Traveller Nadine shares her insights into what to do in Seoul as a Gen-Z traveller.
Statistics have shown that prior to the COVID outbreak, the number of outbound departures made by Singaporean citizens amounted to more than 10 million. Furthermore, with Picodi’s online survey showing that 39% of Singaporeans they surveyed travel twice a year, it is no doubt that everyone is more than eager to return to the skies again. Especially now that the government has shared that travel borders have reopened.
Personally, I have always wanted to travel to Seoul, South Korea on my own. As one of the cheaper countries within Asia to travel to, that’s reduced damage done to one’s wallet. Though I have been there with my family and friends before, going on my own will definitely be a whole new experience, so to reminisce a little, why not share 3 of the things I would like to do, as a Gen Z, in Seoul, South Korea?
READ MORE: Here are some amazing pictures of Seoul, South Korea
What being a Gen Z entails
You may be wondering, how would a trip to Korea for a regular person and for a Gen Z differ? As a Gen Z, there are so many things that I can do in Korea because to us, the country is not only known for its amazing food, but also for its fashion, its skincare and most importantly, its lifestyle. In reference to McKinsey and Company’s data, Gen-Zers spend a lot of time keeping up with the trends on social media.
Gen Zers also pay a lot of attention and detail to aesthetics when shaping their identities, and in a country like South Korea where fashion is always in trend, it is a place for all Gen Zers to explore and find their identities.
Cafe-hopping in the city
Korea has been experiencing a booming coffee culture, with a recent study from the Korean Economic Institute of America sharing that Koreans drank, on average, 12.3 cups of coffee in a week. This is something that we can relate to here in Singapore, wherein 2020, around 6 million kilograms of coffee were consumed, according to data from Statista.
Moreover, there is no other place like Seoul when it comes to top-notch cafes that are totally Instagram-worthy. From unique cafe concepts to interesting menu items, you can never run out of places to go to when you are in Seoul.
One interesting cafe that caught my eye while I was doing my research was a cafe called Baekdukangsan. While we would often expect cafes to have aesthetic layouts and colourful interior designs, Baekdukangsan provides a more dabang (Korean for “traditional”) cafe experience. Named after the tallest mountain in the Korean peninsula, this cafe is the place to relax and recharge after a long day of eating good food or shopping.
One thing to note about this cafe, though, is that the owners have a nature of not promoting the cafe often – even locals have mentioned that it is hard to find the cafe! The only way of identifying that you are at the right place would be if you find 2 pieces of paper on the glass door of the building entrance and on the cafe’s main entrance.
Finding the cafe is the hardest part, and you will be able to reap the fruits of your labour once you find it. With amazing scents of coffee beans and the sights of Korean calligraphy and sculptures as the cafe’s decoration, you will feel like you have been teleported back to the 80s as you enjoy your time at Baekdukangsan.
Attending concerts is a must-do
As a Gen Z, something I have definitely missed was jamming out to my favourite artists’ music at festivals and live concerts. Standing in the mosh pits, jumping along to all the hits that the artists performed, sigh, those were the times.
Moreover, when you think of Korea, you think of K-pop. If you think of the high production scale that goes into supporting this common term that has now infiltrated every household that there is here in Singapore, it is basically impossible for anyone to not know what K-pop is.
One of the best things about attending a concert in Korea is that, regardless of the concert’s genre – be it K-pop or Korean Hip Hop (like in the photo above) or even it is relatively cheaper when compared to the same concert being held overseas. For instance, the usual ticket price for a VIP ticket or a front-row ticket at a concert in Korea could range from 100,000 won (SGD $108) to 200,000 won (SGD $216), while the same seats in Singapore could go at a selling point of up to SGD $350.
Furthermore, one of the best things about attending concerts in Korea is that not all concerts need to be paid for – some of them are FREE! With artists having the opportunity to promote themselves wherever they are able to, Korea often has campus festivals that are held at different universities over the year, and as a way to boost their students’ morale, they try to have as many celebrities grace their event as possible.
Gen Zs love anything that has got to do with saving that extra bit of cash while on holiday, so being able to get into any of these free or cheap events is certainly a plus to going on a trip to South Korea!
READ MORE: Here are the 8 best places for women to travel alone
Acting like a Local is important
When you are a Gen Z, you tend to follow your own routine and not others. Hence, going on guided tours may not sound like a thing, and more often than not, Gen Zs will attempt to take the road less travelled by tourists. This would include eating at places where locals usually go in order to find the best places to enjoy authentic Korean food.
If you are a fan of spicy Korean food, then hop on down to Guldari Sikdang to get your dose of Korean home cooking. Outside of the world of aesthetic cafes and restaurants, lies a restaurant with 40 years of experience. The best part? The restaurant only serves two dishes every day.
Although Guldari Sikdang only has kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew with pork) and jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) on its menu, their dishes have been raved by locals as one of the top 3 kimchi stew restaurants in Seoul because of the sense of nostalgia that the food brings to the customers.
A set meal of either kimchi stew or stir-fried pork is not that pricey on the wallet either, with the prices of the meals going at 7,000 won (SGD $7.60) and 10,000 won (SGD $10.80) respectively. The set meals even come with rice and an assortment of side dishes that are personally prepared by the owners – which you can even ask for refills!
How to decide what to do in Seoul?
Seoul may not be everyone’s top destination, but with just one city alone, you are bound to fill up all your senses as you experience the bright colours, the sounds and the food that Seoul has to offer. These are just some of the many things that I would love to do when I get the chance to visit South Korea on my own. As the world sees a reopening to travel and lesser restrictions, why not join me?
