Carrie Hutchinson is a writer and editor who’s worked on a variety of the world’s best-known mastheads. Now based outside of Melbourne, she spends a couple of months each year on the road discovering interesting corners of the globe and swimming in the ocean.
From historical palaces to bustling markets, the two biggest cities in South Korea – Seoul and Busan – offer travellers an incredible opportunity to delve into a culture that blends the best of tradition and modernity.
It’s 11pm on a weeknight and I’m strolling unknown streets. Jet lag has taken me out for most of the day and I’ve woken, famished and disoriented, after dark. A quick search on Naver – the South Korean equivalent to Google Maps – reveals Seoul’s famous Gwangjang Market is within walking distance. Ten minutes later, I’m at one of the entries, inhaling the incredible cooking aromas and staring at the bustle within.
Mandu (dumplings) stuffed with kimchi or prawns. Tteokbokki with its sticky rice rolls in a thick chilli sauce. Mung bean pancakes called bindaetteok. Bowls of bibimbap, some with fried egg, others with beef. Gohyang kalguksu, the knife-cut noodles made famous in the Netflix series Street Food: Asia, although Cho Yonsoon, who became a star after her appearance, isn’t here tonight. For dessert, there’s hotteok, a sweet, fried pancake filled with honey.
Down some aisles, there are stallholders selling delicacies to go, like freeze-dried strawberries, ginseng candy, dried fish and jeotgal (salted, preserved seafood). It’s giving sensory overload.
After doing a few laps, sitting down at stalls to try some of the delicious treats, I’m full to the gills and only about A$18 poorer. As I’m leaving, I choose a cup of fresh fruit – grapes, red grapefruit, orange and kiwi – that is then blended with ice before strolling off into the night.
There are still crowds of people around. Especially young people. It’s just after 10pm and the market stalls are starting to close, but there is lots still open: K-beauty stores, coffee shops, bars, jjimjilbang (bathhouses) and noraebang (karaoke rooms). The sky is filled with neon lights and there’s a constant stream of buses along the main streets. New York may claim it’s the city that never sleeps, but Seoul offers stiff competition. More importantly, it feels perfectly safe to be exploring as midnight comes and goes. For a solo traveller, it feels like a luxury money can’t buy.
More than half a million Australians visited Japan in 2024, an increase of almost 75 per cent from the previous year. South Korea is catching up, but many travellers are still to discover this vibrant country that distils 5,000 years of history and tradition with a contemporary culture that is capturing the attention of the wider world.
Plus, between delving into the past and enjoying AI beauty labs and hologram concerts, visitors can indulge in incredible food and shopping, as well as stunning natural landscapes. Here’s a few ideas on where to go on your first trip to South Korea.
“The city was built with feng shui,” says guide Jay. “There are mountains behind it and water in front.” He goes on to explain the mountains offer protection, while the navigable Han River means you can move goods and guarantee the city’s prosperity.
We’ve stopped beside a statue of King Sejong the Great, who ruled between 1418 and 1450, created the Korean alphabet and is only one of two rulers here to have ever been given ‘the Great’ epitaph. Behind the statue is Gyeongbokgung, the largest of Seoul’s palaces, and beyond that, green and rugged mountains. As we get closer to the palace, the crowds get thicker. Among the many visitors are people in traditional dress called hanbok, posing for photos. Look in any direction and you can find a store renting these silk garments. When you do, entry to the palace is free.
Inside the grand gates, there’s a maze of low-slung buildings built as far back as 1395. The largest is Geunjeongjeon Hall, raised on a platform, where the king would greet foreign envoys or preside over official functions. Peak inside the king’s bedroom then move along to neighbouring Gonnyeonghap Hall, where the queen resided. It’s also where, in 1895, Empress Myeongseong was assassinated by Japanese invaders, incited by the royals building an alliance with Russia.
When you’ve roamed the buildings and gardens, the impressive National Folk Museum of Korea, with more than 98,000 artefacts across three galleries used in the daily lives of Koreans in the past, can be found adjacent to the palace grounds.
Even if you’re not a fan of places of worship, Jogyesa Temple, the centre of Buddhism in South Korea, is a joyous and colourful slice of local life. The beautifully tended gardens are filled with bright blooms and structures where people tie their wishes. School children sing songs beneath the Pagoda tree as groups of women pray in the Dharma Hall.
There is so much more to do in Seoul: stroll along Cheonggyecheon, a stream with places to sit and contemplate and art to admire; admire the local crafts, antique and contemporary art for sale in the Insa-dong neighbourhood; and be inspired by the futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, conceptualised by Zaha Hadid.
Those interested in hallyu, or the Korean Wave, can head to the Korean Film Museum, K-Star Road, HiKR Ground (it’s an extended reality centre with a K-Pop Zone) and the Gangnam Style statue outside the COEX Mall. While you’re there, check out the imminently Instagrammable Starfield Library.
In less than three hours on the KTX trains from Seoul, you can be in the southern coastal city of Busan. Despite it being the second most populous city in South Korea, it moves at a slower pace and appears to have far fewer international visitors than the capital. The coastline is ragged here, so different parts of the city are connected by incredible bridges that offer amazing views of ports, islands and different parts of the city.
Essential is a trip on the Haeundae Sky Capsule. These little cars travel along the spectacular coastline from Mipo Station. Alight at the Daritdol Observatory, with its glass floor, before exploring the village of Cheongsapo. Time your return on the Haeundae Beach Train for sunset – it will be crowded but the view is epic.
Fans of local colour will want to spend some time at Jagalchi Market wandering among the alleys of ajumeoni (it means middle-aged or married woman) selling fish before finding a seat on the floor at one of the barbecue restaurants. Can’t decide what to eat? Just try everything: sashimi, fried fish, grilled clams and stir-fried eel. If that doesn’t suit, head into the main building, where you can select live fish and seafood before taking it upstairs to be cooked.
Set back from the sea, but still within its sight, is Gamcheon, a colourful hillside village with houses built on terraces. People still live here, but along the popular walkway the tiny buildings have been transformed into shops, galleries and cafes. There’s also some quirky public art, including Jeon Yeongjin’s bird sculptures with human faces, to enjoy as you explore.
Busan is a perfect blend of relaxed seaside holiday spot and lively cultural attractions, but before you leave, it’s time to experience a favourite Korean pastime. Spa Land in Centum City is a huge, luxury facility where you can bathe in mineral pools of different temperatures, get scrubbed, enjoy the hammam, relax in a massage chair and more. Now, you’re going to be naked – yes, completely – in the single-gender baths, but comfy shorts and t-shirts are supplied to wear in the saunas and other co-ed spaces. As they say, when in South Korea…