Hi Everyone!

I checked into my hostel, the Blue Dot Poshtel — because apparently it was… posh.

Now, I don’t want to come in hot, but if this place was “posh,” then I’m basically royalty at this point. It wasn’t awful — let’s be fair — but it felt like a place that was designed with really good intentions and then somewhere along the line got handed off to someone whose main KPI became “spend less, charge the same.”

Case in point: there’s a full-on restaurant lounge in the building, clearly run by the same staff who checked me in… and hostel guests are explicitly not allowed to use it. Bold strategy. On top of that, you’re not allowed to use hostel common areas before check-in or after check-out — which is kind of wild when literally every other hostel on Earth understands that travellers exist in this weird limbo between trains and flights.

And yet… this place also has a sauna and jacuzzi in both the men’s and women’s showers. I didn’t see a single human use them the entire time. It’s like someone said, “Let’s add luxury amenities,” and then forgot to make the rest of the experience functional.

Anyway.

That same first night, I made my way up to N Seoul Tower via subway and then bus. The tower sits on Namsan Mountain, right in the middle of the city, and gives you a full panoramic view over Seoul — which is absolutely massive. It was originally built in 1969 as a communications tower, and now it’s one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.

The view? Awesome.

But — and this is a bit ironic — the best view is actually outside the tower. The windows inside were… let’s call them “artistically smudged.” Still, once you step out and take it all in, you realize just how sprawling and alive this city is.

When it came time to head back down, the bus line was insane. Like “you might be here for a while” insane. So I made an executive decision and took the lit-up boardwalk steps all the way down the mountain.

Honestly? Great call.

It was a lot of fun, only mildly offensive to my knees, and way more entertaining than standing in line. Along the way I kept passing people going up, absolutely dying, and I couldn’t help myself — I became their unofficial hype man:

“You got this!”

“You can do it!”

Some appreciated it. Some probably questioned their life choices.

The next day I went exploring old Seoul on foot — a self-guided walking tour through the historic core of the city.

I passed by Sungnyemun, also known as Namdaemun, which is the last remaining original gate from Seoul’s ancient city wall. Built in the 14th century during the Joseon Dynasty, it’s one of the oldest wooden structures in Korea — and somehow still standing after everything this city has been through.

From there I made my way to Gyeongbokgung Palace — Seoul’s main royal palace. This place was the heart of Korean power for centuries, originally built in 1395. Massive courtyards, mountain backdrops, traditional architecture — it’s one of those

places that just feels important.

Unfortunately… it was Monday.

Which, as I learned, means basically everything is closed.

So no going inside — but I still managed to get some great shots for the video, and honestly the exterior alone is worth seeing.

The following day I joined a tour up toward the DMZ — and this was one of those experiences that sticks with you.

We stopped at Majang Lake Suspension Bridge, which is exactly what it sounds like — a long suspension bridge over a lake with solid views and just enough wobble to keep things interesting.

Then we continued to the DMZ area, including Imjingak Peace Park, which sits just outside the actual border. It’s filled with monuments, old train cars, and reminders of a country that’s still technically at war.

From there, we went down into the Third Infiltration Tunnel — one of several tunnels discovered by the South that were allegedly dug by North Korea. Or, depending on who you ask… “totally fabricated propaganda.” 😄

Either way, walking down into it is surreal. It’s steep, tight, and very real.

The tour ended at a U.S.-focused JSA Museum instead of the actual Joint Security Area itself, which is the famous area where North and South Korean soldiers stand face-to-face.

That’s been closed to tourists since 2023 after an incident where — and I swear this is true — an American soldier ran into North Korea.

At first I assumed it was someone trying to escape the North… but nope. It was a U.S. soldier dealing with serious mental health issues who believed he was going to be imprisoned or worse, so he went AWOL, joined a tour like mine, and then made a run for it across the border.

Since then, access has been shut down — though there are hints it might reopen in the future.

Things Not Fully Captured in the Video

Let’s circle back to the Poshtel.

All that earlier “feedback”? Yeah… it belongs here. It didn’t ruin the stay, but it definitely had that “could be so much better with just a bit more care” vibe.

What was incredible, though, was the area I stayed in: Myeongdong.

This place is electric.

Street food everywhere, neon lights, crowds, energy — it’s exactly what you picture when you think of a buzzing Asian city district. And despite all that chaos, somehow my hostel was still quiet at night.

If you’re coming to Seoul, I’d absolutely recommend staying here. It’s super central, insanely walkable, and right on top of major transit lines — which makes getting anywhere in the city ridiculously easy.

One last thing not captured…

My hoodie.

This thing has now entered legend status. It’s been through everything with me, and it’s trying its absolute best to fall apart. But I’ve decided that’s not happening on my watch.

I’ve now taken up hand sewing — needle and thread — and I’ve:

• reattached cuffs

• repaired a sleeve

• patched multiple tears

Mom… you’d probably be proud of the sewing.

Slightly less proud that I’m still wearing this ancient relic — but let’s be honest, it’s no longer clothing at this point.

It’s a survivor. 😄

next level in this video game.... China, specifically Beijing! Stay tuned!