1234: A Spontaneous Trip to Seoul
From October 24th to 26th, I went to Seoul to attend the Coldplay concert and spent a day exploring and eating. Here's a brief summary of my experience for everyone:
1. **Visa**: I used a five-year multiple-entry visa. Remember to print out your visa. I flew directly from Nanjing to Incheon with China Eastern Airlines, and the airline checked my visa copy.
2. **Transportation**: Since we had the Coldplay concert to attend that evening, we took a taxi from Incheon Airport to our hotel, VOCO in Myeongdong. The fare was about 60,000 KRW (approximately 300 RMB), and you can pay by card. For the rest of the trip, we mainly used the subway and buses. We bought T-money cards, which are available at convenience stores for 3,000 KRW. You can recharge them at subway ticket machines, but note that these machines only accept cash. The 3-day unlimited pass for 10,000 KRW is highly recommended. You can also use it for the subway ride back to the airport from Myeongdong.
3. **Shopping Experience**: This time, I explored a few areas in Seoul but didn’t find them as amazing as people say. In the end, I only bought two hats. Since I didn’t have a specific shopping goal, I just wandered around, ate, and stopped by coffee shops whenever I felt like it. It was a very laid-back experience. I came across GM and LV collaborations, and even casual snapshots by friends turned out great. Many GM items were sold out. The prices were reasonable but not exactly "dirt cheap." For example, the GM x Margiela collaboration piece was 380,000 KRW. One great thing is that many stores offer on-the-spot tax refunds, which is super convenient.
4. **Food Adventures**: I didn’t specifically seek out any particular restaurants. Near Myeongdong, I just walked into Korean eateries that looked decent and didn’t have long lines. Korean BBQ places seem to be a safe bet—no disappointments so far. Every "blind box" dining experience turned out great. For four people, we were fully satisfied with a budget of 200-300 RMB per person.