Korea
Things I didn’t know about Korea :-
- Girls are prettier than Japan (my myth is now reversed)... in fact prettiest in Asia, imo. Girls spend a bomb in beauty maintenance. Nail pedicure/manicure salons are everywhere and always packed... costing above 20,000 for a session. Luxury goods are very common. According to peers, having pretty girlfriends means a poorer savings due to high maintenance. In fact, being in Gangnam-area (Apgujeong for months), one can see girls driving big cars everywhere. Husbands tend to commute to work in public transportations.... poor guys
- People dressed better than any asian countries I know... smart and elegant. It's cultural
- Restaurants are like Japan ie. either hidden, small or smoky…. definitely not family variety (no baby chairs)... unless you go for the western family restaurants or fast foods.
- Subway is a maze … consisting of above ground and underground lines. One has to figure out from the many lines the best combination to get from point A to B. Knowing the exit no's in advance makes life easier upon getting off the train, 'cos different exist have different stairs/escalators up. The ends of each carriage are for elderly/expectant mother and the disabled... locals really adhere to this. The seats are often left empty for them, despite standing. These sections are indicated on the platform floors near the tracks.
- Eating food BBQ style requires mixing few condiments and meat on a leaf, wrap and stuffing all in one gulp. Definitely not elegant. With all the smoke and noise, also not romantic. But females don't seem to mind... wonder what's their secret of keeping fresh/nice smelling
- Dry sauce noodles (Zhar Zhiang Mian) is better than the original (China)… tasty and not pungent (bean-wise).... the staple order of chinese restaurants... sad.
- Lots of unhappy expats living in korea, judging from the forum threads I’ve seen. Something about culture clash or incompatibility. Expats' stereotype image of koreans are proud, all-knowing, arrogant and demanding.
- Locals are health conscious.. either eating whole onions or raw ginseng dipped in honey. They drink health drinks eg. yoghurts, milk, etc..
- Eating instant noodles raw as snacks!
- Life is tough… car ownerships are rare. People rent out owned apartments while renting smaller/cheaper units for themselves. Apartments are small, studio-like for kitchen and living area…. no dining area….. they eat on the floors on makeshift table. But at the same time, strange… some executives are given hotels/apartments to stay during the week, while they travel hours back to own home for weekends.
- Grade A and B luxury goods knockoffs are available at secretive alleys and stairwells in Itaewon…. little scary (intimidating) to be locked in with the goons when showing their wares.
- Locally brewed traditional rice alcohol (markoli) are tasty, best drunk from a bowl for effect …. taste like a mix of soyabean (milky), soda and alcohol. Available in bottle varieties from supermarkets too.
- Korean actresses are bold and daring… ready to bare all and perform sex scenes… unlike Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.. I would say even bolder than Hollywood.
- Similar to Japan, korea's mobilephone network is CDMA and requires CDMA phones. So, for most GSM phone users, choices are to rent CDMA phones for about 1usd per day to use with existing sim cards... or to rent both phone and simcard for about 3usd per day. Or next choice (but not necessarily work) is to buy a CDMA or 3G phone (with CDMA) and bring to Korea, hope it works.
- Goat's milk (premium brands) are used for supplements or substitutes for mother's milk
- Yakult products for adults are available here targetting liver or stomach health (1000 to 1300 won each). Easily found in supermarkets
- Korea is super environment friendly, practising recycling and bio-degradable products. It is the norm to clean up your trays/tables in fast food restaurants/food courts by returning trays/cups/trash to designated areas. But not only that, cups are returned to proper places, ice and remaining liquid are poured away prior... everything in rightful place! Those waiters/staff sure have it easy. There are toothpicks which are made of some plasticky material which melts away when wet.... which I think is useless and doesn't help with long term picking. Plastic bags are not free! They charge average of 50 to 100 won each at supermarkets and stores. But one can return the bags to them and get money back! Locals carry canvas-like shopping bags for shopping instead of paying for plastic bags. Also at some fast food stores, foam/plastic cups or plastics are charged during takeout ... average of 100 to 200 won! Again, one can return for money back
- Black colour cabs are premium cabs. They charge about double the normal cabs. Don't see the reason why, aside from cleaner interior or maybe leather seats. Car-wise... same model and make. Cab meters start at 1900 won.... premium start at 4000 won i think. Receipts are always available (Yong su jehn hei ju sei yo). When giving directions, drivers do not really know street names, it's best to give nearest landmark names.
- Credit cards and charge cards are very very common use, thanks to the many promotions one can get using them eg. discounts and freebies. Very useful indeed and much better than the boring promotions in Malaysia
- When paying for restaurants, the very common process is to take the bill on the table and bring it to the front where the cashier is.... practical and save labour time.
- DVD-bang (room) are common services in shopping areas. Great for relaxing/time-off and for couples (closed door activities in certain private establishments). Average of 10,000 won per movie time.... play time controlled by front desk.
- Locals hand/mobilephones are always tied to some charm/decorative/chain of sorts, which I never understand. Doesn't it make it even more bulky or heavier? Well, size doesn't seem to be the issue here.... girls' phones are bulky... many tend to go for the flip phones. Many people use phones as cameras despite the low resolution results... one can see many couples or families taking pics with them everywhere... i never know why so when digital cameras are much better.
- Airport shuttle/transfer is very expensive costing average of 100,000 won per way. The norm is to use the airport bus which averages about 3,000 won which takes you to many major hotel/destinations
- It's not very baby friendly around town, especially for strollers. There are stairs in subways. However, at subway gates, there are big gates at the sides where one can press a button to attention the attendant, who will release the lock and one will get thru. In new stations, these gates are fitted with ticket slots to go in and out like normal.
SOME STUFF I GOT FROM THE NET ....
NOVICE buyers and battle- hardened bargain-hunters alike will require equal doses of daring, diligence and discipline to successfully navigate their way around the multifarious shopping streets of Seoul. Unlike some of its better-known and more user-friendly counterparts around the world, the South Korean capital is a large, impersonal, sometimes intimidating but always fascinating city of over 10 million people.
This is a place where daily indulgences include dips in public bathhouses, cellphones on subway trains, sleeping on futons and kimchi on everything -- all are de rigueur facets of the cultural landscape. As Korean as kimchi: the ever-popular Hyundai Department Store
Art mart: glass artists showing off their skills in Insa-dong-->
Shopping, though, presents a different set of problems. Quite apart from the attendant obstacles of language, culture and tourist-targeting-touts, just getting from one side of the traffic-choked town to the other represents a formidable, headache-inducing challenge. Enterprising types intent on digging deeper into the heart of Seoul, however, will be suitably rewarded.
Seoul is a 600-year-old city spread along both banks of the historic Han River, the rich lifeline of the Korean peninsula's central region. Thus, the city can logically be divided between Kangnam (south of the river) and Kangbuk (north of the river). The city is further split into some 25 districts, but certain areas stand out when it comes to shopping.
The first step to a successful commercial outing -- being able to distinguish right from won, as it were -- is knowing which of a potentially confusing number of neighbourhoods to head for in search of specific items. Since there is no real equivalent to a convenient one-stop, Orchard Road-like shopping belt, a comprehensive tour of the local merchants will necessitate individual trips to various parts of town. Here (in no particular order) is a basic primer on where to go:
MYONG-DONG
Once the commercial centre of the city, Myong-dong is now known as a mecca for local fashion, the place where the younger generation goes to pick up the beat on the latest trends in clothing, shoes and cosmetics. Together with the neighbouring district of Namdaemun (South Gate), Myong-dong is a mind-boggling shopping destination that attracts a million people each day -- a phenomenal figure by any standard.
Unless you are a savvy return customer or are being chaperoned by a local, it's best to give yourself plenty of time to wander around. Even if you're armed with maps and a list of recommendations, individual stores are difficult to locate, given the lack of English-language signage and detailed numbering system for many of them.
Meanwhile, don't miss the opportunity to visit nearby Myong-dong Cathedral, a neo-gothic vision that's a Seoul landmark and the largest church in Korea.
NAMDAEMUN
First-time visitors will find it far from humdrum in the wonderful wholesale market of Namdaemun, which is probably the country's most famous shopping destination. This dense, dizzying warren of side streets in the oldest part of Seoul first started operating in 1414 and is now home to hundreds of open-air storefronts, indoor arcades and high-rise buildings. Here, it's not uncommon for visitors from all corners of the globe to be spotted stocking up on goods to bring home.
Bargaining in time-honoured tradition, feverishly working the hand-held calculators and then carting their purchases away in large expandable suitcases, buyers focus their attentions on everything from locally-manufactured fashion accessories to clothing and exotic knick-knacks, all available in bulk quantities at affordable prices. Although virtually anything can be bought here, the flea-market nature of Namdaemun can be somewhat draining, especially for the uninitiated.
APKUJONG-DONG/ CHONGDAM-DONG
High rollers and heavy hitters are likely to head for Apkujong-dong -- otherwise known as Rodeo Street in deference to its LA cousin -- and the adjacent district of Chongdam-dong, where fashionistas in fancy cars and designer shades troll the uptown stores for something from Calvin, Donna or Giorgio. Here is where high-end boutiques, trendy cafes and cool hip-hop bars jostle for business from black-clad beauties and stylish young turks.
It's all very ooh-la-la, but there's a definite infusion of local flavour as well in this south-central part of the city. Well-heeled visitors might suffer from a distinct sense of deja vu, although there's always the hope of picking up something that isn't available in Milan or Monte Carlo.
In Chongdam-dong, there's also The Galleria, two buildings that constitute the most exclusive department store in town. A branch of the ubiquitous Hyundai department store chain is also located close by in this posh part of Seoul.
INSA-DONG
This area of narrow streets and pretty pedestrian zones in the north-western quadrant of Seoul is a favoured stop for culturally receptive, arts-loving foreigners in search of unique reminders of their visit to Korea. The streets and alleyways around here abound with craft shops, galleries and tea shops, where objets d'art, local pottery, traditional costumes and specialist calligraphic materials from all periods of Korean history are displayed alongside paintings, furniture and antiques.
On any given weekend, street vendors, musicians and artists appear in full force (and full regalia), turning the area into a fairground and living museum for the arts. There is a certain element of theatre to the whole thing, but the overall effect is a pleasing and enchanting blend of traditional and contemporary Korea.
DONGDAEMUN
Tongdaemun (East Gate) is a dream come true for people who are enamoured by clothes of every size, shape and colour. For sheer volume alone, Tongdaemun can't be beat. At this massive market for Made-in-Korea apparel, designer outlet clothing and casualwear are ever-popular, as well as leather and sporting goods.
A street level shopping mall caters to the retail trade while several nondescript highrises (notably Doosan Tower for outlet shopping, and Migliore, home to 2,300 shops) serve as a giant repository for an amazing array of wholesale items. The buildings are always busy and the atmosphere always electrically charged, which isn't too surprising considering Tongdaemun is open all night, until the early hours of the morning.
Live entertainment is even provided on permanent stages in front of Doosan Tower, but it won't be long before you resume your sweep of the stores. Part of the thrill is paying prices that don't do permanent damage to your bank balance, although the temptation is always to buy more than you really need.
ITAEWON
Itaewon is noted for its proximity to a large American military base, and also notorious for being home to those dubious yet delightfully naughty designer fakes. Some of these are of an unbelievably high standard, right down to the embossed boxes and branded wrapping tissue.
If you don't see the good stuff on display, it's because much of it is tucked discreetly away. Ask to see it or, better yet, get a local to take you. Brand name watches and Louis Vuitton bags are currently the objects of desire in Itaewon, where imitation is not only the sincerest form of flattery, but also a thriving industry to boot -- and all for roughly 10 per cent of the real thing.
