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Overview
Why Visit South Korea?
South Korea is one of the great travel surprises -- Seoul is simultaneously one of the world most technologically advanced cities and home to palaces and markets that have operated continuously for six centuries.
Korean culture is built on Confucian values of respect and collective harmony -- and on a fierce national pride in Korean achievement. The Hallyu wave has made Korean culture globally influential.
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Top Experiences in South Korea
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Seoul Vegan & Vegetarian Gwangjang Market Food Tour (11 Tastings)
2 hrs
Free Cancel
Seoul : Essential History Walking Tour for Visitor
2 hrs
Half-Day South Korea DMZ Small-Group Tour from Seoul
6h 30m
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Private DMZ Tour with North Korean Defector + N Korean Lunch
7-8 hrs
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Korean Cooking Class with Grocery Shopping at Seoul Local Market
3 hrs
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Traditional Korean 6-Dish Cooking Class + Hidden Alley Tour Seoul
3h 30m
Free Cancel
Seoul Gangnam Gourmet Tour With Temple
3 hrs
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Seoul: Small Group Cheorwon DMZ Tour with Lunch
8 hrs
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Food and Drink
What to Eat in South Korea
Korean food culture is one of the world great culinary traditions -- bold, fermented, intensely flavoured and built around banchan, the array of small shared dishes that accompany every meal.
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Korean BBQ
Meat grilled at your table over charcoal, wrapped in perilla leaves with fermented soybean paste. The communal ritual of Korean barbecue is one of the great eating experiences in Asia.
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Kimchi
Fermented cabbage with gochugaru chilli, garlic and fish sauce -- the foundational flavour of Korean cooking. Over 200 varieties exist. UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage.
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Bibimbap
Rice topped with seasoned vegetables, a fried egg and gochujang sauce, mixed at the table. The Jeonju version served in a hot stone bowl is definitive.
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Tteokbokki
Rice cakes in a fiery gochujang sauce -- the defining street food of Korea. Eaten at pojangmacha stalls with fish cake and a soft-boiled egg.
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Makgeolli
Korea traditional milky rice wine -- slightly fizzy, gently sweet. The natural pairing for pajeon scallion pancakes on a rainy afternoon.
Must-See
Highlights of South Korea
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The great Joseon palace at the heart of Seoul -- flanked by mountains, guarded by the changing of the royal guard ceremony. The National Folk Museum in its grounds is one of Korea finest.
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Gwangjang Market
Seoul oldest market -- open since 1905 -- is the greatest street food market in Korea. Bindaetteok mung bean pancakes, mayak gimbap, stalls cooking the same dish for three generations.
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Bukchon Hanok Village
Six hundred traditional Korean hanok houses on the hillside between the two great palaces -- one of the last intact traditional neighbourhoods in Seoul.
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Jeju Island
Korea volcanic island -- UNESCO Triple Crown, haenyeo women divers, black lava coastlines, hallabong citrus groves and the extraordinary crater lake of Hallasan.
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Insider Tips
Travel Tips for South Korea
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The T-Money card works on all Seoul public transport and at convenience stores -- get one at the airport.
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Tipping is not customary in Korea and can cause awkwardness -- simply do not tip.
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Download Naver Maps rather than Google Maps for far better Korean coverage and transport routing.
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Many restaurants operate lunch and dinner only with a break between -- check opening times.
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