Everything........Korea! Korean! :): Travel smart with VisitKorea mobile application

Photo: Travelers can easily find Bukchon Hanok Village with the help of VistKorea app. We are living in an era in which technology has amazingly progressed to the stage where almost everything you need can be searched for and found within a few moves of the fingertips, through portable devices. Thus, this has led to the emergence of mobile application services. Such developments are also seen in the fields of business travel, with fewer people depending on tour guides and more relying on their smart devices instead. The majority of independant travelers prefer this trend of self-motivated travel, also known as a "smart tour," choosing to use mobile applications to guide them rather than joining a tour package program. To fulfill the increasing need for travel mobile applications as well as to promote tourism in Korea, Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) offers an easy and convenient mobile service known as 'VisitKorea' for both international and domestic visitors alike. By using the KTO's travel app, going around the country is no longer a frightening experience, but an informative one as you will be well-versed with the latest travel news, popular sightseeing destinations, eateries and more. Above all, the information provided on this app is of top quality, allowing travelers to plan a more accurate itinerary. VisitKorea Mobile App, how much do you know? VisitKorea is a mobile app created by the Korea Tourism Organization that provides Korea travel information for foreign independent travelers in English, Chinese and Japanese languages. With constant updates on tourist attractions, dining options, transportation and other useful travel information, the app serves as a great reference for travelers who are planning their trip beforehand or when traveling freely around Korea. This newly designed app makes traveling around Korea more convenient and it offers you the opportunity to experience Korea more in-depth! Photo: VisitKorea App's home screen page (English version) ① Find out the latest travel information at 'Travel Highlights' This is one of the most helpful categories to refer to while planning your travel itinerary to Korea. You can easily access the most up-to-date information provided by our editors every month on the latest hotspots, attractions, festivals, and Korean culture as well as a variety of other information related to Korea in the segment of 'Travel Highlights.' ② Categorized Information - shopping, hotels, dining and more! For easier navigation around the app, information is classified into categories including shopping, hotels, dining and more. Also, the results from the search can be listed in order of popularity, as well as in the order of proximity to your current location. ③ Plan your travel itinerary via 'Travel Course' 'Travel Course' is a useful planner that will help in your itinerary planning greatly. Recommended itineraries as well as popular itineraries made by other travelers give users a space for idea sharing. Users may refer to the 'Recommended' courses that are suggested for a kick-start, or refer to 'Popular' courses that are shared by other travelers. Alternatively, you can create your own itinerary under the 'My' function, and share via social media networking sites (SNS) with other travelers. ④ Download 'Discount Coupons' and enjoy traveling! Beyond travel-related information, the app also provides a variety of discount coupons for tourist attractions, restaurants, theater performances and more of enjoyable events. Discounts from 5% to as much as 30% are available. As the validation period and the terms of use of the coupons may differ, travelers are advised to check the details before using them. Take on a "Seoul One Day Tour" recommended by VK App Now that you've learned the basics of what VisitKorea app has to offer, it's time for you to actually make use of this service on the road! To give you an idea of what you will find inside, we have came up with a trial course that is favored by throngs of foreign tourists – a "'Seoul One Day Tour!" Navigate your desired tourist destination by 'Attractions' Photo: Bukchon Hanok Village trails with Korea's traditional charm and artistic value 'Attractions' is a feature that is highly used by many users, of which this segment introduces major tourist sites in Korea with an added function of step-by-step guide on how to reach your destination. For example, getting to Bukchon Hanok Village has never been this easy; simply type the name and then follow the route shown in your screen! Its user-friendly contents are easy to comprehend for all, including foreign travelers who are visiting for the very first time. Find the nearest travel spot by category and distance Photo: Insa-dong is full of touristic activities and attractive destinations to jump onIf you are done touring around Bukchon Hanok Village, why not make additional visits to a nearby attraction, such as Insa-dong, the ideal venue for shopping and diverse cultural experiences. Whether you are in need of food choices, a place to stay or other traveling activities, VisitKorea app will help by indicating them in the order of categories and distance to travel. With plenty of recommended places as well as popular sites provided, users will able to enjoy and discover the true charm of Korea. Photo: Panoramic view of 'Ssamzie-gil' shopping mall Continuing the exploration of Insa-dong, Ssamzie-gil Road is a top attraction that one cannot miss. It is a four-story building where a spiraling hallway connects each floor in a street-themed architectural style. As each step takes you higher and higher, visitors will soon be greeted with an unforeseen vista of downtown Seoul, and may even spot Haneul Park as well. Photo: Visitors can participate in a hanbok experience program at the Insa-dong PR Center Sightseeing in Insa-dong does not end there, as the last stop remaining is the Insa-dong PR Center where foreigners can participate in a hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) experiential program as well as take many photos for mementos. This program requires a minimal fee in renting the beautiful garment, and the reservation can only be made on-site, where the number of hanbok tries is limited for one per person. Find the best bet through the 'Dining' feature Photo: Taste Korea's representative healthy dish, bibim-bap at Insa-dong (right) Gourmandizing in a foreign country can sometimes be a heavy task, especially if you are not familiar with the region and the menus available. Fret not because VisitKorea app's 'Dining' feature is ready to provide you with an abundant amount of restaurant information including Korean, Western, Japanese, Chinese cuisines, and more options listed by your preference and distance from your current location. Find the nearest department store by using the 'Shopping' feature Photo: Myeong-dong is one of Korea's must-go shopping destinationsMyeong-dong can be reached within 30-minutes of walking from Insa-dong, where groups of young Koreans meet and gather to shop, eat and enjoy the city's atmosphere of freedom and latest trends. Lines of stores housing international and luxury brands, department stores and carts filled with various fashion goods pack the streets of Myeong-dong. Search through the 'Shopping' feature and all the information you need for shopping will appear in hand. In addition, for visitors from abroad, duty-free shopping needs will also be answered here without having to travel far! Tips on making use of the 'Discount coupons' feature Photo: N Seoul Tower was Korea's first tower-style observation deck Next stop on the itinerary is N Seoul Tower, located on Namsan Mountain offering great panoramic views of the city. It has been a symbol of Seoul since it first opened to the public in 1980 and loved by groups of family visitors and love birds for its beautiful nightscape ever since then. For VisitKorea app users, a 10% discount coupon is offered and valid until this year-end, so keep this in mind if you are planning to visit one of the city's best observatories! More Info ☞ Recommended day course tour around Seoul by VisitKorea App Bukchon Hanok Village → Insa-dong → Ssamzie-gil Road → Insa-dong PR Center → Myeong-dong → N Seoul Tower ☞ Websites - Bukchon Hanok Village bukchon.seoul.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) - Insa-dong PR Center www.hiinsa.com (Korean, English) - N Seoul Tower www.nseoultower.com (Korean, English) ☞ Downloading VisitKorea Application Android System (English, Japanese, Chinese) Apple iOS System (English, Japanese, Chinese) ☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) <Last updated on October 15, 2015> * This column was last updated in October 2015, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details from the official websites before visiting.

Date 10/23/2015