Your tropical girl here used to think that snow is only during December (because Christmas = Snow lols), but now I realized that winter in Korea stretches till February. In short, pwede pa humabol ngayon din! Hehe!
I experienced some of the best winter moments in my life during my Korea birthday trip last January 2018 (my first snow though was in 2013 in the US with my family). Beautiful snowfall in Seoul, sliding in ice, warm facial and massage while it's cold outside, and even tried skiing for the very first time!
If you have flights booked this month or next, or itching to go spontaneous and book tickets right about now, here are some winter activities you should check out on your Great Winter in Korea Trip!
Things to do in Korea during Winter:
Stay indoors!
1) Enrol in Short Classes
Save yourself from the below zero temperature, and stay indoors! I really enjoyed taking classes while in Korea. Language wasn't a problem as these classes usually get foreign students, so the teachers have figured out ways to explain steps through half Korean-half-English, and through actions and demos.
The kimchi class I took is just in Myeongdong, so I conveniently had the chance to check out the K-Beauty finds before and after our class. Aside from making kimchi, you can also take hanbok photos (traditional Korean costume) before the class starts, so it's like hitting two activities with one stone!
Meanwhile, I tried perfume making with my KTO v/bloggers tour in 2017, and till now the green tea scent I was able to create is one of my favorite go-to perfume! It was fun and another first for me, and of course it doesn't hurt that creating perfume has My ID Is Gangnam Beauty feels! Hehehe.
Meanwhile, I tried perfume making with my KTO v/bloggers tour in 2017, and till now the green tea scent I was able to create is one of my favorite go-to perfume! It was fun and another first for me, and of course it doesn't hurt that creating perfume has My ID Is Gangnam Beauty feels! Hehehe.
2) Cafe Hopping
If you're a coffee lover like me, then winter is the perfect time to explore the many cute coffee shops in Seoul! Hot latte loading! 😁 The above linked cafes are ones that I enjoyed mainly because they are retail shops that are more known for their clothes or makeup, and has converted a nook on their store into a little area to chill and have coffee--which I love!
I also listed a few more Cafes In Korea posted last January 2017. I need to update this list, though!
3) Check Out Korean Spas and Salons
Jjimjilbang (Korean Bath House)
The perfect time to insert these activities in your Seoul itinerary is on the last night before your flight back to Manila! Imagine getting a facial or massage in a warm room while it's freezing outside! Perfect relax moment, especially after days of commuting and walkathons!
Korea is well known when it comes to beauty and pampering, so their services are must-tries for me! Please be warned though that prices are mahalia for me, so make sure to set a budget if this is something you wanna try. For my budgetarians or student readers, you can also go for the jjimjilbang instead! A Korean bathhouse is a very traditional Korean experience, and usually mura lang sya with price starting at Php 500.
4) Visit Hallyu Themed Halls (Kdrama + Kpop)
SMTOWN Surround Viewing Concert (EXO, SHINee, SUPER JUNIOR, Red Velvet, etc)
With the boom of Kdrama and Kpop location tours, there are many establishments that opened indoor experience halls dedicated to fans of Korean pop culture--just perfect when it's too cold to go to shooting locations. For Kdrama fans, you can visit Korean networks like MBC and KBS, for Kpop fans there's the SMTown Concert (virtual reality) and K-Style Hub.
But of course, I am not stopping you from going to actual Kdrama locations because they are just some of the most memorable stops I had during my Korea trips!! 😏 Don't forget to bundle up!
Enjoy the snow!
5) Join Winter Festivals and Ski Trips outside of Seoul
Nothing like enjoying the snow during winter, especially since we don't have it here in the Philippines!
You can either enjoy an Ice Festival and Ski Trip in one day, try skiing or snow sledding, or just visit the ski resort from the Kdrama Goblin!
What I like about these tours is that they won't force you to go skiing if it's not your thing, they a separate package with just the transpo so you can just take photos and walk around and enjoy winter wonderland! But of course, I highly recommend that you also try skiing coz it's worth "the fall"! Haha!
Ending this post with ...
Winter Outfit Tips!
1) Heattech
They have these in Uniqlo, and although they are pricey, they are worth investing in. Get both the Extra Warm top and leggings especially if your trip is peak winter or tipong gets negative temprature (check Accuweather prior your trip).
During our winter group tour in Jeju, everyone's waiting outside for our bus and my kasama were all already freezing but keri pa ako even when I was wearing a skirt! The secret is wearing the right under garments that help retain your body heat, worn close to your body so they don't add to the bulk, and then layer layer layer!
My complete winter in Jeju uniform, haha! Very warm kahit ang dami kong outdoor walks that time!
2) Footwear
If, like me, you don't have snow boots and wouldn't want to get something that you'll only be using for one trip, then check out sneakers that you can use even in snow! The important details for me are 1) they are comfy to walk in the whole day, and 2) they have good shoe tractions para hindi madulas. If it doesn't have fleece, then you can wear thick socks for added warmth. Again, make sure they are comfortable for all the walks!
Some recommended brands include Saucony Originals, New Balance 710, and other running shoes which are usually the most comfortable footwear with good tractions.
3) Must-Have Accessories
a) Head Gear - For me, the best accessories to protect my head and ears from the cold are bonnets or beanies and ear muffs.
b) Face Mask - Not only for dust or for Kpop idols to go incognito, but covering your nose and mouth with face mask helps warm your body!
c) Gloves - Check out ones that you can wear and still use your touch screen gadgets.
d) Heat Pack - Keep one or two in your coat pockets! They really helped me a lot during cold walks. You can buy these in convenience stores in Korea.
4) Blanket Scarves
Will definitely invest in thicker scarves that I can wrap around my neck, over my shoulders ala poncho, or use as blanket during flights.
5) Layering
- Again, start with extra warm heattech top and leggings.
- You can also wear turtleneck heattech tops underneath huge sweaters or v-necks to add that cute peeping detail to your outfit, and at the same time keep your neck warm and cozy.
- Wearing a thin layer of Uniqlo's seamless Ultra-Light Down puffer vest or puffer jacket before your big coat will also add warmth to your outfits without looking too bulky.
- Since your bottoms are usually the ones visible in your outfit, wear a printed pair of pants like checkered or houndstooth.
- And lastly, THRIFT YOUR COATS. Usually your coat is the most expensive piece you will buy for a winter trip (around Php 5000 to Php 10,000 in Uniqlo), so I suggest that you buy coats in ukay ukay where they go as low as Php 300 (depends where you shop). I just bought TWO coats in an online thrift shop called @coatsmnl for only Php 1000 in total! Sobrang sulit, plus I have two different looks na agad without breaking the bank! Haha!
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Missing winter in Korea so much! But throwback photos will do for now. ❤
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Missing winter in Korea so much! But throwback photos will do for now. ❤
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4 Comments
Wow Miss Ana super enjoy ko tong Korea blog mo.. thank you again for sharing these wonderful experience kahit nababasa ko lang siya feeling ko nakapunta na din ako.. Sobrang ganda!!! Di cguro ako tatagal sa labas ginawin akong tao if ever man tripleng makakapal na coat suot ko.. haha n'ways hope to read more po!! Godbless..xoxo
ReplyDeleteUh! My dream destination 😍
ReplyDeleteThank you Ms. Ana big help Kc punta kmi Korea sa Feb :)
ReplyDeletei wanna try sliding in ice�� super detailed talaga ng blog. If ako may planned trip sa mga destination na gaya nito, super helpful nito. Ang ganda magpapic mukhang totoo ang mga Oppa ��
ReplyDeleteYour turn! Always excited to read your comments! :)