Today, I woke up feeling so much better than I did yesterday. After checking in with Dr. Yun and Chris, I decided I was definitely well enough to join the group for today’s adventures—and I’m so glad I did!

First on the schedule was the Bukchon Hanok Village. I was really looking forward to this because it was something I had actually researched for one of our pre-departure presentations. Getting to see the hanoks in person was such a cool experience. I loved how uniform the houses looked, but at the same time, each one had its own little details. One thing I found especially interesting is that this land was originally chosen for its strong feng shui, and the houses were built for wealthy government officials during the Joseon Dynasty.

After walking around the village, we headed over to a nearby Buddhist temple, just about 10 minutes away. The temple grounds were beautiful, and there was actually a service going on while we were there, which made the experience even more special. I loved hearing the chanting and seeing people actively practicing their faith. That being said, I was totally thrown off when I saw a random booth outside giving away free dog shampoo? It felt so out of place—but I’m not complaining. I grabbed a bottle to bring back for my dog, Louie! One of my favorite parts of the temple was the bright, colorful papers strung up everywhere—they brought so much life and energy to the space.

Next, we made our way to Namdaemun Market. We had been warned that it could be a bit pricey since it’s a big tourist spot, and that definitely turned out to be true for some stalls. Still, it was really fun to walk around, people-watch, and see all the different shops. We had some free time before lunch, which we spent browsing.

For lunch, we got to enjoy a vegetarian meal—yay! There were a few different options: kimchi bibimbap, spicy noodles, regular noodles, and soup. I went for the regular noodles, and I’m so glad I did. They were hand-pulled and absolutely delicious—probably one of my favorite meals of the trip so far.

After lunch, we took a 15-minute walk to the Cheonggyecheon Stream. We had passed a different part of the stream a few days ago but didn’t stop for long, so I was really happy we got the chance to spend more time there today. It was so peaceful sitting by the water, especially with all the greenery around. I learned that the stream flows through downtown Seoul and eventually connects to the Han River.

Once we were dismissed for free time, three of my friends and I went on a little dessert hunt while making our way back toward Namdaemun Market. At first, we weren’t having much luck, but eventually we stumbled upon a really yummy dessert shop. I shared bites off everyone’s plates (as one does) and got to try strawberry tiramisu, chocolate strawberry cake, and bingsu, a traditional Korean shaved ice dessert. All of it was amazing. After that, we were feeling full and a little tired, so we headed back to the hotel to chill for a bit.

Now we have the rest of the evening free. My friends and I are planning to grab sushi for dinner and then explore Gangnam a bit—can’t wait!

Overall, it was such a good day, and I’m really grateful I felt well enough to be part of it. Tomorrow we have a super late start (blessing), so my friends and I are planning to grab breakfast together in the morning. Later in the day, we’ll be visiting Namsan Tower and taking part in a group cooking class. I’m really looking forward to it!