6 Days in Seoul

Arrive at Incheon Airport (ICN). AREX Express train to Seoul Station (43 min, $8). Check into Lotte Hotel Seoul (4★, $180/night) in Myeongdong, connected to the subway and Lotte Department Store.

Gyeongbokgung Palace ($3/person, free in hanbok). The largest of Seoul's Five Grand Palaces. Rent a hanbok ($15 for 4 hours) to get free entry and walk the grounds in traditional dress — incredibly photogenic.

Bukchon Hanok Village (free) — a preserved neighborhood of 900 traditional Korean houses (hanoks) dating to the Joseon Dynasty. Narrow alleys with sloping tiled roofs, mountain views, and actual residents still living there.

Dinner at Tosokchon Samgyetang ($15/person) — Seoul's most famous samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup). Whole young chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, and jujube in a milky broth. Expect a queue that moves fast.

DMZ tour departure (half-day, $60/person, pre-booked). The only way to visit the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. Passports required for checkpoints.

Dora Observatory — look into North Korea through binoculars. See the propaganda village (Kijong-dong) with its massive flagpole, and the empty Kaesong Industrial Complex.

Third Infiltration Tunnel — walk 73m underground through a tunnel dug by North Korea in 1978 (discovered thanks to a defector). 4 tunnels have been found; up to 20 are suspected to exist.

Return to Seoul. Lunch at Gwangjang Market ($10/person) — Seoul's oldest traditional market since 1905. The mung bean pancakes (bindaetteok, $3) and the knife-cut noodles (kalguksu) in the food alley are legendary.

War Memorial of Korea (free, excellent museum). Indoor and outdoor exhibits covering the Korean War with tanks, planes, and moving personal stories.

Insadong — the cultural street. Art galleries, traditional tea houses (try ssanghwa-cha at Dawon), and the best place for Korean ceramics and hanji paper crafts.

Korean BBQ at Maple Tree House ($30/person) in Itaewon — premium hanwoo (Korean beef) in a modern setting. Samgyeopsal (pork belly) and galbi (marinated short ribs) grilled at your table.

Myeongdong shopping district — the epicenter of Korean beauty. Stock up on sheet masks ($1-2 each), skincare from Innisfree and Laneige, and try the street food: tornado potato ($3), egg bread ($1.50), and Korean fried chicken bites ($5).

Lunch at Myeongdong Kyoja ($8/person) — Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2016. Only four things on the menu: kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), mandu (dumplings), bibim guksu (spicy noodles), and kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles). All excellent.

Cable car to N Seoul Tower ($12 round-trip) on Namsan Mountain. The "Locks of Love" fence with thousands of padlocks, observation deck views ($12 extra), and the digital art show in the tower plaza.

Walk down from Namsan through Namsan Park (30 min) — beautiful pine forest paths in the center of the city.

Myeongdong Night Market — the street food stalls multiply after dark. Try tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes, $3), hotteok (sweet filled pancakes, $2), and grilled lobster tail with cheese ($12).

Dinner and drinks at The Griffin Bar ($20/cocktail) on the 11th floor of the JW Marriott — panoramic views of Namsan Tower and the city lights.

Gangnam Style: walk along K-Star Road (GangnamDol — giant Gangnam Style bear sculptures), visit the COEX Mall (Starfield Library with its 13m-tall bookshelves is a free Instagram icon), and see the Bongeunsa Buddhist temple (free) across from COEX — a serene 1,200-year-old temple in the shadow of skyscrapers.

Lunch at Mingles ($50/lunch set, much cheaper than dinner) — one of Asia's top 50 restaurants. Modern Korean cuisine in a serene Zen setting. The jang trio (three fermented pastes) is their signature.

Lotte World Tower — Seoul Sky (123rd floor, $25/person). The 5th tallest building in the world with glass-floored observation deck. Go on a clear day for views to the Yellow Sea.

Korean beauty experience: get a personalized skincare analysis and makeover at a K-beauty store (free consultations at Olive Young flagship in Myeongdong). K-beauty is half the reason people come to Seoul.

Dinner at Jungsik ($100/tasting menu) — Korea's most famous fine dining restaurant in Gangnam. Two Michelin stars. The "New Korean" cuisine reinvents traditional flavors: gimbap as amuse-bouche, galbi as a tasting portion, and the "Jang" dessert trilogy.

Hongdae neighborhood — Seoul's youth and art district surrounding Hongik University. Street art, busking performances (K-pop dance covers on the main street are amazing), and indie boutiques. The Kakao Friends Store (3 floors of adorable characters) is impossible to resist.

Lunch at Saemaul Sikdang ($12/person) — legendary spicy pork and kimchi stew. The "7-minutes kimchi jjigae" is set on fire at your table.

Yeonnam-dong — the "Seoul's Brooklyn." A former railway turned into Gyeongui Line Forest Park with cafés, bakeries (hit Scoff for scones), and indie fashion. The nearby Mangwon Market is a less-touristy version of Gwangjang.

Dog café or meerkat café ($8 with a drink) — one of Seoul's many animal-themed cafés. The raccoon café (Blind Alley) and the sheep café (Thanks Nature Café) are also popular.

Korean fried chicken and beer (chimaek) at Kyochon Hongdae ($18/person for a whole chicken). The honey series chicken is famous — crispy, sticky, and perfect with draft beer.

Hongdae nightlife: start at Thursday Party (casual, cheap soju cocktails), then move to a live music club like Club FF (indie rock, $10 cover). Or hit a noraebang (karaoke room, $20/hour) for private K-pop singing.

Jogyesa Temple (free) — the chief temple of Korean Buddhism. The courtyard with a 500-year-old white pine and colorful lanterns is serene and beautiful. Breathe in the incense and watch monks pray.

Ihwa Mural Village — a hillside neighborhood saved from demolition by artists who covered the walls with murals. The "Angel Wings" mural and the skyline viewpoints are worth the climb.

Final Korean meal at Jinokhwa Halmae Wonjo Dakhanmari ($12/person) near Dongdaemun — a whole chicken in bubbling broth at your table, eaten with a special soy-vinegar dipping sauce. Add the knife-cut noodles to finish.

Last-minute shopping at Doota Mall in Dongdaemun (open until 5 AM for the true K-fashion experience, but daytime works for final purchases). Korean fashion, accessories, and the DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) — Zaha Hadid's spaceship-like building.

AREX Express to Incheon Airport (43 min, $8). ICN is one of the world's best airports — arrive 3 hours early to enjoy the cultural performances, spa, and ice skating rink.