My First
Korea Guide
A curated guide to experiencing Korea — through places, culture, and local insight.
Korea is a place that reveals its true character slowly.
At first glance, visitors encounter a fast-moving modern landscape — neon lights, bustling cafés, and crowded streets. But beneath the surface lies another Korea: quiet hanok courtyards, centuries-old temples, and mountain trails woven into everyday life.
My First Korea Guide was created to explore both sides of Korea.
Many travel platforms repeat the same “Top 10” lists and outdated recommendations. But Korea changes quickly. Neighborhoods evolve, new cultural spaces appear, and hidden places emerge constantly. To truly understand Korea, you need more than a checklist — you need a local perspective.
My First Korea Guide is an independent Korea travel guide curated by locals. Through carefully selected places, cultural stories, and practical insights, we help travelers experience Korea beyond typical tourist routes.
Rather than listing hundreds of locations, we focus on places that genuinely reflect the character of Korea — from the quiet beauty of traditional hanok architecture to the design-forward cafés and cultural spaces shaping modern Seoul.
Here, you’ll find practical guides for planning your trip, curated places across Seoul and beyond, and cultural stories behind the spaces and traditions that shape Korea.
This platform is curated by Editor Y and Editor H, two Seoul locals who experience the city every day. Living and working in Seoul, we explore the city not only as residents, but as curious observers of its culture, spaces, and everyday life.
More than anything, we share a deep love for Korea — its traditions, evolving neighborhoods, and the quiet details that often go unnoticed. Through this guide, we curate the places, stories, and perspectives that help travelers experience a more thoughtful and authentic side of Korea.
Our mission is simple: to ensure that your first encounter with Korea is meaningful, insightful, and authentic.
Our logo reflects this philosophy. The curved roofline of a hanok, the bold “K” for Korea, and the silhouette of Korea’s mountains symbolize the harmony between tradition, nature, and modern life — the balance that defines Korea itself.
We invite you to discover Korea the way we do — slowly, curiously, and with genuine appreciation for every layer of its culture.
Welcome to My First Korea Guide, your starting point for discovering Korea beyond the surface.