Asia

Prohibition might not have happened in South Korea, but US-inspired speakeasies are no relic of the past in Seoul. As mixology and single-malt whisky began trending in the last five years, a few industry experts stepped up to the plate by opening hidden-away bars. <span class=”caption”>Southside Parlor’s award-winning cocktails in the making © Hahna Yoon […]

Smarttravelly Local Hahna Yoon was born in Seoul, lived in New York for 17 years and came back to South Korea eight years ago. She believes that Seoul is undoubtedly one of the best cities in Asia to explore, eat and drink. Hahna recommends going beyond Seoul’s major tourist destinations and navigating to the city’s

Barack Obama socks? Korean boy-band socks? Instant ramen socks? Matching socks for couples? Socks for pets? If you can imagine it, you can find socks in Seoul to match. Socks are fun and affordable and make perfect souvenirs to warm your toes or to bring home to friends. In Seoul, crazy socks come in all

A familiar smell wafted out of the Jamsil Lotte Hotel in summer 2018 as 500 people across South Korea gathered in Seoul to receive one of the highest bragging rights in the local food scene. In the last leg of the competition with 578,000 hopeful applicants, the final contestants challenged their palates in a blind

‘Tis the season in Seoul to put on your favourite walking shoes. Though it is routinely described as a concrete jungle, South Korea’s capital city is surrounded by mountains and coloured in with groves of trees – making autumn the perfect time of year to visit. Taking walks during these months (September, October, November) is

There’s nothing K-Pop can’t conquer. Ever since the Korean Wave (or Hallyu) started around the beginning of the new millennium, it has swept over Asia and moved onto the rest of the world, making South Korea and its entertainment industry famous on a global scale. Today K-Pop idols and groups play in sold-out stadiums and

Even in one of the world’s most famously bustling cities, travelers can find sprawling and delightful parks to enjoy. In between exploring the busy, dense Seoul neighborhoods of Gangnam, Insadong and Hongdae, make time to unwind in green spaces throughout the city, many of which incorporate the capital’s industrial heritage and repurposed spaces downtown. Whether

With ultra-modern skyrises alongside small one-story hanoks (traditional Korean homes), Seoul is often described as a city of old and new, and this description applies to the range of museums as much as the city’s architecture. The South Korean capital isn’t particularly known for museums, but several have opened in the past two decades with

Just like Seoul itself, the South Korean capital’s culinary scene brings together the best of the entire country – and beyond. Foodies will find restaurants serving regional recipes from the provinces, neighborhood markets slinging nostalgic snacks, high-end chefs innovating with local and international flavors and young restaurateurs bringing passion to independent pubs and patisseries. Whether

Nirmal Purja is a man of firsts. Having climbed all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8000m in one season, earlier this year his all-Nepali team reached the summit of K2 in a line, placing no climber ahead of the rest. The 37-year-old is leading the way for South Asian climbers, and leaving the notion