Our Journey to South Korea | East Asia Winter Exploration 2025/26 [1/8]

For a long time, Susann and Little A really wanted to travel to Japan. We spent weeks searching for affordable flights so that we could make the journey during the school Christmas holidays. However, because our travel dates were strictly locked to work and school schedules, every flight ticket to Japan was far too expensive, and we were honestly about to give up on the entire idea.

That was until I suddenly noticed that LOT Polish Airlines had reasonably priced tickets available to Seoul, South Korea instead. Booking those tickets completely changed our approach. Instead of flying directly to Japan, our journey would now start and end in South Korea. We quickly checked if it would be feasible to travel onward to Japan from Seoul and back again. It turned out to be both practical and within our budget.

As the planning evolved around these flights, our itinerary expanded, and we ended up spending an almost equal amount of time exploring both countries over a three-week winter adventure. Traveling as a family of three meant balancing historical exploration, long daily walks, and child-friendly stops across two different countries. Our route would take us from our home in Sweden through Warsaw to Seoul, onward to Western Japan for a week of rail travel, and finally back to South Korea to explore Busan and Seoul before heading home.

Starting the Journey: Vagnhärad to Warsaw

We left our home in Vagnhärad early in the afternoon on Saturday, December 20. Our journey began by taking the Mälartåg train to Stockholm Central Station, followed by an airport bus to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Traveling with luggage during the Swedish winter always requires a bit of extra patience, but the domestic transit went smoothly. To break up the wait before heading through the security checkpoints, we sat down for an early dinner at Arlanda Sky City.

Our evening flight with LOT Polish Airlines departed on schedule, taking us on a short journey across the Baltic Sea before landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport later that night. We had booked a hotel located a short drive from the airport, which included a free shuttle service that picked us up right outside the terminal.

Once we had checked in and the others settled down for the night, I decided to take a short evening excursion into the city center. My motivation was not necessarily sightseeing; rather, I had no wish for a proper night’s sleep. Instead, I wanted to tire myself out so that I would be ready to sleep during our long flight the next day, hoping it would help with the adjustment to the upcoming time difference. I took a brisk walk to stretch my legs, enjoying the quiet and crisp winter evening before heading back.

The Long Flight to Seoul

The next morning, December 21, we took the hotel transfer back to Warsaw Chopin Airport to catch our long-haul connection. We cleared security without any hassle and found a place to eat breakfast inside the terminal. Our flight to Seoul Incheon departed later that morning for the long journey eastward across multiple time zones.

The standard airplane food served during the flight was quite plain and uninspiring. Fortunately, our travel moods were completely saved by the onboard snack selection. They had spicy instant noodles featuring a special K-pop Demon Hunters theme, which Little A was very excited to see. That unexpected treat kept everyone in good spirits. As for my strategy from the night before, I did manage to sleep during most of the flight, though I would soon discover that it barely helped with the jetlag at all. For the rest of the time, we alternated between resting and watching movies.

Arrival in Seoul and Battling Jetlag

We landed at Incheon Airport early in the morning on December 22. Getting off the plane was quick, but we soon found ourselves waiting in a long line for passport control. We had arranged our K-ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) well before the trip because our route required us to enter South Korea twice. Even though the official exemption had been extended during our travel period, having it ready turned out to be very convenient and saved us from needing any extra documents upon arrival.

From the airport, we boarded the express train straight to Seoul Station. The train ride was smooth. Once we arrived at the massive Seoul Station, we took a taxi for the final stretch to our hotel. To our great relief, the hotel allowed us to check into our room immediately despite our early arrival.

Hoping a walk would help with the jetlag, we decided to head right out to explore the neighborhood. We stopped for an early lunch, but Little A was so exhausted from the journey that she actually fell asleep while waiting for the food to arrive. She perked up later in the afternoon when we stopped for pastries, picking out a sweet treat shaped like a bear wearing a Santa hat.

We finished our afternoon stroll by walking over to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Founded in 1395, this sprawling complex served as the primary royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and walking through its historic courtyards felt reminiscent of exploring the grand fortress grounds of Europe. However, the sheer exhaustion of traveling across seven time zones quickly caught up with all of us. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped to pick up some instant noodles in case we got hungry during the night. We crashed and fell asleep as soon as we returned, but naturally woke up well before dawn. Since nothing outside was open yet, Little A and I started the morning by eating instant noodles in our room.

Exploring Gangnam and the Korean Lunch Rush

On December 23, we got out a bit too early and stepped outside into a cold, grey Seoul morning. We had checked out of our room and left our bags at the hotel to pick up later in the day. Our first stop was the famous shopping streets of Myeongdong, but the stores had not yet opened. Because it was freezing outside, we hailed a taxi to take us to our main destination for the day: the Starfield Library in Gangnam.

Arriving in Gangnam, we began with a quick look at Bongeunsa Temple. Founded in the year 794, this ancient Buddhist sanctuary offers a striking and peaceful contrast to the towering modern high-rises around it. Nearby, outside the east gate of the COEX center, we paused to see the large Gangnam Style sculpture. Unveiled in 2016, this massive bronze tribute stands over five meters high and depicts the overlapping, wrist-crossed hands from artist PSY’s globally viral horse-riding dance. It is a quirky, modern landmark that automatically plays the hit song when visitors stand beneath it, perfectly capturing the neighborhood’s pop-culture legacy.

We then headed inside to explore the Starfield Library (also known as Byeolmadang Library) at the heart of the sprawling Starfield COEX Mall. Opened in 2017, this two-story public cultural space is an architectural marvel. Its centerpiece consists of towering, 13-meter-tall illuminated bookshelves that stretch toward the glass ceiling, collectively holding upwards of 50,000 books and magazines. The sheer vertical scale creates a cathedral-like atmosphere, yet it remains wonderfully relaxed compared to traditional libraries.

While browsing the underground mall corridors, we found it quite amusing to come across a multi-brand clothing and lifestyle store named Åland. As it turns out, the popular Korean fashion brand was actually named after the Nordic Åland Islands, aiming to channel the region’s pure, eco-friendly identity to showcase emerging designers. Given our own close connections to the island of the same name, it was a highly relatable and unexpected slice of the Nordics right in the middle of Seoul.

When lunch rolled around, we found a sit-down noodle restaurant and got to experience the famous Korean lunch rush firsthand. The efficiency was remarkable to watch; a queue quickly formed, but each group sat down, ate with absolute focus, and left immediately. While we sat at our table, three or four different groups filtered through the tables next to us.

After lunch, we took the subway back to the hotel to retrieve our bags. The transit system was efficient, though navigating the large transfer hubs took a bit of focus among the dense commuter crowds. We then caught a train heading back toward Incheon, stopping in Unseo for the night to be near the airport for our morning flight. Rather than venturing back out into the winter chill, our tired travel party ended the evening in the hotel room with another simple, comforting dinner of instant noodles.

A Christmas Eve Departure for Japan

The next morning, December 24, we took an early train from Unseo straight to Incheon Airport. Check-in with Peach Airways was very straightforward. Our plane departed on time later that morning, bound for Osaka Kansai Airport. Our brief, jetlagged introduction to South Korea had come to an end, and it was time to cross the sea to spend Christmas in Japan.