This past summer, I visited Korea for the first time in 8 years. I had no recollection of the other two times I went to Korea because I was too young so this was still a whole new experience for me. During the 2 months I was there, I got to fully divulge myself into Korean culture and learn about the place my family is from. I was in awe with what I discovered and the whole place was overwhelming. There was so much to do and so much to eat. If you are planning on going on vacation anytime soon, I recommend South Korea and here's why.
1. No Tips or Taxes
Let's be real, I spent A LOT of money in Korea but I did not spend a single dime tipping or paying for any extra sales tax with the bag of chips I bought. In the US, it's often rude to not tip someone but in Korea, it's normal and if you try to tip them, they'll actually think that you're weird. As for taxes, it was amazing to pay for what I saw on the price tag. I wasn't surprised by any added cents or dollars.
2. Public Transportation
When we think about public transportation, we often think about it being dirty or as not our ideal type of transportation. However, Korea is big on buses, taxis, and subways. Buses cost about 1,300 Won (about $1.30) and taxis cost about 2,800-3,000 Won ($2.80-$3.00), initially, and then after a certain distance, additional fees are added. Subways in Seoul was my favorite way to travel. It's clean with no single trash on the floor, air conditioned, and safe as there is a glass window from the platform to the track to ensure no one gets pushed down. When a subway is on its way, a song plays and there is even amazing wifi connection. You can get a single journey ticket and if you return it to a machine by the end of your ride, you can even get a 500 Won (50 cents) refund!
3. Street Food
When walking down any street, you typically see some tent stands or food trucks. They are a must when you go to Korea. You just stand there and yell out what you want and the workers just get it for you. Sometimes, it gets crowded under one tent but it's all part of the experience. There are so many unique and flavorful foods and desserts you can try out as you are shopping or just simply walking with friends. I definitely recommend the ddeokbokki (spicy rice cakes) with twigeem (fried potatoes, squid, soondae, dumplings, etc) and fish cake with the soup. For dessert, try out ice cream with waffles, hotteok (sweet korean pancake), or jjinbbang (steam buns with red bean in the middle). I thoroughly enjoyed being able to discover something new on the streets everyday and definitely recommend everyone gives it a try.
Even in America, everyone knows about Korean BBQ. From pork belly to marinated beef, the sizzling meat will surely make you drool. You can grill the meat yourself or a worker will definitely help you but the fun part is seeing the meat cook in front of you. The meal typically comes with rice, seasoned onions and scallions, garlic, kimchi, and more depending on what that restaurant serves. For the adults, a bottle of soju (Korea's #1 alcohol) will make the meal even better. A nice experience also includes a BBQ night out with friends and family. You can go rent a room near a lake or the beach or go camping and bring a grill and some meat with you. With your friends and family, you can sing and enjoy the night while grilling some meat.
5. Cafes & Desserts
There are a lot of cafes and dessert places in Korea so don't worry about not being able to find one after a meal or if you want to meet up with friends. In fact, there's probably 5 on every block. The atmosphere is always nice and there's always a cute little theme to it. People meet up with friends and have one (or three) cups of coffee. If you are alone and looking to find some company, I definitely recommend the cat or dog cafes! There will also always be free wifi at every cafe you go to. Some desserts you should definitely try out is the bingsu, which is basically ice shaved dessert with fruit toppings or chocolate or anything you can possibly want.
6. Drinking Culture/Night Life
Korea's drinking age is 19 so during my time there I was not able to drink but I still was amazed by their drinking culture. It was so different from what I saw in the US. There were so many drinking games that you can play and songs you can sing. Koreans also like to drink casually at home with their meal. If not, they go out with friends and order "An-ju," which is basically a big appetizer-like dish you share while you drink. Korea also has invented what is called "chimek." It's basically just having beer with your fried chicken. Fried chicken comes in all flavors in Korea from garlic to sweet and spicy. Korean chicken is just different from what I've tried in America and it's a bigger deal in Korea as there is more chicken restaurants in Korea than there are McDonald's in the WORLD. If you are young and looking for somewhere to hang, Hongdae and Myeondong is definitely the place to go. I walked in to Hongdae and was overwhelmed by the amount of people there was and food you can eat. Many people are there to go clubbing or to go to a "hof."
7. Cheap!!!!
There are a lot of underground shopping places in Korea that sell excellent quality clothes for anything from 1,000 Won ($1) to 15,000 Won ($15). There is an overwhelming amount of stylish clothes that I got for $10 a piece and I ended up getting so many shirts, socks, pants, skirts, dresses, accessories to bring back to the US. I was pleased with how shopping became so much less stressful for me. Food is also very cheap in my opinion as I was able to get a meal for anything from $1 to $10. I got a bowl of noodles for $2 and another rice with soup meal for $5. They also give you so many side dishes that you can keep refilling.
8. History
Korea has a lot of its historical palaces and houses in the middle of the city left from before it was modernized. It's so cool because you see the city in one part and then enter another realm in the next block. I went to the Bukchon Hanok Village where people still live in houses from the old days. I got to dress in a traditional Korean hanbok in 90 degrees whether and walk around for 2 hours for $10 (the admission to the palace is free if you are in a hanbok!). I definitely recommend it because the colors and patterns are just beautiful. It was so worth all the sweating. I felt like I went back in time 80 years.
9. Unique Places
Koreans are very creative and innovative and they come up with so many new ideas every day. In such a small country (smaller than Pennsylvania), I'm surprised I didn't run out of places to visit in my two months there. I went to a trick eye museum which is an interactive museum where you pose for photos and it looks like you've become one with the art behind you. I also got to visit a pig museum and interact with my favorite animals! I got to feed them, pet them, hold them, and see them do tricks! In Hongdae, you can also go to a place where they will lock you up in a room and you have 45 minutes to go through a series of missions and try to escape.
10. Jeju Island
Jeju Island is known as the "Hawaii" of Korea because of its clean beaches, mountains, and the warm climate. I was blessed to be able to visit here and have the most amazing experience of my life. They are known for their unique oranges that I recommend and their orange chocolates are even better. Go to the teddy bear museum, ride a horse, eat their fresh seafood, and enjoy the nature with hikes. They are quite known for their black pork, which is tender and juicy. If you're looking for beautiful scenery, this is the place to go!
