A few years ago, when my son was two years old, we had the incredible opportunity to live and work in Seoul. We discovered so many wonderful things about raising a child in Seoul, including the very safe environment, access to a top-notch education, high-quality and affordable child care, and the abundance of historical and cultural attractions and activities for children. Here are some other amazing observations we made during our stay.

1. A baby/kid-crazy culture. Maybe it’s related to the country’s falling fertility rate, one of the lowest in the world, or maybe it’s just the culture, but everywhere we went, the people (particularly the ajummas, middle-aged Korean women) he flattered our son, giving him any gift. they could find everything from small candies and toys to a giant eggplant. Taxi drivers would search your car to find something to give you, like a banana taken from your packed lunch. A merchant cried every time we visited him. For our son, it was like having a million grandmothers: the world felt kind and loving.

2. Adventurous and kid-friendly food. Korean food may be known for its spicy or unusual dishes (to the Western eye), but the cuisine also abounds in palate-opening foods disguised as sweets (at least in the eyes of our two-year-old). We enjoyed pink and white fish cakes; slightly sweet and chewy dried squid that shreds in your hands; colorful vegetables wrapped with rice in dried and salted seaweed; rice cakes topped with mashed mung beans or filled with red bean paste (a not too sweet treat that I grew up with and my son loves, but my all-western husband thinks is an insult to the word “dessert” ). With more restaurants per capita (or so the locals have told me) than any city in the world, not to mention the thousands of food carts selling street food, you are bombarded wherever you go with surprisingly irresistible Korean food for me. young son!

3. Accessibility of outdoor activities. Seoul is known for its incredible growth and development over the last few decades, which has transformed it into a vibrant and bustling city that never sleeps. With 11 million people in Seoul proper, it has nearly twice the population density of New York City. However, there are extraordinary pockets of undeveloped, unspoiled nature in the city, including at least eight mountains that offer easy access to excursions and day hikes for children. We often spent the day in Bukhansan, located on the northern outskirts of the city, which is a national park with impressive granite peaks, dozens of hiking trails on its three main peaks, and spectacular views of Seoul from the top. Prepare to feel under-equipped as ajummas and ajusshis (middle-aged women and men) run alongside you in the latest high-tech clothing, carbon fiber trekking poles, and state-of-the-art GPS equipment (no matter how smooth the pending), but they will always stop to go ooh and aah over their little ones and offer them some nuts, carrots or another snack.

4. Cheap and easy transportation. As a New Yorker, I am addicted to taxis/Uber and always feel a little guilty (although not enough to curb my addiction) for spending too much money jumping into a cab instead of taking the bus or subway. No blame needed in Seoul! While Seoul has a super-efficient, if often crowded, public transportation system, taxis are so plentiful and cheap that it’s easy to travel with your little one and all the gear and shopping bags you’re likely to have with you. And it’s always a good opportunity to practice your Korean.

5. Fashion K for the little ones. In recent years, Seoul has become a cultural powerhouse whose influence now extends beyond K-pop, K-drama and K-beauty, into fashion. We found that the focus on fashion extends even to those who are too young to dress themselves. We saw children wearing miniature versions of their parents’ couture styles, and even attending shows during Seoul Fashion Week! High-end aside, nowhere else is it so easy or affordable to play dress-up with your child, even the cheapest markets are awash with trendy kids’ fashion (or at least knock-offs). When we first came to Korea, we were fresh from Toronto, a wonderful but elegantly conservative city. It wasn’t until we went out one day with Mason in ripped jeans (a victim of playing in the sandbox too much) and messy hair (some gel fixing a haircut mishap caused by mom) that we activated the street style fashion meter. with universal acclaim!