Seoul was both the beginning and the anchor of this journey through South Korea. Before heading south to Jeonju, Jeju, Busan, and beyond, I spent time in the capital to adjust—learning how the country moves, how its past is preserved, and how easily tradition and technology coexist.
I stayed with my AIESEC friend EJ in Itaewon, a neighbourhood that feels permanently in motion. Itaewon is international, loud, layered, and forgiving to newcomers. It was a good base: well connected, socially open, and never pretending to be something else. Staying with someone local made the city immediately more readable.
Hongdae felt younger and louder than most of Seoul, shaped by the nearby art university and a constant flow of music, street performances, and nightlife. It was energetic to the point of chaos, a place where creativity, consumption, and late nights blended into one continuous scene.
One evening we attended a Pecha Kucha night at the Swiss Hanok, located at the Swiss Embassy. The setting alone captured Seoul’s contradictions perfectly: a traditional hanok courtyard hosting fast-paced, global presentations limited to 20 slides and 20 seconds each. Diplomacy, design, storytelling, and networking folded neatly into one evening, framed by wooden beams and modern ideas.
Seoul’s historic core came next. Gyeongbokgung Palace is the most important and largest of the five grand palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897). Constructed in 1395 as the main royal residence, it was designed to reflect Confucian ideals of order, hierarchy, and harmony with nature. The palace suffered repeated destruction, most notably during the Japanese invasions of the late 16th century and later under Japanese colonial rule in the early 20th century, when large parts were dismantled or repurposed. What stands today is the result of extensive restoration, making the palace both a historical site and a statement of cultural recovery. Walking through its courtyards, with modern Seoul rising behind the gates, underscored the city’s layered resilience.
From there, walking through Bukchon Hanok Village felt like slipping into a parallel layer of the city—residential, restrained, and still very much alive. Traditionally home to aristocrats and officials during the Joseon period, Bukchon sits geographically and symbolically between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces.
Just a short walk away but visited on a different day, Ikseondong offered a different interpretation of old Seoul: narrow lanes filled with cafés, boutiques, and repurposed hanoks, tradition adapted for consumption and leisure. I got my personalised Canvas bag with iconic symbols of Korea as patches at the local Wappenstore that's now my travel bag for food and drinks. First, I thought the store was very unique. That was until I found a Wappenstore in every neighborhood.
The city’s edges told other stories. The Mural Village introduced colour and community-driven art into steep residential streets, while the City Wall Museum traced Seoul’s defensive past, reminding me that this megacity once defined itself by walls rather than highways.
Modern Seoul made its presence unmistakable at DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza). Zaha Hadid’s flowing structure felt almost alien against the surrounding markets and older buildings—futuristic, performative, and unapologetically ambitious. It was architecture designed to be photographed, walked through, and debated.
Shopping in Myeongdong provided yet another layer: crowds, cosmetics, street food, global brands, and relentless energy compressed into a few dense blocks. It was chaotic, efficient, and strangely enjoyable in short bursts. So many K-beauty places & shops - I bought over a hundred face masks - guess what will be my go to gift over the next months. They come in all sorts of ingredients: aloe, green tea, bamboo, snail, pearl, melon, ..., you name it, they have it. I got even some with beer.
And then there was nightlife. A Barbie Party in Itaewon closed the loop—playful, ironic, loud, and completely at ease with itself. Seoul doesn’t ask you to choose between seriousness and spectacle; it simply offers both, often on the same street.
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