K-culture, meditation, esports. How these tours reveal Seoul’s hidden side
Organised itineraries such as the ‘K-Drama Night Walking Tour’ and ‘Real Seoul Vibes’ tour show visitors different facets of Seoul
Patricia Hung, a Canadian in her forties, arrived in Seoul recently with six friends to celebrate her birthday and found a city of shopping and relentless energy – until a singing bowl meditation session on a Sunday showed her something else.
“It feels amazing and very tailored, like a reset,” she says. “I’m very at peace right now, really relaxed.”
The session was part of this year’s Seoul Quality Tour Packages, a city-designated programme running since 2013 that offers itineraries spanning themes from K-drama and K-beauty to esports, cultural heritage and nighttime tourism.
The package Hung joined, “Seoul Mind Reset: Bongeunsa Meditation Walk”, brought her to Gangnam, a district better known for nightlife and cosmetic clinics, leading visitors to an unlikely combination of meditation, temple culture and relaxation tucked behind the high-rises.
Joanna Cheng, 46, who made the trip with Hung, also found the city buzzing, and then the singing bowl session revealed another Seoul.
“It was amazing. My friend said I was smiling the whole time,” Cheng says. “When I went into the room, I immediately felt happy and calm and at peace. I enjoyed that.”