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How did you get interested in K-pop? For many it was BTS that opened that door to the world and one of the most iconic BTS trips students do on their study abroad experience in South Korea is to go and visit the iconic BTS Bus Stop from their 2017 album: You Never Walk Alone. As BTS continued to grow Gangneung became a fun fan and tourist beach city, perfect for a day trip or even a relaxing weekend trip. 

During my spring semester at Yonsei University I had the opportunity to plan a day trip to Gangneung to visit this bus stop. It was a long 18 hour day, however with the right people and a relaxation based schedule we were able to push through without many difficulties. My roommate and I took the 6am train from Seoul station to Gangneung, it was a quick 2 hour trip. But it is long enough to either take a nap, study, or doom scroll on your phone. Once we arrived in Gangneung we had to get on a city bus to get us to the bus stop. We only had to take one city bus, but it took one hour to get to the bus stop from the station. 

Bus Stop Address: 8-55 Hyangho-ri, Jumunjin-eup, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea. In Korean: 강원특별자치도 강릉시 주문진읍 향호리 8-55

We got to the bus stop around 9 am and luckily it was not busy at all. I've heard stories where there are people waiting in line to take photos. Luckily that was not the case for us, we were able to take many photos and videos at the bus stop without interruption. If you are a solo traveler don't worry, there is a stand where you can prop your phone up to take your own photos. It truly is a great spot for group trips but it is also accommodating to solo travelers alike. 

There is so much to do in Gangneung, after we finished at the bus stop we enjoyed some time on the beach and at the water, went to a cafe and got some smoothies and played some cards. It was getting close to 11 when we decided to head back down into the main part of the city to see what they have to offer. I will note that when you visit the countryside (not Seoul or Busan) cities the buses come at inconsistent rates. The buses in Gangneung, they often only come once an hour. So plan accordingly. 

We made our way back down and got some food, visited another beach, and headed to the Arte Museum. This is an immersive art museum that is very similar to team lab planets in Tokyo, however it is not as sensory as team labs. We continued to enjoy our time in the city by going to cafes, resting when needed and getting a lot of beach time. When we were nearing the end of the day my roommate wanted to go to Gangneung’s Cafe Street and go to a tofu gelato spot. I will say the Tofu Gelato was SO good. I want to go back and try the other flavors. 

Arte Museum: 강원특별자치도 강릉시 난설헌로 131

Soontofu Gelato 순두부젤라또 2호점: 강원특별자치도 강릉시 경강로 2642 1~4층

Beach and cafe street: 강원특별자치도 강릉시 견소동
 

It truly was a great day in Gangneung, from the good weather, to the sounds of the ocean, and the BTS bus stop everything was perfect. It was a great day trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and we were able to really sit back, relax, and enjoy Gangneung!