Kimkim Trip Reviews for South Korea

1) drivers: very helpful always in time. special mention for Mr Nam.
2) guides: good level of english, helpful and professional, special mention for Jones: veru helpful , nice may be a little too shy
3) hotels: for us OK as center city
gyeongju: price range for budget.
busan: oK for budget visitors. stanford hotel in front is better. foret hotel not indicated for western people. no continental breakfast, only local breakfast machine coffee only no sugar
seoul: stanford location fantastic, suitable for western people. for us most convenient hotels/ stanford and ibis myeongdong.
4) Trip intinerary and informations:
Informations regarding meeting point/time: for older people like us who are not used to handphone better to state in the initial itinerary in order to avoid questions or worries.
- meeting point: usually hotel lobby driver/guide will confirm by sms or whatapps 1 or 2 days before
5) Sky capsule or cable car: not much interest for us as most of us go to ski resort 1/2 a year in the mountains.
6) a little more assistance may be required for shopping fans in Seoul as most of the markets are so huge that we need time to understand the mapping.
We would like to thank Jessica Wang, Alicia Lee and the Ordynovo team for their assistance.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Foret Premier Nampo (Korea Quality)

Busan

only interest next to BIFF and Jagalchi Market

Authenticity & Character

nothing to remeber of

Location

only interest of this hotel

Staff

normal for this category

Cleanliness & Comfort

budget hotel

GG Hotel

Gyeongju

Authenticity & Character

nothing special

Location

only interest center city

Staff

Ok for this category

Cleanliness & Comfort

normal

Stanford Hotel Myeongdong

room a little small but fanstastic location for shopping. bdget wise good.

Authenticity & Character

normal for tourist people

Location

for shopping

Staff

ok nothing special

Cleanliness & Comfort

ok for this category

Activity Reviews

Full Day Seoraksan Tour From Seoul

Seoul

this comment is only for our case: not worth 6 hour car trip for scenery reason.

Quality of Experience

for us: no interest

Guides, Drivers and Staff

nothing special

Transport

6 hour trip

Full Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

OK must in Seoul

Quality of Experience

ok

Guides, Drivers and Staff

ok

Transport

OK

Gamcheon Cultural Village, Songdo Sky Walk and Jagalchi Fishery Market Tour

Busan

for us: only jagalchi market and gamcheon of interest

Quality of Experience

ok

Guides, Drivers and Staff

ok

Transport

ok

Full Day Haedong Yonggungsa, Sky Capsule, and Traditional Market Tour

Busan

sky capsule or blue line: no interest for us

Quality of Experience

no comments

Guides, Drivers and Staff

no comments

Transport

OK

Half Day Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto Tour with night view of Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond

Gyeongju

must in Gyeongju

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

OK

Transport

OK

Jessica has provided an outstanding service from planning, booking and following up with us throughout the trip. She provided accurate, on time and detailed information for each day. When we had question, Jessica replied very quick. She always made sure that we received the responses that we needed.

Hotel Reviews

Lotte City Hotel Jeju

Jeju

Very disappointed for a 4 stars hotel. The check in staff was not friendly and slow. The hotel is old. The restaurant for breakfast is old and need a lot of renovations. The food is not quality and has poor choices . The coffee is awful even Korea is known for good coffee. I don t recommend this hotel to my family and friends.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SIGNIEL BUSAN

busan

We were lucky to have a corner room on the upper floor with amazing ocean and mountain / city view. The beds are comfy. Room was clean . The breakfast buffet is outstanding I enjoyed very much. I also enjoyed very the lounge for tea, cocktails … The hotel has beautiful infinity swimming pool. Good location for evening walk but it s a bit far away from the shops and center of Busan. Overall I had a good stay I would come back to Signiel. The concierge services staff is outstanding . The check in services need to be more efficiency especially at the 3 o clock check in time when many guests checking in at the same time.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel

Location

Good location with beach walk

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lahan Select Gyeongju

Gyeongju

Nice hotel with excellent buffet and beautiful scenery on the lake

Authenticity & Character

It’s a typical big chain hotel. The hotel needs some touch up’s

Location

Great location for a getaway from busy Seoul

Staff

Average service like big hotel chains

Cleanliness & Comfort

It s clean nothing special

Hotel 28 Myeongdong

Seoul

Beautiful small hotel. Staff are all friendly very attentive and give excellent services. Very comfortable bed. Very clean room and bathroom . The hotel always smelled very nice. Excellent location. One bad comment is the breakfast which has very limited choices for a small luxury hotel, same food was served, not much choices of fruits . Overall I had an enjoyable stay.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Convenient to walk to shops and restaurants

Staff

Excellent customer services

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed is super comfy. Room smells very nice. One bad comment is the AC very noisy . We had to turned it off but the it was hot During the night

Activity Reviews

Half Day Hyeopjae Beach, Spirited Garden and Green Tea Plantation Tour and Arte Museum

Jeju Island

Another excellent visits in Jeju island. Beautiful beaches. It was interesting and different to discover a beautiful bonsai garden. Mrs Susie gave excellent services and very attentive to make sure we had a good time in Jeju

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Interesting visits beautiful view of Busan from different spots on the mountain . Excellent lunch with fresh seafood at the fish market. Best fresh abalones, clams that I have never had. Not mentioning the marinated crabs , typical Busan . Another unforgettable meal. Thanks Mr. Jade Kim.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto Tour

Gyeongju

Love love the visit. Highly recommended. The best is the lunch at a local tiny restaurant who makes their own tofu . Thanks Mr. Jade Kim for introducing to us home made cuisine. Most memorable meal.

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Gyeongju National Museum and Tumuli Park Tour with Night View

Gyeongju

Beautiful scenery , museum , Very interesting . I enjoyed the explanations provided by Mr. Jade Kim.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent tour guide, fluent in English, Mr. Jade Kim is native from Busan that why he is very knowledgeable of the history and the area . He made sure we enjoyed the visits and learned about Korea history. He was open to accommodate our interests and not sticking to the itinerary.

Transport

Full Day Suwon and Yongin Tour From Seoul

Seoul

In my opinion there was not much to see. I did not like the lunch fried chicken . The restaurant is not clean . I did not enjoy the walk to the local market after the lunch, there was nothing to see and it s quite filthy. I do not recommend to spend have these places in the itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

The visit to the palace and the village was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Micky seems knowledgeable. Have a little accent that sometime it was difficult to understand. Overall he gave a very good service

Transport

Christine, we really liked the accommodations, especially La Meridian Myeongdong, AC Marriot (Gangnam) and La Valse in Busan. I must admit, I was surprised to learn that our hotel on the beautiful natural island of Jeju was in a highly urban area; it wasn't what I expected. But the hotel itself was fine. We appreciated the balance of planned activities (six days) and unplanned activities (5 days). That really worked for us. The guides were tremendous. Jiyoung, Jake and Kevin were all so different, but they were fun, friendly, enthusiastic and informative. We couldn't have been happier with them. In fact, we've enjoyed guides in several other countries and we think Korea's might have been the best we've ever had. One of the special aspects of having a great guide is that you learn more about the culture than simply learning about the sites. We learned about how elders are treated, about the different perspectives of the different generations, the ways the ancestors are honored (and so much more). Also, Alicia Lee was extremely helpful in many regards, especially in supporting us in real time. Thanks to you and Kim Kim for another great experience!

Our agent Jessica has been so efficient and professional during our trip. She keeps in touch with us daily and has made our trip flawless and worried free. Thank you Jessica
Our guide in Seoul is very knowledgeable and professional.
Our best guide is Mr Jade Kim , he is very knowledgeable, professional but same time very friendly, he makes our trip so enjoyable, especially when he introduces us to his favorite lunch spots . We love so much tofu restaurant that we still talking about it on our way home , not counting the fish market . Thank you so much Mr Kim .
Ms Suzie in jeju island is so nice that we have adopted her as our younger sister!
Thank you so much for choices of guides.

Hotel Reviews

Lotte City Hotel Jeju

Jeju

Not very update hotel

Authenticity & Character

Room is old looking, some furniture is falling apart

Location

Very good location , walking distance to shops and restaurants

Staff

Professional but old staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SIGNIEL BUSAN

busan

Best hotel of whole trip

Authenticity & Character

Huge modern hotel , but still manage to make us feel comfortable and homey . We have access lounge, as extra which is absolutely amazing after a long day . We have tried also infinite pool , amazing .

Location

Amazing location , right on beach

Staff

Very professional and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room is very clean and well situated , we have corner room with view on beach and city . The best !!!

Lahan Select Gyeongju

Gyeongju

Great hotel ,amazing choices for breakfast Comfortable room , huge hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel 28 Myeongdong

Seoul

Best for location , service , room cleanliness and confort Breakfast is a bit poor in choices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Best staff , friendly, caring , professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern nice room , mattress so comfortable

Activity Reviews

Half Day Hyeopjae Beach, Spirited Garden and Green Tea Plantation Tour and Arte Museum

Jeju Island

Visit of beach , spirited garden , Arte museum is great Can skip green tea plantation tour for us,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

Busan is general great to visit , so many things to do and see

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Good visit , interesting visit of old busan , jagalchi market for lunch is a must

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto Tour

Gyeongju

Great visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Gyeongju National Museum and Tumuli Park Tour with Night View

Gyeongju

Good experience, museum interesting, tumuli tour surprising

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Suwon and Yongin Tour From Seoul

Seoul

We can skip Suwon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the planning stage, the service was very good. The attention of our specialist, Jessica, was excellent; very good guidance, suggestions. The location of the hotels they chose was very good.

The drivers and transfers from airport to hotel to airport were good, punctual and without any problems.

We had 3 guides, each one in their own style was very good, attentive, helpful and sharing their country and culture. But I want to highlight our guide in Busan: Jade Kim, her service, her accent, her knowledge, her energy, her suggestions, her guidance, everything was excellent!

Also our master chef in Busan with the cooking class: hee-young Jang, excellent, fun, her space very nice.

And at the end the locals (agency) give us a very nice present from Korea, big thanks!

It is the first time I use Kimkim's service and I will definitely make future plans with them.

Activity Reviews

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

We really enjoyed the visit to this area of Busan. We do not have too much time, but our guide give us a great experience and search for great photo locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing guide and his english accent is very good.

Transport

Full Day Korean DMZ and The Hybe Building Tour

Seoul

We like to visit DMZ and have the experience. The HYBE building it seems is close since the end of 2023, permanently.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide give us a nice option because Hybe building was close. and during the visit to DMZ he was always very attentive to us

Transport

Jeju Western and Southern Routes Sightseeing Day Tour

Jeju Island

We really enjoyed Jeju and the visits and different areas. A very beautiful views and very pleasant place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide give many suggestions about change itinerary, like trying to skip a visit. I do not feel that like that

Transport

Half Day Cooking Experience

Busan

A great experience to learn about food, culture and locals. I really recommend the chef and school were great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Haedong Yonggungsa, Sky Capsule, and Traditional Market Tour

Busan

A perfect day and with our guide suggestions about food and drone show, creat a perfect day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Gyeongju City Tour

Gyeongju

Historic and very nice city., our guide excelent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Jade is excelent, I learn a lot from him

Transport

Half Day Golgulsa Temple Stay

Gyeongju

My experince was very nice and funny, but does not feel like a real temple, only for tourists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Changdeokgung Palace & Bukchon Hanok Village & N Seoul Tower

Seoul

These visits are basic in Seoul, we really enjoyed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are just back from our wonderful trip to South Korea. We were really happy to have you as our trip organizer. From the very first contact till the end of the trip everything was smooth and easy. Our local specialist was amazing, supervising taking care of us during all our trip. All the drivers and guides, all our tours were according the plan. High level of service! Thank you and we are going to be back for having our next adventure together with you :)

From the moment I decided to use kimkim for a trip to South Korea for myself and a son who graduated, it was the best decision made!

Jessica Wang worked with me over the many months before our travel date. She provided recommendations and insights on hotels and cultural experiences, while kindly changing the itinerary based on additional requests we had.

It was a seamless experience from the planning stages to our time in Korea. There was even a room issue with our hotel on Jeju Island and she reached out to hotel staff and got us upgraded to a better room.

What I loved about Jessica while we were in Korea, were her daily check-ins and reminders. She worked hard and professionally to make sure our experience was exceptional—and it truly was! I'll actually miss our communications.

I'd like to mention our private tour guide Mr. Micky Park when we were in Seoul. He was funny, informative, patient, on time, and surprised us with our lunch menu both days we were with him. He also got us to our destinations safely and he takes the best pictures ever! I highly recommend visiting the Demilitarized Zone in South Korea.

A shout out to Kayla Kim for our large group tour to Gyeongiu Palaces during our time in Busan. She had high energy and wonderful suggestions for lunch and souvenir shopping. She took photos of our entire group and individually. I was amazed at how well she managed a group of 39 people.

Lastly, our small group tour guide Henry, in Jeju. This was a special moment of our trip because we were his only clients on the 2nd day with him. He tailored the trip per my request to see some sites from a Kdrama that was filmed on Jeju Island. He discovered new areas he hadn't been to on the Island and loved it. They weren't huge touristy areas, so it was more peaceful and seemingly breathtaking. We also met a local Jeju native, who mentioned eating at a local village restaurant that ended up being fabulous. Henry said the cooking was authentic and reminded him of his mother's cooking. We got to share a special bond with Henry we will never forget.

All three guides checked in with us a day or two before our tour took place, to include pickup location and drop-off, along with the itinerary.

South Korea is a wonderful country to visit, from tasty cuisine and hospitality to advanced technology and cultural experiences. We knew basic phrases in Korean and got around just fine, since there are Korean-English signs in most of the big cities. Many Koreans speak English (although, they don't want to admit it). Both my son and I loved it there so much we could live there.

I will definitely use kimkim for another trip to Japan. Hopefully, Jessica Wang will still be there!

Hotel Reviews

Paradise Hotel Busan

Busan

Location, location, location! I really feel this was the best located hotel in Busan. It is right on the beach in Haeundae. It's a little pricy, but worth every penny spent! The staff are so kind, and they really want to make sure you have a wonderful stay. We especially loved the bell boys. I left my phone in a lobby bathroom and realized it 40 mins later, so I ran back to the hotel and there was a staff member in the lobby waiting with my phone! I thank the guest who kindly turned it into the front desk.

Authenticity & Character

A bit dated but the location and comfort made up for that.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were comfortable and we had a private balcony.

NINE TREE BY PARNAS SEOUL MYEONDONG 2

Seoul

This was a budget friendly, 4-star hotel, yet surprisingly nice! The location was central and close to subway stations. The staff were warm, inviting and professional. From the time we checked in, the front desk staff, house cleaning and restaurant staff maintained a welcoming and friendly attitude. The breakfast was good. I highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Modern amenities

Location

Quiet (good insulation) close to subways, shopping, and centrally located in Seoul.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They have 6 different types of pillows to chose from at check-in.

Lotte City Hotel Jeju

Jeju

The hotel could benefit from updating their rooms. The first night we were there, we were placed on the 8th floor. There was a stong mildew smell and the insulation isn't the best, so you can easily hear your neighbors. We reached out to Jessica and she contacted the hotel staff. They kindly upgraded us to a 17th floor room that was slightly larger, cleaner and odor free. We were extremely grateful! If you stay at this hotel, it appears the higher floors are cleaner and better maintained. We also had a window we could crank open for ventilation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's centrally located in Jeju city, but not accessible to sites outside the city, so you will need to plan in advance for taking a bus, taxi, or tour.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The pillows are uncomfortable and mushy. You might want to consider bringing your own or buying one when your there. The hotel has a beautiful rooftop garden and seating area. The pool is not included in the reservation. You will need to purchase a daily pass if you want to use it, which is 12,000 KRW per day.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

The palace is majestic. We learned there are centuries of drama surrounding it. Our tour guide also told us some funny stories. Side note: If you get there at the right time, there is a changing of the guard ceremony.

Quality of Experience

Would recommend moving through the palace quickly and heading to the gardens if your short on time or have an itinerary.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Park is the best! He also has funny stories and takes wonderful pictures.

Transport

Jeju Island UNESCO Day Tour (South Course)

Jeju Island

Small group tour. We loved climbing the stairs up Eoseungsaengak Trail, visiting a Buddhist temple, waterfalls, then ending the day at a green tea farm. We packed a lot, but it was worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Henry is very warm, kind and patient.

Transport

Gyeongju The Old Capital of Korea One Day Tour

Busan

Although it was a large group tour, the tour guides managed it well. It starts and ends later, but there is a surprise that is worth the later hours!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Large tour bus.

Jeju Island UNESCO Day Tour (East Course)

Jeju Island

This was our favorite day on Jeju Island. We were the only tourists booked this day for the small group tour, so our guide, Henry, was able to tailor the experience (per my request) to visit sites from a Kdrama that was filmed in Jeju. Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak was a nice hike and vantage point of Jeju. If your lucky, you might see Hayneos (women see divers), which we did this day. Loved the foot bath at the end of our day. Henry made this day a truly unforgettable experience. Even he, loved it because it wasn't his usual itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Food

We got to experience authentic Jeju cuisine at a local village. So amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Henry is the best! He is authentic, so cool and chill.

Transport

Full Day Korean DMZ Tour

Seoul

Everyone should add this to their itinerary when visiting Seoul. It is unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I had a terrific vacation in South Korea the first two weeks of April 2024.

Throughout 2023, we worked with our Kimkim agent Jessica Wang to plan our tour. From our initial email conversations to the final execution, Jessica made sure all our requests and concerns were addressed. This was our first trip to Korea, so we were eager to take it all in. Our plan included several days in Seoul, a tour of Taekwondowon, a visit to Andong with a stay in a traditional hanok and a visit to the Hahoe Folk Museum and Folk Village. We went on from there to Golgulsa Temple for a taste of Buddist life and seongmudo martial art. Gyeongju was next with more history of the Silla Kingdom, then on down to Busan. From Seoul to Busan we traveled with "Mr. Jones," our very attentive, friendly and knowledgable driver and guide. The last stop on the trip was Jeju Isalnd. We had some bad luck with some delicious food our first night there, and unfortunately ended up too ill to go out the next day. Jessica was terrific, checking in on us several times.
After flying back to Busan, we boarded the KTX train back to Seoul, an easy 2.5 hour trip.

If you have any interest in martial arts, go to Taekwondowon! It is a beautiful campus, with indoor and outdoor training areas. The theatrical TKD demonstration was really fun, and I think we got VIP'd because after the show, we were invited on stage for a little training! Andong and Gyeongju are great small cities with tons of history going back to the Silla Kingdom. We enjoyed an impromptu tour of the Hangeul Museum in Seoul. Mr. Kim, a docent, took us under his wing and guided us through the invention and development of the Korean alphabet and language. We learned more about 20th century Korea in Busan, especially the development of Gamcheon Culture Village and also Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.

We very much appreciated all the planning and attention Jessica and her team put into our vacation. It made everything flow smoothly with no worries.

We had a great trip to South Korea planned by Jessica. She provided a lot of options for activities in each city and made helpful suggestions for things to do and places to go during our free time. She also checked in with us during the trip to see how our day went, and how each of the local guides did.
The local guides were, for the most part, very accommodating to our needs. Jessica provided us with some of their names and phone numbers in advance. But two of them were substituted at the last minute - "Jake" became "James" in Seoul and "Kevin" became "Jake" in Busan. The KimKim website says that their local guides all have years of experience, but Jake told us that he had just started guiding and we were his second tour ever. James' English wasn't that great, so he didn't understand some of the questions that I asked. Clover, our guide in Jeju, was terrific. She modified the tour to our interests and was very easy to chat with. I'm not sure we would have purchased a private day tour of the DMZ had we known that there was a mandatory bus within the DMZ area that all tour groups had to use. Jones, our guide, was very nice, but he probably should have warned us that the walk down (and back) from the Infiltration Tunnel was VERY long and steep. (We probably would have skipped it, had we known.)
Some of the communication between KimKim and the local guides could have been improved. In one case, the guide didn't realize that the admission to the observation deck of the tower was included, so we paid for our (and his) admission fees, since we wanted to go up to see the view. Later, when I was recapping the day's events to Jessica, I told her that we paid for the admission fees. She told me that the admissions were included in the price that I paid KimKim, so KimKim promptly refunded that amount to me.
Overall, I'd say that KimKim is a useful service for people who are traveling to another country for the first time and don't want to do all the research on their own to figure out where to visit and what to see (or even how to find a private tour).

I had the most amazing wk tour. Originally opted for 5 days but Odynova tours and KimKim suggested 7 for a more comprehensive tour and it worked out really well. The tour guide, Ms Jang, was friendly, courteous and very informative. She was always on time and met me at my hotel each morning. I had a few reschedulings for my departure transfer but Jessica from KimKim/Odynova tours, was able to respond immediately and made the changes for me. I was very impressed by how efficient they were on resolving curveballs in my end and all with a friendly manner and followed up after as well. I will not hesitate to book through them again and recommend them to anyone looking for a tour in Seoul. South Korea. Thank you. Jessica, KimKim, Odynovs and Ms Jang. I am bringing back memories that will last a lifetime!

Hotel Review

NINE TREE BY PARNAS SEOUL MYEONDONG 2

Seoul

Bed was a little too firm. Only complaint but that’s my individual preference . The rooms were clean on arrival and always kept clean. Cleaning staff were on top of it and I was very happy. Front desk was helpful, the gym was adequate and the rooftop lounge had a great view and my fav drink - toddy. Very satisfied with the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Heart of Seoul. Within walking distance to anything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Suwon and Yongin Tour From Seoul

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seoul Food Tour: Street Eats and Korean BBQ

Seoul

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seoul Highlights & K-drama Tour

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover K-drama Locations in European Villages & Nami Island

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jessica planned a great experience for us and was very attentive to all the details.

Activity Review

Full Day Hiking in Seoraksan National Park - Biryong Falls Course

Sokcho

The hiking and national park were stunning. The hike was not to hard but provided great scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 10 day trip to Korea was absolutely amazing. Our travel planner, Jessica, worked with us to cater to our every desire from hotels, private tour guides, private car service, and plenty of recommendations on what to see and do. We spent six days in Seoul, two in Busan and two in Jeju. At every step, from pre-planning, to booking, to checking in with us during the trip, Jessica was checking in to ensure all of needs were being met. Our tour guide in Seoul, Don Lee, was fantastic. Jade Park expertly showed us around Busan. And Suzie was a wonderful guide in Jeju.

We couldn't be more impressed with everything Korea had to offer - it's incredibly clean, the people are friendly and many speak English so language wasn't a problem, the sights are amazing, and the food scene is off the charts. It was a trip my family will remember forever. And I'll look to KimKim to set me up with all of our future vacation plans.

Activity Reviews

Half Day Hyeopjae Beach, Spirited Garden and Green Tea Plantation Tour and Arte Museum

Jeju Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Petite France and Nami Island Tour For Families

Seoul

Zero stars for Petite France. 5 stars for Nami Island. Anyone who has actually been to France will likely find Petite France a little silly and not worth spending any time there. Nami Island was absolutely amazing so spend as much time there as possible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Manjanggul Cave and Seongsan Ilchulbong Tour

Jeju Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Haedong Yonggungsa and Haeundae Beach Tour

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Gyeongbokgung Hanbok Experience and Gwangjang Market

Seoul

A must see. Definitely rent the traditional wardrobe for an elevated experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything went so smoothly. We don’t speak any Korean but all of the guides and drivers were so helpful and made our trip so easy and low stress. We had a wonderful time.

Hotel Review

Grand Josun Busan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Gamcheon Village and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Quality of Experience

Fun time checking out this unique village.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sang and James did a great job explaining everything to us about the history and how this place came about

Transport

Great van.

Visit Haedong Yonggungsa and Haeundae Beach

Busan

Beautiful temple. Well worth the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sang and James were fantastic. Great tips so we didn’t have to wait too long for anything. Also picked us up and dropped us off at the most convenient locations for parking etc.

Transport

Full Day Bulguksa Temple and National Museum Tour

Gyeongju

Our guides sang and James made all the difference. Great people overall and spent so much time making sure we were comfortable and having a good time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic! Couldn’t ask them to do any better.

Transport

Very comfy new van.

Thank you Jessica. We appreciate your patience and hard work in working with us over many months to plan our family trip to South Korea. You never waivered through our many requests and changes as our plans changed.

Thank you Sang, you were an excellent guide for our family trip. We felt very safe in your care and appreciated you sharing your knowledge of each of the areas we visited.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Hotels The Splaisir Seoul Myeongdong

Seoul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laundry room big plus!

Lotte Resort Sokcho

Sokcho

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Surprised to find that 2 people had to sleep in mats on the floor.

Ramada Hotel & Suites Gangwon Pyeongchang

Pyeongchang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crown Harbor Hotel

Busan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lotte City Hotel Jeju

Jeju

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Exploring Sokcho Beach and Jungang Market

Sokcho

For our family we would have skipped the market and spent more time at the beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Daegwallyeong Samyang Ranch Tour

Pyeongchang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Really enjoyed Korea and the itinerary set up by KimKim. All three of our local guides (Corey, Jade, and Suzie) were extremely knowledgeable and pleasant; the drivers were also very nice and diligent. The guides were able to quickly accommodate last minute changes to the itinerary with grace. We had to change our hotel in Busan (the first one didn't have hot water and was fairly basic); the second hotel was fantastic. While located on a busy street with lots of restaurants, bars, and a traditional street food market, the hotel itself was quiet and modern. (It didn't hurt that the street ended at the beach!). Thoroughly enjoyed the walking market tour and cooking class with Jang Heeyoung at Busan Cooking Class. Made some traditional Korean dishes and tried rice wine. Heeyoung is knowledgeable and eager to introduce everyone to Korean delicacies. The hotel in Jeju was very nice, modern, and located within walking distance to an area with lots of restaurants (the hotel only had buffet meals). It was nice to end the tour on such a laid back, beautiful island, especially after the hustle and bustle of Seoul and Busan,

One suggestion - in Seoul - I'd recommend the visit to Gwangjang Market be moved to earlier in the day or substituted as your lunch spot. We learned that Koreans eat hearty lunches and we were too full after a (wonderful) BBQ lunch to try all the street food we wanted.

Activity Review

Half Day Cooking Experience

Busan

Fantastic! Jang Heeyoung is knowledgeable and fun. The market was beautiful and we cooked some delicious dishes.

Quality of Experience

Food

BBQ!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I used Kimkim for the first time for my 10-day trip to South Korea with three members of my family (spring 2023), and it couldn't have gone better! The planning went smoothly with Tom, and it showed as soon as we landed in South Korea. We had three very good tour guides that brought us to fascinating and tasty places and made visiting easy (our top places: the National Folk Museum, zip lining to Nami island, and Haedong Yonggungsa). We would like to especially mention our tour guide for Busan, Jade Kim. Jade made the short time in Busan memorable - he tuned in with us straight away, was knowledgeable and accommodating, had excellent driving skills and gave us great recommendations for our next step in Jeju Island (loved the gimbap and doughnut places). All in all, a trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Lotte City Hotel Jeju

Jeju

Great breakfast buffet on top floor, nice clean spacious room, friendly and helpful staff, great location and service overall!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Louis Hamilton Hotel Haeundae

Busan

Clean room, friendly staff, choice of 3 menu for breakfast, centrally located

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kdrama Fan Tour

Seoul

I recognize that Petite France is where a lot of Kdramas were filmed; however, as europeans, this wasn't our favorite location (we came to South Korea to see South Korea). Nevertheless, zip lining to Nami island and Nami island was great! Loved the place!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Seoul City Tour with Gwangjang Market

Seoul

Perfect first day in Seoul.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Go to Busan From Andong with Gyeongju Tour

South Korea

The historic center of Silla is a great must-see for anyone interested in the people of South Korea.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Gamcheon Culture Village

Busan

The temple of the sea and Gamcheon culture village were breathtaking and fascinating places to visi. However, we think that our tour guide Jade Kim made this day special for us. He shared stories with us about the places, brought us to good places to eat (that fit our style), and was very open minded. We could ask him about go stop card and got the cards in the market, we tried the original hotteok in Busan, and he his driving skills were spot on. He gave us great recommendations for Jeju island too that turned out amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See the comment above: knowledgable, accomodating, excellent driving skills, excellent English, open-minded, fun

Transport