24 hours in Seoul for less than HK$500 (KR₩100,000)

Designer boutiques, rooftop bars and K-pop concerts. Seoul has a way of making people feel like they need to spend to keep up. But look past all of that, and there’s a city that gives generously to those willing to venture a little deeper into it, with eminent palaces, traditional markets and modern buildings that will stop you in your tracks. As part of our city-hacking series, we’ll show you how to spend a red-letter day in the South Korean capital – without ending up in the red. 

Morning

Hanbok rental in Anguk-dong 

The streets around Anguk Station are lined with elegant hanbok rental shops. Characterised by bright colours,  geometric silhouettes and intricate patterns, this traditional Korean attire from the Joseon royal court has been worn for centuries for ceremonies, celebrations and daily life. The better shops include accessories in the base price: a silk purse, a decorative hairpiece, sometimes embroidered shoes – but bear in mind that you’ll move a lot more slowly in these.

The whole process of being dressed and sent out to a nearby palace takes about 30 minutes. The moment you step onto the street in a hanbok, your day will truly begin.

HK$129 (KR₩25,000)

Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden

Changdeokgung is Seoul’s Unesco World Heritage palace. Designed to follow the natural contours of the mountains behind it rather than impose formal geometry upon the land, the palace stands out from the other four in the city. Walk through Donhwamun Gate – the oldest surviving palace gate in Seoul, standing since 1412 – and the city streets will fade away. See the throne hall, step lightly on stone pathways, then make your way through the Secret Garden: a hidden valley behind the palace that was once the private retreat of the Joseon royal family. If you’re wearing a hanbok, you can take advantage of free palace admission (normally KR₩3,000), meaning you’ll only need to pay the Secret Garden admission fee of KR₩5,000.

HK$26 (KR₩5,000) 

Midday

Gwangjang Market 

Gwangjang Market opened in 1905 as South Korea’s first permanent covered market. More than 120 years later, it remains one of the liveliest places in Seoul. Through its centre runs a food lane lined with noisy vendors vying for attention, their counters overflowing with local favourites. The sight and smell of bindaetteok (thick golden mung bean pancakes), tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), dumplings stuffed with kimchi and pork, and kalguksu (hand-cut wheat noodles in an anchovy broth) will make your stomach rumble – but bide your time. The real delight is the smaller alley lined with yukhoe bibimbap: Korean steak tartare, seasoned with sesame oil and pear. This is the dish that you should splurge on.

Bibimbap HK$57 (KR₩11,000)

Walk the Cheonggyecheon Stream to Dongdaemun 

Gwangjang Market lies immediately north of the iconic Cheonggyecheon Stream, a feat of urban reinvention. In 2005, the city demolished a decaying elevated highway that had run for decades and restored the waterway below, creating a 10km greenway that simultaneously beautified the downtown area while decreasing pollution. Step down from street level and the city noise immediately dissipates, allowing the sound of running water and birdsong to come to the fore. The walk from Gwangjang Market to Dongdaemun takes just 15 minutes, offering a quiet reset between sightseeing stops.

Free 

Afternoon

Cha Cha Tea Club

Slip down an old Dongdaemun alley to find this charming hanok-turned teahouse. At Cha Cha , you can take a moment for yourself, learn from the staff how to pour tea, then meditate on your history and culture-filled morning as you head into the afternoon.

Roughly HK$46 (KR₩9,000)

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

Designed by late architect Zaha Hadid, this building is a marvel; there are no straight lines, no corners, no obvious beginning or end. Join the one-hour architecture tour that runs daily at 2.30pm and an English-speaking guide will walk you through the interior and exterior, explaining the parametric design process that made construction possible. At just KR₩10,000, it’s one of the best-value experiences in the city.

Afterwards, explore what else is in the DDP, including K-beauty emporium BtheB and a design shop showcasing some truly interesting Korean souvenirs. The DDP hosts rotating exhibitions – some free, some ticketed. See what’s running before you go. 

HK$52 (KR₩10,000)

Seongsu-dong

Seongsu spent the better part of the 20th century as a manufacturing district, home to shoe factories and print shops. Today, it’s where you’ll find flagship stores and pop-ups from trending brands. 

Start at Amore Seongsu , a three-story beauty showroom run by AmorePacific, South Korea’s largest cosmetics company. From there, head south to the more bustling streets where brands like Tamburins, TIRTIR, fwee, Amuse and Whipped have moved in with immersive flagship stores. 

Pop-ups usually rotate on a two-to-four-week basis, ensuring each visit brings fresh novelty – simply look for queues, signs and staff pointing you in. Entry is typically free and many pop-ups offer small complimentary gifts and photo experiences.

Free 

Hanjungsun

Before you leave Seongsu, stop by Hanjungsun for a to-go order of Seoul’s most delicious chapssaltteok, a sticky rice cake stuffed with fruit. Choose from strawberry, tangerine, pineapple, or golden kiwi. If you can control yourself, save it for later – it’ll make for a delectable dessert at your riverside picnic.

HK$20-25 KR₩4,000-4,500

Chimaek at Banpo Han River 

Here is your K-drama moment. Grab some cold drinks from a convenience store, claim a patch of riverbank as the sun sets and the city lights begin to twinkle, and open your Baemin app to find the nearest fried chicken eatery. Within 30 minutes, a driver on a scooter will arrive, call your number, and hand you a box of something hot, crispy, and satisfying. This is chimaek, the unofficial evening ritual near the Han River. The term is a portmanteau of chicken and maekju (beer).  

Then, right on schedule, the Banpo Bridge comes alive with the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain – the world’s longest bridge fountain – with 380 jets shooting water out into the river. Dinner with a show: the perfect ending to a memorable day in downtown Seoul. 

Chimaek (chicken + two beers) HK$155 (KR₩30,000) 

Total cost: HK$490 (KR₩96,200)