Unique Experiences and Tours in Seoul You Can’t Miss

Seoul has temples, palaces, neon lights, skincare, and street food. You can spend 7 days there and still feel like you’ve missed something. But if you have limited time? The right tours and guided experiences can help you see more and faster.

As a frequent returner to Seoul, I’ve done my fair share of perusing tour platforms to try and see what unique experiences are available. To help you fight time constraints while having the kind of experiences few people get, I’m listing the 13 rarest tours in Seoul for you to choose from.

Mind you, most of these will not pop up on the first page when you search for day tours. None of that typical, easy-to-find stuff on here.

Ready to skip the tourist traps and see Seoul in the way most foreigners miss? Let’s do it! 🫶🏻

Curating the Best Tours in Seoul

After browsing ALL the options available in Seoul, I ended up with the top 13 that I’m about to share below. Some of them I’ve taken, and the rest are high on my list for when I go back!

Apart from the DMZ tour, which you just shouldn’t skip, none of these would show up on the first-page search result. They’re all unique, and they’re either highly rated or they deliver to a specific niche.

ARMYs, I have gems for you towards the end of the list, from a 2nd-gen fan to a 3rd-gen one.

Top 13 Best Unique Experiences in Seoul

Below are some tours that I joined and loved, and some others that I found while aimlessly browsing for future trips. For the ones still on my bucket list, they’re highly rated with raving reviews, and are not common tours everyone else is doing.

1. Seoul Private Tour with a Local

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “We saw many hidden treasure of Seoul and learnt so much about both traditional and modern history. 100% recommend this experience.”

• Price: Starts $120.05 per person for solo travelers (half this price for a duo or a group)
• Duration: Options range from 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, to 8 hours
• Language(s): English, Korean
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

I wouldn’t judge you if this is the first post on my blog you’re reading, and you don’t have enough energy to go through all the guides I’ve written to plan your trip. This customizable private tour is your solution.

After a couple of questions about your interests, they’ll create an itinerary and match you with a local guide who’s passionate about the same things. Here’s the fun part: On the day of the tour, you and your guide can change it all up, depending on how you feel.

It does sound more like a day out with a local friend than an official tour. In fact, this tour was how I learned about Seonjeongneung, the UNESCO royal tombs hidden in the middle of Gangnam. My guide thought my nerdy soul would enjoy it, so she changed course, and I did!

2. Take a Trip to the DMZ with a Historian Guide

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “…We could see some North Koreans working on the fields.”

• Price: $35 per person
• Duration: 7-9 Hours
• Language(s): English, Korean
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Can you imagine yourself looking at a North Korean flag flying in North Korea in this lifetime? What about standing 170 meters (550 ft) away from the North Korean border?

You CAN, though! Safely! I also did. And this is why no one should ever skip a tour of the Demilitarized Zone when they’re in Seoul. The DMZ, sometimes called the 38th Parallel, has become the ceasefire zone to the war that has lasted the longest in history (71 years as of 2024).

You’ll get to learn more about the Korean War, the locals’ sentiments on dividing the country, and history tidbits from the guide. Are you also a fan of Crash Landing on You? Well, that’s just another huge reason to go, isn’t it?

This tour stops at exactly the same spots as the one I took (CLOY fan here 🥰), but with much better reviews. Book your spot before it sells out!

3. Take a Narrated Night Hike of the Seoul City Wall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “We got to know about the education system, work culture, a bit of Joseon and new history, all within a two-hour walk. We also got a glimpse of a drama being filmed nearby.”

• Price: $33 per person
• Duration: 2 hours
• Language(s): English
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Do you want the real insider’s secrets? This tour of hidden gems would be perfect for you! What’s better… It’s done at night, the time of day when Seoul is at its sparkliest.

On this tour, you’ll visit places unheard of by most tourists, like the Ihwa Mural Village and Maronnier Park. Guided by a local with a major in history, you’re guaranteed the best snippets of the Seoul City Wall as you hike up it. Plus, you’ll get one of the most stunning night views of Seoul from up top.

My fellow history nerds and hidden gem lovers, I can’t recommend this one enough.

4. Join a Korean Cooking Class in a Local Home

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This is a great LOCAL experience! What a great way to immerse yourself in Korean culture.”

• Price: $91 per person
• Duration: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
• Language(s): English, Korean
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Aren’t you tired of those touristy cooking classes held in some sort of school setting? I thought so. Me, too.

I think you’d really enjoy this cooking class in a local Korean home! The experience includes shopping for ingredients in a market popular among locals and almost unknown to tourists.

There, you can also try fruits and local delicacies at no extra charge. Back at home, you’ll learn how to cook traditional dishes like Dakgalbi, Bibimbap, or Haemul Pajeon and then eat all of them!

5. Learn How the Locals Eat on a Guided Food Tour

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Him teaching us different typical drinking game made the night very entertaining for the whole group. Would recommend to anyone.”

• Price: $73 per person
• Duration: 2 Hours
• Language(s): English
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

If you’d like to try all the staple dishes in one night, this is the perfect tour. From the classic Ddeokbokki to Mung Bean Pancakes with Makgeolli, you’ll get to eat a bit of everything. This way, you’ll know for the rest of your trip what you like and what you don’t!

The best part about this tour is that you won’t only learn about the food, but also the culture that comes with it. From how to mix SoMaek (Soju and beer) to Korean drinking games, you’ll go home tonight feeling a bit closer to the local culture.

I’ve made several friends on this tour because of how well and cozily it’s run. I wouldn’t skip it, foodie.

6. Taste Some Soju at a Distillery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Sam did a wonderful job providing the history of soju and the family’s 400+ year tradition of making it. We enjoyed every taste and the funny moments that came along with it.”

• Price: $48 per person
• Duration: 80 Minutes
• Language(s): English
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Hey, fellow drinkers! If you’re the type to do Mezcal tastings in Mexico, you’ll appreciate this Soju tasting tour!

Just like the spirits from other regions of the world, Soju has a long history and a delicate making process. You’ll get to learn about how to make rice-based alcoholic drinks, the staples of Korean drinking culture.

But because most of the 7 tastings will be spirits, I don’t recommend the tour if you can’t handle alcohol well. If that’s not the case, then what are you waiting for?! 😂

7. Admire the Beauty of Pocheon (And Pick Fruits!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I absolutely loved that day. It was super relaxing, we had enough time everywhere. No rush. The garden and the art valley are fabulous.”

• Price: Starts at $75 per person
• Duration: 9-11 Hours
• Language(s): English, Korean, Chinese
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

I can never properly express how underrated the Korean countryside is. This tour does it justice, with a visit to Pocheon Art Valley, a cool granite-quarry-turned-culture-park, and some strawberry-picking.

And the coolest part of all, the gorgeous lake inside the art valley has appeared in many K-Dramas like Melting Me Softly (2019), Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), and many more.

Despite its appearance in many TV shows, Pocheon is still quite underrated, so getting there on your own can be a bit difficult due to the lack of information. I wrote a guide to help you get there, though. You can try studying that, or book your spot to go with a tour guide!

8. Tour a K-Drama Backlot Studio

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I was quietly fangirling the whole tour. Getting a little peek at the Kpop award stages was one of my favorite parts of the tour.”

• Price: $114.29 per person
• Duration: 6-7 Hours
• Language(s): English, Korean, Chinese
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Hey, K-Drama fan… I have news for you. It’s this tour that takes you from Seoul straight to the MBC Dream Center in Goyang City, where most interior K-Drama scenes are filmed.

And wait, it gets better. If you book the tour on a Monday or Wednesday, you get to sit in and watch scene rehearsals!!! Yes, with the actors of whichever show will be filming that day.

9. Take a Tour of the Dae Jang Geum Park

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Our guide Park today was fabulous. She’s a real live wire and an ARMY. We had a fun day and lucky enough to see a drama being filmed which was a highlight.

• Price: $170 for 2 people (solo traveler pays $170)
• Duration: 5 Hours
• Language(s): English, Japanese
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Are there any historical K-Dramas living rent-free in your heart? Don’t miss out on the chance to visit this outdoor movie set where most of them were filmed.

Constructed in 2005, Yongin Dae Jang Geum Park has now been featured in shows like Moon Embracing the Sun, Dr. Jin, The Emperor: Owner of the Mask, The King’s Affection, and The Red Sleeve.

BTS Suga’s Daechwita was filmed here too!

10. Go Where BTS Went During “In The Soop BTS” Filming

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Well planned and comfortable tour. Being able to see the in the soop house in real life will be an unforgettable experience for all ARMYs!”

• Price: $138.97 per person
• Duration: 12-13 Hours
• Language(s): English
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

ARMY, would you miss out on the chance to visit a filming location for BTS In The Soop? No, right?

On this tour, you can get picked up in Seoul and ride an air-conditioned bus straight to the house you saw in season 2 in PyeongChang. Oh, and have I mentioned? This tour, of course, includes the famous bus stop!

11. Take a K-Pop Dance Class

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This was my first official dance class! I loved it! When I’m in Korea again, I will definitely be going back!”

• Price: $45 per person
• Duration: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
• Language(s): English, Korean, Chinese, Russian
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Who says tourists can’t book a K-pop dance class in Seoul during their trip?

Step into the spotlight and join this 1.5-hour-long K-Pop dance class! Included in the price is an edited video of you dancing at the end of the class. And you can spend 90 minutes burning off calories from all the Ddeokbokki you’ve been eating. It’s a good deal, right?

12. Follow the Footsteps of BTS Around the City

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “From start to finish the day was awesome. Could not fault this tour at all!”

• Price: $72 per person
• Duration: 10-13 Hours
• Language(s): English, Korean
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Hey ARMY, how long do you think it’ll take you to get a seat inside Yoojung Sikdang? With this tour and a table that’s reserved for you, probably one minute tops.

Taking you on a path to follow in BTS’s footsteps, Yoojung Sikdang is one of the tour’s key stops among the music video filming locations around Seoul. The whole journey takes around 8 hours. Can you imagine how many places that would be?

Get it, friend. Book that spot on the tour. Post all about it on social media for your friends to see!

13. Take a Personal Color Test and Know Your Tones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “They really go into detail about why something does or does not match! Really crazy to see the differences! Really recommend doing this sometime!”

• Price: Starts at $177 per person without the fashion analysis ($330 per person for all options)
• Duration: 1 hour (100 Minutes with fashion analysis included)
• Language(s): English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese
• Cancellation Policy: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

You guys, this analysis session changed my life. For the longest time, I thought I was a dark-toned kind of person, but they proved me wrong. I had to change my whole makeup palette, but for the better, of course!

For an hour, watch first-hand how each color tone changes the most subtle details on your face. Add a fashion fit analysis to the mix if you’d like expert opinions on what kind of hats to wear, what necklines make you look slimmer, and more.

It is quite a hefty investment. But imagine paying this price once and never losing another dime to an online item that arrives and looks terrible on you. Knowledge is power!

FAQs About Tours and Experiences in Seoul

Final Thoughts

There are countless more tour options available in Seoul, of course. But the 15 above are the most highly rated (a lot of them I personally took) and are the only ones I would be comfortable sharing with my own friends and family.

I hope they fuel your wanderlust and curiosity for Seoul and its culture, both the traditional and the modern!

Looking for more ideas and travel resources for Seoul (and beyond)? Check out the rest of my South Korea guides!

Tips and Resources for Traveling to South Korea

To enter South Korea, you’ll need a visa or a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) if you’re from a visa-free country.

To check if you’re eligible to apply for K-ETA, put your passport country and destination into iVisa. If you’re eligible for a K-ETA, you can apply directly through their website.

Where to Stay in Seoul

Seoul is a very safe city, so you can’t ever go wrong with staying anywhere. However, traveling from one area to the other can take up a bit of your time, so it’s important to choose wisely!

Read up on where you should stay in Seoul and pick the neighborhood that best fits your plans. Then use the map below to find the hotel, hostel, or guest house that’s right for you.

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