Tag: Travel

Train to Busan

Published on by stefaniepaikLeave a comment

This weekend my program, TEAN, did an excursion to Busan.

When looking at a map of South Korea, Busan is on the southeast coast of Korea. From Seoul, it is about a 4-hour train ride if you take the KTX which is the same as a bullet train. A unique experience for the ride is getting a pre-made lunch box to eat on the train. While I planned on getting one, I found that many of the stores do not open until around 7 or 8am. I had to arrive at Seoul station by 6am, so I was able to get a rice bowl, but not a lunch box.

How was the trip?

Overall, the trip was fine, I would rate it a 5/10. It was a two-day weekend trip; Saturday and Sunday. The reason for the score is simple; it was raining like crazy. As someone from the PNW, I have never experienced such large and heavy rain. At the end of Saturday night, my shoes, pants, and jacket were soaked. So I warn you, if you decide to come to Busan, please research the weather before going.

Another trouble I had with the trip was that it felt rushed with no breaks. Things were happening from when I woke up at 4am, to 9pm when I had dinner. The itinerary was packed! Once we arrived at Busan Station, we went to Jagalchi Fish Market and Busan International Film Festival Square, then we went to Gukje Market. Next, we did the Songdo Cable Car and Crossed the Songdo Skywalk bridge. Lastly, we went to Gamcheon Culture Village. On Sunday, first, we had breakfast at the hotel. Then we went to a Buddhist temple. Then we went to Heaundae Beach. For lunch we ate shabu shabu. Then we went back to Busan station to go back to Seoul.

Busan’s History

Busan has a very deep and rich history. While I am not going to write the entire history of Busan I will mention some main points about the city.

Busan has an extensive history that goes back to 10 different versions of Korea. The name Busan in Korean translates to “cauldron mountain.” This describes what Busan looks like geographically. While there are various beaches, it is then met with rough, steep mountains. Streets outside of the city of Busan are steep and curvy so it is quite dangerous to drive through.

Busan especially has a deep history in regard to Japanese occupation, World War 2, and the Korean War. During the Japanese occupation, Busan was the main port for the Japanese because of how close it was to Japan. During World War 2, countries like the US would dock at Busan to support Korea in fighting the Japanese.

During the Korean War, Busan was 1 of 2 cities that was never captured by North Korea. Therefore many war refugees fled to Busan for safety. Therefore during the Korean War, Busan became the temporary capital. Gamcheon Culture Village was a neighborhood where many war refugees lived, then in the 90’s the Busan government wanted to demolish the neighborhood and redevelop the area, but the people of Busan wanted to preserve the history of the neighborhood. So instead the neighborhood was revitalized through the use of murals and pastel-colored buildings.

South Korea First Impressions and Important Insight

Published on by stefaniepaikLeave a comment

Weather

Firstly, Korea is unbelievably humid. Once I stepped off the airplane, the humidity hit me hard. Even though it is inside with air conditioning, you could feel the damp air. South Korea has humidity higher than most US states. In the summer, the average humidity is about 71%, with highs reaching 77%. So I quickly realized that showering everyday is important. As someone who was born and raised in Washington State, I thought that when it rained, the rain would cool the temperature down; I was so very wrong. When it rains, the temperature outside is still hot and the rain is warm. Which honestly makes the weather more miserable.

It is also important to wear sunscreen everyday, even if it is cloudy or rainy. In general wearing sunscreen is the best way to protect your skin from the sun, but here is Korea it feel especially important, due to the fact that the sun here feels like it will burn your skin to a crisp.

In terms of clothing, t-shirts and shorts are the best clothing options; but nothing too revealing because Korea is a conservative country. If you decide to wear long sleeve shirts, pants or even a jacket, BEWARE. You will sweat through your clothes within an hour, especially with all the walking required.

Accessibility

While Korea is a very advanced country, leading the world in technology, medicine and home to global brands like Samsung, there still lacks accessibility for those who are mentally and physically disadvantaged. For example, if you have asthma it might be more difficult to get around due to long staircases and steep hills. For the first couple of days being here, my legs were incredibly sore. My average steps per day is around 17,000. There are escalators and elevators, but there are not guarantied everywhere and in many cases will cause you to to take more time due to their inconvenient location.

(Trigger Warning!!! Mentions of suicide, please skip to next paragraph if triggering)

In terms of mental health, Korea is not supportive. While programs that help those with depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation exist, discussion about mental health is still highly stigmatized. In Korea, suicide is most common among teens and adults due to societal pressures. While traveling and exploring around various neighborhoods in Seoul, I have noticed anti-suicide structures, especially around bridges.

When coming to Korea please be cautious of your medication. Certain medication is not allowed in Korea, therefore before coming to Korea, please consult with your doctor.

Lifestyle

In Korea it is common for restaurants, cafes and stores to open around 12pm. Stores will close around 6pm and restaurants/cafes will close around 10pm. If the neighborhood is a more nightlife/party area then restaurants will close around 2am.

Drinking culture is very big in Korea. It is a common way for people in Korea to socialize; new or old friends. For certain business employees, it is common for team dinners to include drinking. This causes employees to feel pressured to drink by their boss. In Korea, listening to your superior is important, therefore refusing to drink is considered rude to your colleagues and boss.

Smoking cigarettes is very common for Korean adults, both young and old. Many Korean chose to smoke because it releases the stress from their job. While other drugs like marihuana are completely banned in Korea, smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes are completely normal and common. In Korea, a person is considered an adult at 18 (international age). Therefore at 18, you are allowed to vote, drink alcohol, smoke and drive a car.