Sister Exclusive: 8 Must-Dos in Seoul — Crazy Shopping, Fashion Shows & Girl Time

Text & Photos /Traveling the World with a Korean Daughter-in-Law

When you’re young, time doesn’t seem like an issue — money is. But as you get older, everyone starts working, gets married, and has kids one after another. That’s when you realize that wanting to go on a trip together isn’t about money anymore — “time” becomes the real challenge. Especially if your girl gang has more than two people, it gets even harder to make plans, and eventually, you just adopt the mindset of “let’s go if we can, however many we can.”

I’ve always loved Seoul — not because of K-dramas or K-pop, but just for that indescribable Korean vibe. Plus, Korean food is so delicious that even though plenty of people around me absolutely hate it, my love for the city hasn’t wavered.

Over the past five or six years, I’ve visited several times, never once getting tired of it — if anything, I’ve fallen even more in love. So when I finally got the chance to go with my girlfriends, I was over the moon. If you haven’t been to Seoul with your girl squad yet, check this out. Because if you keep saying “next time, next time,” you won’t be young forever? Ah~ my youth!!?

But mentally prepare yourself: winter in Seoul will either freeze you or bankrupt you.

▲Photo: seoulguesthouse.ryogae.com

Must-Do #1: Skip the Hotel, Book a Shared Airbnb Room Instead

Traveling abroad with your girl squad is totally different from traveling with your husband or boyfriend. At night, there’s no need for romance, so you definitely don’t need dim lighting or a romantic vibe. The best setup is for everyone to stay in one room, laughing over some Kyochon fried chicken and Shin Ramyun, downing a few cans of Cass, and staying up until the wee hours. Then taking turns removing makeup, going bare-faced, and using the bathroom one by one... if you want everyone to stick together 24/7, Airbnb is your best bet. After showering, you can all lie in bed chatting until you fall asleep, and in the morning, do your makeup together and cook breakfast. Even waiting in line for the bathroom becomes fun.

You can swap clothes and accessories, and when trying on the day’s purchases, everyone can chime in with their opinions. Best of all, the price is way cheaper than a hotel. Find a great Airbnb, and it’ll feel like heaven on day one.

▲Photo: seoulguesthouse.ryogae.com

Little Share:

The Airbnb we stayed at this time was 【The Boot Guesthouse】,The most important thing about an Airbnb is the location, and this one is right at Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station, where two subway lines meet. Right across from the airport bus stop, left leads to Myeongdong, right to Dongdaemun, down to Gangnam, and up to Anguk and Gyeongbokgung — all reachable without transfers. And getting from the subway exit to the Airbnb takes less than a minute of running — super important for us fake tourists who shop until our suitcases are overweight. (We originally considered staying at S.A., which was gorgeous, but it was too far from the subway — anything over two minutes away is a fail.)

Next to the Airbnb is the Namsangol Hanok Village. If you don’t want to go far for a taste of Korean culture, it’s a great spot for a short walk and is only a three- to five-minute walk away — super convenient. We booked a six-person room with three sets of bunk beds, two bathrooms inside, and public toilets just outside the room — about ten steps away, just like walking out of your room to use the restroom.

▲Photo: seoulguesthouse.ryogae.com

Another thing we loved was the Airbnb’s little kitchen. It had enough utensils, a fridge, a washing machine, and even came with a coffee maker, toast, milk, juice, instant noodles... basically everything you could want to eat. You can wake up whenever you want and handle things on your own. Almost every night (okay, actually midnight), we’d sit around the dining table eating, drinking, and chatting, enjoying the fun times. The owner’s mom (Ajumma) was basically always cleaning, so the place was spotless — practically OCD-clean. The owner is a young, handsome guy who studied in the U.S. (beauty is in the eye of the beholder)! All in all, we had a fantastic five nights there.

Ugh, I’m practically an Airbnb expert now.

Transportation Info: 【The Boot Guesthouse】 Subway Line 3 (331) / Line 4 (423) — Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station

Must-Do #2: Girls, Let’s Hit the Slopes

Going skiing alone with your husband or boyfriend? Not much strategy needed — just don’t be too good. Sure, rubbing your rough, calloused hands together while wearing gloves isn’t super fun, but falling into a pile of snow together can still be kind of romantic... right?

But skiing with your girl squad is a whole other story. Unless you’re all pros who love it, the main goal is really just the experience. It’s not about how well you ski — it’s about getting great photos. Good enough that when you post them on Facebook, your friends will flood them with likes and comments. That’s when you’ve succeeded.

That’s why the color of your skiwear matters. Unless you bring your own, any ski tour group will take you to a shop to pick out outfits. To make your photos pop, plan ahead with your girls on the colors of your beanies, scarves, and gloves. When choosing outfits, try to avoid matching colors — the more contrasting, the more vibrant and photogenic you’ll look.

Since this is a girls-only trip, the “Winter Sonata” aesthetic isn’t the way to go.

Ever seen the Korean drama “Reply 1988”? Yeah, we’re all in our thirties, but we’ve gotta channel our inner cheerleaders like Jung Eun-ji — smiling brightly and youthfully, because that’s what makes the memories.

According to analysis, avoid maroon-colored outfits — you’ll regret it.

Little Share:

This time we joined a skiing tour organized by a local Korean homestay called 【ROOM in KOREA】, abbreviated as RIK. The advantage is that you can book it online, with transparent information. After paying the deposit, you can settle the rest on the day of the trip. After booking, they’ll email you the pickup time and location, along with a detailed itinerary. If you have any questions, they respond to emails quite quickly, and the service is pretty good.

Each group typically has 3 to 10 people. The fee is calculated based on the number of people in the group—more people means a lower cost per person. The package mainly includes private car transfers (you board near the homestay), ski resort admission, basic skiing equipment, beginner lessons, snow suit/goggle rentals, and free drinks.

The skiing was at Jisan Ski Resort. We boarded the van near the homestay at 9 AM, returned the gear at 4:30 PM, and got back to the homestay around 6 PM. Although there’s a restaurant in the ski resort, we had to get lunch on our own.

Before entering the ski resort, the van first dropped us “lambs” (just kidding!) off at a snow suit shop to get suited up. After dressing, we went in, collected our gear, did some warm-ups, and then started the lesson. Since almost none of us had skied before, we were placed in the beginner class—we started with how to put on and take off the skis, learned how to fall, and then moved on to actual skiing.

But I’m naturally hopeless at sports, so just sliding around and having fun was enough. Plus, the temperature that day hit minus 13 degrees Celsius—I nearly turned into a popsicle. After lunch, I didn’t want to ski anymore. Fortunately, it started snowing heavily in the afternoon, so aside from experiencing how hard skiing is, we also got to enjoy being pelted by snowflakes. I felt like we really got our money’s worth!

Transport info: 【Room in Korea】 Subway Line 2, 240 Sangsu Station

Must-do #3: Korea-exclusive experience – Watch an adrenaline-pumping show!

When in Korea, you’ve gotta catch a show. Nanta, Jump, and Tap Dance shows are all worth seeing, but my top pick is the “Wedding Show.” It’s perfect for a girls’ outing—it’s tailor-made for women!

Why? Listen up, folks… let me tell you…

Previously, when others shared their experiences, they all said they felt great after watching the Wedding Show—super happy, full of joy and excitement. BUT, here’s the BUT—after watching it, let me tell you, they left out all the best parts on purpose!!!

It’s not just about being happy—that’s way too simple. It’s like a tidal wave of pure euphoria!!! The whole atmosphere is like a K-pop concert, and the male performers are insanely handsome!!! They wear ripped outfits, take off their shirts, flex their muscles, dance wildly, gyrate seductively, shake their butts, get wet and sexy—you name it!!! Whether singing heartfelt ballads or upbeat dance tracks, they never forget to wink and flirt with you, leaving you dizzy and swooning… Yep, I’m talking about those damn hunks!!! Isn’t that just outrageous?! As usual, there are audience interaction segments—my sister was the lucky one picked to go on stage and get up close and personal with the hunks, even spinning in the air with her feet off the ground!!! Everyone was so jealous!!!

She’d just gone through a breakup at the time, so I think it was a gift from heaven—just watching it was therapeutic. Anyway, everyone was dry-mouthed from the start and left the show restless and fidgety. No way you’d feel okay taking your boyfriend or husband to something like this, right?

You can book show tickets online and even pre-select seats. The venue is in Hongdae, but unfortunately, it seems to be on hiatus right now—no word on when it’ll reopen.

Transport info: 【Room in Korea】 Subway Line 2, 239 Hongdae Station

Must-do #4: Shop till you drop—use wholesale tactics to score deals

When girls get together, if they’re not complaining about in-laws, siblings, husbands, or their kids’ teachers, it’s either food or shopping. Visiting Korea, the mecca of Korean goods wholesale, without shopping your heart out would be a waste.

We ended up spending all our cash every night and had to hit a currency exchange first thing in the morning just to keep going. Why not exchange it all at once? Because we seriously underestimated our shopping stamina—and overestimated our self-control.

--> You know how just stepping into any subway station can plunge you into a shopping abyss?

Shopping with your girls is completely out of control. One second you’re like, “Damn, I’m broke—no more shopping today!” and the next second you spot a pair of shoes for 10,000 KRW and impulsively buy them. We’re all such pushovers. You know how girls can be when they egg each other on—it’s impossible to resist, and escaping unscathed is harder than climbing Everest!!

Especially earrings—not just in underground malls, but almost everywhere, they’re cheap and cute!!! Not bringing home a dozen or two would be a crime!!! Even girls without pierced ears got caught up in the hype and bought some, then got their ears pierced as soon as they got home.

As a result, we dragged ourselves home loaded down every day, and we basically carried shopping bags with us just in case. Thankfully, the homestay had a spacious floor to accommodate our shameless hoarding!

Transport info: Almost every subway station has shopping spots, but top picks are 424 Myeongdong Station, 128/421 Dongdaemun Station, and 222 Gangnam Station

--> Did you know that every year before Lunar New Year, the Dongdaemun wholesale area OT has crazy sales starting at 10 PM?

Clothes, jackets, pants—so many they’ll blow your mind. Sweaters for 100 TWD each, long coats for 200 TWD—you name it, it’s all clearance. The crowds are denser than ants. If you’ve never experienced what “packed” feels like, this is the place to go. This kind of shopping trip is perfect for a girls’ getaway—you can fight over bargains until the wee hours, then cab it back to the homestay. How fulfilling is that!? Bringing your husband or boyfriend along for this at midnight? Don’t even joke about it—get back to your room!

Transport info: 128/421 Dongdaemun

--> Did you know that every street in Seoul is worth exploring, but the top recommendation is the Gangnam Express Bus Terminal Underground Mall?

While exploring the underground mall, we planned to split up, but since there was no Wi-Fi, we had to use the old-school method—set a meeting time. But it was so fun that we hadn’t finished shopping by the first meeting time, so we postponed by an hour. By the second meeting, we still couldn’t stop, so we set a third meetup. In the end, we shopped until the mall closed and schlepped our loot back to the homestay.

Who puts a time limit on shopping? And most of the stuff in underground malls is for girls—I bought fifteen jackets with my sister. If you’re with your boyfriend, he’d just be your pack mule. Don’t be so harsh—bring your sisters instead!

Also, we went full-on crazy and even bought a dish rack and showerhead used by the homestay owner. We asked the owner to buy them for us, but… well, we had no cash, so we promised to pay him back the next day.

Transport info: 【Gangnam Express Bus Terminal Underground Mall】 Subway Line 3 Exit 339 / Line 7 Exit 734, 8A & 8B Exits at Gangnam Express Bus Terminal

Must-Do #5: Run out of money? No worries—go take free portraits!

Before we set off, our itinerary was pretty well-balanced, covering shopping, food, and attractions. But travel plans never go as expected—by the end, we had barely any sights left to see. Still, we managed to visit the mural village and Samcheong-dong!

Yep, because we were broke!

Both the mural village and Samcheong-dong are incredibly beautiful—every corner is picture-perfect. Since we had no money left anyway, and it was a rare girls’ trip, we figured we’d capture some memories here!

As for photo tips? Just be shameless and let loose. What’s dignity good for? Can you eat it? Sure, we don’t have models’ natural beauty, tall figures, or stunning looks, but our charm is still decent. Plus, there were so many of us, nothing to fear—so we pulled off every single overly dramatic pose. Even when we felt broke, just taking photos was insanely fun!

The girl squad angle? Pure endless love and acceptance!

Transport Info: [Hyehwa/Ryehak-dong Mural Village] Subway Line 4, Hyehwa Station Exit 2 | [Samcheong-dong] Subway Line 3, Anguk Station Exit 1

Must-Do #6: Strip down & bond—hit the jjimjilbang and get scrubbed!

When in Korea, you HAVE to try a jjimjilbang, and definitely get scrubbed by an ajumma. “Jjimjilbang” is where runaway drama characters go when they have nowhere else to stay—the ones you see wrapped in towel turbans complaining about their tragic lives. Aside from hot baths, there are different temperature pools (aka saunas), though since they’re gender-segregated, you can only soak with your girls!

Also, strongly recommend splurging on an ajumma scrub—it’s oddly liberating, no need to be shy because ajummas have seen it all, just like OB-GYNs, they’re totally numb to it!

First, you lie on a table, then the ajumma soaks you with water, grabs a loofah soaked in suds, and goes to town scrubbing you like a dead fish. No body part is spared—literally, NONE. It hurts like hell, but afterward, your skin feels insanely smooth, and you realize just how filthy you were.

After bathing, hit the cafeteria for some instant noodles or an insanely delicious sweet rice drink to feel refreshed!! Then you can either head to the nap zone or check out the various heated rooms or ice rooms. It’s definitely worth every penny!

Transport Info: [Dongdaemun Sparex Jjimjilbang] Subway Lines 1/2, Dongdaemun Station, GOOD MORNING CITY B3

Must-Do #7: Group eating = more variety!

Even though we were busy shopping non-stop, we couldn’t skip any of the must-eat foods—street snacks like grilled skewers, egg bread, red bean mochi, fish cakes, jjajangmyeon, seafood pancakes, brown sugar pancakes, pomegranate juice, bibimbap, gnocchi, kimbap, meat-stuffed veggies, naengmyeon, grilled chicken, samgyeopsal, pork cutlet, samgyeopsal, or hot pot dishes like tteokbokki, whole chicken, doenjang jjigae, beef bone soup, samgyetang, and desserts like patbingsu, snow ice, Isaac toast, giant strawberries, and pancakes—we ate it ALL!

More people means more freedom to order random stuff—someone will definitely finish it. But no matter how much you eat, you absolutely CAN’T miss fried chicken and beer. The ultimate combo!!! Especially Kyochon fried chicken—SO good!! Arguably the only fried chicken in the world that can rival Taiwan’s fried chicken steak, especially the honey flavor, highly recommended!!

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, don’t drive if you’ve been drinking.

Once you start eating, you can’t stop—paired with CASS beer, it’s pure bliss. And the craziest part? Even if you microwave it the next day straight from the fridge, it’s STILL delicious!!!

Must-Do #8: Remember—snap everything, or your memories will be incomplete!

Travel rule #1: Snap photos of ANYTHING, no weirdness allowed. The more pictures, the more memories you’ll have. A rare girls’ trip deserves to be documented every second. No rules—just snap constantly!

Wondering what NOT to photograph? Nothing. Photograph EVERYTHING.

For us thirty-somethings, getting the girls to ditch family, lose money together, charge ahead, and make this crazy memory happen is seriously tough—but braving -13°C, shopping till we dropped, adrenaline through the roof, and completing these eight must-dos? Just insanely fun and full of youth.

It’s called a “girls-only” trip, but honestly, shopping, food, skiing, shows, sights, and jjimjilbangs are all pretty standard. What’s truly exclusive? That wildly unfiltered girl-power enthusiasm!

Keep working, keep shopping.

Enjoy life—quick, call your favorite girls and hit the road!

The above text and images are excerpted from >Traveling the World with a Korean Daughter-in-Law