Solo Trip to Korea on a Budget

Hey fellow readers! I'm back again, and this time it's Korea! I've been planning for this trip since February. I bought the flight tickets to Incheon Airport roundabout for $395 sgd. It's very cheap because I transited through Bangkok, Thai airways, with 30 kg check in and also food included for the flight. I have to live up to my name to be even more budget than budget barbie haha. Anyway, if you want to search for flights, you can always go to skyscanner or cheapflights websites to check which airlines does transit, because transit is always cheaper. But don't buy from their website but by the direct airlines like jet air, tiger air, or thai airways etc because third party travel websites always promise the cheapest prices, but they charge a lot of agent fees, and then by the time it's normally charged, its in eur, usd and aus currency, which is a very big difference to sgd, like a few hundred bucks, which defeats the purpose of being budget yet paying a lot, so might as well take SIA in that case.

So, a very big thank you to Happi.fi for sponsoring me this portable wifi egg, this portable wifi egg pack mainly has a universal travel adapter, a portable charger and the wifi router itself, which is very convenient. Because of this wifi egg, i can do my research on Korea maps, places of interest, plastic surgery and update my Instagram and social media on the go, especially for lazy people like me who really hate to do research beforehand. You can quote my name "PMYUKI" for promo code. Click here to order from Happi.fi website (and also on instagram @happi.fi)

Because at that time i was still a student, and very budget-constrained, i bought the transit airline and i excluded the insurance as well to save money, because i didn't had a job at that time and modelling jobs were very minimal. And guess what, saving money is good but excluding insurance almost spoilt my entire travel plans. When i was transiting between flights, i had to worry whether i would miss the flight to Korea because my flight to Bangkok reached late. This affected me to board my plane to Korea, but luckily i made it in time. And when i arrived in Korea, my luggage was lost in between the transit and i was like, Seriously, ME of all people? But luckily, they asked me to check another conveyor belt before reporting for losses and i found my luggage. So, it seems that your luggage will really be lost, and in fact there are so many people who have lost their luggages at the lost-and-found area, and that will be really a mood killer for the whole trip. So, i swear that buying travel insurance is very important, especially when i'm so accident-prone. (Check out my previous solo trip to Bangkok-Huahin and you'll know what i mean).

Anyway, talking about insurance, i'll be joining the insurance sector soon, so just to do a convenient promoting of myself on my blog as well HAHAHA, if you want to buy any travel or car insurance, or savings plan, do ring me up some way or another, i'm sure you will know how to contact me through my blog and social media.

So after i reached Incheon airport, my first stop would be Myeongdong, probably the town area and one of the main attraction spots in Seoul. But i just booked based on the convenience of the hostel is to the subway, and i wouldn't really recommend it here since i don't feel that their service and place is very good. There are actually hostels that costs around $16 per night all around Seoul as well.

By bus 6015, Incheon to Myeongdong cost around 14,000won ($17.5 sgd)

You'll see it straightaway when you come out of the immigrations. There's a machine there, which is probably better then buying at the counters cos they'll probably charge higher prices. The machine is available in english and chinese too.

However, i decided to explore the airport since i had really alot of time before check-in. I took the AREX, cheapest way to get around, it's just like the MRT, and it stops at every station. But because i only brought $1.5k sgd i cannot anyhow spend just in case i need money in an emergency. So my train ticket 4000 won only ($5 sgd)

I also bought this for 7000 won, it's like a line bear couple. But there are other mrt tourist cards for just one at 3000won.

The day before the surgery, i went to Gyeongbokgung Palace. 

Gyeongbokgung Palace Station (Seoul Subway Line 3, Exit 5)

The entrance ticket cost around 3000won, which is pretty affordable. Since there are also lots of musuems nearby as well as the Hanbok Village where you can visit for free.

Took a lot of photos hahah.

And then they had this exhibit near the musuem and Hanbok Village, it was like old school Korea in the 80s.

Ssamzigil, near the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

They have a whole building of handicraft stuff, but pretty expensive.

This cactus is pretty sweet, but its 5000won.

Then they have the lover's cafe too.

And that's about it all for entertainment because i just had surgery, I can't go to places like the famous sauna, the legendary Tosokchon ginseng chicken soup, Everland, Lotte world, nightlife scene and stuff. Probably the next time i come i will bring a boyfriend (i hope) to Nami Island, Petite France, and Busan instead of just Seoul, Seoul is rather boring to be honest.

Eating and Shopping in Korea can be pretty expensive too as the standard of living is quite high. Actually i didn't want to make a blog post of eating and shopping in Korea, as you can already find numerous blog posts about that in Google (but i found that most posts are not really budget at all). And as you know, the places for shopping and tourist streets are always the same for every travel blogs. And i see no point to blogging the same thing as everyone else, if i cannot help you guys save money. 

Being a student, or just graduated, still poor. Korea is considered quite a crazy trip for me since i need to be budget, in fact Korea's cost of living can be slightly higher a little compared to Europe, especially in terms of food. The clothes and shoes in Korea cost around 10,000 won ($12.50 sgd) which i don't think its suitable for me since i can easily get nice cheap clothings for $4-6 sgd. But eating, also costs around 10,000 won ($12.50 sgd) every meal, is always a necessity to survive. So, i hope that my blog post will help graduating students or newly-weds who are just as budget as me who want to explore Korea, but don't want to break the bank.

Eating in Korea

Besides Foursquare, i also use Swarm app to find eating and touristy attractions because all the reviews are there.

1. GS 25 ($2-6 sgd)

Also known as the 7-11 or convenience stalls. So far, i haven't spotted any supermarkets around. But GS 25 have heated food like instant noodles and rice, udon, as well as crispy cooked chicken. Prices range from 1000-5000 won 

They have pre-heated food like these, and pasta for 3500won ($4.30 sgd). And also udon in instant boxes around 2000won ($2.50 sgd).

2. Zhen Da Gong Fu ($6 sgd)

Spotted this chinese china restaurant at Hongik University Station, i didn't really take a picture of the entrance though, but as you head to Hongik University Shopping Street, it's quite obvious as its the only china restaurant there.

They sell Xiaolongbao too (but don't really recommend it, its just ok-ok). The service is not bad though, the fried rice is nice. And there are other Sichuan style dishes, and zichar style.

3. Korean BBQ Buffet (8000won )
Click here

So when you come to Korea, korean bbq, meat skewers, soy sauce chicken that's a lot of the best things that you cannot miss.



This is a video of some koreans looking for food under 5000 won quite interesting. Food here costs around 8000-10000 won on average which is $8-12.50 sgd. And the income gap between the rich and the poor is quite huge in Seoul too, so, i heard koreans here have minimum wage of $8 sgd, although higher than Singapore, but still the cost of living here is very high.

So click here for another cheap guide for food, so sorry there's no pictures and i didn't go there by myself cos i'm really lazy to explore already.

 Shopping in Korea

Besides all the famous shopping streets like Myeongdong, Gangnam Underground Station, Dongdaemun, Lotte, you can occasionally find some cheap loots at 5000 won ($6) if you're lucky near Hongik University or Ewha Women's University Shopping Street which are meant for students.

1. Daiso (Jonggak Station)
84 Jongno 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea (from Jonggak Station use Exit 10)
Open 10am-10pm

Being the largest Daiso in Korea which consists of 5 storeys from houseware, cleaning supplies, gift wrap, stationary, snacks, beauty products to electronics.

Daiso mainly have franchises all around the world, in Japan, in Korea, Singapore. But the things you find in Daiso Korea would be different too.

I saw this game set which is quite popular for 2000won. ($2.50 sgd)

And also mini plants. 1000 won. ($1.25 sgd)

And this, sea monkeys! I played with it for awhile then i got really bored and just left it to die cos it looks like mini mosquitoes and its quite gross. But its actually like shrimps those thousand years back, very interesting if you go google up sea monkeys, this has been a hot toy since the 80s.

There's also glow in the dark aquarium items and also this, which i think is one of the more worthy items. 3000 won ($3.75) for the scuba glasses and 2000 and 5000 for the other two. They also sell stuff toys of very good quality for 5000 won ($6 sgd). But their stocks clear really fast, i went back 2 days later and the items almost changed totally, all the good stuff are cleared very quickly.

So that's it for solo-travelling in Seoul, i hope i can help you guys who are travelling on budget or plastic surgery save some money!