Mountain ridges in Seoraksan National Park seen from the Bongjeongam viewpoint, with trail information boards in the foreground
Bongjeongam, Seoraksan · Nov 2024

Practical Korea · checked by a local

Korea, checked
before you go

Transport, bookings, hiking and festivals, explained from the official Korean sources. Every guide shows the date I checked it.

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Haedong Yonggungsa, a temple on the rocks above the sea in BusanBusanGuides → The main hall and nine-story pagoda of Woljeongsa temple in OdaesanDay TripsGuides → Wind turbines along a mountain ridge near Sky Ranch in PyeongchangSeasonsGuides → A red-brick building in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, under a blue skySeoulGuides → A lit wooden pavilion reflected in a pond inside a Seoul palace at duskEventsGuides → Wooden stairs and a trail sign on a Bukhansan trail in SeoulHikeGuides →

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A yellow currency exchange kiosk on a street in Seongsu-dong, Seoul
01Plan your tripGetting around, paying with a foreign card, booking without Korean.Open guides →
 Willow trees and tall grass on the bank of the Han River in Seoul on a sunny day
02SeoulNamsan, Seongsu, the Han River, palaces and food, by neighborhood.Open guides →
 A red maple tree on a trail in Seoraksan in November
03Hiking & foliageTrails, reservations, closing times and when the leaves peak.Open guides →
 Rows of colorful lotus lanterns hanging inside Geumgang Cave in Seoraksan
04Festivals & eventsDates, tickets, crowds and how to get there.Open guides →

Guide sets

SetNamsan & nearby
  1. N Seoul Tower: History, Hours, Tickets, How to Get There
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  3. Namsan Night Festival 2026: Dates, Booking for Foreigners
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A sign in a Seoul subway station showing the walk from the exit to Seoul Forest SetPaying for Seoul transport
  1. T-money vs Climate Card vs WOWPASS: Which to Get
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  3. T-money in Apple Wallet with a Foreign Card
  4. Seoul Transport Cost for 3, 5 or 7 Days
All transit-card guides →

Who writes this

A temple complex in a rocky valley below Bongjeongam in Seoraksan, seen from the trail
On the trail to Bongjeongam · Nov 2024

About the guide

Hi, I’m SeoulAslan

I’m from Korea. I lived in Vietnam for six years and in Thailand for a year, so I know what it feels like to arrive somewhere and find that the useful information is in a language you can’t read.

I hike about twice a month. When a guide comes from my own walk, I say so. When it doesn’t, it’s based on official Korean sources.

  • From Korea
  • 6 years in Vietnam, 1 in Thailand
  • Hikes about twice a month
About this siteAsk me about Korea

About

Last updated October 13, 2026

Before You Go Korea is a practical guide to Korea for people who don't read Korean. It covers the things that are hard to find in English: how to book, how to get there, what it costs, and what changed this season.

Who writes this

I'm SeoulAslan. I'm from Korea. I lived in Vietnam for six years and in Thailand for a year, so I know what it feels like to arrive somewhere and find that the useful information is all in a language you can't read. In Korea that information usually exists. It is just written in Korean, spread across government sites, or locked inside apps that want a Korean phone number.

These days I hike about twice a month and spend a lot of my time exploring different corners of Korea. When a post includes my own experience, I say so. When it doesn't, it is based on official sources, not on a visit I didn't make.

What you'll find here

  • Move — trains, buses, taxis, transport cards, and the apps that make them work.
  • Money & Apps — paying with foreign cards, cash, and the apps worth installing before you land.
  • Hike and Seasons — trails, reservations, closing times, and when the leaves and flowers peak.
  • Events — festivals and seasonal events, with dates, times, crowds, and how to get there.
  • Book It — how to reserve things that normally need Korean.
  • Eat and Shop — what to order, what to buy, and what it costs.

How I check things

Every post shows the date I last checked it. I read the official Korean sources first: national park and city government pages, transport operators, and event organizers. I confirm key facts in at least two places, one of them official. When something comes from a news report or I couldn't confirm it, the post says so, and each post ends with its sources.

Prices, hours, and rules in Korea change often. If you find something out of date, email me and I'll check it and update the post with the new date.

Photos

Photos are my own or come from public sources such as the Korea Tourism Organization's free image library and Creative Commons collections, credited under each image. I don't use AI-generated pictures of real places.

How this site is funded

This site shows ads through Google AdSense. Some posts also contain affiliate links (currently Klook): if you book through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Posts with affiliate links say so at the top. Neither ads nor commissions decide what I recommend. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Contact

Questions, corrections, or something you'd like me to look into: beforeyougokorea@gmail.com. You can also ask on the Ask Me About Korea page.

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