With a 17 hour layover and no jet lag, you've got a solid window. I'd suggest staying in Jongno rather than near Gangnam or Hannam, it's closer to Incheon and you'll save time. The Orakai Daehakro Hotel is right by Anguk Station, quiet rooms, and you can walk to a place called Tosokchon for samgyetang, a ginseng chicken soup that's naturally pork-free. They have an English menu and it's a calm spot, not fancy but very Korean and filling for under $30.

If you want something a bit nicer, walk five minutes to Min's Kitchen in Samcheong-dong, they do a set meal with lots of small banchan and no pork issues. The staff are used to foreigners and the vibe is quiet with a view of old rooftops. After dinner, take a slow walk up to the Cheonggyecheon stream, it's lit up and peaceful at night with hardly anyone around on a Sunday evening. That beats a bar for a calm wind-down before your flight.

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for a calm dinner with that budget and no pork, i'd book a table at mingles in hannam-dong. it's a michelin-starred korean place that does a tasting menu and they speak english, so no worries about the pork thing. the vibe is quiet and modern, not stuffy. you can walk to the andaz seoul from there, it's about ten minutes down the hill in gangnam-gu but honestly it's closer to yongsan-gu border, just take a taxi for like 4,000 won. the hotel's rooftop bar is nice for a nightcap and the rooms are soundproof so you'll sleep fine before your 10am flight back to incheon. if you'd rather skip dinner, the dongdaemun design plaza is open late and has a calm night vibe with the led rose garden, no crowds after 10pm

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honestly for a calm quiet dinner with no pork and a $100 budget, i'd skip the michelin spots and head to jungsik's little sibling place in gangnam - it's called onjium and they do a excellent seasonal korean tasting menu that changes based on what's fresh. they're great about dietary restrictions and the staff speaks english well enough. the vibe is super serene, lots of wood and soft lighting. it's about a 5 minute walk from the four seasons seoul which is right in jongno, and you can take the arex train from incheon direct to seoul station then a short taxi for like 8,000 won total. the four seasons has a nice quiet bar on the 23rd floor with views of gyeongbokgung palace lit up at night, perfect for winding down before your early flight back

if dinner's not your thing, consider walking around bukchon hanok village after 9pm - the alleys are empty and the traditional houses look beautiful under the streetlights, plus it's free and you'll have the whole place to yourself

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the guide nails the big sites but honestly the most underrated history spot is the old Seoul Station building they mention. i went in on a random weekday and it was almost empty, just me and the restored waiting room with those huge arched windows. the contrast with the KTX station next door is wild, one is all glass and crowds, the other feels like stepping into a 1920s postcard. also if you're near the War Memorial, don't skip the outdoor tank and plane exhibits, kids love climbing them but even solo it's worth a wander, and the reflecting pool out front is a good quiet spot to sit for a bit. for the Naksan wall, the existing tip about sunset is right, but i'd add that starting from Hyehwa station and walking up past the murals gets you there without the tourist crush from Dongdaemun side.

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ngl this guide is solid but it skips one of my favorite historical spots, the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. it's not pretty, but walking through the actual cells where independence activists were tortured by the Japanese really hits different than reading about it. takes like 2 hours and it's right by Dongnimmun station, entrance is only 3,000 won. also if you're doing the Naksan wall hike, go at sunset, the view over the old tiled roofs towards Bukchon is way better than mid-day when it's just hazy. and pro tip for Changdeokgung's secret garden, book the English tour online a few days ahead, they sell out fast even in the off season.

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honestly the museum section is good but they missed the Seoul City Wall itself beyond the Naksan bit. the whole 18.6km loop is walkable and the Malbawi section near Dongdaemun is my favorite, you get these giant granite boulders right next to the fortress stones, feels ancient in a way the restored parts don't. also for the Baekje era, Olympic Park is fine but the Pungnaptoseong earthen wall just south of there is way less polished, no signage in english but you can walk the ridge and see actual original mud ramparts from 2,000 years ago, not a reconstruction. go on a weekday morning, it's just locals jogging and old guys doing stretches. if you only do one palace, skip Gyeongbokgung's crowds and do Changdeokgung's secret garden in late october, the maple and gingko tunnel is unreal and the guided tour keeps it quiet.

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