Educational Exchange
by jujub
If you happen to be a non-Asian in Seoul (a Caucasian, as shown in photo), do not feel alarmed if some students approach you with a notebook, a camera, and/or a tape recorder. A lot of the kids there have school assignments which is to talk to a foreigner in English.
Being that you, non-Asian person you, will stick out like a sore thumb, you will most likely be approached by shy students who will ask you a bunch of questions, possibly tape your answers, take a picture of you as proof, and ask you to sign their notebook. Don't worry, you will not get a beatdown when you return to your hotel room -- it is purely for educational purposes. :)
Telephones in Seoul
by Ewingjr98
If you are visiting or moving to Seoul, you have a few options for telephone service.
You can rent a cell phone at various locations for daily and weekly rates.
You can also pick up a pay-phone card for about 5,000 Won at the little convenience stores and other shops. I always carried one of these in my wallet in case I needed to make a local call, especially in the event my cell phone broke, the battery died, or I could not get reception while traveling. These cards have little magnetic strips that remember how much cash you have left on the card and can be used for local or international calls. Many pay phone don't take change or only take 10, 50, and 100 Won coins, so they can be a pain to keep feeding.
For international calls, Korea Telecom is expensive, so many foreigners buy international phone cards. These are sold at a few shops in areas with lots of foreigners like Itaewon. Rates on phone cards are amazingly cheap, like 3-4 US cents per minute from Seoul to the US. If you buy a more expensive card (like 50,000 Won rather than 20,000 Won), the rates will be even cheaper.
No such thing as a short home visit in Korea...
by museberry
Korean hospitality is very demanding and quite exhausting for a Western guest but a highly enjoyable experience as many are eager to learn about us. Certain friends reading this will identify when I say that entering a Korean home is like going to Grandma's house. A short visit generally lasts no less than an hour and they don't understand the term "I have somewhere to be", whether or not you've already eaten prepare to eat more, and sometimes even more after that especially if your guests wish to practice English with you.
Rice Cake Candy
by Ewingjr98
A Korean food custom is rice cake candy. This is popular at festivals and, for some reason, in subway stations. This candy is made by beating the snot (or as Koreans say: nose water) out of rice until it becomes sticky and chewy. It doesn't have much taste until the balls of rice candy are coated with cinnamon, sesame seeds, or other tasty items. The rice candy is often filled with sweet red mung bean paste which sounds disgusting, but actually tastes pretty good.
Packing List
by asantetravel
Hiking - Get a Korea passcard. They are like pre-paid credit cards, they come in four denominations from 50,000 won (about $40) to 500,000 won. They can also be used on the subway, Airport Limousine bus, and as calling cards. The best part is not having to carry cash (except for market visits), and if the card is lost or stolen your funds are protected. As soon as you exit the immigration doors, look to the left for the passcard desk next to the information desk.
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Everland
We in the palace prison
Inside Metro
Seodaemun Prison
