Yahna Fookes—long-time Kloke collaborator and friend, founder of Radiant Birth, and yoga teacher, takes us on an insider tour of Seoul, one of South Korea's most vibrant, bustling, and culturally rich metropolises.
Seoul is most certainly the zeitgeist of Asian culture atm. A melting pot of foreign films, food, beauty products, aesthetic cafes and of course, fashion. In some ways it holds the magic reminiscent of Tokyo a decade ago, still untouched.
Vibrant in its own way and super dynamic, blending old-world tradition with high-speed innovation. A soft hum of cicadas washes over the city. The greens and blue hues are almost synthetic. Summers are hot, the type of humidity where the air is thick with dew. Naengmyeon is a cold noodle broth you eat in summer. An entire city is shaped around natural formations, you can literally go hiking by day and end in a natural wine bar that night. The perfect blend of both worlds.
I’ve spent a lot of time in my motherland and gotten to know the city quite well and of course, built a community. If you’re keen to holiday somewhere completely different, here are some insider tips.
How to get around
With Samsung’s dominance, you’ll find that Google Maps doesn’t quite cut it here. Instead, downloading Naver is a must; once you get the hang of it, you’ll see just how efficient it is. The subway and bus systems are incredibly fast and budget-friendly.
Where to Stay
Yeonnam is my favourite area. A short walk away from the bustle of Hongdae (shop, shop, shop) and also a moment from Mangwon markets (eat, eat, eat)—it’s such a local experience of Seoul.
Places to Eat
'Generous' is the perfect word to describe Korean cuisine, rich in flavour and deeply nourishing. A typical lunch might include hot seaweed broth, rice with minari, fermented tofu salad, kimchi, pickled zucchini, and whole grilled mackerel. Banchan are the small side dishes that accompany every meal—tiny plates crowding the table offering a vibrant array of tastes. Aino Garden and Kitchen does my fave banchan, set in a stunning little garden setting.
Log onto my Naver Maps for eating recommendations. There are too many to write down here.
Places to Party
Clique Records, a record store by day that transforms into a lively club and local hangout by night, showcasing incredible local and touring DJs. There’s no shortage of great music. Follow these cool kids: Aaron Choe, Youkno and Salamanda for live club updates. If you’re into digging you've got to visit Mosaic Records.
Places to drink
Commentary Sound is a small natural wine bar that serves modern european/ Korean influenced food. Jay the owner spent many years studying wine in Tasmania so expect to be greeted with open arms. Experimental jazz, dimly lit tables... It’s such a vibe with an extensive list of esoteric French and Italian natural wines.
Lost and Found is a New York-style pizza bar. The Calzone is off the charts. It’s super popular but has a very relaxed energy.
Non-Negotiable Experiences
MMCA—the best contemporary gallery in Seoul (far better than Leeum). The whole area has great art galleries, right near the old kingdom where you watch all the locals wear Hanboks.
Insadong—a very famous, old part of Seoul. Locals say it's touristy but honestly there are no tourists there, ha! A place where you can get incredible bedlinen and crafts, and visit aesthetic cafes.
Piknic—we first saw the Ryuichi Sakamoto exhibition here. A green house and a rooftop wine bar too right near here is Still Books.
Starfield Library—as good as it looks on Instagram.
Audio Library—be sure to make a booking.
Kiki’s Cafe—for the Studio Ghibli fans.
Forest Library—an hour's train ride but worth if for the view.
Cafe Popko—a cafe overlooking a waterfall—stunning.
Jfeel Skin Clinic—don’t be a foreigner when it comes to beauty treatments, bypass Ganman and go to J Feel in Hongdae. The flagship Olive Young store is here too.
Gorae Studio—self-service express 35mm film developing. Such an experience.
Hannam Shopping—Post Poetics, Blue Elephant, Non Fiction, and more. Have lunch at Blue Nude.
Kloke X Yanha Fookes
Previous Kloke collaborations with Yanha Fookes include:
A Tide Within Us | A Kloke Film