to get climate cards (if we can) bc we will be in Seoul enough to make it a savings.  But should we also get a tmoney cards for the routes not covered by the climate card?  I’m hoping to settle all this at the airport.  Is there a preference for where to do this at the airport? If not, where’s the nearest place to Hongik University? (We are staying very close to there.)  

We've used tmoney cards each time we've been there. This was recommended to us by Korean friends, so we didn't even look into other options. To top up your tmoney card, you need to go to a convenience store, and I think you need to use cash (but I'm not 100% on this).

When we went the first time, we were a bit caught out. We found tmoney cards in vending machines at the airport, but you need cash for the vending machine, and only small denomination notes could be used in the machines. We had cash, but not any small denominations. I think I've said to you previously to hit the ground with a range of cash.

My daughter wants to do an idol session - hair styling, makeup lesson and photo session.  Suggestions? Especially if they show her how to do the makeup herself. 

I can't help at all with this sorry.

I wouldn’t mind getting some work done on my face but I think it’s hopeless given my budget and I’d rather go have fun than spend it bandaged up.  Lol

I can't help at all with this sorry.

She would like to tour a college but is unsure which one.  She’s only 15  but she kinda likes the idea of going abroad for college. So 🤷‍♀️

My feeling here is that it will be less about what she likes about a campus, and more about what the eligibility is to get in, fields she is interested in, her language skills (does she have a TOPIK score?)

SKY universities are highly regarded in SK, but are hard to get into. 

My son is 13.  But other than gaming doesn’t do electronics much. I plan to go to one of the big arcades - recommendations?

I can't help at all with this sorry.

Some favorite things to do before 10am? Not much is open at this time. The days start later and end later. I enjoyed getting up and just walking around the area in the mornings, but even the grocery store near us (an Emart) didn't open until 10am.

We are planning to zip line to Nami island and take the ferry back? Any suggestions for not to miss things there? Haven't been there, sorry.

We plan to take in many museums and all the palaces.  War museum, truck eye museum, natural history museum, alive art museum. We loved the Seoul National Museum.

Hyundai Mall for the garden and aquarium. 

Hope to picnic on the Han on a firework night with some delivered fried chicken.

We want to spend some time on at least one hike.  Suggestions? We didn't hike at all, but we walked and walked and walked and walked around the city. 

What is her or your favorite place or event in Seoul?  We love doing stuff that is not on the tourist list.  I’m not renting a car except for the private driver to/from airport. But I would if necessary for a recommended experience. Probably the tower. I think it is worth the cost to take the lift to the top, but even going to the base is great. There is a really lovely deck area outside the Cinnabon cafe. You can sit on beanbags and just take in the view. Highly recommend.   We also really enjoyed looking at all the locks. At first we saw some on the Cinnabon cafe side and thought 'wow, that's a lot of locks', then we walked back over the other side (near the cable car) and we realised that we'd only seen the tip of the iceberg. We had a heap of fun finding locks put on there by Stray Kids, and we added one to the chain for a daughter not present who is a huge Stray Kids fan. 

Going up to the tower at night time is really nice. Beautiful view.  And when I say 'up', you don't need to go to the very top to enjoy the view. I'd suggest you go once in the day and once at night.

I love love love cafe recommendations and food recommendations in general.  Either for the great food or the great experience, both if possible. We want to try chicken feet.  Lol  Can you believe we've been there twice for quite extended periods and have never once eaten in a restaurant there? So, I'm not much help at all. We bought food at the grocery shop, bakeries and convenience stores.  I think that when you hit the ground in Hongdae and just start walking around, you'll see how many options there are. I expect that you'll enjoy the street food options - check out Myeongdong for street food as well. It's touristy and superbusy, but a fun experience.

I’m still working on the itinerary.

I fly out today. My flight leaves in 6 hours 🙂 

 

[Murphy101]

I can believe it about the restaurants. lol 

We will stock our studio with food and munchies and coffee. And absolutely plan to make use of the 7/11 around the corner and street food. But we will probably want to cafe hop and take in a restaurant once a day. 

My bank said they’d be thrilled to charge me 10% to exchange here but they advised me the rate is better at Incheon and there won't be any exchange fee if I do it there. So I’m taking cash USD to exchange there.

She wants to tour bc many universities have a lot going on aside from admissions goals that the general public can sometimes access. Plays, concerts, or the school itself is just worth seeing.  Even if she got accepted into a SKY university - she’d probably have to turn it down due to cost anyways.

The Namsan Tower is very much in our list!

Have a fabulous trip and I hope she settles in for a great college experience!
 

 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:

I can believe it about the restaurants. lol 

We will stock our studio with food and munchies and coffee. And absolutely plan to make use of the 7/11 around the corner and street food. But we will probably want to cafe hop and take in a restaurant once a day. 

My bank said they’d be thrilled to charge me 10% to exchange here but they advised me the rate is better at Incheon and there won't be any exchange fee if I do it there. So I’m taking cash USD to exchange there.

She wants to tour bc many universities have a lot going on aside from admissions goals that the general public can sometimes access. Plays, concerts, or the school itself is just worth seeing.  Even if she got accepted into a SKY university - she’d probably have to turn it down due to cost anyways.

The Namsan Tower is very much in our list!

Have a fabulous trip and I hope she settles in for a great college experience!
 

 

One hurdle we had was that the currency exchange at the airport only had large denominations, and these couldn't be used in the tmoney vending machines. 

I don't know if this was a usual thing (to only have large denominations), or if it was unfortunate timing for us. 

Just thought I'd mention it. 

Also,  depending on the timing that your flight comes in , not everything in the airport will be open. One of our flights got in quite late at night, and many shops and vendors were closed. So maybe check the opening hours of the currency exchange and anything else you will be relying on at Incheon airport. 

[Murphy101]

14 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

One hurdle we had was that the currency exchange at the airport only had large denominations, and these couldn't be used in the tmoney vending machines. 

I don't know if this was a usual thing (to only have large denominations), or if it was unfortunate timing for us. 

Just thought I'd mention it.

well dadblum. Way can’t places ever coordinate on this stuff? Good to know.  Though I guess we could break a big bills buying something at a store in the airport?  Would another store break them for me?

idk. It might be easier to decide on having a private driver pick us up at the airport. I was going to take the limo bus bc it will drop us less than a block from where we will be staying and our flight should arrive by 5pm. (It’s direct so in theory there shouldn’t be issues with delays or connections.) The cost difference is $60 so it would be worth the limo bus.  But it might not be worth all the hassle at the airport when there’s a subway stop and multiple continent stores near our stay that *should* be able to give us Tmoney cards there? Hmm.  

We will have to get a private driver on our return to the airport. Well we won’t have to but I will bc I just don’t want to worry about getting a taxi or whatever at 4-4:30am and the bus won’t be running yet.  Everyone complains about the cost but they must not live a must have a car state like I do. A private driver for $80 on an hour and half trip is crazy cheap compared to any taxi/uber ever in Oklahoma.

The cost differential of not stressing and saving time vs saving money is real. Lol

14 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Also,  depending on the timing that your flight comes in , not everything in the airport will be open. One of our flights got in quite late at night, and many shops and vendors were closed. So maybe check the opening hours of the currency exchange and anything else you will be relying on at Incheon airport. 

We should arrive by 5pm so I’m hoping it’s not too much of an issue?

[YaelAldrich]

You can likely get Korean currency (in smaller and larger denominations) from your bank if you have at least two weeks before your trip.  Ask your local branch or Google foreign currency (your bank name).

We always strive to do this before we go on a trip. We use our credit card a bunch but there is always a need for cash in hand for little things.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

10 hours ago, Murphy101 said:

well dadblum. Way can’t places ever coordinate on this stuff? Good to know.  Though I guess we could break a big bills buying something at a store in the airport?  Would another store break them for me?

idk. It might be easier to decide on having a private driver pick us up at the airport. I was going to take the limo bus bc it will drop us less than a block from where we will be staying and our flight should arrive by 5pm. (It’s direct so in theory there shouldn’t be issues with delays or connections.) The cost difference is $60 so it would be worth the limo bus.  But it might not be worth all the hassle at the airport when there’s a subway stop and multiple continent stores near our stay that *should* be able to give us Tmoney cards there? Hmm.  

We will have to get a private driver on our return to the airport. Well we won’t have to but I will bc I just don’t want to worry about getting a taxi or whatever at 4-4:30am and the bus won’t be running yet.  Everyone complains about the cost but they must not live a must have a car state like I do. A private driver for $80 on an hour and half trip is crazy cheap compared to any taxi/uber ever in Oklahoma.

The cost differential of not stressing and saving time vs saving money is real. Lol

We should arrive by 5pm so I’m hoping it’s not too much of an issue?

I'm now in Seoul 🙂

What did you decide about phones?

This time when we bought our prepaid sim, we got a free tmoney card.  We go with KT, just because it was recommended by Korean friends.  I paid 55000 won and I got 15 days unlimited data and a Korean phone number and also a tmoney card. 

The tmoney card (wherever you get it) then needs money put on it. You need cash for this.  At the airport there are a line of machines for this just near the train station entrance.  You'll need cash and you'll need small denominations. 

I can't see any issue with using a large note in a store,  but you'll need smaller notes for all three of you. Personally,  I'd be accepting the unpleasant exchange rate and just have some cash in hand beforehand,  just so there's one less thing to manage at that point in time. 

I really don't know what time shops start closing at the airport.  All our flights from Australia arrive there in the evening. I'd be surprised if anything closed by 5pm, but with delays and the time to get through immigration, I really can't say for sure. 

Last night, the time to get through immigration was really long. They separate you into Korean passport and foreign passport.  The foreign passport section has 20 immigration officer desks, but only 3 were open last night, for queues of hundreds of foreigners. Hopefully there are more open when you arrive at an earlier hour. 

Just keep that in mind if you are booking a driver ahead. 

 

 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

What sort of accommodation did you go with? Is it a hotel,  Airbnb, other?

For your arrival card, you'll need the full detailed address,  so have that handy. 

And be sure you fill in those arrival cards before joining the immigration queue.

Each time I've gone,  I've been given it on the plane, so I know to have the address and a pen with me. 

But last night I saw plenty of people getting to the front of the immigration queue and then being sent straight to fill one out, so it seems not everyone is given them during their flight. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Just a heads up re public transport - these are quiet zones.  Loud chatting is (quite literally) frowned upon. 

Nearly everyone is either quietly using their phone or are asleep.  Occasionally you'll see someone studying.  But people generally don't talk, and definitely not loudly. 

Foreigners are very obvious and can seem oblivious to the cultural difference. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

I've been three times now.  Twice I've needed a Q Code. This time though no one was checking them. 

They are easy enough to do ahead of time, and this saves a heap of time if they are checking them. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Sorry,  spamming you with thoughts as they occur to me. 

Have you considered getting the train from the airport to Hongdae? 

If you are comfortable sharing the address of where you are staying,  we can help with things like which exit you need from the train station. Hongik Uni station has about nine exits. 

[Laura Corin]

13 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Just a heads up re public transport - these are quiet zones.  Loud chatting is (quite literally) frowned upon. 

Nearly everyone is either quietly using their phone or are asleep.  Occasionally you'll see someone studying.  But people generally don't talk, and definitely not loudly. 

Foreigners are very obvious and can seem oblivious to the cultural difference. 

Public transport in the UK tends this way too. People being exuberant are usually children/drunk/tourists.  There are conversations but they tend to be at low volume to the person right alongside.

[Murphy101]

13 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I'm now in Seoul 🙂

What did you decide about phones?

This time when we bought our prepaid sim, we got a free tmoney card.  We go with KT, just because it was recommended by Korean friends.  I paid 55000 won and I got 15 days unlimited data and a Korean phone number and also a tmoney card. 
 

oh I’m a big fan of one stop shopping! How much talk and text did you get for that?  Thanks for the recommendation.  Did you go with an actual SIM card an eSIM? I’m thinking I will try an eSIM for 2 iPhone15s (mine and one that the 2 teens will share). 

13 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

The tmoney card (wherever you get it) then needs money put on it. You need cash for this.  At the airport there are a line of machines for this just near the train station entrance.  You'll need cash and you'll need small denominations. 

I can't see any issue with using a large note in a store,  but you'll need smaller notes for all three of you. Personally,  I'd be accepting the unpleasant exchange rate and just have some cash in hand beforehand,  just so there's one less thing to manage at that point in time.

yeah. I agree. I’m going to run by the bank tomorrow and place an order for exchange of a $ for ₩

13 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Last night, the time to get through immigration was really long. They separate you into Korean passport and foreign passport.  The foreign passport section has 20 immigration officer desks, but only 3 were open last night, for queues of hundreds of foreigners. Hopefully there are more open when you arrive at an earlier hour. 

Just keep that in mind if you are booking a driver ahead. 

Yeah. That’s part of why I was going to just use the limo bus for arrival. It’s cheaper, always there, and drops off within a block of where we are staying. No worries about booking a driver that didn’t wait. And while we might not clear the airport until after 7pm what with immigration, phones and TMoney cards taking time to learn how to navigate - I don’t expect to end up stranded at that time.

[Murphy101]

14 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

What sort of accommodation did you go with? Is it a hotel,  Airbnb, other?

I booked a studio apt. It’s one room with 3 full size beds, a full kitchen and private bathroom. 

14 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

For your arrival card, you'll need the full detailed address,  so have that handy.

I’ve already done the Q code and printed and filled it out and added it to the travel file.

14 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

And be sure you fill in those arrival cards before joining the immigration queue.

Each time I've gone,  I've been given it on the plane, so I know to have the address and a pen with me. 

But last night I saw plenty of people getting to the front of the immigration queue and then being sent straight to fill one out, so it seems not everyone is given them during their flight. 

People be weird.  I’ve seen people get them on the plane or have people at the airport hand it to them while in line and they just… do not do them. Idk why. But it seems every country has people that show up confused that they too must deal with immigration. Idk why. 

13 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I've been three times now.  Twice I've needed a Q Code. This time though no one was checking them. 

They are easy enough to do ahead of time, and this saves a heap of time if they are checking them. 

👍 yep. It’s not complicated at all. 

10 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Sorry,  spamming you with thoughts as they occur to me. 
 

never apologize for being nice. 🥰

10 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Have you considered getting the train from the airport to Hongdae? 

If you are comfortable sharing the address of where you are staying,  we can help with things like which exit you need from the train station. Hongik Uni station has about nine exits. 

I’ll DM you where I’m staying. Probably shouldn’t put it on the public board. 😎

Just in case no one told you today - you’re awesome!👏 

[Murphy101]

14 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Just a heads up re public transport - these are quiet zones.  Loud chatting is (quite literally) frowned upon. 

Nearly everyone is either quietly using their phone or are asleep.  Occasionally you'll see someone studying.  But people generally don't talk, and definitely not loudly. 

Foreigners are very obvious and can seem oblivious to the cultural difference. 

That’s perfect for us!  We are very quiet peoples.

I’m looking forward to a break from the general public seemingly unaware of the invention of earbuds. Seems like everywhere we go someone has to play there blasting phones on speaker and have zero awareness that the rest of the world doesn’t want to hear their conversation or listen to their game or show playing.  And it’s everywhere. 

Different thread for ranting but seriously wth is up with this?!

And we’ve been talking about culture differences. Things like not holding doors and elevators. Things like personal space being a much smaller space. High mini skirt to the undies? Okay. Shoulders and clavicle? Gasp. Most things are closed in the early am. Most restaurants do not expect to longer over the meal - that’s what cafes are for. The concept of a 빨리 culture. And other various things. 

I mean. We are white white people. Lol No one is going to confuse us for Korean so they are likely to be tolerant. But I think it’s just polite to make an effort to have culture manners and I also think it tends to make natives feel more friendly to visitors.  

[chocolate-chip chooky]

22 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Just a heads up re public transport - these are quiet zones.  Loud chatting is (quite literally) frowned upon. 

Nearly everyone is either quietly using their phone or are asleep.  Occasionally you'll see someone studying.  But people generally don't talk, and definitely not loudly. 

Foreigners are very obvious and can seem oblivious to the cultural difference. 

Just quoting myself to add that people don't make or take phone calls while on public transport. This seems very frowned upon. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

8 hours ago, Murphy101 said:

I booked a studio apt. It’s one room with 3 full size beds, a full kitchen and private bathroom. 

I’ve already done the Q code and printed and filled it out and added it to the travel file.

People be weird.  I’ve seen people get them on the plane or have people at the airport hand it to them while in line and they just… do not do them. Idk why. But it seems every country has people that show up confused that they too must deal with immigration. Idk why. 

👍 yep. It’s not complicated at all. 

never apologize for being nice. 🥰

I’ll DM you where I’m staying. Probably shouldn’t put it on the public board. 😎

Just in case no one told you today - you’re awesome!👏 

Aw, thanks.  I'm always open to being called awesome 🙂 Truly, just happy to share. I'm hoping my experiences somewhat help once you're here. 

Our prepaid with KT is called a USIM. It is a physical sim that you put in your phone.  The plan is unlimited data - no calls or texts are included in this.  My daughter and I just use a messaging app. We've never had any issue with not being able to make normal calls or texts. 

You've already done the Q code? I couldn't do mine until a couple of days before coming,  because you have to put in your current health status.  The date range section wasn't accessible before this. 

 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

If you're planning on getting the limo bus from the airport to Hongdae, this may not be relevant,  but just a heads up that not all exits at train stations have a lift. 

When we're in Hongdae in the next couple of days,  we'll scope out where lifts are,  just in case you end up arriving by train with all your suitcases in tow.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Ooh, where you are staying looks great. Right in the heart of Hongdae!

We'll scope it out and see if there's anything that could be helpful to know. 

Any specific details I'll post in a PM, but general things I'll post here, just in case it is helpful to someone else at some time. 

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before,  but it seems like clothes dryers aren't very common.  You may want to check ahead of time if you'll have access to one at your accommodation.

Our airbnb is a very similar layout to your place,  just smaller.  We have a washing machine but no dryer.  We use a drying rack (provided in the room).

[Kareni]

@Murphy101, be very conscientious with your trash and recycling. I've seen articles that mention people being fined when papers (with their names) were found in the trash rather than in a recycling receptacle. My daughter (who has lived in South Korea for eleven years now) has mentioned that specific bags for trash must be purchased. It's possible that your studio apartment might provide these.

Western toilets are common, but you might also encounter squatting toilets occasionally. In some locations, you are expected to NOT flush used toilet paper. In this case, you'll likely find a bin adjacent to the toilet.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

And, yes, my daughter would agree that dryers are very uncommon. She has come to like garments made from modal as they stay soft when air dried (cotton clothes will often be stiff after air drying).

Regards,

Kareni

[Murphy101]

1 hour ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Just quoting myself to add that people don't make or take phone calls while on public transport. This seems very frowned upon. 

Sigh. That sounds so peaceful. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Another thing - everyone will tell you that the tap water here is just fine,  but no one seems to drink it.  Bottled water seems to be the norm. Not just when you are out and about; I mean all the time. 

[Murphy101]

50 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Aw, thanks.  I'm always open to being called awesome 🙂 Truly, just happy to share. I'm hoping my experiences somewhat help once you're here. 

50 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Our prepaid with KT is called a USIM. It is a physical sim that you put in your phone.  The plan is unlimited data - no calls or texts are included in this.  My daughter and I just use a messaging app. We've never had any issue with not being able to make normal calls or texts. 

hmm. I don’t think I can use those on my iPhone. I think I would need an eSIM of some kind. Worse case is I use my international plan for my phone.  It won’t have a Korean phone number but I’m told there’s work arounds that. 

50 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

You've already done the Q code? I couldn't do mine until a couple of days before coming,  because you have to put in your current health status.  The date range section wasn't accessible before this. 

I’ve already filled everything and I’ll check to be sure I can use it before we go though bc immigration policies can change. 

[Murphy101]

50 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

If you're planning on getting the limo bus from the airport to Hongdae, this may not be relevant,  but just a heads up that not all exits at train stations have a lift. 

When we're in Hongdae in the next couple of days,  we'll scope out where lifts are,  just in case you end up arriving by train with all your suitcases in tow.

Thankfully we pack light but I admit to being intimidated by the sheer number of stairs in Korea. Which I could stay long enough to regain my once youthful figure on them. 

36 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Ooh, where you are staying looks great. Right in the heart of Hongdae!

We'll scope it out and see if there's anything that could be helpful to know. 

Any specific details I'll post in a PM, but general things I'll post here, just in case it is helpful to someone else at some time. 

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before,  but it seems like clothes dryers aren't very common.  You may want to check ahead of time if you'll have access to one at your accommodation.

Our airbnb is a very similar layout to your place,  just smaller.  We have a washing machine but no dryer.  We use a drying rack (provided in the room).

Ours is a washer only too. Drying racks in room as well. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

As @Kareni mentioned, rubbish sorting and recycling is a big thing here. 

For example,  you can't use takeaway cups in sit-down cafes. Apparently the store can be fined. 

In our home here, we have about 5 different bags for sorting rubbish and recycling. I expect your place will provide some,  but you can buy more from convenience stores.

 

[Murphy101]

15 minutes ago, Kareni said:

@Murphy101, be very conscientious with your trash and recycling. I've seen articles that mention people being fined when papers (with their names) were found in the trash rather than in a recycling receptacle. My daughter (who has lived in South Korea for eleven years now) has mentioned that specific bags for trash must be purchased. It's possible that your studio apartment might provide these.

The studio does provide it all. And I tend to carry a couple ziplocks in my purse for trash bc many places can be a bit of a hike between trash cans. Littering ticks me off. 

15 minutes ago, Kareni said:

Western toilets are common, but you might also encounter squatting toilets occasionally. In some locations, you are expected to NOT flush used toilet paper. In this case, you'll likely find a bin adjacent to the toilet.

Regards,

Kareni

I’ve been showing the kids videos of how to use everything from squat potties to fancy bidets.  It’s been hilariously educational.  I’ve been explaining to them that the towel next to the toilet is the butt towel NOT the hand towel. And that we will be packing our microfiber beach towels bc hand towels are often considered regular “body” towels outside the states. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

2 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

Thankfully we pack light but I admit to being intimidated by the sheer number of stairs in Korea. Which I could stay long enough to regain my once youthful figure on them. 

Ours is a washer only too. Drying racks in room as well. 

Just last night I said to my daughter that each time I come here,  I'm always very glad that I'm fit.  So many stairs and so much walking. And people here move quickly. You kind of go with the flow of the crowd, especially in train stations. 

[Murphy101]

12 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Another thing - everyone will tell you that the tap water here is just fine,  but no one seems to drink it.  Bottled water seems to be the norm. Not just when you are out and about; I mean all the time. 

Yeah that’s expected. I was also told to get a filter for the shower faucet while at the airport. 

Partly bc safe to drink isn’t necessarily pleasant to drink or results in great hair/skin. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

2 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

The studio does provide it all. And I tend to carry a couple ziplocks in my purse for trash bc many places can be a bit of a hike between trash cans. Littering ticks me off. 

I’ve been showing the kids videos of how to use everything from squat potties to fancy bidets.  It’s been hilariously educational.  I’ve been explaining to them that the towel next to the toilet is the butt towel NOT the hand towel. And that we will be packing our microfiber beach towels bc hand towels are often considered regular “body” towels outside the states. 

Just keep in mind the limited drying space on the drying racks. 

Yes,  the towels here are tiny,  but so is the space to hang them to dry. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Just now, Murphy101 said:

Yeah that’s expected. I was also told to get a filter for the shower faucet while at the airport. 

Partly bc safe to drink isn’t necessarily pleasant to drink or results in great hair/skin. 

Oh that's interesting.  No one has mentioned filters to us. 

[Murphy101]

1 minute ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Just keep in mind the limited drying space on the drying racks. 

Yes,  the towels here are tiny,  but so is the space to hang them to dry. 

Note to self to pack my beach chair clips too.  Our micro towels are fabulous -  thin lightweight and dry fast even inside  

We pack rather light and usually clothing that doesn’t require ironing, which handily enough also tends to be clothing that dries quickly.  And then maybe 2 items for layering, like a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt or cardigan, that might take a bit to dry if we get them dirty enough to wash. If it seems like a lot, I’ll just drop them at a cleaners - but I’ve only ever needed to do that once. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

There's a multi-storey Daiso in Hongdae. This isn't a grocery store by any means, but it is excellent value for any basic homeware-ish stuff you find you need. 

[TexasProud]

Have a blast! So excited for you.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

@Murphy101

We've scoped out where you will be staying. 

It's a really nice looking building right in the heart of Hongdae.

Exit 2 from Hongik University train station is the best.  It spits you out on a strip right in the middle of the main road, and you can see your building from there. Traffic on that road is kind of crazy,  so take care. 

I'm not confident there is a lift at that exit though. 

Have you decided for sure how you'll get from the airport? If there's any chance you'll take the train,  let me know, and I'll check which exits have lifts. It would be super hard to manage luggage at some of the exits. Some are just stairs; some are escalators; some are a combo. But there will be a lift somewhere,  so please let me know if you'd like me to check it out. 

[Murphy101]

2 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

@Murphy101

We've scoped out where you will be staying. 

It's a really nice looking building right in the heart of Hongdae.

Exit 2 from Hongik University train station is the best.  It spits you out on a strip right in the middle of the main road, and you can see your building from there. Traffic on that road is kind of crazy,  so take care. 

I'm not confident there is a lift at that exit though. 

Have you decided for sure how you'll get from the airport? If there's any chance you'll take the train,  let me know, and I'll check which exits have lifts. It would be super hard to manage luggage at some of the exits. Some are just stairs; some are escalators; some are a combo. But there will be a lift somewhere,  so please let me know if you'd like me to check it out. 

I pretty sure we will be taking the limo bus.  It just seems the easiest and most direct.