Friends
Open to Han River picnic with chimaek
About Korean fried chicken and beer
Meet like-minded people in Seoul
On your own in Seoul? Check in for the days you're there, say what you're open to, and other travellers and locals who chose to be seen can ask to join. They see your city, never your exact spot.
Seoul is a high-energy, very safe city where solo travellers can mix palaces and traditional hanok villages with K-pop, cafés, street food and late-night karaoke. Solo dining and café culture are common, and the city's nightlife makes it easy to meet locals and travellers. Travellers gather in the university district of Hongdae, in multicultural Itaewon and in trendy Seongsu-dong.
Meeting people in Seoul: what works
- Stay in Hongdae or Myeongdong, where social hostels and nightlife make meeting people easy.
- Join a free walking tour, such as those run by the city's tourism organisation, to get oriented and meet others.
- Try language exchange meetups, which are very popular in Seoul and a great way to meet locals.
- Join a run club or relax in the Han River parks, where locals gather for picnics and fried chicken in the evenings.
Stay safe
Seoul is very safe, but download a local map app such as Naver Map or KakaoMap because Google Maps navigation is limited in Korea.
Meet in public places, tell a friend where you’re going, and never send money to someone you met online.
Cards people might post in Seoul
Examples of what you could be open to. Post your own in a minute.
Date
Open to Hanbok walk at Gyeongbokgung
About Korean history and palaces
Ideas
Open to Korean and English language exchange
About Learning Korean
Friends
Open to Karaoke night in Hongdae
About K-pop and singing
Nearby and related
Guides
- Apps to make friends: an honest comparisonAn honest look at apps to make friends as an adult, from BFF by Bumble and Meetup to Timeleft and Peanut: what each is good for and what to watch for.
- Book Clubs in Singapore: Where to Find Your Reading PeopleFind a book club in Singapore: Silent Book Club sessions, free NLB library clubs in four languages, independent clubs, the Writers Festival and DIY tips.
- Dating apps in Singapore: an honest 2026 comparisonTinder, Bumble, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel and more, compared for Singapore: how matching works, verification and indicative SGD prices.
- Dinner with strangers in Singapore: social dining, supper clubs and how to do it safelyHow to have dinner with strangers in Singapore: Timeleft, supper clubs with communal tables, home dining, Meetup groups and doing it yourself safely.