Is Seoul Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Family travel experience

Our trip to Seoul, South Korea was enjoyable. We made it just in time for the cherry blossoms. There is a variety of activities to do from a range of budgets. The cultural facilities such as museums, palaces, and temples were either free or exceptionally affordable. The hanbok rentals were fairly priced and allows you to get into the palace free of charge when one is worn. Please note renting a hanbok is more than getting paying to enter the palace. Overall we did feel safe. We visited various areas of Seoul and even did a nature hike up one of the mountains. Gyeongbokgung Palace was a lovely visit and Myeongdong market was extremely busy but fun. The gangnam area in the evenings has adult entertainment fliers spread across the floor so you will see inappropriate fliers whilst walking. Unfortunately, for my experience being plus size (Trousers: US size 9/UK size 12) was not the greatest. I had an underground shop employee in Gangnam be extremely rude to me and didn't let me try on clothing (a cardigan). I left holding back tears and cried in the hotel room while my husband comforted me. I have never been treated so terribly. I also had multiple locals remark on my weight and how I would look better if I lost some weight. Unfortunately this is a cultural thing and it was not my first trip to Korea but was my 1st trip at my current size.

Solo travel experience

Safe, clean and cheap. Every meal can be under 10usd each person. But some traditional cuisine serves only large size, single person cannot order it. Activities are interesting. There are several exhibitions in the city and some ancient buildings. People can rent traditional dress nearby. U can also reserve a K-pop makeup service and experience a new, beautiful, gorgeous face of yourself 😍. Taking a ride to countryside for 2hour, you can enjoy snowfall or skiing.

Solo travel experience

If I were to visit South Korea again, it definitely wouldn’t be Seoul but instead probably Jeju or a beach city like Busan. Seoul is cool for a day, but anything more than that is redundant. It’s a mountain town, so the views are very cool. The food is amazing. I felt very safe walking around at night in the center of the city. However, unless you’re big into Korean pop culture like k-pop and k-dramas, you should make Seoul only a stop on your South Korea itinerary. Amazing café’s though! Super Instagramable. :p

Family travel experience

My experience was nice but I felt like I missed a lot of things as I couldn’t enjoy to the fullest being with my family (night life) But I was also glad because I was young and dumb. I sometimes went by myself to meet “friends” but you should not trust Korean men you met online easily. Some where clingy to the point it was creepy and wanted me to go to some places with them, some also tried to make me drunk on purpose even though I didn’t want to, which was very suspicious. Korea was safe overall, they have CCTV almost everywhere but always be careful.

Solo travel experience

A bustling, hyper-modern metropolis, with endless neighborhoods to explore. I felt safe in all environs, including walking alone late at night (on well-lit streets, mind you) and inside bars and clubs. Women would leave their purses and drinks unattended. That's how safe it was. There were tons of things to see and do. The food was cheap and ridiculously delicious. Even though my research said to expect the people to remain aloof and unfriendly, that was not my experience. Everyone was lovely. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Solo travel experience

I feel safe because there are CCTV cameras everywhere in the country. I also enjoyed delicious food in the restaurants, and the staff were very attentive. I never encountered any unpleasant individuals during my stay in Korea. I had a great time exploring the country, discovering beautiful places, and I continue to do so. I stayed in Itaewon, where there are slightly more foreigners. If you visit Korea, I recommend exploring areas other than Itaewon. Apart from that, everything is very pleasant.

Solo travel experience

This was my second time visiting Seoul, so I was a bit more familiar and knew it would be really safe for a solo female traveler. I love how I was just able to go to coffee shops and leave my bag at a table when I needed to use the bathroom or something, knowing no one would touch it. Everyone is kind.

Solo travel experience

Traveling solo in Seoul is easy and safe. English is enough to communicate easily. Google maps doesn’t work well, but you can use Naver, it works perfectly! Food is amazing! But if you are not into Korean (something I’m sorry for) you will find international food everywhere!

Solo travel experience

I went to South Korea alone and stayed in Myeong-dong during that time. Honestly, I felt really safe the whole time I was there alone. The language barrier can be difficult, so I definitely recommend downloading Google Translate.

Solo travel experience

I lived in Seoul for one year and all I can say is if you have a but money and can speak the language a little bit you will have the best time in South Korea. I fehlt safe walking around at night, your belonings will not get stolen neither in a club not in a café even if your laptop is on the table unsupervised. It is wise to keep an eye on your drink when you party but in general i felt happy and safe. The korean food is so versatile and is a must try! Especiallx solo travel to parks or museum fehlt really good! For me Seoul is a must visit

Attacks and assault in public do not happen as often as they do in other places, but when they do the law always favors the man’s side and you cannot protect yourself so in that sense it is unsafe, a lot of men here think they are entitled to your attention and will be very pushy because they think foreign women are “easy”.

Seoul is a safe city, even at night. The public transport feels safe and I never worry about walking or being alone. The people are very friendly and can be helpful and if there is danger, the police are known to be quick to come. There are many surveillance cameras for safety, and most people are highly aware of that. No pick pocketing or weapon danger. It is a very safe city.

Couple travel experience

I love love love love Seoul :) Is the reason I am creating this account because I want to come back, and unfortunately, none of my friends would join me :( As you see from my pictures, my favourite thing about it is FOOD and drinking ;). But I fell in love with everything; I felt like a local there because there are no “ tourists “ kind of scams, and it is not a touristic city. But I loved it, I felt like I was living there, visiting every corner of the city, restaurants, nightlife, shops, museums, and art galleries. And the vibe is extremely unique; I have been to more than 25 countries and this is my favorite by far :)

Solo travel experience

People are extremely friendly, public transportation is very good, and there are many things to do. I stayed in the Jongno district, very conveniently located in the city center. I took part in two culinary tours and a hike. I highly recommend this if you want to meet new people. A few things you need to know: - Your credit card may not work everywhere. It is always a good idea to have some cash on you. - Many people do not speak much English, or are too shy to try. - You need a Tmoney card for public transportation, but you can buy it at the airport or at most grocery stores. - Google Maps does not really work here, use local Naver maps instead.