Everything I Loved About South Korea

After letting the experiences of the days in South Korea sink in, I can see that I am very satisfied with the choice of destinations. Terribly satisfied. On it front So nothing has changed from my first impression of Seoul. When Lisa heard this spring and told her she had booked tickets (yes, she had booked before and asked if I could keep track), I didn’t hesitate for a millisecond. It wasn’t a question or I would visit Seoul someday without rather when I would. Last Friday we recorded a longer podcast segment about the trip (I suspect there will be two eventually), but I will of course also supplement the pod snack with some posts here on the blog. First, some general reflections on the things I liked about South Korea.

My ten-year-old daughter and many of her friends are obsessed with all things South Korea. The food, the people, the music and the culture in general. Noodles, demon hunters, neon signs, Korean Lyckolapar, toys, key chains, arcades and sloppy drinks – it’s easy, cute, polite and giggly in their direction. I understand they are stuck! For me, I am absolutely fascinated by popular culture, but also by all the other things that weave the country together. Tradition and religion, great palaces, Buddhist temples and powerful dynasties through the ages. Let me make some impact on things that I was stuck on in purely concrete terms:

The mix between old and new, traditional and old: On one side of the street you see huge 3D billboards with purple spheres that seem to roll out of the screen. A little further on there is a palace from the 16th century. Certainly the well-being and reconstruction, but still. This is in many ways a cutting-edge country and yet… Old.
Controls and Wow Factor Deluxe: I could actually sit on a street corner in the Ikseon-Dong Hanok Village area and just watch people all day long. The atmosphere and the damn. The girls are, just as cool, real without exuding the fear and divinity of the Stockholm Girls.
Mix and mix, but order anyway and discover: In Seoul it is a constant life and movement, but it is still seen as a kind of organized chaos! It’s orderly and ready without feeling too correct.
Safety and courtesy: Not once did I have to feel insecure or afraid that I would lose my handbag or other luggage. I experience South Korea as a safe country where I feel safe.
Food and markets: Lisa and I really ate throughout the days during the trip! There is so much to taste and experience, Korean cuisine really suits me. Definitely not everything and not always – it was also nice to get home and get some pasta and dark bread in me. But in general? Very satisfied.
Acts of happiness: Yes, but these should really get their own little point! I like the idea of these happiness, prosperity and health wish apps that come in different designs. Along the streets there are small stalls ready for fortune telling and horoscope, we also saw beautiful wooden cabinets here and there with the opportunity to buy a message. The best are the wish apps that are written on small notes and hung near the temples. More messages of hope are needed here in the world right now!
Seoul! In fact, Seoul deserves its own point on a list of reasons to love South Korea. It’s just easy to fall in love with this insanely cool city (sorry but for lack of other superlatives I have to use cool again). Lisa has written a good guide to the city here: Things to do in Seoul – my 10 best tips for South Korea’s vibrant capital.