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Samcheong-dong really opens up in the summer. It’s not one of Seoul’s best-known areas as neighboring Insa-dong gets most of the tourists looking to buy souvenirs. Instead of being touristy, it’s a romantic little cove of beautiful coffee shops, restaurants and galleries. Every time we’ve gone we see young couples holding hands and slowly strolling along, pointing to a shop or restaurant here and there half-heartedly, while wholeheartedly gazing into each other’s eyes. It’s what we imagine a Korean-ized Paris might be like.
Summertime is the only time we really want to visit Samcheong-dong. The restaurants open up their patios and pull out all of their candles to provide some of Seoul’s best romantic dinners. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if a good portion of a restaurant’s budget goes to candle purchases.
If you’re not interested in romantic dinners, then go for the phenomenal coffee. Some of the best, most meticulously hand-dripped coffee we’ve ever had was in Samcheong-dong, and we continue to go back whenever we need artsy inspiration.

As Korea’s second largest city, Busan has a lot going for it. From Seoul Station, you can easily jump on the sleek KTX train and be there in under three hours. Once there, the curiously named “Texas Street” area around Busan station is where you can find amazing Russian borscht and Chinese dims.
Of course, a trip to Busan requires visiting the coast and my favorite place to go is Taejongdae. Set along beautiful seaside cliffs, the sea breezes cool off the summer sun’s glare as you take the long walk to a white lighthouse.
For lunch, I enjoy the simple boiled chicken dishes that Busan is famous for. When night falls, I suggest heading over to the glitzy Haeundae Beach. For a late night meal, head to a beachside seafood restaurant. There you can get Korean raw fish, spicy seafood stew, or even a giant 4-pound crab steamed to perfection. To recover from your late night, head to Vesta Sauna and Fitness to soak and steam away all of the toxins from your life. For about 10,000-won, you can sleep or lounge around with a fabulous view of Busan’s rugged coastline.

Jungnim-dong Cathedral probably isn’t on most travel itineraries, but you don't have to be religious pilgrim or an architect to appreciate it. The church and Chuncheon itself were early victims of North Korean forces when they invaded the South on June 25, 1950. When North Korean soldiers captured the cathedral, they summarily executed priests and staff and forcibly marched the rest under inhumane conditions. Many of the cathedral’s grave sites indicate 1950 as the year of death.
Such a tragic spot may not seem like a place for fond food memories. But while I was teaching English in Chuncheon, several junior nuns from the cathedral studied at our academy. One Sunday afternoon, the Korean nuns and their Irish mother superior made us an apple pie for dessert. It was the best apple pie I’ve ever tasted, before or since. I begged them for the recipe, but they refused to divulge it! While your cathedral visit probably won’t include the smell of hot apple pie, to this day the scent of baked pie takes me back to Jungnim-dong Cathedral.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Jeonju. This is where I experienced many firsts for my Korean sojourn—my first visit to a rustic traditional hanok house, my first view of blushing lotus blossoms, my first meal of traditional Korean court cuisine and, of course, my first bowl of authentic Jeonju bibimbap.
Summer is the perfect season to visit the city’s famous hanok village. In the shade of these homes’ sweeping eaves, you can’t help but feel at ease. For lunch, don’t miss a true slow-food, royal meal at Pamun, which is housed in a graceful traditional hanok. Walk it off with a stroll through beautiful Deokjin Park. In August, lotus flowers sprout from the shallows of the park’s large lake.
Once the sun goes down, a visit to one of Jeonju’s makgeolli streets, especially in Samcheong-dong, is a must. There’s no better way to end an August day than eating sea snails and salt-roasted shrimp while someone pours you some cool, tangy goodness from a dented makgeolli kettle.

For me, August is a most agreeable month, following as it does the long monsoons of July. The sultry, late-summer air hangs heavy over the land; it slows the pace of life and imbues everything with a blissful indolence. It's a time that lends itself to relaxation and savoring each moment of life.
One of my favorite destinations is Mokpo, a port city at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula. I love to stroll about the city's historic quarter, wandering amidst its old, weather-beaten colonial homes and offices, soaking in the almost tropical atmosphere of beautiful neglect.
Mokpo has plenty to see and do. Developed as a port by Korea's Japanese overlords during the first half of the 20th century, the old Japanese consulate remains. The red brick, Renaissance-style office was built in 1910. You can also find a lovely Japanese garden (the Lee Hun-dong Garden), an old Japanese temple now used as a church, and Mokpo Modern History Museum, an imposing Neoclassical edifice that once housed the Mokpo office of the Oriental Development Company, Japan's answer to the British East India Company. A must-visit is House Full of Happiness, just across the street from the museum. This café, in a renovated wooden Japanese home, is a great place to take an hour's break to take in the ambiance over a beer.
Once you've had your fill of old Mokpo, head up Mt. Yudalsan in the late afternoon and await the sunset. The views up here over the city and the sea are panoramic, and the sunsets truly inspiring. For dinner, head over to the Bukhang Hoe Center for some tasty seafood. A local specialty is sebal nakji, a thin-legged octopus served raw, often diced up in a spicy salad.

The end of summer is approaching and it’s time for one last get-away before the school year starts. What better place to experience these final days than Jeju. While the island is filled with numerous attractions, three water features on the southern side of the island are must-see attractions.
To start, Cheonjiyeon is a beautiful waterfall that cascades into a large moon-shaped pond. In the heat of summer, the mist from the falls is sure to cool you down while listening to the water’s roar. Not far away is Cheonjeyeon Falls. Cheonjeyeon is actually a series of three majestic waterfalls set in a forested canyon.
While the trail involves some ups and downs, the views are worth it. Finally, driving out to Oedolgae Rock is best saved for the late afternoon. The lava formation stands tall in a cove with the sound of crashing waves echoing below. What makes this location special are the scores of pine trees abutting the cliffs and the benches that are perfectly positioned to relax and take in the sights and sounds.