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lonesojourns
Categories: TravelTags: Culture, Haiku, Shrines, South Korea, Spiritual, Temples, Travel, Yeosu
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Tag: South Korea
Golden Week 2018 Special Feature (Part 3) – If I Had 365 Days in Yeosu…
I would try to visit each of the 373 islands sprinkled around Yeosu (여수), Korea’s beautiful southern port city. Granted, most of these islands are uninhabited and some are just pieces of rock jutting out of the East China Sea, I may already have my work cut out. But if given the chance, I would really love to spend a year here, because Yeosu’s coastal scenery is breathtakingly gorgeous.
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Golden Week 2018 Special Feature (Part 2) – Take It Slow In Suncheon
Suncheon (순천) is the kind of small-to-midsize suburban city that would probably not feature very high (if, at all) on the list of one’s travel itinerary in South Korea. With a population of just under 300,000, Suncheon is only the third largest city out of five that collectively form the South Jeolla Province, or Jeollanam-do (전라남도).
However, to a nature enthusiast, Suncheon is a biodiversity treasure. The city brands itself as the “ecological capital of Korea”, and rightly so. Boasting an area of over 25 square kilometres, the Suncheonman Bay Wetland Reserve (순천만습지) is one of the five largest coastal wetland reserves in the world.
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Golden Week 2018 Special Feature (Part 1) – Hongdae in a Heartbeat
Hongdae is never the same.
Every time I visit Seoul, there’s no other place I would rather base myself at than in Hongdae (I stayed in Mangwon during my first visit there five years ago). The reason?
Firstly, guesthouses or backpackers’ hostels are aplenty here, and features some of the city’s more stylish and hippest ones too.
Secondly, you are smack right in the middle of possibly the most “happening” districts in Seoul. Hongdae is the heart of Seoul’s youth culture, and possibly a few subcultures as well. The district is abuzz with people (mostly teenagers, college students and young working adults in their twenties), pubs, cafes and restaurants .
Speaking of which, I realised during my second visit in November 2014, that my favourite chicken and beer restaurant, endearingly called 치맥 (read as “chimaek” by the locals) has vanished without a trace during my second visit. And for subsequent visits, I also realised that some other shops have gone. Longevity is a real issue here in Hongdae. Because of stiff competition and high rental leases, today’s “go-to” pub / restaurant / café quickly becomes nothing more than a memory tomorrow.
Hongdae is never the same.
Even the people that frequents this area of Seoul has decidedly changed over the years.
These days, the crowds have become more varied, not only in terms of age groups, but also more cosmopolitan. When in the past, you are more likely to find enclaves of foreign tourists in specific areas (for example, Americans in US-millitary stronghold Itaewon, Asians in Insadong or Myeongdong). Today’s Hongdae draws an increasingly international hoard. It is a hive of activity here almost 24 hours a day, and even more so on weekends, when buskers (mostly “K-pop idol” hopefuls in their twenties) draw huge audiences and cause massive “traffic jams”.
Likewise, during my most recent visit, I have chosen to base myself in Hongdae. Stepping out of Exit 3 of Hongik University Station to Yeonnam-dong, I was greeted by a familiar vibrancy. Groups of young Koreans sat on picnic mats strewn across a long green patch of lawn. I dragged my suitcase past trendy cafes, where people not only congregate to chat and have coffee, but also to see and be seen. And just as I was about to turn the corner to cross the street, I discovered that Yeonnam-dong has changed too. A section of the road at the end has now been completely paved over, and now spots an artfully designed water feature and sculpture installation.
Hongdae is never the same. But I will always choose to stay here in a heartbeat. LS
More Chinese Than China
Forget the Great Wall of China, or the Forbidden City if you want to trace the ancestry of the Chinese race. These UNESCO World Heritage sites may have been legacies of the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD), often referred to as the greatest era of Han Chinese rule. However, do you know that much of ancient Chinese traditions and culture from the Tang dynasty (also known as the Golden Age of Chinese civilisation) reside in the Korean peninsula today? That’s a good 750 years before the Ming dynasty.
During the Three Kingdoms era of Baekje (백제), Goguryeo (고구려) and Silla (신라), which pre-dates even the Tang dynasty, Buddhist and Confucian philosophies have become deeply entrenched in Korean society. The Tang dynasty, in particular, made Korea a vassal state during its reign. The Chinese written script was the de facto mode of communication and language until King Sejong (세종) the Great introduced the hangeul (한글) – the script that you see in modern day Korea – in 1446. Even then, much of the vocabulary had been preserved from an original Tang Chinese vernacular in hangeul.
Today, all Koreans still have two versions of their name – a hangeul version and one written using Tang Chinese script. Confucian traditions and rituals, including funeral and ancestral worship rites, are still religiously practiced and propagated in many Korean families, down to the very last detail. On the other hand, Confucian philosophies have almost disappeared from modern Chinese society, except perhaps in some of the less developed regions in China. No wonder the Koreans often refer to their country as Dae Han Min Guk (대한만국) – which literally translates to “The Great Han Nation”. Indeed! LS
Jeju | When Nature Calls
Seogwipo (서귀포) is a mistake. Unless your idea of a holiday in Jeju (제주) is to stay in a five-star luxury resort and romp around kinky sex dioramas. Because you had really come here to soak in Jeju’s natural beauty. And that makes Seogwipo a mistake because Jeju’s “upmarket” area also happens to be furthest away from Jeju’s most captivating sights.
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Seoul Comforts
Saying goodbyes is probably the toughest part of any trip. Some cities leave you desiring for more. Other places leave you feeling relieved that you are getting the hell out of that place. Some cities leave you caught in between.
I found myself pondering over what Seoul meant to me. Before this trip, I had studiously made a list of the places I wanted to go, restaurants I wanted to check out, and things I wanted to do. While I had managed to tick most of the boxes, I also felt kind of short-changed when some of the places I had been looking forward to visiting didn’t quite pan out the way many over-zealous bloggers had described. Of course, travelling is a mixed bag of hits and misses, and I’ve long come to accept that as part of the package.
Despite the disappointments (my excessive walking has left me walking with a limp), what I really treasured the most is the friendship that I made along the way (or in the past). I am thankful for the chance to meet up with my Korean friends again and catch up on each other’s lives.
It’s easy to see Seoul as a city of cafes, of restaurants, of Joseon dynasty palaces, and perhaps even cosmetic surgery. The Korean language is daunting to the visitor who had absolutely zero knowledge of Korean. I know some would disagree and say that many foreigners, especially those from English-speaking / European countries, get by just fine without any inkling of Korean. But do you know that Koreans themselves are similarly daunted by the English language? The younger generations in general fare better, due to the emphasis on the teaching of English in mainstream schools these days. But by and large, most Koreans stil prefer to communicate in their native language.
And that is the secret to enjoying Seoul, or even Korea, for that matter. Today’s younger Koreans are more forward-looking and they open up to foreigners more easily. And they would be very happy to offer a helping hand to you – especially when you speak to them in Korean. You do not have to be fluent. You just have to learn simple Korean greetings and useful phrases that could help you get around and order your food. Even with my rudimentary grasp of the language and spitter-spatter of Korean, I realised it opened doors and allowed me to appreciate Seoul, and Seoulites from a different perspective.
I appreciated the advice given to me by this wholesaler at Noryangjin market (노량진 수산시장) on how to enjoy wriggling “live octopus” and raw sea cucumber. (He happened to be enjoying an early lunch and round of soju with his fellow colleagues at an adjacent table). I felt the warmth and dedication of the ahjumma who placed a bowl of hot piping kimchi stew on my table. I thanked the couple who told me that it was okay to order “half and half” when I couldn’t decide between having original or spicy fried chicken.
At the end of the day, what I found most comforting about Seoul is its people. Seoulites, young and old, work hard. Very very hard. And they drink even harder. Working life is tough and stressful here because of the rigid social hierarchy that still dominates many companies. So drinking helps Koreans to forget their troubles, their stress, their bosses. And when tomorrow comes, they fight another battle at the office.
There’s a saying that Seoul never sleeps. Literally. There’s probably no other city in the world where you can order a bowl of hot piping tofu stew, fried chicken, pizza (in fact, almost any kind of food you can think of) at 3 – 4 a.m. in the morning, and have your orders delivered to your doorstep in minutes. That’s because some Seoulites work around the clock to provide that delivery service, and even that service itself sees some serious competition. Many also balance several part-time jobs to eke out a living in a city with a phenomenally high cost of living. Well, at least alcohol here is cheaper than coffee! LS
Final reporting from Incheon International Airport, South Korea.
Lost And Found
I suspect I’m my worst enemy when it comes to travelling. Okay, maybe not ‘suspect’. I am sure I am. Because when I set my heart on finding something, say a particular sight or a recommended restaurant / cafe or whatever, I have to find it. This dogged determination and tenacity has served me well on a few occasions (for example, new discoveries, experiences or even meeting new people) and of course, caused frustration on others.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I have got lost trying to find that “off-the-beaten-track” attraction. I know what you must be thinking right now. You are either nodding your head in agreement or snarling at me in disgust. Perhaps, that’s why I find travelling alone easier. The time is yours to use it the way you want it. And if it means getting lost trying to find your favourite restaurant, my blistered feet are the only ones complaining.
Getting lost is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, I discover something really cool and fascinating, and the rewards and sense of achievement I feel justify the sores on my feet. Sometimes, getting lost is a way of finding what you want in life. The thing is, people nowadays are too afraid to get ‘lost’. Getting lost is like making a mistake. And in today’s society, making mistakes is a weakness, a flaw, something that makes people sigh and shake their heads. It’s imperative for these people to know what is going to happen 5 years from now, 5 hours from now, and in extreme cases, 5 minutes from now.
To this day, I still find myself getting lost in Seoul on many occasions. I get off at the wrong station. I amble along blind alleys, wander around inconspicuous neighbourhoods and trudge along dirt tracks. Sometimes, I walked till my bladders threatened to burst. Getting lost is not always fun. But if getting lost helps you find your direction in life, I think it’s worth the trouble from time to time. LS
Coffee With A View
I’m exhausted. After a 30-minute and more strenuous-than-expected “walk” up a hilly road, I realised I desperately need to lose weight. Damn all that beer (and these days, soju / makkeoli)!! And the reason for my industry – to seek out this picturesque cafe in the middle of nowhere.
Buamdong, according to my Korean friend, is nicknamed the 사장님동 (Korean for ‘CEO’). That’s because many of the well-heeled and some Korean celebrities live in this neighborhood. And its star attraction is undoubtedly Sanmotoonge (산모퉁이), otherwise known as the filming location of popular Korean drama series “Coffee Prince”. Its breathtaking views justify the steep climb (and prices) I suppose. A cafe latte will cost you 7,000 won, almost twice the price for a cuppa in the city. Cakes start at 7,000 won a piece too. In cooler seasons, the alfresco area would have been fully occupied, but as it is summer, the heat drove me indoors. The view is great, but air-con is what I need at the moment.
Off-the-beaten-track enthusiasts have waxed lyrcial about the quaintness of Buamdong, its charm and mix of art galleries and cafes. Can I be brutally honest? It’s not exactly worth the hike (or the hype). Thankfully, I had also pencilled in an afternoon at Samcheong-dong (삼청동). This is still the place for some aimless wandering, cafe hopping, or leisure shopping at the local designers’ stores. In other words, a wonderful place to bum.
On hindsight, I felt a little silly, having trekked all the way to Coffee Prince Cafe earlier when there are so many fantastic options to choose from in Samcheong-dong. Seoul is caffeine city. There are probably more cafes in Samcheong-dong (or in Seoul for that matter) per square metre than vehicles that you wonder how they actually manage to balance the record books. But who’s complaining? An afternoon at Samcheong-dong is the perfect way to while away that lazy Saturday afternoon in Seoul. And if you’re tired from all that walking, treat yourself to a cuppa at one of those cafes with a rooftop terrace and a “Coffee Prince” view. LS
Cafe hopping at Samcheong-dong, Seoul.
Gyeongju | Oh Silla! Where Is Your Glory?
Believe it or not, Korea had, once upon a time, been one unified country instead of the current North and South divisions. For nearly a thousand years, the Silla (신라) dynasty (57 BC – 935 AD) ruled over a unified Korea after vanquishing the Goguryeo (고구려) and Baekje (백제) kingdoms in 668 AD during the reign of King Munmu (문무). And Gyeongju was her capital.
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