Romantic Week in Seoul

As a first-generation Mexican American, I never thought I’d get the opportunity to learn Korean, let alone live in Korea. This surreal experience is only made better by the fact that I get to share it with the ones I love. From Sunday, April 26th, to Saturday, May 2, my long-term boyfriend visited me in Korea for the first time, and I was determined to give him the perfect tourist week in Seoul. Since I have been living here for a couple of months, many tourist spots have started to feel normal to me, but seeing my boyfriend’s eyes light up at Korea has given me a whole new perspective on this city. This blog highlights some of my favorite moments from our week together and the activities I would recommend doing with a significant other, family member, or friend.

Right after picking him up from Incheon Airport, we went straight to Myeongdong Cathedral. Since we are both Catholic, I wanted him to experience a full Catholic Mass in Korean. The cathedral was beautiful and completely filled with people, but what stood out most were the events happening outside. Children could dress up as priests, listen to live music, and even take pictures with a cutout of a Pope.

After Mass, I took him to another religious place to me: the LINE Friends store in Myeongdong.  At the LINE Friends store, there was a section where you could place your hands inside of BTS members’ hand molds. Naturally, my boyfriend had to find out which members matched his hands best because, according to him, that would determine his soulmate. It turned out to be Jin and Yoongi.

For the rest of the first day, we relaxed and enjoyed each other's company. I also surprised him with his first Korean barbecue and soju experience. He loved the meat but hated the soju and could not understand how the people around us had multiple empty bottles on their tables.

On Monday, we went to Lotte World and rented matching school uniforms, which felt like such a classic couple activity in Korea. The rental was 20,000 won per person and included everything from socks and skirts to ties and jackets for the whole day. We arrived right at 10 a.m., when the park opened, and stayed until 4 p.m. We went on the best rides, ate snacks, and took all the iconic pictures. My favorite part was the haunted maze because I never knew when someone would jump out and scare me.

On Tuesday, we went to the Han River, specifically Yeouido Park, and rode bikes along the river. We explored different paths and found quiet, beautiful sitting areas. My favorite spot was a rocky shore with a perfect view of Seoul from far away.

Afterward, we went to Namsan Tower because it had always been our dream to place a love lock there. We had wanted to do this since watching To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on our first date back in 2021. Getting to cross it off my bucket list truly melted my heart. We also went to the top of Namsan Tower, which cost extra. To be honest, I did not think it was worth it because the view from the cable car and the love lock area was prettier, but I am still glad we tried it.

On Wednesday, we visited Gyeongbokgung Palace and, of course, rented matching hanboks. Since we are both history lovers, we spent almost four hours walking through the palace, translating signs with the Papago app, and taking pictures. We also got to see the changing of the guard ceremony and were lucky enough to take a picture with one of the guards. We did not realize there was only a short window for photos, so we were lucky to be near the line already.

Next, we went to Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam, which was such a peaceful and interesting experience. Seeing the large Buddha statue surrounded by many smaller ones was beautiful and unforgettable. Afterward, we went to COEX Mall, took pictures in front of the iconic Gangnam Style statue, and visited the Starfield Library. Since we are not really into shopping or fashion, we did not spend much time in the stores, but we did buy a cute creamy keyboard from Artbox.

Throughout the week, we took lots of photo booth pictures, used public transportation for everything, and my boyfriend unexpectedly fell in love with Korean McDonald’s. He even said that was the food he would miss the most when he went back to the States. Overall, he gave Korea a 9/10, except for the fact that he got sick on Wednesday. Even then, he was able to go to the doctor and get antibiotics at a very affordable price, so he joked that he was glad he had such a unique tourist experience.

Being in Korea has been an unforgettable experience, but at times a lonely one. Having my boyfriend get to be part of this experience rejuvenated me for the second part of the semester.