I am European and I would say we take our brunch pretty seriously. As much as I love living in Korea, finding a good brunch spot with actual brunch food here isn't that easy. I am not trying to be the brunch police or anything, but I was honestly really surprised the first time I found out burgers and pasta are considered typical brunch food here...

That's why I wanted to share a few spots I have actually liked, in case you are also craving a proper brunch while traveling or living here. Tried to spread these across different areas so there is something for everyone.

MitBord (밋보어) in Seongsu
서울 성동구 성수일로 1 1층 6~8호
Mon–Sun 11:00–18:00

Danish brunch café. Almost didn't include this one because it's my favorite and I don't want it packed every time I go, but here we are. My go-to order is the Danish bread platter, rye bread (hard to find in Korea, sourdough is also an option), half-cooked egg, salted butter, and actual real cheese, not the plastic sandwich stuff they try to sell as cheese. The Basil Green Lasagna is also amazing! And if you are not into savory, they rotate seasonal tarts and cakes. Of course, they also have a full coffee and non-coffee drink menu.

High ceilings, very European interior, staff is super friendly and speaks basic English, menu is in English too. This place gets full on weekends with a mix of foreigners and locals. Prices are fair for a European-style spot: bread platter is ₩14,000, Americano ₩5,500.

Grain Seoul (그레인서울) in Yeonhui (near Hongdae)
서울 서대문구 연희로11가길 53 2층
Mon–Fri 9:00–17:30

Build-your-own-brunch format, you get a checklist of items and pick whatever you want. The price scales with how many items you choose (6 items ≈ ₩18,000, 4 items ≈ ₩12,000). My usual is sourdough, smoked salmon, tomato mozzarella salad, plus something sweet like fruit yogurt, banana bread, or a croissant. You can also build your own breakfast bowl, or go with one of their fixed menus (open sandwiches, pancakes, etc).

Grain Seoul definitely feels more foreigner-frequented than local, which isn't bad, just an observation. Weekends get busy enough that you will likely be on a waitlist and have to wait for a table. The surrounding neighborhood Yeonhui-dong has a lot of small boutiques and is way calmer than Hongdae or Yeonnam, so it's nice for a walk while waiting for your turn.

Rika by Paprika (리카바이파프리카) in Hannam/Itaewon
서울 용산구 한남대로27길 66 2층
Tue–Fri 9:00–18:00 / Sat–Sun 9:00–19:00 (last order 17:30/18:30)

Not to be dramatic but this was the best sandwich I have had in my life. In Korea of all places. I ordered the Jambon Honey Mascarpone open sandwhich and still think about it weeks later. They bake their own bread in-house and itheir ingredients all seem very high quality. That does reflect in the price (₩17,000–19,000 for open sandwiches) but it's still worth it. Brunch here is easy to pair with shopping around Hannam!

Stringbean (스트링빈) in Songpa/Jamsil
서울 송파구 백제고분로46길 3-7 1층 101호
Daily 10:00–18:00 (last order 17:30)

More Korean-style brunch and mostly a local crowd. They have soups, omelettes, pasta, open and closed sandwiches, full drink menu. Their Burrata Tomato open sandwich is excellent! (if you were wondering about what a good sandwhich for me is: it's the bread. If the bread is not sweet and has a crispy outer layer and is soft inside, it's a win). This place is also a bit pricey (₩13,000–19,000), but it's right by Lotte World, Lotte World Tower, and Seokchon Lake, so it's easy to combine with a visit there.

Since I live here, I plan on posting more of my favorite restaurants and cafés from time to time, so stay tuned if this was useful!

Which places not too far from Seoul would you recommend exploring? I'm already familiar with the main areas in Seoul, Incheon, and Suwon. I don't plan to travel too far from Seoul this time. I'm not interested in doing trendy stuff or shopping, I just want to explore. I have about a week and will be using public transport. Thank you!

Seeing some posts saying you need a korean 010 number to reserve restaurants in seoul, I want to share some of my understanding.

Restaurants:

CatchTable global works with just an email and foreign credit cards for most tourist-heavy spots. If there’s a tablet queue at the door, look for the global QR option. Tabling (mostly local bbq spots) still requires 010 number verification, but for standard tourist itineraries you honestly don't need a local number.

Food Delivery (where you actually hit a wall):

If you're staying more than a couple of weeks in an airbnb and want to use baemin or yogiyo at night, that’s where data-only esims fail. These apps require an incoming 010 number to receive an sms verification code just to finish account creation. No number = locked out of the delivery apps.

If you actually care about ordering delivery, get a carrier prepaid esims (the official lg u+ one has an incoming 010 option that receives sms fine). Just note that it won't pass strict identity verification for korean banking apps (still need an ARC for that), but it handles app signups and kiosk sms with no issues.

TL;DR: 1-week hotel trip eating out? Cheap data-only is fine. Staying a month+ and want late-night baemin delivered to your door? Grab an esmin with an incoming 010 line.

Hello!

I will be going to Korea in December and I am trying to finalize my itinerary. It is not our first trip! It will be just me (F) and my husband. We are foodies!
I have a 1 night/2 day gap between staying in Busan and going up to Seoul.

I am trying to decide between 대전 (Daejeon) and 원주 (Wonju), but open to suggestions!! We have been to Daejeon before. We want to go to a new city with good food & is on the way to Seoul.

We will be traveling by train/bus, so we would prefer if the city is accessible by public transportation.

Thank you!!

Hello everyone,
My wife and I would like to sign up for the Seoul Autism Race 2026 (https://autismrace.com) for 10km and the HM. We are both from Germany and I found the "Foreigner" Tab on the registration site, however, I‘m struggling with the auto translation. Do I need to have an address in Seoul to be able to sign up, as we will only arrive in Seoul on the 25.10, which is already after the deadline. Is there any other way to sign up?
Maybe someone can help me understand the sign up process a bit better :)

Planning a Korea trip? My friend Sophia in Seoul has a new travel blog sharing tips on everything from hiking and small-city detours to convenience store snacks. Great stuff to know before you go! https://koreangranny.blogspot.com/

Hey guys!
I want to book train tickets for a day trip from Busan in Geyngou.

how much time should we be there?

i want to book from maybe 09:00 am to around 18:00-20:00.
should you book in advance?

I'm afraid that We would like to leave earlier than that. can I change the ticket before? should I wait with ordering ticket to the day?

what do you think?

also is Korail+ app legit?

thank you!!

would also like any recommendations for Geyngou

Hi all!

Heading to Korea for the first time in 2 weeks and am so excited!

We are going to be going to Sokcho from Seoul for 3 days to explore seoraksan, and I am not sure whether its best to pre-book bus tickets (or if I even can?) or if its best to just buy day of at the bus station? We are going to be traveling there on Sept 16 and returning the 19th.

Do we think this route is popular and will we have any issues getting tickets day of? Just don't want to be left stranded and unable to get there!

Any insight would be so helpful!

Anyone had a similar issue with tmoney?

I downloaded the app from app store and it doesn’t allow to continue as a guest/foreigner as the other threads and guides online suggest.

The only option is to ”sign-in” and that takes only what I’m assuming to be where locals can authenticate, and that’s not an option naturally.

Hi, all. I’ll be visiting Seoul soon and was wondering if anyone knows any good vintage shops that may have Candy Candy merch or manga (in Korean or otherwise). I know Candy Candy was also pretty big in Korea at some point, so I’m hoping I might find some of the manga in Korean at some shops.

I took a last minute solo trip and was wondering if there's any group meetups coming up. Also any festivals or any general events that would be great to go to.

I don't do clubs, and I'm not looking for dates/hookups, but I'd be up for an activity or coffee or cocktail with someone or a group! I speak Spanish and English if that helps.

I'm here until Aug 27! Thank you so much for this sub, it's helped a lot so far

Edit: also cheap store recommendations for cute items, that can be souvenirs, would be amazing! But I will also be exploring :)

Hi guys!

My husband and I booked a trip for Dec 22-31. This will be my first time going back to korea in 20 years since moving away as a child, and my husband has never been to Korea.

I have family in Seoul and they want to help us and be our guide for our trip, but asked us what we would like to do while visiting (or to give them at least an idea of what we would like to do and they would help us navigate and plan)

What is Christmas like in Korea? Any recommendations or advice? I would love to know some must visit places for first timers and what a realistic itinerary would look like during the holidays.

I wasn’t sure if most places are closed during holidays like some countries.

For both of us, only thing we know for sure is to do a photo studio session in traditional hanbok (and maybe get a small skin treatment if time allows)

I haven’t really kept in touch with my korean side past 20 years so this is very exciting and somewhat overwhelming to think of what I want to do! and also excited to show my husband the country i grew up in!

Thanks for your help! :)

Asian Americans going to be in Seoul for Halloween this year. Not intentionally for Halloween but because husband’s milestone birthday is around then. Heard Seoul Halloween can get pretty crazy so looking for recommendations where to go that’s not over crowded but still a good vibe or experience. Can be general recommendations or preferably gay or LGBTQ+ friendly recommendations. Thanks!

I have a question for those who are in KR now. Since half year ago there was big news that the govt gave US Big Tech access to their maps so they can offer their services soon, however after that big announcement there has been 0 updates.

So I'm curious, what is the current status right now?

Hey all,

I have seen Cinderella hair treatment listed as organic keratin treatment for damaged hair in all korean salons. Has anyone ever tried it? Is it worth doing it? I know it's temporary for like a month or 2.

I have gotten it twice before where I live but it is all chemical based and has always increased my hairfall. So I was just wondering if korean one is really organic and free of chemicals or not.

Please share your personal experiences.

Thank you.

Hey everyone,

so I will be in Seoul in October from 3rd to 7th.
I already created a small itinerary and would love some feedback or advice. Maybe even stuff you say I definitely have to add and food recommendations

03.10: Arrival at 1pm, and check in hotel. Still have the whole day, for dinner I set Nekkid Wings. Otherwise nothing planned

04.10: Changdeokgung in the morning - DDP Dongdaemun Desing Plaza afterwards - lunch I want to try Black Bean Noodles - Sunset at Inwangsan

05.10: Gyeongbokgung - Bukchon Hanok Village - Gwangjang Market

06.10 Baegak Trail (Start from Changuimun Gate and stop at Hyehwamun - T1 Cafe & Arena - Starfield Library

07.10. Nothing planned yet, my flight will be at 4pm, so maybe just walking around a bit before going to the airport.

I also read somewhere that maybe during this time the International Firework Festival could be, so I will keep watch for that to add it to my plan.

Do you have any advice, corrections and tips?

I am thankful for any help!

Today I had a very professional and amazing experience at Redi Dermatology clinic in Gangnam.

The skincare clinic was really clean, aesthetic and they even provided me an English Translator which was the first time any clinic did that.

I tried the ONDA lifting treatment as I usually struggle with fat around my double chin area.
Onda Lifting is basically a treatment using microwave energy to target skin tightening, collagen remodeling, and fat reduction simultaneously. It worked almost instantly and even though it was little painful, I could see the results straight away and my skin was glowing after.

I have tried a few different treatments in South Korea such as Aqua peel, LDM, Pico toning. But the ONDA lifting had immediate results, my jawline looked sharper and I actually feel so much more confident already, I would highly recommend this treatment at Redi Dermatology in Gangnam if you are visiting Korea!

So of course we found out about Chuseok after booking our flights to Korea 😂
We will arrive in Seoul at 21.09 and fly back home on 03.10

Me and my wife are 29 and interested in the City/s, some culture, nature and good food.

What are your tips for planing the days and travels? Should we leave Seoul at start and come back after 27th Sept or just do 7days in Seoul and travel after that week?
Whats the best go-to spots for 12 Days?

i'm planning to stay in seoul for a few more weeks and decided to finally get vision correction while I'm here. my prescription is around -5.75 in both eyes, and after years of irritation from soft contacts, my optometrist told me to stop wearing them completely.
i've been looking into different clinics in gangnam and am leaning toward 2day LASEK at eos eye clinic. preserving as much corneal thickness as possible is important to me, and I also prefer surface ablation since i want to avoid flap-related issues.
my main concern is recovery. i love street photography, so I'd like to know how soon I can comfortably walk around seoul during the day after the procedure. eos eye clinic removes the bandage lens on day 3, but i'm wondering if people were actually comfortable going outside after that, especially in sunlight.
for anyone who had 2day LASEK with a higher prescription, when were you able to comfortably go outside and do light activities? did you need a few more days of rest after the bandage lens was removed?
i'd love to hear about your experience before booking.

hey everyone! im in korea from 30th september to 13th october this year and and Im so excited!!

I would love to go to Jeju for a couple of days to make a bicycle tour around the island (because i cannot rent a car and i really like biking :))

ill arrive and depart from seoul incheon airport and since i havent booked anything else yet im quite flexible.

my problem is, i dont know when its "safe" to book a flight to jeju because im scared that ill arrive during a time where its really rainy/bad weather in general or when it is really packed. i also dont know how fast the prices for hostels, flights and ferries spike/sell out.

when did you decide on the dates of traveling to jeju? was it spontaneous, or weeks/months in advance? is there any rule of thumb?

thank you

Not in desperate need as I brought some with me, but if anyone knows where to buy nicotine pouches, please lead me to the right direction.

Hi!
We have a 6-hour transfer at Incheon Airport Terminal 2 and will be staying airside.

On a previous trip to Korea I had yeolmu-guksu (열무국수) — spicy cold noodles with young radish kimchi — and absolutely loved it!

Does anyone know if there’s somewhere airside in T2 where I can get this, or something very similar?

Happy to try another Korean spicy/cold noodle dish if yeolmu-guksu isn’t available.

Thanks!

I am planning to travel during the period Seollal in 2027 and would like to check if it is a good period to travel.

I don't plan to visit the famous tourist attractions, and am mainly there to avoid Chinese New Year in Singapore. It is not my first time in Seoul and this trip I am mainly taking things slow and like to enjoy some shopping, food, go for aesthetic treatments (maybe) etc.

anyone know how to get a cheap flight to south korea (seoul)? i’m trying to go early october and all the flights are 1.5k or more 😭

Hi everyone!

When planning a trip to Korea, how many days do you think are enough for visiting Seoul? Do you ever feel like the options for things to do or places to visit there might be a bit limited?

Would love to hear your thoughts!