If you end up staying in Korea for a while, eventually those people back home who threatened you with, “Oh, we’d love to visit!” unexpectedly actually do so.  What was once a very far off, misty idea ends up being a very real challenge to your daily life.  Suddenly, your family pops up at the airport, expecting you to drop everything and play master tour guide.  

Your fam has a whole week booked in Seoul and suddenly your brain rattles off the three tourist activities you’ve tried and you blow them in one day.  “Now what?” you ask yourself, totally frazzled, as your mom insists, “Don’t go too out of your way- we just came here to see you.”  Yeah, right!  Then you can see me watch TV in my apartment in my pajamas!  Since that’s not going to fly, try one (or all) of these uber Korean family-friendly days out.

Day 1: Culture

Everyone knows the best place to hit up Korean culture is Insadong (near Jongro 3-ga).  You can buy cheap Korean souvenirs for your grandmother to enshrine and hit up a few of the palaces while you’re there.

To have a culture-packed day, start with the best of the palaces: Gyeongbokgung (subway station: Gwanghwamun, walk out past the U.S. embassy and continue straight.  The entrance is around to the right).  Although Seoul has many palaces, they are all PAINTED EXACTLY THE SAME (not by choice, by rule- only temples and palaces can be painted this way).  Touring more than one palace (or even sticking around one too long) can bore one to tears.  That’s why Faberge eggs aren’t all painted tope- no matter how intricate the design, it gets old.

At least Gyeongbokgung has some unique buildings including a photogenic pagoda in the middle of a serene lake AND a free museum.  How do you know Gyeongbokgung is the best?  The occupying Japanese made it into an art gallery.  Deoksugung?  A zoo. 

Some tour guide points to bring up on your tour: be sure to point out the differences between rooms built for summer and those made for winter.  In a summer room, you can see wooden slats that can be pushed out and rigged on metal swings to allow maximum airflow.  In the winter room, you can see much smaller spaces with double sliding doors (for maintaining warmth) as well as the old school ondol involving paper floors laid over stones and a place around the side for servants to stoke the fire.  To get a taste of the ancient Korean art of winterproofing, be sure to climb up into the rooms that are open to the public.  They feel cool all year, even on the hottest days.

After a couple of hours of taking photos of the palace roofs, pass on the museum (it’s pretty av-mo) and turn left on the main road to walk toward Insadong (in the direction of Anguk station, about a 5 minute walk).  There you can enjoy some light shopping and stop in for a Korean traditional tea at one of Insadong’s numerous tea shops.  Korean traditional tea is thicker and filled with real pieces of fruit and nuts and everything but the kitchen sink.  Try a little pat bingsu for the young ones and see if you can trick them into eating red bean, or better yet, drop them off at the arcade or the toy museum. 

Day 2: Daily Life

For starters, have your own bring-your-family-to-work-day.  Ask your school first (just in case), and if you get the go ahead, show off your schedule to your biggest fans.  Your students will adore the opportunity to meet elderly foreigners and your parents will finally understand a bit more of what your life is like (and gain fodder for bragging to their friends for once).

Then, visit one of the modern shopping markets in Seoul.  My preference is Dongdaemun because you can show them the old city gate (right next to the station) and show off 24 hour shopping convenience before a light stroll on the Cheonggyecheon.  Tour guide point: the Cheonggyecheon used to be a river before it was paved over to make a major thoroughfare.  Then, the mayor, fearing bad ch’i, tore out the road and made a new fake river where the old one used to be.

Day 3: Religion

Stop off at Seoul’s most photo-ready temple: Bongeunsa.  Bongeunsa boasts a really big Buddha in addition to sprawling, verdant grounds with intricately painted temples.  Those truly committed to experiencing Buddhism are welcome to try the two day temple stay program, but, for the rest of us, try the two hour meditation program and tea ceremony from 2~4 on Thursdays.  Reserve in advance (http://www.bongeunsa.org/eng/tem/tem_3.asp).  Or, just go and have a look around.

Bongeunsa is also extremely convenient to the wonder of Coex mall.  Shopping in Coex is complete with adorable Japanese stores filled with cuteness your sister would die for.  Then, there’s an aquarium to entertain your little brother, including an exhibit on the infamous Dr. Fish (who the aquarium lets you feed with your delectable dead skin).  And, last but not least, the Kimchi Museum (inside Coex mall, closed on Mondays).  Those who love kitsch will thoroughly enjoy the splendor of plastic kimchi models.

Day 4: Day Trip

If you’re feeling like a bit of a journey, why not head over to Suwon to see the folk village (Suwon station, left at the main road, shuttle bus every hour on the half hour).  The whole set up is ginormous and covers every regional style of house in addition to lots of hands-on activities for the wee ones (like traditional games and tools to try).  On top of that, you can watch one of their many shows, such as the wedding ceremony and the tight rope walkers who use the rope like a crotch trampoline.

After that, why not briefly check out the Unesco World Heritage sight of Suwon fortress?  The fortress sprawls for ages and much of it looks the same (so no need to see everything), but parking it at a restaurant near the wall for some Suwon galbi makes for a unique experience.

Day 5: Spa Day

As the trip comes to a close, everyone’s going to start feeling pretty worn out.  Why not show them the luxury of a Korean spa?  Nothing like laying back in the salt room and letting the dry air bake out all of Seoul’s toxins and stresses and then jumping into the cold room and watching your shirt steam.  For an extra treat, treat them to a Korean-style body scrub and make sure they head home squeaky clean. 

My favorite family-tested spa is Dragon Hill in Yongsan.  Multiple stories and ornate hot rooms (not to mention out door hot tubs) make this a luxurious and top-quality spa.  Also, the scrubs are more foreigner-friendly (they won’t scrub down to muscle like more authentic places) and won’t judge the shyer waygooks for putting on a bathing suit.  If kids aren’t impressed with sweating, they can spend hours in the arcade or downstairs PC bang.  Stop off in the cafeteria for a giant donkatsu that’s guaranteed to please the kiddies.

And while you’re in the neighborhood, why not take the family over to a 4D movie at Yeongdungpo CGV.  Kids will enjoy the novelty of a full length motion picture complete with moving seats, surprise hits on the butt, water spraying in your face, and sometimes perfume in your nose.  Parents will enjoy having their feet up for a couple hours and perhaps a beer combo (two 500ml draft beers and caramel popcorn for just 8,500 won).

There!  That wasn’t so bad.  Seoul is teeming with activities for the whole family to enjoy- you just have to skim the surface a little.   Happy touring!

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