GET LOST! (Really, it’s the best way to see Seoul!)
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If you’re hoping to get to know the budget-friendly, Asian hotspot of Seoul, you need do nothing more than get lost in this dynamic city. It’s among the top ten safest cities in the world according to the 2019 Economist Intelligent Unit Report and filled with diverse and interesting neighborhoods in which you can comfortably wander about.
Choose Seoul as your study abroad destination and you’ll never be disappointed in the eclectic array of sights, sounds, activities, and entertainment the city offers. From winding alleys dotted with teahouses, to mega underground shopping malls, modern high-rises, to animal-themed cafes, the education outside of class is rich with Asian culture, history, and tradition.
Whether you choose our semester-long Arts + Science program, or our 7-week Korean Studies summer program, you’ll take classes in English, at both CIEE and Yonsei University – our partner school and one of Asia’s most prestigious private universities. Choose from classes across disciplines: Korean language, culture, STEM, business, history, literature, and more and explore the ins and outs of your new study abrhigh-oad home with a local university student – a CIEE trained “Seoul Mate.”
Here are just a few ways to explore Seoul outside of class:
- Stop for sweets at one of Seoul’s many themed cafes, where the culinary offerings are just as interesting as the décor.
- Dress in a traditional Hanbok and get in free to the Gyeongbokgung Palace – the largest and most important of Seoul’s five main royal palaces.
- Spend the weekend window shopping at COEX Mall - the world’s largest underground shopping mall featuring hundreds of shops, two food courts, a movie theater, aquarium, and bookstore.
- Wander through Samcheong-dong to Bukchon Hanok Village – filled with traditional Korean houses, cafes, and art galleries.
- Take a wild rollercoaster ride at Lotte World – Seoul’s largest indoor theme park.
- Live the life of a Buddhist monk in a temple stay at one of Seoul’s mountain temples.
- Dig into delicious Korean street food – tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), sundae (blood sausage), and kaeranbang (egg-stuffed cakes).
- Catch one of the many festivals: Yeouido Cherry Blossom, Buddha’s Birthday, Ultra Korea Music Festival, Fireworks Festival, and more.
- Go to a K-Pop concert!
- Learn taekwondo – South Korea’s martial art.
- Soak in a hot tub or relax in a steamy sauna in a Korean spa.
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