What to See, Eat and Do in Korea (and Beyond)
It’s that time of year again, time for BTS Festa! This year not only marks the 12th anniversary of BTS, but also all the members will finally be discharged from their mandatory military service. There will be cafe events, special celebratory projects, J-Hope’s final 2 concerts and, of course, 2025 Festa which will be held at Kintex.
Every year for about one week to two weeks during spring, Yeonnamdong Cherry Blossom House becomes the most popular cafe for miles amongst locals, tourists, and overseas travelers. The wait for seating is routinely over one hour long with small crowds forming before the cafe even opens in the morning.
There’s something about mythical creatures from Asian cultures that has be obsessed. From Bali’s barong to Okinawa’s shisa, I have a small army of handcrafted creatures adorning my shelves at home. And while there are a lot of interesting mythical creatures in Korean folklore, the haechi has always been my favorite and that’s kind of why I feel this cafe was made for me.
When it comes to cherry blossom season in Seoul, there are 2 different types of cafes you want to target: cafes with a beautiful view of the cherry blossoms and cafes with a cherry blossom themed menu. If you’re super lucky, you may come across a cafe that offers both! Though rest assured, there will be a waiting time to get into these places and seasonal desserts my run out early.
The internet hype-train is a real thing and it’s hard to distinguish between good cafes and cafes that only look good on social media. That’s especially true for Seoul where trends change quickly and we’re all left behind trying to catch up while fighting off the FOMO.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of three cafes are worth the hype and certainly worth your time.
For most people, February’s most iconic holiday is Valentines Day. But for BTS ARMY it’s, without a doubt, J-Hope Day! February 18th marks the birthday of our favorite ray of sunshine Hobie. And if you happen to be in Seoul, there are lots of birthday projects and cup sleeve events to check out!
Cafe Pokpo’s popularity has exploded making it one of the most visited spots in Seoul. It’s hard not to see why, there are photos all over Instagram and videos all over TikTok showing off the “waterfall cafe” in Seoul.
But, if you’re planning on making the trip out to this gem, you’ll want to check out our tips so you don’t waste your time and get the most out of your visit. Here are our 5 tips for visiting Cafe Pokpo:
While there’s plenty of reasons to visit this Dotori Garden from the delectible snacks to the cute ambience, the vast majority of visitors make there way there for the undeniable Ghibli vibes.
The Gyeongbokgugn area is a treasure trove of snack spots and if you don’t know where to look you might miss out on some seriously delicious eats like these adorably shaped giwa-ppang (기와빵) aka ’tile bread’ from a tiny little spot called Play Seoul (서울구경).
There’s something to be said about superficiality when it comes to food. About how the look of a food matters far less than the flavor and the taste. But then we found Dalim Bread and their delicious bear shaped rolls.
If there’s one thing you’ll find in abundance in Jeju, it’s groves of tangerine trees. They’re everywhere on the island, filling the air with a scent of citrus when the fruit are in season. When we drove up to Cafe Gyulkkot Darak, the thin strip of road leading up to the cafe was already filled with haphazardly parked cars. A few girls dressed in the “Korea travel aesthetic” were leaving through the front door as we made our way in.
Korea House is a mainstay of the Myeongdong area, one that we’ve passed by a few times during our years…
