I visit South Korea almost every year. Seoul is great, but I recommend heading to these 4 lesser-known cities instead.

The colorful Gamcheon Culture Village is one of my favorite places to visit. nantonov/Getty Images I moved to the US from South Korea when I was five, but I've traveled back almost every year since.

The country is so much more than just Seoul, its popular capital city .

Some of my favorite lesser-known South Korean cities are Suwon, Incheon, and Gyeongju.

I was born in South Korea and moved to the United States when I was 5 years old.

I've traveled back almost every year since.

Usually, when people ask me for South Korean travel recommendations, what they really want are ideas for things to do in Seoul .

I can understand why tourists flock to the capital city of South Korea: Seoul has culture, technology, tons of entertainment, and amazing fashion and cuisine.

However, if you ask me, you're missing out if you don't visit some of the other, lesser-known cities that contribute to South Korea's heartbeat.

Here are four of my favorite cities to visit in South Korea that aren't Seoul.

I always go the distance for Busan I love visiting Busan during the fall.

Justine Lee About four hours south of Seoul lies Busan.

Growing up, my family visited this city over the summer to swim, soak up the sun, and eat incredibly fresh seafood .

You don't have to treat Busan exclusively as a warm-weather getaway, though: My favorite time to visit Busan is actually in the fall, when the days are sunny and the nights are breezy with sea-salt air.

My favorite destination in Busan is Gamcheon Culture Village, a steep slope dotted with hundreds of colorfully painted homes.