I had been to the Myeongdong area only once before and got to experience shopping and street food, but I knew that I would go back again to dedicate time to visiting the cathedral. And when I did, it turned out to be such a beautiful and enriching experience. I grew up Roman Catholic, so seeing this church and community really reminded me of home. I was able to visit the gift shops and other areas around the cathedral, as well as the praying gardens and family rooms. This cathedral holds such a rich history and significance for Catholicism in South Korea.
There were lots of foreigners around, even outside of the cathedral area in Myeongdong. I've noticed that Myeongdong has the most "tourist" appeal and feel in the city, and there often seem to be more foreigners here than there are Koreans.
Another distinctive group of people I spotted all around the cathedral was nuns! I've done lots of research and even considered this type of life in the past, so it was a very nice experience to be able to see them and their community here in South Korea!
About the Cathedral itself: it felt magical and calming to be in it's prescence. It was so beautiful to walk around and sit near, and lovely to photograph.