South Korea

I went to Seoul solo in 2013 and it became one of my favorite cities in Asia almost immediately. I ate my way across it: spicy ramen with kimchi and a boiled egg, Korean fried chicken, and tabletop barbecue sizzling next to a dozen little side dishes that keep coming back no matter how many you eat. Late at night the pojangmacha tents fill up with people drinking soju until the sun comes up.

The city is ultramodern, but the old parts hold on. Gyeongbokgung Palace, the hanok houses of Bukchon, and the rooftops of red brick houses spread out under the haze. The neighborhoods change every few blocks, from narrow alleys tangled with power lines and neon to shiny shopping streets like Gangnam. I also found a toilet sign showing a woman throwing darts at a man, which I still think about. Seoul moves fast and never feels tired.