lifestyle
floor and could still enjoy (even with a
nocturnal teen) a full Western breakfast
until 10:30am.
Myeongdong is a great walking
neighborhood that really comes alive
at night when the street food vendors
come out and the crowds, both
local and tourist, gather. Somewhere
between Causeway Bay and a less-
crowded Mongkok, it’s a vibrant
introduction to the kitschy side of
Korea—from shops devoted entirely to
facial masks to boy-band everything.
On our first night, we only had to cross
the narrow street from our hotel for
excellent Korean BBQ and then an
introductory wander.
The next day, under bright sun and
blue sky, we were able to do all of
our sightseeing on foot. Surrounded
by low mountains and straddling the
Han River, Seoul is essentially flat, with
a city centre of wide sidewalks and
coffee shops on almost every block
when we needed a warm-up and
Wi-fi. From Myeongdong, we headed
north to Cheonggyecheon Stream, the
urban renewal project and recreation
space that has become a hub for
public art and seasonal festivities. From
there, we followed the wide avenue
through Gwanghwamun Square to
Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of the
city’s best-known cultural landmarks
and the largest of Seoul’s five palaces.
This vast complex, which is closed
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on Tuesdays, deserves several hours
of your time, whether or not you take
a guided tour (available in Chinese,
Japanese and English). While some
areas are currently being restored, the
main palace buildings, two museums
and surrounding grounds were all open
the day we went.
Gyeongbokgung also offers a
window in to the current fascination
with Korean historical dramas as
tourists and locals alike come to the
palace in rented hanbok for extended
amateur photo sessions. Traditional
gowns for women and long jackets
and hats for men can be hired for four
hours or a full day, giving K-drama
fans plenty of time to get the perfect
Insta-shot. On the day we were there,
a flash mob of exchange students
from Denmark danced to hip-hop in
their hanbok in the shadow of the main
palace. Nearby, three young Malaysian
women told us that they used travel
app KKday to find a convenient rental
shop for their gowns.
After the palace, we headed south
to Namdaemun Market and a late
lunch with our bubble-wrap ladies.
The walk was long but stimulating
since we passed by a number of
protest sites denouncing the idea of
any concessions to North Korea’s Kim
Jong-un. It was then we both realised
that the longstanding geo-political
situation on the peninsula is not just an
intermittent news story but a constant
part of people’s lives. We would explore
this issue further on our next day’s trip
to the DMZ.
As the sun set over Namdaemun
Market, we headed back to
Myeongdong. Namdaemun is
historically interesting but for shopping
it doesn’t offer much that we haven’t
seen at the Ladies or Wan Chai
Markets. We decided to try the larger,
well-known department stores for their
combination of international labels
and unique local brands. Shinsegae
main store, between Namdaemun
and Myeongdong, houses several
local labels on its upper floors, one of
which—Plastic Island—attracted our
attention. Two coats and several tops
later, we headed over to Lotte Super
Plaza for funky pop-up shops and more
local wares.
Despite the cold temperatures and it
being a Monday night, Myeongdong’s
pedestrianised area was hopping,
and after several hours in well-heated
malls, we were happy to be outside
and to basically snack our way back to
the hotel. We sampled lobster topped
with cheese, eggy-bread, a variety of
dumplings and deep-fried savory cakes
as well as authentic (chapssaltteok)
and not so authentic (Oreo churros!)
Korean desserts.
We split our second full day in to two
parts: a half-day trip to the DMZ and
then a nighttime foodie tour, with a very
necessary, replenishing foot massage
in between.
For both tours I booked with
established operators, by phone and
app, after we’d landed in Seoul. We
were lucky with our last-minute DMZ
bookings, as every seat on the coach
was filled. Most visitors to the DMZ
book a tour to avoid dealing with the
entrance requirements and military
checkpoints that you encounter
past the civilian control line. It’s also
the kind of tour where a guide can
make all the difference. Our leader,
Dora Kim of Seoul City Tours, was
a wealth of knowledge about the
history and current situation in the