Seoul Favorite Tips by jburron Top 5 Page for this destination

Rent a Phone to Make Life Easier Other Stuff Review

Favorite thing: Although there are payphones in every subway station and all taxi-drivers have one (or two), if you're in Seoul for business or extended for pleasure (and/or plan on going outside of the city) renting a cellphone/mobile at the (Incheon) Airport can be a good idea.

The reasons are many:
(i) Absoutely everyone has a phone and everyone uses textmessaging too (it's more convenient than talking sometimes and Koreans can read/write English better than they can speak it in many cases);
(ii) Plans can change at any time and traffic can be a bother so you may need to get in touch with people or them with you;
(iii) Directions in Seoul can be a challenge and you may even need to call someone who is a few feet away because of the crowds, and;
(iv) It's just more convenient for you (and, more importantly, the people you may meet there) to be in constant communication.

Also, please know that Korea has its own special frequency (CDMA 2000) that is wholly different from all the others...even 3G phones and devices will not get a signal here: only Korean-band ones.

Prices are about 3,000 won/2.7USD a day plus 600 won/0.50USD a minute. Big carriers are LG, KT and SK (going from cheapest to most expensive, no real difference in service, but phones offered may vary).

Fondest memory: Click here for more phone information; but, contrary to its advice, you need not reserve a phone beforehand.

Charge Your Phone Anywhere (Almost) Other Stuff Review

Favorite thing: If you rent a phone while in Seoul/Korea (I have a tip on this also) you may find yourself with a run-down battery from time to time (even though the batteries in them are usually quite good). If you do there is an answer.

At many CVSs (Korean name for ConVenience Stores) and some restaurants and theatres there are chargers. A quick-charge (abotu 5-10 minutes, I believe) costs about 1,000won/1USD in a CVS but might be by 'donation' or free in a restaurant or theatre.

The Korean word for them is 핸드폰 충전기 (said as hand-fone choong-jeung-gi) so you can either ask around or do a little mime thing of holding your phone to your ear and acting as if it doesn't work to get someone to point you toward one.

More here.

Crazy Names for Almost Everything/place Pleasent/Amusing Surprises Review

Favorite thing: I don't know if some of these places are imported from elsewhere or if Koreans just came up with these names. Stores like Teenie-Weenie (kids' clothing store), Prowstar (sounds like Starbucks?...the sign uses the Starbucks font also) and Old Rock (University Bar I reviewed in the Nightlife area; sounds and looks like Hard Rock logo) are but a few...but there are hundreds of funny names here.

They also have interesting designer knock-off names: Channel, A6 (which is an actual brand here, sounds like Asics) and that Prada bag you bought may say "Original" on the chrome plate instead of Prada (it's an original original bag, not an original Prada).

Fondest memory: My "piece de la resistance" is a little Hof in Insa-Dong (as you come out of one of the exits from Jungno-sam(3)-ga Station, Line 5). The place is called "Born to be Chicken"!

A couple more here: http://hometownyeouido.blogspot.com/2004/10/interesting-signs-and-yushengs-first.html

Little Stores Everywhere Other Stuff Review

Favorite thing: I couldn't understand why my Korean friends would ask where the store was when we were hiking in the woods or at a park or somewhere. Once I got here I understood. Koreans are creatures of comfort (well, so am I) and convenience stores are all over the place.

Within one block of my apartment there are 6 little stores (some right beside each other!) all selling pretty similar products. As well, if you take a stroll down the Han River you'll see many shops like the one pictured on the left. In true Korean/extreme fashion, they are every 50 feet in some areas and non-existant in others. I could never understand how they all stayed afloat financially until I noticed on a hot day that the parks were so packed that you could hardly walk (well, not that packed, but you get the picture).

At these stores there are the usual Korean and some Western snacks and drinks as well as beer, Korean alcohol, toys, kites, ramen noodles and many other goodies (few of which have much nutritive value which makes me wonder why Koreans are so thin).

Kookmin Bank Conservative? Shopping & Money Review

Favorite thing: This is not a favorite thing, it is a least favorite thing. Expect the unexpected, and illogical, if you plan on being in Seoul/Korea for an extended period.

I went to my (Kookmin) bank to request a Check Card. These are new to Korea and offer the convenience of a crediit card plus additional tax benefits (you get a tax credit when you use your credit card or check card!). It is secured by cash in the account just like a debit card, so you cannot 'charge' more than is in the account. It is free (except for a 1,000 won (USD 0.80) initial charge) was well.

The bad news? Foreigners, even resident aliens like myself, cannot get them. Why? Oh, because Korean banks are conservative. These are the same banks that went so crazy issuing credit cards a few years ago that their bad loans rates went up to about 10%!

How can a Check/debit card be risky?!? It is 100% covered by the cash in the account at the bank. There is no risk of loss for the bank at all. But, I guess it is not 'conservative' for the bank to offer such things.

Oh well, I guess I'll apply for a credit card and expose the bank to credit risk. Go figure.

Ajeoshi ! Ajeoshi ! Pleasent/Amusing Surprises Review

Fondest memory: So I was rollerblading (or inline skating, as they call it here) in Yeouido Park last night and I heard this girl yelling "Ajeoshi ! Ajeoshi !" It means "Hey mister!" so I figured...maybe it's me. I turned around and this 20-something gal was running up with 5,000 won in her hand. The same 5,000 won that had been in my pocket a few seconds ago.

Now, there are good people and there are bad people, but I think that when it comes to things like money lying on the ground and the guy is rollerblading away at Mach 3 you can count on a Korean to give chase. Well, that's what she did at least. I know she put in an effort because she works the coffee stand in the park (did I mention that she left her business untended to give a foreigner his dropped money?).

On my way back that way what could I do? I got a strawberry juice. Quite good.

Funny Architecture Pleasent/Amusing Surprises Review

Favorite thing: Most buildings in Seoul are pretty modern (more or less). Out in the country things get a little wonky as it seems that some homes were added onto as the owners moved up in the world (with a new room every year).

Take a look at this door. On the way up to the Namsan gondola there are these places built into the mountain. Looks like this door is for a kiddie-playhouse, but it's actually a side entrance. Like I said, you see a lot more of this in rural Korea, but interesting to see here.

(My cousin, pictured, is about 6 feet tall.)