About Seoul Palette
Updated
Seoul Palette explains Korea through everyday life. We write for English speakers who are about to visit Seoul for the first time or who have just started living here.
Many things in Seoul make sense once you know why they work the way they do: why a subway station has a dozen exits, why apartment trash rules are so detailed, why you pay a large deposit before you move in. We explain that reason first, then tell you what to do with it.
What makes our articles different
We hold every article to three rules.
- We explain the reason. An article does not stop at “this is how it is.” Each section gives one reason and ends with what that means for you.
- Every fact has a source. Fares, hours, rules, and numbers are linked to the organization that published them, and each article lists its sources with the date we checked them.
- Every photo is a real photo. We use real photographs with a known license, and we credit each one. We do not use AI-generated images in place of photos.
What we cover
- Arriving in Seoul: first-trip practicalities such as getting from the airport, transit cards, phones and data, and paying for things. See Arriving in Seoul.
- Seoul, every day: the reasons behind daily life, such as housing, recycling, delivery, and how services are set up. See Seoul, every day.
- Food, culture, and seasonal events when there is a clear reason to explain and something practical to take away.
Our main focus is Seoul. We cover the rest of Korea when a topic applies nationwide or connects to a trip to Seoul.
What we don’t cover
- Legal, medical, visa, or tax advice. When a topic touches these areas, we point you to the official agency that can answer for your case.
- Political arguments, gossip, or strong claims about real people.
- Paid or sponsored articles. We do not accept payment to write about a place, product, or service. How the site is funded is explained on How we’re funded.
- Long “top 50” lists written to fill a page.
Who we are
Seoul Palette is made by a small team, and we write as “we.” There are no individual bylines and no invented writer personas. The site is operated by One&Crew.
How we work
Each article goes through the same steps: research, a check of every source, a policy check, and a full read and approval by our editor before it goes live. The details are in How we research.
Found a mistake?
Information in Seoul changes often, and outdated information is a problem we want to fix quickly. If something in an article is wrong or out of date, please tell us. See Corrections, or reach us through the Contact page.