Thanks to its efficient, easily navigable train system and its capital city with streets that are, um, less so, South Korea isn’t known for being a road-trip destination. Today, though, I’m putting the brand-new Kia EV9 to the test on its home turf, with a drive through the city and the mountains around it.
The Kia might not need traditional fuel for the road, but I still do, so I start the day by availing myself of the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul’s spectacular breakfast buffet. People in Seoul go big for brunch, and here I have my pick of Western pastries, omelets galore, Korean porridge, kimchi, and more.
I take a deep breath as the valet hands me the keys to the EV9. Seoul’s streets are notoriously frantic, although as a New Yorker I find them to be pretty normal. Fortunately, aside from my big-city experience I also have the navigation system in the 12.3-inch console touchscreen to guide me. I steer around the walls of the royal Gyeongbokgung Palace and over to the Jogyesa Temple, the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. After finding a parking lot, I stand in the temple courtyard for a few minutes, listening to the monks chant, then walk a block over to Insadong Street, which is packed with shops and galleries. (I end up buying a traditional celadon ceramic tea set.)
Hopping back behind the wheel, I make my way, slooooowly, through the traffic over the Hannam Bridge and along the Han River, eventually clearing the city’s eastern limits. I turn the K-pop off and drive in silence (one of the big benefits of an EV), enjoying the quiet of the lightly trafficked highway and the views of the snowy hills and valleys. Eventually, I reach Museum SAN, a gallery designed by Pritzker Prize–winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Tucked away in the pastoral Oak Valley, the museum features a paper gallery full of national treasures, as well as five permanent James Turrell pieces.
Just a few minutes farther down the road, in a quiet river valley, I stop for a caffeine boost at Stone Creek Café. The coffee’s good, but what really drew me here is the view across the river, to a dramatic rock face layered in ice.
I circle back toward Seoul right around dinner time. At Hue 135, in cosmopolitan Itaewon, I indulge in charcoal-grilled, dry-aged steak that might be the best beef I’ve ever tasted. Then it’s back to famously flashy Gangnam and LP Bar Zeppelin, a swanky listening bar where I sip a whiskey highball while watching the meticulous DJ spin records from his astoundingly comprehensive collection. What better way to end a day of putting rubber to road than by putting needle to vinyl?
The Car
2024 Kia EV9
It would be tough to imagine a more all-purpose vehicle than the new Kia EV9. The Korean automaker’s first dedicated three-row SUV has room to sit the whole family (or, for solo adventurers, up to 81.9 cubic feet of cargo space), yet it feels light and lively on the road, thanks to a 379-horsepower, dual-motor engine. Drivers can put their charging anxiety to rest, as well, since the EV9 has an EPA-estimated range of 304 miles and can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 24 minutes on a 350-kilowatt charger—so you’ll get to your next bowl of bibimbap that much quicker.
From $54,900, kia.com
