In the summer of 2019, after my study abroad program ended, my sister and I went on a trip to Seoul, South Korea. I studied abroad in Taipei, Taiwan for an academic year. My sister arrived in Taiwan and visited me. I took her to places in urban Taipei including a cafe, a Japanese restaurant, my study abroad institution, National Taiwan University (NTU), and Qsquare, a combo of a clothing stores and other stores/movie theater/restaurants all located inside a high-rise building. There were more places I wanted to bring my sister to, but the time was not enough!

The flight from Taoyuan airport to Seoul airport was 3 hours if I recall. It was an easy flight and we arrived in Seoul at night time. My sister’s friend met us at the airport and took us to the center of Seoul via a subway. What I noticed about the airport in Seoul was how big it was and how it looked clean. I also noticed that the employees at the Seoul airport look young. My sister’s friend is from South Korea and her father was helpful by providing my sister and I transportation. He picked my sister, my sister’s friend, and I up outside of a metro station. Then he drove us to an outdoor market/alley where we purchased Gong Cha drinks and ate sandwiches. Afterwards, they dropped us off at our hotel. What I noticed is that the streets are nearly empty at night. Not many Korean people stay outside past 11pm.

Our hotel lobby was small and it was located around a corner from a busy walkway where there are small stores and small restaurants. The hotel is not far from the busy walkway where many people walk there. My sister told me she can hear bells clanging outside and she wanted to find the source of those bells so she can purchase one. Later that week, my sister found a small shop where the owner sells bells and she gave that bell to our father when we arrived back in the United States. It was so hot that day and I went upstairs to see the roof and the kitchen. The roof has green carpet that seems to be like fake grass and there were tables and chairs so hotel goers can sit outside on the roof. Tea bags were provided in the dining room. The hotel where my sister and I stayed in is called Hi Guesthouse.

My sister and I went outside to explore the local area. The local area where we stayed is called Insadong. It is a street where there are stores, cafes, and restaurants. The cafes in Insadong have balconies where customers can sit outside and enjoy sitting with friends or family eating and drinking tea or lattes. We ate small pastries and drank from cups at a balcony in this area too. What I like about Seoul is that there are a lot of local cafes, not just Starbucks.

We walked to an indoor large food market where ladies are cooking meals for their customers. Customers can sit on benches or at tables and eat hot meals. My sister and I saw fishes displayed one-by-one at a shop and we purchased freshly made smoothies. We took pictures and there were many people there.

My sister and I went to numerous places in Seoul and we did a lot of activities in one week! My sister and I went to two different Korean restaurants to order lunch and dinner. We also were on way to find the Harry Potter cafe, but we could not find it. We were using the Korean map app on our phones and we were confused as to where the Harry Potter cafe was. Side note: Google maps does not work in South Korea. But in that same area, we saw that there was a cafe and we went inside. We wanted to check out that cafe. After eating and drinking tea there, my sister and I like that cafe so much that we went there two times during our vacation in Seoul. That cafe is called Cafe Lucia. We love the simple and old-fashioned decor and the atmosphere there. It feels homey while we were sitting there drinking our tea and eating their lovely dessert. We saw the cute decoration and it is a two-levels cafe. I wish I could know the backstory of the owners who set up this cafe (I would have to research that later!).

Next, we went to a Harry Potter themed café! It was my first time visiting a Harry Potter themed café. We had a pastel pink cake with green icing. Keep in mind that it is dimly lighted inside. There are quotes from Harry Potter books on the walls. After you are done eating, there are cloaks, scarves, and wand props that you can wear for pictures! I enjoyed watching harry potter movies with my sisters when I was younger. My sister liked the cafe and she wants to go there again.

Seoul is a big city and I saw that many people walked outside. My sister and I ate fried chicken with my sister’s friend and we also got Gong cha bubble tea. My sister and I also ate at a restaurant inside a mall. We also took pictures at a famous library called Starfield library. If you look at people’s instagram posts, many of them went to Starfield to take pictures there.

I wanted to wear a traditional Korean dress called a hanbok for pictures. So my sister and I went to a hanbok shop and we chose our hanboks. I selected a pretty pink and white hanbok and my sister chose a navy blue and gold hanbok. I also wore a headpiece on top of my braided hair. The ladies at the rental shop assisted us with the dresses. Then we went to explore outside. We walked to a nearby historic neighborhood called Bukchon. According to the description on the photo below, this neighborhood has been around for more than 600 years!

If you are interested in looking at historical artifacts and artwork, I recommend you visit National Museum of Korea. According to Google maps, National Museum of Korea has Korean cultural exhibits. I saw a warrior’s outfit, pottery, an antiquated sword, and a large bell that was moved from a monastery.

Next, I want to thank my sister for going on this summer trip with me to Seoul! Furthermore, I enjoy eating korean food and if you have never ate korean food, I recommend you order bulgogi (sweet beef) with white rice and kimchi. In fact, I ate that for lunch yesterday at a church picnic! They taste so yummy. I also recommend you order spicy korean tofu soup with octopus, squid, egg, and clams. I also like korean rice cakes! Which places in Korea have you visited? Do you know any good korean restaurants in Virginia, Washington D.C., or Maryland? Let me know in the comments below!