South Korea is naturally beautiful

[unreal.livejournal.com]

Beautiful mountains, hospitable people and a modern city. These are just a few of the things that fascinated Juliet Lukwago during a three week visit to South Korea.

Regardless of what city you visit in South Korea, one thing that is easily noticeable is the kindness and hospitality of South Koreans. You will be greeted Annyong Haseyo meaning hello in the Korean language. It doesn’t matter if you comprehend it or not. However, some South Koreans do speak English since it is taught in some schools.

Seoul Incheon International Airport is believed to be the most modern in the world. It is about 54km away from Seoul city centre. The roads are spacious and well-tarmacked.


Getting around

My guide, Jim Kim, told me one of the best ways to travel long distance is by railway. Korail, which is the national railway operator in South Korea, connects passengers from the capital to virtually any destination in the country. The trains offer three different types of travel between cities: Saemaul-ho (super-express), Mugunghwaho (express) and Tong-il-ho (ordinary). The faster you go the more you will pay. Korail also offers an extensive subway system for commuters. There are ferries to neighbouring countries like Japan or China. Local, city and express buses are widely available, as well as taxis, which can be hired for one passenger or shared with others.



Places of interest

Changgyeong Palace, which was built in 1104 as a palace for the kings of the Koryo Dynasty, is one place you can visit to get a feel of the country’s history. You could decide to learn more about South Korea’s history at the Korean War Museum.

If you are interested in art then you can travel to the Isadong art market which offers such variety, from antiques and pottery to paintings and jewellery. It is like a flea market, so you need to browse through the thousands of vendors to find what you are looking for.

One of Seoul’s main shopping districts is Myeongdong, where fashionable clothes are found. It is also nice for evening entertainment and relaxation.

South Korea at a glance

South Korea is officially the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the flag is called taegeukgi with a design symbolizing the Asian philosophy of yin and yang.

The red half represents the proactive cosmic forces of the yang while the blue half represents the responsive cosmic forces of the yin.

It is located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, neighbouring Mainland China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north and the East China Sea and Taiwan to the south. It is one of the most mountainous places in the world with 70% of the land mass covered by mountains. Thus there are scenic hills and valleys all around for the eyes to feast on.



Korea consists of nine provinces the capital city Seoul, the six metropolitan cities of Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon and Ulsan. The capital Seoul is the largest city. Out of a population of 50million, over 10million are in the Seoul. Business is conducted with the won the currency.

The national flower of Korea is the Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) which blooms all over the country from July to October. The spring season is between March and April and the warm days continue up to May, building up to the relatively hot and rainy summer season. The end of June brings monsoon rains that last until mid-to late July.

August is hot and humid before continental winds and clear dry weather arrives with autumn in late September.

National struggles

After liberation from Japan and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. Forces from the North invade the south on June 25, 1950, sparking a three-year war that ended with an Armistice Agreement.

However, the two countries remain starkly different Korean ladies in economic, democratic, religious and education systems, with a strict border between them.

South Korea is Asia’s fourth largest economy. The economy is exportdriven, with production focusing on electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics.



Forests were depleted through illegal cutting after 1945 and damage during the Korean War, but the country’s reforestation programmes are addressing the damage.

Rice is the chief crop in the lowlands while barley, wheat, corn, soybeans and sorghums are grown in the uplands. Most farmers raise pigs, cows and chickens. Other crops include cotton, tobacco, fruits, potatoes, beans and sweet potatoes.

Culture

Koreans have family names within one small set like Kim, Nam, Yi, Lee, Pak, Jung, Jang, Choi, Han, Lim.

The first time I heard those names I was amazed. In almost every case one-syllable names compared to our names that can have more than three syllables. A given name is usually of two syllables, and the family name comes first. Korean women do not take their husbands’ family names though the children do.

For wedding ceremonies, a western style ceremony is usually held at a wedding hall or church with the bride wearing a white wedding dress and groom wearing a Tuxedo. Then later in the day the bride and groom have a traditional Korean ceremony in a different room of the venue in colorful traditional costumes.The traditional religions are Shamanism, Buddhism and Confucianism, but religious freedom is guaranteed. Roughly a quarter of the population is Christian.

Traditional belief in ancestral spirits is common; dead relatives are believed to stay with the family for four generations and are celebrated through ‘jerye’, special days and on the anniversary of the ancestor’s death.

Cuisine

Korean cuisine serves up unique aromas and tastes with popular seasoning such as garlic, Korean chili paste, soy sauce, fermented bean paste. Rice, soup and a few side dishes like Kim-chi make up the basic meal, served with a spoon and chopsticks. Kim-chi is present at almost every meal and there are various types of Kim-chi depending on the region and ingredients used.

Meat dishes are popular and they can be prepared right at your table over a charcoal fi re as you watch. After the meal, traditional drinks such as sikhye a sweet rice drink are served.

Source: newvision

Comments

[djlancerock.livejournal.com]

I saw the title and thought this was gonna be about surgery vs no surgery

[grapewhine.livejournal.com]

mte, i was like oh but then i read mountains and valleys and i was like oooh.

[black-silver.livejournal.com]

mte

[renew.livejournal.com]

Incheon is cool looking, but lacks color except for a few signs strung up. I felt like I was in a giant gray and white bubble.

[des-akazim.livejournal.com]

I spent seven hours in incheon airport in one sitting and dear crap it is boring...there's a paris baguette and that's about it when it comes to entertainment. It feels...unfinished. Like a big glass cage.

[des-akazim.livejournal.com]

as I think about this comment I realize it sounds like most places aren't boring after an hour...in this case it was more like 'you are in one big room' the entire time.

[my-faux-pas.livejournal.com]

Incheon airport was ok, but I find it irritating that salespeople in the airport barely speak english. I found HongKong's airport as more hightech and generally better though

[o-srsly.livejournal.com]

Hong Kong airport ftw, it is just so efficient to get around, I find it funny that some of my friends find the airport to the best part of their experience in Hong Kong.

Incheon is not bad, especially the cultural experiencing programmes are interesting, but those are only for people on flight transfers...

[my-faux-pas.livejournal.com]

IA with your friends. lol. I actually liked airports the best when travelling, that even if I wait for hours for a delayed flight, it's okay for me. Well, I've only been to HongKong's, Incheon's and our local airport, so I guess it's a pretty good experience for me. lol

[rinn1e.livejournal.com]

The most horrible airport would have to be HCM's Tan Son Nhat. I was so relieved when I went out of that shit and on to Japan's Narita (It's so nice ~~~, I wish I can travel out of the airport, but traveling out takes 1 hour by train) on my flight home to the US. The whole Tan Son Nhat staff was so horrible, horrible, especially to Vietnamese-Americans, or Vietnamese Overseas.

[rinn1e.livejournal.com]

It was random, but just telling you beforehand if you decide to travel to Vietnam one day.

[lexissexist.livejournal.com]

I think the main problem with Incheon is that it has no comprehensive aesthetic goal. It's a giant collection of individual moments of "oh that's cool let's do that" structured around a core concept reminiscent of a shopping mall in footprint.

Plus exposed structural elements and expanses of glass are the vinyl siding of megastructures.

[lexissexist.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the natural beauty of miles of concrete.

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

lol I was about to say.
There isn't all that naturally splendid about Korea.

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

Jeju looks nice, but yeah which country isn't naturally beautiful though?

[0ddie13.livejournal.com]

women do not take their husbands’ family names though the children do
That sucks i was planning to take Kwon when I married GD, Lol.

[asth77.livejournal.com]

lol

[neitoperhonen.livejournal.com]

Sure you get hello and byebye but all the rasistic remarks make it little less beautiful country. After living there for a year and listening all the crap about myself (white girl) and my good friend (black girl) and especially for my black friend, it's really unflattering. It might feel nice and friendly but in the end, they're not really open to other cultures or at least other colors. Being from other Asian country and having the similar heritage is totally more acceptable than others. Which is just really sad when listening someone going 'I can't sit on that seat in the subway cos that black girl is dirtying it'. Thankfully, my friend couldn't understand Korean but I felt bad beside her.

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

This.....................every last word.
yeah I'm going back in 2 week but I just wonder what they are saying about me. Fuck ~it I'm enjoying myself but still *sigh*

[hazelxdream.livejournal.com]

Wow!

[my-faux-pas.livejournal.com]

sadly, i agree with you. i find it easy to go around in seoul cos i don't necessarily look like a foreigner, but whenever i see other ethnicities there, Koreans tend to either shy away or call their managers for help cos they know they need to use english. it's frustrating.

[spread.livejournal.com]

Any natural landmarks or parks?
All that hi-tech mumbo jumbo does nothing for me, it's the same shit everywhere else.

[umbrella-smile.livejournal.com]

oh my god yes those roads are so natural and beautiful.

[thebluemonk.livejournal.com]

WHAT ABOUT THE PART OF THE CULTURE THEY SMOKE AND DRINK THEMSELVES INTO AN EARLY GRAVE, UNLESS THEY KILL THEMSELVES FIRST BECAUSE THEY FAILED A MATH TEST

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

No no don't talk about, just look at the pretty people and no homos.

[madelyn93.livejournal.com]

wait, which asian country are you talking about again? because it seems like it applies to all of us.

[madelyn93.livejournal.com]

i don't think those citizens would kill themselves over a math test tho.
i've heard of 12 year olds here jumping off a building because they failed a test.

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

Can we have a nice image, concrete roads aren't exactly what I think when naturally beautiful comes to mind. Aren't all countries hospitable though?

[thewarpedmelody.livejournal.com]

Went to Seoul twice during winter time, it really looks like a dead town at night and in the morning its just gray concrete for miles. Can't really see where is the natural beauty and modern city, except for the ski resort and Jeju Island.

[nene718.livejournal.com]

what is this propaganda

[phililen3.livejournal.com]

Something your country wishes it could. All that is missing is the mention of a unicorn in every SK home.

[swhyeon1991.livejournal.com]

aren't Lee and Yi just the same tho? lol