Get us in your inbox

Chuljunsung Chuljunsung

Chuljunsung Chuljunsung

Articles (147)

Free art exhibitions this summer!

Free art exhibitions this summer!

Summer may be coming to a close, but it's still humid and hot out. So now is the perfect time to spend your afternoon or weekends at these art exhibitions, where you are guaranteed air conditioning. Some are lavish while some are meaningful, but all are free of charge!  

Fashion related exhibitions

Fashion related exhibitions

Todd Selby has collaborated with various mega fashion houses while Louis Vuitton has opened a grand scale exhibition showing off their heritage. While the two exhibitions may not be directly related to fashion, you might find some interesting inspiration.

Water festivals galore!

Water festivals galore!

Life underneath an air conditioner isn't all that amusing. Going out in Seoul while it's harshly humid isn't fun either, and that's where these water events come in handy. You'll be able to let out your summer stress while getting soaked—you might even feel a little younger after these festivities as they'll surely bring back some childhood memories.

Tomorrow's gaming, today.

Tomorrow's gaming, today.

One pair of goggles, it’s the main ingredient that will transport you into a whole new world, one that you may not have imagined before. You might be fighting evil spirits inside of an alien spaceship or swinging like Spider Man through a grand canyon-like environment or even making burgers and fries to feed hungry zombies slowly making their way to your food truck. Whatever the situation may be, the best part is, it just feels so real. The scare that you feel when aliens attack, the butterflies in your stomach when you’re swinging, and even the panic that you feel when the zombies get closer and closer, all of those feelings are part of what makes the experience so delightful. The editors at Time Out Seoul can confidently say that VR gaming is an extremely convincing experience.

Fun water activities on the Han

Fun water activities on the Han

All different types of water sports and activities can be enjoyed on the Han River- you just need to know where to go! From jet skiing to sailing, yachting to wakeboarding, you name it and the Han will have it. So whether you’re a local or just visiting Seoul, don’t think that getting wet while enjoying some water sports is something that’s so far away from your reach.

Baby, it's raining outside

Baby, it's raining outside

T'is the season to stay indoors to keep yourself nice a dry. Yes, Seoul's monsoon season has started and that means most of us will likely be staying in during the weekends. But, it doesn't always have to be that way, as there are a few places around town that are in fact better to visit when massive dark clouds let loose.

Hangang Summer Festival 2017

Hangang Summer Festival 2017

Don’t let Seoul’s humid summers drag you down and set out on some wild adventures at Seoul’s biggest summer festival at the Han River! The proof is that from July to August of last year, the festival attracted more than 110,00,000 visitors during the 31 days of pure fun. This year, yet again, the festival will be featuring tons of activities taking place in the waters of the Han, on the banks of the Han, on the open skies of the Han, and the grassy lawns of the Han and even on boats yachting on the Han River. And since it’ll be impossible for you to enjoy all of the activities of the Hangang Summer Festival (even though we know you really want to), we’ve chosen out a few that we recommend.

Your 24-hour itinerary in Seoul: The partier

Your 24-hour itinerary in Seoul: The partier

When it comes to partying, you can go all out in Seoul. From the bustling Gangnam Station area to ritzy Cheongdam, still artsy Hongdae to raging Itaewon, Seoul has something to offer throughout the day for the ultimate partier. Sounds overwhelming? Perhaps, you haven't had enough soju yet.

Listings and reviews (124)

GRANHAND

GRANHAND

Tucked away in a miniature hanok down the hill from Bukchon’s celebrated Gahoe-dong Alley is GRANDHAND’s flagship store. With the combination of a bold brass sign and sweet and colorful fragrances welcoming its visitors, ‘charming’ is probably the best word to describe its vibe.  Upon entering the venue, you may feel as if you're at a small Korean antique store located in the middle of the fashionable Marais district of Paris. But as the fragrances subtly hint its identity, GRANHAND carries artisan candles, home diffusers, sachets, oil burners and perfume.  Jung Nana, the co-owner (the other being her younger brother), is a skillful parfumier who studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery (GIP) in France, which is known to be one of the top schools in the world to study the art form. The two of the most popular scents are Marine Vatch which has a bold combination of musk, toffee and patchouli and Ester Dean which refreshing notes of cedar, musk and amber. The scented soy candles which come in a Korean traditional pot, hangari, is a perfect item for adding a Korean touch to an interior. The perfumery also offers stamping options (of initials, names, etc.) for personalizing its products. Back when Chanel was in Seoul for their Cruise collection, it chose this local haute brand to gift their VIP guests. It's certainly a lot of trust that came from one of the top luxury brands, and you'll understand why upon visiting this petite shop—where quality and elegance is bottled with c

Daengu Udon

Daengu Udon

Udons make for a perfect dish during the freezing winters, warming you up with each spoonful of broth. During summers, however, it becomes a different story. A bowl of hot udon noodles may mean a session of non-stop sweating until the bowl is emptied. Fortunately, cold udon dishes are available, with some even served with floating pieces of frozen broth. Daengu Udon located in Hongdae, Donggyo-dong to be exact, is one place you’ll be able to find this icy bowl of udon. Unfortunately, one forceful slurp of the udon noodle and you’ll soon realize that ice cold broth and thick udon noodles are not the best when paired up, as what’s meant to be chewy and soft turns into something dense and stiff. As a result of the stiffening, the thick white noodles don’t seem to emit that glutinous texture and flavor. The broth was also a bit too salty, making it difficult to finish the bowl. Perhaps it is a better idea to stick to warm udon dishes at this place. The upside, though, is that you won’t be waiting in line as there are plenty of seats available inside the large venue. The average price of a bowl of udon is around 6,000 won, while the service and staff offer you comfort and sympathy at all times.

Gami Udon

Gami Udon

Gami Udon is a simple Japanese eatery located in the heart of Hongdae. Upon entering the restaurant you will notice a small window exposing the udon making process – highlighting the fact that their noodles are homemade. What’s amazing is that not only are the noodles homemade, but the dishes here are of extremely good quality yet so amicably priced, perfectly suited for a poor and tiresome college student pulling all-nighters at Hongik University. You can even get extra udon noodles to add into your left over broth! As for their menu, udon noodle dishes along with a variety of tempura side dishes is all there is, but that’s all you’ll need to fill your empty stomachs on a 10,000 won budget while being overly satisfied here. They have the usual list of warm udon for the freezing winter as well as some refreshing cold udon for the blazing summers. The ‘Naeng Udon’, which is described as a ‘cold Korean-style udon’, seems to be the choice for many of their summertime visitors. The mildly cold broth is both sweet and savory, with just enough taste to make you want to repeatedly dip your spoon and have that moment of tasteful euphoria again and again. The broth is at a perfect temperature that the noodles won’t go stiff and dull, so that you can still slurp (as you are meant to) up the noodles. Gami Udon has kept its place and rank for years in Hongdae as one great udon eatery, and rightfully so.

Café Bora

Café Bora

Hidden in the hanok clusters of Bukchon is a small and quaint little café specialized in purple sweetness. Just look for the alley with a light flow of extremely satisfied people walking out of, with some even holding an unfamiliar purple item in hand. Stroll into the pathway and continue down until you find a small white sign with a cute purple blob. There you will find Café Bora (Bora from the Korean word for purple), It’s a dessert café serving deliciously unique purple delights. From ice cream to bingsu, your summers won’t be complete without some purple. Their iconic purple is made from special purple sweet potatoes produced in the seaside city of Boryeong. They serve purple ice cream, purple bingsu, purple porridge, purple jjinbang (steamed bread), purple rice cake macaroons, purple latte, and last but not least, dried purple sweet potato chips. They also have flavors but purple is what they are known for. Their bingsu deserves a try as almost everyone gets a little surprise by the realness of the scent/flavor of sweet potatoes. Decorated with a small flower, the bingsu also come with a side of extra purple porridge to add onto your bingsu as well as the purple potato chips to add some extra crunch. Bora Café is the only place in Seoul and perhaps the world where you will be able to get purple bingsu, so if you ever have the chance, the café will be well worth your time.

카페보라

카페보라

북촌에 숨겨진 작은 골목. 그 안에 뭐가 있는지, 걸어 나오는 사람들이 하나같이 만족스러운 표정이다. 몇몇은 손에 보라색 음식을 하나씩 쥔 것이 눈에 띈다. 골목을 들어가 보면 한동안은 아무것도 볼 수 없지만, 좁은 길 끝에서 ‘카페 보라’라 쓰인 간판을 만나게 된다. ‘보라’라는 이름처럼, 이곳은 보라색의 디저트를 만든다. 색깔의 정체는 충청남도 보령에서 온 자색 고구마다. 몸에 좋은 이 식물은 카페 보라에서 새롭게 태어난다. 아이스크림에서부터 빙수, 죽, 찐빵, 떡, 그리고 마카롱과 라테, 고구마 칩까지, 다양한 모습으로. 그중 에디터의 추천 메뉴는 다른 곳에서 찾아볼 수 없는 이곳만의 빙수다. 눈길을 끄는 보라색에 먼저 반하고, 맛을 보면 누구든 조금은 놀라게 된다. 맛과 향 모두 진짜 고구마다. 꽃으로 장식되어 예쁘기까지 하다. 약간의 죽(달콤보라죽)이 따로 나와 위에 얹어 먹을 수 있다(물론, ‘찍먹’도 가능하다). 곁들여 나온 자색 고구마 칩이 바삭한 식감을 더한다. 빙수 한입에 이렇게 즐거워질 수 있다는 걸, 에디터는 처음 알았다. 궁금하다면 맛보라. 시간과 돈이 절대 아깝지 않다. 그리고 당신의 몸도 기뻐할 것이다.

Bonjour Hawaii

Bonjour Hawaii

As soon as you step off the pavement and onto the confines of Bonjour Hawaii, you’ll be transported to a makeshift wooden café in the tropics of the Hawaiian Islands. Makeshift seems to be the right word when describing the shabby concept of the restaurant as it is filled with mixed-and-matched furniture and bare concrete walls lightly painted with tropic colors and patterns. This place doesn’t feel like it's been decorated to be Hawaiian, and unfortunately, there's an unpleasant smell leaking out of the bathroom—it’s not the best welcome. Some of the dishes, however, were quite comforting, especially for the Korean palate. The Locomoco Plate tasted similar to the Japanese-style Hamburg steaks you'd find in Hongdae, topped with a sauce similar to the Korean-style demi-glace and a sunny-side-up. The plate came filled with fries, corn salad, veggies, a small piece of corn on the cob and rice on the side. The Hawaiian Pasta, however, was extremely soupy with floating bits of bacon, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. It wasn't in any way an exciting dish but had just enough flavor to be called "edible." Perhaps sticking with recommended menu items (the ones with a crown on top) might be the safest way around Bonjour Hawaii.

봉쥬르 하와이

봉쥬르 하와이

서교동의 콘크리트 길을 걷다 만나게 되는 알록달록한 목제 건물. 지붕 위로는 무지갯빛 파라솔들과 노랑 플라스틱 상자 안에 심어진 식물이 보이고, 밖에서도 보이는 식당 내부에는 여기저기 쌓아둔 열대과일 상자와 짚으로 만든 파라솔, 발랄한 색감의 대합실 의자들이 열대 휴양지 같은 분위기를 낸다. 소품과 가구는 모두 미국 하와이와 일본 오키나와에서 가져온 것으로, 조금은 낡은 듯 편안한 느낌을 준다. 하지만 아쉽게도, 이런 휴양지 감상은 식당 안으로 들어서자마자 깨지고 말았다. 화장실에서 새어 나오는 곰팡내가 너무 심했던 것. 시각적인 기쁨은 악취에 의해 너무 쉽게 무너진다. 하지만, 습한 날씨를 고려하고 음식을 먹어보았다. 하와이 사람들이 즐겨 먹는 로코모코 플레이트는 함박 스테이크 위에 반숙 달걀 프라이와 그레이비(소고기 육수로 만든 소스)를 올린  음식. 수니 하와이에서는 감자튀김과 옥수수 샐러드, 그리고 일명 ‘마약 옥수수’라 불리는 버터구이 옥수수를 함께 내는데, 소스는 한국식 돈가스 소스와 비슷한 맛이다. 함박 스테이크는 서울에서 흔히 찾아볼 수 있는 일본식으로, 한국인의 입맛에 맞는 짭짤함과 달콤함의 조화가 기대 이상이었다. 하지만 베이컨과 파인애플, 방울토마토, 버섯이 들어간 간장 베이스의 하와이안 파스타는 소스가 지나치게 묽고 텁텁했다. 적당히 짠맛 때문에 어느 정도 배가 고픈 상태라면 입에 넣고 씹어 삼키는 데엔 문제가 없겠지만, 어느 하나 흥미롭거나 만족스러운 부분이 없다. 면을 다 먹고 나니 접시에는 갈 데 없는 소스가 흥건했다. 수니 하와이는 이국적인 외관과 개성 있는 인테리어로 지나가는 이들의 발목을 잡는다. 이곳의 조금은 낡은 듯 편안한 느낌을 그냥 지나칠 수 없어 방문하게 된다면, 메뉴판에서 왕관을 찾기 바란다. 로코모코 플레이트와 같이 옆에 왕관 표시가 있는 메뉴들이 있는데, 굳이 음식을 먹어야 한다면 그나마 안전한 선택이다.

McCoy's

McCoy's

At the very edge of Haebangchon’s main street sits McCoy’s, a rather fashionable restaurant decorated in bright blue and pink that will catch anyone’s attention. When you enter, you’ll be transported from the urban and hipster-esque Haebangchon to the quaint alleys of the Marais in Paris. You might wonder why France, but once you hear the history behind the owner-chef, it will make more sense. After a few years of working in the culinary scene in Korea, Denis Ryu left to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney. Upon graduation, he interned at the Hilton Sydney hotel and soon after found himself in Albertville, France working at a restaurant called Phillipe Million. This was where he says he learned the true life of a chef—through the extensive experiences he endured during his one and a half year stay. Returning back to Korea, Ryu established McCoy’s to continue his culinary path. One specialty about McCoy’s is their menu is constantly evolving. There is no particular schedule to when they change their menu items, but usually, it’s according to the seasonal ingredients that are available. The menu however, will usually be composed of a grilled chicken, pork, and beef dishes along with pastas. Currently one of the chicken dishes that are available is the Spicy Spatchcock Chicken, a grill and oven baked whole chicken with 15 different spices and grilled veggies. The white meat is extremely juicy while the slightly crusty skin overwhelms your taste buds with a powerful mix of aromas.

맥코이

맥코이

맛있는 음식과 낮술을 즐기기에 브런치 보다 더 좋은 핑계가 있을까?  해방촌에 자리한 맥코이에서는 르 꼬르동 블루 출신의 오너 셰프가 음식을 만든다. 에디터가 추천하는 브런치 메뉴는 매콤한 그릴 치킨으로, 15가지 향신료와 함께 닭을 통째로 구워내 감칠맛이 뛰어나다. 속은 촉촉하고 겉은 놀라울 정도로 바삭한 치킨은 달달하고 상큼한 상그리아와 페어링 하기 좋다. 이곳의 상그리아는 레몬과 라임, 사과를 넣고 민트와 꽃, 제철 과일로 장식해 맛과 모양에 생기가 넘친다. 

Doré Art Village Café

Doré Art Village Café

Colorful is probably one of the best adjectives to describe this place. The 3-story building is pink with a huge vibrantly colored signage that reads “DORE” while each floor has its own colored theme. As soon as you walk into café, you are welcomed into an open space with large, color coated cakes on display. Enchanted by the sheer visual beauty of the edible works of art, you’ll find yourself in ecstasy over which cake to choose. It’s perhaps the reason behind the mundane coffee choices that are available; they just aren’t up to par with the glamorous cakes. Collecting your order of cake and drink, you will probably want to head upstairs for a good view of the streets below while you munch on your afternoon delight. But if you are someone who doesn’t like the feeling of a stuffy old room, you might want to remain on the first or basement floor of the café. That’s because the upstairs floors are carpeted. Not only does it feel stuffy, but you’ll begin to notice the splurges left behind by dirty shoes and maybe even fallen drink. It becomes an uncomfortable setting to enjoy a delicious cake. On the bright side, the ‘Choco Furge Cake’ was extremely moist, with a subtle but enjoyable chocolate flavor and not overwhelmingly sweet. The light texture of the chocolate mousse along with the thick but moist chocolate bread made it incredibly easy to chew and swallow. The slice of cake (which was big enough for 3 people) definitely overpowered the ‘Strawberry Latte’, making the drink f

C Through

C Through

Perched on the hill that connects Itaewon with Gyeongridan sits a café named C Through.  With its gray façade exposing its sleek, modern, and the minimally colorful interior, it's almost lonely-looking from outside yet welcoming at the same time. For those of you who are an avid fan of the TV program My Little Television, yes this is the café that was aired. You’ll notice the small My Little Television logos attached to the Polaroid-sized picture/description menu cards displayed on the cashier.  Lee Kang-bin, the owner and barista of the café has also made it on quite a few internationally-known online media Korea’s famed coffee artist. He is noted for his ‘Creamart’ which is essentially Dutch coffee with thick sweet cream. It comes with an elaborate painting on top like Van Gough's The Starry Night. Lee provides this service to only one person a day creating an artwork of their choice. If you are looking for a special drink with a special message for that special someone, you might want to make a reservation through Instagram. Of the few other items that are available, ‘Scotchino’ is a popular choice and also one that was shown on the television show. The description of the drink translates into: “A Scotch candy tasting drink, overflowing with sensibility.” It’ll make more sense when you take your first sip—you also won’t regret trying it. Served in a mini tea cup, the thick creamy like foam comes overflowing, sprinkled with cacao and coffee powder. Whether is it made with r

씨스루

씨스루

경리단길과 이태원을 잇는 언덕에 있는 카페다. 회색 건물의 전면에서 보이는 인테리어는 최소한의 색만을 사용해 모던하고 날렵한데, 외로운 듯 하면서 손님을 반기는 듯도 하다. TV 프로그램 < 마이 리틀 텔레비전 >, 일명 마리텔의 열렬한 시청자라면 알겠지만 이곳이 쇼에 등장한 바로 그 카페다. 계산대에 놓인 폴라로이드 크기의 메뉴 카드에도 작게 마이 리틀 텔레비전 로고가 붙어있는 것을 볼 수 있다. 이곳의 주인장이자 바리스타인 이강빈은 국제적인 온라인 미디어에도 꽤 등장한 커피 아티스트로, 크레마트(크림과 아트의 합성어, 더치 커피 위에 두껍게 올라가는 스위트 크림에 그림을 그리는 것) 실력으로 유명해졌다. 밋밋하던 커피 위의 크림은 그의 손을 거치면 마치 반 고흐의 < 별이 빛나는 밤 >처럼, 환상적인 예술 작품이 된다. 간단한 그림이나 메시지는 즉석에서 그려주지만, 특별히 부탁하고 싶은 정교한 그림이나 메시지가 있다면 인스타그램을 통해 미리 문의해야 한다. 크레마트는 하루에 오직 한 명에게만 선보인다고 하니, 반드시 예약을 해야겠다. 특히 인기가 좋은 메뉴는 한 모금 삼키면 이름처럼 버터와 설탕을 끓여 만드는 식재료인 버터스카치의 향긋함이 퍼지는 스카치노다. 쇼에서도 선보인 커피로, 작은 티컵에 나오는데, 거품 같은 크림 위에 카카오, 그리고 커피 파우더가 흩뿌려져 있다. 주인장이 재료를 비밀에 부쳤기에 정말 버터스카치를 사용했는지는 알 길이 없으나, 풍부한 텍스쳐와 맛, 그리고 달콤한 동시에 쌉싸름한 맛이 아름다운 조화를 이룬다. 씨스루의 다른 메뉴도 하나같이 강렬하고 독창적이라, 경리단길의 고요함 속에서 멋진 커피를 즐기고 싶다면 추천할만한 곳이다.