Monday May 12th, 2025

Today was such a fun and packed day in Seoul! We started off the morning by visiting an old fortress, where we got to try archery (way harder than it looks!) and walk around the historic grounds. It was peaceful and scenic—definitely a great way to kick off the day. As a prize for winning yesterday’s challenge, our group got to have lunch with Dr. Yun. We went to this tiny, hole-in-the-wall spot that served traditional Korean food, and it was so good. It felt super local and authentic—definitely not somewhere we would’ve found on our own.

In the afternoon, we headed to the Samsung Innovation Museum for a tour. It was really interesting to see how far technology has come and how big of a role Samsung has played, not just in Korea but globally. After that, we hopped on a bus to Myeongdong Market. We had about an hour of free time to wander, shop, and try different street foods. The area was super lively—bright signs, tons of people, and all kinds of cool stuff to explore.

For dinner, we met up with three Pitt alumni and had a traditional Korean meal with 18 different side dishes. The beef short ribs and chewy rice cakes were my favorites, along with all the different kinds of kimchi and fermented veggies.To wrap up the night, we had another team challenge. Dr. Yun sent us photos of a mystery location, and we had to race to find it. My team tied for first again, and Chris treated us to dessert as our reward.

All in all, today was packed with culture, great food, and a lot of laughs—definitely one to remember!