Blog Korea! Visit Korea

Looks like my blogging days are here to stay. As I explained in my first blog I had to have a blog page in order to enter a contest and that was why I started a blog. Now I’ve stumbled onto another contest that also calls for blogging, the Blog Korea! Visit Korea! contest organized by KTO. What a stroke of luck and coincidence that I chose a Korean theme for my blog, so now I can just continue with this blog otherwise I’ll have to start another blog. And what a difficult time it will be for me then, having to manage so many blogs. So this will be my first blog for the Blog Korea! Visit Korea! Contest.
I haven’t been to Korea yet but it has been my dream destination since I started being a fan of Bae Yong Joon. Haven’t been there doesn’t mean that I don’t know a thing about Korea, it’s people and customs, it’s cuisine and it’s cultures. I have surfed the internet for everything on Korea. I am what you would call an armchair traveler. I have collected information on Korea which would come in handy should I have the chance to visit Korea one day. I bet you I should be able to find my way around Seoul as if I were a resident there when I do get there. I know exactly where I want to go and what I want to see and do in Korea. When I say Korea I mean South Korea of course. Yes even though I haven’t been to Korea I can tell you for example where to go in Seoul, for shopping, whether it be the upper market or the lower market. I have also compiled a list of restaurants of where to eat and especially since a lot of Malaysians are Muslims I have to know where I can find halal food. Sightseeing? Yes I’ve also listed down the places for sightseeing in all the different parts of Korea. So my aim is to sell Korea to potential tourists so that they will come to Korea, my only regret is that I cannot speak Korean.
Before one visits a foreign country it's best that one knows a little bit about one’s destination, it’s history, it’s people, it’s customs, it’s culture and it’s cuisine. We should not only be interested in going sightseeing, fine dining and shopping, we should also learn how to respect other people’s customs and culture. Take for example the simple custom of removing one’s shoes before entering another’s home in Korea, this might be something quite unheard of to a Westerner. So not knowing this he might most likely enter he house of a Korean without removing his shoes and in doing so, he is likely to hurt the feelings of the Korean. So if one knows about this beforehand, one will not be the cause of any embarrassment at all. Little things mean a lot; I picked this up through watching Korean dramas and movies.
To begin I’d like to write a short introduction to Korea for our first time visitors to Korea. Korea lies in the northeastern part of the Asian continent and adjacent to Japan, China and Russia. Korea has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Spring is rather short, lasts from late March until May when the weather is warm. The fields and mountains will be covered with various flowers including the beautiful and picturesque Cherry blossoms. Summer lasts from June to early September when it is hot and can be very humid, with monsoon rains in July. Autumn lasts from late September to November when the weather is mild. This is the best season to visit Korea. Autumn is especially beautiful, with it’s vibrant colors of the red and gold leaves when the leaves change their colors. The Koreans like to gather on the famous mountains to enjoy the scenic autumn view. There are even festivals held each year just to watch the autumn leaves. Friends who have gone there during this time of the year have confirmed the beauty of the crimson autumn leaves. Winter in Korea lasts from December to Mid March which can be bitterly cold due to the influx of the cold Siberian winds. The northern and eastern parts of Korea will be flooded with ski enthusiasts during this time of the year as the mountains will be covered with snow making it ideal for skiing. So now have you decided on when you would like to come to Korea? But whatever it is, I want to tell you that Korea is beautiful any time of the year! Better still why don’t you come during summer this year, autumn next year, winter the following year and spring the year after. You know why? You will fall in love with her, you will yearn for her, you will be haunted by the every thought of her, and you will long to see her again, that’s why!. KOREA IS SPARKLING! Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I know a friend who has done just that, and will still be going to Korea for the 5th time this year. He loves Korea, his wife loves Korea, the children love Korea and there’s no where else they’d rather be than to GO KOREA!
National Flag. The Korean flag is called Taegeukgi. The circle in the center of the flag is divided into two equal parts. The upper red section represents the proactive “yang” cosmic forces and the lower blue section represents the responsive “yin” cosmic forces. The two forces embody the concepts of continual movement, balance and harmony that characterize the sphere of infinity. The circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in each corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of the four universal elements of heaven, earth, fire and water.
The national flower of Korea is the Mugunghwa or Rose of Sharon. The flower’s symbolic significance stems from the Korean word mugung (immortality). The word accurately reflects the enduring nature of Korean culture along with the determination and perseverance of the Korean people.
The unit of currency in Korea is the won. The paper money comes in three denominations, 1,000 won, 5,000 won and 10,000 won. Coins come in four major denominations, 500 won, 100 won, 50 won and 10 won. Five won and one won coins exist but are not commonly used. So now you’ve got some Korean money and you must be tired and hungry with all that amount of walking around you need to find a place to rest and also to fill your tummy. Don’t worry, there are lots of things to eat in Korea and they are all delicious. But since you are in Korea you have to taste the local food. You don’t even have to step into a restaurant. There are plenty of roadside stalls selling meat on skewers, fish, you name it they’ve got it. Don’t be shy about eating by the roadside, I see the film stars doing it in the Korean dramas that I watch. You’d rather have rice, don’t worry there are plenty of restaurants around. At a restaurant you will find that most meals are served with kimchi (pickled Chinese cabbage) but non Koreans need to have an acquired taste for it. However it is possible to get some meals that are not that spicy. There’s kim-bap which is rice with beef and vegetables etc. They have Western food on the menu but it might cost a bit more.
If you would like a sample of how the Koreans live and don’t want to stay in a hotel, Korea has it’s share of home-stays too or what is better known as the B & B in other parts of the world. Here I would also like to mention something that’s quite unique in Korea. If you are not on an escorted tour while in Korea you can ask for the services of a goodwill guide through the KNTO office. But an application will have to be made on-line three weeks or no less than 2 weeks in advance. What is a goodwill guide? They are volunteers who help visitors to communicate in various situations. They attend festivals and special events together with a tourist, provide free tour guide service, assist with communication in various ways and participate in cultural exchange. They can even assist in the planning of your itinerary and they have a good command of the foreign languages. There is no charge for their services but you are expected to pay for admission tickets, food, and transportation etc. for your guide. The services provided are i) advice about traveling in Korea such as tour route planning information on transportation, accommodation and other needs, ii) interpretation service, iii) guide services to tourist attractions.
And finally the basics in Korean etiquette. Always remember to take off your shoes when entering someone’s home. To the Koreans gift giving is an important tradition so bring a gift if you are invited to someone’s home. Out of respect for the elderly, young people usually give up theirs seats to an aged person in a crowded bus or subway train. When you receive something from an older person you should do so with both hands and bow. The Koreans always treat their elderly with great respect. Writing a person’s name in red ink is tantamount to saying that the person is dead or about to die soon. If you attend a wedding or funeral it is customary to take a white envelope containing a sum of money. Koreans wouldn’t consider displaying affection in public so any hugging or kissing would be considered a breach of etiquette. And now a few dining tips. Rather than pouring their own drinks Koreans pour for one another. So it is considered a breach of etiquette to pour your own drink. The eldest at the table gets to eat first. No one picks up their chopsticks until he does so. Taste the soup or kimchi juice first and then the rice and the other dishes. Use the spoon for the rice and liquid foods only and the chopsticks for the other foods. Do not hold the rice bowl or soup bowl in your hand during the meal. Do not read a book or newspaper or watch TV while eating. Chew food with your mouth closed and do not make noises while chewing. When eating with Koreans refrain from blowing your nose (even though the spicy food may make your nose run0 or coughing. If you have to cough turn away. When you have finished eating lay the chopsticks and spoon on the table to indicate that you have finished your meal. Never stick chopsticks or spoons in a bowl of rice, this is done only during ancestral memorial services.
I hope this will be of some help to you when you take that first step into Korea. Come, have a good time, enjoy yourselves. See you soon.