Seoul, South Korea -
samantha brown's places to love

Seoul is a huge metropolis and the capital of South Korea, where high-tech and pop culture meet palaces and street markets. Samantha starts her journey off by taking a tour in Yeonnam-Dong, with Charlie, an ex-pat living in Seoul for the past 10 years. This neighborhood has been re-purposed into a green space filled with a resurgence of diverse restaurants, and most importantly, coffee shops, where Samantha and Charlie try some of the area's best coffee. Going for the local cuisine, Samantha joins Charlie and his wife to sample some of the popular banchan (side dishes) at an authentic restaurant, where Samantha also learns about the proper etiquette of eating and drinking. History and tradition are very important to Seoul, as Samantha experiences this celebration firsthand with the changing of the guard at the Gyeongbokgung Palace, which dates back to 1395. Venturing further, Samantha tours Bukchon Hanok Village on her way to learn about the artistry of Jogakbo, a style of patchwork, from a master artist. At the Korean Stone Art Stone Museum, Samantha explores the tranquil indoor/outdoor facility filled with over 1,250 life-like beautifully sculpted stone statues and learns about the purpose of their design. Samantha has a big night ahead of her, but first she takes a stroll through the Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival and takes in the gorgeous sights of the flowering cherry trees. Meeting up with some locals at a Chicken & Beer restaurant, Samantha learns about the five stages of drinking, which includes eating throughout the entire process. From there, Samantha and her newfound friends go to Hongdae, a busy nightlife area thronging with students and K-Pop performers, and continue on to sign karaoke, closing the night out with a live performance by an indie rock band. Finishing off her trip, Samantha visits a local food market with Janet Harn, a local Chef, and picks out fresh ingredients to cook some local favorites in Janet's cooking studio.

Episode Duration: 26 minutes and 46 seconds

Episode Number: 205

About Samantha Brown's Places to Love:

For more than 17 years, TV host Samantha Brown has been exploring all four corners of the world, visiting more than 260 cities in 62 countries, sharing her adventures and introducing new cultures to viewers.

Now, the two-time Emmy Award-winner embarks on her next journey with her new travel series SAMANTHA BROWN'S PLACES TO LOVE.

Unlike a traditional travelogue show with a formulaic itinerary, PLACES TO LOVE delivers decidedly refreshing and enriching travel experiences by taking viewers on a discovery of the emotional heart of travel and highlighting the people who are changing, challenging and strengthening a destination.

From Brooklyn, New York and Monterey, California to Shanghai, China and Donegal in Ireland, Samantha seeks out the little-known spots and haunts where innovators and disrupters are creating a brand new travel experience.

Whether it's through food and drink, art and design, culture or adventure, at the end of each episode, viewers will have a well-curated list of new experiences that focus on not just how to visit a destination, but how to fully immerse in it.

The 13-part series encourages viewers to experience the passion of people and the soul of a place in a way that only traveling can do.

Samantha's career as a television travel host happened by accident.

A producer spotted her work in a commercial and recommended her to the Travel Channel in 1999 to audition for a new show called Great Vacation Homes.

A decade of various series followed, including Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Samantha Brown's Asia, The Trip, 50/50, and many others.

Samantha's fun-loving style has made her a beloved and engaging television personality whose approach is less expert and more a person you would want to travel with.

Visit the Samantha Brown's Places t... web site

---

Watch Samantha Brown's Places to Love - Clips, Episodes & Previews

---

---

NHPBS Over-the-Air Broadcast

NHPBS Passport - Watch the Latest