Almost a year ago now I was getting ready for my first ever trip to South Korea. I think I was equally scared and excited, having no real idea what to expect. It ended up being such an amazing experience that I still often find myself reminiscing about the good times that I had there and dreaming of going back. I therefore decided to take one more stroll down memory lane and provide you all with a list of things that make this lovely country a must-see travel destination.
1. Temples, temples and temples
Right, so this seems like an obvious reason. But we often tend to associate Korea with K-pop, all the latest technology and the busy streets of Seoul, forgetting the country's rich history and heritage. However, even when you walk down those busy streets of Seoul, you will sooner or later stumble upon a beautiful temple or palace. True, some of them really have lost a bit of their old charm (and territory) due to the fact that they are now squeezed between several skyscrapers and even more busy intersections, but there are still plenty where you can enjoy your peace and quiet in lush, calm surroundings.
2. K-pop and K-drama… and karaoke rooms!
Impossible to leave these out - just like it is impossible to escape them pretty much from the moment your plane has landed on Korean soil. I admit that I am not the biggest fan of K-pop and was not that excited to hear it blasting from every single shop and restaurant, at any time of day (or night). However, desperately trying to get at least a word of Psy's Gangnam Style right in a loud, dimly lit karaoke room was the best fun ever (somebody please bring norebang to Europe!).
3. Cute street art
Unlike European graffiti, which are often politically engaged and rather cynical, Korean street art is all about cute and colourful. Animals, flowers or cartoon characters – Korea has it all. Most often these enchanting images will just appear out of nowhere, so make sure you keep your eyes open and your camera ready.
4. Kimchee
For somebody who believes vegetables should be the primary ingredient of pretty much every meal, the exorbitant prices of fresh produce in South Korean supermarkets definitely came as a bit of a shock. Trust me; kimchee was a life-saver. This spicy dish made of fermented vegetables is eaten with absolutely everything (or so it seems), and it is ridiculously addictive.
5. Korean BBQ
I remember when I first arrived to Korea and could not understand why so many restaurants had photographs of raw meat in front of them – and then those weird tubes above every single table! It took me a while to understand those places were specialised in Korean barbecue. Even though I’m not very big on meat, I absolutely love how they can turn something as simple as a quick lunch with some friends into a real adventure (think grilling your own meat, cutting it with scissors, dipping individual chunks in all sorts of spicy sauces and then wrapping the whole thing in lettuce). But beware; if you have no experience and no Korean friends to help you, the whole thing can get very messy.
6. Nightlife
South Korea truly is a country that never sleeps. And with soju – every local’s favourite alcohol – being so very cheap, every night out is bound to be a good one. What I like best about going out in Korea is how convenient it all is; just locate your nearest convenience store (if you are in a decent-sized city, you can probably see one from pretty much everywhere), check if they have a place to sit (a lot of convenience stores will have plastic chairs available to their customers in front of them), quickly get something to drink and may the fun begin. Oh wait, I forgot one last thing – always make sure you’ve got some snacks! In Korea, eating and drinking go hand in hand; just try sitting in front of a table full of bottles without at least a packet of crisps, and you are probably going to get some very confused glances indeed.
7. Matching couple outfits
I’m not quite sure how I feel about this trend, but I did have a lot of fun spotting couples wearing matching everything (all I can say is Korean girls must have some great persuasion skills). I rather like South Korean fashion, though – it’s cute, yet elegant and smart. There are also a lot of second hand shops selling relatively cheap vintage clothing. However, a trip to one of those can be a very frustrating experience; it might very well happen that the only skirt that will fit will be the one with an elastic waist.
8. People
I’m not sure why I put this one down as number eight; it really should be all the way up at the top. In fact, my Korean friends were the main reason I decided to visit the country in the first place (I even studied Korean for a year beforehand). I’ve done a fair bit of travelling and I’ve met nice people all around the world; yet, I still feel humbled when I think of how generous completely random Koreans were to me (the absolute winner is some elderly lady I met on the train from Seoul to Busan; in the middle of the journey, she decided to share a packet of crisps with me so – since none of us had any extra plates or bags – she just filled one of those disposable plastic gloves and handed it to me).
9. Korean alphabet
I know, now that's a weird thing to add to this list, you must be thinking. But I cannot help myself. Being the language lover that I am, one of the first things I notice when I arrive to a foreign country are street signs and posters – all the more when the alphabet looks as cute as Hangeul. And not only is it cute, it also has a very interesting history. Hangeul was created in 1443 by King Sejong and is actually the only alphabet in the world with a clear purpose, known inventor and time of creation. If you happen to be in Seoul and are a fellow letter enthusiast, I highly recommend a visit to the National Hangeul Museum for more information.
This list is only a very brief summary of the things that I liked most about South Korea. It is by no means exhaustive; however, I think it's best I let you discover the rest of Korea's gems on your own. Happy travels!
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