Today we said goodbye to Shanghai after our very enjoyable 5 day stay of Part II of the China adventure.

We had a mid-morning flight, so we were up and in a cab by 7am trying to avoid the Shanghai rush hour. It became little more fraught when we discovered that the cab fare was more than we had money left. Thankfully the cabbie was kind enough to let us off the 20 yen underpayment!!

Shanghai airport is a huge modern affair, and we found ourselves walking about 20mins down to our gate. The fact we were still an hour early before the flight is down to our desire to always be punctual. Anyway it gave us a good opportunity to read up on Seoul and what we should be seeing and doing.

After a short flight of just 90mins we landed in Seoul and were soon on the Airport Express train heading into downtown Seoul. Incheon Airport is a good hour from the city and located on a small island, affording wonderful views of the beautiful mountains and countryside to the North of the city.

As expected the train was quick, efficient and very reasonable, at just £3 per person and interconnected into the subway network, dropping us within 5 minutes of our hotel, the Lotte City in central Myeongdong. This is one of the main business hubs in the city and all around are shiny modern office buildings with high tech advertising screens.

After checking into the hotel, we went for a wander and soon discovered the Cheonggyecheon Stream, an urban renewal street that runs through downtown Seoul.

The stream stretches for over 10k. It was originally sourced from the Suseongdong Valley, until the mid-20th century, when deteriorating conditions prompted the filling of the stream with concrete and the construction of a freeway in its place. In 2003, the city government began an urban renewal project to disassemble the expressway and restore the stream, which was completed in 2005 at a cost of over £250 million.

The Cheonggyecheon restoration project initially attracted significant public criticism, but since its opening in 2005 it has become popular among residents and tourists.

The Seoul Outdoor library next to the urban stream was created to bring everyday happiness, uniqueness, and relaxation. You can enjoy a unique urban book retreat free of charge and bring a beer or wine if you so choose. It’s such a great idea and was well attended when we walked past.

At the end of the urban stream we came across Seoul Soul a themed area for families where you can relax and listen to music and performances in the heart of the city.

From there we carried on walking to the Myeongdong area, known for being one of Seoul’s main shopping, parade route, and tourism districts. In 2023, it was listed as the ninth most expensive shopping street in the world. The area is known for its two historically significant sites, namely the Myeongdong Cathedral and Theatre.

It is a particularly popular area for young people and tourists as a centre for fashion and sight-seeing.

Myeong-dong is a hot bed for restaurants and street food, and we saw a range of options from Korean, Western and Japanese.

Many restaurants in the area specialise in dongaseu (pork cutlet) and kalguksu (noodle soup).

K-pop music banging from speakers and the latest fashion or beauty items fill the streets where foodies flock to traditional eateries offering all sorts of culinary delights.

With Namsan Seoul Tower in the background, it is a real melting pot of cultures and highlights the diversity of this part of Seoul.

As we strolled through small alleys targeted towards the young shopping enthusiasts, we reached the crossroad of Myeongdong Theatre, which is widely appreciated as the pioneer of Korean culture and art.

The venue hosts traditional plays, experimental theatrical works, non-verbal performances, musicals, and theater and art festivals. 

The Myeongdong Underground Shopping Centre close by was awash with K-pop items and souvenirs all begging to be bought!

Later in the evening, we popped out for a drink and a bite to eat and took in some of the cafes in the Myeongdong district.

Andy was keen to try a sweet snack from Bricks and Seoul a cool delicatessen for those with a sweet tooth.

The area is a mix of high fashion and tech brands, like Apple and Nike intermixed with smaller Korean stores with an emphasis on cosmetics.

The bar scene is also very big in Seoul and we came across a plethora of ‘chicken and beer’ options selling IPA and local beers with crispy chicken on the side.

On every corner you can’t miss a neon advertising board. The one we recognised was of footballer Son, who plays for Spurs and is a big face in South Korea due to his success in the Premier League.

After a busy first day in the bustling city of Seoul, we headed back to the hotel and prepared ourselves for a days tour around the palaces and Seoul Tower tomorrow.