visiting south korea

[skissugar]

has anyone here visited south korea?

 

We will be flying in next month to visit for april and may with my husband who is stationed there. I am looking for a list of "not to miss" places. any suggestions or tips you have etc.. We are very excited about this trip! We plan on packing in as many educational things as we can since we probably will never go back (he comes home in september).

 

thanks for any info you all have!! :lurk5:

[JESSICAinMD]

I lived in Korea for a few years. My favorite place to visit was the Busan Aquarium.

 

http://www.busanaquarium.com/eng/#

 

Check with the MWR. They have tours for newcomers. They used to offer tours of the DMZ. (I am not sure if they still do or not.)

 

If you will be stationed in Osan there are great markets. It is fun just to walk around and observe the culture.

[skissugar]

thanks!! we actually wont be stationed there.. my husband has been at osan since last september.. he is doing a year remote there and will join us in hawaii this september :) were just going for a visit :) but yes we will be at osan. He has a wonderful apartment out in town so we are excited about walking the area when hes at work :)

they do still offer dmz tours but you have to be 10 to go on them.. our dd is only 9.. we could take our son but would have to find care for her :(

 

Saving that link!!! let me know if you think of anything else!! :)

Edited March 25, 2011 by skissugar

[iamrachelle]

Skissugar,

 

If you'd like to PM me your email address (or phone number) I would be more than happy to shoot you some info. We just PCS'd from Osan back to the US last year. I've got a ton of links I could send you. It's easier for me to give you verbal directions on where you need to go. We loved our time there... our DC keep asking to go back.... you're going to love it there!!

[hollyfred2002]

Seoul or Pusan? It has been a while, but I taught in Seoul for a short time. There are some interesting markets there, and temples. I am not sure I have any specific recs as it has been sooo long. I did have fun in Poryong at the Mud Festival though. It's a train ride south of Seoul. Seoul is great fun for the young single types because they have a crazy night life.

[skissugar]

thanks everyone!! I sent you a pm nursewithgrace... :)

[iamrachelle]

Just emailed you a rather long disjointed email... :D

 

Have fun!!

 

BTW, if you do stop by Crystal bags I would love a pink Prada. :D

[iamrachelle]

Oh, and bring several umbrellas... you're going during the rainy season.

[Jamee]

I too lived in South Korea for a couple years. We were down in the south outside of Busan. The aquarium there is great. There is also one in Seoul at the Coex Mall. You can take a bus from Osan to Yongson for about $5 I think, and it takes about an hour. The hotel there, the Dragon Hill is very nice and next door the South Korean War Memorial and Museum. If you have small boys this is a MUST! Also not far from Yongson is the National Museum which was nice, but a little too much for my kids, especially after being able to climb all over the tanks and planes at the War Memorial. The main temple there is very nice too and taxi service is very easy to use.

 

Do you sew? Quilt? The fabric market in Deagu is my favorite!!!! It's not far from the base there and has tons of great craft fabric. It's a quilters dream, so probably a good thing that I didn't start quilting until after we left.:D The fabric market is Seoul is fantastic too, and HUGE.

 

Hope you have a great time. We're looking forward to a return trip to Korea. I really miss it. If you're going with kids and they're over 10, I'd recommend the DMZ trip if those are still taking place. It is such an eerie experience.

[teachmejoy]

I lived in Korea for 8 years and actually graduated HS while there. It's been quite awhile, but I miss it a LOT! Make sure you visit an old fashioned village and a couple of the buddhist temples up in the mountains. The best ones are the ones you have to actually hike to. I wish I remembered all the names and where they were, but the standing buddah is amazing. They have both of these things everywhere, so it really depends on where you'll be.

 

Have fun, and try to learn a few Korean phrases to use while you're there. The people really appreciate it when you try to embrace some of their culture and they're more than willing to "correct" any misunderstandings! :)

[Guest Maranatha]

I visited my dad there twice as he worked for the Air Force and lived there for many years. It's been a long time but what a great experience. Here are the things we did and enjoyed: The Air Force put us up at the Sheraton Walker Hill in Seoul. One of the things we enjoyed the most was shopping in Itaewon in Seoul and taking Kimchi cabs on long driving tours...do they still call them that? Tons of cheap (well at the time) stuff all over Itaewon, tons of eating places including American fast food. I had some custom made eelskin pumps made along with other customized clothing. Bought lots of brass and eelskin to bring home. We also enjoyed Korean Folk Village in Seoul. Great place for kiddos to see. We took a train to Busan (not a commuter train, those are rough) and stayed in a fantastic hotel there, with swan boats in the inlet. Most beautiful place I've seen. We visited the ship building factory..Huge! We did visit the DMV, but don't sweat it. It's not really worth the cost of leaving your daughter behind. Don't make the mistake I did and shoot pictures....I almost lost my expensive camera to confiscation. :eek:

 

Have a blast!!!!

[eternalknot]

Lots of people will tell you to shop down in Itaewon - even if you're not a shopper, it's a great place to people-watch. There are lots of Americans in that area, not just from Yongson but also from the nearby Holt (Adoption) Agency, so it's an interesting opportunity to watch the cultures interact. You can tell the newcomers (pay full price) from the oldtimers (haggle for a long time). Koreans bargain, so it's expected and can be a fun learning experience for yourself and the kids. Plus those vendors sell to Westerners so everything is way overpriced anyhow LOL.

 

While you're there, definitely check out the Dragon Hill Lodge. The grounds are pretty, and it's a nice place to rest a bit.

 

We liked Lotte World, which is like an Asian Disneyland. For me, it would be more "educational" in the sense of cultural exposure. We travel often, and have been stationed overseas frequently, so those are the learning experiences I try to take more advantage of. I like immersing myself in the culture and doing what the locals do - shop, eat, play, etc. If you're similar, then a great educational experience would be to find some local restaurants, shop in local stores (outside Itaewon), and the like. Watch how they accept money, how they remove their shoes, how they address others, etc. We had a car, but did just as much traveling on the subway and train -- was amazed at how different social customs were there than in the States. I think 9 and 11 are fabulous ages to experience a different social culture, and truly benefit from exposure to it!

 

Field trip educational ideas - War Memorial (in Yongson). National Museum of Korea is huge - overwhelming, but do-able with older kids. Korean Folk Village. Namsan (wonderful views of important Korean sites). The king's Palace (can't remember the Korean name, but it's long and starts with a "G" LOL). The zoo is okay, the flower market is nearby also. Seriously, though, best educational experience in Korea is to mingle with the locals :)

 

Our tours were all remote, but there was a group of us that cycled in and out over several years, and lived off of the economy - I'm sure if your husband can hook you up with a similar group who can give great suggestions on where to go, and what not to miss.

 

I'm not Korean, but I am Asian. I was still taken aback (initially) by some of the cultural norms. We joke that the South Koreans are the Americans of Asia :) they marry some of the Western norms with Eastern norms in a way that can sometimes offend both *until you realize it's just their culture and they're not intending to be rude. Your husband can probably better prep you for that, but so many spouses I talked to over the years always left their visit to Korea loving the shopping but feeling put off by the locals. I always thought that was sad.

 

Have fun! Enjoy your visit, not only to Korea but with your soldier :001_smile:

[Year Round Mom]

Make sure you visit an old fashioned village and a couple of the buddhist temples up in the mountains. The best ones are the ones you have to actually hike to.

 

:iagree:Hiking is great there! I can't remember any specifics, either, but we went on lots of field trips to different temples in the mountains.

 

Make sure you go out one night for kalbi (galbi), or "beef-n-leaf"...it's DELISH! Try some kimbap, which is like a sushi roll, but is made with beef and/or imitation crab, veggies, rolled up in seaweed, yum! Koreans love soup, but most are super duper spicy, often with some sort of sea creature cooking in it...not my thing. The tofu and beef soups are good, though (just watch out for those containing intestines and congealed blood, if that's not your thing)! Bibimbap is mixed, fried rice, with a fried egg on top. Dolsot bibimbap comes in a hot stone bowl (the dolsot) and typically a raw egg on top. You stir in the raw egg and your own spice (sauce) to cook the egg. That was one of my favorite meals! Koreans use spoons to eat their rice, not chopsticks. The chopsticks are for everything else, though, including the plethora of side dishes (panchan) that are served with every meal...I'm drooling just thinking about it...Hmmm, the chicken strips I made for lunch don't seem that appetizing anymore...sigh...