Good news for Koreaboos as Emirates has announced it is ramping up operations to South Korea with an additional three weekly flights in 2024.
Taking off from February 19, the extra services will leave Dubai International Airport every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 4.45am and land in Seoul Incheon International Airport at 6.05pm. The return flight departs from the Korean capital at 10pm and arrives in Dubai at 3.15am the following day.
And to get you excited about a trip to Korea, here are three great things to do in the Land of the Morning Calm.
1. ROYAL AWAKENING
Immerse yourself in Korean culture and heritage at one of Seoul’s most popular attractions, the Changdeokgung Palace. THE UNESCO World Heritage Site was the palace for many kings of the Joseon dynasty and comprises a public palace area and royal family residence. Make a beeline to the rear garden that has an enormous tree that is over 300 years old, before heading to the Secret Garden behind the inner hall where landscaped lawns, ornate pavilions and a gorgeous lotus pond are awaiting your Instagram shutter clicks. Get into the spirit by renting out a Hanbok (a traditional Korean costume) at Hanbok Rental and you will be rewarded with free entry. And to save some extra won, purchase a special pass to visit all of Seoul’s five palaces at a discounted price, starting with Channggyeonggung located next door to Changdeokgung.
2. SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
Get out of your kimchi comfort zone and delve into a world of flavour at Gwangjang Market. Eat your fill of bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and mayak gimbap (seawood rolls) before washing it all down with a cup of makgeolli (rice wine). In the mood for something more comforting? Make a stop at Gohyang Kalguksu Stall where the Netflix famous Cho Yonsoon resides for a piping hot bowl of mandukalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup). But the market isn’t all about cuisine – you can also pick up a bargain Hanbok and other traditional Korean garments for friends and family back at home. Just remember to bring cash as most of the stalls do not provide card payment facilities.
3. THE SEOUL VIEW
Let’s burn off all those extra calories and make the trek up Bukhansan mountain to the N Seoul Tower (you can also hop on the cable car but that would be cheating). Expect incredible 360-degree panoramas of the entire city from the 480-metre-tall tower on all seven platforms floors, as well as several other interesting attractions. Enjoy an immersive media art exhibition that is more than 661 square metres wide and uses 40 laser projections presenting reinterpretations of Seoul through five-dimensional mapping. Or place yourself in the capital’s highest venue at N.Grill on Tower 7F and tuck into succulent French cuts and a glass of wine. Or simply grab yourself a box of popcorn and two beers from N Sweet Bar on 5F and admire the kaleidoscopic lights of the mega metropolis from below.
