Daegu

Daegu is Korea's fourth city, on the KTX line between Seoul and Busan — a practical one-day stop rather than a headline destination. It suits K-culture fans doing the full rail loop. Spring and autumn are the pleasant seasons; summers here are Korea's hottest.

• E-World and its 83 Tower — rides, city views and cherry-blossom light-ups in spring; a day pass runs around ₩49,000 ($33)
• Graze through Seomun Night Market, one of Korea's biggest food streets — most skewers and snacks cost ₩3,000-₩6,000 ($2-$4)
• Ride the cable car up Apsan Mountain for the best sunset view over the city, around ₩12,000 ($8) return
• Walk the Kim Gwangseok mural street, dedicated to the beloved folk singer

Daegu's high-speed stop is Dongdaegu station. The KTX from Seoul takes about 1 hour 45 minutes and costs around ₩44,000 ($29) one way; Busan is 45 minutes and about ₩17,000 ($11). The subway links Dongdaegu to the city centre in around 15 minutes, so no taxi is needed.

The easy plan: drop your bags in a station locker, spend the afternoon at E-World or Apsan, eat your way through Seomun Night Market, then catch an evening train onward — or stay one night if the market deserves more time. Daegu works best as the mid-point break on a Seoul-to-Busan rail trip, not a fly-in destination. See our full South Korea guide for route ideas.