r/KoreaTravelAdvice

Hello everyone! Planning to travel to Seoul 25.05-07.06 and curious about the chances of this period being rainy and humid, so wanted to know your opinion on this one :) mostly we wanna go walking around the city, explore parks, palaces and all other cool places. Any input is highly appreciated!

1. Where do you buy subway passes? I went through a couple of subreddit travel sections and downloaded some apps to help navigate the system but I didn’t see where to buy the passes.
2. Is there anywhere tourists can do laundry? And if so, are they coin operated or card operated? Or would the hotel have something?
3. I saw there was a recent law change last month restricting vapes. Is vaping allowed in South Korea if you bring your own vape? One of the travelers in our group vapes.
4. Translation devices. I bought a translation device in case we need it but when we were testing it out, it seems to not be as good as the reviews say. So does anyone have any suggestions on what to get? I’m wanting a handheld device that can do real time translation, one that can read text and work offline. I researched for months and settled on the one I got and that wasn’t great so I’m here asking for suggestions from anyone who’s had one they loved.

Thank you!! We are so excited to see and explore your beautiful country ❤️🥰

In october 2026 me and my boyfriend are travelling to South-Korea for the first time.

We are planning to visit; Seoul (3 days), Jeonju (2 days) and Busan (3 days).

We will be doing these experiences/activities;

Seoul: Gyeongbokgung Palace, national museum of korea, insadong, Geumseonsa Temple, mangwonmarket, maybe tongin market, YTN seoul tower, Eunpyeong hanok village

Jeonju: makgeoli, hopefully bibimbap festival (same week), hanok village, omukdae and imokdae historic sites, jeonju pungnammun gate, nambu market. Renting a hanbok in Jeonju. We are also staying in a Hanok here:))

Busan: Haeundae blueline park, observation deck, Busan Jagalchi market, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Busan Town

Are there any other recommendations were locals go to or hidden gems? 😊

If somebody has some advice for us, so we would have a more local experience (shopping/cultural/food)🥰

We are both food lovers (i'm a food innovator) and we are looking for a local experience like food products/experiences/korean cookbooks (maybe in English), does anyone maybe have some recommendations?😊

We are formiliar with secundaire seoul, some traditional dishes (tteokbokki, bibimbap, kimchi and gochujang, enz.)

We are also very curious and we'are looking for a good North-Korean restaurant in Seoul:))

Hope that everything is clear, English is not my first language and i am new to posting on reddit

Thankyou😊

Hi,

just came across this sub and wanted to check with those who know South Korea well.

My wife & I are going with our two teenagers to Japan and South Korea this summer, and will be arriving in Seoul 1st July.

We've planned our trip ourselves so we have to organise everything. We'll have one night in Seoul before we fly to Cheju (Jeju?) island on 2nd July. Then we fly to Busan on 5th July, but we'll be going directly to Gyeongju and staying one night there. Then on the 6th July we hop on a KTX back to Seoul for our remaining 4 days there until we leave for home on 10th.

We've booked all our accommodation and flights (but not KTX/trains yet from Busan to Gyeongju and Gyeongju to Seoul).

Is there something we REALLY need to see on this trip, that we might have missed out on; something that is maybe of great interest to our teenagers, or generally for both young and old? 😄

I just saw mention of this on another site and had no idea it was needed for entry. I thought only E arrival was needed. Has anyone been denied entry related to this card or had to quarantine upon arrival? Thanks

Hey everyone,

I’m flying to South Korea from early to late June and wanted to ask for some tips.

I already spent 12 days in Seoul this March and really enjoyed it. That’s why I definitely want to go back again, but this time I also want to see more of the country.

Do you have any recommendations for places I should visit outside of Seoul? I’m open to nature, coastal areas, smaller cities—pretty much anything.

Also, how is the weather in June in different regions? I’ve read that the rainy season starts around then—are there places where the weather is still relatively good?

And specifically for Seoul: what are some things to do beyond the usual tourist spots? I’m more interested in hidden gems, cool neighborhoods, cafés, and unique activities.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Everyone!

Me and my girlfriend will be landing in Seoul tomorrow evening and we have 4 full days before we fly to Tokyo.

We are on the tail-end of a year-long trip across Asia and are both really excited to see Seoul but don’t want to cram in absolutely everything. We would rather enjoy a couple of the must see things per day at a leisurely pace.

I have made a list of quite a few of the touristy things as potential places to see but don’t know what to prioritise/skip — and haven’t found any out of the way/more hidden suggestions. Any suggestions for specific places or recommendations to fill the 4 days with cool stuff would be massively appreciated.

Cheers everyone!

Hi Everyone, I am planning a trip to Korea from 21 September to October 3 this year and would like to visit Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of flexibility around my travel dates so my trip will fall during Chuseok. My current plan is to stay in Seoul for a week to minimise the intercity travel chaos during Chuseok and then go to Gyeongju on 28 September. My thinking is that hopefully, being two days after the official public holidays and the weekend, it would be easier for me to travel. Whilst I've heard domestic travel is challenging during the public holidays themselves, I can't find much information on the few days after Chuseok or when exactly the chaos calms down.

Would you consider my current plan realistic - is domestic travel still impossible around 28 September? If so, would it be easier for me book a flight now from Seoul to Busan to be safe and lock in my travel? Or would that still be difficult with travelling to the airport? I'd be open to staying in Seoul and Busan each a bit longer and potentially do a day trip to Gyeongju from Busan.

If my original plan (Seoul > Gyeongju > Busan) would be achievable, would you still recommend getting the KTX/taxi to Gyeongju or would other modes of transport be easier over this period? Just trying to be as prepared as possible!!

Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated!

Hi everyone,

we’re thinking about going back to South Korea this year — probably Seoul + Busan for around 8–10 days at the end of July.

We visited Korea last year at the end of September and absolutely loved it, so we really want to come back

Our main concern is honestly the timing/weather.
We’re actually pretty resistant to heat, so high temperatures themselves probably wouldn’t be a huge issue for us (at least we think so)

Is late July still an “okay” time to visit Seoul & Busan overall, or would you genuinely advise against it?

We know it’ll probably be hot, humid, and rainy at times — but we’re trying to understand whether it’s still enjoyable/manageable overall or if the weather can realistically ruin a big part of the trip.

Unfortunately we don’t really have another possible travel period this year, so late July would be our only Option..

We are travelling from Seoul to Busan tomorrow on KTX. I know it’s going to be very busy as all trains are sold out. We have two large pieces of luggage. Is it hard to get spots in the racks? We’re in economy. What happens if the racks are full? Any tips?

I’m considering a 3-hour bus ride through the Korea Premium Highway Bus, but my worry is that my bladder is kinda small/unpredictable at times. I’m assuming there’s no bathrooms on the bus, so how do stopovers work? Is there a planned time or can you ask the bus driver to stop for a while if you really have to go? Maybe i’m overthinking it lol

Would really appreciate any info and tips. Thank you!

We are very excited for our trip in September/October. We had booked our flights earlier in the year and are now finalising the itinerary. We have the following plan for our 3-week trip, but have some concerns regarding Chuseok (24-26 Sept) and the amount of days we spent at places.

19 Sept | Arrival in Seoul late afternoon
20 - 26 Sept | Seoul + Daytrips to Andong, Seoraksan, etc. Avoid travel during Chuseok
27 - 28 Sept | Early Morning train to Gyeongju on the day after Chuseok
29 - 01 Oct | Bus/Train to Busan in the morning
02 - 07 Oct | Fly to Jeju
08 - 09 Oct | Fly to Gwangju and take a train to Jeonju
10 Oct | Train to Seoul + Flight back same day at night

It is hard to put in all locations we want to go during our trip, but I would love to hear your opinion on the amount of days we are spending at certain places. Also, is it easy to get train tickets for the day after Chuseok, as it still the weekend (Sunday)?

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

We will be in Seoul from June 25 to July 2nd, we didn’t had a lot to choices for the dates because of work and school. Hopefully it doesn’t rain too much even if it’s going to be hot and humid a lot.

We want to hike Seoraksan but wondering if the trails are usually muddy and slippery because of weather at that time of year?

We will be with our 19yo son and also hoping to see a few music performances? If you have suggestions of places to go like bars please feel free to share with us! :) Also any suggestions for activities in general for a 19yo would greatly be appreciated! He loves music (all genres), clothes, skin care and hair everything! q: >.< :p

Thanks so much from Canada!
Merci beaucoup!
Kamsahamnida!

Hello, first time going to Korea in October for 12 days.
Getting scared off by people mentioning not to try visiting 3 cities. Wondering what others think.
We want to spend most of our time in Seoul and 4 or 5 days in Jeju. Is 4 days for Jeju enough?
Do we have time to fit in a 3rd city like Busan? What do people recommend and are there itineraries anyone recommends for a 12-day Seoul/Jeju trip?

can’t go earlier in may since i have exams and in july my uni starts so these dates in june are the best time we can travel.
me and my mom planning to visit somewhere internationally!
would korea be a good choice in june?
how is the weather and stuff will it be drowning in rain or pleasant
would it be too crowded or is this a off season to visit
planning to visit seoul busan and maybe jeju in these 10days
any advice is appreciated!

Hi,

I'll go to Korea very soon and decided to use an eSim from SK Telecom.

In order to be quicker at the airport (arriving at Incheon T2), I just bought the eSim beforehand, through their webpage: https://www.skroaming.com/esim/esim

Now I wonder: on that webpage they advertise to give a free transportation card + royal palace pass as benefits.

After buying, I received an e-mail from them. It contains QR codes and there is a link "Customer Verification" in a section named "SK Telecom Exclusive Benefits". The link brings me to a webpage asking for "Rental agreement number" and "Service No.". What I got from them is a "Reservation ID", but the web form doesn't accept it.

So I just wondered how that works and how one should get these benefits.

And another detail I'm not sure about. Does the service period of the eSim start once I scan the QR code and install the eSim on my phone, or when I land in Korea and connect to their network for the first time? In other words: is it ok to install the eSim already now, while I'm still at home and not in Korea?

Thanks!

Hello!😁 I’m travelling to Seoul for the first time, from May 14-25th. Long-term weather forecasts i’ve seen online says it will be sunny and between 26-31 degrees celcius.

This is probably a stupid question, but im wondering if anyone have any tips on what to wear in these kind of temperatures in Seoul? I’ve never been to large cities during summer, so i dont know if i can expect it to feel warmer, or is seoul a generally windy city? I understand everyone tolerates hot weather differently, but im from a generally cold country all-year-round so im unsure on what to pack… Thank you!😊

Hello! Looking for some advice on my upcoming layover😊

I am flying from Sydney to Milan with a layover in Incheon, I land there at 7pm and the flight to Italy is at 2pm the next day.

Has anyone recently got the free overnight stay with Asiana Airlines? It seems like I have to call but they open on Monday (I booked last minute for wednesday).

Should I leave the airport, go into the city on that evening, explore and come back for my flight the next day? In this case where should I stay/what should I go see. I would like something easy.

Otherwise the other option I looked into was the "capsule hotel" and the spa.

I hate overnight layovers!

Thanks in advance for the advice

Heya Everyone,

I’m planning to travel to Seoul for 10-14 days next year with my mum. We are from London in the UK.

We are thinking of travelling in the following months, but unsure of what would be the best time weather and price wise for flights and hotels?

- Months we are considering: February, May, June, October and November (we understand to avoid any public holidays)

TIA!