magazine | Travel | City Guides

12 Must See Spots in Seoul Just in Time For the Winter Olympics

photo: Brock and Tangerine

This Winter, experience more than just the Olympics in Seoul. From historical sites to shopping districts, you will be plenty occupied with the city's rich culture and activities in between events. Consider this is your ultimate guide to navigating South Korea – restaurants, markets, Instagramable locations, coffee shops and more. Welcome to Seoul!

Reporter: Scout | Location: Gyeongbokgung Palace

Photo:Brock and Tangerine

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Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace

Seoul, South Korea

Pay a visit to one of Korea’s most iconic sights. The Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1935 during the Joseon Dynasty. It originally served as the capital of Korea and has gone through multiple restorations. Take a guided tour and get all of the history you need.

Photo:Anton Strogonoff

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Travel via Seoul CityPass

The best way to get around during the Winter Olympics is to get a Seoul CityPass. With one card, you get access to the subway and bus and can use your card up to 20 times a day. They even offer city tour buses to get a deeper look into the Seoul’s favorite tourist spots. Glide through the city’s 400 subway stations and 10,000 buses with ease.

Photo:Daphné Archambault

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Get Buzzed With Bonanza Coffee at More Than Less

Seoul, South Korea

Concrete walls, green tile, a neon sign and industrial accents make up the vibe of Bonanza Coffee at Morethanless. Come for coffee, stay for their lovely giftshop filled with leather goods and home decor goodies.

Photo:Design Bono

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Grab a Coffee at Cafe Ato

Seoul, South Korea

This modern and minimalistic cafe lives where the Metro Seoul newspaper once lived. For the design enthusiasts out there, this clean slate coffee shop filled with stone, wood and modern white walls is interior heaven. Known for being a cultural space for meetings and events, Cafe Ato is one stop you won’t want to miss in between the Winter Olympics action.

Photo:elena_gill76

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Visit Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul, South Korea

Don't forget to get a history lesson in during the Olympics. Take a trip back in time, specifically to the Joseon Dynasty. Bukchon Hanok Village houses hundreds of hanoks, which are known as traditional houses. The hanoks serve as restaurants, tea houses and even cultural centers. Perfect if you are looking to dive into Korean's history and traditional culture.

Photo:The Salah Sisters

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Visit the Style Nanda Pink Pool Cafe

Seoul, South Korea

When you walk into Style Nanda Pink Pool Cafe, Instagram rejoices. Decorated in millennial pink, every corner is made for your feed. You can’t forget the actual pool in the middle of the cafe or their pink neon sign that says, “Hello Gorgeous.” Do it for the gram?

Photo:Seung Jin Yoo

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Shop at Queenmama Market

Seoul, South Korea

Queenmama is known as the urban lifestyle shop. The market is a two-story building filled with horticulture, breathing greenery into an otherwise urban city. Enjoy a nice cup of coffee on the rooftop or hang out on the first floor, a space for art and nature. Created by two married fashion designers who have shown their Korean designs at New York Fashion Week, Queenmama Market is inspired by the Los Angeles lifestyle.

Photo:The Beastro

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Dine at The Beastro

Seoul, South Korea

Escape the sports and head over to the hip part of town, Hongdae, to experience The Beastro’s seasonal menu. Known for their steak, take a seat and let the Chef, a renowned chef from Canada, serve up your meal.

Photo:_____cong_____

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Shop at Gwangjang Market

Seoul, South Korea

Visit Korea’s first permanent market and find everything from food to bedding to fashion apparel. Known for the inexpensive prices, most of the stores in the market also cater to department stores. With about 5,000 stores to visit, there will never be a dull moment at the Gwangjang Market.

Dine at Keats Hotel

Seoul, South Korea

Don’t be fooled by the name, Keats Hotel is a coffee shop and restaurant where you can go for tea and stay for a custom made suit from their onsite tailor. Tucked away in the city, this culinary destination is adorned with taxidermy and dark blue walls.

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Photo:joonigizer

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Visit the Arario Gallery

Seoul, South Korea

If you are an art connesiur, head on over to Arario Gallery. Known for their diverse representation of artists, their Korean contemporary art collection is sure to stem conversation. Located in So-gyuk Dong, a hub for Korea’s contemporary art scene, the entire day will be themed around art.

Photo:Simon Desmarais

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Experience Myeong-dong

Seoul, South Korea

If you're here for the sports but also for the shopping, Myeong-dong is your fashion destination. The selection of brands and department stores makes Myeong-dong one of the main shopping districts in Seoul. Known for their good prices, you get your pick of luxury goods the reasonable way.

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