When people talk about their favorite travel destinations or the places they want to travel the most, often times you hear Paris, Rome, etc. But let me tell you about a comparatively underrated country to travel to, South Korea. Nestled in East Asia, South Korea is located on a small peninsula but the personality of the country is anything but. Let me tell you 8 reasons why you should consider going to South Korea for your next vacation.

1. The Food

Korean food is a variety of flavors packed into one meal. A meal mainly consists of rice, some sort of meat, and a numerous amount of side dishes called 반찬. Every dish is guaranteed to take you on a flavor roller coaster (lame, I know, but so true)!! One of my favorites, and a vast majority of people’s, is Korean BBQ. With many marinated types of meat such as galbi, samgyupsal, and bulgogi, KBBQ has become one of the most iconic foods in the country. My friends and I go to KBBQ so much that some of the waiters know us… Embarrassing, but totally worth it. It’s already so good in America, but imagine having it in the homeland of Korea. Yum, times a thousand.

2. The Nightlife

A city that never sleeps. Seoul is just as lively at night as it is in the day. In the late hours of the night, convenience stores and still open and food delivery drivers and still busy at work. One of the most common things to order at night is 치맥 (ChiMaek), which is a combination of chicken and beer. Imagine after a long day of walking around the city or working (for natives) and being too tired to cook or even stop by a restaurant. Have no fear, ChiMaek is here! But forgetting the food, the real nightlife lies in Hongdae, a region of Seoul that is known for its hipster art, indie scene, and clubs/entertainment. Every last Friday of the month, something called “Club Day” is held where one can get into numerous amounts of clubs with only one ticket… Look no further if you’re interested in having a great time!

3. The Shopping

Korea has my hands down most favorite places to shop in the world. I live in Texas, I’ve been to Los Angeles, I’ve been to New York. I’ve been to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Canada but nothing tops Myeongdong in Seoul. Myeongdong is one of Seoul’s main shopping districts. One visit to Myeongdong is not enough to walk to all ends of all the streets and visiting stores from low to mid to high price range. The streets are lined with clothing shops, shoe stores, accessories and beauty stores (which I have a WHOLE section about). Korea has a unique style that can satisfy the grungiest of styles and the most prep styles. Each time I traveled to Seoul, I visited Myeongdong multiple times because there is always something new I find each time. But don’t worry, you’re not going to blow too much money here because every store has a bargain price (that you can attempt to haggle down more if you’re at the right place)!

4. The Beauty Products

Korean skin care is widely known across the world. I walk into Sephora and Ulta and they hold brands of Korean beauty products! As picky as it sounds, I only use Korean make-up. Their foundation, their eyeliner, and their lip tint have all treated me so well I refuse to change my loyalty. The Face Shop, Tony Moly, and Missha are a few of the brands that I cherish and that have also have locations across the U.S. However, besides makeup, Korean face masks, scrubs, just skin care, in general, have gone viral for their amazing effects. Has your skin been dry and breaking out from stress or bad weather? There’s a face mask for that. Do you have semi-dry and semi-oily skin? There’s a foundation just for you. Do you want a light coverage for your face that also has UV protection? Try the foundation air cushion. For any skin issue or need you have, Korea has the answer for you!

5. The Street Food

Okay, so I went on about the shopping and I talked about normal food, but now let me introduce you to a glorious thing called Korean street food. Street food is all the carts you see lined up against sidewalks featuring a variety of things; from desserts to main dishes to a bunch of things on a stick. My favorite street food is Fish Cake, called 어묵 or 오뎅, which is basically fish cake on a stick but okay it tastes way better than it sounds. Korean street food houses tons of different foods such as spicy rice cakes, pancakes, dumplings, and more. People say you have a separate stomach for dessert but I have a separate stomach for Korean street food. I could have eaten my fill at a restaurant 30 minutes before but it doesn’t mean I’m not trying to have some street food! A popular street food in Myeongdong is their 32-centimeter ice cream cone. Yup, 32 centimeters of ice cold goodness. You do NOT want to miss out on their one of a kind dishes.

6. The Landmarks

Korea is a country with a deep, beautiful history and they have their long existing landmarks to prove it. From temples to palaces, Korea holds pride in their history by cherishing all of their historical landmarks. Spend a day to take a tour of one of their many palaces and you will learn of their long lines of royalty and tradition. On the modern side, you can visit Namsan Tower, which is famous for the cable cars you can take to reach the top or their love lock fence at the bottom. This fence is very famous in popular culture and I also left a lock there too! Couples often come here and write their names on a lock and secure it to the fence. There are even giant padlocks or bicycle locks there too to ensure your lock won’t be messed with! Forget to bring your own lock? Don’t worry, the gift shop has plenty of locks you can choose from!

7. The Themed Cafes

One of the most unique and fun things about Korea is the themed cafes they have! A personal favorite of mine is the dog café, which is pretty point blank as to what it is. But they also have character cafes such as a Snoopy café or a Hello Kitty café! There is even a café where you can make and customize your own rings! Korea has a café for about everything and there is nothing more ideal than enjoying a good cup of coffee in many different and fun environments!

8. The Hallyu Wave

Possibly my #1 reason for going to Korea is the Hallyu Wave. The Hallyu Wave refers to the surge of K-pop, Korean dramas, and Korean movies all around the world starting from the 1990s. One of the main factors of the wave is Korean dramas. K-dramas are very different than your typical soap opera or sitcom, but it is hard to describe so you might want to check it out yourself; trust me, you won’t regret it! Streets and subways in Korea are lined with ads and posters covered in K-pop idols and Korean actors. Commercials, or CFs, often include the most popular actor or idol to attempt to boost sales! Another vital factor of the wave is K-pop. K-pop, or Korean pop, is a genre of music that houses many different styles of music and dance into one. K-pop is immensely known, in Korea and worldwide. A K-pop group, BTS, even won the Social Media Award at this year’s Billboard Music Awards! K-pop has entered Billboard charts numerous of times, showing its international powers. You are probably familiar with a very famous song, Gangnam Style by PSY, which blew up a couple years ago. The Hallyu wave constantly proves it is still strong and flowing today worldwide!