BONJOUR WORLD: A beginner’s guide to South Korea
The weather was crisp, the time was right and as long-haul flights go it was an easy trip on Korean Air last month when my colleague and I visited South Korea.
For me it was a first time so, I had great expectations and no idea what to expect.
I was not disappointed.
After the long flight nonstop from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Seoul Incheon International Airport we were taken for a Seoul must, the Seoul Tower. Views are sweeping of the city when you reach the top and it is a great way to get acclimated to this dynamic country.
The first two nights we stayed at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, a high-rise affair in a perfect part of the city and within walking distance of the popular Myeongdong area.
In Myeongdong it is all about taking in the vibe and getting a feel for Seoul. There are plenty of shops and vendors to discover, but my favorite place was what my colleague and I stumbled upon while on a relaxing stroll. A cat café, actually called a cat playground. And it is a playground for cats and people alike.
There are quite a few of these cat cafes in the city apparently and the idea is you buy a cup of coffee and play with the cats who are living in the café. It’s all about bonding and it is a good way for man and animal to enjoy each other without the commitment. On the day we visited there were many folks in the café. To begin first you wash your hands and take off your shoes before entering so you don’t bring in germs. The cats have collars and some collars indicate not to pet or play with that particular cat because some are ill tempered. I found it best to let the cats approach me. Overall, the experience is a good one and the cats seem happy, particularly when you buy them a snack at the counter while ordering yourself a drink.
Another type of café that really peaked my interest when I heard about it were the fortune telling cafés in Myeongdong. There are quite a few, but for some reason we had a very hard time finding one for me to try. Finally, we did, up a long and winding set of stairs in a dark corridor and when we entered it was a small café with folks sitting at various tables having tarot readings done. Locals take advantage of these cafes to find out all manner of things from who to marry, to where to live, to what job is best suited for their temperament.
Since my tarot reader did not speak English my guide interpreted for me and he told me a variety of things like I was going to be moving to New York, I was going to find love later in life and there was a hiccup in the interpretation when my guide thought I wanted to know at what age I would die. The reader looked a bit perplexed, but told me 78. I was bummed because I said I wanted to live to be 82 at which point he said if I slow down and take it easy that would be achieved.
All in all, it was an interesting visit to Myeongdong where we also enjoyed a local dinner and did some speed shopping before heading back to the hotel.
The DMZ Tour
The next day we did the much-anticipated DMZ Tour with a glimpse into North Korea. It was more than 60 years ago that the Korean War took place and the 248-mile cease fire line was drawn on the 38th parallel. This in turn created what is called the demilitarized zone, better known as the DMZ, these days.
The military peace keeping forces mean business there and many are very young. I conversed with a number of the American military soldiers and while it is hard to even fathom the danger, it is real, and these guys are aware of it every day.
We visited Panmunjeon, a place that has received international attention because it is where the armistice agreement ending the Korean War was signed in 1953. It is located in the joint security area in the DMZ zone and is the most forward area in the DMZ that can be visited by people in the south. The tour we took also included having the chance to speak with a defector from North Korea.
When we were in the JSA we were taken into a room that is used by both the south and the north Koreans and there is a large table in the middle of the room with half being on the south side and half on the north. Both sides still use this room, but the military tour guide said they never meet one another. The door is locked on the south’s side when the north are in the room and vice versa.
The following day we were transferred to Gangneung. A few highlights in this area include the Hyanggyo Confucius School established during the reign of King Chungseon from the Goryeo Dynasty. It is the oldest and largest Confucius School in the country and there is also a shrine on the site you can visit.
You will want a guide while you are visiting South Korea or otherwise everything will get lost in translation. I had a guide and still it was that way during some of the explanations.
You will want to take the time to visit the Ojukheon museum located in a building that was built around 1450. It was passed down to husbands and daughters over the years in a complicated line, but today it still remains a strong representation of the many years of history in Korea.
One note of interest when visiting is that the name Ojukheon comes from the pen name of Gwon Cheo-gyun who had the first ties to this building, which was at one time a home. The name is associated with the bamboo in the area that was said to be as black as crows at that time. The museum has been well preserved over the years and is one of the most representative pieces of construction from that period.
Also on the museum grounds is the Munseongsa (shrine) that was moved here when the museum was renovated in 1975. Munseong was the name given to a man named Yulgok by the king referring to his level of learning in regard to ethics. Yulgok was key in building the foundation of politics and administration for a stable life of the people in Korea. He is so important to the history of this place that there is a memorial hall to him there where you will see relics from the past and learn about this man’s role as a philosopher and politician who finalized Korea’s neo-Confucianism.
Winter Olympics 2018
The winter Olympics will be held in Korea in Pyeongchang from February 9 to 25, 2018. You might want to begin to plan now to attend and take note that all the stadiums will be located within 30 minutes of each other. This will make these Olympic competition locations the most compact venue in all of the history of the winter games.
There will be an express shuttle from Seoul to Pyeongchang, which will take a little more than two-and-a-half hours. The KTX high-speed train will take around 70 minutes from Seoul to Gangneung to get to the Olympic destination.
In the winter games it is estimated by game officials that over 50,000 people will be participating from over 100 countries, with 15 disciplines, 12 venues and 102 gold medals.
A good place to stay in the vicinity is the Intercontinental Alpensia, which is the third Intercontinental Hotel in Korea.
While I was there I took a tour of the Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium, which was originally planned to be the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics. Later it was decided it will be the venue for the ski jumping part of the Nordic combined events. Either way it is located in a beautiful location that feels like it is at the top of the world.
Temples and Shrines
The next day we were transferred to Gyeongju where we arrived late in the evening to Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. Seokguram is one of the finest shrines of Buddha in Korea according to the locals. It is surrounded by bodhisattvas and guardian deities with the central statue of Buddha gazing out at the forested hills to the East sea. It has also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 and is one of the county’s best-known temples. Bulguksa is a testimony to the skills of the architecture of the Silla and the temple was built here in 528 and enlarged in 751.
While we were there we hung around until everyone had left and waited to hear the monks doing the evening prayers. It was worth the wait and while some played drums in various corners of the temple the sound and vibration of the place resonated with my soul and at once I was at peace in true Buddhist fashion.
A traditional Korean Hanok
Baek In-Je House Museum was built in 1913 and it preserves the modern hanok or Korean traditional house style that is still popular in the Korean countryside today. The house overall is composed of a men’s quarters, women’s quarters, detached quarters called byeoldangchae and a large garden. The house is built with black pine from the Yalu River and it is different than many hanoks in that the men and women’s quarters are connected by a hallway versus being separate buildings. Today the house is recognized for its architectural and historical value and guests can spend a night in the hanok and get a true Korean experience while visiting the country. We spent a night there, which meant sleeping on the floor in a near empty room and trekking outside to the toilets, but I would not exchange the experience since it is well worth it.
Sansheong Oriental Medicine Theme Park
There are not many theme parks in the world that incorporate the idea of relaxing, but the Sansheong Oriental Medicine Theme Park does that and more. You can tour a village called Donguibogam Village and learn all about therapeutic techniques while partaking in a healing lunch or dinner. I was interested particularly in the medicine of Korea and learned it even predates Chinese medicine. The idea is that there are many natural remedies for whatever ails a person it just needs to be discovered in part through understanding a person’s entire constitution. For those interested, visiting Korea and just uncovering the medicinal knowledge from this Eastern country is like unwrapping a gift of knowledge that goes deeper and deeper the more you look.
Back in Seoul for a final day
After touring the countryside, we ended up back in Seoul for a final day of visiting the royal palaces and a traditional neighborhood. Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first palace built during the Joseon Dynasty and you can still see the changing of the Royal Guards ceremony there. It was built in 1395 and the name means “The new dynasty will be greatly blessed and prosperous.” Sitting in front of the Bugaksan Mountain, the location of the palace is said to be quite auspicious according to the practice of geomancy. The main entrance to the palace is called Gwanghwamun Gate, but the dynasty was not blessed when the entire palace was burned down in 1592 by the Japanese. It was left unattended until being rebuilt in 1867 complete with 500 buildings that were restored on the grounds including residential and government areas and gardens for work and play. However, the palace was destroyed yet again by the Japanese occupation and it has only been since 1990 that much work has gone into restoring the buildings to the formal glory. Even so, it is still a work in progress.
Changdeokgung Palace was built in 1406 as a spare palace for the Joseon Dynasty and was destroyed in the late 1500s by the Japanese as well. It was rebuilt in 1610 at which time it took the honor of becoming the main palace for 270 years. Visiting the palace will give you a good look at Korean history and culture and there are a few musts to see there including the throne hall used for state events, the king’s residence in Huijeongdang Hall and the queen’s residence in the Daejojeon Hall.
This palace was said to be the most loved palace during the Joseon Dynasty from 1392 to 1910 because it was not only beautiful, but large with gardens that included lotus ponds and pavilions located alongside streams and best of all, a Secret Garden. In fact, the Secret Garden takes up about 60% of the entire palace and it is said in the old days even tigers lived and roamed there.
One more thing you won’t want to miss in Seoul is Bukchon Hanok Village, which dates back to the 14th century and is an area still today filled with narrow streets and restored traditional homes. We took a pedicab tour in this area offered by Artee Riding Tour and saw Bukchon Village up close. The village is quite hip in my opinion and for the boho traveler this is going to be where you want to visit in order to get the real vibe of the city. It is one of the few remaining Hanok neighborhoods around.
Final stop, don’t miss the Gwangjang Market, which has been in existence for over a century and is the perfect place for the foodie looking for traditional tastes as well local textiles and clothes.
Finally, it’s a wrap and you have spent a week touring Korea, a fabulous and magical destination that you are going to have to return to again if you want to keep unearthing this country’s hidden treasures.
For more details about visiting Korea check out www.visitseoul.net/index or http://English.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto.
Photos by Guillaume de Vaudrey