Field notes from

KOREA

March 8, 20251 min read

Twenty-two hours in Seoul. Not a layover, a sprint. I dropped my bag at the hotel and had a plan written out before the plane even landed — KBBQ, a jjimjilbang, Han River for the night view, late-night pojangmacha, and back to the airport.

I'm Korean by background but it had been years since I'd last visited. Showing two friends around for the first time was the best way to see the city through new eyes. Watching them try live octopus and 24-hour skincare shopping was its own reward.

If you only have a day in Seoul: do one neighborhood properly instead of trying to see everything. Hongdae or Seongsu for energy, Bukchon for the slower lanes and tea houses. And get the Naver Map app — Google Maps is mostly useless here for walking directions.

Next time I'm giving Korea a real two weeks. Busan, Jeju, the whole thing.

From the camera roll