Late-autumn leaf path along Yangjaecheon (양재천), empty between the metasequoias

Quando Vadis

Korea, minus the crowd.

Yangjaecheon (양재천) in late autumn — a quiet leaf-covered path between the metasequoias.

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About

I'm a Seoul local, and I've watched the same few streets and palaces fill up while much of the city stays quiet. Most of us have jobs and other things to do, so it's time that's actually short, not places to go or the wish to go. That's why the name begins with Quando, meaning “when.” You wake up on a free day, and there are plenty of places you could go, but which one, today? This site is meant to help answer that question. I share practical tips about quieter places locals use and ways around the crush at popular sights. It's what I'd tell a friend.

The owner's well-worn hiking boots on Bukhansan
My boots, 2014, a quiet weekday on Bukhansan.

Crowds vs. quiet

Same city, same afternoon plans — one photo is packed Bukchon, the other a quiet alley by the Seoul City Wall trail in Jangchung-dong. Very different experiences, and both are Seoul.

A narrow Bukchon street packed with visitors
Bukchon (북촌), packed.
The stone Seoul City Wall beside quiet Jangchung-dong alleys
Seoul City Wall trail (서울성곽길) by the Jangchung-dong alleys. Quiet.

Free download

Korea Without a Korean Phone Number — Quick Start

A short, plain guide to getting around Korea when you don't have a Korean phone number. It's free, and it covers the things I'd want a friend to know before they land.

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Coming soon

Seoul Subway Hikes

A guide to hikes you can reach by subway, with routes, how to get there and back, and where locals eat afterward. No car, no tour bus, no guesswork. In the meantime, the free quick-start guide above is a good place to begin.

Hikers on the rocky Baegundae summit of Bukhansan
Baegundae (백운대), just before peak crowds. Even so, about a 30-minute wait for the summit photo.
Seoul seen from Guryongsan toward distant mountains, Lotte World Tower visible
Guryongsan–Daemosan (구룡산–대모산) in Gangnam, looking toward Namsan, Bukhansan and Dobongsan. Lotte Tower included.
View from Guryongsan across Seoul toward Gwanaksan
Guryongsan, looking toward Gwanaksan (관악산).
A quiet residential alley near a trailhead
A quiet village street at a trailhead.

After the hike, locals eat at neighborhood places — a samgyeopsal (삼겹살) spot, or a typical Korean table: two mains and a spread of banchan.

A busy neighborhood samgyeopsal restaurant; diners pixelated for privacy
A neighborhood samgyeopsal place (faces pixelated).
Ojingeo-samgyeop bulgogi and grilled hwangtae with many small side dishes
Ojingeo-samgyeop bulgogi (오삼불고기) and grilled dried pollack (황태구이), with the usual spread of banchan.

Beyond Seoul

Silver grass covering a mountain plain on the way to Sinbulsan
A silver grass plain on the way to Sinbulsan (신불산).
A quiet alley in Yecheon
An alley in Yecheon (예천), outside Seoul.