Let's play a game of what's hot and what's not. What's HOT is flying to the other side of the world to land at Incheon International Airport, visiting Seoul, South Korea, and eating and shopping yourself silly in the city. What's NOT is...well, not doing these things, since Seoul is absolutely one of the global capitals on the cusp of everything cool right now. So while we definitely recommend making your stay longer than five days to even begin to scratch the surface, at least these do-not-dos will help no matter the trip length.
DON'T get an early start
Sleep in! We realize this goes against the natural tourist survival instinct to be at the day's first temple/museum/landmark with the cock's crow, but Seoul's soul lies in the nighttime. 10am at spots like Gyeongbokgung or N-Seoul Tower means mixing with the tour bus set; the same spot at 3pm or, at 9pm at locations with later closing times, means a more relaxed pace, more locals and a wider variety of street vendors.
Spend enough time in Seoul and perhaps you'll even fall into nightlife Korean-style, which thrives with the concept that a good night out consists of three rounds. Dinner at a restaurant is the first round, the second round is often partying at a bar or karaoke ("noraebang") or both, and the third round is another food stop, though past midnight and often at a tent-and-tables street restaurant called a "pojangmacha."
link : jaunted
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in S.Korea. In fact, in many areas that Westerners are accustomed to tipping (taxis, haircuts, drinks at a bar), it is seen as rude because the recipient can be seen as not providing an appropriate service or that they are poor.
link : travelerscheatsheet
Stay in a Korean traditional house in the backdrop of the ancient Korean capital
If you venture outside of Seoul during your time in Korea (as you should), Gyeongju is the place to go. Korea used to be divided into three major kingdoms (Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo) until the Silla kingdom conquered the other kingdoms and made Gyeongju the capital. Gyeongju remained the capital of this region for approximately 1000 years, leading to the creation of a number of archaeological treasures that are well worth your time.
Don’t leave half your meal
Table manners in South Korea dictate that you shouldn’t leave anything on your plate. You can let people know that you’ve eaten enough by keeping your chopsticks on the chopstick rest or on the table.
link : seoulistic
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