Korean Essentials

just came back from a week in korea! it's a great place to be, although things there are pricier than what i would have expected. Thought i would just come up with a rough guide on how to survive a trip in korea. Here goes:

Getting Started

1. First and foremost, you have to know that you are dealing with the korean won. although not as many zeros as compared to the lira or rupiah, for some funny reason their $1000 note is almost the same size as their $10,000. typical exchange from a bank would be 1SGD to 500 won.
   


2. Equip yourself with an Ipod (preferrably video) or any mp3 players to survive through the ridiculous bus rides that you might encounter (and with the tour guide babbling through the ride if you go on a tour like me). The longest trip that i encountered was almost 4 hours when i went up Mt. Maisan in Jeonju.

   



3. Bringing a pair of shades, cap and bottle along. As much as korea is cooler than singapore, when the sun comes out, you're gonna need those things.


4. Mositurizer! If you have skin as bad as mine, it is a must. If you have smooth and silky skin, i couldn't care less. So bugger off! (sense the bitterness? haah)


5. 3G phone and only 3G phone, normal GSM phones won't work. For you to call your loved ones at home or to get yourself out of the wilderness when you fall off a mountain when you're climbing it (koreans for some reason, love mountain climbing. they even have branding climbing sticks for god's sake).
   


6. A book would be useful.


7. Learn some korean, or at least write some of the more useful phrases on a piece of paper, like "good morning", "how much is this?", "you are beautiful", "can i show you the way into my pants?".


8. Bring a camera!! Something you must not forget with poster girls running all over the streets in Seoul! But well, seriously, korea has all the nice mountains and stuff. all worth taking. (heh)


9. Load up on all the chicken you can get your hands on before flying to korea.

   
   this is all you'll get for meat over there. PORK!

   
   


10. Bring your narcissist self along. You can use yourself when you're bored.

    
    narcissistic self at work

In Korea

1. Always! and i do mean always, ask for a map the first time you talk to your hotel receptionist. it could save you a lot of trouble.


2. If you're not in Seoul, Daegu or any of the more commercialized cities, you can forget about speaking in english. Try a language called sign language or when negotiating prices, you can try the "pen, paper and number" language. Worked wonders for me.


3. Korean people are naturally friendly, so at least learn how to say "Good Day" and "Thank You". It'll brighten up your day.


4. As friendly as they are, while in a shopping or crowded area, don't bother apologizing if you run into anyone, by the time you turn around, they're gone already. Koreans always seem to be in a rush. I think it's in their blood. hah.


5. Weak Bladder + Long Bus Rides = Drink Less Water


6. Expect lots of vegetable over there. The ratio of meat to veg there is probably 1 : 5.
   
   This is as much meat as you're getting
   According to the tour guide, they take meat 3 times A WEEK. While we, take meat 3 times A DAY.


7. If you know that you're going shopping the next day, and you're really out to shop, rest well, the shopping centers open til 5am in Seoul and Daegu. You have been warned.

Picture Whore!


at the KTX (bullet train station) with my sis


bullet train


welcome to the biggest hyundai car mart in ASIA! (nah, it's just Everland's carpark)

how my meal looked like every single day when i was there


sleeping, da chang jing style