Seoul is fast becoming one of the buzziest cities in Asia thanks to the global interest in all things Korean (there’s even a term in Korean for it—Hallyu). The vibrant hum of this sleek megacity drew over 16 million visitors last year following the popularity of Korean cultural exports like K-pop, television hits like Netflix’s Squid Game, and even K-lit with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature being awarded to Korean author Han Kang.
In 2025, visitors can mix modern luxury with centuries-old traditions. Stay at properties designed after traditional Korean houses, dine on plant-based versions of Korean cuisine at the newly Michelin-starred Légume, and visit some of the city’s most anticipated new museums, like the Photography Seoul Museum of Art.
From a K-culture connoisseur who has lived in Korea for around four years and considers Seoul a second home, here are some of the notable openings, updates, and must-dos I recommend in Seoul this year.
Each of Nostalgia’s hanoks features a serene courtyard garden, and some offer hot tubs or foot baths.
Courtesy of Nostalgia Hanok Hotel
Hot hotels to check into
The Link Seoul, part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio brand, opened in October 2024 in Seoul’s southwest Sindorim district. A short walk from the popular K-pop concert venue Gocheok Sky Dome, the 141-room hotel has bold decor that mixes Scandinavian modernity with traditional Korean textile styles and public spaces perfect for K-pop fans to mix and mingle. It also features locally inspired art installations and a 13th-floor indoor pool.
Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village was once home to esteemed aristocrats of the royal court but now features one of the city’s most elegant hotels that’s styled like a hanok (Korean traditional house). Independent hotel Nostalgia consists of six individual hanoks, with a seventh opening in April 2025. The tranquil spaces blend streamlined, minimalist interiors with Korean architectural features like gently sloping tiled roofs, and antique paintings and furniture span the Joseon Dynasty era (14th–20th centuries).
A grande dame in Seoul’s hotel scene is the Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Seoul Gangnam. Formerly the Imperial Palace Seoul, which opened in 1989, the property closed in 2022, then underwent extensive rebranding and reopened in December 2024. Notable amenities include The Club Imperial Lounge, which was designed to resemble a traditional Korean hanok, and an outdoor pool flanked by a Greek-inspired temple.
Vegan restaurant Légume reflects a growing appetite in Seoul for plant-based options.
Courtesy of Légume restaurant
Restaurants to plan a trip around
It’s a momentous year for Seoul’s dining scene, with the Korean fine-dining restaurant Mingles in the sophisticated Gangnam district being named South Korea’s only three-Michelin-star restaurant in the 2025 Michelin Guide for Seoul and Busan. The award is thanks to chef and owner Kang Min-goo’s innovative take on incorporating new technologies and sensibilities into Korean contemporary cuisine through dishes such as flounder with gochujang-marinated caviar or Hanwoo beef (a rare meat from Korean small cattle) with pork blood sausage and pear kimchi.
Opened in April 2023, vegan restaurant Légume received its first Michelin star in 2025. While Korean cuisine can be meat-heavy, chef Sung Si-woo is overriding that tradition by creating tantalizing vegan fare that he says, “captures the seasonality and terroir of South Korea.” Dishes such as a seasonal cutlet made with aralia shoot, zucchini flower, white asparagus, and Korean onion stalk exemplify this hyperlocal, sustainable focus.
Bukhansan Mountain has three major peaks.
Photo by Tinawww/Shutterstock
Essential must-dos in 2025
The Seoul Museum of Art, which currently features six locations in different city districts, is set to open two new venues: The Photography Seoul Museum of Art in the Dobong district in May and the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art in the Geumcheon district later this year. The former will be the first museum in Korea dedicated solely to the art and history of Korean photography and will feature 20,000 works, while the latter will have a focus on media art, such as immersive installations.
Exploring Seoul’s food markets is a must for travelers visiting.
Photos courtesy of Yie Yori
Offering everything from kimchi to live octopus, Gwangjang Market’s “Food Alley” is the epicenter of Seoul’s gastronomic destinations. The new 2025 8 Birds Tours and Events, which aims to showcase Korea’s cultural heritage through food and drink, features a night tour of the market focused on pairing street food with traditional alcohol tasting. Another option that debuted in 2023 is chef Yie Yori’s Korean Food Adventure Vegan and Vegetarian Korean Market Tour, which introduces participants to plant-based versions of popular street food like tteokbokki (rice cakes), pajeon (scallion pancakes), and kimbap (rolls of cooked rice with vegetable and meat filling).
Seoul is also a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts, with the city’s Bukhansan National Park being one of the world’s most highly visited national parks due to its hiking trails, bouldering routes, and superb city views all within easy reach on public transportation. The Seoul Hiking Tourism Center, which has two branches and a third opening in April, aims to help visitors hit the trails by offering low-cost hiking gear rentals and programs such as the 2025 Global Hiking Mate challenge, which pairs foreign tourists with locals for group hikes.
Fly into…
Incheon Airport (ICN). With a $3.5 billion construction project completed last year, it comes as no surprise that Incheon Airport was rated number three on the Skytrax Top 100 Airports for 2024. In addition to a fourth runway, improvements include a major expansion of Terminal 2, including two outdoor gardens, a kinetic art installation, and robot assistants that can transport luggage and even deliver food to passengers at their gates.
