What to See, Eat and Do in Korea (and Beyond)
If you’re a fan of old-school charm mixed with just the right amount of Seoul nostalgia, Hakrim Dabang (학림다방) is the kind of cafe you’ll never forget. Tucked away in Daehak-ro since 1956, Hakrim Dabang is the city’s oldest surviving dabang (traditional cafe), where time seems to slow down the moment you climb that creaky wooden staircase. Honestly it feels a bit like walking straight into a time capsule.
The COEX Aquarium has officially reopened as the Sea Life COEX, Seoul Aquarium. But it’s not just a name change, it’s a full blown glow-up! There are now 14 themed zones packed with over 650 species and more than 20,000 marine creatures, ranging from Amazonian ecosystems to shark kingdoms.
One of my favorite things about living in Korea is eating at Korean convenience stores. It’s not just the colorful displays or wide varieties of foods available at cheap prices, it’s that the menu is always changing and if you don’t have a favorite item yet, you’ll find one eventually.
I have shared so many of my favorite Korean designers and hanbok brands, but I’ve never shared the one that started it all (for me). Teterot Salon (때때롯살롱) used to just be Chima Jeogori (치마저고리), a tiny indie shop in Sinchon that sold me my first daily hanboks back in 2016. I guess you could say it was my gateway brand because, honestly, there was no looking back after that.
We’ve found the most beautiful view of Seoul and you can only get it from the top of this gigantic helium balloon in the middle of the city. SEOULDAL (서울달), is a mash-up of “Seoul” and dal (moon in Korean) and it’s a giant moon-shaped helium balloon that takes you 130 meters into the air for an unbeatable aerial view of the Han River and Seoul’s gorgeous skyline.
This week, a friend invited me a visit a gallery exhibition open to the public but only by reservation and with very limited entry. It literally sold out in a day, and for good reason. It was held at Sunhyewon (선혜원).
While the structure was built in the late-sixties, it was only converted into a cultural space this year and renamed Sunhyewon which translates to “bestow wisdom”. Before then it was the private resident of Chey Jong-gun (최종건), the founder of the SK Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Korea. Yes, friends, Sunhyewon was the former home of the chairman of a chaebol.
CJ the Kitchen has 2-hour cooking classes, fully in English, where you can learn the ins-and-outs of Korean recipes in a top-tier kitchen.
If this cafe’s name made you raise an eyebrow, you’re in good company. FUK COFFEE is a bit tongue in cheek, and intentionally so. It’s named after the IATA airport code “FUK” for Fukuoka Airport, and you’ll see that theme threaded everywhere: latte art planes, boarding-pass-inspired branding, and a vibe that’s part airport lounge, part cozy meet-up spot. In fact it’s so popular that it’s draw quite a following, that kind that will wait outside in the blazing heat just for a seat.
Welcome to autumn in Korea! You’ve made it through the hot, wet summer of 2025 and it’s all blue skies… at least once the temperature cools down and the humidity drops a bit lower. We might still have a bit of lingering summer heat, but September is the start of one of Korea’s most beautiful seasons.
“Bon Appetit,Your Majesty” just launched on Netflix and we just launched our react and review video podcast for K-dramas!
Our first K-drama? “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty”, obviously!
