South Korea 2-Week Trips & Itineraries

The planning phase was super - we were hoping to trust kimkim to interpret our requests and preferences into an itinerary that met our needs and would make our travel experience smooth and enjoyable. They delivered. Every day was thoughtfully planned with the right amount of activity and also room to improvise when we decided in the moment we wanted to do something different. We had support from private guides and scheduled activities so we didn't have to figure out many logistics, but also flexibility to explore or simply skip things based on our energy levels. The only challenge was overcoming the time difference and a bit of a language barrier negotiating some of the details.

The guides were all excellent in different ways, and I would recommend them all. They were funny, enthusiastic, and friendly and truly enhanced our experience in all of the places we visited. The Hello K cooking class and the Jinyeon traditional music performance were especially notable, but we found so much to enjoy every day. I also recommend the National Museum of Korea, the United Nations Peace Memorial, and the charming Hotel 28 Myeongdong where we stayed during our first leg in Seoul.

This is the first international family trip that we have done, and it was a stellar experience. We had a beautiful and memorable visit to Korea that we will remember for years to come.

Hotel Reviews

Maison Glad Jeju

Jeju

Felt luxe, and everything was quite nice, but lacked personality. Good location and an excellent breakfast.

Shilla Stay Busan Haeundae

For a huge hotel they did a good job. Beach town vibes. Not fancy, and some of the choices in the rooms were odd, but pleasant enough, and well situated.

Hotel 28 Myeongdong

Seoul

We LOVED this charming little hotel. It was a perfect place to spend our first nights halfway across the world.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We could walk to many restaurants, shops, and sites

Staff

Very kind, polite, and attentive, They spoke English extremely well.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great amenities and exceptionally well maintained

Activity Reviews

Family-Friendly Mt. Hallasan, Tea Plantation, and Arte Museum Tour

Jeju Island

Jimmie was fun and interesting - loved hearing about his mother's diving, and appreciated all of his recommendations. The Arte Museum was an unexpectedly awesome experience.

Discover the Culture of Busan with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

Jino was a delight. Such a kind and sweet young man. We loved seeing Busan with his perspective.

Jinyeon: Korean Traditional Music Performance with Modern vibes

Seoul

Unexpectedly moving. Loved learning about Korea from a musical lens.

Korean Full-Course Meal Cooking Class at Local Home with Local Market Experience

Seoul

Perfectly lovely in every way

Go on a Hiking Tour of Bukhansan and Ancient Seunggasa Temple

Seoul

This is a challenging hike! We enjoyed it but it was VERY hot and we probably shouldn't have done it during the heat wave.

Explore Seoul Highlights

Seoul

Sebastian was amazing!

We had an amazing eight days in Korea, and much of the credit goes to Christine at KimKim. From the beginning, she listened to what we wanted and created a thoughtful schedule that was not only well designed, but actually honored throughout our trip. Every transfer was prompt, communication was excellent, and we always knew what to expect next.
That level of organization made the trip remarkably stress-free. We had only one hiccup during our eight days, and Christine resolved it immediately. Her attention to detail, responsiveness, and genuine care made us feel that we were in very good hands.
A real highlight was having Kory in Seoul and Lucy in Busan as both our drivers and guides. This was an enormous advantage. Navigating the traffic and parking in two major cities would have added a great deal of stress, and instead we could simply enjoy the experience.
Kory brought Seoul’s history to life with his storytelling and knowledge. Our day at the DMZ was especially moving and became a true core memory for us. He clearly loves his country and city, and that enthusiasm was contagious.
Lucy was a wonderful ambassador for Busan. Her love for her city was infectious, and her knowledge, storytelling, and joyful personality made every stop enjoyable. Her timing was also exceptional—we seemed to arrive everywhere just before the crowds.
We also enjoyed a phenomenal Korean cooking class, along with many other experiences that gave us a wonderful mix of history, culture, food, and everyday Korean life.
A note for other travelers: We are an active retired American couple in our 60s and 70s, and this itinerary was very manageable for us. That said, it does involve a fair amount of walking on uneven surfaces, getting in and out of cars and trains, and navigating some smaller hotel rooms compared with typical American accommodations. We knew this going in, so we packed light, wore good, durable walking shoes, and managed our expectations. With that preparation, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
What impressed us most about KimKim was that the trip worked exactly as planned. The schedule was honored, transfers were prompt, communication was excellent, and when something unexpected happened, it was handled immediately.
Christine, Kory, and Lucy each played an important role in making our eight days in Korea exceptional. We came home with wonderful memories and a much deeper appreciation for Korea. We would highly recommend KimKim to anyone looking for a well-planned, personalized, and worry-free experience.

Hannie did such a great job planning our tours in Korea and picked the best guides and drivers for our family. She was also always available whenever we had questions, both before and during our trip, which we really appreciated.

For our guided day in Busan, our guide was Ms. Son Eunjeong, and she was absolutely wonderful. She was so good with our kids and made the day fun and interesting for everyone. We explored the market, visited Gamcheon Culture Village, rode the beach train, and learned so much about the history of Busan. She knew all the best photo spots and took lots of family pictures for us throughout the day, which we really appreciated. She also recommended some great ice cream that the kids loved. At the market, she even helped my husband find a pair of shoes he was looking for.

Our driver in Busan was wonderful too. She was a very safe and careful driver, and we really appreciated that she had a car seat ready for our child. We felt very comfortable with her driving us around all day.

In Seoul, Hannie booked a food tour for us with Jay, who was also fantastic. He was flexible, great with the kids, and had so many good recommendations. Our kids still talk about the donuts he got for them and the dried strawberries we found at the market! He even arranged a stop at an art museum for our kids, which was such a thoughtful addition to the day.

We really appreciated how well Hannie matched us with guides and drivers who understood what works for a family traveling with kids. Everything felt personal and well planned, and knowing Hannie was always available if we needed anything made the trip that much easier. We had a great experience in both Busan and Seoul and would definitely recommend her.