Villagers, including women and children, were massacred, and as recently as 2008 mass graves were still being uncovered. Halla Mountain, at 1,940m above sea level, is South Korea’s highest peak, while the cone of Seongsan Ilchulbong, or “Sunrise Peak”, is particularly spectacular. From parks to restaurants to stores, there is a ton to do. Mouth watering seafood, historic temples, picturesque landscapes and plenty of options for relaxing beach time. Even when numbers went up in September, restaurants were still open for indoor dining. Those are the best seasons to visit Korea, as the weather lets you enjoy the beauty of nature to the fullest. 5. Discover the top cities & best places to visit in South Korea! With few tourists to swell the existing numbers of foreign residents in South Korea, the number of non-Koreans we see is negligible. As I may have mentioned, we don’t exactly blend. Even I, the directionally challenged, have now taken multiple subway and bus lines by myself, and because Naver is so helpful even transfers don’t freak me out. The streets of Gangnam, the capital’s upmarket financial district located south of the Han River which bisects the city, house several cosmetic clinics while the city’s metro stations are filled with giant advertisements for cosmetic surgery showing women with the ‘perfect’ face. Find what to do today, this weekend or in January. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. Dear People of Korea, you earned my deepest respect. Staying open is possible because at all other times, the entire public are wearing masks. Now that I am over my grocery store anxiety, maybe I will edge into the world of market shopping anxiety? In 1948 and 1949, the South Korean government brutally put down an attempted uprising on the island. We’ve had some really large, nice meals for prices we thought were extraordinarily low. We learned when we lived in Canada that even moving to a neighboring country comes with its share of complications. Beomeosa Temple is considered as one of the important temples to visit in South Korea. For example, I am not a big lover of chips, but Peter is a chip connoisseur. Expo ’93 showed off Daejeon’s innovative side with ultra-modern pavilions, a maglev train and solar-powered vehicles. The country also has 2,413 kilometres of seaside, with wide coastal plains to the west and south, and nearly 3,000 small uninhabited islands just offshore. It seems that if I go right, so do they, and if I go left, so do they. We have reviews of the best places to see in South Korea. The transit signs are mostly in both Korean and English, although on some lines we have sometimes found that signs and announcements for stops are in Korean only. One of the must things to do in South Korea for all travelers is to visit one of the 900 Buddhist Temples that reside around the country. However, the majority of U.S. news in Korean media seems to focus on the impact of U.S. policies on North Korean/South Korean relations and Chinese trade agreements. I order food, electronics, clothes, well basically everything online, and it saves me tons of … There are so many exciting things to see and do here, but here are our top itinerary recommendations for your trip. We don’t think we are imagining that we get some stares, especially in crowded places like the subway. Now that I can see what’s happening here, it’s easier to understand that this is not magic, nor has the country been able to ignore COVID. From stylish clothes, cute knick knacks, fantastic skincare, and more – Korea is home to affordable and exciting shopping opportunties! The capital is home to some truly striking architecture, including Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, with its curvaceous metallic façade, and the 1,819 foot Lotte World Tower, which opened last year. However, by 2040 it is anticipated that nearly 7% of South Korea’s population may be non-Korean. There is not a huge focus on U.S news in Korean media. Meanwhile, COVID concerns have caused tourism numbers to nosedive. In 2004, South Korea opened a high-speed rail line called Korea Train Express (KTX), which ia based on the French TGV. The buses and trains are cost-effective and offer regular routes to locations all over the country, making the cost of living in South Korea extremely affordable. Korean karaoke is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of the best things about our little apartment is that there are stations for two different subway lines within a five-minute walk. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. “If Korea is a great place to be a culturally adaptable foreigner, it’s a brutal place for Koreans. Indeed, every time we have traveled overseas something unexpected has happened. It is the 280-mile hop from Seoul to Jeju International. The most popular South Korean navigation app, Naver, generally has good transit directions that are easy to follow. Some revere the U.S. as the main ally who came to South Korea’s aid during the Korean War, and others are still angry that the U.S. played a prominent role in dividing the Korean Peninsula along the 38th parallel after WWII. The spring and fall are absolutely mesmerizing in Korea. To fit in with the culture you need to show interest in the language. Each temple has unique tributes to Buddha that include statues, meditation halls and ceremonial tearooms. Although lots of brands we know from home are available here, we have discovered that they very seldom are the same as the products we know and love. Seoul from the middle ages to the space age. Even at that, building my skills has been frustratingly slow. It makes me really anxious to travel without at least some basic language skills, plus I think it’s unfair to put all the burden on the non-English speaker to accommodate, so I wanted to start learning early. It is less rich, more sweet, and more waxy than the European version. And our newer favorite – a Korean bank card will scan to get you onto any transit vehicle and debit the fare straight from your bank account. Prices at the grocery store, however, are not so cheap. However, we have yet to encounter a food here we can’t eat due to spiciness, though some have tested us a bit. I did not anticipate that trips to the grocery store would cause me more panic than nearly any other activity. Visitor's Guide to Busan, South Korea Top Things to Do in Busan. I am happy to report that although it took many weeks, I can now visit the grocery store without stress. Korea has a history of being isolated and neutral. Instead, it’s a society that overall believes that COVID is a real disease that poses a real threat, and everyone is bought into stopping it. A T-Money card can be pre-loaded with funds to use on all transit vehicles, including taxis. What’s happening with COVID-19 in South Korea? Thank goodness there are at least aisle markers in English at the large store I often visit. Things to Do in South Korea, Asia: See Tripadvisor's 843 722 traveller reviews and photos of South Korea tourist attractions. The December Edition. (The word commonly used in Korea for a non-Korean visitor or resident is “foreigner,” so I will use the term here.) Haeundae Beach is one of South Korea's most famous stretches of sand. It has a wide coastline and shallow bay, making it ideal for swimming or lounging under a beach umbrella. By some measures, a country is considered a multicultural society when the number of foreigners exceeds 5%, meaning that South Korea still has not met this threshold. The most crowded flight path on Earth is found in South Korea. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in South Korea on Tripadvisor: See 250,722 traveler reviews and photos of South Korea tourist attractions. Beyond the skyscrapers, South Korea boasts a spectacular natural landscape, 64 per cent of which is covered in forest. It’s not often that we can witness the marriage of state-of-the-art technology and reserved Confucius values, which makes the best things to do in South Korea very unique. More than you’d pay for a fast food meal out, but great value for the quality and quantity of food. When I lived in Seoul I had the opportunity to explore every inch of the city and I feel I have become sort of a Seoul expert. Whether you’ve traveled extensively in Asia or are looking to take your first trip to the continent, South Korea is an ideal place to learn about history, get active in nature, eat delicious food, and shop ‘til you drop. There are plenty of mountains, including eight that surround the capital. This is seen as a strategy to increase Korea’s cultural and economic influence in the world. Have Yourself a Merry, Distanced Christmas! In 2011 Jejudo was named among the “New7Wonders of Nature”, though there were accusations that its selection was down not just to its beauty, but also the readiness of tourism and marketing organisations to stump up cash – including taxpayers’ money – to support its campaign. There were a staggering 64,991 departures between these two airports in 2017 – that works out at around 178 a day. 1. Some of South Korea's largest companies include Hyundai, LG, and Samsung. South Korea boasts an impressive transportation network making every area available for exploring and you can access all corners of the country on a day trip from Seoul. We have reviews of the best places to see in South Korea. It’s no surprise, then, that Koreans really want visitors to learn and use their language. There are also cable channels devoted solely to the game. We’ve been pleasantly surprised about the food prices here when eating out. And these the most expensive meals we’ve eaten here. We are also seasoned travelers and were prepared to experience those things you can’t plan for. Depending on the distance you’re traveling, you can generally get multiple transfers for this price or just a little extra. Busan (부산) is a ‘must-visit’ for all travelers to South Korea! I have it on his good authority that Doritos in Korea are not the same as the U.S. version. About 6% of the 2.5 million were classified as Americans. Discover the best top things to do in South Korea including Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Jeonju Hanok Maeul. You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. on Top 10 Most Surprising Things About South Korea, The Ultimate Day Tourist: Gapyeong Rail Park, Nami Island, and The Garden of Morning Calm, A Night to Remember at Gyeongbokgung Palace. More than 26 million passengers use Jeju airport each year - that’s more than any UK airport bar Gatwick and Heathrow. The pond itself is an artificial pond that is surrounded by landscaped gardens and reconstructed pavilions. I cannot figure out what side of the sidewalk to walk on, or how to turn aside appropriately when a Korean person is coming straight towards me. The report showed South Korea’s average broadband adoption rate to be 26.1 megabits per second, putting it ahead of Norway, Sweden, Hong Kong and Switzerland. In 2018, the government did take steps to shorten the average workweek, now allowing a maximum work week of 52 hours instead of the previous 68. There are plenty of mountains, including eight that surround the capital. This temple is easily accessible by train to … We have seen some of this, especially among younger Koreans, but there are still plenty of folks who aren’t as comfortable with English and seem to appreciate our efforts to speak basic Korean. These national treasures include royal palaces, tombs, shrines and well preserved hanok villages (hilly settlements packed with traditional Korean houses). Large, high-risk events are still not happening in person, but smaller gatherings are safe because the infection numbers are monitored and reported every day through contact tracing. This mystery is equally perplexing when someone on a bicycle, scooter, or motorbike is headed towards me, and they are as likely to be on the sidewalk as on the street. The country’s films broke ground on the international cinema scene in recent years with critically acclaimed productions such as Okja, starring Hollywood actors Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal, which got a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival last year, and the 2003 Korean classic Oldboy, which got a Hollywood remake by American film director Spike Lee in 2013. With the backdrop of a war of words between North Korea and the US, 2016 saw a year-on-year fall of 4.1 million in overseas arrivals to South Korea – the first dip after years of growth. Since the game launched in 1988, nearly half of all the games have been sold in South Korea. We speculate that this is how everyone catches up on their missed sleep. Beyond the skyscrapers, South Korea boasts a spectacular natural landscape, 64 per cent of which is covered in forest. We could take photos of at least one person sleeping on every trip. Of course, there are still sectors that are suffering from business that is less than usual, such as the tourist industry. 15 Best Things to Do in Daejeon (South Korea) A city of science and technology at a meeting point in South Korea’s road and rail networks, Daejeon was announced to the wider world in 1993 by an international exposition. There are lots of American flags displayed at these protests. It also ranked third best in last year’s World Airport Awards. There are arrows at many crosswalks specifying which side goes left and which right, but almost no one observes them. Too much noise with music playing, registers beeping, helpful ladies at the end of every aisle calling out for shoppers’ attention to sample a product… Add to that the number of products on crowded aisles I don’t know or understand, and visits to the store were overwhelming for a good while. We have reviews of the best places to see in South Korea. But Jejudo also has a dark side. Its main industries include electronics, telecommunications, auto production, steel, shipbuilding, and chemical production. One of the best things to do when visiting South Korea, is to treat yourself to the fabulous shopping that exists in the country. Seoul, South Korea, is one of those dynamic Asian capitals that is constantly evolving and expanding, yet steeped in history and tradition.There are so many things to do there it will blow your mind. Others, though, focus on the military role of the U.S. in South Korea, with some favoring deeper U.S. involvement and others advocating for the U.S. to turn over more control of military operations to South Korea. It’s because of the constricting social culture,” he explained. South Korea is a very unique country with a very rich culture. In general, it’s not expensive! There is a strong social family feeling. Although statistics vary, it seems that most Koreans report sleeping fewer than 6 hours/night, and Korean students have reported getting even less sleep. Hallyu, the “Korean wave” that includes exports of K-pop, movies, TV shows, and cuisine, is revered for the international attention it has brought to Korean culture. This service was perfected in South Korea. 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