South Korea
24 stories from 9 places visited between 2021 and 2026
-
Busan, South Korea
Concept cars and electric bikes at the Mobility Show An afternoon at the Busan International Mobility Show 2026: concept cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and male booth models on the Can-Am stand.
-
Seoul, South Korea
What Korean convenience stores actually stock A speciality shop full of sugar free snacks and zero calorie drinks, and the golden smoked eggs Koreans eat anywhere, trains included, without a smell.
-
Haman, South Korea
Nakhwanori, the falling fire flowers at Mujinjeong The Haman Nakhwanori festival at Mujinjeong pavilion: charcoal ropes strung over the pond, embers raining onto the water, and how the day around it works.
-
Seoul, South Korea
The cafe that is really an immersive art space A Seoul cafe that works as an art experience first: immersive design and bold installations downstairs, then unusual desserts and drinks at the top.
-
Seoul, South Korea
The Louis Vuitton cafe, where the room is the point The Louis Vuitton cafe in Seoul: a bronze column, a woven ceiling, cakes embossed with the monogram, and a room that reads as a gallery rather than a coffee stop.
-
Seoul, South Korea
A 225,000 won K-beauty haul at the biggest Olive Young Inside Olive Young N Seongsu, the biggest Olive Young in Seoul, a full K-beauty universe of skincare, makeup and wellness. We spent ₩225,000 and gave it away.
- Seoul, South Korea The shops that sell nothing but cute things Whole shops in Korea exist for soft, squeaky, pastel things you didn’t know you wanted. Hello Kitty and Kuromi flip flops, and a stationery shop we couldn’t leave.
-
Seoul, South Korea
The city we keep coming back to Five years of Seoul in one camera roll: Starfield Library, Namsan at sunset, Jamsil baseball, hanok rooftops, a waterfall in the city and an aquarium cafe.
-
Seoul, South Korea
The small shopping finds we didn’t plan to buy Korea takes ordinary things and makes them ridiculous: sock designs worn as part of an outfit, and Shin-chan merch turning up in corner after corner.
-
Seoul, South Korea
Making a luggage tag instead of buying a souvenir Inga made her Korean souvenir by hand in Seoul, a custom luggage tag from blank to finished, plus the beaded pen kits we found at a Korean craft fair.
- South Korea Starbucks does cherry blossom season properly Spring in Korea means Starbucks turns pink. Seasonal cherry blossom merch, a Spring Season Blend coffee bag, limited desserts and kitty madeleines.
-
Busan, South Korea
A foot spa with an ocean view at Yeongdo Yeongdo View is a compact two-storey spot on the Busan coast where you soak your feet, sip a drink and watch the sea and the sunset at the same time.
-
South Korea
The 24 hour ramen shop that has no staff at all A self-service ramen store in Korea that runs around the clock on vending machines: pick a flavour by number, pay by card, then cook it yourself.
-
South Korea
What actually happens at a Korean vitamin drip clinic Booking a vitamin IV drip in Korea: the doctor’s consultation, our blood test results read back to us, and 45 minutes in a room full of massage chairs.
-
South Korea
A supermarket run at Emart, from warm tofu to hotteok A full food shop at Emart in South Korea: kumquats and seasonal berries, warm tofu, free ramen samples, the in-store bakery and a hotteok on the way out.
-
Busan, South Korea
Every Christmas market in the city, ranked We spent December 2025 working through the Christmas markets, light displays and festive food stalls of Busan, then ranked every one of them.
-
Namhae, South Korea
Slow travel on Korea's Treasure Island, and a ship boarded at sea Namhae, Korea's "Treasure Island": feeding sheep at a seaside farm, quiet traditional villages and sea views - slow travel at its most peaceful.
-
Busan, South Korea
A Gamcheon walking tour and New Year sunrise at Haeundae Busan twice in one year: a no-commentary walk through Gamcheon, Seomyeon and Nampo-dong, the New Year sunrise on Haeundae and an autumn return to the hillside.
-
Jinju, South Korea
Walking the wishing-lantern tunnel at the Nam River festival The Jinju Lantern Festival: glowing rivers, an unforgettable dragon and an illuminated fortress - plus KTX tips, a budget hotel find and a pedal rail bike.
-
Geoje, South Korea
Hallyeohaesang island views from a south coast terrace A slow March afternoon on Geoje's south coast: a breezy terrace above the sea and the islands of Hallyeohaesang National Park layered in the haze.
-
Jeju, South Korea
Testing the Mysterious Road, where parked cars roll uphill A week on Jeju in August 2023: the Mysterious Road illusion, an ivy-covered garden hideout, a proper Jeju City lunch and sunset from a sea-view balcony.
-
Busan, South Korea
Bamboo forests, beach sand art and Sajik baseball Our first Busan summers: city lights from Hwangnyeongsan, a bamboo forest in Gijang, the Dongbaekseom boardwalk, Haeundae sand art and baseball at Sajik.
-
Gyeongju, South Korea
One of Asia's oldest observatories, and a bridge lit at night An evening walk through Gyeongju, the ancient Silla capital: the 7th-century Cheomseongdae observatory at dusk and Woljeonggyo bridge lit over the river.
-
Changwon, South Korea
Clay pigeon shooting on the city's international-grade range Changwon, April 2021: Inga's go at clay shooting on the city's international-grade range, wooded hills behind the traps and an instructor close by.