My Amazing 7 Days in South Korea
When you think of South Korea, what comes to mind? Kimchi, K-pop, Gang Nam Style, Samsung, LG, Kia and Hyundai, silky dresses and those dreamy Korean dramas??? I guess some people put a trip to South Korea off because it is quite different, maybe because of the language barrier or the interesting looking food or you are worried that you will do or say something wrong to offend. However, what we experienced was not like that at all.
Going to Korea, I had an advantage – I speak the language, grew up here and know the cultural norms but this trip was a little different. In the past, I’ve visited Korea to see family or to translate for my VIP clients. I have taken corporate trips to Korea on several occasions but to be honest I’ve never had the chance to go to Korea as a tourist and just enjoy it. So, this time I decided it would be a good opportunity to discover my home country, graciously sponsored by MWTours and Asiana Airlines.
Flying to Korea courtesy of Asiana Airlines Business Class was soooo good. It’s not often I get the chance to experience the luxuries of the rich and famous but for that small moment, I was a movie star, a celebrity!!! I kicked back and enjoyed a lovely smooth 10 hours flight all the way to Korea. Thank you to the staff who were courteous and extremely professional.
Let me take you to some of the hidden gems South Korea has to offer.
On tour, we visited almost every major city in South Korea which was interesting, but it was not quite the leisurely trip I had imagined. It was a fast-paced itinerary packed with lots to take in. I loved the chance to once again reconnect with my historical and cultural heritage, the focus of the trip, however, Korea is changing a lot, and contemporary Korea is coming alive and thriving.
My highlights of the trip
Buyeo – We visited the Baekje Cultural Land, a Korean Historical Theme Park in the South Chungcheong Province. It is the largest theme park in South Korea and was built to preserve the history and culture of the Baekje Kingdom.
It not only hosts the annual Baekje Cultural Festival but the area has been used to film Sageuk films and other television series like Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and an episode of the Running Man.
The Oldest Zen Temple, Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon– One of the Three Jewels of Korean Buddhism this temple is located on Mount Songgwangsa on the Korean peninsula. The Korean name translated into English would be the “Spreading Pine Temple” and it is home to one of the oldest living-quarters in Korea. The Temple oversees 49 smaller monasteries and still a place of cultural activity. Tourists come from all over the world to enjoy and experience “living” in a Zen temple.
For me, the refreshing smell of pine trees and the tranquillity of the area, plus breathing in the cold fresh air as we walked the path to the temple was super relaxing.
Jeonju Hanok Village
Now this was one of my favourite places on the tour. It felt like I had stepped back in time at first with all the old traditional houses called “Hanok” everywhere, the traditional tea houses, and people wearing traditional Korean clothing – but I was mistaken.
Tourism to this area has grown considerably over the last two years and with more than 6 million visitors, the number of commercial facilities in Jeonju Hanok Village has increased a lot, but unfortunately so has the price of goods, food and accommodation.
Visitors from both Korea and abroad, come to visit because of the contrasting feel between the old and new worlds. The village is recognised as an international “slow city” because of the relaxed way of life where old traditions are practised and where nature is respected. Yet the city around the village is modern and people go about their daily business on Segway’s and electric bicycles, taking and uploading selfies and doing all things modern. It was a fascinating experience for me.
Yeosu
A city with a long Korean history that hosts one of Koreas more beautiful port cities, especially at night when it is all lit up. It sits midway along the southern coast of Korea. Yeosu, consisting of 317 islands and the Yeosu peninsula has seen a lot of development over the last decade. On 1st April 1998, three cities merged to make up the City of Yeosu. (And it, actually did happen? - it was not an April fool’s joke)
Yeosu has pretty cool summers and pleasant winters, thanks in part to the sea wind and warm current. Also, because of this, it tends to enjoy longer spring and autumn seasons than other regions in Korea.
The city is also known as the headquarters of the naval base where Great Admiral Yi Sun Shin modernised the Geobukseon (Turtle Ship) to save the country and more recently for its seafood, beaches, fauna and marine life.
We had a chance to see the EXPO Ocean Park where you can watch the world’s only Big-O light show. Very impressive.
Pusan – Also pronounced Busan is a city/port and capital of South Gyeongsang province. It is the second largest city in Korea and during the Korean war, it was the temporary capital of the Republic of Korea.
Tourism is growing here, and we were lucky enough to visit the Jagalchi fish market then took a short trip to Haeundae Beach - home of the Haeundae Sand Festival. Haeundae, with its hot springs, amazing resorts and beautiful beaches is the “must visit” place when coming to Korea. I suggested to the tour guide that we stop for a short “cup of tea” here which we did. So good.
The Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju
Located in Geyongju city on the slopes of the Toham Mountain, the Bulguksa Temple is the head temple for the Jogye Order and includes seven national treasures. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.
We got to view the two gilt-bronze statues of Buddha. The temple is considered as a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla Kingdom and was restored to its current form by President Park Chung Hee between 1969 and 1973. Incredibly beautiful architecture and a must visit place for those who love restored ancient architecture.
The Hahoe Folk Village in An Dong
A historic, UNESCO World Heritage site, Hahoe is a traditional village of the Joseon Dynasty established in the 1600s as a one-clan community. The people still practice the traditional clan-based socio-cultural lifestyle to this day. Walking through the place is a valuable reminder of Korean culture as it still holds valuable traditional books, practices the Hahae (A mask dance/drama and a shamanist rite) and other Korean folklore/traditions.
Yeonpyeong Ski Resort in Mt. Seorak and other Ski resorts near Seoul
We had a short tour of the Alpensia Resort, which is the venue of Pyeong Chang Winter Olympic 2018. We then went on a tour to see Mt. Seorak National Park where we enjoyed a short bushwalk to the top of the Mountain, after a cable car ride.
Seoul
We visited Gyongbokgung Palace, Myong Dong, In Sa Dong and Bukchon Hanok Village. All very interesting places to visit as part of the city tour of Seoul. There is really so much to do, experience and see in Seoul, to put it all here would talk up a lot of space.
Gracy's Suggestions
If you decide to travel to South Korea, these are a few suggestions;
- Get on the bullet train from Seoul Station to Gyeongju or Pusan
- Stay in Haeundae Beach resort area and visit the Jagalchi Fishi market
- Try a short temple stay in the Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju
- Try a short stay in a traditional Hanok Villiage in Jeonju
- Visit the Palaces in Seoul and Insadong to explore the traditional Korean culture
- Enjoy window shopping in Myong Dong
- Get a night bus tour of Seoul and enjoy the city views at Seoul Tower
- Try Korean BBQ with Soju or Makgeolli
- if you love nature and prefer slow paced holidays, I suggest visiting Yeosu or Jeju island.
If you have any questions regarding a trip to South Korea, I will be happy to chat with you and help you to plan your next trip. Call me on 0432 070 400, and let’s have a chat.