Things to do in South Korea

3 destinations in South Korea, when to visit each, and what a trip actually costs.

Places to visit in South Korea

When flights to each destination are cheapest.

Busan: Flights to Busan are cheapest from late January through February (avoid Lunar New Year) and again in mid-November, when round-trip fares from US hubs can run 25-35% below the summer peak. Tuesdays and Wednesdays consistently produce the lowest fares; booking 6-10 weeks out typically beats last-minute pricing by a wide margin.
Jeju: Shoulder seasons, late April to early June and mid-September to October, offer the best value with flights 20-35% cheaper than peak summer (July-August) and the Chuseok holiday period. Midweek (Tuesday-Wednesday) domestic flights from Seoul can be 30-40% cheaper than Friday or Sunday departures.
Seoul: The cheapest months to fly to Seoul are January through February (excluding Lunar New Year) and late June through early July, where fares from US hubs can run 25-35% below the peak autumn (September-November) foliage season. Mid-week departures on Tuesday or Wednesday consistently shave another 10-15% off published fares.

A day on the ground for one person travelling alone, before flights: somewhere to sleep, food, something to do and getting around.

Set your dates, budget and home airport on any destination below for a total that includes flights.

Busan: Gwangalli Beach Promenade Stroll the shore at night for dazzling light shows on the Diamond Bridge reflected across the water
Busan: Bosu-dong Book Street A charming alley of secondhand bookshops dating to the Korean War, fascinating even if you can't read Korean
Jeju: Hyeopjae Beach Turquoise water and white sand that rivals the Caribbean, no entry fee, just show up.
Jeju: Olle Trail Walking Jeju's famous 437 km coastal trail network offers stunning scenery with zero cost.
Seoul: Cheonggyecheon Stream Walk A beautifully restored urban stream running 6 miles through the heart of the city, perfect for an evening stroll.
Seoul: Hongdae Street Performances Buskers, K-pop dancers, and indie bands perform nightly in the indie arts hub beloved by students.

Nampo-dong Street Stalls in Busan, Ssiat hotteok (seed-filled sweet pancakes) and gukbap (pork rice soup) Plates $1-4
Choryang Milmyeon in Busan, Busan-style cold wheat noodles in a chilled beef broth, a local obsession Bowls $4-6
Dongmun Traditional Market in Jeju, Grilled black pork (heukdwaeji) skewers and fresh haenyeo seafood stalls Plates $4-8
Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market in Jeju, Galchi-jorim (braised hairtail fish) and handmade manduguk (dumpling soup) Plates $5-9
Gwangjang Market in Seoul, Bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and mayak gimbap Plates $2-5
Tosokchon Samgyetang in Seoul, Ginseng chicken soup (samgyetang), a Seoul institution since 1983 Plates $12-15