Seoul Searching

Scoffing kimuchi, grilling beef and going shopping ... as the great James Brown once said, “You gotta have Seoul”.

Arriving at Incheon International Airport on a cold February afternoon, we had willingly subjected ourselves to the “it'll only take about an hour” two-hour duty-free shopping tour en route to our hotel. The Korean tour guide was very informative (though all the information was in Japanese) and it is useful to have someone in-the-know initially direct you, but even if your only objective here is the shopping, just hold out! There's plenty of time for all that and you will definitely find cheaper outlets than the (no doubt commission-based) ones the guide leads you to!

With our four-star hotel just a stone's throw from Seoul Tower and Myeong-Dong (the central buzz of Seoul), it was three cheers for the travel agent — and how often does that happen? Hotel Rex itself was lovely and there were no complaints with the room but I fear the star ratings were a little misguided, don't expect too much from a three or four star booking ... you get what you pay for!

After a quick freshen-up and a flick through the guidebook (recommended pre-reading), we headed out for the evening. With just a short walk to and through Myeong-Dong, you will feel like you've been transported back to Namba or Shinsaibashi. Bright lights, street vendors, shops, bars and restaurants galore, thriving with people and atmosphere and of course, the obligatory Starbucks and McDonalds on every other corner. If you're craving that Big Mac, while all around you barbecues are sizzling, prepare yourself for much picture-pointing ... the first McDonalds I've experienced with no trace of English whatsoever on their colourful menu!

Forget that though ... a trip to Korea wouldn't be complete without yakiniku. I mean, you wouldn't visit Japan and not try the sushi, would you? Yakiniku restaurants are in abundance, but, oh, how to choose? I'd recommend trying the back-street eateries — they're always keen to entice you with special offers. They generally have more character and friendlier staff too, unlike the chain restaurants who are all about standard “no, that's the way it is and we can't change it, even for you, our under-valued customer” set-menus and bums on seats. Be daring, venture off the beaten track and make some small-time restaurant owner's day! Be careful though, menus don't always display prices so you should check before ordering and persistence is necessary here as the staff will simply try to assure you with “cheap, cheap” when you request figures, stick with it! Expect to pay around 3000 to 4000 yen for a good meal and drinks. If you like spicy, you'll love the free kimuchi and pickles that come as standard with each meal and I'd strongly recommend the bibimba (rice bowl) and chijimi (Korean style pizza).

Korea's culinary delights are enough to keep you going for a while but aside of that, what else does this football-mad, burning red capital have to offer? Well, for starters get yourself down to Namdaemun Market (every Sunday), 10 minutes West of Myeong-Dong and load up with fake brand goods, souvenirs and a huge selection of Korean foods (kimuchi, nori, tea, candy, etc). The market is extremely busy and the vendors are quite pushy, but don't be intimidated ... if you buy from them, they'll often stock you up with lots of freebies and on-the-spot samples!

Onto Gyeongbokgung temple, which is a nice relaxing (walk-able) escape from the hubbub of the city. With huge grounds, this makes for a pleasant stroll, scenic photos and a well deserved unwind. If you like night-views, Seoul Tower is worth a visit; also just a short uphill amble and cable-car ride from Myeong-Dong, you'll get a good picture of the city's lights from all angles here.

Getting around Seoul is not a problem; the subway system is easy-to-follow, not unlike Japan's and very cheap. Don't be afraid of taking a taxi though if you get tired of all the walking and hopping on and off trains ... they're relatively cheaper than Japan and you get a lot further for your won (Korean currency) than you would your yen.

There's a lot more to this intriguing country than this big city has to offer, but if you're just after a quick glimpse of Korean life, a weekend of Seoul searching is ample. With numerous flights leaving Kansai Airport everyday, it's easy to take a quick break from your routine and head north, not too far north though - kimochii desu yo!

Text: Nicky Siddall • Photos: Taka Kataoka