Budget-Friendly Things To Do In Korea For Free
A List Of Free Activities In Korea For A Fun-Filled Vacation That Won't Break The Bank
Today we have some budget friendly activities to share with you so that you can enjoy Korea without breaking the bank.
You definitely don't need to drop a lot of money to have an amazing time.
Are you ready? Let's go!
Olympic Park
올림픽공원
Address: 서울특별시 송파구 올림픽로 424
424, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Hours: 5:00-22:00 (square area open until 24:00)
Parking: 6:00-22:00
There are many well known large beautiful parks in Korea and one of them is Olympic Park (올림픽공원) in Seoul.
Olympic Park is an open-air museum with historical sites from the Baekje Era, modern sports fields, eco-friendly forests, and large grassy areas. And admission is completely free of course.
Many Koreans come to Olympic Park to walk or have a picnic.
If you visit in the fall, you will get to see the famous Pink Muhly Grass.
In addition, Olympic Park also has a beautiful cosmos flower field and many K-pop concerts are held at the stadium.
Haneul Park
하늘공원
Address: 서울 마포구 하늘공원로 95
95, Haneulgongwon-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Hours: 5:00-22:00 (hours are subject to change)
How To Get there: World Cup Stadium Station Exit 1
In late October and early November in Korea, there is another special grass you can see called "Silver Grass" and one of the best places to check it out is Haneul Park (하늘공원).
Haneul Park is located on the highest part of World Cup Park and offers a panoramic view of Seoul.
Haneul Park used to be a landfill, but it has been completely renovated, turned into the vast fields you will see when you visit.
Sunset is the best time to to enjoy the fields and get some instaworthy pics.
You can walk to get there or use the golf cart shuttle service. The shuttle fare is 3,000 won round trip or 2,000 won 1-way.
Gyeonghuigung Palace
경희궁
Address: 서울특별시 종로구 새문안로 45
45, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: 9:00-18:00
Closed: Mondays and New Years Day
When you come to Korea, you can't leave without visiting at least one of the Five Grand Palaces, right?
For those on a budget, you too can enjoy the experience if you visit Gyeonghuigung Palace because there is no admission fee.
Gyeonghuigung Palace, whose name means "Palace of Serene Harmony", is Korean historical site number 271, and has also been called Seogwol (West Palace) and Gyeongdeokgung.
This palace was constructed in 1617 and used as a secondary residence for the royal family.
Hanok Villages
한옥마을
Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌 한옥마을)
Address: 서울 종로구 계동길 37
37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Jeonju Hanok Village (전주 한옥마을)
Address: 전북 전주시 완산구 기린대로 99
99, Kirin-daero, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do
In Korea, there are many antique villages featuring beautiful Hanok houses and they are free to visit.
Additionally in these areas there are usually Hanok houses that have been converted into aesthetically stunning cafes and restaurants.
For those visiting the Seoul area, we recommend stopping by Bukchon Hanok Village.
And if you visit the Jeonju area, you can't forget to go see Jeonju Hanok Village, where you can see over 735 Hanok-style houses.
Both of these villages are active neighborhoods, so if you do visit, remember to not disturb the residents.
Mural Villages
Ihwa Mural Village (이화 벽화마을)
Address: 서울 종로구 이화장길 70-11
70-11, Ihwajang-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을)
Address: 부산 사하구 감내2로 203
203 Gamnae 2-ro, Saha-gu, Busan
Huinnyeoul Culture Village (흰여울문화마을)
Address: 부산 영도구 영선동4가 1044-6
1044-6 Yeongseon-dong 4-ga, Yeongdo-gu, Busan
Koreans are very fond of art, so in many cities you will find what's called a mural village.
They are a beautiful experience and totally free to walk through.
One of the very famous ones is Iwha Mural Village in Seoul, but there have been many instances of tourists making a lot of noise and disturbing the locals, so remember to be respectful if you visit.
If you visit Busan, there are two very famous mural villages you can check out, Gamcheon Culture Village and Huinnyeoul Culture Village.
Gamcheon Culture Village features brightly colored houses that are very eye-catching. Every corner of this village is a sight to see.
Huinnyeoul Culture Village is located the coast and offers beautiful ocean views.
There are many photo spots here that look like they're straight out of a graphic novel.
Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain
반포대교 달빛무지개분수
Address: 서울특별시 서초구 신반포로11길 40
40, Sinbanpo-ro 11-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
Show Times:
Apr-Jun & Sep-Oct: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Jul & Aug: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30
The Moonlight Rainbow Fountain spans 570 meters on both sides of Banpo Bridge.
The show features spectacular lights and sounds, so don't miss out when you're in Seoul!
After watching the show, you can walk along the Han River and enjoy the nighttime views or have a picnic by the river.
Bukhansan National Park
북한산국립공원
Address: 서울특별시 성북구 보국문로 262
262, Bogungmun-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
If you visit in the Fall (October and November) you can experience the spectacular autumn foliage.
Koreans often go to the mountains to see the vibrantly colored leaves.
One such place that is popular with locals is Bukhansan National Park in Seoul.
Namsan Tower
남산타워
Namsan Tower (남산타워)
Address: 서울 용산구 남산공원길 105
105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Baekbeom Square Entrance (백범광장 출입구)
Address: 서울 중구 남창동 205-4
205-4 Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
Namsan Tower is considered one of the symbols of Seoul.
Many of you probably already know that you can go up the tower to get a great view of the city and if you buy your admission ticket through Creatrip, you can get 50% off!
Of course, for those who do not want to pay anything, you can always take a photo with Namsan Tower in the background at the entrance to Baekbeom Square Park.
You do have to climb a few stairs, but it's worth it!
And if you go a little further, you will find a lawn where a lot of people come to picnic or watch the sunset. So romantic!
Buddhist Temples
Jogyesa (조계사)
Address: 서울특별시 종로구 우정국로 55
55, Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Bongeunsa (봉은사)
Address: 서울특별시 강남구 봉은사로 531
531, Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Both Jogyesa and Bongeunsa are historically significant Buddhist temples located in Seoul and are convenient to get to.
You can go to either of these temples to meditate and pray, or just visit to enjoy the beautiful architecture and history surrounding these special locations.
Myeongdong Cathedral
명동성당
Address: 서울특별시 중구 명동길 74
74, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Myeongdong Cathedral is located in the center of Seoul and attracts many visitors due to its size and architectural features.
The cathedral is also close to many other attractions that interest tourists such as Namsangol Hanok Village, Namdaemun Market, and Namsan Tower.
And of course there is plenty of shopping you can do in Myeongdong!
Seoul Forest
서울숲
Address: 서울특별시 성동구 뚝섬로 273
273, Ttukseom-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Hours: 00:00 - 24:00
In the spring, Koreans all over the country get very excited about the cherry blossoms, and many people travel to Korea at the end of March to the beginning of April specifically to see them.
Though you can see the cherry blossoms all over the country, one of the best places we want to recommend is Seoul Forest.
Seoul Forest is a large park with many cherry trees. You could enjoy a super romantic stroll and picnic here admits the cherry blossoms if you visit in the Spring.
The Blue House
청와대
Address: 서울 종로구 청와대로 1
1 Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Source: Korea Tourism Organization
The presidential office and residence, Cheongwadae (청와대) also called The Blue House, is located in Seoul and is free to visit.
The architectural style of the buildings is based in the traditional Korean aesthetic, so they look quite lovely against the mountainous backdrop.
Located within the grounds are the Main Office Hall (본관), State Reception House (영빈관), Press Hall (춘추관), Nokjiwon Garden (녹지원), Mugunghwa Hill, and Chilgung (칠궁).
Right outside the grounds is Cheongwadae Sarangchae (청와대사랑채), a museum showcasing the history of Cheongwadae and the presidents of Korea.
To visit, everyone must register at least 3 weeks in advance on the official website. A verification code will be sent to you via e-mail. For groups, you can register under one representative, but must provide information for all members of your group. Group size is limited to 10 people.
Additionally, all passports must be valid and information must match registration information. People under 20 years of age must register with an adult over 20.
That concludes our list of free activities to enjoy when you visit Korea.
There are many options so that even if you're on a tight budget, you can still have a great time and make lots of wonderful memories.
So which ones are you adding to your Korea to do list? Let us know in the comments!