[Seoul Cherry Blossom Viewing] Gwanghwamun, Yeouido, Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, Seongsu
喵~
3 days ago
This year from April 3 (18:10 Taoyuan - 21:35 Incheon) to April 8 (14:10 Incheon - 15:45 Taoyuan), my friend and I decided two weeks earlier to rush to Seoul Station to see the cherry blossoms. By the time we arrived at Incheon Airport it was almost midnight. This time we stayed near Gwanghwamun, and took airport bus N6002 into the city to check in.
We originally planned for April 6 when the cherry blossoms would be in full bloom, but in 2026 they bloomed 10 days early, so we had to quickly adjust the trip. The next day we headed straight to Yeouido, and for lunch we ate at Jinjujip (must-try: the cold noodles in soy milk, the soy milk broth is so rich it’s like a milkshake, paired with springy noodles you can’t find in Taiwan)
Afterward we rushed off to see the cherry blossoms. If you ask me what color Seoul Station is in April, it has to be the lightly fragrant pink-white of Yeouido. When we stepped out of the station and walked toward Yeoui-seo-ro (Woonjung-ro), the scene before us immediately explained why Koreans go crazy for it every year. Hundreds of cherry trees were neatly lined along the Han River embankment, and it was peak full bloom, the blossoms clustered tightly on the branches to form an endless pink-white tunnel, so beautiful! Then a strong gust of wind blew, and we finally experienced what it feels like to be hit by falling cherry petals!
After that we went to browse the Yeouido Hyundai Department Store, and we ate at the highly recommended Artis Bakery and London Bagel Museum (if you plan to dine in, remember to reserve first on Catch Table), and although there was a line, the green onion garlic bagel and cheese honey bagel at London Bagel were really delicious~
After that we headed to Myeongdong, I recommend changing money at the embassy (the exchange rate was 46 TWD at the time), and we ate Myeongdong Dumplings. Well... if I had to describe Myeongdong Dumplings for Taiwanese people, it should probably be called soup dumplings. It’s not that they were bad, but for the rest of the trip we told ourselves we wouldn’t eat Chinese-style food again, we had to find Korean-style dishes!
By the way, the freshly boiled fish cake from street stalls is also a great choice to warm your stomach~
After that we went to Hongdae, for lunch we had Sanjang Mulgalbi / 산장물갈비 (Sanjang water ribs), then we visited the special exhibition of I Alone Level Up in Seoul Station, it was great to see the work brought to life and take home merch, nice~ Ah! Olive Young is basically a daily must-visit, of course I picked up the Torriden masks everyone raves about online and some skincare, tax-free shopping on the spot is convenient. For dinner we finally had the grilled eel we’d been craving~, this time we chose between grilled whole eel and a single-slice eel, in the end we picked the single-slice eel at the Hongdae flagship because the seating was more comfortable, they offer full grilling service here, which is a lifesaver for tourists like us who worry about burning premium ingredients. Watching the staff expertly flip the thick eel as the skin turned golden and crispy, sizzling temptingly, was a treat. Korean-style grilled eel focuses on firm texture, every bite has rich oil and a mild eel aroma, paired with shredded ginger and some greens, so good!
The first three nights we stayed near Gwanghwamun, and for the next two nights we chose GLAD Gangnam COEX Center, with the nearby Starfield Library being a must-see photo spot. Although we originally rushed to Yeouido to see the cherry blossoms, we also made it to Seokchon Lake. Unfortunately after the rain the petals had already fallen to the ground, but there were still plenty of blossoms, and the lakeside trails are perfect for a walk.
For lunch we ate Fangyi Donkaja, and for dinner we chose Biwabyeol Dakgalbi Nonhyeon Branch (Chuncheon-style stir-fried chicken), the whole day of grilled dishes was super satisfying~
I heard Seongsu-dong is a current hangout spot for young people in Seoul Station, so I saved the second-to-last day in Seoul Station for Seongsu-dong (on the last day we have to get up and head straight to the airport… sob), and for lunch we went to Neungdong Minari 능동 미나리, you must order the raw beef! The water celery and beef paired with the beef shank bone soup’s savory flavor completely changed my mind about water celery, which I originally didn’t like.
In the evening I had an appointment at Seye Clinic in Gangnam for skin treatments. This was my first time in Korea getting full-face laser and skincare. There was a Chinese consultation during the process, the service was very professional. The steps were medical-aesthetic consultation (Korean consultant with Chinese translator) → storing personal items (lockbox) → self-face wash → aesthetic procedure → final post-treatment calming care. For dinner we had the VIP Korean beef set at Ilpyeon Liji - Gangnam as the perfect ending to the trip, the Korean beef melted in my mouth, it was truly the most luxurious memory of this journey.
On the last day, I made up for a small regret at Incheon Airport, Koreans don't seem to have much of a breakfast habit, and I really like eating breakfast. There's an Egg Drop branch in Terminal 1 of the airport, the soft rolled egg toast with an iced Americano was pretty good~
As for souvenirs, I bought the 'Incheon Hello' butter caramel cookies at Paris Baguette, xocosilok Shokosilok Sand 100 strawberry sandwich cookies, and you must buy the Jeju ginger citrus dark chocolate/white chocolate, they are super, super delicious!
Quick tip: Seoul Station has big temperature swings between day and night, so layer your clothes like an onion. The subway in Seoul Station is convenient, but you get tired from walking a lot, so plan a few coffee shop breaks (the coffee shops there are super pretty), and be sure to visit again in a different season next time!
