Travel plans

“Do you have a rough idea of where you want to go in Korea?” This is the question I come across most often in the run-up to the trip.

You know me! Not only do I have a rough idea, I even have a fully thought out plan! (And the assumption that I can't do everything...)

I'll be in Seoul for the first three weeks. My accommodation is centrally located in the Jongno-gu district, not far from my language school. When my class ends in the afternoon, I want to check out some of Seoul's neighborhoods. This time I have more time and can therefore visit parts of the city that are outside the center and on the other side of the river.

Fun fact: Seoul is pronounced "soul" like the English word for soul, and not "Se-ul" as many people think. "Eo" is the euphemism for the sound ㅓ, which roughly corresponds to the "O" in "comma".

From huge parks to viewpoints, museums and galleries to shopping centers and culinary hotspots, I have marked around 2 Mijonmijaden things on the map*. So I can spontaneously decide what I want to do depending on my mood.

*You will find a fun fact about the map at the end of the post!

Busan

Korea's second largest city is located by the sea. What particularly appeals to me there are the two 문화마을 (Mun-hoa Ma-üll), which means something like “cultural villages”. Narrow streets, brightly painted houses, cafes and small shops everywhere with a view of the sea.

Gwangju

This city gained notoriety in 1980 due to massacres in which the military dictatorship gunned down students. I saw a film about it and really want to visit the memorial and the associated museum.

Gyeongju

The former capital (100-900) is basically the historical epicenter of Korea. Here you will find, among other things, the burial mounds of the kings of the time and other places that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. And what's even more special: No high-rise buildings are allowed to be built in Gyeongju!

Sokcho

The city on the east coast not only attracts visitors with its beach and fish specialties, but also with the nearby Seoraksan Mountain and an idyllic Buddhist temple there.

Yongin

Of course, my Korean friend's hometown is also on my wish list! Yongin is about 1 hour from Seoul. Attractions include the Everland theme park and a museum village where you can see typical ways of life from different areas of Korea.

I'm really excited to see what places I'll end up seeing. But... we'll probably find out together in two months!

...and here's the fun fact about maps & Google Maps:

Did you know that Google Maps is useless in South Korea?

The reason for this is the division of the country: under international law, North and South Korea are still at war, even though there has been a ceasefire for many years. (More on this elsewhere.)

One consequence of this is that Google Maps is not allowed to store any information about South Korea on its servers - South Korea classifies it as a security risk. Instead there is Naver Maps, with server location in South Korea.

I actually like the app almost better than Google Maps. Super easy navigation including which public transport to take, where to walk in the subway station and which exit to take, as well as photos, reviews, menus, ordering options... everything!

But you need an account, and ideally you can read + type Hangul, as the English translation doesn't always work properly.