The Real Seoul
The Real Seoul
5
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Friday
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Full view
About
***NOW ACCEPTING GUESTS AGAIN! Triple vaxxed as of Jan 2022. Guests must follow local masking laws and social distancing restrictions. As of July 2022, masks must be worn on public transit and inside at all times except when actively eating, drinking, or smoking. There are currently no group size restrictions or curfews for nightlife/businesses.*** The Real Seoul offers custom, private, food and nightlife experiences for solo visitors and small groups (friends/couples). This keeps the atmosphere small and flexible (easy to move around to restaurants as we wish). We can eat as little as you want, drink as much as you want, it's totally up to you! The Real Seoul is a local friend VOLUNTEER, not a big tour machine. Please drink responsibly.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
89 reviews
Excellent
89
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Dan R
London, UK11 contributions
This was an absolutely brilliant tour and a great way to experience the real Seoul from the perspective of those that live there. Michael really is a fantastic guide. He is so personable, informative and fun that I would say this tour is a must for anyone visiting - even if just for one night!
Written July 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for writing this so quickly Dan! Tell Jon hello and of course if I ever head your way, I'll be in touch! Good luck fighting that jet lag!
Written July 17, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Christy
London, UK104 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
Michael is an outstanding host who introduced us to fun and tasty food and drink. He felt more like a friend than a guide and he deserves his perfect reviews on Tripadvisor. Well worth doing this tour - it was lots of fun.
Written April 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christy thanks for writing this so quickly! I'm glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the kind words.
Written April 16, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Darcypride
27 contributions
Jun 2018 • Solo
Due to the great reviews on TripAdvisor I decided to reach out to Michael for my trip. I am so glad I did. Spending time with Michael was a highlight of my trip. Words can’t do justice to the support Michael provided. He contacted me daily to see if I needed any advice and provided great tips. Michael was always available and helped me in times of need going above and beyond to help me and care for me. Of course we went out and tried some amazing food and had a great time going to places I would never find on my own, but Michael is so much more than an amazing man and amazing guide he is a true friend. I highly recommend that you contact him.
Written June 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oh Corrrrrrrinnna always soooooo sweet thank you!!! Minsu says you’re his favorite visitor ever by the way :-)! Keep in touch and I hope I can hop Down Under soon!
Written June 13, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
joe z
Florham Park, NJ97 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
I only had one night in Seoul and was looking for things to do. While I didn't book a tour w Michael, he did answer questions for me. (He was out of town). Since I was short on time, Michael directed me to the craft brew selections in town. Saved me some time
Written May 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe,
Sorry we couldn't meet up, but I hope I could help some! Thanks for taking the time to review.
Written May 22, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
xlzhang
Chicago, IL8 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
When I first arranged our night out with Michael I was a bit nervous because my husband and I typically don't stay out late, and we also don't drink. However spending a night out in Gangnam with Michael was awesome! He was completely flexible and adapted the experience to suit us, all the food was had was exceptional, and he was a really easygoing and fun person to hang out with.
Throughout our stay in Seoul he proactively asked us how our trip was going, and volunteered great suggestions on where to go and things to do. All of his advice was tailored to suit our tastes and time constraints, and I felt very comfortable messaging him for advice about any subject, every day. We had already done extensive research on where to eat, but we changed our plans and took his suggestions instead and have absolutely no regrets, all of his recommendations were great.
Throughout our stay in Seoul he proactively asked us how our trip was going, and volunteered great suggestions on where to go and things to do. All of his advice was tailored to suit our tastes and time constraints, and I felt very comfortable messaging him for advice about any subject, every day. We had already done extensive research on where to eat, but we changed our plans and took his suggestions instead and have absolutely no regrets, all of his recommendations were great.
Written April 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lulu yessss thanks for writing so quickly! I really appreciate it :-) . I’m glad you guys enjoyed. Thanks for the kind words and it makes me so happy to hear! If you guys ever head back this way, you know where to find me!
Written April 26, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
theonet2017
Charlotte, NC14 contributions
Feb 2017 • Solo
I had been thinking about a solo trip to South Korea after getting hooked on K-Pop in late 2015. I used Trip Advisor and their forums to assist me with assembling an itinerary for my trip. Prior to posting my own questions to the forums, I could not help but notice how responsive Mike was to other users' questions. I was honestly hoping it would be Mike who responded to my first question and sure enough, he did. After his responses to my questions, I decided to take him up on the offer mentioned in his profile:
“I enjoy showing off my city. I'm always happy to show others around as I can speak Korean and spend most of my free time eating and drinking the night away.”
I let Mike know my travel plans and contacted him once I arrived in Korea in early February.
We met for dinner on a Wednesday night in Gangnam and after asking me what I was in the mood for Mike suggested a great restaurant that served grilled lamb. After an excellent meal we headed out for some drinks and sushi. Mike nailed it again with a great bar/restaurant that was just slightly off the beaten path. I definitely felt like I was experiencing more of the local flavor than I would have otherwise if I hadn't taken him up on his offer. The sushi was great and the company even better. I was eager to hear about his experiences living in Seoul and he was more than happy to share them with me.
We ended the night on the patio in front of a GS-25 (a bit like 7-11; although they have those as well). We had a few more beers and a couple of bags of Korean snacks (as recommended by Mike). After finishing the beers and snacks, I realized it was almost 2:00am and that the public transportation system was no longer running. Mike was kind enough to arrange for a taxi back to my guesthouse in Myeong-dong.
I met up again with Mike the following week and another traveler from Singapore who shall forever be known to me as the “Singaporean Gentleman”. Much like the first time the food, drink, and company were excellent.
I cannot say enough good things about Mike. If you are travelling to Seoul I would highly recommend reaching out to Mike not only for the excellent advice he provides, but more importantly to arrange a get together.
“I enjoy showing off my city. I'm always happy to show others around as I can speak Korean and spend most of my free time eating and drinking the night away.”
I let Mike know my travel plans and contacted him once I arrived in Korea in early February.
We met for dinner on a Wednesday night in Gangnam and after asking me what I was in the mood for Mike suggested a great restaurant that served grilled lamb. After an excellent meal we headed out for some drinks and sushi. Mike nailed it again with a great bar/restaurant that was just slightly off the beaten path. I definitely felt like I was experiencing more of the local flavor than I would have otherwise if I hadn't taken him up on his offer. The sushi was great and the company even better. I was eager to hear about his experiences living in Seoul and he was more than happy to share them with me.
We ended the night on the patio in front of a GS-25 (a bit like 7-11; although they have those as well). We had a few more beers and a couple of bags of Korean snacks (as recommended by Mike). After finishing the beers and snacks, I realized it was almost 2:00am and that the public transportation system was no longer running. Mike was kind enough to arrange for a taxi back to my guesthouse in Myeong-dong.
I met up again with Mike the following week and another traveler from Singapore who shall forever be known to me as the “Singaporean Gentleman”. Much like the first time the food, drink, and company were excellent.
I cannot say enough good things about Mike. If you are travelling to Seoul I would highly recommend reaching out to Mike not only for the excellent advice he provides, but more importantly to arrange a get together.
Written October 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks, Tony! Keep in touch when you head back next year!
Written October 26, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Caroline O
Atlanta, GA56 contributions
Aug 2019
I am not one for organized tours, but as I was traveling to Seoul alone and only there for 36 hours, I wanted someone who knew the city who could show me the non-touristy Seoul. Michael was great and it felt like I was going out with a friend as opposed to a tour. There was great communication leading up to the tour and when we met up, he made sure to customize the experience to what I wanted and gave me multiple options of what we could do. As I'd already had BBQ, we started with chicken and beer, then went to a seafood restaurant and finally ended the night with Karaoke. In all places, there were only locals and as the menu in most places was all in Korean, even if I had found these places on my own, the experience would not have been the same without Michael. He's also a very skilled, experienced karaoke singer!! :) I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to see what a night in Seoul is like for locals!
Written August 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks Caroline for the kind review! You know I’ll be in touch back in Atlanta and I’ll send those Tokyo recs soon!!
Written August 13, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
5280HI_Traveler
Denver, CO9 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
First thing first, Michael @ The Real Seoul is the man!!
My wife and I came across The Real Seoul while planning our trip to South Korea and decided to do something out of the normal for us…take a tour. We are so happy and thrilled we decided to do something new this trip!
Personally I would not think of this so much as a tour; it’s more like a food and cultural experience. Meeting up with Michael in his hood was like meeting up with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while. He took us to some “off the beaten path” places to eat and have some drinks, all the while giving us great insight to Korea and its culture that we would not have received otherwise. Michael was also extremely helpful in assisting us with directions, things to do, etc. all in the days and weeks before we ever met up with him. He even helped us while we were in Busan, a totally different city than he lives, but has traveled to as well. Now that’s service!
If you are going to be in Seoul and want to have a great night out on the town with a local, don’t hesitate and reach out to Michael ASAP you will not be disappointed ! Our only regret is we didn’t have enough time on our trip to meet up with him for second night on the town. No worries, we will see him again on our next trip to the ROK.
Thanks again for everything Michael!
My wife and I came across The Real Seoul while planning our trip to South Korea and decided to do something out of the normal for us…take a tour. We are so happy and thrilled we decided to do something new this trip!
Personally I would not think of this so much as a tour; it’s more like a food and cultural experience. Meeting up with Michael in his hood was like meeting up with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while. He took us to some “off the beaten path” places to eat and have some drinks, all the while giving us great insight to Korea and its culture that we would not have received otherwise. Michael was also extremely helpful in assisting us with directions, things to do, etc. all in the days and weeks before we ever met up with him. He even helped us while we were in Busan, a totally different city than he lives, but has traveled to as well. Now that’s service!
If you are going to be in Seoul and want to have a great night out on the town with a local, don’t hesitate and reach out to Michael ASAP you will not be disappointed ! Our only regret is we didn’t have enough time on our trip to meet up with him for second night on the town. No worries, we will see him again on our next trip to the ROK.
Thanks again for everything Michael!
Written September 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian! Thanks so much for the fast review. Please do come back and send anyone my way :-) !
Written September 19, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Samantha H
1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Friends
Mike is hands down the best tour in Seoul. If you’re looking to get a real experience of what Korea has to offer without having to worry about the language barrier or getting stuck in a tourist trap then definitely have him take you around for a night. My friend came in to visit for the week and I wanted to show her the real Korea and get her some good quality Korean food and mike did just that. He knew exactly where to take us and made us feel extremely comfortable. He also gave us advice throughout the week and answered any questions we had. Thank you Mike for an awesome time I hope to see you again!
Written June 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the review Sam! You’re just right down in Daegu, so hit me up anytime you pop up to Seoul!
Written June 13, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dakia M
1 contribution
Mar 2018 • Couples
I connected with Michael for a quick night in Seoul. He was extremely helpful in advance of our travel in helping us figure out where we might want to stay and things to do on our short trip. Communication was always fast and informative.
Once we were in and settled. Michael was able to meet us near our hotel and helped us navigate our way around that night. We had a blast trying different food and drinks, learning about the area, and were eventually joined by another tourist and Michael's boyfriend (who was super sweet!).
We had a great time and really wish that we were able to stay longer. When we go back, we'll definitely try to connect with Michael again!
Once we were in and settled. Michael was able to meet us near our hotel and helped us navigate our way around that night. We had a blast trying different food and drinks, learning about the area, and were eventually joined by another tourist and Michael's boyfriend (who was super sweet!).
We had a great time and really wish that we were able to stay longer. When we go back, we'll definitely try to connect with Michael again!
Written May 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for writing the review! And you KNOW I’ll reach out when I’m back in the A. If I only knew when that would be haha
Written May 31, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What happened? Why is it closed? And will this tour reopen? Had this booked marked to contact for an upcoming trip :(
Written August 30, 2019
How to contact you? My Kakao: profBrenda
Written May 6, 2018
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