This November, my friend and I embarked on a five-day, four-night adventure to Korea. It was my first time visiting the country, and our main goals were to experience wearing a hanbok and pay homage to T1. On a whim, I decided to document this trip and share my itinerary as a reference for everyone.
🗓 Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival at Hongdae & Han River Park Ramen
After arriving, I immediately bought a ticket for the AREX express line at Gimpo Airport and took it straight to Hongdae. The ticket was so cute that I didn’t even want to return the deposit. By the time we got to the hotel, it was already past 6 PM. After dropping off our luggage, we quickly headed straight to Han River!
On the way, we stopped by a couple of convenience stores looking for cute T-money cards, but the selection was limited. Eventually, I bought a KAKAO Friends Choonsik card at a nearby CU, and it’s still adorable!
Han River Park Ramen 🍜
When we arrived at Yeouido Station, we unexpectedly ran into Deft 💙. After all, this is Mapo!
After exiting, we walked towards the area with more street vendors and spotted a bhc fried chicken on the first floor, next to a 7-Eleven—our spot for ramen.
This 7-Eleven didn’t have as many ramen options as I’d hoped, but the topping selection was pretty impressive. Plus, they sold ice cups too.
Personally, I found eating ramen by the Han River a bit dull—it ended up costing more than NT$ 300. However, if you’re into night views or just want a laid-back vibe, this could be a great spot. There were plenty of people either eating ramen or lying down, listening to music, which gave off a relaxed atmosphere.
Able Guesthouse Hongdae 🏠
After finishing our meal, we rushed back to the guesthouse. I’d quietly recommend where we stayed—Able Guesthouse Hongdae. It’s super convenient, just a 5-minute walk from the AREX station, though it’s about a 10-minute walk from the subway station. Still, on the day we were leaving, we were grateful for how close it was to the AREX station. The guesthouse has a youth hostel vibe. The third floor is only accessible by stairs, and there are other rooms on the same floor. We stayed in a double bed room, which was decently clean and quiet, with a tidy bathroom and great toiletries. However, one downside was the soundproofing—not great—so from around 11 PM to 2 AM, we could hear our neighbors chatting.
But here’s the best part: The guesthouse offers breakfast in the fridge, with toast, jam, eggs, milk, juice, and more. You have to cook it yourself, but it’s such a thoughtful touch! Every morning when I took out the milk, I couldn’t help but silently thank the host. Haha! However, they don’t provide water, but they do sell bottled water, though we just bought drinks instead.
Day 2 Gyeongbokgung & T1 Building
Gyeongbokgung with Palace Fox Hanbok 🦊
One of the things I was most excited about in Korea was wearing a hanbok. After browsing for a while on REDnote, I finally chose “Palace Fox Hanbok.” You can make a reservation in advance on REDnote (no prepayment required), and the shop is super convenient—right next to the subway station. The staff are all really friendly, and many speak Chinese, so language is never an issue.
You start by choosing the skirt (you can try it on once) and then the top (you can try it on twice). No need to worry about sizing—they have sizes ranging from regular to plus size, and if you’re unsure about the colors, the staff will be happy to help you pick. Once you’ve made your selections, the staff will take you to the fitting room and help you get dressed. You’ll be asked to remove your top, as the hanbok is a bit see-through, so I wore a white tank top underneath. Then, you’ll put on a petticoat (which is free of charge), and it really makes the hanbok look much better. The lower half doesn’t show, so you don’t need to take anything off.
After dressing, you can decide whether or not to get your hair styled. I opted not to, but I added a floral hair accessory for ₩ 5,000. This price is probably for short hair, but they also offer free options like traditional headbands. Finally, you can pick a matching handbag (free) to complete your look!
The hanboks at this store are divided into three categories: fashion, premium, and VIP. The one I chose was a premium hanbok, which, along with the hair accessory, cost a total of ₩ 29,000 – super affordable, and I was so satisfied ✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ)و✧*｡. It felt like such a great deal, and I got so many beautiful photos.
Since we were only planning to visit Gyeongbokgung, I went for a two-hour rental, and we ended up finishing early!
Visiting Gyeongbokgung in November was amazing. The streets were lined with golden ginkgo trees, and inside the palace, you could see green, red, and yellow trees all at once—haha. Wearing hanbok was perfect for the season—not too hot, not too cold!
Tosokchon Samgyetang 🐓
We only had to wait about ten minutes before getting into the annex. I ordered a whole chicken, and the meat was tender and delicious, leaving me feeling really full. However, I found it a bit average, probably because I’m not a fan of ingredients like ginseng and jujubes that are meant for health. I was also excited about the glutinous rice inside the chicken, but it had a strange sweet taste that I wasn’t used to, so I couldn’t finish it.
Tosokchon Samgyetang (토속촌삼계탕)
Address: 5, Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMTaste:Return visit: ❌ (Ginseng, no thanks)
T1 Building ❤️
Finally made my pilgrimage to T1, and I wore this year’s team jersey to take lots of photos! Unfortunately, the jerseys and jackets were sold out in the store, but there were still plenty of small items available. If you need anything, just ask the staff. I ended up buying all the stickers, since getting them through a third party for regular prices didn’t seem worth it.
Walking up the slope on the left side takes you inside, and on the right is T1 Cafe & Arena!
The drink prices aren’t too bad, and they taste great. There’s also a big screen playing clips from last year’s World Championship, so it’s a nice spot to relax for a bit.
T1 Cafe & Arena
Address: 4, Seonreung-ro 115-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Daily 11:00 AM – 8:00 PMTaste:Return visit: ✅ (Absolutely thrilled to return as a fan!)
Yukhoe Sisters House 🥩
We initially planned to go to two places, but when we saw 43 groups waiting at the first restaurant, we quickly gave up! We walked to another spot we had bookmarked, and luckily, we didn’t have to wait and could go straight in, although the restaurant was still very crowded.
Upon entering, the restaurant served a radish-pork soup, which was really tasty with a slight spiciness. The raw beef was served with Korean pear on the side, which I didn’t particularly enjoy pairing together, but the pear itself was delicious. This was my first time trying this dish—while I’m not sure if it’s considered exceptional, the beef was tasty and went perfectly with rice. The octopus was just okay (though I’m not a big fan of octopus to begin with).
Yukhoe Sisters House (육회자매집)
Address: 200-4, Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Daily 09:30 AM – 9:30 PMTaste:Return visit: ❌ (Would like to try other places)
Day 3 Shopping in Hongdae & T1 Base Camp
Casual Shopping Stroll
I’m not really a fan of shopping, so it was more of a casual stroll, but I do recommend a few stores:
- OFFLINE DUTY FREE: Two floors with everything from bags and shoes to accessories, and the best part—it’s super affordable!!! I recommend buying small hair clips or necklaces here. While the bags are cheap, some of them don’t seem to have the best quality.
- Å LAND: A clothing store, but the corner of the first floor has cute little items. I ended up buying a cat sticker there, haha. Be sure to go to the airport for the tax refund.
- SPAO: Near Hongdae subway, I went there specifically to buy a down jacket. The fit is really flattering, and I got a black hooded down jacket for just around NT$ 1,600, plus instant tax refund.
- Butter: Don’t be fooled by the cute items—it’s not as expensive as it looks. Many things (cardholders, small bags) are around ₩ 9,900, and they’re all incredibly adorable. The store is also super photogenic. In the end, I only bought a plush bear bag, and now I kind of regret not buying more.
MintChoco World 🍫
For mint chocolate lovers, highly recommended 🩵. After falling in love with the mint chocolate recommended by SUNOO, I decided to visit this spot!
As soon as we entered, we ordered a drink each. The Mint Choco Latte is essentially mint chocolate milk with an intense mint flavor. If you’re not a big fan, proceed with caution. We also tried a Mint Choco Tiramisu, which paired perfectly with the drinks. The tiramisu’s mint flavor wasn’t too overwhelming, and its sweetness was absolutely delicious! As we drank, the minty taste lingered and became stronger, with my friend still tasting mint hours later (ᗒᗨᗕ).
MintChoco World (민트초코월드)
Address: 32 Seongmisan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30 AM – 9:00 PMTaste:Return visit: ✅ (Definitely return!)
Boseung Hall
We waited for about five minutes before being seated. I ordered a bowl of rice with sausage soup (?), which wasn’t bad but also didn’t blow me away. Initially, I thought the rice and soup would be cooked together, but they were served separately. The dish had blood sausage (probably the black one), which was delicious, and a white winter noodle sausage that had a chewy texture but wasn’t really to my liking.
It was extremely hot that afternoon, and we were seated by the window. The soup was piping hot, making the whole eating experience a bit uncomfortable.
Boseung Hall (보승회관)
Address: 131 Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Open 24 hours dailyTaste:Return visit: ❌ (Not too bad, I’d prefer to try other places for soup rice)
Note: The bathroom locks were unusual. Both my friend and I couldn’t lock the door properly, making us nervous.
T1 Base Camp 🎮
I just made a pilgrimage without actually using the PCs at the internet café. I simply walked around, took tons of photos, and even bought some tattoo stickers and a Faker fan for support from the nearby store. Then, I spent a while at the photo booth taking a bunch of stickers—so much fun! Next time, I definitely want to play some games and have instant noodles, though Faker did say the noodles are quite expensive, haha.
Mom’s TOUCH 🍗
I ordered a small box, which was still a bit too large for one person. We brought it back to the hotel and were still eating it before bed, but it was absolutely delicious. The meat was so tender, and even the fried skin remained tasty, even after it cooled down. Highly recommended!!!
Taste:Return visit: ✅ (So delicious, I’d love to have it again!)
Day 4 Seongsu-dong & Sinchon
Bongeunsa Bracelet 🏯
The bracelets here are truly abundant, ranging from affordable to luxurious, and I couldn’t resist picking up one that was irresistibly cute.
Somunnan Gamjatang 🍲
We were fortunate to be seated after only a short wait of about ten minutes, and the food arrived within five minutes—remarkably fast, as expected from a renowned establishment. The soup was delicious, with tender meat that practically melted in your mouth. Although there were only two small pieces of potato, I still left the table feeling satisfied. The broth was also flavorful, though you have to order rice separately.
Somunnan Gamjatang (소문난 성수감자탕)
Address: 45 Yeonmujang-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Open 24 hours dailyTaste:Return visit: ✅ (Absolutely must return, it’s good!)
Seongsu-dong 💄
It was just a casual stroll, as most of my shopping had already been done at OY. I simply enjoyed the sights and snapped some photos. I did make a purchase at fwee, grabbing a charm as a souvenir from the freebies.
Aren’t they adorable? My friend and I ended up picking the same outer case color, but we chose different shades for the inside. I’m absolutely in love with it 💓
Market In U 👕
I visited the vintage store SUNOO had recommended and was pleasantly surprised by how delightful it was to browse. The section to the left of the entrance had so many stylish finds, priced around NT$ 200, and you could try them on. In the end, I picked up a knitted top and a quilted jacket for less than NT$ 400—such a great deal!
Korean Restaurants Happy Soyrice 🍤
This was the meal I was most excited for—I had been craving soy sauce shrimp for a while. I found a small shop, and to my surprise, we were the only customers that day. I ordered a sweet soy sauce salmon and shrimp rice bowl. The sauce, rich with the flavor of fish roe, was absolutely delicious, and the marinated salmon and shrimp were perfect. Although it was a bit pricey, the taste was worth every won—it truly lived up to the restaurant’s reputation, leaving me incredibly satisfied. I savored each bite slowly, reluctant to finish.
Korean Restaurants Happy Soyrice (행복은 간장밥)
Address: 120 Dongso-mun-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Daily 11:00 AM – 9:00 PMTaste:Return visit: ✅ (A must-return for sure!)
Kitchen Spring 🍙
This place doesn’t seem to attract many tourists. The owner was quite busy, so we had to be prepared to translate before ordering. We chose the mixed set, and the owner informed us it would take an hour (a hidden gem, indeed!). Fortunately, we hadn’t had dinner yet, so we agreed to return later.
The wait was absolutely worth it—the food was delectable and very filling. My personal favorite was the egg, with a rich, intense flavor and an almost overwhelming amount of eggs—pure bliss.
The tuna gimbap was also tasty, though it contained cabbage, which I’m not particularly fond of. Still, my friends loved it.
Kitchen Spring (키친봄날)
Address: 62 Sinchon-ro 11-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Daily 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Closed on Sundays)Taste:Return visit: ✅ (Definitely returning!)
Day 5 Bye Korea～～
We left early this morning. The hotel was truly the perfect choice, ideally located near the AREX station. It only took about five minutes to walk there with our luggage, and there was an escalator at the exit, so we didn’t have to struggle with carrying our bags up the stairs.
One small regret before leaving was that the flight was too early (we had to depart by 11 AM), which meant I couldn’t stop by Lotte Department Store to buy the sweet potato bread I had been craving. I’ll save that for next time!
BTW, the return flight on EasyJet was pretty uncomfortable. After a while, my backside hurt, and it was difficult to sleep in the seats.
💸 Personal Expenses
I brought US$ 300 intending to exchange it for Korean Won upon arrival. However, since I needed to take the AREX and didn’t want to buy a T-money card at the airport (I wanted a cuter design), I exchanged ₩ 5,500 at Songshan Airport for immediate use.
- Flight (Songshan ↔ Gimpo): NT$ 8,621 per person
- Accommodation：NT$ 3,205 per person
- Travel Insurance: I initially thought I had purchased it, but while writing this, I realized I completely forgot—so, NT$ 0.
- Preparation (eSIM + adapter): NT$ 152
- Transportation: Approximately NT$ 323 (recharged ₩ 14,000, with a small amount leftover)
- Food, Drinks, and Shopping: NT$ 14,065 (OY spent NT$ 3,787; I used LINE Pay JCB for anything beyond my cash limit)
Total: NT$ 26,366
Honestly, it was a little over my initial budget, but my friend was thrilled with the itinerary (she stayed within her planned expenses). So, I’d say my first trip to Korea was a resounding success! ヾ(●´▽｀●)ノ
If this article helped you, treat me to a milk tea ❤️
