THE SHORT VERSION
- Aeroméxico connects Mexico City with Seoul. Flight sites currently list six or seven weekly frequencies, and the 2024 launch included a stop in Monterrey on the outbound leg. Confirm the current schedule when booking.
- The 2026 MICHELIN Guide gives two Keys to three hotels in Korea: Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, SIGNIEL Seoul and SIGNIEL Busan.
- Seoul has 42 starred restaurants: one with three (Mingles), ten with two and 31 with one.
- A fact worth knowing: the temporary K-ETA exemption expires on 31 December 2026, and there is no official announcement of an extension for 2027.
There is a garden in Seoul you cannot enter on your own: the Huwon of Changdeokgung, the palace's secret garden.
It can only be visited with a guide and at a fixed time. If you leave it for when you arrive, you probably will not get in. That is the lesson of Korea in miniature: the good trip is booked before you know you want it.
Why Korea, now
The Korean government projected a record of more than 18.7 million foreign visitors for 2025, above the 17.5 million of 2019, according to The Korea Times. And Aeroméxico is, according to flight sites, the only airline that links Mexico City with Seoul without connecting through the United States or Japan. I found no figures for Mexicans traveling to Korea, and I am not going to invent one.
Visa and entry permit
This is what is worth clarifying before buying tickets. Mexicans enter Korea without a visa for tourism. They are also on the list of countries exempt from the K-ETA electronic permit during 2026, according to secondary sources; I could not confirm it on the official page.
The temporary exemption is set until 31 December 2026, according to a notice from the foreign ministry. A Korean outlet reported confusion last year over the lack of notice about an extension. For trips from 1 January 2027, the permit may be required again. It is confirmed on the official site before any booking for 2027.
When to go
The Korea Tourism Organization's 2026 foliage map puts the peak in the Seoul area at the end of October, and a Seoul tourism guide places it between 5 and 15 November. My advice: autumn, with flexible dates, or spring. Both seasons fill up.
Eight nights, step by step
- Four nights in Seoul. The base for palaces, starred tables and shopping.
- One night at a hot-spring hotel, inspired by traditional Korean inns: YOUONEJAE, in Chungju.
- Two nights in Busan, by the sea.
- One night in Seoul, before flying home.
Seoul
Where to sleep
The 2026 MICHELIN Guide recognizes five hotels in Seoul:
- Four Seasons Hotel Seoul (two Keys, up this year from one): facing Gwanghwamun Square, with the restaurant Yu Yuan, with one star.
- SIGNIEL Seoul (two Keys): it occupies floors 76 to 101 of Lotte World Tower and has the restaurant Bicena, with one star.
- The Shilla Seoul (one Key): at the foot of Mount Namsan, with La Yeon, a two-star restaurant.
- Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel (one Key): it blends heritage and modern design, with Eatanic Garden, with one star, on the 36th floor.
- Fairmont Ambassador Seoul (one Key): in the Parc.1 complex, in the financial district.
My choice by trip: Four Seasons to walk to the palaces, SIGNIEL if you want to sleep above the city, and The Shilla if you want a two-star table inside the hotel.
Where to eat
Seoul has 42 MICHELIN-starred restaurants in the 2026 edition. Mingles, Korean cuisine, is the only one with three stars. Two stars: alla prima, Evett, Jungsik, Kwonsooksoo, La Yeon, Mitou, Mosu (new this year), Restaurant Allen, Soigné and Sosuheon (sushi, also new). One guide mentions that Mingles bookings are made through the CatchTable app, about a month ahead, and sell out within hours.
What to do
Changdeokgung and its secret garden. The palace is closed on Mondays. The Huwon can only be visited on a guided tour, and according to travel guides, tickets go on sale six days ahead at 10:00 Korean time and sell out in minutes in April and October. English tours run around 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30, though times change by season. A palace and garden ticket costs about 8,000 won, according to another guide. The official site is royalpalace.go.kr, which I could not open; it is confirmed with them.
Gyeongbokgung. A guide to Korean palaces lists it as closed on Tuesdays, but that comes from a single source, so it is confirmed. Entering in hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, is free at the palaces, according to the guides.
Gwanghwamun Square. It is the symbolic entrance to Gyeongbokgung, with the statue of King Sejong. The Four Seasons faces it.
A palace, at night. Night visits are seasonal: the spring 2026 one ran from 13 May to 14 June, according to a guide. The calendar has to be checked.
Busan: the sea
SIGNIEL Busan has two Keys, is on Haeundae Beach, inside the LCT Landmark Tower, and has a restaurant, Chaoran. Busan has four one-star restaurants: Fiotto, Le DORER (new in 2026), Mori and Palate.
A hot-spring night
YOUONEJAE, in Chungju, is the hotel that changes the rhythm: 16 rooms, inspired by traditional Korean inns, with a private garden and a hot-spring bath in every room. It is new this year on the MICHELIN list, with one Key, and is Chungju's first.
Jeju Island
If you prefer an island to a city, the JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa has one Key and sits on the southern cliffs, with interiors by Bill Bensley. And the Art Paradiso, in Incheon, is an adults-only all-suite hotel near the airport, useful for the first or last night.
What to settle before booking
- The K-ETA permit for 2027 trips.
- The Huwon date: tickets go on sale six days ahead.
- Starred tables: booked weeks ahead, sometimes through an app.
- The season: autumn and spring fill up.
What people ask me most
Is there a direct flight from Mexico to Korea?
Aeroméxico flies to Seoul; flight sites report six or seven weekly frequencies. The outbound leg may include a stop in Monterrey.
Do I need a visa?
Mexicans enter without a visa for tourism, but the K-ETA permit is exempt only until 31 December 2026.
When is the best time to go?
Autumn, with the foliage peak between late October and mid-November, or spring.
What is the best hotel in Seoul?
Four Seasons and SIGNIEL have two MICHELIN Keys.
How we plan it
The first thing I ask is how many nights you have and in which season you want to go. With that we decide how much Seoul, how much sea and whether there is room for the hot-spring night.
That is how we build a tailored trip, starting with the first call, which costs nothing. If you want to go to Korea, tell us where to.
SOURCES
- MICHELIN Keys in Korea, 18 September 2026: MICHELIN Guide. Stars: Seoul and Busan 2026 and highlights.
- Visitors: The Korea Times. Korea Tourism Organization: visitkorea. Seoul tourism: Visit Seoul.
- Entry permit: K-ETA, ministry notice, VisasNews and Korea Daily.
- Flights: Aeroméxico, Flight Connections and El Financiero (2024 launch).
- Hotels: Four Seasons, SIGNIEL Seoul, SIGNIEL Busan, The Shilla, YOUONEJAE and JW Marriott Jeju.
- Foliage: Seoul Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization, via Herald. Palaces: Namane, Travel Classroom and Korea Experience.
Escrito por Diego Ramírez · Publicado el 20 October 2026