“The General Said, “Attack! Attack!” – Travels in South Korea

 

In 1910, the once-independent Korea became a colony of Japan. Korean culture was repressed by Japanese rule, and this together with war crimes committed during World War II has led to an antagonistic relationship between Japan and South Korea. Following the war, the peninsula was bisected, with the USSR installing a communist government into the northern half and the US a democratic one into the south. An attempt at forceful reunification by North Korea sparked the Korean War, and even after its conclusion, more attempts were made to capture Seoul. It seems many Koreans still dream of peaceful reunification, in spite of the vast cultural chasm that exists between the two nations.

 

Getting There and Around

Peach offers inexpensive flights to both Seoul and Busan, making it an easy choice for budget travelers like myself. After arriving in Seoul, you can buy cashbee cards (similar to ICOCA) for the subway and purchase it at convenience stores. The subway is fairly easy to navigate and is well-connected to the larger attractions the city has to offer.

 

Where to Stay

We stayed at Seoul Base Camp Hostel near the Hongdae district. It is very close to the Hapjeong subway station. The beds are tolerable, though fun in that they fit the theme well with a lamp and sleeping bag. The owner, Jake, is amicable and will help you with recommendations if you need them. Breakfast is offered between 8 and 10 every morning and includes toast and freshly made waffles with jam or chocolate syrup as a topping. Sarah and I both took the healthy route and doused our waffles in chocolate. My favorite attribute of the hostel, however, is their pet pig, who we encountered on our second night. At least while we were there, he was being called Hamlet, which is incredibly suitable for his dramatic tendencies.

 

What to Do

Our first morning was occupied by a tour to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) through Cosmojin Travel. You can book online without a credit card, which was great given the worsening exchange rates. They will pick you up from your accommodation too. Our first stop was a museum near the third-discovered tunnel North Korea dug following the Korean War. Our tour guide dragged us through the museum quickly and parked us outside the doors to the theater as she wanted us all to get seats in the limited-capacity room. The video they played was interesting and complete with action-movie-level dramatic music. Concluding the film, we took a more leisurely pace through the museum and also passed a large Japanese class, presumably on a school trip. We also walked the length of the third tunnel. Fortunately for many, adjustable hard-hats were offered. Many a concussion was avoided. We visited on the anniversary of its discovery, but no one made a big deal out of this, which I found surprising. Afterwards, we saw a mock North Korean village built in an effort to out-do the South at Dora Observatory, and Dorasan Station, a train line which connects from South Korea through the North, and all the way to Europe.

The tour was largely finished, other than an awkward sales-pitch at the Ginseng Museum (our tour guide tried to impress us by telling us she had just turned 50) and a drop-off in Itaewon. I would have liked to see the Joint Security Area, but my cheapness won out.

The War Museum of Korea was filled with many fascinating stories and covered far more than just the Korean War. There is a video in one of the rooms with English voice acting so horrible it’s hilarious. The content discussing the Korean War was interesting. I could have spent far more time at the museum than the two hours we had.

As most other tourists do, we ventured out to Gangnam. Near the train station is a stage paying homage to Psy; Sarah couldn’t resist pressing the button which filled the area with “Gangnam Style” for several seconds. We walked around looking at some of the shops while being bombarded by superhero-costumed advertisers. We also made the journey over to Lotte World, but the overwhelming number of people visiting both the mall and the theme park had us fleeing after acquiring a travel adaptor.

In the Hongdae area is the Trick-Eye Museum, which was great fun. You’re also allowed into the Ice Museum, but my poor circulation only allowed me to stay for so long. There are also many cafes (including a Hello Kitty cafe; the cake shaped like her face is adorable but has waaaaaaaaaay too much frosting), bars, and clubs in the area. Near the Hello Kitty Cafe is a real cat cafe called Cats Living. The residents were cute and some were friendly, but several also looked fairly sick, which was saddening. I’m not sure if they just had little kitty-colds or something more serious, but either way I wished I could know what the staff was doing to help them.

Gyeongbokgung and the UNESCO site Changdeokgung both offer many buildings to explore on their premises. Nearby is the charming Bukchon Folk Village with traditional Korean houses and architecture. On the way back to Hongdae, we stopped at Myeongdong, which has an impressive amount of street food.

 

Last Minute Points

-         Despite what some of the adaptors at Daiso say, Korea uses European-style plugs.

-         Selfie sticks are everywhere. Steel yourself if they typically encourage you to break them upon your knee.

-         There are multiple Taco Bell locations for anyone missing a taste of “Mexican” fast food.

-         Hold on to your bags carefully. We had a couple spills on the train.

-         The workers at the airport will not leave you alone if you’re trying to buy omiyage, no matter how many times you wave them off.

 

Seoul is a fun city that’s great for a weekend getaway here and there. Flights and accommodation can be very affordable, making it a great destination for those on a tighter budget.

 

Brittany Teodorski