Gay Seoul is among the world’s most underestimated vacation spots, overlooked continuously for its more famous East Asian next-door neighbors. Better known for Samsung and governmental tensions with North Korea, discover a thriving queer world right here hidden right in plain picture – you just need to understand where to look!

Fast-paced and entirely enthusiastic about manner and technology, the powerful town of Seoul is also profoundly old-fashioned, with peaceful palaces, temples and mountain tracks. Skyscrapers overshadow elegant hanbok (old-fashioned wood houses), eco-friendly places and cycle ways soften industrial hard sides, and K-Pop can be heard blaring on virtually every road place.

Seoulites have actually a lot to be proud of within their 24/7 area – where you could get anything you wish, anytime – as well as their gay world we have found not an exception. We desire the culture as a whole would-be a lot more taking…

Southern Korea in general features a much less accepting view of the LGBTQ community than a lot of remainder of Asia – and while the effectiveness of conservatives and Christian fundamentalists wanes slowly, things are nevertheless not where they should be.

LGBT recognition has actually, however, fast grown in the past ten years, particularly in younger years,  as a consequence of international influences, more queer activities, and a higher presence associated with local LGBT area, such as –rather famously – celebrity
Hong Seok-cheon
, being released in public areas.

A lot of in Korea think they’ve never satisfied a gay individual, as well as being an interest not often talked about, with governmental parties steering clear of conversation of LGBT liberties and lots of individuals burying their own minds in mud.

As a customer, you may be exceptionally not likely to achieve any straight-out discrimination but know, many queer locals lead two fold lives and succumb to your overwhelming social force to maintain their sexuality personal.

South Korea is without a doubt one of the more old-fashioned countries in Asia, but even right here, it really is technically illegal to-be discriminated against based on intimate orientation. However, a lot of members of the LGBT society nevertheless face troubles in the home and work, which means Gay Korea has a considerable ways to go nonetheless to capture with their a lot more progressive next-door neighbors – Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and increasingly Vietnam.

The gay scene in Seoul, but keeps growing yearly and also an abundance of fantastic queer fun to provide. International party boys in search of blended foreign/local enjoyable should visit the well-known Homo Hill in Itaewon, very long involving homosexual nightlife, but locals are more inclined to frequent the main area of Jongno.

Synonymous with skyscrapers, the bustle of Insadong and street barbecues, there was actually a hidden-in-plain-sight homosexual world here with additional taverns, karaoke joints, gay saunas and cafes than we’re able to depend.

Very few visitors ever endeavor to Gay Jongno but determine if you do that in the taverns and clubs, could always be welcomed with a grin. Sadly, the same can not be said for Seoul’s gay saunas and sail organizations world, which positively discriminate against and club anybody who is actually non-Korean – it doesn’t matter how familiar with customs or perhaps the language you’re.

Develop this alterations in the near future while having some tips that can help, but in this regard, the homosexual scene in Seoul nevertheless quite has some raising around do.

Nonetheless, with well over 10 million folks, Seoul is amongst the biggest towns and cities on Earth and it has anything for absolutely everyone. Food, concept, tradition, record and wild lifestyle – this sprawling area provides all of it!

Destinations in Seoul

Naturally, getting gay does not establish which attractions many of us need to see in each urban area, and the majority of queer travelers will just wish to look at the top items to see in Seoul through the day!

There clearly was a whole lot doing right here – but we discovered the most popular thoughts were roaming through obtaining lost on back-streets, seeing all the weird cafes, hitting-up Lotte industry and wandering through style studios!

One of the best recommendations we are able to provide for checking out Gay Seoul is pre-order a vacation SIM card for simple airport pickup and activation the moment you arrive so that you won’t spend a king’s ransom in intercontinental roaming costs.

Get restaurants suggestion and bookings regarding the fly, trains and buses directions up to the minute, bar opening many hours, and, in case it is the thing – use of gay hook-up software to learn more towards neighborhood scene.

Mobile information is fast, cheap and available just about everywhere in Asia, therefore it is no wonder many tourists choose to stay linked and acquire off of the beaten track (without previously worrying about obtaining missing). So just why wait?
Pre-order the best regional SIM credit now getting it waiting for you when you appear.

Nonetheless – it will help for some idea of what is happening, so here you will find the best things to do in Seoul, relating to you!

Things To Do  in Seoul

Traditional Korean Bathhouse

Not inside gay sauna? Uncover an original and family-friendly an element of the Korean society in a beautifully embellished and conventional Korean-style bathhouse. Relax from a tense day’s sightseeing – or evening or partying – in a traditional oak lumber spa, and luxuriate in usage of all saunas and vapor rooms including different salt and nutrients treatment options for the epidermis.

For lots more lavishness, you need to treat yourself to a massage therapy, facials or body scrubs? Even though the bathhouse is open 24/7, be sure to book ahead any unique treatment options in order to avoid missing out.

Cheonggyecheon

A landmark of new urban repair and environmental vitality, this park room has a revived / ‘day-lighted’ stream with walkways, bridges & greenery.

Myeong-dong

A varied purchasing & informal global eating location, the busy Myeong-dong is packed with intercontinental style brands, deluxe stores, and homegrown makeup stores.

Janet’s Cooking Studio

Take-home more than just pictures using this fabulously distinctive market concert tour and standard Korean cooking example with Janet, a Korean cook trained in New York City.

This knowledge just isn’t about merely ticking down tourist must-dos, but rather examines the real Korea through Janet’s breathtaking meals fixation – which shines through whether this woman is introducing that suppliers in another of Seoul’s couple of remaining neighborhood street areas or cheerful brightly while revealing for you how to make the perfect Bulgogi Lettuce Wrap back in the woman professional cooking area.

Janet has also worked with the UN promoting Korean as well as tradition – and that means you only understand she’s the real thing! Might keep Seoul have real profit identify unconventional components in a Korean marketplace and create some delicious traditional dinners – all the while understanding exclusive reputation for Korea and enjoying Janet’s warm individuality.

A sort and enjoying spirit who is undoubtedly excited about exactly what she does, we can not suggest Janet’s Cooking Studio very enough.

Fireman Show

A remarkable screen of acrobatics & dancing, this much-acclaimed show uses an assortment of performance types to show the stresses of being a fireman. Weird, we realize, but you’ll understand why when you are indeed there.

Monitor impressive acrobatic pulls and flips, and discover more about the necessity of flame safety and consciousness – being a non-verbal show, it really is well-suited for all vocabulary speakers. Feel the affirmative energy brought by melodramatic yet funny entertainers that portray lively figures.

Bukchon Hanok Village

An attractive history village with a happy 600-year record going back on the 14th 100 years. Fill the camera with selfies featuring narrow roadways layered with restored standard domiciles.

Like Museum

a wacky art gallery of interactive sexual art, this is certainly Seoul’s very first and far just art gallery for grownups – but the audience is certain other people are excitedly becoming in the offing. Watch physical stories of enthusiasm and desire unfold before your eyes, get a chance to try the hand at pole dance – when you haven’t currently – and find out the many minutes of newlyweds’ life through interactive artworks.

Discover six-themed galleries, each with a unique attraction to help you find – and trust all of us, homosexual, directly, or unicorn …You won’t have experienced something in this way before!

Lotte Industry

No trip to Seoul is full without a call to Korea’s top motif playground, Lotte globe! Lotte community passes tend to be interestingly discounted just for international visitors, very you should not miss the chance to go to this fun two-part motif playground with backyard adventure rides and a ‘Magic Island’ palace place.

Throughout the colder several months, simply take a jacket or enjoy the adrenaline-charged interior destinations from inside the ‘Adventure’ location, plus attend the many parades and programs. If you would like do a lot more, there was a Lotte business + Aquarium combo admission to also incorporates a trip to everyone’s biggest water ecology tank at Lotte globe Aquarium, exhibiting over 650 marine species across 13 specific zones.

Jongmyo

A UNESCO community history web site and shrine to Joseon dynasty kings & queens. Ritual ceremonies still occur at the Confucian shrine specialized in Joseon dynasty royals. These days Jongmyo is the best getting away from the metropolitan hubbub and an intriguing considering Old Seoul.

Café Onion

Serving post-industrial decay realness, this Uber-hip style cafe in Seongdong-gu is simply the way we would envision Chornobyl as if Brooklyn hipsters moved in. Serving cool baked projects and specialty coffee combinations, this spot is really worth the trek out over discover – if perhaps to comprehend your entire monochromatic Instagram hopes and dreams.

They also now have an even more easily known as Café Onion Anguk in Jongno-gu, except in a transformed old-fashioned building/temple, which can be equally remarkable.

Seoul’s Palaces, Temples & Industries

Invest on a daily basis sightseeing and ticking off Seoul’s most popular web sites. The President’s pad, Blue home (or Cheongwadae), the altering regarding the protections during the dazzling Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeok residence and visiting the nationwide Folk Museum to learn more about Korea’s wealthy history from dynasties doing the present-day.

Additionally to not ever be overlooked could be the relaxing Jogyesa Buddhist Temple and bargain-hunting in the famous Namdaemun Markets.

Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS

)

Take a look at South Korea away from Seoul by traveling on over 80 ways also to over 600 channels making use of the Korea Rail Pass. Just take endless tours of all Korail trains for 3 or 5 successive days or any versatile 2 and 4 times with this discount that is limited for foreign nationals.

Meerkat & buddies

An oh-so-Seoul ‘cafe’ which serves no food and only bottled drinks buts allows you to wake up near and personal with semi-tame meerkats, raccoons, wallabies, kitties, foxes and a lot more. With locations in Hongdae and Myeongdong, it is touristy and weird, and that’s why our company is preoccupied!

Discover Seoul Pass

Get effortless access to an assortment of 35 leading Seoul attractions using the Take a look at Seoul Pass. Pick from 24/48/72 hours go in order to take pleasure in discounts and easily customize your own Seoul journey using this flexible entrance ticket and transportation card from the Seoul Tourism Organization, entirely available to international visitors.

ZenKimchi Korean Foods Tours

If you should be like us and planning your trip to Korea the cuisine by yourself, then you’ll definitely like to steer clear of the touristy places/ terrible eating experiences and choose an entirely immersive experience to make the almost all of Seoul’s meals world.

Fortunately, Joe, who has been working
Korea’s longest-running meals retro blog, ZenKimchi,
for over fifteen years, has established a distinctively crafted concert tour to assist travelers discover real Korean eating. Becoming obvious, from this, we suggest he becomes no kickbacks from the restaurants and goes because he could be really fanatical about the food they provide, unlike less scrupulous operators…

We chosen his Korean BBQ concert tour together with an unforgettable night discovering Korean eating decorum, savoring best charcoal grilled pork of your existence, admiring rewarding conversations with different folks from worldwide – and obtaining some tipsy over a Korean alcohol class in a key club!

Additionally it is ideal for some pre-drinking before heading out to Homo Hill, or solo tourists which might usually find it difficult to encounter Korean BBQ in this way.

You will find an array of trips going around, but all are operate by passionate experts who get desires in mind. Therefore, if you would like move out here and discover Seoul as a local – while having a ridiculous level of enjoyable, ZenKimchi Korean Food Tours has something obtainable.

Gay Annual Events In Seoul

Korea Queer Film Festival (KQFF)

A yearly event in July devoted entirely to assessment gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer films. KQFF might presented annually since 2001 making use of mentioned purpose of promoting range in Korean society while improving LGBT individual rights and acceptance.

The most critical Asian community forums of intercontinental LGBT film/video, just in case your times correspond if an easy way to encounter an even more innovative standard of gay life in Seoul.

I’M Seoul

Korea’s largest routine party brand, IM launched in 2015 and it has fast come to be perhaps one of the most preferred routine activities across Asia. Today, I WILL BE will continue to attract numerous homosexual people from across Asia in addition to entire world to Gay Seoul.

IM boasts 3 days of nightclub functions, share functions and after-parties full of music plus the hottest guys. You could expect an unforgettable knowledge about a killer DJ line-up from all over the world and super go-go males on stage. Usually used in August, I’M is entirely well worth preparing a trip around.

Korea Queer Festival Celebration | Pride Parade

Korea’s biggest LGBT festival, this annual modern-day Korean festival, whose motif is actually LGBT legal rights, has numerous highlights, including a pleasure parade, movie festival activities, art, talks and nightclub party events.

The event lasts for each week or two and in most cases takes place in belated May to very early Summer. The procession that was prohibited in 2015 lured worldwide attention to the big event, with most from it getting crucial associated with advancement made relating to LGBT rights in South Korea.

Again taking place, there is now some help from smaller Korean governmental events and superstars, but major parties together with government most importantly take a simple posture. Unlike numerous
various other Pride festivals internationally
, the Seoul Pride Prade earnestly limits the power of attendees to take images or video clips and requires photo-takers to blur members’ faces before posting photos online.

This is accomplished to cut back the possibility of unintentional trips of participants which nevertheless face considerable discrimination in Korean community. As the organizers have big plans to grow the big event for the greatest in Asia, Seoul’s Queer society Festival reveals in lots of ways, South Korea is in the Stone Age.

120,000 LGBT people honestly took part in 2018 – the greatest ever – but 200,000 signatures had been in addition obtained to eliminate the Parade, and a great deal of anti-LGBT protestors turned out.

Still, its incredible to see NGOs and brands obtaining on-board just like the event increases. In a nation in which modesty around outsiders is vital and sexual preference just isn’t something you should end up being flaunted, we could just expect increased presence later on assists new years of South Koreans feel comfortable sufficient to end up being exactly who they truly are.

Gay-Friendly and Gay Resorts in Seoul

Although Korea and Seoul might be less politically progressive and gay-friendly than, say,
Bangkok
,
Tokyo
or
Taipei
, it is still safe to presume queer people need no problems examining essentially any lodge in Seoul. Unfortunately, however, there are not any specifically gay accommodations in Seoul to test into.

Seoul is a worldwide mega-city with a shortage of area, so place dimensions tend to be smaller than almost everywhere more in this field – but as enough homosexual males know, it is not all about size, but exactly how you utilize it! We’re speaking about style, efficiency and views, darling!

Having said that, everybody else wants to be surrounded by individuals with common passions, and thus, there are a few famous gay-friendly hotels in Seoul which happen to be hot areas for homosexual people to remain – either due to their area or their particular design and inclusive vibes.

Resorts near Homo Hill, the foreigner-friendly queer enclave in Itaewon, are extremely popular with homosexual people – specifically tourists exactly who just talk English but Jongno in the Nagwon-dong area, is actually the gayest area of Seoul, though much more popular with locals than website visitors.

You can also consider remaining in the tourist-popular Myeongdong / Seoul Central, typically considered to be the heart of Seoul or in the world-famous Gangnam area, a.k.a the ‘Beverly Hills of Seoul.’

These hotels in Gay Seoul have all had a glowing suggestion from gay tourists before, however,
there are numerous other motels in Seoul
if they are not quite what you are seeking.

Whether you would like a fun and social hostel, an inexpensive destination to crash after a night of partying or an ultra-chic designer solution to sip cocktails and encompass yourself with fabulous folks  – Gay Seoul has something for everybody!

Gay-friendly Resorts in Itaewon

Hamilton Hotel â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†

A landmark in Seoul’s Itaewon, this comfortable lodge in a modest redbrick building is only one minute’s stroll from the subway section with unfussy rooms, free of charge Wi-Fi and useful personnel.

You almost never must keep with eight various dining possibilities, such as a glossy Italian restaurant, 2 LGBT-friendly clubs, a backyard roof swimming pool – well-liked by peacocking muscle gays-, a 24-hour sauna, a gym, as well as a tiny mall.

Not too long ago renovated from top-to-bottom nonetheless merely this short stumble from Homo Hill, HOMPA by Le Queen and Club HIM.

internet protocol address Boutique Hotel â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†

Based out of Seoul’s cosmopolitan purchasing and entertainment region, Itaewon, internet protocol address Boutique Hotel, presents an innovative new lifestyle knowledge for gay visitors. Featuring exceptional layout and magnificent atmosphere, the resort offers 133 guestrooms, a café restaurant, and unlimited use of their particular well equipped physical fitness space.

Excellent importance, internet protocol address Boutique resort is a brief walk to the You should Homme homosexual bar and Club HIM by Pulse, increasing its homosexual popularity.

Hotel ITW â˜†â˜†â˜†

(briefly or forever shut. If you know one thing, kindly recommend an edit.)

A clean, modern, attractive lodge in Itaewon with costs as good or better than most other places in Seoul. We loved that it was within convenient strolling range from the homosexual restaurants, pubs, and stores which make Itaewon such a pulsating and appealing section of Seoul. Hotel ITAW is, but up a steep hill and situated on a narrow one-way road which is frustrating after a night of sipping.

Sp@Itaewon Guesthouse â˜†â˜†â˜†

(Temporarily or once and for all closed. Once you learn anything, please advise an edit.)

The right hangout for all the social traveler with private areas, affordable dorms, and regular BBQ