ummatravels

Historic Seoul: Palaces, Hanok Villages, and the Best Spots to Eat With Kids Your Korean Umma's guide to Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon, Insadong, and Jongno — with little ones in tow. So, I have dragged my two kids through every major palace, hanok alley, and traditional teahouse in this city. My 8-year-old now knows the difference between Joseon and Goryeo dynasty architecture. My 5-year-old just likes the cool rooftops because they look like "dragon hats." Both of them have eaten everything I've put in front of them in this part of Seoul. Historic Seoul — the area around Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon, Insadong, and Jongno — is where I always bring first-time visitors. It's the heart of what makes Seoul different from every other modern city in Asia. Here, 600 years of Korean history isn't behind glass in a museum. It's the street you're walking on, the building you're eating in, the gate you're standing under. And the food? Some of the be...

Seoul for First-Timers: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go Your complete guide to one of Asia's most electric cities — from ancient palaces to neon-lit streets If you've never been to Seoul, nothing quite prepares you for it. It's a city of 10 million people that somehow feels both completely overwhelming and deeply welcoming at the same time. Ancient palaces sit in the shadow of glass skyscrapers. Buddhist temples are tucked between convenience stores open 24 hours a day. Street vendors ladle out fiery tteokbokki a few steps from Michelin-starred restaurants. Seoul doesn't ask you to choose between old and new — it gives you both, all at once, and trusts you to keep up. This post is the starting point for a series on Seoul. Before diving into specific neighborhoods — and there are so many worth their own post — I want to give first-timers the big picture. What is Korea, really? What does Seoul feel like on the ground? And where should you a...

Welcome to My Little Corner of Korea 🇰🇷 A Korean mom, two wild kids, and one very beautiful country to show you. Hi, I’m Umma Ma . I’ve lived several years in the US, a couple years soaking up the energy of Mexico City, fallen in love with the quiet elegance of Tokyo, and even managed a blissful stretch in Chiang Mai. I’ve eaten my way through a lot of the world. But the place I call home is Seoul, Korea , and I want to share the beauty of this place with more people. So I started this blog to do just that. Hi, I’m a Korean Mom Who’s Seen a Few Things I’m currently living in Korea with my two kids — my 8-year-old , who already has strong opinions about which jjajangmyeon spot is best, and my 5-year-old , who mostly just wants to run around and eat ice cream. (Well, who doesn’t?) We travel as much as we possibly can, and I drag them everywhere — palaces, markets, hiking trails, hole-in-the-wall restaurants. They complain. T...