The Ultimate List of Fun Things to do in Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is a good time, no matter how you look at it. Here’s my list of fun things to do in Seoul, so you can make sure you make the most of your time in the city I used to call home.

Seoul, simply put, is one of my favourite cities on the planet.

It’s well organized and extraordinarily easy to get around, it’s very safe, the entertainment never stops, and the food is on another level (if you like Korean food that is).

I had the fortunate experience of living in Seoul to teach English almost a decade ago now, so I’d like to think I’m quite knowledgeable when it comes to Korea’s capital. I know the fun things to do in Seoul largely because I’ve done them, and in some cases innumerable times. I’ve also been fortunate to return to Korea a number of times since I moved away, so I’ve kept up to day with how this rapidly changing city has evolved.

Seoul is non-stop fun. The same holds true for Tokyo as well, but my heart will always belong to Seoul in some regard. While I lived there, I actually worked with the government as a World Korea Blogger, so it was literally my job to explore the city. In doing that, I discovered a thing or two about the city, the nation, and also myself.

But enough about me, let’s talk about Seoul.

About Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is not only the largest city in Korea, but also one of the largest cities in the world. It is a powerhouse.

You’ve got Fortune 500 companies out the wazoo, global conferences galore, a trend-setting cultural scene, and a nightlife that rivals any city on the planet.

People often think of Seoul as “Seoul proper,” and then what’s known as the “Seoul Capital Area.” Loosely speaking, the Seoul Capital Area is just Seoul, plus Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Within the Seoul Capital Area, there are five UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Namhansanseong, Changdeok Palace, Jongmyo Shrine, the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, and Hwaseong Fortress.

Many people think of Seoul first and foremost in the lens of a city that is futuristic, and that’s true, but not at the expense of its history. That’s what the UNESCO World Heritage Site designations clearly demonstrate. Let’s not forget that Seoul’s history stretches back over two millennia, and was designated as the capital during the Josean Dynasty (1392-1910).

Seoul is one-of-a-kind.

It’s quirky, it’s fun, it’s breathtaking, it’s absurd, it’s wild, it’s captivating, and I’m a massive fan. I lived there for a year, but could have lived there happily for a heck of a lot longer.

Unique Things to Do in Seoul if You’re Looking For Fun

As I’ve alluded to, there isn’t any shortage of fun things to do in Seoul, but there are some things that I think back on that I simply wouldn’t want you to miss, and that’s what this article is all about. These are the Seoul attractions, or things to see in Seoul that I think have the best shot of putting a smile on your face, and adding some joy to your trip to this magnificent city.

Before heading to Korea, you can take a look at the country’s website, where they regularly provide updates about the comings and goings of the country, and they even have a 24 hour YouTube channel, believe it or not. You can also check out South Korea’s visa requirements.

Attend a Korean Baseball Game

Before I moved to Korea, I’d been to a lot of Toronto Blue Jays games, but that didn’t prepare me at all for the spectacle that is Korean baseball. It’s an active, loud, engaging experience, where it’s as if the entire fanbase of each club has essentially been hired to be cheerleaders.

Inflatable tubes, dancers, loud music, chanting in unison - you’ve got it all!

When I went to games, you were even allowed to bring in outside food and beer. As far as I understand, as of the date of publishing, that’s not allowed, but you can check when you’re buying tickets what the rules are around that.

You can head to the KBO website here if you want to learn more. I honestly wouldn’t worry too much about which team you see, as it’s really more about the whole spectacle. For the record though, I’m a Doosan Bears fan, and even have a jersey that I still wear around.

Visit a Cat Cafe

The culture around cat cafes in Seoul is quite endearing. If you aren’t familiar with cat cafes, it’s pretty much as you imagine. You visit the cafe and watch, play, and interact with the cats.

I had some students back in the day in Korea who used to tell me that they loved to go to cat cafes since their parents didn’t necessarily want a cat roaming around their apartment. Typically, apartments aren’t too large in Korea since it’s not a terribly big nation, but they have a sizeable population. Thus, land and housing comes at a premium, so families may not want to have to deal with cats or animals in their space.

When I lived there, cat cafes seemed to only really be a thing in Korea (or at least Asia in general), but it does seem the trend has spread a bit around the world.

The largest concentration of cat cafes is in Myeongdong, but you can find them all over. Two of the most popular cat cafes in Myeongdong (an area which I’ll talk more about down below) include Godabang Cat Cafe and Cat’s Playground.

Cat cafes aren’t the only themed cafes in Seoul though. Here are some other themed style-cafes to check out in Seoul:

Nature Cafes (and in particular the “Thanks Nature Cafe” in Mapo-gu)
The Hello Kitty Cafe in Hongdae
Poop Cafes (most famously Ddo-Ong Cafe in Insadong)
A raccoon cafe called Blind Alley in Jung-gu
The 2D Black and White Cafe (in Yeonnam-dong) which is a spot to snap some unique photos.

The list goes on and on. The cafe scene in Seoul is as unique as it gets. I would honestly just recommend exploring neighbourhoods with an eye out for intriguing cafes, and stopping at spots that catch your eye. It’s more of an authentic experience that way anyhow, and almost every central neighbourhood in Seoul is packed to the brim with excellent cafes that all make efforts to stand out in some manner.

Get Silly at Trickeye Museum Seoul

I still love this photo, all these years later.

Before there was a trick-eye museum in every city around the world, there was Trickeye Museum Seoul. I remember when Bri and I first went here, and we just had a blast (the picture above may suggest as much). It was a bit before the time when everyone simply posed for Instagram, so it was about being silly and letting loose.

We thought that the trick-eye setups that they had going on were actually genuinely creative, and made for some hilarious photos.

Apparently, since we’ve last visited, they’ve focused more on the AR (augmented reality) side of things and developed a special camera app to take things to another level. If you’re looking for fun things to do in Seoul, I can’t see how this doesn’t make the list.

It’s one of those Seoul attractions that feels like it fits the city well, at least to me.

Shop in Myeongdong

Myeongdong, fittingly, means “bright cave” or “bright tunnel,” and that’s about what you can expect if you head there. Bright lights and neon everyone, with just the right amount of sensory overload.

Now, it’s known primarily as a spot to visit if you’re looking to have a day of shopping, and you really will see an incredibly array of shops of all kinds that are worth popping into. There’s also street food galore to serve the crowds and passersby, as well as street performers sometimes.

While shopping is what Myeongdong is known for, it is quite expensive, so it’s not necessarily the best place to shop in Seoul, as much as just a fun place to visit. Personally, along with walking around the area and perhaps shopping a touch, I’d also be sure to check out Myeongdong Cathedral and snap some photos, and see if you can catch a performance at the Myeongdong Nanta Theatre where you can see a famous performance arts show focused on food. I won’t ruin it for you, but trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

You can check their website for show availability if you’re interested. Know that you don’t need to know Korean to go to this show, as the show is all about body language and performance.

Stroll Along the Cheonggyecheon Stream

Cheonggyecheon is an 11km public recreation space in downtown Seoul, and the Cheonggyecheon Stream is the attraction, running through about 8.5 kilometres of the area.

It’s a popular area for both locals and tourists, and it’s a nice way to get from one place to another if you’re looking to avoid walking around traffic. Not unlike Chicago (and the Chicago River), Cheonggyecheon provides a bit of a different viewpoint of the surrounding city, with no shortage of picturesque vantage points of the surrounding skyline.

Despite facing some initial backlash from Seoul’s citizens, it’s now very popular, and it’s also helped some animal species re-enter the city, along with cooling down the connected areas a few degrees during the hotter months.

A walk down the Cheonggyecheon Stream is one of those cool things to do in Seoul that really doesn’t have to take much time. In fact, as I noted above, you could even use it as a throughway to get from one section of the city to another rather seamlessly.

If you’re keen to get your nature fix in Seoul, also consider visiting Hangang Park, Namsan Park, Haneul Park, Seoul Forest, Yeouido Park, or Olympic Park.

The best “natural experience” in the city though for hikers etc. is a visit to nearby Bukhansan National Park. It’s within an hour of the city, and the views are absolutely spectacular.

Check Out a Palace or Two

A younger me and a younger Bri on the Gyeongbokgung premises!

There are plenty of palaces in Seoul that I visited while living in the city, but there are two palaces in particular that I would characterize as “must visit places in Seoul.”

Gyeongbokgung Palace: This is the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty, and it was originally built back in 1395. If you can’t make it to any other palaces in Seoul, then at least make sure you make it to this one. The original complex was destroyed by fire several times (a common occurrence in Korean history due to its wars with Japan), but over the last 30 or so years, they’ve poured money into the restoration of Gyeongbokgungn, and it shows.

To me, this is the most beautiful and picturesque palace in the city, and possibly in the country. Give yourself ample time, and simply wander around the complex. There are buildings constructed with impressive symmetry (and colour), gorgeous gates, bridges, pavilions, courtyards, and more.

Be sure to watch the changing of the guards at the main gate, Gwanghwamun. The procession takes place every hour from 10am to 3pm, and it’s well worth it.

Recently, I’m told they started offering some nighttime viewing sessions as well, particularly between April and October, and that these sessions could be booked online, so perhaps check the website for when you’ll be visiting.
Changdeokgung Palace: Located east of Gyeonbokgung, this is also referred to sometimes as “The East Palace.” Despite not being quite as grandiose as the main palace, Changdeokgung was a noted favourite of many rulers throughout the Joseon Dynasty.

It’s said that this is because Changdeokgung harkens back to an older time (the “Three Kingdoms of Korea Period”) in which a palace was meant to blend in with nature as oppose to impose itself on nature. After visiting both palaces, I do understand why. Changdeokgung may be more understated, but it’s quite a refreshing and invigorating escape from the busy city because of the greater emphasis on natural elements.

I’d strongly recommend making time to visit both palaces while you’re in Seoul. They’re two of the top stops in Seoul for good reason.

Eat All the Korean BBQ

Korean BBQ is, quite literally my favourite meal on the planet.

For one, there’s something about the camaraderie around a shared meal like this, but it’s also really quite fun to have your meat served to you uncooked, and then you proceed to take charge. It’s a meal in which you feel sort of honoured if you’re the one heading up the grill, and it’s more of a participatory experience than a meal in the west could ever be.

I wouldn’t get too caught up in where to eat BBQ as much as being focused on eating as much of it as possible. A BBQ restaurant in Seoul simply won’t survive if it isn’t good enough, and you’ll also fine that each Korean BBQ restaurant puts their own twist on how to serve the meal, or on something that they do especially well.

As far as what to order, you can’t really go wrong, but here’s what I’d typically get during a meal:

Banchan - this is something which should be included with your meal, and it’s a collection of side plates that the restaurant serves. They fill your table with these little plates or bowls, and it makes for a great photo opportunity. You’ll find things like kimchi, marinated cucumbers, radish, bean sprouts, lightly broiled spinach, and all kinds of other things. Part of the fun is not knowing what will be served, actually.
A variety of meats, both marinated and un-marinated. I personally like Dwaeji Galbi (marinated pork ribs) the most, but you can’t go wrong with Jumulleok (beef), Dak Galbi (spicy marinated chicken), or Samgyeopsal (pork belly).
Mandu - it’s not necessarily a standard of Korean BBQ as much as Korean cuisine at large, but I love Korean dumplings, so I take them wherever I can get them, either fried or not.
Doenjang Jjigae - This isn’t just my favourite soup within Korean cuisine, it’s probably one of my favourite soups on the planet. It’s a fermented soybean paste soup, and it often features vegetables, and sometimes seafood as well. I used to eat it over (or with) a bed of rice, and let the soup flavour the rice that I used in my lettuce wraps with the barbecued meat. If you adore kimchi, you may also like Kimchi Jjigae.
Soju - it’s a hell of a hangover, but also a hell of a time. There’s all sorts of games you can play at the table with this as well (including seeing who is closest to guessing the number under the lid, and then they get to give out shots). It’s typically made of grains rice, wheat, or barley. Don’t be fooled by the relatively low alcohol content on the bottle - this stuff packs a punch, and it can really sneak up on you.

Each restaurant is typically known for something different, so go with what they’re known for, honestly. You’ll often see from the sign what it is they’re known for. For example, one of our favourite spots near our apartment in Seoul had a cartoon cow in cowboy boots on the front of the sign, so we quickly figured out they were known for their beef.

Appreciate Seoul’s Museum Scene

When I was living in Seoul, one of the best aspects of it all was the incredible array of museums. When I first began to dive into the top Seoul attractions, I saw a few museums worth visiting, but when I did more research, I started to realize that there was no shortage of museums that may not have been as well known, but were still remarkable.

I’ll list a few museums here that I think you should consider for your Seoul sightseeing plans. I listed the Trickeye Museum up above separately, just because it really fits in with the idea of the whole notion of “fun things to do in Seoul,” but “fun” is a relative term, so one of these below may be your version of fun.

The National Museum of Korea
National Folk Museum of Korea
Leeum Samsung Museum of Art
Love Museum
Pulmuone Kimchi Museum
Seoul Arts Center
National Folk Museum of Korea
Grevin Museum
Seoul Museum of History

There’s way too many to list here, but if you’re interested in it, it’s probably in Seoul. You can visit the Teddy Bear Museum, Poop Museum, Seoul Animation Center and Cartoon Museum, Lock Museum, and the list goes on and on and on.

I hesitated to put them in the “fun” category, understandably, but if you’re a history buff, then you should consider the War Memorial of Korea, and the Seodaemun Prison History Hall.

Peruse Seoul’s Markets

I didn’t spend too much time in Seoul’s markets, or perhaps less than I did visiting markets in Istanbul when I lived there, but they’re an experience, and many would say they’re some of the top places in Seoul to get a better feel for the culture.

The more I think about it, the more I think you probably should make the time to visit a market in Seoul. If you’re only going to choose one market, it should be Namdaemun Market. It was founded in the early 1400s, and it’s one of the busiest and most vibrant and exciting markets in the country. You can find it all here, really.

Clothes, crafts, electronics, medicine - you name it, it’s here.

During the day, you can get groceries and things here, but at night (11pm to 4am) it becomes a night market which specializes in famous Korean street foods. It’s delicious. Get your hands on some Tteokbokkki (spicy rice cakes in a delicious sauce) when you visit.

Other markets that are famous or popular in Seoul include:

Dongdaemun Market
Gwangjang Market
Gyeongdong Market
Noryangjin Fish Market
Seoul Herbal Medicine Market
Seoul Folk Flea Market
Yongsan Electronics Market

Spend Some Time in Insadong

In particular, I’d recommend taking your time strolling down the main street of the Insadong neighbourhood, Insadong-gil. That street is like the artery running through the neighbourhood, and then from there you can branch off onto little side streets and so forth.

Here you’ll find galleries, tea shops, antiques and more. It used to be the largest market for antiques and artworks in the whole country, so you can see that heritage almost everywhere that you look.

I’d strongly recommend making time to check out Ssamziegill. It’s a “shopping mall” that’s unlike any other you’ve visited before. The layout is unique in and of itself, and I’d suggest you follow the “path” all the way up to the roof. You’ll know what I mean when you get there, trust me.

Sing Your Heart Out at a Noraebang

Noraebangs are singing venues in Korea where you rent private soundproof rooms, and have the time of your life.

The room typically has a big screen, some funky lighting, and some loud (sometimes echoey) speakers. I can’t tell you how many nights out in Seoul ended at the noraebang when I lived there, but, suffice to say, a lot.

Noraebangs are popular in Seoul, so my recommendation is to look for noraebangs in the neighbourhood where you’ve chosen to go out in Seoul. They’re pretty much ubiquitous, so your’e never far away.

I would not leave Seoul without giving one a whirl - it’s a huge part of the culture.

You can also order beer, soju, food and snacks right to your private room. It’s one hell of an experience, and one I quite miss if I’m being honest. Thankfully, we’ve got a large Korean population here in Toronto, so I can still find noraebangs here if I’m really missing Korea!

Live It Up At Lotte World

Lotte World is the world’s largest indoor theme park.

I was honestly shocked with how much they fit into a rather small space, and how well it worked all things considered. There’s also an attached outdoor section called “Magic Island” with a monorail and the whole works.

Especially if you’ve got kids, this is a wonderful way to spend a day, or an afternoon. When Bri and I had friends visiting, we went to Lotte World, and we had a really fun time. If I’m not mistaken, there were cherry blossoms in bloom in the outdoor area as well, so it was awfully picturesque. If you’re limited for time in Seoul, this may not make the cut, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most fun things to do in Seoul.

If you’ve got a lot of time in Seoul, then you should also check out Everland Resort, which is about 40km outside the city. That’s a great amusement park, and, as you might imagine, quite a bit larger as they have more space to play with.

Go Out in Hongdae

My oh my - the times I’ve had in Hongdae.

It’s the neighbourhood which is connected to Hongik University, so it’s known for its youthful, often rebellious, vibe. It’s a headquarters for the music, bar, and club scene, and you’ll find neon lights, everywhere.

We used to get beers from the convenience store and watch performers in Hongdae Playground. We saw some incredible stuff there and it was always so lively. It’s a nice place to do a little pre-drinking before heading out in the area, especially if you’re meeting friends who are coming from across the city, as most people who know Seoul know where this is.

I’ve probably been out to in Hongdae a hundred times, and no two nights were the same. It’s a night owl’s dream come true.

That’s a Wrap on Some Fun Activities in Seoul

This article ended up being much longer than I thought it might be, but Seoul is a fun city, of that there is no doubt. You could do something “fun” every single day of the year if you wanted to in Seoul (which I couldn’t quite say about Oslo, a city I also lived in for quite some time).

Seoul is weird and fun and quirky, which allows you to visit (or live there) and be as weird, fun, or quirky as you please. The city has a contagious vibe that I couldn’t get enough of when I lived there, and I can’t wait to return to before too long.

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