🇰🇷 South Korea: top 15 places you need to see 🏯

The Republic of Korea is not easy to describe in a nutshell. After all, on the one hand, the influence of neighboring countries is felt in Korean culture , and on the other, it is unique. Read the article about what a tourist can expect from visiting Korea.

Population and religion

Despite the fact that the number of foreigners in South Korea is constantly growing, almost the entire population of the country is ethnic Koreans. There is a small percentage of Chinese, as well as Japanese and Americans, mostly military. The total population is almost 52 million people, more than half of whom live in Seoul and Gyeonggi Island.

Koreans can hardly be called religious. Almost 50% of the population does not profess any religion. The rest are Protestants and Buddhists. Among them are mainly representatives of the older age category, so the number of believers is only decreasing. Younger citizens view religious communities as overly authoritarian and corrupt. 

What to try in South Korea? 

Korean food is not as well known as other Asian cuisines and is rarely experienced outside the country. So a trip to Korea will not be complete without gastronomic experiments.

Local cuisine is based mainly on rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, fish and meat. Banchan's numerous vegetable side dishes are served in small bowls. The most popular of these is kimchi, which is served at every meal. This is something like spicy pickled Chinese cabbage. Banchan comes with steamed rice. 

In addition to traditional dishes, the recipes of which have not changed for centuries, there are also those that each chef prepares in his own way. For example, the savory bundettok mung bean pancakes can vary in creativity depending on the establishment.

If we talk about traditional drinks, then in local bars you should try soju rice wine, which tastes very good. 

Language

The official language of South Korea is Korean. It uses a local writing system called Hangul, developed by King Sejong. It is based on the scientific principles of letter formation and consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels that are combined into new letter shapes. This allows you to reflect the largest range of sounds in writing. 

In addition, the country's younger generation speaks English and sometimes Japanese or Chinese. 

Currency

The country's currency is the Won, where $1 is approximately equal to ₩1327. It will not be difficult for a tourist to exchange dollars, euros and yuan for local currency.

K Lima t

Korea has a mild climate with four distinct seasons. Migrating anticyclones provide sunny and dry springs and autumns. While the summer in the country is highly dependent on the hot and humid anticyclone of the North Pacific Ocean. Rainfall is heavier in summer during the short rainy season called jangma. It starts at the end of June and lasts until the end of July. 

The best seasons to visit the country are spring and autumn. The weather at this time is sunny with a comfortable temperature ℃ 15-18.

In recent years, the climate in Korea has begun to change, turning from continental to subtropical. Local farmers have the opportunity to grow bananas and mangoes, but rice plantations and apple orchards are shrinking.  

How to get there

You can get to South Korea through Moscow, with at least one transfer in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey or the UAE. There are direct flights from the USA to the country.

What to see in South Korea?

Seoul

The best place to start your trip to South Korea is Seoul. This is a modern metropolis with an artificial river in the very center. 

Despite the fact that many attractions have been destroyed, and in their place there are only ruins and memorials, the capital has something to show.

Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace was built back in 1395. Although the Japanese military tried to wipe it off the face of the Earth, the castle was restored in its original style. Now there are several museums within the walls of the palace.

In the well-preserved village of Bukchon Hanok, some buildings have been standing for more than five hundred years. These are traditional Korean style houses, where very hospitable locals still live. It is better to wear comfortable shoes when walking along the cobbled streets. 

Zone between North and South Korea

The easiest way to get to the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea is by bus. During the tour you can see the amphitheater, the Freedom Bridge and the carriage of the last train to leave the neighboring country. A favorite activity for tourists who come here is to “observe” North Korea through binoculars at the local observatory. You can read about North Korea, which is closed to outsiders, here.

Gyeongju

A couple of hours from Seoul on the shore of the lake is the former ancient kingdom – the city of Gyeongju. It was once the capital of the Silla Dynasty, which ruled the entire Korean Peninsula. It is better to set aside a couple of days to explore the ruins, surviving temples, royal tombs and the Cheomseongdae Observatory Tower. You can get there by train.

Busan

The bustling port city of Busan, an hour's drive from Gyeongju, combines huge skyscrapers and golden sandy coastlines. The entire city can be seen at a glance from Busan Tower. The center has many Buddhist shrines and interesting local architecture.

There are many food markets right here in Busan. One of the most popular is the Chagalchi fish market. Here, having made your way through the densely packed crowd, you can choose the freshest seafood and cook it in the restaurant located on the floor above.

In one of the city's districts there is the Gamcheon Cultural Village. The colorful scattering of small houses was once a Korean refugee camp. Now it is more of an art territory with art galleries, craft cafes and shops. 

Jeju

Not far from the mainland is the volcanic island of Jeju. The architectural designs of government buildings and a small palace, as well as the 18+ Love Land park with erotic sculptures, may be interesting here.

Jeju and its satellite island Udo offer stunning coastal scenery. 

Tourists are attracted here by the Hallasan caldera, inside which the dark blue expanse of Pannoktam Lake lurks. Mount Hallasan is the highest peak in South Korea.  

Nightlife in Seoul

Seoul is very beautiful not only during the day, but also in the evening. You can climb Mount Namsan and admire the city lights at night, or head to the Bamdokkaebi night markets. They are located at Dongdaemun Station and Namdaemun Station in Myeongdong. And after buying food, you can have a night picnic near the Han River, as the locals do. Or just go watch the evening rainbow fountain show that flows along the Banpo Bridge. 

Also, be sure to try the street food in Gwangjang, Namdaemun or Myeongdong, which is sold until late in the evening.

Another popular activity in Seoul at night is pub crawling, including with organized groups, of which there are many. 

If you're up for an independent adventure, check out Cakeshop, a small club with an intimate atmosphere and a variety of music genres. If the party gets boring, go to the Contra and Pistil clubs, located in the same building on different floors. And at the very top there is an open terrace where you can breathe fresh air and chat with new acquaintances. 

Another interesting place where you can move to R&B is Sinkhole. It's fun, but can get a little crowded and smoky. 

As for drinking in bars, cocktails cost $7-8, beer can be purchased for $5, and shots cost $6-15. 

Safety 

In South Korea, you can feel calm walking along the streets at night, especially in large cities. Crime here is low. Incidents involving foreigners are especially rare. But sometimes there might be a theft or a bar brawl.

Interesting Facts

• Football is one of the most popular sports in Korea. The K-League is held every year from March to November with the participation of 12 regional teams in Oman.
• After a long war, South Korea, with the support of the United States and the United Nations, has become one of the richest countries with a developed economy in Asia. Industrial conglomerates such as Hyundai and Samsung made their contribution. Now South Korea is one of the largest exporters of automobiles and electronic goods.
• High-speed wireless Internet is available in almost every home in South Korea, unlike its northern neighbor. Here SMS-ing and games are very popular.

• Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) is the national flower of Korea. The word itself means “an eternal flower that never fades.” And this is due to the peculiarities of the Korean mentality: isolation and perseverance.
• The Korean Peninsula, located in the center of Northeast Asia, borders China, Russia and Japan. About 3/4 of the territory is covered with mountains. Korea is also surrounded by sea on three sides except the north. 
• The national Korean flag, Daegeukgi, is a red and blue circle set on a white background with four black trigrams at the corners. The white background symbolizes purity and peace. The circle is the balance between yin and yang, and the trigrams represent sky, earth, water and fire.