Eating Solo in Seoul?

people are right that solo dining is fine most places but i'll add that lunch is actually the easiest time to eat alone here. a lot of restaurants that do group dinners will have lunch set menus that are designed for one person, like the bibimbap or doenjang jjigae sets at those places near Anguk station. also most korean restaurants serve their main dishes with a bunch of small banchan so you're not really missing out on variety by yourself

on the DMZ thing, skip it. the national museum is great but if you want something that feels more alive and cultural than military, go to Bukchon Hanok Village early in the morning before the crowds show up. the alleys between the traditional houses are really peaceful and you can pop into small craft shops or tea houses that are run by actual artisans. it's a much better use of a morning than staring at a fence line

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Yeah the solo dining thing is blown out of proportion. I eat alone all the time here and the only places that ever gave me trouble were those super fancy BBQ spots in Gangnam, but your average joints in Jongno or Insadong will just wave you in without a second thought. For a solid solo meal, hit up Gwangjang Market for some bindae-tteok (mung bean pancakes) at one of the stalls, you'll be standing and eating with everyone else anyway.

For the DMZ, honestly skip it. If military stuff isn't your thing it's just a

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honestly the solo dining thing is mostly a non-issue in Seoul unless you're dead set on a specific BBQ spot that only does group sets. tons of places in Hongdae and Jongno have counter seating or just don't care. i'd actually recommend checking out the food court in the basement of Shinsegae Department Store near Myeongdong - they have like 20 different stalls with proper Korean dishes and everyone eats alone there anyway, it's super casual and the portions are fine for one person

for the DMZ, i'd say skip it. the national museum is genuinely one of the best in Asia and you could spend a whole day there easily. if you want something a bit different that's still history-heavy but not military, take a trip out to Suwon and walk the Hwaseong Fortress wall - it's an hour by subway, the views are nice, and there's a ton of street food along the way. way more rewarding than standing on a bus for hours looking at barbed wire

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the set, not a la carte

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