Sites to Visit in Seoul, South Korea

I visited South Korea a few years ago. Since it is a fast-paced country, I am sure there are more exciting places than the ones I list down here. I shall add more in my next post.

Enjoy your trip!

City: Seoul

        Gyeongbokgung Palace    

It is huge attraction in the buzz of the city. There is a distinct separation between the past and present. At times, you might get a glimpse of the tall city buildings at the background. 

You might be lost in the palace so remember to take a picture of the palace map before exploring further.  

There is a small admission fee which excludes the optional experience to dress up in a hanbok. Plus, free guided tours at various time slots in English, Japanese and Chinese languages. ^_^ Psst... Take note of the timing for their "changing of guards" ceremony!

Learn more about its history here.   

        Namsan Seoul Tower    

Spectacular at night when the lights of the tower are switched on and the city lights shine amidst the blackness. It is a romantic place to be with your significant other. Bring a lock with you (or you could buy it there), write your names and lock it onto the same familiar fence that you see in Korean dramas.

Compared to other towers I visited (e.g. Eiffel Tower and Petronas Tower), Namsan Seoul Tower is not as impressive. They did however compensate their smaller observation deck with other activities. Other than the glimmering lights, there are also shops, restaurants and exhibitions. Visit their official site here. 

        Demilitarized Zone, DMZ  &  Panmunjeom    

You will need to to book a tour beforehand for your trip if you would like to go to Panmunjeom (Joint Security Area). I went along with Seoul City Tour. The whole tour was smooth. Pickup will be at a hotel. It includes the 3rd Inflitration Tunnel, Freedom Bridge and lunch! 

At Panmunjeom, there were 2 U.S. soldiers who accompanied my tour bus for security. Please be on good conduct and listen to their instructions. During my tour, there were some tourists who were stubborn and rowdy. This caused the more tension in an already tense environment. -.-"

Habit Challenge

I read that a habit is formed in 30 days. That seemed simple! I tired it a couple of times throughout my studies. Personally, I lack the discipline to make it stick as a habit. Nevertheless, there were successful moments.

In the past, instead of 30 days, I would add in a routine every semester. For instance, I would read through my lecture slides before the start of my lectures to have a better idea of the upcoming lecture. It helped because I was able to take notes only on the information that were not in the slides. It saved time. Plus, I was able to concentrate on the ideas rather than the details.

In the next semester, I added an additional step. To completely understand my notes before I attempted my tutorial questions. I would sit through a round of the recorded lecture to ensure I ironed out all confusion. In most cases, if there were still ambiguity, the internet and the recommended textbooks are the best source of answers.

You get the gist. That was during my studies. Alhamdulillah (Glory and Praise be upon Allah), I graduated.



The idea of this 'habit challenge' is taking small consistent baby steps. Everyone of us know ourselves better - our limits to change, our discipline threshold, our goals we wished to achieve, etc. This means I have to set my 'challenge' for myself!

Unconsciously, I was following these steps:

1. Set a goal (its progress has to be traceable). 
2. State the steps (your action) to achieve the goal. 
3. Set a reward upon the completion of each action. 

For example,

Goal:           Increase my grades in the new semester

Action:        Make a condensed notes for each chapter before the final exam

Reward:      An episode of a Korean drama

Discipline matters in implementing the reward system. Never stray from it. Reward yourself only after the action is done. It gets easier as time passed and a HABIT is BORN! ^_^ Congratulations.