Gay Seoul is one of the planet’s the majority of underestimated vacation locations, overlooked constantly for its a lot more popular East Asian neighbors. Better known for Samsung and governmental tensions with North Korea, discover a thriving queer scene here concealed inside ordinary look – you just need to understand where to search!

Busy and thoroughly obsessed with manner and technologies, the dynamic city of Seoul can also be greatly old-fashioned, with calm palaces, temples and mountain trails. Skyscrapers overshadow stylish hanbok (old-fashioned wooden domiciles), environmentally friendly rooms and pattern roads soften industrial tough borders, and K-Pop may be heard blaring on nearly every road place.

Seoulites have actually a great deal to end up being pleased with inside their 24/7 urban area – where you are able to get anything you want, anytime – in addition to their homosexual scene here is not an exception. We desire the culture at-large is a lot more acknowledging…

South Korea overall features a less accepting look at its LGBTQ society than the vast majority of rest of Asia – and while the effectiveness of conservatives and Christian fundamentalists wanes gradually, everything is still perhaps not in which they should be.

LGBT recognition has actually, but rapidly expanded in the past ten years, especially in younger years,  courtesy intercontinental influences, even more queer events, and a louder presence of this regional LGBT society, such as –rather notoriously – celeb
Hong Seok-cheon
, coming-out publicly.

Lots of in Korea believe they have never met a homosexual person, as well as being an interest infrequently talked about, with governmental functions staying away from conversation of LGBT legal rights and lots of individuals burying their own minds into the sand.

As a customer, you may be acutely unlikely to possess any outright discrimination but realize, a lot of queer locals lead dual physical lives and succumb for the daunting societal pressure to maintain their sexuality personal.

Southern Korea is unquestionably one of the most traditional nations in Asia, but also right here, it really is technically illegal as discriminated against on the basis of intimate direction. Still, numerous members of the LGBT neighborhood nonetheless face problems home and work, which means Gay Korea features a long way commit however to capture with the more progressive next-door neighbors – Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and progressively Vietnam.

The homosexual scene in Seoul, but is continuing to grow every year and has many fantastic queer fun to provide. International celebration kids interested in combined foreign/local enjoyable may wish to check out the popular Homo Hill in Itaewon, very long involving homosexual night life, but natives are more likely to frequent the central region of Jongno.

Similar to skyscrapers, the bustle of Insadong and street barbecues, there clearly was really a hidden-in-plain-sight homosexual scene right here with more pubs, karaoke bones, gay hot rooms and cafes than we could rely.

Few tourists ever before endeavor to Gay Jongno but determine if you do that inside the taverns and clubs, you’ll often be welcomed with a grin. Unfortunately, exactly the same can not be stated for Seoul’s homosexual hot rooms and sail groups scene, which positively discriminate against and club whoever is actually non-Korean – no matter how knowledgeable about practices and/or language you may be.

Hopefully this alterations in the future and then have suggestions that can help, in this admiration, the homosexual scene in Seoul nevertheless considerably has many growing to carry out.

Still, with over 10 million men and women, Seoul is just one of the greatest metropolitan areas in the world and also anything for absolutely everyone. Foods, design, culture, history and crazy night life – this sprawling metropolis features it-all!

Attractions in Seoul

Naturally, being gay doesn’t establish which destinations many of us may wish to see in each city, and a lot of queer travelers will just would you like to take a look at leading factors to see in Seoul during the day!

Discover much to accomplish here – but we discovered well known recollections happened to be roaming through getting missing on back-streets, visiting the unusual cafes, hitting-up Lotte community and roaming through layout studios!

One of the better ideas we could give you for exploring Gay Seoul would be to pre-order a travel SIM card for simple airport pickup and activation when you appear so that you won’t shell out tons of money in intercontinental roaming fees.

Get restaurants recommendation and reservations on fly, public transport directions up-to-the-minute, club opening hours, and, in case it is your own thing – access to homosexual hook-up software to find out more in regards to the neighborhood world.

Portable information is fast, cheap and readily available all over the place in Asia, making it no wonder a lot of people choose to stay linked and obtain from the beaten track (without ever worrying about acquiring missing). So why wait?
Pre-order ideal regional SIM card now to possess it available whenever you arrive.

Nonetheless – it assists getting some notion of the proceedings, therefore here are the most readily useful things you can do in Seoul, per you!

Activities to do  in Seoul

Old-fashioned Korean Bathhouse

Perhaps not to the gay spa? Uncover a unique and family-friendly a portion of the Korean culture in a wonderfully decorated and conventional Korean-style bathhouse. Relax from a tense day’s sightseeing – or night or partying – in a conventional oak wood spa, appreciate access to all hot rooms and steam spaces that include different salt and minerals remedies for your skin.

For much more luxury, you need to treat yourself to a massage, facials or human anatomy scrubs? Even though the bathhouse is open 24/7, make sure you book in advance any unique treatment options to prevent at a disadvantage.

Cheonggyecheon

A landmark of the latest urban recovery and ecological vitality, this park room includes a revived / ‘day-lighted’ stream with paths, links & greenery.

Myeong-dong

A diverse shopping & casual international eating location, the active Myeong-dong is actually full of international fashion brands, deluxe department stores, and homegrown cosmetics stores.

Janet’s Cooking Studio

Take home more than simply photographs with this particular fabulously special industry concert tour and standard Korean cooking training with Janet, a Korean chef trained in nyc.

This experience isn’t about just ticking down tourist must-dos, but rather explores the true Korea through Janet’s gorgeous food obsession – which stands out through whether she’s presenting you to definitely vendors in another of Seoul’s couple of staying regional street markets or smiling brightly while disclosing to you how to make the right Bulgogi Lettuce Wrap back the woman expert home.

Janet features even worked with the UN to advertise Korean food and society – you merely know this woman is the real deal! You’ll keep Seoul with the ability to recognize unconventional ingredients in a Korean market and to make some tasty standard dishes – whilst studying the initial reputation of Korea and appreciating Janet’s warm individuality.

A sort and warm heart who is really excited about exactly what she does, we can not recommend Janet’s preparing Studio highly sufficient.

Fireman Program

An extraordinary show of acrobatics & dance, this much-acclaimed tv show makes use of a combination of performance types to convey the stresses of being a fireman. Weird, we know, but you will realise why when you are here.

Observe impressive acrobatic pulls and flips, and discover more about the importance of flame protection and awareness – and being a non-verbal tv show, it really is well-suited for many language speakers. Feel the affirmative electricity produced by melodramatic yet funny entertainers that portray vivacious figures.

Bukchon Hanok Village

An attractive heritage community with a proud 600-year background dating back to toward 14th century. Fill the digital camera with selfies featuring slim roadways lined with restored old-fashioned domiciles.

Admiration Museum

a wacky art gallery of interactive erotic artwork, this might be Seoul’s first and therefore much merely museum for adults – but we’re certain others tend to be excitedly becoming in the pipeline. Watch physical tales of passion and desire unfold prior to the vision, get a chance to try your hand at pole dancing – if you haven’t currently – and see different times of newlyweds’ existence through entertaining artworks.

You’ll find six-themed galleries, each with an unusual appeal for you really to discover – and confidence you, homosexual, direct, or unicorn …You won’t ever have observed something along these lines before!

Lotte Community

No day at Seoul could well be comprehensive without a call to Korea’s top theme playground, Lotte business! Lotte business passes tend to be interestingly reduced exclusively for foreign website visitors, therefore do not miss out the chance to visit this fun two-part motif park with outside thrill tours and a ‘Magic isle’ castle location.

While in the colder months, just take a jacket or spend playtime with the adrenaline-charged indoor tourist attractions inside the ‘Adventure’ area, plus attend the many parades and programs. When you need to carry out more, there clearly was a Lotte business + Aquarium combination solution to also contains a trip to everyone’s largest sea environment tank during the Lotte industry Aquarium, featuring over 650 marine varieties across 13 specific areas.

Jongmyo

A UNESCO industry Heritage web site and shrine to Joseon dynasty leaders & queens. Ritual ceremonies however take place at the Confucian shrine focused on Joseon dynasty royals. Today Jongmyo is the ideal escape from the urban busyness and an intriguing considering Old Seoul.

Café Onion

Serving post-industrial decay realness, this Uber-hip style cafe in Seongdong-gu is basically how exactly we would envision Chornobyl to be if Brooklyn hipsters moved in. Serving funky baked productions and specialty coffee blends, this area is worth the trek over to discover – if only to appreciate your monochromatic Instagram aspirations.

They also are in possession of a very conveniently known as Café Onion Anguk in Jongno-gu, except in a converted traditional building/temple, and that’s just as impressive.

Seoul’s Palaces, Temples & Industries

Invest each day sightseeing and ticking off Seoul’s most popular websites. The chairman’s pad, Blue residence (or Cheongwadae), the altering of guards on amazing Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeok Palace and stopping by the National Folk Museum for more information on Korea’s rich history from the dynasties as much as the present-day.

Additionally not to be skipped will be the calming Jogyesa Buddhist Temple and bargain-hunting at the well-known Namdaemun industries.

Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS

)

Discover South Korea outside Seoul by taking a trip on over 80 channels and over 600 stations using the Korea Rail Pass. Take endless rides on most Korail trains for 3 or 5 straight days or any versatile 2 and 4 times using this rebate that will be limited for foreign nationals.

Meerkat & buddies

An oh-so-Seoul ‘cafe’ which serves no as well as just bottled drinks buts allows you to get right up near and private with semi-tame meerkats, raccoons, wallabies, kitties, foxes and much more. With places in Hongdae and Myeongdong, it really is touristy and weird, and that’s why the audience is obsessed!

Discover Seoul Pass

Get effortless access to a mixture of 35 top Seoul tourist attractions making use of the find Seoul Pass. Select from 24/48/72 hrs pass to help you take pleasure in discounts and freely personalize your own Seoul excursion with this specific versatile entrance violation and transport card from the Seoul Tourism Organization, entirely accessible to international tourists.

ZenKimchi Korean Food Tours

If you are like all of us and planning your visit to Korea for cuisine by yourself, then you will need to prevent the touristy areas/ poor eating encounters and choose for an entirely immersive experience to really make the most of Seoul’s meals scene.

Luckily, Joe, who has been running
Korea’s longest-running food web log, ZenKimchi,
for over fifteen years, has created a distinctively crafted tour to simply help tourists experience actual Korean eating. Getting obvious, by this, we indicate he becomes no kickbacks through the restaurants and goes because he or she is truly fanatical towards food they offer, unlike less scrupulous workers…

We plumped for their Korean BBQ concert tour together with a memorable night finding Korean eating decorum, savoring the number one charcoal grilled pork your life, appreciating satisfying conversations with different individuals from internationally – and receiving slightly tipsy over a Korean liquor example in a secret pub!

It is also excellent for some pre-drinking before going out to Homo Hill, or for unicamente tourists exactly who might usually struggle to discover Korean BBQ similar to this.

There is many tours offered, but are all operated by passionate experts who get best interests in your mind. Thus, should you want to get-out here and determine Seoul as an area – whilst having a ridiculous quantity of enjoyable, ZenKimchi Korean Food Tours has actually some thing for your family.

Gay Annual Events In Seoul

Korea Queer Movie Festival (KQFF)

A yearly occasion in July devoted exclusively to testing homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer movies. KQFF is used yearly since 2001 together with the reported purpose of promoting range in Korean tradition while improving LGBT individual rights and acceptance.

Probably the most crucial Asian community forums of international LGBT film/video, assuming your own times correspond if an effective way to experience a sophisticated degree of gay life in Seoul.

I WILL BE Seoul

Korea’s largest routine celebration brand, IM established in 2015 and also rapidly come to be probably one of the most common circuit occasions across Asia. Today, IM consistently entice countless gay people from across Asia and the globe to Gay Seoul.

I’M carries 3 days of club functions, share events and after-parties filled up with music and the hottest men. Expect an unforgettable experience with a killer DJ line-up from all over the whole world and awesome go-go males on-stage. Generally held in August, I AM is entirely worth preparing a-trip about.

Korea Queer Festival Party | Pride Parade

Korea’s biggest LGBT event, this yearly modern-day Korean festival, whoever motif is actually LGBT rights, has numerous features, such as a pride parade, movie festival activities, art, talks and pub party occasions.

The event lasts for per week or two and usually happens in later part of the May to very early June. The procession that has been banned in 2015 lured intercontinental focus on the event, with most of it becoming important regarding the progress made with regards to LGBT rights in South Korea.

Again taking place, there’s today some help from smaller Korean political events and a-listers, but significant parties additionally the federal government most importantly take a simple posture. Unlike lots of
additional Pride festivals around the world
, the Seoul Pride Prade actively restricts the ability of attendees to get images or movies and requires photo-takers to blur players’ confronts before publishing images online.

This is accomplished to cut back the possibility of unintentional excursions of participants who nonetheless face considerable discrimination in Korean culture. As the organizers have huge intentions to grow the event into most significant in Asia, Seoul’s Queer community Festival reveals in lots of ways, Southern Korea is in the Stone Age.

120,000 LGBT individuals honestly took part in 2018 – the greatest ever – but 200,000 signatures happened to be additionally obtained to quit the Parade, and tens of thousands of anti-LGBT protestors proved.

Nonetheless, it really is amazing to see NGOs and brand names getting agreeable just like the occasion grows. In a nation where modesty around outsiders is paramount and intimate preference is not one thing to be flaunted, we are able to just expect increased visibility someday assists new years of South Koreans feel at ease adequate to end up being whom they truly are.

Gay-Friendly and Gay Hotels in Seoul

Although Korea and Seoul could be much less politically modern and gay-friendly than, state,
Bangkok
,
Tokyo
or
Taipei
, it’s still secure to presume queer people are going to have no dilemmas examining basically any hotel in Seoul. Sadly, but there aren’t any exclusively homosexual motels in Seoul to evaluate into.

Seoul is a major international mega-city with a shortage of area, so place dimensions are smaller compared to all over the place more on the planet – but as plenty of gay guys understand, it isn’t really about dimensions, but how you use it! We have been writing on design, functionality and opinions, darling!

That being said, every person loves to end up being enclosed by people who have typical passions, and thus, there are a few popular gay-friendly resorts in Seoul being hot areas for gay travelers to remain – either due to their area or their own layout and inclusive vibes.

Hotels near Homo Hill, the foreigner-friendly queer enclave in Itaewon, are incredibly favored by homosexual people – especially travelers just who merely communicate English but Jongno within the Nagwon-dong community, is actually the gayest area of Seoul, though much more popular with locals than website visitors.

You might also think about remaining in the tourist-popular Myeongdong / Seoul Central, typically said to be the center of Seoul or perhaps in the world-famous Gangnam section, a.k.a the ‘Beverly Hills of Seoul.’

Listed here places in Gay Seoul have the ability to had a glowing advice from homosexual tourists prior to now, but of course,
you can find numerous various other hotels in Seoul
if these are generally nearly what you are actually looking for.

Whether you need an enjoyable and personal hostel, a cheap spot to crash after every night of partying or an ultra-chic fashion designer choice to sip cocktails and surround yourself with fantastic folks  – Gay Seoul has anything for everyone!

Gay-friendly Hotels in Itaewon

Hamilton Hotel â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†

A landmark in Seoul’s Itaewon, this relaxed hotel in a modest redbrick building is one minute’s walk from subway place with unfussy spaces, free Wi-Fi and helpful personnel.

You rarely must leave with eight various food options, including a shiny Italian restaurant, 2 LGBT-friendly nightclubs, an outdoor roof swimming pool – popular with peacocking muscle gays-, a 24-hour spa, a gym, and even a tiny shopping center.

Lately renovated from top-to-bottom nevertheless simply a quick hit from Homo Hill, HOMPA by Le Queen and Club HIM.

IP Boutique Resort â˜†â˜†â˜†â˜†

Based in Seoul’s cosmopolitan purchasing and activity district, Itaewon, internet protocol address Boutique Hotel, gift suggestions another life style experience for gay visitors. Featuring excellent style and spectacular ambiance, the resort offers 133 guestrooms, a café bistro, and unlimited use of their unique fully equipped physical fitness space.

Outstanding value, IP Boutique resort is only a short walk for the definitely homme cherche homme gay bar and Club HIM by Pulse, contributing to its homosexual appeal.

Resort ITW â˜†â˜†â˜†

(briefly or once and for all shut. Once you learn something, kindly suggest an edit.)

A clean, modern-day, attractive resort in Itaewon with prices of the same quality or a lot better than other spots in Seoul. We adored it absolutely was within convenient taking walks length of the gay restaurants, pubs, and stores that produce Itaewon such a pulsating and attractive element of Seoul. Hotel ITAW is actually, but up a steep mountain and found on a narrow one-way street that will be frustrating after a night of consuming.

Sp@Itaewon Guesthouse â˜†â˜†â˜†

(Temporarily or once and for all closed. If you know anything, kindly advise an edit.)

The most perfect hangout for any personal tourist with personal areas, inexpensive dorms, and standard BBQ