Experience South Korea through its extensive and diverse experiences, including its true culture and natural beauty we often overlook. You can have an eclectic experience all in one trip. Ranging from art, cuisine, tradition, and nature.
Before you visit these places, let’s go over the ground rules.
In advance, I’m going to mention the cost of general meals and transportation in Korea.
For every one U.S. dollar it equals 1,385.55 South Korean Won. I feel like this information is helpful to give because some people may just scrounge up money not realizing what costs may be.
The cost of meals is often around 8,000 won to 50,000 won for one person, depending on the place. For example if you go to Mcdonalds, it wouldn’t cost as much as a mid-range, fancier restaurant.
The cost for a taxi is around 4,000 to 5,000 won which is about $3.00 U.S. dollars. However they have trains available at a lower price as well (Highly recommended!)
I’d now like to go over customs because it’s the first thing someone should know when traveling to Korea. People often have misconceptions on how people in Korea live their everyday lives. This is extremely important because you want to make sure you have decency when you travel to a place you’ve never been before.
Make sure to:
- ALWAYS take off your shoes at the door when entering anyone’s home/residence or any temples. If they have a place for you to put your shoes, it means take them off.
- Short bows or a “nod” is a respectful greeting.
- Whenever you are at a restaurant or in some sort of public space, tipping is not a Korean custom.
- Avoid making physical contact such as standing too close to someone or bumping into them.
- Don’t wear revealing clothing that’s going to show your collarbones or back, but you can show your legs.
- Don’t throw toilet paper in the toilet, throw it in a small bin on the side. (Reduce clogging!)
Now that you understand these customs, I’ll give you a hand in deciding where to go on this trip.
A great example of a hidden gem located in Seoul is the Bugak Skyway. You can look at South Korea in all of its different aspects. It shows you mountains, towns, the city, and so much more. It truly has its own distinctions, because it shows every single fragment of Korea in one big puzzle.
Another great place to visit is an area called Mangwon-dong. It really immerses yourself in the reality of Korea. Outdoor markets, vintage stores, and other great attractions to check out! Mang-won dong has a traditional market called the “World Cup Market” where they have an abundance of street food and cafes.
I want to put a spotlight on cultural art. There is a museum that is located in Seoul called the Seokpajeong Art Museum, which is ethereal not only for its nature, but for its structures as well. There’s one similar called the Mokin Museum, which has beautiful rivers and overall a VERY vibrant place.
Now that you are prepared to visit South Korea, I encourage you to bring a friend along to share this experience with them. Put your seat belts on, you’re off to Korea!
Sheena Geisen – Interlochen Arts Academy- DMSF Class of 2028
Photo from Unsplash