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Being up, out, and about early allowed me to experience South Korea‘s amazing morning energy. A light layer of snow remnant of the chilly night before gave Seoul‘s streets a sparkling appearance as the soft morning sunshine aided in the glistening effect. This was the serene beginning of my first full day of being solo in Seoul.

Mornings are a personal favorite of mine. I enjoy being out before most people start their day because the world is calm. There’s just something refreshing about setting out on a journey with a relaxed mindset. While strolling along the streets of Hongdae noticing my breath’s steady pattern in the cold morning air, I stumbled upon an eccentric looking coffeeshop called Deep Coffee. Similar to Tokyo, it seems Seoul doesn’t really “wake up” until after 10 am, making the morning calm even calmer without the bustle of businesses starting their days. Deep Coffee was one of the few places that was even open at 8:00 am, but that didn’t phase me—I had been enjoying my morning wander.

I ordered a hot sweet potato latte and sat down in the toasty café space that was adorned with Supreme merchandise, U.S. sports teams, and customer-created artwork, amongst other unique items. This quiet time was perfect to plan the day’s route of attack. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do: see Gyeongbokgung Palace, eat at Tosokchon Samgyetang, explore Bukchon Hanok Village, shop in Myeongdong, and devour endless amounts of street food. It seemed like a good plan that could be leisurely accomplished in a day with allotted time for spur-of-the-moment activities. What I had to figure out was the most logical route so I wouldn’t waste time running back and forth between Seoul’s different districts. The piping-hot latte warmed me up before I made my way to Hongik Station to take the subway to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Gyeongbokgung (literally meaning “brilliance and fortune”) is magnificent, immaculate, and ornate; I had never seen something so large and spectacular. This palace is stunning and wonderful to explore by yourself; I highly recommend visiting while in Seoul. Due to its grand size and the freezing temperatures (it was about 0 Celsius at 9:30 am), I made it about one-third of the way through the palace grounds. I wish I could have seen more, but having to walk around in the bitter cold was okay for about an hour or so and then it got unbearable.

After watching the opening ceremony, I left to eat ginseng chicken soup from a traditional Korean restaurant nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace. The restaurant, Tosokchon Samgyetang, opened at 10:00 am, so I would be able to enjoy brunch amongst the company of others. It took about 15 minutes to walk to Tosokchon Samgyetang, all the while the brutally cold wind whipped what of my face was exposed and crept through my socks, further numbing my toes. The end of November in South Korea is much colder than I had anticipated, mainly due to the icy wind, and I didn’t pack the warmest clothes I owned. Still, what I was wearing generally sufficed until the wind kicked in.

Tosokchon Samgyetang ended up being a beautiful building made of polished wood and stone-laid floors. There was an outdoor patio in the middle of the restaurant with a small garden, helping to divide the restaurant into different areas: one side had the kitchen and the other had three large eating rooms. One of the rooms had tables and chairs, mainly for older people and children while the other two rooms had traditional short tables and sitting cushions. I was directed to go into one of the floor rooms, took off my shoes, and sat on a cushion. To my surprise, the floors were heated! Like any other Korean restaurant, I was automatically given kimchi and other side dishes, “banchan,” before even ordering.

My meal came out quickly and was piping hot. They literally put a whole roasted chicken in the the soup, and it was absolutely delicious: the rice in the broth mixed with the chicken skin fat and oils, as well as the ginseng. The aromatic flavors were incredibly warming and satisfying, helping heat my body and soul. The warmth from those around me was also nice. Although I was dining by myself, I was not alone—there were plenty of others chattering along the communal-style tables.

After a filling brunch I went to the subway to navigate to Bukchon Hanok Village, a traditional Korean village in Seoul. The streets were still calm and not crowded, making the walk up toward the village streets enjoyable and peaceful—I was free to take in my surroundings unhindered by distractions. There were lots of little cafes, cute shops, and restaurants lining the street, many beginning to open for the day. I was a little confused because I kept walking up the street thinking I was going to run into the village, but the village is on the side streets off the main street and blends into the modern day shops and cafes. Once I figured that out, I was able to marvel at the traditional style buildings and designs, wandering through the alleyways at my own speed. Some of the areas were open to the public and acted as small museum-like sites. It was really cool to see how traditional homes were built in Korea and appreciate the traditional value while in Seoul.

One huge perk of solo travel is getting to do what you want, whenever you feel. Already having a busy morning and early afternoon, I decided to return to the hostel to charge my phone, rest, and plan out the remainder of the day. I wanted to get most things done before the sun went down because it was supposed to be colder the coming night than it had been the previous. While walking back, I stopped at a dessert café to try their chocolate matcha canele; it was quite good and something I had never had before. The café owners were super sweet and spoke perfect English, too. We talked for a bit about Seoul and their experiences—it was lovely. Then, I proceeded to poke in and out of the other shops before temporarily settling in my space at the hostel.

Once rested and charged, I bundled up to make my way to Myeongdong. This was where I planned to do all of my shopping, as it’s the infamous shopping district of Seoul, complete with every skincare shop you can imagine, lined with stores selling tons of goods for next to nothing, and host to some designer brands. Before getting to the shopping areas of Myeongdong, I paid a visit to the Lotte Department Store to check out their food section to purchase some Korean sweets for my coworkers. This was a wise decision, as I had the opportunity to sample different foods they were selling, grab a container of japchae (Korean glass noodles), and buy some sweets all while swirling in the late Friday afternoon shopping madness.

The streets of Myeongdong were bustling, but not overly crowded. I didn’t realize that South Korea recognized Black Friday, but I suppose it does because nearly all the stores were advertising sales and one-day deals. I ignored most of the sales associates lining the streets to complete some of my Christmas shopping and stock-up on Korean skincare products. Out of all of the skincare shops, my favorite was Innisfree. Their products have a natural feel and I like the aesthetic of their store more than others: bright, minimalistic, and natural. Overall, I was in shock about how affordable everything was: clothes, shoes, and skincare items were all generally inexpensive.

Dusk was approaching, and I was getting quite tired. I took the subway back to the hostel to put my purchases in a safe place and rest. Then, headed over to nearby Hongdae Street to enjoy the Friday evening nightlife and find some dinner. After my expedition around the area last night, I was able to efficiently navigate my way to Hongdae Street with ease. It was about 7:00 pm, so the night’s activities were just getting started. It was noticeably colder than the night before, so I sought shelter in a street food tent. I drank the hot broth and devoured a plate of tteokbokki, talked to some other travelers, enjoyed the night watching street performances, and grabbed more delectable bites, simultaneously savoring the food and experiences. I was surrounded by positive, youthful energy with an artistic feel—it was amazing. I soaked it all in as I aimlessly wandered the streets in an attempt to stay warm. Without much else to do other than shop, eat, and freeze, I returned to my hostel for the night, content and exhausted from Seoul and its beauty.