The 15 Best Lunch Experiences in South Korea

1.Seoul City Private Full-Day Tour Including Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 469 reviews · from $220Our pick

Spend about eight hours with a private English-speaking driver-guide exploring Seoul’s palace district, Bukchon, Insadong, Jogyesa Temple, and N Seoul Tower. Guides such as Brian, Janet, Suni, Alfonso, and Sophia Kim tailor the pace, photos, food, and stops to your group.

“Brian was our tour guide and he was friendly and informative. We were in Korea for a week and this tour was our first day in Seoul and in Korea and I wanted us to tour the city, both old and new and get the lay of the land. My wife was adopted from Korea and it had been 45 years since she had been back there. She had wonderful conversations in Korean with Brian. I do want to note however, that within the first five minutes of our tour, before our first stop, Brain laughed and made a personal comment about me and our family dynamics. That threw me…”

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2.Premium Private DMZ Tour & (Suspension Bridge or N-Tower) include lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 348 reviews · from $198

Travel from your Seoul hotel to Imjingak, the DMZ, Dora Observatory, and the Third Tunnel in a private vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Lunch is included, and you can add Gamaksan or Majang Lake Suspension Bridge, or choose N Seoul Tower. Bring your passport and expect steep walking.

“Excellent full day private tour of the DMZ and suspension bridge. Appreciated the stop on the way for coffee, and authentic lunch of Army Stew at a local restaurant was excellent. Highly recommend this tour that was very educational”

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3.Private DMZ Tour with North Korean Defector + N Korean Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 122 reviews · from $150

Join Jun, a North Korean defector who moved to South Korea in 2017, for a small-group DMZ day trip from Seoul. You’ll eat at a defector-run North Korean restaurant, view villages from Odusan Unification Tower, visit Imjingak, and hear a personal account of life and escape from the North.

“I’m not sure how to begin this review other than to say it was one of the most meaningful tours we’ve had the privilege to take. Unsure what to think prior to its start we were quickly engaged as Jun told one of the most difficult and inspiring Read more”

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4.Busan Tour: Gamcheon Village & Haedong Yonggungsa Temple + Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 119 reviews · from $159

Spend a full day touring Busan by private vehicle with a guide such as Steve, Jina, or CK. Visit Gamcheon Culture Village, Songdo Skywalk, three historic market districts, Hwangnyeongsan Mountain, and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, with hotel pickup and lunch included.

“The entire day was a lot of fun and included a little bit of everything. Mountain top views, a temple, fish market, street food, authentic Korean BBQ for lunch, one of the beaches with skywalk and view of the cable cars, and of course a stop Read more”

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5.Cheorwon DMZ and 2nd Tunnel Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 116 reviews · 8 hours · from $95

Travel from Seoul to Cheorwon with an English-speaking guide such as Sam, Andrew, or Mr Hong. You’ll visit the 2nd Tunnel, a North Korean guard post, Peace Observatory, DMZ History Museum, Workers’ Party ruins, and Hantangang Y-Bridge, with snacks, bibimbap lunch, and transfers included.

“We had such an amazing day and our Tour-Guide Sam explained everything. Lunch was so yummy, Bibimbab with lots of vegetables and side dishes and a soup. Would definitely book it again. 감사합니다”

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6.Gyeongju UNESCO World Heritage Sites and History Full-Day Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 104 reviews · from $189

Travel by air-conditioned minivan from Busan to Gyeongju with a guide such as Steve, Sue, Chris, or Jina. See Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, Cheomseongdae, and Gyochon Village. Lunch, entrance fees, pickup, and drop-off are included.

“Booked all group tour, but ended up with private tour with Steve Kim. Excellent guide, spoke fluent English. Had great conversation and learned much about the history of Gyeongju. Enjoyed the included lunch. Drive passed quickly. Pickup and drop off was seamless. Would recommend for someone looking for a tour.”

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7.Full Day- Essential Seoul City Tour & Gourmet Tour(including Lunch and Dinner)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · from $299

Spend about nine hours with an English-speaking guide such as Bergen Park, Shawn, Tony, or Kimsoo, visiting Seoul’s royal palace, hanok lanes, temples, markets, and stream. Hotel pickup, private transport, traditional tea, lunch, snacks, and a Gwangjang Market dinner with makgeolli are included.

“This was worth it! Bergen is such a great guide who is very knowledgeable in all the sites we visited. He took good care of me and was able to take me to all the sites without issue. This is the perfect itinerary to see major highlights in Seoul. Read more”

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8.Private Hiking to Bukhansan & Korean Style Spa(Include Lunch)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $182

Spend about seven hours with a private guide such as Benny, Jimmy, Sophia, Kim, or Chance on an easy-to-moderate Bukhansan hike, a temple visit, Korean lunch, and a traditional sauna. Pickup, air-conditioned transport, and a route adjusted to your group make this a personal way to see Seoul beyond the city center.

“I rarely write long reviews, but this Bukhansan hiking experience deserves a full and transparent account — both for future travellers and for the operator. 1. A Chaotic Start: Technical Issues & Miscommunication The problems began even Read more”

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9.Bukhansan Mountain Private Hike with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $170

Leave Seoul with a private vehicle and an English-speaking guide such as Brian or Justin. Hike for about three hours through Bukhansan National Park, pass Bukhansanseong Fortress and possibly Sangunsa Temple, then enjoy a Korean lunch before your hotel drop-off.

“We had a fantastic day! Justin, our guide, was very friendly and knowledgable. During the hike he provided a lot of interesting information about the history of the area and the mountain itself. The total time for our hike was 3 hours up aRead more”

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10.Private Tour in Jeju Island All Inclusive with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $250

Spend about eight hours exploring eastern Jeju in a private vehicle with an English or Chinese-speaking guide. See volcanic Seongsan Ilchulbong, learn about haenyeo culture, visit Seongeup Folk Village, enjoy Gwangchigi Beach, and have lunch with admissions included.

“i booked the southwest tour and had the best day. we picked tangerines, went to an enchanted forest (fairy house, witch house, etc.) went to the columnar joint, etc. but the highlight was going to one area of Hallasan National Park and eRead more”

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11.Busan Beomeosa Temple & Hongbeopsa Temple with temple lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $63Best value

Join a small-group Busan temple tour led by guides such as Suyang or Chang. Visit thousand-year-old Beomeosa, lesser-known hermitages, Hongbeopsa’s giant Amitabha Buddha, and enjoy temple bibimbap. Public transport, bottled water, and a market visit are included.

“Very positive and interesting experience. Very careful and patient guide.Thanks to the capable and informed guide I was able to learn many interesting things.Everything positive”

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12.Private Tour: Nami Island& (Alpaca World ‘or’ Morning Calm)&Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $226

Spend 8 to 10 hours outside Seoul with a private English-speaking guide, visiting Nami Island and either Alpaca World or the Garden of Morning Calm. Guides such as Mr Kim, Alfonso, BJ, and Chance Kim are noted for smooth driving, cultural insight, photos, and flexible help throughout the day.

“Had a great tour with Mr Kim He provided us with excellent overview of Korea and Korean history We had the opportunity to visit both Nami Island and the Alpaca World and I would highly recommend this for anyone, especially for families with children”

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13.[DMZ Private Full day Tour] & The War Memorial include Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $194

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a private English-speaking guide such as BJ Kim or Alfonso, visiting Imjingak, the Third Tunnel, Dorasan Station, Dora Observatory, and Seoul’s War Memorial. Lunch at a traditional Korean restaurant is included, along with hotel pickup and private transport.

“We had an absolutely incredible day with our guide, BJ. He was fantastic! He has an incredible depth of knowledge about the history and geopolitical context of the Korean War and the DMZ, and we learned a lot from him. He even went out of Read more”

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14.Hike and Explore the Wonder of Bukhansan National Park with hiking professional(including Lunch)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $170

Meet guide Bergen Park at your Seoul hotel for a private Bukhansan hike tailored to your ability. Walk past granite peaks, fortress walls, valleys, waterfalls, and a Buddhist temple while learning about Korean culture. Lunch, snacks, fruit, water, transport, and hotel return are included.

“I had a great trip to Seoul but I must say my hike with Bergen was THE BEST day of the trip and one of my best days in a long time. I am not a hiker but do enjoy working out. I explained this to Bergen and he crafted a hike that he thought would be good for me. It was a chaRead more”

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15.Layover Tour for essential Seoul City & Gourmet tour(Incl. Lunch)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $359

Use your Incheon or Gimpo layover to see Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, Jogyesa Temple, and Gwangjang Market. Bergen Travel provides private air-conditioned transport, airport or port pickup, lunch, street food, and an English-speaking licensed guide such as Bergen Park or Tony Kim.

“Mr. Bergen was an amazing tour guide! We had a wonderful experience in Seoul and appreciate his knowledge and experience both of Korean and American culture and history. I would 100% recommend this tour to anyone needing help Read more”

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