Ellie Sulla



As the weather grows colder in Korea, so does the temptation to hunker down in your apartment every night comforted by the warmth of your ondol or heated blanket. However. Korea hosts a plethora of winter activities that can help ease departing from your cozy apartment (even as the temperatures drop below freezing!)

Foremost, Korea has some of the most amazing art museums that Asia has to offer. My favorites in Seoul include MMCA Seoul, The Leeum Museum of Art (pictured), The Daelim Museum, and The D Museum. I also frequent the Daejeon Museum of Art and the neighboring Lee Ungno Museum (located in my placement city of Daejeon) which offer rotating exhibits of oftentimes local artists. Museum admissions in Korea are also much cheaper than in my home country of America, so visiting a museum makes for a lovely, affordable, and temperature controlled winter activity! My next bucket list museum is the Arte Museum, an immersive experience with branches in Jeju, Busan, Gangneung, and Yeosu.

Winter in Korea wouldn't be complete without the mention of food! One of my favorite things about Korea is its traditional markets. Some of my favorite Korean street foods include Hotteok (pictured), Bungeo-Ppang (custard or red bean filled fish shaped breads), Gun-Goguma (roasted sweet potato), and Hodu-Gwaja (walnut cookies). My favorite traditional market is in Seoul and it is called Gwangjang Market, but there are traditional markets located in most Korean cities. In the month of December, some cities will even have Christmas specialty markets that are certainly worth a visit and can help you feel festive whilst being away from your hometown, family, and friends during the holidays. Walking around a bustling market with warm street food is one of the best ways to spend time and experience winter in Korea!



Continuing on with food, one of my favorite Korean dishes is the traditional Kalguksu, a handmade knife-cut noodle dish that is served in a large bowl with a delicious and comforting broth. While many Koreans can handle slurping hot broth in the heat of the Korean summer, I cannot. However, I believe that there are few things more comforting than a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day. Whether it's enjoying a bowl of Kalguksu at a market vendor, or heading to a traditional Kalguksu restaurant to share a pot with a friend, enjoying this piping hot, delicious traditional Korean dish is a great way to experience Korean culture in the winter.

In Korea, it seems like there is an aesthetic, insta-worthy cafe on every street corner, and that's because it's true! Cafe culture is huge in Korea and with the culture's emphasis on delicious sweet drinks and freshly baked goods, Cafe hopping in Korea makes for a great winter activity that you can do alone or with friends! While the drinks and pastries are delicious year-round, nothing beats getting out of the cold, walking into a warm cafe, and enjoying a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Winter time in Korea can be absolutely amazing as there are many activities and foods that are especially lovely in the cold weather. Enjoy the change in season and before you know it we will be in the heat of the Korean summer wishing it was cold again!