This is served with ground beef, rice, fresh veggies, chilli sauce and an egg. Visitors can participate in a diverse range of winter activities here – from snow tubing and sledding, to ice skating. Street food culture is huge in Korea. When it comes to celebrating the new year in Singapore, there are only so few ways you can do so. MBC – One of the major broadcasters in Korea offers three whole zones of photo opportunities for you to pose and interact with the latest in media entertainment in their new multimedia theme park. She's been doing it for all this time without either of them. "The ice is tested for safety," says festival director Park Yong-man. You may get to bump into a few celebrities while they’re grabbing coffee in between shoots! So technically this next activity isn’t in Seoul, but it’s fairly easy to reach … Bibimbap is a rice pot dish that could essentially be considered as the national dish of Korea. Visiting Seoul in winter meant that we had the gardens largely to ourselves. "Before the lift, people had to walk back up the slope with their sleds," says Esther Park, a customer service center representative. Operating Hours: Most snack stalls close at around 10pm unless otherwise stated. 219 Kallang Bahru, #04-00 Chutex Building, Singapore 339348. For those looking for new and exciting ways to kickstart a fresh year, Jeju’s Seogwipo Penguin Swimming Festival is an outrageous event that’s got you covered. The items sold at these places are relatively cheap and good value for money. At the same time, many restaurants, cafes, and jimjilbangs will put their heating on full blast. Designed by Zaha Hadid (the same British-Iraqi architect that designed the Heyder Aliyev Cultural Center in Baku Azerbaijan)—the plaza is an ingenious masterpiece of modern architecture. The neighborhood is chock full of teahouses, museums, restaurants and guesthouses. May help to know the regular shooting schedule before you plan your trip to MBC. It’s really well organized and once you get to the top you can choose which path you want to take. Hop on the Gapyeong Tourist Resort shuttle bus and alight at the Nami Island Dock. Gyeranppang is a warm, sweet mini bread loaf with a whole egg inside. *** Though I recommend visiting South Korea when the weather is warmer, there is something serenely beautiful about visiting Seoul in winter—when a dusting of white snow blankets the temples. Hours: Monday-Thursday: noon-9 p.m., Friday-Sunday: noon-10 p.m. That was the first time I had experienced such a phenomenon! Directions: Take the Seoul Subway Line 7 to Gapyeong Station. Image credit: @rtwkatiedays. Singapore’s Phase Three of Reopening: What You Need to Know! Snow tubes can be rented and there are numerous “tracks” that you can go down. You can see huge icy wendy houses of Gyeongbokgung and other notable Korean sites. Holes are drilled into the ice and you can sit by the side to try your luck catching a trout. There are manju stalls at almost every underground subway station in Seoul. There’s also a delightful snow cafe where the tables and chairs are made from blocks of ice. One thing to look out for is the fleece lined stuff sold at markets and on the stalls at the subway stations. Bungeoppang is a favourite street food dessert during the Korean winter season. Address: 262 Bogukmun-ro, Hyoja-dong, Seongbuk-gu, SeoulOpening Hours: 4AM-5PM. Think of it as the Korean Six Flags if you will. The Taebaeksan Snow Festival is a free annual festival that is hosted in the city of Taebaek. Accessible with an hour’s bus journey from Seoul, the highlight of the festival is the giant structures that have been carved into the snow and ice. You can pretend to be a broadcaster, walk through a day in the life of a celebrity and just learn to dance full-on K-POP. And just like any other festivals, there will be musical performances and activities you can try like kite-flying and traditional Korean wrestling. And if you are really…really lucky, like me? 7 bound for Taebaeksan Provincial Park from Taebaek Intercity Bus Terminal Bus Stop. You got it. It is well worth stopping by if it coincides with your Seoul itinerary. Another popular snack is gyeran bbang, which translates to ‘egg bread’ in Korean. The Bukchon area is famous for the Bukchon Hanok Village. Click, to make a booking online. You don’t have to completely write off Korea travel during this period though. Try the thick apricot tea served with a side of sticky sweet rice cakes, it’s a winter favourite. The regions vary in how cold they can get. (Operating hours: 10am-11pm). Temperatures of minus 15-20 degrees are unheard of for a lot of us. The festival takes place on Mount Hallasan and runs from December 20th – January 6th every year. Overall, the 1.5 hour journey was filled with pleasant surprises and lively conversation. Here are 10 fun things I found on my visit there that you can do to make your first winter in Seoul awesome! Visit N Seoul Tower at Night. The Gyeongbokgung Palace is Seoul’s main tourist attraction, thanks to its long and storied history. Easy Day Trips You Can Take From Berlin: From Nature Escapes to Nearby Cities! We tried going on the first day and found out that because it was the first day of opening, they were allowing people to skate for free! Address: 152-1 Nokgome-gil, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-doOpening hours: 10AM-5PMTelephone: +1544-9506. Operating Hours: Sun-Fri – Observatory: 10am-11pm, Sat – 10am-12mn. A few to check out include: Jjimjilbangs are public baths where you can scrub your body clean of all of the dead skin cells and then soak in hot and cold tubs. Tickets cost 33,000 KRW for adults and 22,000 KRW for teens and kids. This list barely scratches the surface of the weird and wonderful coffee places in Seoul! Address: 166, Byeongak-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-doOpening hours: 8.30AM-5PMTelephone: +82-2-1330Admission fee: Adults: ₩8,000 (SGD 10) | Teenagers: ₩6,000 (SGD 8). From outdoor ice-skating to fried chicken and beer, here are the things you MUST try for your first winter in Seoul! The coffee culture in Seoul is huge. For some indoor fun, you can also head to one of Seoul’s arcades. Also Read: 12 Must-Buy Food Items from Korea’s Lotte Mart. 60,000 KRW for a 90-minute detailed tour. I recommend that you pack a pair of closed shoes with a good grip for sightseeing during the day. Other than the Everland admission fee, there's no additional charge for sledding. I left Korea with plenty of things on my Seoul to-do list. Plus, as an added bonus to the beautiful scenery to keep you going, you just might run into one or two of the many gorgeous resident mountain kitties! For just 3000 KRW, you can warm up with a delicious cup of hot cocoa. Or if you’re looking to play online games, keep your eyes peeled for PC-bangs, which are scattered all over the city. I had the sites largely to myself. It costs 23,000 KRW per adult, 18,000 KRW for students (ages 13-18), 15,000 KRW for children (ages 3-12), and 15,000 KRW for seniors (ages above 65). Before you go and have the time of your life in Seoul, be sure to download the extremely useful Visit Korea app which will help you with information, navigation, travel planning and so much more! The views from the N Seoul Tower in the day is nice, but it is absolutely breathtaking at night. These Two Destinations Look Almost Exactly Alike! There are trails for each level of difficulty, although they will all take approximately 5-7 hours to complete. Insider Tip: We tried going on the first day and found out that because it was the first day of opening, they were allowing people to skate for free! Hours: Monday-Thursday noon-9 p.m., Friday-Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. "The rentals are technically for two hours, but it's not as though we really keep track of the time," says Sheraton Walker Hill manager Lee Seong-jun. Personally, I was ‘wow’-ed by the clarity and depth of the hologram images. Skip the peak season, when kids on winter break crowd the slides. The Seogwipo penguin festival has nothing to do with penguins, and everything to do with locals stripping down to their undies and embarking on a swimming race in the icy cold waters close to Jeju island. Do your best Kim Yuna impression on this public ice rink. The insides are comfortable, cosy and stylish. How to Pack Light: 10 Tips for Luggage That Won’t Weigh You Down! MBC – One of the major broadcasters in Korea offers three whole zones of photo opportunities for you to pose and interact with the latest in media entertainment in their new multimedia theme park, MBC World. Getting there: There are a couple of “Chimaek” eateries along the Hongdae stretch. You can choose to explore the area on foot but we chose to try the Pedicab tour provided by. Note: This article on travelling to South Korea in winter was originally published on the 24th November 2018. Another popular choice for outdoor skating is Yeoui Ice Park, located near the Han River. Wander beneath illuminated arch tunnels, and marvel as the lights flicker and dance to KPop classics. Our first stop was the Dongdaemun Market. Popular amusement park Everland stays seasonally relevant with its winter offerings, namely its huge sledding hill, the Snow Buster. After settling in and bundling up, we spent the afternoon exploring Seoul’s winter wonderland. New Year’s Eve Fireworks Display to Happen Across Various Locations in Singapore, 15 Types of Dim Sum You Must Try in Hong Kong and Where to Find Them. "We see a lot of couples coming to Christmas concerts," says Ha Hyoung-ju, drummer for K-Pop singers such as Rain, Lee Hyori, 2AM and Dynamic Duo. For those who book a minimum of 3 nights’ lodging on top of a return flight from Singapore to Korea, a $100 cash rebate will be given instead! Winters in Korea can be harsh, averaging a temperature of -10 to 5 degrees Celsius through the day. The palace–one of South Korea’s most beautiful–is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and staple of just about every Seoul itinerary. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find the wax figure exhibition at the Grevin Wax Museum to be well-lit and the figurines to be rather approachable! Address: Jungmun Beach, Saekdal-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-doOpening hours: 9.30AM-12.30PM. Feel free to reach out and let me know! The items sold at these places are relatively cheap and good value for money. Hanoks are traditional Korean houses with heated floors and they are a great choice for winter travel. You can find these at traditional restaurants across Seoul and beyond. Visiting a Korean Jjimjilbang in Seoul (Minus the Getting Naked Part! Sweet pancakes served with sugar, honey or cinnamon. Editorial | Contribute your travel stories or submit Even places like Mount Hallasan, and the Olle hiking trails remain open. Hiking is essentially the national pastime of Korea and is enjoyed year round. Bukchan Hanok may be the best place to experience Korean folk culture, but Insadong is the beating heart of Seoul’s contemporary art scene. What’s more, your day’s catch can be prepared for you by nearby restaurants for just ₩2,000 (SGD 2.40) – choose to have it sashimi style, or salted and grilled over fire. You can be on your first run in under an hour if you’re driving. Image credit: @stevewu5568. Getting there: City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1,2), Exit 6. One of the most popular spots is Seoul Plaza Skating Rink, which is located right next to City Hall. Whether you go with your loved one, good friend, or just by yourself, it gives you an indescribable satisfaction to gaze at the seabed of roses. Few other tourist roamed around the temple grounds, and tour groups were largely absent. Its atmosphere is modern, yet traditional–in a way that I found to be reflective of the country as a whole. Transfer to the Intercity Express Train (ITX) in the direction of ChunCheon Station, and alight at Gimyujeong Station. Every winter, the 30,000 m2 garden is illuminated with thousands of twinkling lights. It is here, in this tranquil setting, that Joseon kings retreated, studied and wrote poetry.