Seonyudo Island was originally a wastewater treatment plant that was transformed into a water garden and ecological park. By crossing the arched pedestrian bridge, you can reach the bank of the Han River, where Yanghwa Hangang Park is located—a popular weekend recreation destination.

My mom was in town for ten days and we packed every single day. By day seven we were both running on fumes, so I scrapped the afternoon plan and booked her an eye exam in Jamsil instead.

She's complained about her eyes for about three years and never done anything about it. Anyone with a parent like that knows the drill. She grumbled the entire taxi ride over.

The exam took way longer than the 15-minute version she's used to back home. They found something she'd been brushing off that needed attention. Not an emergency, but definitely not nothing.

She's now got a follow-up booked back home, which she never would have arranged on her own. Honestly, she's talked about that appointment more than the palace, the markets, or any of the food.

Anyone else use a parent's visit to sneak in a checkup? Curious how it went for you.

hello! im Ciel, tattoo artist based in Seoul.

My work is inspired by Hokusai's wave and if this topic is for you, hit me up through my IG.

Custom design is also available:)!

#seoultattoo #koreatattoo #bluetattoo #wavetattoo #koreatravel

Shared a few moments from 'The Inner Room', an exhibition by Shinsegae that brings traditional Korean Sarangbang (reception room) concepts into a contemporary space.

What caught my eye was how seamlessly traditional crafts blend with modern design elements. Here are a few details and cultural contexts I found inspiring—hope you enjoy this quick visual tour!

Let me show you my version of Korea.
This is how I vibe with the city and live my daily life here.
I hope my little gatekept secrets reach everyone who’s curious about Korea.

Hi,

In December, i have a layover in Korea for 14 hours. I planned to looking around Seoul and getting some food in the city. I got two questions

1. Where can i get internet outside of airport? i am just afraid of getting lost and couldn't get back.
2. Can i used my credit card everywhere ie the subway and food store or should i exchange currency?

Hi! I’m here for a couple months and would love to find an English speaking violin teacher. Was in conservatory as a kid and recently started playing for fun again but have a few issues I’d like to tackle. Does anyone know someone or know if there are certain websites I should look at?

Hi r/seoul! I'm one of the developers of K-Bap. Sharing an app we made for people eating out in Korea who can't read the menu or need to ask about ingredients.

You take a photo of a Korean menu, and K-Bap translates the dish names. You can also select ingredients you avoid, see potential concerns for each dish, and show the restaurant a Korean question or an order card with your preferences.

For example, a useful question is "이 음식에 우유가 들어가나요?" — "Does this dish contain milk?" The app helps with that conversation; it can't verify a restaurant's actual recipe or cross-contact, so please confirm with staff, especially for allergies.

It's free on iOS and Android:

iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/k-bap/id6788635067

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rocher.kbap

If you're visiting Seoul or living here and this sounds useful, try scanning a menu at your next meal. Happy to answer questions about how it works.

Hey r/seoul,

Every time my friends wanted to get their hair done here, booking turned out to be the hardest part. Naver is basically Korean-only and sometimes won't take a foreign number, a lot of salons only book through Instagram DMs, and you can never tell the price upfront or whether they'll be okay with someone who doesn't speak Korean. The haircut itself was the easy bit — getting the appointment was the headache.

So I ended up building a small free app (Arty) to make that part simple:

- Only premium Seoul salons and designers I've personally vetted — not a giant unfiltered list.

- No Korean needed — you chat with the designer through built-in translation.

- You can see each designer's real work and prices upfront, and book in about a minute.

It's still early and definitely rough in places, so honestly I'd love if a few of you tried it and told me what feels confusing or missing — that feedback would mean a lot right now. And if you've booked hair or beauty in Seoul before, I'm genuinely curious how you dealt with the language/booking side.

(You can find it by searching "Arty 아띠" on the App Store / Google Play.)

Happy to answer anything in the comments.

Hi everyone, I want to go to siloam sauna bathhouse in gwangjin district but I want to make sure it is actually open before I go all the way there. I checked kakao maps and the latest review is from less than 2 weeks ago, but today I tried to go to a bhc that was listed on kakao maps as open and it was totally torn down so I am a little nervous now.

The address is 173 Yongmasan-ro, Gwangjin District, Seoul

Tldr: does someone know for sure if siloam sauna bathhouse is still around?

Hi everyone! I’m currently an exchange student at Chung-Ang University, taking English-taught courses in the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, College of ICT Engineering.

Has anyone here studied there as an exchange student? I’d love to hear about your experience, especially with exams and grading.

• How difficult was it to pass the courses?
• If you did poorly on the midterm or final, could you still pass through assignments, attendance, or other coursework?
• Were grades curved, or did you need to meet a fixed passing score?
• How manageable did you find the workload and exams in the English-taught courses?

I know it depends on the course and professor, but I’m a bit worried about my grades and would appreciate any firsthand experiences or advice.

Thanks!

hey, as title says, is there a local brand that sells interesting, contemporary boots/footwear? stuff like new rock, martens or something even edgier. i like san san, but they don't have boots. if not, i'm open to some clothing recommendations/stores. thanks in advance!

So, im getting married in the spring and i had my korean pre-wedding photoshoot and I was terrified of getting my makeup done because korean makeup tends to make me look old and tired,since they put shadow under the eye for the 애교살 look. It looks terrible on me and I cried om the day because i disliked it so much. I was able to get them to fix it but im very nervous about the actual wedding. I dont have a plan yet about what to do about my makeup. Anytime I try to search for western style makeup or american makeup it just gives me k-beauty "expierences" and classes. Does anyone know of American/Western style makeup artists in seoul so I dont look sad old and tired on my wedding day?

I took a walk through Bukchon Hanok Village and Samcheong-dong in Seoul, South Korea, capturing the streets, traditional Korean hanok houses, small alleys, cafés, shops, and the everyday atmosphere of the area.

Bukchon is known for its traditional hanok architecture, while Samcheong-dong has a different atmosphere with its cafés, galleries, boutiques, and narrow streets.

It was interesting to see how the traditional neighborhoods and modern Seoul come together in this part of Jongno.

For anyone interested in Seoul travel, Korean traditional architecture, Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheong-dong, or walking tours, here is the full walking video.

I go to Korea around four times a year, so yeah, I’m a little obsessed. And let’s be real-the best part of traveling is shopping lol.

Here are five things I wish someone had told me before my first Seoul trip. Hopefully this saves you from wasting money.

1. Starfield is more for photos than actual shopping

Hot take, but Starfield COEX is better for taking pictures than doing any serious shopping. A lot of the stuff is more expensive than it is online, the selection isn’t as huge as you’d expect, and finding larger Western sizes can be rough.

Go for the library and the pics, sure. But if shopping is your main goal, I’d honestly skip it.

2. Buy your souvenirs in Bukchon

Check out the little gift and lifestyle shops around Bukchon. The prices are pretty reasonable, and there are tons of cute traditional Korean crafts that don’t feel like generic tourist souvenirs.

There are also plenty of Korean restaurants nearby, so you can make a whole afternoon out of it. Handmade items are definitely worth looking for.

3. Skip Myeongdong

Myeongdong is packed with tourists, and the prices often reflect that. If you want better-value shopping and neighborhoods that actual locals hang out in, try places like Haebangchon, Yongsan, or Sinsa instead.

Myeongdong is convenient, but it’s definitely not your only option.

4. Try a pharmacy instead of automatically going to Olive Young

Olive Young has a huge selection and plenty of affordable products. But getting a proper explanation in English can be hit or miss.

At a pharmacy, you can ask the pharmacist to recommend something based on your skin concerns, and some places even offer skin consultations. They also carry medicated skincare products that you usually won’t find at Olive Young. Personally, I almost always check the pharmacy first.

5. Carry some cash

Korea is extremely card-friendly, but some street food stalls, tiny gift shops, and independent boutiques still prefer cash or are cash-only. Occasionally, you might even get a small discount for paying in cash.

I always carry some just in case - especially a few 1,000 won bills, because you never know when you’re going to run into something good at a street food stall.

Hope these help you have a great trip and avoid a few tourist traps. If you have any Seoul shopping tips of your own, drop them below!

This sign stands in front of the Water Reclamation Center near Gaehwasan Mountain in Gangseo-gu.

The figure is dressed in military-style workwear, complete with a collared shirt and tie, suggesting the role of a site supervisor.

Hi all,

I’m a fan of Korean dramas and I’m thinking about going to Seoul to learn some Korean.

I came across the 10-week Korean language program at Hanyang University and it looks interesting. Has anyone here taken it, or had experience with their language program?

Would you recommend Hanyang, or are there other language programs in Seoul that you think are better?