Korea

Our holidays over the last four years have mainly been within the country of Australia, except to Singapore, which I consider more of a 'home visit' than holiday. In fact, even before we moved to Australia, we have already started taking 'holidays' cum 'survey' trips to various states of Australia. If I'm not wrong, the last country we visited that is NOT Australia or Singapore was Canada, back in 2005. So when a visit back to Singapore became possible, we decided to extend the trip further to include a long overdue holiday to South Korea as well. 


Although I had visited Seoul before, I never went beyond Itewon and the hotel lobby then. That was how much time we had during the night stops as a cabin crew. My vague impression of Korea was 1) cheap and good imitation products;  2) a harsh place to be during winter; 3) rough people whose sense of personal space was very poor and 4) super sweet strawberries. What will my perception of Korea be, many years later? I'm pretty sure the harsh winter still holds. 



My first impression of Korea is one of a vibrant nation with a hardworking and creative workforce. I love watching Korean drama serials, one main reasons for my interest to visit the country that gave birth to Lee Min Ho and Kim Tae Hee. We love Korean food, often cooking them at home or visiting Korean restaurants in the city. We love using their inventions - LG washing machines, fridge, microwave oven, Samsung TV and my latest Samsung Nexus Galaxy smartphone. I think Koreans should be very proud of their country people for all they have achieved internationally.


Being in Seoul feels like being in Singapore sometimes, except for the weather and it being more chaotic. There are lots of people on the streets, in the malls and at the train stations, even late at night. The people work late and the shops are opened till late. Everyone is moving. Bright lights from the street hawkers light up the street and food tempt you every metre of the way.

Korea's cherry blossom of Spring

And the people are friendly. Mostly we have a problem communicating with them but when we do ask someone for help or directions, they always respond helpfully, despite spending a lot of effort trying to make us understand. Luckily, we have a picked up a few Korean lines to help us ask "where" and "how much" and the many English signs around the public areas helped considerably.


We spent a substantial amount of time in Korea feasting on their local cuisines. We loved to visit those shops operated by 'ahjummas' and have the traditional way of sitting on the floor. We have to take off our shoes and our feet get numb after about 1 hour but the experience is so authentic. I always look forward to see how many and what type of 'banchans' (side dishes) they will serve us. Sometimes, it can get as many as 20! And the food is spicy and delicious! Even my kids enjoyed it and they ate so much during that two weeks they both gained weight.


Shopping wise, there are no lack of Korean products to buy. The most common shops sell beauty products and clothing, targeting the young working female population. However I find their clothing not cheap although the Korean won is weak against AUD. I heard that the salary of the Koreans are not very high but looking at the prices of things, it doesn't tally. Many of the clothing are made locally in Korea and the vendors are proud to highlight that fact. Of course, the quality is better than some China made one. 


One of our favourite past time in the afternoon or night is to stop by one of those trendy donuts cafes to rest our legs, have a cup of cafe mocha while the kids have their donuts. This kind of lifestyle is very popular with the younger generation there but a cup of ice mocha can cost as much as A$5. 


The other thing I noticed about Koreans are how civic-minded they are. At food courts, they return their trays to the racks after eating. At fast food restaurants, they dispose of their trash AFTER seperating the food waste, liquids and containers. On the train, ahjhummas (aunties) will not hesitate to tell kids off when they put their feet on the upholstered chair. No wonder the trains are so clean and well-maintained. 


The Koreans are also very efficient and thoughtful in their services. At food courts, you are given a beeper so you can sit down to wait while your food is cooking. Water is always provided free and you collect the metal cups for water from sterilising cabinets. At one bank, there were even some nail polish for you to paint your nails and time away while waiting. When I bought a birthday cake from a mall, the candles were provided together with a knife and even 2 matchsticks! At the Haeundae beach, it even has wi-fi and internet stations set up. That, I think is a little carried away.


After 2 weeks in South Korea, I walked away with a deeper understanding of the Korean  culture, not to mention a few Korean words, and a renewed respect for its people. I will definitely want to revisit the country again. This time, I must remember to visit their public baths.