About

About Ted K

Who Am I?

I’m Ted K, and I’ve called Korea home for over 35 years.

I first arrived in Seoul in 1989, just a year after the Olympics. Back then, Gangnam was still mostly farmland, there was no KTX, and you couldn’t find a decent cup of coffee anywhere. I watched this country transform from developing nation to global cultural powerhouse.

I’m not a travel blogger who visited Korea for two weeks and wrote a guide. I’ve lived here through four different presidents, survived the 1997 financial crisis, and witnessed the entire K-pop phenomenon from Seo Taiji to BTS.

I live in Mapo-gu, near Hongdae. My morning routine involves grabbing an iced Americano from the corner cafe and walking along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. On weekends, I hike Bukhansan or Namsan, then reward myself with samgyetang or cold naengmyeon depending on the season.

Why I Started KoreaPeek

Every time foreign friends visited, I became their personal tour guide.

The same questions came up over and over:

  • “Do I tip at restaurants?”
  • “How do I use the subway?”
  • “Where should I eat Korean BBQ?”
  • “Is this area safe?”

I found myself writing the same emails, the same KakaoTalk messages, the same Google Docs. Eventually I thought — why not put this all in one place?

KoreaPeek is everything I wish I had when I first moved here. No generic travel advice copied from other websites. Just real tips from someone who actually lives this stuff every day.

What Makes This Different?

I’ve made every mistake so you don’t have to.

I’ve accidentally sat in priority seats and gotten scolded by an ajumma. I’ve offended a Korean colleague by pouring my own soju. I’ve gotten hopelessly lost before Naver Map existed. I’ve eaten at tourist traps and vowed never to return.

I’ve also discovered the best-kept secrets:

  • The pojangmacha in Euljiro where locals go after work
  • The hidden viewpoint at Namsan that tourists never find
  • The convenience store hack that saves you money on every trip
  • The subway transfer trick that cuts 15 minutes off your commute

This blog is 35 years of trial and error, compressed into guides you can read in 5 minutes.

My Korea Story

1989: Arrived in Seoul. Couldn’t read a single Hangul character. Got lost constantly.

1990s: Learned Korean the hard way — through embarrassing mistakes and patient Korean friends. Survived on kimbap and ramyeon.

1997: Watched the IMF crisis unfold. Saw how Koreans came together, donating gold to save the economy. That’s when I truly understood this culture.

2002: World Cup fever. Cheered with millions in Gwanghwamun. Still get goosebumps thinking about it.

2010s: Watched Korea become a global trendsetter. K-pop, K-drama, K-beauty — suddenly everyone wanted to visit.

2020s: Started KoreaPeek to share what I’ve learned with the new wave of Korea-curious travelers.

My Favorite Things in Korea

Favorite neighborhood: Ikseon-dong. Traditional hanok cafes, no crowds, amazing photo spots.

Favorite food: Samgyeopsal with soju on a cold winter night. Nothing beats it.

Favorite hidden gem: Seongsu-dong on a weekday morning. Industrial cafes, zero tourists.

Favorite season: Fall (October-November). Perfect weather, stunning colors, best hiking.

Favorite memory: Watching sunrise from Ulsanbawi in Seoraksan after hiking all night.

What You’ll Find Here

Honest recommendations:
Not sponsored. Not paid reviews. Just places I actually go to.

Local perspective:
The things guidebooks don’t tell you. The unwritten rules. The cultural context.

Practical tips:
Step-by-step guides that actually work. Tested personally.

Updated information:
Korea changes fast. I update these guides regularly.

Start Here

New to Korea? Check out my most popular guides:

Getting Started:

Food & Dining:

Exploring Seoul:

Contact Me

Have questions? Want to say hi?

Contact me here — I read every message.

You can also find me wandering around Hongdae on weekends, probably holding an iced Americano.

— Ted K

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