visitseoul.net

Visit Seoul is the official travel guide and website for the city of Seoul. Visit Seoul's social media presence spans several platforms and is offered in four languages. Visit Seoul’s social media editor, Rhiannon, is the force behind the English Visit Seoul page. The page shares content from the official Visit Seoul website in addition to offering fun, original content for followers to enjoy. Each day there are new posts and followers can often catch Facebook Live broadcasts and Live voting polls. Learn more about Rhiannon, what it takes to run the Visit Seoul Facebook page, and Seoul in this special interview.

Q. Please introduce yourself to the readers.

My name’s Rhiannon. I’m from England, and I originally came to teach English and to experience living abroad. I never could have imagined I’d stay for this long! I’ve lived in Seoul for the past four years and I was in Busan for three years before that. I speak Korean and most of my Korean learning has been through self-study and practice with Korean friends or co-workers.

Q. What’s it like being Visit Seoul’s social media editor?

I currently run the Visit Seoul English Facebook page. There is so much to see and do in Seoul, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start.  So it’s been great - I’ve discovered parts of Seoul I never knew existed through visiting places and writing about them each week. I write posts, take photographs, and shoot videos. I also have no choice but to stay up to date on local events and things going on, so it’s made me much more aware about the city in which I live.

Q. Rhiannon, what do you like best about Seoul?

Seoul is unlike any other city in the world. It’s such a mix of everything. I still sometimes feel like I’ve only scratched the surface! I’d say that’s the best thing about Seoul, for me: there is just SO much to do. It is impossible to even start to feel bored. Ever.

Q. The start of springtime is upon us! How would you compare spring in to Korea to spring in the UK?

The weather in Korea in the spring is amazing – I just wish it lasted a bit longer! We have the same basic four seasons in England, but to less extremes than here in Korea. Plus, even in the springtime, you never know when you might wake up to grey and miserable skies in the UK. In Seoul in April and May, you can pretty much count on it being really bright and lovely out.

Q. Have you been to any of the spring flower festivals in Seoul?

One of the festivals I’ve been to is the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival. It was the funniest spring flower festival I ever went to. I say funny, because it was just absolutely full of couples taking selfies. It was more like a couple-selfie festival. I think I took a selfie with all the couples taking selfies. With all the flowers, couples, and selfies, it was definitely a memorable experience.

Q. Do you have any tips for tourists who want to visit a spring flower festival in Seoul?

Avoid the popular festivals at the weekends! Weekdays and morning times would be the best times to go, when it’s quieter. You can also make a day trip out of the festival by researching other fun things to do in the area. For example, after visiting the cherry blossom festival in Yeouido, you could do some shopping at IFC Mall and then take a night cruise on the Han River.

Q. Besides flower festivals, where would you recommend going to in Seoul to see spring flowers?

You can catch beautiful cherry blossoms almost anywhere in Seoul in the spring. The Han River is great as all along the Han River there are cherry blossoms. Gyeongbokgung Palace is also stunning when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and not half as busy as the official cherry blossom festivals. The older neighborhoods of Seoul – Bukchon, Samcheong-dong, and Ikseon-dong – are all also beautiful at this time. There are also lots of places to enjoy the blooming forsythia flowers. They’re not as touted as the cherry blossoms, but still equally lovely. For those who like hiking, a good place to see them in April is at Eungbongsan Mountain in Seoul.

Q. Rhiannon, where are your 3 favorite places in Seoul?

① Samcheong-dong – My favorite neighborhood in Seoul! Seoul is a fast-paced city, but this whole area is really relaxing, and full of cute cafes and boutiques. I love just taking my laptop and setting up camp in a cozy café here for a day sometimes.
② Ikseon-dong – a close second! Ikseon-dong is a collection of ramshackle buildings in Jongno that have been converted into some amazing eateries, stores, and coffee shops. It’s a great place to explore.
③ Han River – In the spring? Chilling on a picnic blanket by the Han River for an afternoon, and ordering fried chicken and a cold beer is a Seoul-must!