Seoul Rising

Jeff Koons at Paradise Art Space

Jeff Koons at Paradise Art Space

Lee Bae’s Issu de feu (2018)

Lee Bae’s Issu de feu (2018)

Kim Hodeuk’s All of Sudden, Drawing the Space (2018)

Kim Hodeuk’s All of Sudden, Drawing the Space (2018)

Spent a few hours at CIMER Spa in the early morning here at PARADISE CITY (definitely recommended!)

Spent a few hours at CIMER Spa in the early morning here at PARADISE CITY (definitely recommended!)

Anish Kapoor’s C-Curve

Anish Kapoor’s C-Curve

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하동관 (inside COEX Mall)

하동관 (inside COEX Mall)

AND COFFEE LAB (inside Hyundai Mall)

AND COFFEE LAB (inside Hyundai Mall)

 
 
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평화옥 (Inside HYUNDAI Department Store)

평화옥 (Inside HYUNDAI Department Store)

Korean Egg Bread in Hongdae

Korean Egg Bread in Hongdae

RYSE Hotel, Autograph Collection

RYSE Hotel, Autograph Collection

Wearing Petite Studio Blouse, Petite Studio Pants, Givenchy Shoes, Valentino Bag w/ a croissant from Tartine Bakery Seoul (inside RYSE Hotel)

Wearing Petite Studio Blouse, Petite Studio Pants, Givenchy Shoes, Valentino Bag w/ a croissant from Tartine Bakery Seoul (inside RYSE Hotel)

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Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) designed by Zaha Hadid

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) designed by Zaha Hadid

Aver Studio Coat, Everlane Top, Aver Studio Pants, Golden Goose Sneakers, Yvonne Kone Bag, Maison Michel Hat, Gucci Sunglasses

Aver Studio Coat, Everlane Top, Aver Studio Pants, Golden Goose Sneakers, Yvonne Kone Bag, Maison Michel Hat, Gucci Sunglasses

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DDP Design Market (Inside DDP)

DDP Design Market (Inside DDP)

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Seoul Dining at 웰콤시티 (Welcomm City)

Seoul Dining at 웰콤시티 (Welcomm City)

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Visited Clay, sister company of WNS

Visited Clay, sister company of WNS

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Design Allee Shop

Design Allee Shop

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Mother-in-law and hubby at Vista Walkerhill Seoul

Mother-in-law and hubby at Vista Walkerhill Seoul

Views from Julie and Mike’s apartment

Views from Julie and Mike’s apartment

Nest Hotel near Incheon Airport

Nest Hotel near Incheon Airport

Issey Miyake Top, Issey Miyake Pants, Balenciaga Sneakers

Issey Miyake Top, Issey Miyake Pants, Balenciaga Sneakers

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Jasper Morrison Exhibition at Piknic

Jasper Morrison Exhibition at Piknic

 
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Spicy rice cakes at 반당

Spicy rice cakes at 반당

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Kuho Coat, Issey Miyake Top, Issey Miyake Pants, Aeta Bag, Balenciaga Sneakers

Kuho Coat, Issey Miyake Top, Issey Miyake Pants, Aeta Bag, Balenciaga Sneakers

Seoul was a short, but sweet stay. My last visit was three years ago in 2015 (you can see my coverage Part I and Part II) and it was really nice to be back! I find myself appreciating the home country more and more as I get older. We were in town to visit family before we left for our Kyoto trip to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 70th birthday. Hubby and I also got a full body medical check-up at Mirae Medical Center so we had to eat a lot of soft foods and couldn’t go for crazy spices and hard to digest meals… The examination is definitely recommended tho as I have never experienced such efficiency at a hospital! You literally get everything from vision, dental, scans, gynecology, the whole she-bang in a few hours, and then get all your results back in a nice pamphlet (or digital document) a few weeks later. I want to send a special thanks to our wonderful host Ryse Hotel, which was a really, really great experience. Fellow RISD alum worked on the design and architecture, and there was so much to appreciate about the spaces. The location is convenient too as it’s in Hongdae, a super hip area. After we came back from Japan, we had about a day to spend in Seoul on our layover, so we spent a night at Nest Hotel near Incheon Airport and came back into the city to see the Jasper Morrison Exhibition at Piknic. Korea is such a quickly developing country and I’m really excited to come back again soon. Please enjoy the city guide below for some great places to visit in Seoul! x

Photos by Hoon Kim and I


Stay

RYSE Autograph Collection
130 Yanghwa-Ro, Mapo-Gu
Seogyo-dong
Seoul
04038

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
종로구 새문안로 97
Sa jik dong
Jong no gu
Seoul
03183

Park Hyatt Seoul
606 Teheran-Ro
Dae chi 2 dong
Gangnam-gu
Seoul
06174

The Shilla Seoul
중구 동호로 249
Jang chung dong
Seoul
04605

Nest Hotel
영종해안남로 19-5
운서동
Jung-gu
Incheon
22382
By Incheon airport so recommended for transfers

PARADISE CITY
중구 영종해안남로321번길 186
운서동
Incheon
By Incheon airport so recommended for transfers

Health

Mirae Medical Center
Reserve to book a full body check up

Caffeniate

Anthracite
용산구 이태원로 240 (한남점)
Han nam dong
Seoul
04400

AND COFFEE LAB
용산구 이태원로54길 74
Han nam dong
Seoul
04400

Bakeries

Tartine Bakery Seoul (Inside RYSE Hotel)
130 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu (2호점)
Seogyo-dong
Seoul
04038

Tae Geuk Dang
중구 동호로24길 7
Jang chung dong
Seoul
04617

Sweets

Passion5
용산구 이태원로 272
Han nam dong
Yong san gu
Seoul
04399

CAFÉ MADANG (Inside Maison Hermes)
강남구 도산대로45길 7
Ap kku jeong dong
Seoul
06021

SOBOK
마포구 어울마당로 58
Seogyo-dong
Seoul
121-895

LITTLE & MUCH
강남구 학동로56길 49
Sam seong 2 dong
Seoul
135-864

Eat

Seoul Dining
장충동2가 190-10
Jang chung dong
Jung gu
Seoul

반당
용산구 이태원로 54길 42
Han nam dong
Seoul

하동관 (inside COEX Mall)
강남구 영동대로 513 (코엑스몰점)
Sam seong 1 dong
Seoul

평화옥 (Inside HYUNDAI Department Store)
강남구 테헤란로 517 (현대백화점무역센터점)
Sam seong 1 dong
Seoul
06164

My Allée
삼부골3로 6
Gwacheon-si
Gyeonggi-do

LỄ Hội
용산구 소월로38가길 5
I tae won 2 dong
Seoul

Walkerhill The Buffet
워커힐로 177
Gwang jang dong
Gwang jin gu
Seoul
04963

서우
서울숲 2길 한화갤러리아포레 지하1층
Seong su 1 ga 1 dong
Seong dong gu
Seoul
04769

Myeongdong Gyoja
중구 명동10길 29 (본점)
Myeong dong
Jung gu
Seoul
04537

Jungsik
강남구 선릉로158길 11
Cheong dam dong
Seoul
06014

Visit

Dongdaemun Design Plaza
중구 을지로 281
Gwang hi dong
Seoul
04566

Piknic
중구 퇴계로6가길 30
Hoe hyeon dong
Jung gu
Seoul
04635

Platform Contemporary Art Center
강남구 언주로133길 11
Non hyeon 2 dong
Seoul
06053

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art
용산구 이태원로55길 60-16
Han nam dong
Seoul
140-893

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
종로구 삼청로 30
Sam cheong dong
Seoul
03062

Arario Gallery
종로구 북촌로5길 84 소격동 C Gallery
Sam cheong dong
Seoul

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon
광명로 313 (과천관)
Gwacheon-si
Gyeonggi-do
427-701

D MUSEUM
용산구 독서당로29길 5-6
Han nam dong
Seoul
04419

National Museum of Korea
용산구 서빙고로 137
Seo bing go dong
Seoul
04383

Shop

SHINSEGAE Department Store
중구 소공로 63 (본점)
Hoe hyeon dong
Seoul
04530

SHINSEGAE Department Store
서초구 신반포로 176 (강남점)
Ban po 4 dong
Seoul
06546

HYUNDAI Department Store
강남구 테헤란로 517 (무역센터점)
Sam seong 1 dong
Seoul
06164

Queenmama Market
강남구 압구정로46길 50
Ap kku jeong dong
Seoul
06020

Sulwhasoo Flagship Store
강남구 도산대로45길 18
Ap kku jeong dong
Gang nam gu
Seoul
06021

MAISON HERMÈS DOSAN PARK
강남구 도산대로45길 7
Ap kku jeong dong
Seoul
06021

BEAKER Hannam Flagship Store
용산구 이태원로 241
Han nam dong
Yong san gu
Seoul

Kuho Hannam Flagship Store
739-12 Hannam-dong
Yongsan-gu
Seoul

10 Corso Como
강남구 압구정로 416
Cheong dam dong
Seoul
135-954

Boon the Shop
강남구 압구정로60길 21 (청담점)
Cheong dam dong
Seoul
06016

Sounds Urban Resort Hannam
용산구 대사관로 35
Han nam dong
Seoul
04403

Stillbooks
용산구 대사관로 35
Han nam dong
Seoul
04403

D&DEPARTMENT by MILLIMETER MILLIGRAM
용산구 이태원로 240 (이태원점)
Han nam dong
Seoul
140-892

KAKAO FRIENDS
강남구 영동대로 513 (코엑스점)
Sam seong 1 dong
Seoul
06164

1300K
마포구 잔다리로2길 11 (13-1 홍대점)
Seogyo-dong
Seoul
04042

Å LAND
중구 명동6길 30 (명동본점)
Myeong dong
Jung gu
Seoul
100-810

ÅLAND
강남구 논현로175길 78 (가로수길점)
Sin sa dong
Seoul
06029

삐에로쑈핑
강남구 영동대로 513
Sam seong 1 dong
Seoul
06164

DDP Design Market
중구 을지로 281
Gwang hi dong
Jung gu
Seoul
04566

aver studio
Seogyo-dong
마포구
04041

시공간
마포구 성산동 278-3
Seong san 1 dong
Mapo-gu
Seoul