Every guide tagged first time, for a trip to South Korea.
What five days in Korea actually covers: four days built around Seoul, palaces, neighbourhoods and food, one day outside the city, and what you are trading away by skipping Busan or Jeju.
How entering South Korea works: who needs a visa, what K-ETA is and who is currently exempt, the arrival paperwork, passport validity, and the official sources to verify your own nationality against before you fly.
The Korean manners that actually matter to a visitor: two hands, shoes off, chopstick rules, pouring for others, how age shapes conversation, quiet trains, and why nobody expects a tip.
Planning a first trip to South Korea? Here is when to go, how to split your time between Seoul, Busan and Jeju, the K-ETA and visa basics, what to book ahead, money and etiquette, and the rookie mistakes to skip.