homestays

stay with my korean family in iksan!

What to expect?

Since moving to South Korea 4 years ago, there is one thing I am most grateful for: My Korean Family..

There are so many experiences I would’ve never made without my husband’s family: Cooking with 엄마 (mom), learning some interesting Korean phrases from 아빠 (dad), having Korean BBQ on the rooftop or exploring the Korean Countryside..

So since 2025 we are now inviting you to our family table and to the so underrated North Jeolla Province too to experience Korea like no other tourist can experience it!

4 Day Homestays

Day 1 - arrival

Take the KTX to Iksan
(we will get the tickets for you!)
Get to know each other during
Coffee & Tea at a unique Cafe
Have a homemade Dinner
at the parents Home

Day 2 - Day trip

Let’s go on a Day Trip to one
of the surrounding cities
We will stay in the underrated
North Jeolla Province
in 2026 we go to: Jeonju, Namwon, Gunsan, Geochang, Jeongeup or Gimje

Day 3 - Hometown Iksan

Explore the family’s hometown: Iksan
(Mireuksaji & National Museum)
Get ingredients at the market
Make Kimchi with Eomma
Have a Rooftop BBQ Party
(in colder months, this might not be possible)

Day 4 - Farewell

Visit Gunwoo’s Art Studio & Collection
Have homemade Bossam
Make a personal Korea Souvenir
Say Goodbye to the Family and
take the KTX back to Seoul
(we will get the tickets for you)

Our 4-day homestay is the full experience of life with our Korean family in Iksan. We cook homemade meals together, explore the North Jeolla Province on a day trip, stay in a hanok, visit local markets, make kimchi, enjoy rooftop BBQ nights, and create meaningful memories along the way.

4Days / 3Nights

min. 3p & max. 5p

from 1,199US$

MAR 23 – MAR 26

to Jeonju

MAY 12 – MAY 15

to Namwon

JUN 8 – JUN 11

to Gunsan

OCT 27 – OCT 30

to Jeongeup

special Homestays

Day 1 - arrival

Take the KTX to Iksan
(we will get the tickets for you!)
Get to know each other during
Coffee & Tea at a unique Cafe
Have a homemade Dinner
at the parents Home

Day 2 - Day trip

Let’s go on a Day Trip to one
of the surrounding cities
We will stay in the underrated
North Jeolla Province
in 2026 we go to: Jeonju, Namwon, Gunsan, Geochang, Jeongeup or Gimje

Day 3 - Hometown Iksan

Explore the family’s hometown: Iksan
(Mireuksaji & National Museum)
Get ingredients at the market
Make Kimchi with Eomma
Have a Rooftop BBQ Party
(in colder months, this might not be possible)

Day 4 - Farewell

Visit Gunwoo’s Art Studio & Collection
Have homemade Bossam
Make a personal Korea Souvenir
Say Goodbye to the Family and
take the KTX back to Seoul
(we will get the tickets for you)

Our special homestays are centered around Korean family holidays like Seollal, Chuseok, and the Kimjang season. During these stays, you enjoy everything we usually do while joining our family in the traditions, food, and routines Koreans actually follow on these days.

3D/2N or 4D/3N

min. 3p & max. 5p

1,099 - 1,499US$

SEOLLAL HOMESTAY:
KOREAN NEW YEAR

FEB 18 – FEB 20

ONLY 3D/2N! No day trip included

CHUSEOK HOMESTAY:
KOREAN THANKSGIVING

SEP 28 – OCT 1

to Gochang

KIMJANG HOMESTAY:
KIMCHI MAKING FOCUS

NOV 17 – NOV 20

to Jeonju

one Day Homestays

One day experience

Train from Seoul to Iksan
(we get the tickets for you)
unique Lunch at family’s favorite restaurant
Iksan Traditional Market Tour,
Mini Korean Lesson & Snacks
Kimchi Making with Eomma
(& you can bring some of it home)
Mini Souvenir Making with Artist Gunwoo
Train from Iksan to Seoul
(we get the tickets for you)

Our 1-day homestay is a condensed family experience without an overnight stay. You’ll join us for lunch, explore a local market, learn how to make kimchi, create a small souvenir, and end the day with a relaxed rooftop BBQ before heading back to Seoul with the KTX train.

1 Day Experience

min. 3p & max. 5p

all dates: 319 US$

MAR 9

MAR 19

APR 9

APR 24

MAY 29

SEP 14

NOV 24

What's included:

Hanok Stay
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Experiences & Activity fees
Transportation from/to Seoul

What's NOT included:

Flights to and from Korea

Travel Insurance for the trip

Our Hanok stay in iksan:

As the family’s house unfortunately isn’t big enough for us all to comfortably sleep there, we will rent an amazing Hanok House in Iksan for you!

Just like the family and many other Koreans you will have to sleep on the floor and it might be that you have to share rooms, but it’s definitely worth it in this beautiful traditional Korean House and it’s a once in a lifetime experience!

Your Hosts

Since two years I’m spending a loooooot of time with my second family here in South Korea and thanks to them I experienced things I would’ve never been able to experience as a normal language student. One evening my Eomma and Appa asked me if other students or tourists would be interested in a HomeStay – as they love to host people – which was the beginning of this idea.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who can join the trip?

Literally everyone over 18 years old, who wants to enjoy the hidden Korea with us! We don’t care about nationality, religion, looks or whatever. You are welcome to join!

Just keep in mind that some of the activities we plan for the trip will require a basic fitness level.

What if I have special dietary restrictions?

As our trip is in Korea’s countryside, away from tourist spots and modern cities, and we focus a lot on local dishes, we unfortunately cannot guarantee vegan / halal / gluten-free / … options. The restaurants we will visit and the dishes we will try are part of the experience for the whole group.

We will always try our best to find an option for you and we will always have a convenience store close by, but we can’t guarantee anything. Please let us know your requirements before making a booking!

What is the accommodation like?

During the Homestays that include an Overnight Stay, we will sleep in an amazing Hanok House with a very unique charme. Just as my Korean family themselves and many other Koreans too, we will sleep on floor mats!

The structure of the Hanok does not allow us to offer single bed rooms (depending on the number of guests) so we ask for you to be flexible.

What is included?

The following things are included:

Train to Iksan
Transportation around Iksan (Luggage Service)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Coffee
Rooftop BBQ Party & Drinks
Hanok Stay (3 Nights)
Transportation to Jeonju
Hanok Village Tour
Foot Bath in Jeonju
Mireuksaji Museum
Traditional Market
Kimchi Making & Packaging
Souvenir Making
Train to Seoul
and more

NOT included are travel insurance, Flights to Korea and other personal expenses that you might want to buy on the way.

What if I have to cancel my booking?

Here our Refund Policy:

until 15 days before the trip: 100%
14-5 days before the trip: 70%
4-3 days before the trip: 40%
2-0 days before the trip: 0%

To cancel the booking please send me an email to: nxtstopkorea@gmail.com

Do I need Travel Insurance?

As we cannot include travel insurance for our participants, you need to get your own insurance, including cancellation, personal injury, death, medical expenses, personal property damage, and so on. It provides peace of mind knowing you’re covered in case of illness or injury.

Will you offer other Travel Dates?

Yes, there are more Homestays coming!

This is our first time hosting the Stay, so we want to see how things are going and how y’all like it, before announcing the next dates.

What else should I know?

The itinerary and schedule is subject to change depending on many circumstances like weather, crowds, …

We will take videos and photos for marketing purposes during the trip. If you do not agree with being in the content, please let us know BEFORE the trip.

Previous participant's thoughts:

In 2024 we did our first trips: In April from Seoul to Busan along the East Coast, in October a Fall Foliage Trip along the West Coast and a Jeju Island Trip in November. We made amazing memories with women from Argentina, Germany, the US, the UK, Norway, Switzerland and learned so many new things about Korean Culture and each other. The company you’re traveling with will make this whole trip even better – we promise! Here the reviews of previous participants from the WeTravel Booking Platform and some of our favorite shots to show you, what you can expect during our trips.

Truly an amazing experience that I can highly recommend and would definitely do again! Not only was everything organized super well, from accomodation, transport, activities, and local gems for food spots, but we additionally learned so many interesting facts about the country and culture from our amazing guides Antje and Dony. I would've never thought of visiting most of the spots we stopped at, and as the group size was so small there was enough room for individual requests, questions or wishes. So glad I got to experience this!

Lina D. Fall Foliage Trip, November 2025

The Cherry blossom trip was amazing. I had a wonderful time travelling from Busan to Seoul with Antje and Dony. It was my second time travelling with these two and just like the first trip they organized an incredible trip again. I love their organisation and variety of activities: taking a cooking class, going for walks in beautiful nature, trying local food at a market, making stops in nice cafes with amazing views, learing about the country and culture, … . There is so much to see and with the cherry blossoms it was even more beautiful. Once again I left the country with so many new and wonderful memories.

Kristina S. Cherry Blossom Trip, April 2025

The Cherry Blossom Trip 2025 was truly amazing! Met the best co-travelers, had tons of delicious local food, visited beautiful places and had fun experiences. A huge thanks to Antje and Dony. Everything was well organized, they had a plan B whenever the weather wasn't playing along or a spot were to crowded or suddenly closed. We had great hotels and accomodations. Antje always made sure that our days were filled with life and laughter, that everyone had tons of photos and cared for us like a best friend. Dony was the best guide you can wish for. Passionate to show us the best sides of his beloved home country. We were never left hungry, saw beautiful nature and interesting historic sites as well as modern art. Went to great photo spots, learnt about korean history, culture and some bits of current politics. I couldn't have imagined a better experience as a first time visitor. Thank you so much. South Korea - I will definitely come back! P.S.: Not to forget South Koreas best driver: Bingo - He drove us safely everywhere.

Katharina O. Cherry Blossom Trip, April 2025

It was such a well organised trip. Was really easy to get along with the organisers. They even took in our interests of where we wanted to go for food e.g. bts restaurants. Planned the food really well as I can't eat spicy foods so they would order something non spicy for me and another girl. The hotels we stayed in were also great. Overall it was such an amazing times. Would definitely do it 1000 times 🙂 thank you both 🙂

Francesca H. Jeju Island Trip, November 2024

We had the most wonderful time! Antje and Dony put together an interesting itinerary. Everything was taken care of (water, umbrellas, hiking boots etc.), we saw amazing scenery, met locals, got to make a lot of experiences and had the most delicious food - every day! We made new friends, laughed a lot and cried when we had to say goodbye. I am grateful to have chosen this trip and feel spoiled for future trips.

Tanja S. Jeju Island Trip, November 2024

I recently returned from an incredible tour of Korea, and it was nothing short of amazing! [...] We experienced one-of-a-kind activities, exploring the breathtaking natural beauty of Korea—from majestic mountains, to a hidden palace garden, tranquil tea fields and even the breathtaking vistas of the sea. [...] The food... where to start... the food was a highlight every single day! [...] What made this tour truly special was being introduced to Korea's hidden gems that most tourists might miss. Dony and Antje did an exceptional job curating an unforgettable experience, and I wouldn’t hesitate to join them on another adventure.

Heather-Lee L. Fall Foliage Trip, October 2024

The most caring and lovely tour guides and driver you might find. I can’t imagine that you find anything better. So much insight into Korean culture on various aspects and different regions including food, history, language, etc. I hope to be able to travel with Antje and Dony again. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. You are the best!

Ute V. Fall Foliage Trip & Jeju Island Trip, 2024

We had a great time. The group was great mix of different people. The program was wisely chosen and adapted to the group interests and weather conditions. We had the chance to try a lot of different food.

Dagmar L. Spring Trip, April 2024

[...] They organized such an incredible tour, showed us so many beautiful places – hidden gems not everybody gets to see while visiting the country -, answered all our questions, we had the most amazing local food, learned so much about the country and the culture, stayed in beautiful locations, …. And they always made sure all of us were feeling good. [...] I loved how varied our tour was. Every day was so different. Starting in a big city like Seoul, going to the countryside and smaller cities, seeing nature during fall foliage and ending at the coast in Busan. If you are looking for a tour in South Korea I can only recommend choosing Antje and Dony - two of the loveliest tour guides.

Kristina S. Fall Foliage Trip, October 2024

From the moment I landed, I knew this would be a trip to remember. The stunning landscapes, vibrant colors, and cultural richness of Korea were incredible, but what truly made this journey unforgettable were the people I met and the extraordinary guides who led the way. Our guides, Antje and Dony, were absolutely fantastic. Their professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail were second to none. [...] Each dish we had told a story of the region’s history and culture, and I can honestly say it was some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. If you’re looking for a truly unique, high-quality tour that’s perfectly planned and offers something you can’t find anywhere else, look no further. I'm already planning my next adventure with Antje and Dony – it was that good!

Anne T. Fall Foliage Trip, October 2024

The trip was beyond expectations, filled with a lot of magical moments, fulfilling my travel dreams and more. The itinerary and every single stop were selected with great care and you could feel that. A great mixture of cultural experiences, old and new, as well as fun activities and time together. The trip was planned perfectly with beautiful spots you will not see as a "normal" tourist. The way our guides made every single experience spot on and beyond, was perfect. [...] Antje and Dony (and all the nice ladies in the group) made me feel welcomed in a group of strangers, being encouraged to experience places and adventures I would've never dreamed of visiting. When another trip will be announced: book that trip! It is more than worth it.

Tanja K. Spring Trip, April 2024

Wow, this trip was simply... WOW! Much more than I could have ever imagined. Antje and Dony make a wonderful team! I feel like in 9 days I got to do most of the things I dreamt of doing for 14 years of being a fan of the Korean culture and food. We had amaaazing food, and Antje and Dony were always open to hear from us what we wanted to do in the trip, so they were also flexible with the schedule! I only have good things to say about this trip. I'll take the memories of it in my heart forever. And I'm crossing fingers Antje and Dony will organize a fall trip on the west coast of Korea, because I would 1000% trust them again for another one of these!

Melisa D. Spring Trip, April 2024