Things I Wish I had Done In South Korea (or future plans for future trips)

Two weeks in South Korea was seriously not enough, even though we managed to pack so much into our time here there is still so much more I want to see and do. I can guarantee that I WILL definitely be coming back to South Korea, I don't know when but it WILL happen and I'll be knocking off some of the things on my to-do list.

1/While in South Korea I created a list of things that I wanted us to do if we had the time to do it, and it was rather long and although we managed most of it there were a few things we didn't manage to knock off so I would like to add them to this list:

Everland theme park-we decided that it was too cold to go to the park and enjoy all the rides properly.

Finding that Poop Cafe in Insadong because it looked so cute (which is a funny thing to say about Poop!!)

In Jeonju I had the Jeonju Nambu Traditional Market and Deokjin Park on my list but we had so much fun wandering around the hanok village and Jaman we ran out of time so here on this list.

While we were in Busan we didn't get to see the lighted Gwangon bridge, because we enjoyed being in Haeundae in the evening and didn't quite make it. Nor did we go to the Busan Tower or the huge shopping centres one being the Lotte which has great water displays and a great view of the city from the rooftop.

Gyeongju was not explored enough, why I thought a day-trip would cover things I do not now. It needs to be at the least an over-nighter if not a few more days

We didn't even get to Incheon (apart from the airport) because there was so much to see and do within Seoul itself and I think it deserves more than just a couple of hours. I think I already have a summer itinerary planned with this and Jeju Island.

2/ Also while we were in Seoul I did some things but it was only afterwards that I realised I missed things and I would like to add those to the list

Deoksugung: the art gallery and exhibition hall.

Cheonggyecheon Stream we walked a length of it but there is still so much more to see and I would love to see it at a time of year

when people other than tourists are enjoying it, all 11kms of it and the different areas that surround it.

Not quite sure how we did it when I thought we hit all the palaces in Seoul but we missed Gyeonhuigang which was the secondary palace to Gyeonbokgung (I think because we went to five I thought that covered all of them but no we hadn't, it was also not on our palace pass so we may have missed it because of that)

Samneung Park in Gangnam where the mausoleum of King Seongjong is

We ate BBQ in Busan but ran out of time to find a great BBQ restaurant in Seoul so would like to do that next time around We didn't get to Lotte World or the observation deck at the Lotte tower

We didn't get to the cooking Nanta show or the Trick Eye Museum.

3/ For someone who loves history and museums I am a little disappointed in myself for not visiting as many as I would have liked (funny you think you have plenty of time when you are somewhere for two weeks but you run out) so next time around the National Palace Museum. and the National War Memorial Museum

4/While we were in South Korea I did some things but it was only afterwards that I realised I missed things and I would like to add those to the list

Would like to go back to Seoraksan to do the cable car this time as we weren't able to while we were there (and maybe in the autumn because it would be so pretty with the trees wearing the russet tones of autumn) if not here than another cable car ride on one of the many mountains in South Korea. Also while I was here I did not realise that there was an underground temple underneath the Unification Buddha and I would like to see that.

We wandered around the Dongdameun Design Plaza but didn't go through it and I would love to see the different exhibits, halls and stores that there are to offer inside.

We got to the outside of the War Memorial in Seoul but did not get to the inside which I would like to see,

5/Although we were lucky enough to get to the DMZ we were not able to go into the JSA which I would like to do next time around.

6/ To stay in a Hanok (traditional house) somewhere in South Korea (possibly back to Jeonju).

7/ JEJU ISLAND Ever since watching 'Boys Over Flowers' and knowing that my bias in iKON (Jinhwan) hails from this island I have wanted to go (and because the scenery looks spectacular and the seafood and black pork are supposed to be awesome eats) but I just couldn't see how I could fit it in without taking time away from somewhere else. So I guess another trip to South Korea is in order and if it is in summer than that will take me out of the sticky heat of Seoul and into a beach paradise.

8/ ANDONG I had planned on doing the 'spiritual capital' of South Korea this trip but it just wasn't feasible as a day trip because the bus was 3.5 hours each way and the train was even longer. Think it should be done as at least an overnight trip instead so will have to do it next time, and if I can time it right for the Andong Mask Festival which runs late September through early October I will be especially happy.

9/It's not a wish I had done but a ' when I come back I am going

to...., I loved the sweet potato lattes, they were so good and I jokingly said I need to do a 'sweet potato latte tour' so that is on the agenda next time to try and work out where the best one is.

10/ I could probably have a list just for places to visit in autumn one of the being the ASAN GINKO TREE ROAD

11/ Not sure why we didn't do it this time around, (maybe because we did so much other stuff) and I didn't even have it on my list, Petit France

12/ YEOSU, because it is a beach city on the opposite side to Busan and I would like to see how different it is (as Busan is more well known)

13/The Geumgang Suspension Bridge and cable car at DANDAESAN

14/ The Penis Park, Haesindang Park in Sinnam.

15/ PYEONCHANG the site of the 2018 winter Olympics

16/ Common Ground -which is a trendy container park shopping mall near Konkuk University in Seoul.

17/ Jinju Lantern Festival in October to honor those people that died in the Imjin wars

18/ The South Koreans love their baseball and football (soccer) and I would love to see one of the matches.

19/ The bamboo forest at Damyang

20/ Yongma Land abandoned theme park because it looks like it would be a great creepy place to go to at night.

21/ The stone pagodas of Tapsa Temple at Horse Ear Mountain.

22/ The disputed island of Dokdo

23/ Mokpo with Yuldsan Park, Gatbawi Rock formation, and the old village streets of Sihwa.

24/ Tongyeong which is home to the Dongpirang Mural Village

25/ And the final one for this version of my Seoul to-do list is to see how many things I can knock off the Historic Sites of South Korea which as of 2015 stood at 526...while we were here we only managed to knock off 11 of that list so there are still 515 to go

26) This is not a 'wish I had done' but a definite what I want to do, I loved South Korea in winter even without the snow I was hoping for and it probably looked a bit bleak to people but I thought it was fabulous but snow would have made it more special, so that is a wish to see it snow covered. I am also a sucker for autumn colours and spring blossoms and want to see those, not so keen on the stinking hot weather that comes with summer but want to experience the festivities around the Han River and Cheonggyecheon Stream, and the music festivals that they have at that time of year...

.so that gives me three options

1/at least four more trips to South Korea

2/ a long extended stay covering a couple of seasons (twice) or

3/ Packing up and moving here....either of those three sound good to me after this trip.

#sEouL #sOutHkoRea #tOdoLisT