It was around mid April, when I knew I only had a few weeks left in Asia. I wanted to do one last trip before going back to Montreal. Like many others, I had a list of places I wanted to go that were left unchecked. Korea was one of them. Just a week before, I met a friend in Bali who had already booked a solo round-trip to Seoul in May. The only downside was that upon looking at the return date, I realized I had a pretty important final exam one day later. After not much thinking, I did what most exchange students on pass fail would've done and just like that, I landed in Korea.
We stayed at a cozy hostel near the cultural district of Seoul, close to both Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung palaces (I can't recall the number of times I have butchered these two names while trying to ask for directions). As we were walking down the streets from our hostel, we saw several people wearing Hanboks, a type of traditional Korean dress. Our hostel offered a Hanbok renting service so we thought, why the hell not. For 15000W (roughly 17$CAD) for three hours, you get to pick a dress and a matching cover-up. Wearing one also grants you access to all the palaces without a fee and it's definitely a different experience. If you have the chance to visit Seoul, I would recommend renting one. They are beautifully made and there are also choices for men! You can easily find many Hanbok renting places pretty much spread out around the palaces and Bukchon Hanok Village. This area was perfect for pictures and filled with cafes, art galleries and shops.
As short and spontaneous as this trip was, it was the perfect last one. Despite having never been to Korea before, the environment felt both familiar and refreshing. Locals were extremely friendly and always willing to help. I would definitely come back one day to stuff myself of kimchi and rice cakes again. And oh, that flavoured soju.
Until next time, Seoul.
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If you're interested in my hostel, itinerary or places visited in Seoul, shoot me a DM/ email and I'll gladly send it over.
All photo credits to Parklynn (insta)
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