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Seoul Autumn Diary

Same Seoul trip, different tempo: a gate at Changdeokgung, Bukchon's alleys, Gyeonghoeru from another angle, five minutes under a maple, plus getting my hair done and trying on glasses. The walks I never planned turned out to be the ones I remember.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

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1. 01 | Seoul in fall deserves a slow walk

   This is the other diary from the same Seoul trip (Nov 3–8, 2026). Slow down and actually feel the city's fall. The colors here are seriously beautiful.

2. 02 | One city, two kinds of time

   In Bukchon, the hanok rooftops end where modern Seoul's towers begin. One alley, two kinds of time.

3. 03 | A 500-year-old ginkgo, golden Seoul

   Sungkyunkwan on November 4, walking into the softest light of fall. The ginkgo in front of Myeongnyundang is a Natural Monument, planted in 1519 according to the records, so about 500 years old.

4. 04 | At the end of the day, slow down

   After walking all day, I get back to the room and do absolutely nothing. Curtains closed, a minute on the couch, feet and brain both off duty. On a slow trip, this is often the last stop.

5. 05 | Inside the palace, time slows down

   Sukjangmun gate at Changdeokgung. Step through one gate and you're in a different rhythm.

6. 06 | A matcha afternoon in Bukchon

   The terrace at Osulloc Bukchon: an ube matcha latte, a matcha lemonade and a matcha madeleine. It's in a 1960s Western-style house, and the terrace looks out over Bukchon's rooftops to the hills.

7. 07 | Bukchon, and the kind of slow I love

   Every corner of Bukchon Hanok Village is roof tiles and wooden doors. People actually live here: the area around Bukchon-ro 11-gil is a red zone where tourists can only visit 10 a.m.–5 p.m., with a 100,000-won fine if you don't. Keep it down and don't sit on anyone's doorstep.

8. 08 | An afternoon at Gyeongbokgung

   Gyeonghoeru reflected in the fall pond. The pavilion built over the water was where the court held banquets and received foreign envoys.

9. 09 | Gyeonghoeru from another angle

   Willows, water, a quiet afternoon. Stand somewhere else and Gyeonghoeru becomes a different painting.

10. 10 | Palace colors in fall

    Painted dancheong, roof tiles, stone steps: even the light has a story. That's Injeongjeon, the main throne hall of Changdeokgung.

11. 11 | The maples were more romantic than I imagined

    Sun pouring through the maple leaves. In that light they get layers on layers, more romantic than I expected.

12. 12 | Five minutes under a maple

    The best thing to do in fall: nothing at all. Pause and notice.

13. 13 | Bukchon's new tea scene

    TEA the HAN, newly opened in Bukchon, gives Korean tea culture a seriously stylish redesign. The sign out front lists 1 Bukchon-ro 6-gil, open 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

14. 14 | Seoul's shops know how to tell a story

    New glasses, new mood. In Seoul, even the eyewear and concept stores tell a story with their displays.

15. 15 | Gentle Monster is more than an eyewear store

    It's closer to an exhibition space. Gentle Monster stores are works in themselves, and the parent company's new headquarters in Seongsu, Haus Nowhere Seoul, is a whole building of it.

16. 17 | In Seoul, even a salon visit is part of the trip

    New color, new mood. Getting my hair done by a Korean stylist at Lovey in Cheongdam was a stop on this trip all by itself.

17. 18 | Walk slower and fall is right there

    The walks I never put on the itinerary are the ones I remember most.

18. 20 | Next time, slowly again

    Thank you, Seoul, for a slow trip that was just right. The full Seoul itinerary and my private map are at jslalaland.com/seoul. See you next time.

In this series

• Seoul in Gold

Read it with the slides →

An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).