Introduction to South Korea
By Junghun Yang
Annyeonghaseyo (안녕하세요)! This is a standard greeting in Korean, similar to ' hello’ in English, although it literally means “I hope everything is at peace.”
My name is Junghun Yang, and I am from South Korea. After I earned my Ph.D. at Iowa State University. I joined the international engagement office as an English Program Specialist. I am happy to share some information about my home country’s culture, places to visit, and delicious food!
The official name of my country is the Republic of Korea (ROK). It is located on the Korean Peninsula in Northeast Asia, neighboring China, Japan, and North Korea. Geographically, South Korea is quite compact. It is roughly the size of the state of Iowa in the United States of America. However, it is home to over 50 million people. This situation may contribute to growing a dynamic, fast paced, and energetic cultural atmosphere.
Here are my recommendations about the places to visit based on my personal experience:
Seoul
As a capital city, Seoul is the heart of culture, politics, and business in South Korea. I love visiting the Jongro area to explore historic royal palaces, art exhibitions, traditional markets, vintage stores, and the Blue House (the Korean presidential office). After finishing the exploration, I used to go to Cheonge stream in Jongro to take a rest by sitting under shade and putting my feet in the stream.
When I was a university student who was passionate about pop-culture, I spent hours walking around Hongdae to enjoy street fashions and live indie music performances. These days, Seongsu-dong has become a famous place for trendy cafes and concept pop-up stores.
In addition, my favorite way to wrap up a day in Seoul is to take a night walk along the Han River and eat fried chicken or ramen while enjoying the city's light views.
Busan
If you travel to the south, you will reach Busan, Korea’s primary port city. As Korea’s second-largest city and primary port, Busan is well-known for special and warm-hearted cultural vibes.
Most people go for the famous haeundae beach or lively seafood markets. I also recommend walking through the older hillside neighborhoods. Walking up narrow alleys on a hill village will lead you to a 1970s and 80s retro feeling with vintage homes and small local shops.
Yeosu
It is located in the southwest. Yeosu is famous for its gorgeous night views, seaside cable cars, street music performances, and incredible seafood. I still recall a trip to the Yeosu area with my high school friends.
The memories of riding seaside cable cars, listening to street musicians, and eating fresh seafood late at night are still accurately alive in my heart.
Jeju Island (My Hometown!)
I was born and raised on Jeju Island, the southernmost part of Korea. It is often compared with "Hawaii" in the United States of America. Jeju is a volcanic island, so people can enjoy both mountain and coastal life. Whenever I needed to refresh my mind, I used to hike up to Mountain Halla and explore its quiet forests.
Another aspect of Mother Nature that brings serenity and peace is coastal views. From the wild and windy west coast to the calm blue waters of the east and quiet south coasts in Jeju, has taught me how to stand firm against the wind, no matter where I am in the world.
For travelers who may visit Korea for the first time, here is the basic information about the Korean table. In Korea, meals are fundamentally shareable.
A typical table setting includes an individual bowl of rice and soup for each person, placed alongside shared main dishes (like grilled meats or stews) and an array of banchan (side dishes, including various types of kimchi and seasoned vegetables). Famous main dishes include grilling pork belly or marinated beef and wrapping it in fresh lettuce with garlic and samsang sauce. If you visit my hometown, you must try Jeju Black Pork and fresh seafood stews
I hope the information about traveling in Korea with my personal experience gives you a taste of South Korea. Whether you are interested in history, K-pop, beautiful nature, or amazing food, there is something for you.
If you ever plan to travel to Korea or have any questions about the Korean language and culture, feel free to reach out to me!
