No More Worrying about the Cold Weather! If you are worried about what to do when you visit Korea in the cold winter, pay attention! Here are some places you can go to have fun even if it rains or snows.
If you are interested in the latest trends and like shopping, a pleasant shopping mall complex is the best. Restaurants, cinema, select shops, etc. are concentrated in Starfield COEX Mall. The recently opened Starfield Library, which is free, is very popular. Hyundai Department Store (Pangyo branch) has a huge food hall with various kinds of food from popular chain restaurants and local restaurants.
If you want to recover from fatigue accumulated during the trip, a sauna called a “jjimjilbang” is the place to go. You can have a snack or watch TV while experiencing Korean-style public bath culture. Being able to sleep overnight is also an advantage. Hill Spa in Busan, overlooking Haeundae Beach, and the huge, seven-floor Dragon Hill Spa in Seoul are both popular.
If you are interested in character products, go to Line Friends Store or Kakao Friends Store. You can buy souvenirs and take photos with huge character dolls.
How about making your own souvenir in a workshop? The experience of making a souvenir the way you want will be a special memory. You can create your own perfume (50ml) at Scentlier, a handmade fragrance workshop, and experience leathercraft such as making a coin purse at Ryuikei Leathercraft. You must reserve in advance at both places, and lectures can be conducted in English.
1. Starfield COEX Mall 513, Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul +82-2-6002-5300
2. Hyundai Departmen Store (Pangyo brunch) 20, Pangyoyeok-ro 146beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do +82-10-5170-1033
3. Hill Spa 17-11, Dalmaji-gil 117beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan +82-51-743-5705 Entrance Fee 8,000-10,000 won
4. Dragon Hill Spa 40, Hangang-daero 21na-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul +82-2-792-0001 Entrance Fee 12,000-10,000 won
5. Line Friends Store (Itaewon brunch) 200, Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seul +82-2-790-0901
6. Kakao Friends Store (Hongdae brunch) 162, Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seul +82-2-6010-0104 store.kakaofriends.com
7. Scentlier (Hongdae branch) 76, Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul +82-2-322-1178 Experience Fee 50,000 won
8. Ryuikei Leathercraft 26, Sinheung-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seul +82-70-8873-1178 Experience Fee from 30,000 won
9. Jeongdong Theater 43, Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul +82-2-751-1000 Ticket Price 30,000-60,000 won jeongdongtheater.com
10. The Painters HERO COUPON 13, Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seul +82-2-766-7848 Ticket Price 40,000–60,000 won thepainters.co.kr
11. Busan National Gugak Center FREE COUPON 217, Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan The Queen's Banquet +82-51-747-6425 Happy Gugak Tree +82-51-811-0043 The Queen's Banquet 30,000 won Happy Gugak Tree 10,000 won busan.gugak.go.kr
If you are tired of outside activities, it might be a good idea to watch a traditional Korean cultural performance or a delightful show. Lotus: A Flower Comes Out Once More, a non-verbal performance, is currently showing at the Jeongdong Theater. Various traditional dances based on a folk tale can be seen. The Painters HERO is a unique performance that uses a variety of techniques such as the arts and live drawing to tell a story about heroes. In the performance The Queen’s Banquet, organized by the Busan National Gugak Center, you can see and hear Korea’s beautiful traditional art as traditional music and dance and colorful traditional clothes come together.
There is nothing like the sweet smell of a dessert café on a cold day to grab a woman’s heart. It is quite fun to take photos and post them on SNS, so go on a tour of cafés with fabulous interiors and lovely desserts that are too pretty to eat. DORE DORE, where the cakes are tasty, and Tarrtarr, where more than 50 types of handmade tarts are sold, are both recommended. Other popular cafés include: Seoul Ludens, a rooftop café with excellent views of Gyeongnidangil Road at night, and Café Valor with an unusual interior that makes it a great place to take photos.
12. DORE DORE (Sinsa brunch) 40, Dosan-daero 15-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul +82-2-540-4553 Gibunjoa Cake (Rainbow Cake) 9,000 won per piece
13. Tarrtarr (Hongdae brunch) 50, Yanghwa-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul +82-1000-1033 Tart 2,000-6,000 won
14. Seoul Ludens 69, Hoenamu-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul +82-2-795-4151 Napoli Nachos 14,000 won
15. Café Valor 52, Baekbeom-ro 578beon-gil, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon +82-32-577-3214 Valor Signature 5,000-7,000 won
TIP Want to Experience Traditional Culture? The Jagyeongjeon Tea Ceremony is held every weekend in Gyeongbokgung Palace until October 29. You can learn about Korea’s traditional tea culture while wearing traditional clothes. Hagajae Gallery has programs such as a tea ceremony experience, hanbok experience, and palace tours. You can eat bibimbap and experience hanok, hanbok, folk performance, etc. at Korea House. And you can easily try on hanbok at the Beautiful Hanbok (House of Hanbok Experience) without any reservations. It is recommended if you want to walk around downtown Seoul wearing hanbok.
1. Gyeongbokgung Jagyeongjeon Tea Ceremony 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul +82-2-3210-1045~6 chf.or.kr (reservations via the website or on-site register)
2. Hagajae Gallery 98, Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul +82-2-766-7647 (reservation by phone call) hagajaegallery.com
3. Korea House COUPON 10, Toegye-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul +82-2-1070-1125 koreahouse.or.kr (reservation via the website)
4. Beautiful Hanbok 20-10, Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul +82-2-742-9987
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