In the midst of basking in the beauty of the South Korea, eating countless of Korean dishes and learning about the culture, history, economic, political system and future growth; I found myself wishing I knew a few things before my journey across the Pacific Ocean.
1. Being able to eat with chopsticks is good
Being able to eat with stainless steel chopsticks is even better! In the entire duration of my trip, the only time I was given wooden chopsticks was on the plane there. Surprisingly, every restaurant we went to (that didn’t offer a knife and fork) gave patrons stainless steel chopsticks; which are a whole different animal to master. Eating with these bad boys will elevate your chopstick game while causing you to laugh at yourself along the way.
2. Water and napkins
Sounds like pretty universal things, right? Well… not so much. Throw all your dining expectations of these two items out of the window. Sitting down to eat and looking for a napkin to put in your lap or even adequately wipe your hands was a futile effort. Those provided are slightly larger and thicker than a square of toilet paper (at best). However, some places that serve Korean BBQ or fried chicken will give wet wipes at the end of the meal. Other than that, plan to use multiple napkins and hand sanitizer to clean your hands post meal. Which brings me to my next point, water. In most places the glasses given for water are more along the size of 6 oz. juice glasses. That is when you ask for them. Nicer restaurants may offer without request but the majority won’t. Also, be prepared to ask for refills.
3. Pack comfy, stylish shoes for going out
Ladies, leave the stiletto heels back at home. Going out for a night of dancing, and bar hopping in the, surprisingly Western, Itaewon area reminded me of home (top U.S. hit music, mixes of old school and new school hip-hop, Michael Jackson and a melting pot of people from all over the world). To say there’s a lot of walking is an understatement as the streets are cobblestone, uneven in some parts and on steep inclines. It’s tempting to throw on a pair of jeans and sneakers and call it a day but you may feel a bit underdressed in comparison to some of the women donning dresses, skirts, and chunky heels. Some places we went to had signs stating ‘no athletic wear’ and even turned us away for trying to enter with sandals. My recommendation, error on the side of caution and fashion and pack some chic flats that will work with wherever you end up and not leave your feet in agony by the end of the night (that can end as late as 6 am).
4. Differences in details
Hiking and walking is a big part of Korean culture. A 6-mile hike is the equivalent of a walk in the park. However, we quickly realized that as a result, duration of hikes and long walks were often severely understated. On several treks, my thoughts reverted to a looped recording of 8YO child in the back seat leading to an amusement park, “Are we there yet?!” One that stood out, in particular, was a beautifully, breathtaking hike down Korea’s highest ski resort in Gangwon-do aka White Clouds Mountain. Several times our guide said we were almost there and only had another 15-20 minutes to go that ended up being closer to an hour.
5. Gamble at your own risk
We learned the hard way at a Korean casino that the gambling is a very different experience than what you’re accustomed to in Vegas. You’ll notice when entering the casino that there’s an air of seriousness among the patrons. There’s minimal to no cheering, loud talking, laughter, or drinking. If you do decide to partake, do so carefully! In Korea, people “take breaks” while playing slot machines, meaning they get up and walk away from it with remaining credits still available. If you play a machine that appears empty that someone is taking a break from, it is considered stealing. Expect a friendly encounter with security. As a foreigner, you’ll probably get out unscathed due to not knowing, but do you want to risk it?
6. When traveling around Seoul, ditch the cab and take the subway
Sounds a bit counterintuitive, but it can save you a ton of money and frustration in dealing with the language barrier. The subway system can take you places in a fraction of the cost with less headache (if you know ahead of time which lines will get your to your destination).
7. But, if you insist on taking a cab, here are some helpful tips
Have your destination in Korean to give the driver. Even though most streets are in English, the drivers don’t seem to understand them. Save yourself the frustration and embarrassment from possibly being kicked out of a cab and have it readily accessible on your phone or piece of paper. Don’t assume that just because a driver accepts a route that they know where they are going. I know, sounds crazy, right? But, it’s true. Several times people in our group were taken to completely different destinations than requested. It’s super helpful to have Google maps or another app such as City Maps so you can track where you are in relation to where you want to go. I know this screams international data usage, but it’s worth it IMHO.
8. Learn a basic amount of Korean
Travel guides and websites proclaim that English is widely adopted there, but not everyone speaks it nor understands it (even though the language apart of the educational curriculum). Apps such as Google translator help but knowing a few phrases such as ‘hello,' ‘thank you,' ‘here,' ‘water,' are helpful. It also wouldn’t hurt to know some phrases to assist in ordering cocktails and food.
9. Don't get offended by people staring, just go with it
More than likely, you're not being stared at because you have something in your teeth, it's because you're different. You can do the awkward stare back at people but to no avail, you'll still find yourself on the receiving end. I even had a woman touch my hair as if I was in a petting zoo. Other people took pictures (some with and some without permission). No use in getting upset. Just laugh it off and keep going.
10. Personal space? No such thing.
People pushing you out of their way, barging into a bathroom stall you were walking towards or just all in your bubble is pretty typical. Resist the urge to shout expletives; it's just wasted energy.
This list could go on, but those are the basics. All in all, it's a beautiful country chucked full of tourist highlights and off the beaten bath experiences that I would highly recommend. Enjoy your trip to the home of Gangnam style!