South Korea is compact and fast to cross: high-speed trains link Seoul with Busan in under three hours, and most of the country's palaces, temples and mountain parks sit within reach of that line. Seoul itself mixes reconstructed Joseon-era palaces with dense modern districts.
The guides here cover Seoul and South Korea overall. Spring blossom in April and autumn foliage in October are the two peak seasons, both short and both crowded; summer brings monsoon rain from late June through July. Transport cards work across buses, metro and many taxis nationwide, and mountain parks near cities are heavily used at weekends by local hikers.