🇰🇷 Spring in SEOUL (Part 1) 🌸 cozy cafés, street food & SUWON day trip

🇰🇷 Spring in SEOUL (Part 1) 🌸 cozy cafés, street food & SUWON day trip

day 1 This is part 2 of my South Korea vlog — exploring Seoul’s hanok villages, markets, cozy cafés, street food, and more. Let’s go! This morning, we’re flying back to Seoul from Jeju. If you haven’t seen the Jeju vlog yet, I’ll leave the link in the description so you can check it out after this video. That one’s all about cherry blossoms, canola flower fields, beaches, waterfalls, cozy cafés—and more. As soon as we landed in Seoul, we were starving.
So we headed to Ikseondong for late lunch. We’re now in Myeongdong — a popular shopping area packed with stores and tourists. If you’re planning a trip to Seoul, I’m working on a free 5-day itinerary that you can download soon! I’ll drop the link in the description or comments once it’s ready, so keep an eye out. As the sun sets, street food stalls start to open, and the whole place comes alive. You’ll find all kinds of snacks here. It’s a bit pricey, but still a fun spot to explore and wander around. Good morning from Seoul!
We started the day lining up for breakfast at Onion Café in Anguk. This place gets pretty crowded, so I recommend coming early or visiting on a weekday if you can. After breakfast, we visited the House of Baek In-je.
This is a beautiful, traditional hanok house—spacious and peaceful. Not many tourists around, which made it feel even more special. This house was built in the 1910s and is one of the best-preserved examples of modern hanok architecture from the Japanese occupation era. Then we headed to Bukchon Hanok Village—which was the complete opposite: crowded with tourists. Because of the crowds, they’ve limited visiting hours—open from 9 to 6 on weekdays and 9 to 5 on weekends. This spot with the rooftops and city view is one of the most iconic photo spots in Seoul. We wanted to explore more, but then… it started to snow. snow! 😱 So we looked for a cozy spot to warm up and ended up in a museum café nearby. snow had stopped Then, it started snowing again, even harder this time. Once the snow lightened up, we walked to Tongin Market to experience a traditional Korean market. On the second floor, you can exchange cash for traditional coins to buy food from the stalls. and guess what—it started snowing again! On our way back to Myeongdong for dinner, we passed by a mall and checked out some cute stores. Look at these toys! Aren’t they adorable? We’re back in Ikseondong this morning for breakfast. Mil Toast is known for their soft, steamed breads. If you want to try this place, I’d definitely recommend coming on a weekday and as early as you can. Most cafés in Seoul (and South Korea in general) open a bit late—around 10 or 11 AM. But places like Mil Toast open at 8, which is perfect for early birds. Ikseondong is a trendy spot, popular with both locals and tourists. By the way, I’m setting up a travel blog website, perfect if you love reading travel stories and tips. I’ll share the launch details soon! In the meantime, come hang out with me on Instagram (link in bio) for more travel inspo and little moments from my trips. See you there! You’ll find bakeries, restaurants, cute shops, and stylish cafés all tucked in these narrow alleys. After breakfast, we walked to our next stop. The weather is great today, so walking around and discovering new places feels really nice. Jogyesa is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Korea. It’s especially known for its colorful lanterns, especially around Buddha’s birthday in spring. You’ll hear monks chanting in the background, and there’s a calming, peaceful vibe here. Not too many tourists come here either, so it’s a great place to slow down, reflect, or just enjoy the moment. We continued walking and passed by Cheonggyecheon Stream—a long, man-made stream right in the middle of the city. This used to be a highway, but the government transformed it into a green space so people could enjoy walking through the city. The current City Hall building, with its modern glass architecture, opened in 2012 and was designed to look like a wave. This area is getting more popular among young locals. We were looking for a specific café overlooking Deoksugung Palace, but couldn’t find it. So instead, we moved on to a different one we found nearby. Deoksugung Palace – closed on mondays Jeokdang Café was a little tricky to find since it’s inside a building. We returned to Cheonggyecheon Stream to take a proper stroll. If you’ve watched any Korean dramas, this place might look familiar. It’s a peaceful little escape in the city. In the summer, I read that they even turn parts of it into an open library—how cool is that? This place is famous for its futuristic architecture and also hosts free exhibits and design-related events. If you have the time (and energy!), it’s definitely worth a visit. We ended the day with drinks in Euljiro Nogari Alley. This area is known for its retro vibe and casual drinking spots. Great place to wind down after a long day. We’re exploring Seongsu today, starting with coffee at Lowkey. This café is known for its specialty coffee and retro interior.
We arrived just after opening, around 10 AM, and it was already full. On the way to Seoul Forest, we stumbled upon this bakery. So many kinds of bread! There are a couple of tables outside if you want to eat there, but we decided to take our bread with us and have it at the park instead. magnolia flowers Seoul Forest is huge—it’s around 1.2 million square meters in size. It’s one of Seoul’s major green spaces, and it has everything from cherry blossom paths to a deer enclosure, sculpture parks, bike paths, and playgrounds. We spotted some early cherry blossoms. It was so heartwarming watching people take photos—everyone posing with the flowers and just enjoying the day. Unfortunately, the main cherry blossom path hadn’t bloomed yet—just buds for now. We’ll definitely come back when they’re in full bloom. We kept walking until we reached the bridge that connects to the Hangang bike road. This road is only for pedestrians and cyclists—it runs along the Han River. We didn’t really plan where to go—we just kept walking and enjoying the view. To be honest, biking would’ve been better because the road is long and our legs were giving up. Eventually, we found a small park, took a break, and figured out how to get to our next stop. We walked to the nearest bus stop and headed out. By the way, if you’re in Seoul for a few days, I recommend getting a Climate Card instead of a T-money card. It’s better value if you’re using public transport at least three times a day.
Also—Naver Map is your best friend. Super accurate. By this time, we were tired again so we looked for a café in Itaewon. Nobody else was there when we arrived. The space was so aesthetic—minimalist and calming. The architecture is stunning inside, and we only explored the free exhibits but it was totally worth it. A great mix of modern and traditional Korean art. Good morning! Today we’re doing a morning walking tour around Seoul. We stayed near Gwanghwamun, so we passed through Gwanghwamun Square first. The weather’s perfect—cloudy but no rain or snow in the forecast. We also passed by the gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace again, though we’re not visiting the palace just yet. (watch out for the next part) This is Seoul’s oldest secondhand bookstore. Sadly, it opens late in the morning, so we’ll come back another time. Today, we’re visiting another traditional hanok house. This well-preserved home offers a glimpse into how upper-class Koreans once lived. It’s quieter here and feels more personal. There’s even a small garden at the back. Time for our morning café break! Nearby, we found this cozy little spot. The interior has a charming retro aesthetic and a super chill vibe. Cute postcards for sale We lined up for the famous vegetable hotteok. As we continued walking, we passed by Shinsegae Department Store and saw this massive digital billboard outside. On our way to Namsangol Hanok Village, we passed by Korea House. We actually thought it was the hanok village at first but turns out, it’s a traditional Korean fine dining restaurant and cultural venue. The area around it is really beautiful, though. Even if you’re not dining there, it’s worth walking around. After getting a little lost, we finally found Namsangol Hanok Village! Unlike Bukchon, which is a residential area, this one feels more like an open-air museum. It’s a large space where several traditional hanoks have been relocated and preserved. Still not over how beautiful they are, even after seeing so many in Jeju. If you’re curious about Korean traditions and daily life in the past, this is a great place to visit. Bonus: entrance is free! There are lots of cafés and restaurants in this area, and since it’s a weekday, it wasn’t crowded. Ihwa-dong Mural Village is a hillside neighborhood filled with colorful murals and quirky art installations. It started as a government project to revitalize the area and attract visitors and it worked! Though some murals have been removed over time due to noise complaints from residents, there’s still plenty of street art to see. This is a great spot for a light hike with city views. Several sections of the wall still remain, and some are open to the public. It’s amazing to find something like this right in the middle of Seoul. The staff grilled it for us at the table. On our way back to the hotel, we passed Jongno Tower and spotted a Starbucks Reserve inside. We couldn’t resist going in. The space is really elegant, reminded us of the Starbucks Reserve in Tokyo. day 6 It’s a new day, and today we’re doing a day trip outside Seoul! We took the train to Suwon, which is about 30 km south of Seoul and takes around 1 hour by subway or train. We started the day at Starfield Suwon Library, located on the 4th to 7th floors of Starfield Mall. It opened in October 2020 and is the second Starfield Library in Korea (the first one is in COEX, Gangnam). We arrived just after 10 AM and already saw many tourists taking pictures. Totally understandable—it’s beautiful! The design is stunning—glass ceiling, natural light, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Yes, it’s a real library! Locals actually come here to read. Still in the mall, we looked for a nice bakery and found Bonne Nouvelle on the ground floor. This was a temporary palace used by kings during times of war or when traveling. It’s part of the larger Hwaseong Fortress and is the largest of its kind in Korea. Mong Ted – featured in the K-drama Lovely Runner After resting, we continued walking along the Suwon City Wall. The trail connects several gates and towers, giving you both history and great views along the way. There are lots of chicken restaurants here, but we picked one that was already open—Daebong. We began our hike along the fortress wall trail, starting at Paldalmun Gate. The trail is mostly paved and not too difficult—lots of stairs but manageable. From up here, you can see a panoramic view of the city. It’s especially beautiful at night when the city lights turn on. As we made our way back down, the sun began to set. We walked down until we reached Hwaseomun Gate. day 7 Good morning! We’re starting the day with breakfast at a café. Pastel Coffee Works is known for its specialty brews, and they also serve pour-over coffee. The café has a cool industrial-style interior. You order on the ground floor, and the seating is downstairs in the basement but it’s bright and well-lit. This is a high-end, futuristic mall that was used as a filming location for the hit drama Queen of Tears. It’s super aesthetic, and there’s even a mini indoor garden. We’re exploring Hongdae now. Hongdae is super lively at night with neon signs and street performers. During the day, it transforms into a vibrant shopping street with all kinds of fashion, cosmetics, and lifestyle stores. Not quite in full bloom yet, but we plan to return when the trees are all pink and fluffy. Stay tuned for the second part of Seoul vlog! During warmer months, this bridge hosts a light-and-music fountain show in the evening. Lots of young people were having picnics, and the vibe was super chill. Such a fun and relaxing way to end the day! Thanks so much for watching until the end! I really appreciate all of you. If you haven’t yet, please don’t forget to like this video and subscribe to the channel. We’ll continue our Seoul adventure in the next vlog, so stay tuned for Part 2! 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Join me as I explore Seoul and take a day trip to Suwon! In this episode, we stroll through vibrant markets, cozy up in aesthetic cafés, and enjoy delicious street food. I also head out of the city for a Suwon day trip to visit the stunning Hwaseong Fortress and Starfield Library. If you’re planning a spring trip to South Korea, this Seoul vlog is for you!

🧋 From Gwangjang Market to Myeongdong street food stalls, and hidden cafés in hanok villages, this is a calm and cozy look at Seoul in April.

📍Spots featured in this vlog:
– Gwangjang Market
– Myeongdong
– Ikseon-dong
– Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
– Suwon Starfield Library
– Local cafés & restaurants around Seoul

This is part 1 of my Seoul vlog series – stay tuned for more spring highlights in part 2!

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🎬 TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Preview
0:34 – Day 1 – Arrival to Seoul, Bbat., Myeongdong Cathedral, Myeong-dong
2:45 – Day 2 – Cafe Onion Anguk, House of Baek Inje, Bukchon Hanok Village, Bukchon Oriental Culture Museum, Tongin Traditional Market, Myeongdong Kyoja
9:20 – Day 3 – Mil Toast Ikseon, Ikseon-dong Hanok Village, Jogyesa Temple, Seoul City Hall, Deoksugung Doldamgil (Stone-wall Road), JeokDang, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Gwangjang Market, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)
18:31 – Day 4 – LowKey Seongsu, Seongsu Baking Studio, Seoul Forest Park, Noksapyeong Pedestrian Bridge, Café Shim (Swim), Leeum Museum of Art, Solsot Pot Rice House
27:14 – Day 5 – Gwanghwamun Square, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Dae-o Bookstore, Hong Geonik’s House in Pirun-dong, veranda, Namdaemun Market, Korea House, Namsangol Hanok Village, Café San 1-1, Ihwa-dong Mural Village, Seoul City Wall Trail (Naksan section), Midogalbi, Starbucks Reserve The Jongno
38:06 – Day 6 – Starfield Suwon Library, Bonne Nouvelle Bakery, Hwaseong Haenggung, Paletscent , Janganmun Gate, Yongyeon, Paldalmun Traditional Market, Daebong Chicken Restaurant, Paldalmun Gate, Hyowon’s Bell
47:42 – Day 7 – Pastel Coffee Works, The Hyundai Seoul, Thedam, Shinleedoga, Hongdae Shopping Street, Hapjeong-dong Café Street, Banpo Bridge

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