Top 10 Reasons to Visit South Korea

1. Intriguing History

South Korea’s temples, palaces, and fortresses across the country are fantastic to explore, and a great way to experience the country’s imperial past. Reading or hearing about it is one thing, but actually seeing the architecture and being able to tie events to a physical place is a completely different experience. One of the most famous places to visit in South Korea is Haeinsa Temple, most notable for the home of the Tripitaka Koreana, which is carved into 81,258 wooden printing blocks that are still housed here today.

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2. The people and culture

Korean culture is profoundly influenced by Confucian principles, which supports harmony, respect for elders, and authority. They also place importance in family, friendship, ancestors, and tradition. As you can imagine, this makes for a friendly and harmonious society with much lower crime rates than countries of similar economic standing, meaning you’ll feel extremely safe as you explore.

3. Food, glorious food!

Korean food is unique and delicious, and it plays a huge role in Korean society. The country’s natural isolation and climate means it has developed its own particular food preparation method, including the salted and fermented side dishes, such as kimchi. Over the centuries, a fascinating and rich food culture has emerged made up of meat dishes, stews, soups, noodles, seafood, and vegetable side dishes. From plain and simple to extravagant and everything in between, there’s something on the menu for everyone.

4. Changing seasons

South Korea is blessed with four distinct seasons, so no matter what time of year you visit, you’ll be surprised at the breathtaking seasonal changes taking place. Cherry blossoms in spring, fields of flowers in summer, foliage taking on beautiful autumn colours, and the white wonderland of winter all make for exciting times to visit!

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5. Connectivity

We all know how important it is to have good WiFi connectivity whilst travelling to keep friends and family up to date on how much fun you’re having. Widely touted as the most connected country in the world, South Korea’s readily available and amazingly fast WiFi is six times faster than the world average. Much of the public transport system is connected with WiFi, too.

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6. The breathtaking nature

Aside from the vibrant cities home to South Korea, they are also known for their breathtaking nature. In fact, up to 70% of South Korea is made up of mountains, so there’s no surprise this natural wonderland is filled with hiking trail after hiking trail. If you’re an adventure-seeker, we definitely recommend hiking up the Hallasan Summit. As the highest mountain in South Korea, this hike not only offers stunning views, but it also offers five different trails ranging from medium to hard difficulty.

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7. Modern architecture

With such a traditional culture and plenty of natural wonders to see, you will be taken away by the modern culture home to South Korea. Their cities, particularly Seoul and Busan, offer some of the best contemporary architectural buildings and modern hotels in the world. If you are keen to experience some stunning architectural sites, we recommend checking out the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Leeum Samsung Museum, EWHA Womans University, Seoul City Hall, Busan Cinema Centre, Haeundae Udong Hyundai I’Park, and the Jongro Millennium Tower just to name a few.

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8. Cafe culture 

If you’re a lover of the cafe scene, then there’s plenty of trendy coffee shops around South Korea. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also have interesting plays on traditional foods and coffee flavours. They also offer plenty of themed cafes and trendy rooftop bars you can enjoy.

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9. The bustling city of Seoul

Seoul is usually the first place you think of when you hear South Korea. And, there's a good reason why! As the capital city and one of the world's fastest growing cities, it’s no wonder Seoul is one of the top cities to visit in South Korea. From delicious cuisine, traditional buildings and creative fashion trends to modern architecture, innovative technology, there's so much to see and do.

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10. Stunning palaces

Whether you’re a history buff or a lover of ancient traditions, a visit to some of the most iconic palaces in  South Korea is a must! Known as the five grand palaces of Seoul, we recommend a tour of the stunning Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, and Gyeonghuigung Palace.