This South Korea trip began with a simple plan: drive, explore, eat well, and take it slow. What we didn’t expect was how each city — Jeonju, Sunchang, Gyeongju, and Seoul — would reveal such different sides of the country. From family recipes passed down for generations to streets where history and modern life meet, this journey was full of quiet surprises.
It was also a special trip for us — a post-PSLE celebration for my daughter, who chose South Korea as her reward. We extended the invitation to friends, and before we knew it, two other families joined in. One and a half week of driving, eating, laughing, and exploring together — all in the winter cold — and it turned into one of those trips we’ll always remember.
Here’s my itinerary for the trip!
9D8N ITINERARY
Day 1 — Arrive South Korea
1100 Collect car from Cartago (via Klook)
1145 Leave airport
1230 Lunch at Chinese Seong 中国城 Incheon (free parking: here)
— walk in only; 45 mins drive from airport
— Korean chinese fare serving: jjamppong, jjajangmyeon, tangsuyuk, mandu etc
1530 15 mins pitstop at Hwaseong Rest Area
— 1 hour drive
1700 Arrive Dweeung Bark Goeul (closes 8pm)
— 1 hour drive; soy sauce factory
1830 Dinner at Dongeupri (closes midnight)
— Reservation via Naver; Specialises in charcoal grilled aged pork
2145 Arrive at Jeonju airbnb
— 1h45m drive from dinner
Day 2 — Explore Jeonju
1000 Breakfast at WorkerBee Jeonju (opens 10am)
— Walk in; 6 mins walk from airbnb
1100 Explore around the Hanok Village
— 13mins walk to Hanok Village
1300 Lunch at Veteran Kalguksu (9am-8pm)
— Walk in only; Best kalguksu I’ve ever tried!
1500 Paper crafting at Jeonju Hanji Happy Craft
1730 Omokdae & Imokdae
1800 Dinner at Oillae Gaeksa Branch
— Reservation via Naver
Day 3 — Sunchang & Gyeongsan
0800 Breakfast at airbnb
1000 Check out and drive towards Sunchang
1200 Lunch at Sunchang Matjib (11am to 2.30pm)
— 1 hour drive from Jeonju; Beef Bulgogi Hotpot, Cheonggukjang (Soybean Paste Stew), Bulgogi Bibimbap, Sliced Raw Beef Bibimbap
1330 Sunchang Gochujang Village (9am to 7pm)
— Walk down the street and taste different family’s artisan Gochujang
1445 Drive towards Gyeongsan
1630 Arrive at Traders Wholesale
— buy groceries; wholesale quantity though
1830 Arrive Gyeongsan airbnb
1930 BBQ dinner and campfire at airbnb
Day 4 — Gyeongsan & Gyeongju
0800 Breakfast at at airbnb
1030 Coffee at VIVALDI (10am-10pm)
— 26 mins drive
1230 Lunch at Bakteojin Heungbune (Century Old restaurant)
— Booked via airbnb hosts; Family restaurant specialising in cheonggukjang (young fermented soy bean stew), hanwoo beef slices, spicy stir fried octopus etc
— 16 mins drive from Vivaldi
1430 Arrive at Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village / House of Choi
— Try some Gyeongju Gyodong Beopju Liquor/ Crockery Workshop / Kiln / Quilt-Making
—– 45 min drive from lunch; park here: Gyeongju Gyochon Hanok Village Parking Lot Entrance
1630 Looksee at Hwangnidan Street
— Numerous restaurants, cafes, photo studios, and shops housed in traditional hanok buildings, making it popular among the younger generations in Korea.
1830 Dinner back at airbnb
Day 5 — Uiseong & Back to Seoul
0900 Breakfast at airbnb
1000 Check out and head towards Uiseong
1100 Lunch at Uiseong Garlic Beef (11am to 9pm)
— 1 hour drive from airbnb; Hanwoo!
1230 Drive towards Seoul
1400 15 mins pit stop at Chungju Service Area
— 1h24mins from lunch
1730 Check into Dongmyo airbnb
1745 Drop luggage and leave
1830 Pump petrol at Caltex
— 45m drive due to peak hour jam
1900 Return car at Seoul Station
1930 Dinner at Eulji Samgyobi (Jeju pork kbbq)
— Reservation via Naver; Jeju black pork
2100 Head back to airbnb
Day 6 — Ikseondong, Insadong & Gyeongbokgung
0900 Breakfast Jayeondo Salt Bread at Ikseondong (opens 9am)
— Walk around Ikseondong
1100 Lunch Gangnam Noodles Insadong Branch (opens 11am)
— Walk in; Specialises in galbijjim, cold noodles, mandu etc
1230 Craft at Leesle Insadong
1400 Head towards Gyeongbokgung (closes 5pm)
1430 Enter via Gwanghwamun
— KRW3,0000 per adult; kids free
1700 Leave Gyeongbokgung via Yeongchumun Gate
1730 Dinner at Tosokchon (10am-10pm)
— 8 mins walk from Yeongchunmun; Ginseng Chicken
Day 7 — Myeongdong
1030 Coffee and breakfast at Fritz Coffee Jangjung (opens 11.30am)
1300 Shopping at Lotte Department Store Main Branch
1800 Dinner at airbnb Two Two Chicken
Day 8 — Namdaemun & Myeongdong
0900 Light breakfast at Namdaemun Market
— Buy Sesame Oil, Perilla Oil; Eat their famous Hotteok
1030 Head towards Myeongdong
— 15mins walk from Namdaemun;
— Shopping: Sappun (shoes), NYU NYU (accessories), Olive Young
1230 Lunch at Yeji Sikdang
— My must have! Old school hole in the wall Korean eatery serving all sorts of stews!
1500 Head back to airbnb to rest/drop off shopping
1700 Early dinner at Woo Lae Ok (closes 9pm)
— Famous for North Korean styled Cold noodles, but we’re there for the Hanwoo!
Day 9 — Leave
1200 Check out of airbnb
1400 Collect luggages
A Singaporean Mum 
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