Welcome to Seoul, Korea

You’d hardly believe Seoul was an ancient city, with so many modern buildings surrounding you. A few relics of the past dot the city though, showing that Korea hasn’t completely relinquished all of its own history.

It’s easy for the eyes to get too busy and confused, as they dart from so many signs vying for your attention – from the building walls, fitted almost like puzzle pieces, to the traffic and road signs, the TV-screen bill boards, and huge banners either rippling against the sides of other buildings or rolled out in front of them, or diagonally posted from ground to ceiling, as many gas stations do. The neon signs that sprout from sides of buildings or against them are dormant during the day, but alive and kicking at night, adding to the air of late evening possibilities and excitement.

On a busy sidewalk, it’s not a good idea to stop and stare at anything for too long. People stream past you, against you, behind you, occasionally pushing you from and to all directions; you might feel like a valiant stick waving around in mud as forceful water currents swirl around you. For me, living near a city in the United States, I’m accustomed to seeing different kinds of ethnicities, and all kinds of fashions ranging from outrageous to ultra-conservative. In Seoul, I look at the masses of bobbing black-haired heads. Almost all the men seem to have the exact same haircut; almost all the women tend to have their hair long, and straightened to light locks that flutter back as they walk in dress shoes. It’s summertime, so the men wear those sheer T-shirt dress shirts with white tanktops underneath along with slacks, while the women wear dresses. Then there are the college students who are more androgynous about their wear: some guys wear headbands, some girls wear the same kinds of shorts and T-shirts guys do.

The air immediately hits you with its oppressive warmth and mugginess, after coming out from a refreshingly air-conditioned building. Then it just follows you around like a bad spell. Fortunately there are many cafes and dessert bars that offer cheap ways to beat the heat – if only for a few blissful moments – where you can try a dish that’s all the rage over here, bing-su. The dish comprises ice, cream, fruit and, if you’d like, pat, or sweet red beans. I love the mixing part, where everything in the bowl gradually becomes a slurry that drips from my spoon. There’s even an ode to it, a pop song blared regularly from the radio, that goes something like this:

Pat-bing-su, pat-bing-su, I adore you.
Pat-bing-su, pat-bing-su, I adore you.
I get sad when you melt.

Many pop songs are blared inside fast-food joints, on the sidewalks, wherever there’s a speaker. They’re mostly Korean artists, with an occasional Back Street Boys or N’Sync. Street vendors are also heard wherever there’s a speaker, or they use their own healthy voice boxes and lungs to shout about a great deal that you’re missing, the shoes of the fashion, the clothes that are a steal. There are so many stores and malls and streets lined with the same kinds of products: blocks and blocks of motorcycles and mopeds, a chunk of Seoul devoted to electronic appliances, more streets of lamps and of food, and then some. The underground subways have tunnels of shops to check out also, if that weren’t enough. Oh, and can’t forget the noh-reh bangs (karaoke) and PC bangs (Internet cafes) and billiard halls and arcades and dance clubs that are strewn everywhere.

Streets are risky to cross. As a kid, you’re taught to look at both sides of the street. I do, but with a careless confidence stemming from walking and biking in a country that says “pedestrians first, cars second.” In Seoul, it’s very much the opposite. Drivers hardly seem to notice if there are people on the street. Cars turn corners without slowing down, riding on their centrifugal force. Taxis continue full-speed at the crosswalks. Pedestrian-related accidents ranks highest (or near there) in traffic accidents.

Seoul sprawls for miles, like a spread puddle. Atop the Namsan Tower at Mt. Nam, I was surprised to see rolling green mountains surrounding much of it. Nature is still very much nearby. In the city, there are hardly any pigeons; magpies rule the roost. Dragonflies hover everywhere. If you’re lucky to be on a hill or some high place when the sun sets, you get to see the city begin to twinkle with neon lights and street lights. The red streaks the sky in sorts of curlicues, reminiscent of Eastern paintings. The city for a brief moment is haloed in a glow before the sun disappears entirely.

Useful Links

Site includes info on etiquette, government system, some statistics, etc.:
www.kois.go.kr

Etiquette:
www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/seoul/etiquette

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Asia Insiders page.

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