Gay Seoul is just one of the world’s most underestimated vacation places, overlooked continually because of its a lot more well-known East Asian next-door neighbors. Better-known for Samsung and governmental tensions with North Korea, discover a thriving queer world here hidden right in ordinary sight â you only need to understand where to search!
Fast-paced and thoroughly enthusiastic about manner and technologies, the vibrant city of Seoul is also greatly old-fashioned, with calm palaces, temples and mountain trails. Skyscrapers overshadow elegant hanbok (old-fashioned wooden homes), green rooms and pattern paths soften professional hard sides, and K-Pop is heard blaring on virtually every road place.
Seoulites have actually a lot to end up being happy with in their 24/7 area â where you can get whatever you decide and desire, whenever you want â as well as their homosexual scene let me reveal not an exception. We desire the culture in particular might possibly be more recognizingâ¦
Southern Korea as one has actually a much less accepting look at its LGBTQ neighborhood than the majority of the rest of Asia â and while the strength of conservatives and Christian fundamentalists wanes gradually, things are nevertheless perhaps not in which they need to be.
LGBT acceptance features, however, fast expanded in the past decade, particularly in younger generations, compliment of intercontinental influences, even more queer activities, and a louder presence of this neighborhood LGBT neighborhood, including ârather notoriously â star
Hong Seok-cheon
, developing in public areas.
Lots of in Korea feel they have never ever fulfilled a homosexual person, and it’s also an interest not often talked-about, with governmental events keeping away from conversation of LGBT rights and many people burying their unique heads inside the mud.
As a visitor, you happen to be exceptionally not likely enjoy any straight-out discrimination but be aware, numerous queer residents lead two fold lives and succumb on daunting social pressure to keep their sex exclusive.
South Korea is without a doubt one of the most conventional nations in Asia, but even right here, really commercially illegal to be discriminated against on the basis of intimate orientation. Still, many people in the LGBT area nevertheless face difficulties in the home and work, meaning Gay Korea has quite a distance going nevertheless to capture with its more progressive next-door neighbors â Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and more and more Vietnam.
The homosexual scene in Seoul, but keeps growing every year features numerous fabulous queer fun to offer. International party kids shopping for combined foreign/local fun will want to drop by the popular Homo Hill in Itaewon, very long of homosexual night life, but locals may frequent the central district of Jongno.
Just skyscrapers, the bustle of Insadong and street barbecues, discover really a hidden-in-plain-sight gay scene here with more bars, karaoke bones, homosexual hot rooms and cafes than we can easily depend.
Not many vacationers ever enterprise to Gay Jongno but determine if you will do that inside the pubs and groups, you certainly will continually be welcomed with a smile. Sadly, alike cannot be said for Seoul’s homosexual saunas and cruise organizations world, which definitely discriminate against and club anyone who is non-Korean â in spite of how knowledgeable about practices or the language you’re.
Develop this changes in the long run as well as have suggestions that can help, however in this value, the gay scene in Seoul still very much has some developing as much as perform.
Nevertheless, with more than 10 million men and women, Seoul is amongst the most significant metropolises on Earth and it has one thing for absolutely everyone. Food, design, tradition, record and crazy lifestyle â this sprawling city has all of it!
Here we’re going to cover…
Destinations in Seoul
Naturally, being gay cannot establish which attractions most of us should see in each city, & most queer travelers will just desire to look at the leading things to see in Seoul during the day!
Discover so much to accomplish right here â but we found the most popular thoughts happened to be wandering through acquiring lost on back-streets, visiting the strange cafes, hitting up Lotte business and roaming through style studios!
Among the best tips we could provide for discovering Gay Seoul would be to pre-order a travel SIM credit for easy airport pickup and activation the minute you arrive so you will not spend a fortune in intercontinental roaming costs.
Get restaurants recommendation and reservations on fly, public transport guidelines up to the minute, club beginning many hours, and, if it’s your thing â the means to access gay hook-up apps for more information concerning the neighborhood scene.
Mobile information is quickly, inexpensive and available almost everywhere in Asia, so it’s not surprising the majority of tourists choose to remain connected acquire off the beaten track (without previously fretting about obtaining missing). So why hold off?
Pre-order the best local SIM card now to have it available as soon as you arrive.
Still â it assists to have some idea of what is happening, so here you will find the best things to do in Seoul, based on you!
Things you can do in Seoul
Old-fashioned Korean Bathhouse
Maybe not in to the homosexual spa? Uncover a unique and family-friendly part of the Korean culture in a wonderfully decorated and traditional Korean-style bathhouse. Unwind from a demanding day of sightseeing â or evening or partying â in a normal oak timber spa, and take pleasure in entry to all saunas and vapor spaces which include different salt and nutrients treatment options for your skin.
To get more lavishness, why don’t you address you to ultimately a massage, facials or body scrubs? Even though the bathhouse is open 24/7, make sure you book ahead any unique treatments to avoid at a disadvantage.
Cheonggyecheon
A landmark of brand new urban renovation and ecological vitality, this playground space has a revived / âday-lighted’ flow with pathways, bridges & greenery.
Myeong-dong
A diverse shopping & informal international dining destination, the busy Myeong-dong is filled with intercontinental trend companies, luxury department stores, and homegrown cosmetic makeup products retailers.
Janet’s Cooking Studio
Collect more than just images with this specific wonderfully unique marketplace trip and conventional Korean cooking example with Janet, a Korean chef been trained in new york.
This knowledge isn’t about merely ticking down tourist must-dos, but instead examines the actual Korea through Janet’s gorgeous meals fixation â which shines through whether she actually is introducing you to definitely vendors in one of Seoul’s few remaining regional street markets or cheerful brightly while exposing for your requirements how to create the perfect Bulgogi Lettuce Wrap in the woman pro kitchen area.
Janet has actually also worked with the UN to advertise Korean food and culture â so you only understand this woman is genuine! Might leave Seoul with the ability to recognize strange ingredients in a Korean marketplace and also to whip up some tasty standard meals â even while researching the initial reputation of Korea and appreciating Janet’s hot individuality.
A sort and warm heart that is truly excited about what she really does, we cannot recommend Janet’s preparing Studio extremely adequate.
Fireman Show
A remarkable display of acrobatics & dancing, this much-acclaimed show utilizes an assortment of performance types to show the pressures of being a fireman. Crazy, we realize, however you will see why whenever you are there.
Observe impressive acrobatic pulls and flips, and understand the necessity of flame protection and understanding â being a non-verbal tv show, it is well-suited for many language speakers. Have the affirmative electricity brought by melodramatic yet funny artists that portray vivacious characters.
Bukchon Hanok Village
A beautiful heritage village with a happy 600-year background dating back to with the 14th millennium. Fill your digital camera with selfies featuring narrow roads lined with restored old-fashioned houses.
Admiration Museum
a weird museum of entertaining sensual art, that is Seoul’s very first and far just art gallery for grownups â but we have been yes other individuals tend to be eagerly getting in the pipeline. Watch sensory tales of love and need unfold right before the vision, get an opportunity to take to your hand at pole dancing â when you haven’t currently â and see various times of newlyweds’ life through interactive artworks.
You’ll find six-themed galleries, each with a silly interest for you yourself to get a hold of â and trust us, homosexual, right, or unicorn â¦You won’t have experienced something in this way before!
Lotte Globe
No trip to Seoul was total without a trip to Korea’s top motif park, Lotte industry! Lotte business tickets tend to be remarkably marked down just for overseas website visitors, thus you should not miss out the possible opportunity to see this fun two-part theme playground with outdoor excitement flights and a âMagic Island’ castle area.
Throughout the colder several months, take a coat or spend playtime with the adrenaline-charged indoor attractions into the âAdventure’ location, plus attend the many parades and programs. If you would like perform a lot more, there’s a Lotte industry + Aquarium combo citation to comes with a trip to everyone’s biggest sea environment tank at Lotte business Aquarium, featuring over 650 marine types across 13 unique zones.
Jongmyo
A UNESCO industry history site and shrine to Joseon dynasty leaders & queens. Ritual ceremonies still take place only at that Confucian shrine focused on Joseon dynasty royals. Nowadays Jongmyo is the ideal getting away from the urban busyness and an intriguing considering Old Seoul.
Café Onion
Serving post-industrial decay realness, this Uber-hip concept cafe in Seongdong-gu is basically the way we would imagine Chornobyl getting if Brooklyn hipsters relocated in. Serving cool baked designs and specialty coffee mixes, this place deserves the trip over to discover â if only to understand all of your monochromatic Instagram dreams.
In addition they now have a conveniently called Café Onion Anguk in Jongno-gu, except in a transformed conventional building/temple, which will be similarly remarkable.
Seoul’s Palaces, Temples & Markets
Invest per day sightseeing and ticking off Seoul’s preferred web sites. The President’s pad, Blue home (or Cheongwadae), the switching of this protections in the spectacular Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeok Palace and visiting the nationwide Folk Museum for more information on Korea’s wealthy record from dynasties up to the present-day.
In addition not to end up being missed may be the relaxing Jogyesa Buddhist Temple and bargain-hunting at the well-known Namdaemun Markets.
Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS
)
Take a look at South Korea outside of Seoul by touring on over 80 roads and also to over 600 programs together with the Korea Rail Pass. Take endless rides on most Korail trains for 3 or 5 straight times or any versatile 2 and 4 times using this rebate that is limited for overseas nationals.
Meerkat & pals
An oh-so-Seoul âcafe’ which serves no food and only bottled beverages buts enables you to get right up close and private with semi-tame meerkats, raccoons, wallabies, kitties, foxes and much more. With places in Hongdae and Myeongdong, it is touristy and weird, and that’s why we’re obsessed!
Discover Seoul Pass
Get effortless access to a combination of 35 leading Seoul attractions making use of Discover Seoul Pass. Choose from 24/48/72 many hours go so you can enjoy discounts and easily personalize the Seoul journey with this flexible entrance solution and transport credit through the Seoul Tourism company, exclusively open to overseas tourists.
ZenKimchi Korean Foods Tours
In case you are like us and planning your visit to Korea for your food alone, then you’ll like to prevent the touristy places/ terrible dining experiences and choose a completely immersive experience to make the nearly all of Seoul’s meals world.
Thankfully, Joe, that has been running
Korea’s longest-running food web log, ZenKimchi,
for over fifteen years, has established a distinctively crafted concert tour to assist people discover genuine Korean dining. Becoming clear, from this, we imply the guy will get no kickbacks from restaurants and goes because they are really fanatical in regards to the fare they offer, unlike much less scrupulous providersâ¦
We chosen his Korean barbeque trip together with a memorable evening discovering Korean eating decorum, savoring the greatest charcoal grilled chicken of our existence, admiring rewarding discussions with various folks from around the world â and receiving somewhat tipsy over a Korean alcoholic drinks class in a secret pub!
It’s also ideal for some pre-drinking before moving out to Homo Hill, or even for solamente tourists exactly who might or else struggle to encounter Korean BBQ like this.
There was numerous trips being offered, but each is run by passionate professionals who have your desires at heart. Thus, if you would like get out there to check out Seoul as a local â while having a ridiculous amount of fun, ZenKimchi Korean Food Tours features anything individually.
Gay Annual Events In Seoul
Korea Queer Film Festival (KQFF)
An annual event in July devoted solely to testing gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer flicks. KQFF has become held yearly since 2001 with all the mentioned goal of promoting variety in Korean society while increasing LGBT human rights and recognition.
Perhaps one of the most important Asian discussion boards of international LGBT film/video, just in case your own dates correspond if a method to experience a more advanced degree of homosexual life in Seoul.
I AM Seoul
Korea’s biggest routine celebration brand name, I AM launched in 2015 and also quickly become probably the most common circuit occasions across Asia. Now, I WILL BE consistently attract hundreds of homosexual people from across Asia additionally the entire world to Gay Seoul.
I’M boasts three days of nightclub events, share parties and after-parties filled up with music and the hottest men. You could expect an unforgettable knowledge about a killer DJ line-up from around society and super go-go kids on stage. Typically held in August, IM is entirely really worth planning a vacation about.
Korea Queer Festival Celebration | Pride Parade
Korea’s largest LGBT festival, this annual modern-day Korean event, whoever motif is actually LGBT liberties, has its own features, including a pleasure procession, movie festival occasions, art, conversations and dance club party activities.
The festival can last for a week or two and usually takes place in later part of the will to very early June. The procession which was banned in 2015 lured worldwide focus on the event, with a lot of of it getting vital associated with development made with regards to LGBT legal rights in Southern Korea.
Once again happening, you will find today some assistance from more compact Korean governmental parties and a-listers, but significant parties while the federal government most importantly take a natural stance. Unlike numerous
some other Pride celebrations internationally
, the Seoul Pride Prade positively limits the capacity of attendees to take pictures or video clips and asks photo-takers to blur players’ confronts before publishing pictures on the web.
This is done to lessen the chance of unintentional outings of individuals whom nevertheless face significant discrimination in Korean community. Although the organizers have big intentions to grow the event on the greatest in Asia, Seoul’s Queer community Festival demonstrates in a variety of ways, South Korea is within the rock era.
120,000 LGBT folks freely participated in 2018 â the greatest ever before â but 200,000 signatures were additionally collected to eliminate the Parade, and countless anti-LGBT protestors turned-out.
Nevertheless, it is remarkable to see NGOs and companies obtaining onboard while the occasion increases. In a country in which modesty around outsiders is paramount and sexual choice is certainly not something you should be flaunted, we are able to merely wish enhanced exposure later on assists new generations of South Koreans feel safe adequate to be whom they truly are.
Gay-Friendly and Gay Resorts in Seoul
Although Korea and Seoul might be much less politically modern and gay-friendly than, state,
Bangkok
,
Tokyo
or
Taipei
, it’s still secure to think queer travelers have no issues checking just about any lodge in Seoul. Unfortunately, however, there are no solely homosexual resort hotels in Seoul to test into.
Seoul is a global mega-city with a shortage of space, so space sizes tend to be smaller compared to all over the place otherwise on the planet â but as enough gay men know, it isn’t really about size, but how you use it! We are dealing with layout, functionality and views, darling!
With that said, everyone else loves to be enclosed by people who have usual passions, and thus, there are some famous gay-friendly motels in Seoul which happen to be hot spots for gay travelers to stay â either because of their location or their particular design and inclusive vibes.
Hotels near Homo Hill, the foreigner-friendly queer enclave in Itaewon, are incredibly well-liked by gay tourists â especially travelers exactly who just speak English but Jongno from inside the Nagwon-dong community, is obviously the gayest section of Seoul, though a lot more popular with locals than website visitors.
You could also start thinking about staying in the tourist-popular Myeongdong / Seoul Central, frequently considered to be the heart of Seoul or perhaps in the world-famous Gangnam area, a.k.a the âBeverly Hills of Seoul.’
This amazing places in Gay Seoul have the ability to had a glowing referral from homosexual travelers in earlier times, but of course,
discover countless some other resorts in Seoul
if they are nearly what you are actually trying to find.
Whether you want a great and social hostel, an inexpensive destination to freeze after a night of partying or an ultra-chic developer choice to sip cocktails and surround yourself with fantastic folks â Gay Seoul has actually some thing for everyone!
Gay-friendly Hotels in Itaewon
Hamilton Resort ââââ
A landmark in Seoul’s Itaewon, this comfortable resort in a modest redbrick building is just one minute’s stroll through the subway place with unfussy rooms, cost-free Wi-Fi and useful employees.
You hardly ever have to leave with eight different dinner possibilities, including a glossy Italian bistro, 2 LGBT-friendly clubs, an outdoor rooftop pool â well-liked by peacocking muscle gays-, a 24-hour sauna, a gym, and also a little mall.
Recently refurbished from top-to-bottom but still just a quick stumble from Homo Hill, HOMPA by Le Queen and Club HIM.
internet protocol address Boutique Resort ââââ
Situated in Seoul’s cosmopolitan purchasing and entertainment region, Itaewon, IP Boutique Hotel, presents a life style knowledge for gay guests. Featuring excellent concept and magnificent atmosphere, the resort supplies 133 guestrooms, a café cafe, and unlimited use of their particular fully equipped fitness place.
Outstanding worth, IP Boutique Hotel is only a quick walk towards the Always Homme homosexual club and Club HIM by Pulse, adding to its homosexual popularity.
Hotel ITW âââ
(briefly or once and for all shut. Knowing some thing, kindly recommend an edit.)
A clean, contemporary, attractive resort in Itaewon with prices as good or better than other places in Seoul. We adored that it was within convenient taking walks distance of homosexual restaurants, bars, and stores that make Itaewon these types of a pulsating and appealing part of Seoul. Resort ITAW is, but up a steep hill and located on a narrow one-way road that is frustrating after a night of ingesting.
Sp@Itaewon Guesthouse âââ
(Temporarily or permanently closed. If you know some thing, kindly suggest an edit.)
The most perfect hangout when it comes down to social tourist with private spaces, affordable dorms, and routine BBQ