Visiting Seoul for a week

I was there a couple of months ago. I really, really liked it as did my wife. One of the cities in the world I would absolutely go back to.

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I’m really considering it but have heard it’s pretty much impossible to get around if you don’t speak Korean.

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Absolutely not accurate. I had no problems whatsoever, most people spoke English where I was (as much as if not more than Japan), and when they didn't it was easy to get by. And now with AirPod pros that translate korean back and forth...no issues.

If you stay in Myeongdong, the primary tourist area, you won't have any issues. The Westin Josun was actually quite an amazing hotel. The service was luxury hotel level.

Lots of amazing sites to see, food is great, people were nice.

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I’ve also heard that South Korean women tend to be very hyper-materialistic and superficial which can make it hard to find dates there as a foreigner

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Now here I cannot help you at all, my wife didn't let me test this out.

But I can see the Korean women were gorgeous on average and everyone dresses exceptionally well.

Korean beauty products is a thing, and they do dress well there (they aren't wearing shorts and sneakers and TShirts).

I never made it to Hongdae, which is kind of the going out/young people area. I have heard it was very cool to go out there at night, but I didn't make it.

Yes. Very good. Its a huge city with many world class restaurants.

Its not as good as Japan but its still great and more affordable than Japan.

You can get stuff at pretty much any price point.

The fried chicken really is legit as hell, BBQ Is always good. Yukhoe (tartare) was super legit. Kalguksu soup is pretty good.

Drink lots of beer and Sochu

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Its not as good as Japan but its still great and more affordable than Japan.

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IMO Seoul has a much better aesthetic to it than Tokyo.

Dude, until you've had beef bulgolgi for breakfast with some eggs... Damn. The hotel I always stayed at served it every other day.

You'll be fine without knowing any Korean other than kamsahamnida (thank you.) There are a shite ton of Americans there (Camp Casey,) and we've been there for 70 years.

Try to avoid areas near Camp Casey at night on the weekends, (Itaewon.) Not because of the Koreans, because of the Americans getting drunk on Hooker Hill.

Look up Seoul City Hall, and go there in the mid morning. They will have a Trump/USA appreciation demonstration, every day of the weekend. The old imperial palace is right there in the square, and there are traditional "change of guard" ceremonies that are very colorful and fun. There are often markets and K-Pop concerts on the grassy area in the square.

Also realize that there are a ton of shops and restaurants underground. Be careful with the shochu, it can sneak up on you. They have Burger King, etc. that can all be ordered from by kiosk in English if you get super worried.

Make sure to hit the Lotte World Tower Mall. Examine the organization of the place, the variety they sell, and just be amazed at how Asians can get your wife to shop like there is no tomorrow.

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Do they look down on overweight americans?

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They probably have to look around them.

My two cents...lived there for a couple years and travel back and forth but it has been two years since i have been there.

Now, I used to speak pretty fluent Korean but skills are very rusty now

Subway - English and easy to get around

Taxis - the black taxis are more expensive but more English in them than other ones. Now if you take a regular taxi, due to traffic in Seoul you could end up having the taxi driver pickup someone else along the way As for Uber, no clue, just took the subway everywhere

As for being a big guy, the caution I would say would be with the plastic chairs at certain restaurants and if you do any of the street food tents (pojungmachas who are fun to drink in late night).

Hotels - Westin is always great after these decades...I like Intercontintal and Lotte, both in the myuengong area But again, if it is close to the subway, you can stay anywhere

Sights - Kyungboek palace (lots of English tours), Changdeokung, Namdaumun shopping (you have to go just to haggle, and bring an extra suitcase), really recommend a DMZ tour, and if time, a day trip to Inchoen if you like war history and have lunch on Wolmido for restaurants where you pick the fish and they make it, and also War Memorial of Korea

Women - really depends on your age, and how many people you are with. For example, you go with a group to some nightclubs and the waiters act as matchmakers, Itaewon (obviously lot of US soldiers but also Korean girls where you can not have to go through the traditional korean process), yes, I am stereotyping but if they are eastern european, most likely working girls,...

Food - what do you like? Korean BBQ is easy such as Bulgogi (beef), Dalkgogi (spicy chicken), etc Chinese restaurants, nothing like here more tradition noodles with black bean sauce, Hwe Dop Bob (a certain fish specific to Korea that you eat as sashimi), etc etc

Street Food - Soondae (pig intestine stuffed with rice, really realy good), Odeng (a fish type hot dog on a stick boiled in water, again better than you think), HoDuk (cinnamon stuffed pastry...really delicious dessert that is mainly winter time), Mandu (their dumplings) KimBap (think Korean california rolls), Twigum (Tempura vegetables), Fish shaped pastries stuffed full of sweet read bean really good

Drinks - Beer (Maekju) - I like HIte but Cass is popular, etc Soju - sip and drink and eat. Sweet but not too bad. Makkoli is a mikly rice drink that I would not drink more than one or your stomach is screwed