South Korea Real Food Adventure — Self-Launched

Land in Seoul and check into a hostel or budget hotel in Myeongdong or Insadong (dorms from ~£15, private budget rooms ~£40-55). Get a T-money transit card at a convenience store and top it up. In the late afternoon do a self-guided orientation loop: Myeongdong, Cheonggyecheon stream and Jongmyo area. Swing by a local supermarket (E-Mart Everyday or Lotte Mart) to see the banchan, kimchi and instant-noodle aisles, then head to Gwangjang Market around 18:00 for bindaetteok, mayak gimbap and yukhoe — budget ~£12-15. Finish with Korean fried chicken and beer (chimaek) in nearby Euljiro or Ikseondong, where the cafe alleys are worth a wander.

🚌AREX express or all-stop train from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station (~£6-8), then metro on a T-money card

🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Myeongdong/Insadong (~£18-25 pp in a dorm, ~£45-60 for a private double)

• →Gwangjang Market street food crawl (self-guided)
• →Local supermarket food-habits visit
• →Korean fried chicken and beer dinner
• →Ikseondong cafe alley wander

Morning metro to Seoul's Central City terminal and catch an express bus to Jeonju (~2h45, ~£11-13), or take the KTX from Yongsan to Jeonju Station (~1h40, ~£17) plus a local bus. Drop bags and grab lunch at one of Jeonju's famous kongnamul gukbap or kalguksu noodle spots (~£7). Spend the afternoon in Jeonju Hanok Village — free to walk, with Gyeonggijeon Shrine entry ~£2. In the evening join a short kimchi-making class (guesthouses and the Hanok Village cultural centre run sessions from ~£15-20; book a day ahead on Klook or direct) and learn to make kimchi pancakes. Dinner is makgeolli in traditional brass bowls with anju side dishes at a Hanok Village makgeolli jip (~£13).

🚌Seoul metro + express bus to Jeonju (~£12) or KTX from Yongsan (~£17); local city bus/taxi to Hanok Village (~£1-3)

🛏Hanok guesthouse in Jeonju Hanok Village (~£22-32 pp, shared bathroom typical)

• →Kimchi cooking demonstration and kimchi pancake making
• →Jeonju Hanok Village walk
• →Gyeonggijeon Shrine
• →Makgeolli dinner with traditional side dishes

Breakfast on kongnamul gukbap or a bakery pastry, then day-trip to Sunchang, Korea's gochujang capital — direct intercity buses from Jeonju take about 50 minutes (~£4 each way). Visit the Sunchang Gochujang Traditional Village (small entry fee ~£2) for a gochujang-making demonstration and tasting; village-run sessions are bookable on arrival or by phone, roughly £10-15. Lunch on a banchan spread at a local restaurant (~£8). On the way back, stop for a short stroll on Mt Gangcheon's forest trails (free, ~1-2h) or the nearby waterfall walk. Return to Jeonju for dinner at one of the city's celebrated bibimbap restaurants — Jeonju is the dish's spiritual home (~£10).

🚌Local bus to bus terminal + return intercity bus to Sunchang (~£8 total); short taxi/bus to trailhead (~£4)

🛏Hanok guesthouse in Jeonju (~£22-32 pp)

• →Sunchang Gochujang Village demonstration and tasting
• →Banchan lunch
• →Mt Gangcheon forest stroll
• →Jeonju bibimbap dinner

Early breakfast of kongnamul gukbap (~£6), then bus or train to Gyeongju (~2h30-3h, ~£11-14 via intercity bus from Jeonju; or bus to Iksan/Daejeon and KTX to Singyeongju ~£17). Lunch on soondubu jjigae near the terminal (~£7). In the afternoon take bus 11 or a taxi (~£8) to Bulguksa, the 8th-century UNESCO temple (~£3 entry), and walk up to Seokguram Grotto if time allows (~£3). Depending on the day, Bulguksa runs short temple-stay tea sessions and templestay.com lists half-day programmes from ~£20-30 — book ahead if you want the monk-led tea. Back in town, visit Daereungwon Ancient Tombs (~£2) and Cheomseongdae Observatory (free) at golden hour. Evening in Hwangnidangil for dinner (~£9) and a walk to Woljeonggyo Bridge lit up after dark.

🚌Intercity bus Jeonju–Gyeongju (~£12) or rail via Daejeon (~£17); local bus 11/taxi to Bulguksa (~£3-8)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel near Gyeongju bus terminal/Hwangnidangil (~£18-28 pp)

• →Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto
• →Tea session with a resident monk (via templestay.com or on-site)
• →Daereungwon Ancient Tombs
• →Cheomseongdae Observatory
• →Woljeonggyo Bridge at night

Take the intercity bus or SRT-style train from Gyeongju to Busan (~50-60 min, ~£5-7). Check into a guesthouse or budget hotel near Haeundae or Seomyeon. Visit Haedong Yonggungsa, the cliff-top seaside temple (bus 181 or taxi ~£6, free entry), then walk Haeundae Beach and the Dongbaek Island coastal path. Pre-book a Korean home-cooking class in Busan via Klook or a local cooking studio (~£35-45) — expect to make dishes like japchae, tteokbokki or haemul pajeon and eat the results as lunch. Dinner on Korean-style lamb skewers in Seomyeon (~£12). Optional evening: a jjimjilbang sauna (~£8) or noraebang (~£12/hour per room).

🚌Intercity bus or train Gyeongju–Busan (~£6); Busan metro and bus 181 to temple (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Busan Haeundae/Seomyeon (~£20-30 pp)

• →Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
• →Haeundae Beach coastal walk
• →Korean home-cooking class with lunch
• →Lamb skewer dinner

Free morning — sleep in or explore Gamcheon Culture Village (bus 2 or taxi ~£5, free to wander, small paid stamp map ~£2) and the Songdo skywalk. Afternoon tour of Jagalchi, Korea's biggest seafood market: pick a fish on the ground floor and have it sliced upstairs, or simply graze on grilled shellfish and eel (~£12-15). Later, head to Gwangalli or Songjeong for a Korean-style clam bake (jogae gui) at a restaurant overlooking the water — the grilled shellfish platter with soju runs about £18-22. Finish with a lighthouse walk along the Gwangalli breakwater or karaoke in a private noraebang (~£10).

🚌Busan metro and local buses (~£4-5); occasional short taxi (~£5)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Busan (~£20-30 pp)

• →Jagalchi Seafood Market self-guided tour
• →Gamcheon Culture Village
• →Clam bake dinner overlooking the sea
• →Gwangalli lighthouse walk / noraebang

Breakfast at a Paris Baguette or the guesthouse (~£5), then take the KTX from Busan Station to Seoul (~2h30, ~£35-40; slower Saemaeul/ITX trains are cheaper at ~£22 but take 4-5h). Check into your Seoul accommodation and spend a free afternoon: Gyeongbokgung Palace (~£2, free if wearing hanbok), Bukchon Hanok Village, or Namsan Tower cable car and deck (~£10 combined). In the evening head to Hongdae for a celebratory Korean BBQ — samgyeopsal, banchan refills and a couple of beers, ~£20-25. Optional late wander through Sinsadong or Gangnam.

🚌KTX Busan–Seoul (~£38); Seoul metro (~£3)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Seoul (~£20-28 pp)

• →KTX ride Busan to Seoul
• →Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon (optional)
• →Hongdae Korean BBQ dinner
• →Hongdae street music scene

Morning at leisure — a final market breakfast at Tongin Market's coin-lunchbox stalls (~£6), a bowl of naengmyeon, or the N Seoul Tower area if you skipped it. Pick up gochujang, seaweed and dried snacks at a supermarket for the flight home. Take the AREX or all-stop train back to Incheon (~£6-8); allow 3 hours before an international departure.

🚌Seoul metro + AREX train to Incheon Airport (~£8)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Tongin Market coin lunchbox breakfast
• →Souvenir food shopping