Seoul - Tradition and K-Pop

PCR Preparation 🏥

Today is the Food Market Tour. On the way there, I stop by the clinic I visited yesterday. By now, I have a better plan. When I enter the clinic, I am not surprised; it is packed. I didn't expect to be able to take a test before the Food Market Tour. So I move on.

On the way to the Food Market Tour, I evaluate the option of taking the PCR test at Incheon Airport. Yes, it's an hour's drive, but I can also work during that time. Suddenly, a thought comes to my mind. The cheap airports are always located outside the metropolis. Like all other metropolises, Seoul must also have an airport closer to the city. Yup, the other airport is only half an hour's drive away. And every airport must have a PCR test station. Does this one have one too? Yup. And to top it off, the test is also much cheaper. Appointment booked, sorted.

Food'n'Poop Tour 💩

After a relatively short drive, I arrive at the meeting point of the Food Market Tour. I see a Korean woman standing at the entrance of the subway from a distance, with her gaze shifting between her smartphone and the surroundings. I approach her and we greet each other warmly. She introduces herself as Sujin. She seems a little surprised because, as it turns out later, she was expecting a Japanese person. Yes, I reply; with my last name, I've heard that before. 😁
She tells me that I am her only guest today. In turn, I appoint her CEO - my Chief Experience Officer. She appoints me VIP - Very Individual Person.

We set off, walking a bit along the relatively quiet market street that I had visited two days ago at night. After half an hour, we enter a small but very cozy restaurant. Sujin tells me that she can tell the age of a restaurant by the age of its customers.
In Korea, it has always been difficult to eat out alone. This is not only true in Korea, but also in many other Asian countries. Not surprising, as Asia is known for its collective mentality. Like Japan, life in Korea also takes place mainly in such places. Asians love food. And rightly so. So far, I have had only a glimpse of Korean cuisine, but now I am getting the full experience.

> At this point, there could be a photo of an overflowing table for two. It would show a blue thermos flask with Korean tea and two tea cups. There would also be numerous bowls of kimchi, soup, meat, sprouts, fish, and salad. Instead, I prefer to take the time to enjoy the good food and the conversations with Sujin, so there are no photos of the food. ; ) <

During our conversations, I realize that I am the only one of us who says 'South Korea'. For Sujin, it's just 'Korea'.
She noticed during the meal that I spoke Korean. I laugh it off, I only used the greetings and thank you. Later at the airport, I will notice again that even that seems to be too much for foreigners. We talk about respect; I had picked up my unit yesterday. 😅

We talk about a lot of things. And I have to be careful to not mention or praise Japan too often. Because South Korea and Japan have their own history. Korea has been plagued by invasions and occupations, not only by the Japanese. Korea has suffered over 940 invasions on its territory.

Sujin has also been to Germany, specifically Munich. Of course, I ask her how the food was for her. The question becomes more interesting because she is a pescatarian. Well, everyone has diplomatically answered the question so far. 😁

On the way through the city, we check off the next point on her list, the Handcraft Market. I was here already at night, but I wanted to come back to shop for souvenirs. Now I have the opportunity. And in the end, she explains the story behind the Poo Café.

Then something unexpected happens. Well, unexpected if you book without reading the detailed itinerary. 😁 She takes me to a Hanbok store. I have now learned that she has an artistic background and also enjoys photography. And she is also skilled in acting. I put her skills to the test and we have a really great and fun photo shoot. She tells me to look serious? Sure, I can. She tells me to act in a K-Drama? No, I can't - and we both prove each other wrong. 🤣

After this point on the agenda, we continue to an atelier. I get to choose one of six houses. The Pencil House caught my eye. There were beautiful paintings and it was an interesting experience, especially for my first visit to an atelier.

While strolling through the alleyways, we also talk about the topic of safety. It's not a problem here, as I suspected. She hears about gun violence and stabbings in the West. As a woman, she has no problem going jogging at night here.

Then we head to the last point, the oldest tea house in the city. It's a bit hidden in a side alley, and I wouldn't have found it so quickly. It is a beautiful mix of light wood and glass, very inviting. By now, over three hours have passed in a flash. I ask her about her dream job from her earlier days. It was theater and drama. We have an engaging conversation about it, and we also have a connection through improv.

It was a fantastic three hours that flew by. We say goodbye with a joyful and warm hug. She tells me I wasn't a customer but more of a friend. It flatters me, and I honestly and openly compliment her back. I like her. She likes me. And as I leave, she leaves me with my mouth half open and a 'You are the most handsome German I've ever met.' 😮

I think that would probably be one of the few things I should have done differently next time. At the beginning of such a trip, it's good to do a tour like this with a local, you can learn so much from it.

Lost at the Forgotten Destination 🛣

The streets have filled up by now, and I navigate my way home. After walking up the street for a few minutes, I realize that I should have gone down. Well, improvise, adapt, overcome. I head towards the next subway station and once again realize my mistake. Then I correct myself, as it turns out, I got off at exactly the right place for a beautiful walk along the Soul Trail.

Metro through the Metro 🚇

I take the subway again and enjoy watching the clips on the screens. I already knew about the fire and rescue drill. This time, I see a clip showing what not to do if your phone falls between the train and the platform. I knew that too. But it also shows what to do instead. Report it, wait for the station to be cleared, then retrieve the phone. Seems to happen often..

I have already seen calorie information being displayed on stairs to motivate people to take the stairs. Ironically, it has no effect on the locals, neither in terms of following this recommendation nor on the body size of the people here. Especially the younger ones are... 'more proper' than 99.9% of all Japanese people. So, this nice experiment has failed.

But here, I have found another version of this futile motivation. On my way to the professional nose picking, I walk through the long corridors to the airport and also past the vertical escalators that are mostly found only at airports. And there, at the edge, I see the calorie information again, this time with a woman on the way there and a man on the way back. The charming twist: at the beginning of the moving walkway, the person is really fat, enormous. And with every 10 meters, the body size decreases. I think it's great. It probably wouldn't stand a chance in Germany; someone would definitely feel discriminated against or problem-free social justice warriors would finally have the opportunity to fight for others without being asked.

Stick it in, be happy 👃

I'm glad I swapped the clinic for the airport. With German efficiency and the Korean tenderness of a percussion drill, I'm out in 2 minutes. Ready to work until the end of the day, quite literally. It's exhausting, I always wake up at 6 am. But it's the best option I have. And what I am experiencing here and will continue to experience is definitely worth it.