Health & Well-Being, Seoul

14 Reviews

  2013
by Ewingjr98
 
  • 2013
      2013
    by Ewingjr98
  • Clear skies, 2013
      Clear skies, 2013
    by Ewingjr98
  • The skies are clear, 2013
      The skies are clear, 2013
    by Ewingjr98
  • Sligtly hazy, 2013
      Sligtly hazy, 2013
    by Ewingjr98
  • Hooker Hill- turn left, towards Polly's Kettle
      Hooker Hill- turn left, towards Polly's...
    by ShaneBarber
  • Mmmmm...kimchi.
      Mmmmm...kimchi.
    by jburron
  • Seoul Smog, 2003
      Seoul Smog, 2003
    by Ewingjr98
  • Playing War. Pic: Aaron Irving
      Playing War. Pic: Aaron Irving
    by Hmmmm
  • A typical afternoon view from the Seoul Hilton
      A typical afternoon view from the Seoul...
    by AKtravelers
 
  • jburron's Profile Photo

    Seoul = Smog

    by jburron Updated Apr 26, 2004 319 reviews

    4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

    Those ain't clouds!

    It's a fact that Seoul has twice the amount of particles (particles of what? I assume it's not healthy stuff) than that of New York--or any other developed country city. (Korea, I believe, has just been upgraded to developed country status.)

    If you have athsma or other such conditions do not come here in the summer. Also, in the Spring (especially May) there is "Yellow Wind". This toxic breeze comes from the Gobi desert where it is pretty tame stuff--but after flying over the moist West Sea it grows fungus and bacteria in its clouds and by the time it gets to Seoul it could be dangerous for kids and old folks. (This is one reason why some kids sport the Hello Kitty face masks.) I haven't noticed anything, and I see people jogging in it, but when the wind is at its worst the city gets a bombed-out look to it (haze and fewer people in the streets).

    The biggest problem, though, is the cars. The number of cars in Seoul has tripled in just ten years (that's 11.76% per year, for us math geeks). The fumes from people's driving habits (see tip on Couples Parking in Local Customs) has prompted the city to issue stickers to drivers that show what weekday they cannot drive to work. (I think the taxi drivers lobbied for this one.) I truly don't understand why people drive anyways, the subways are great and busses and cabs are all over the place...but then, I live almost right next to work.

    The pollution also affects kids or those susceptible to skin irritation. Kids get atrophy (it's so common there are many TV shows about it on Korean news) which is a drying and kind of scaling of the skin...use moisturizer (maybe this is why they are pushing men's moisturizers here, who knows).

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  • Hmmmm's Profile Photo

    Children shooting M-16 Assault Rifles.

    by Hmmmm Written Feb 4, 2004 305 reviews

    4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

    Playing War. Pic: Aaron Irving

    Be careful of smiling kids, weilding M-16 assault rifles and AK-47's running around corners, or hiding begind bushes. Because you could get caught in their crossfire and end up getting shot.

    It hurts I tell you. I am alive to tell the story. Why? Because when I got shot, the projectile that hit me was not a fast moving metal bullet but a small plastic ball. Still they leave the gun very quickly, and they can cause a welt. Quite dangerous.

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  • Martin_B's Profile Photo

    Safest place I ever been

    by Martin_B Written Jan 16, 2004 103 reviews

    2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

    Seoul and Korea in general is really safe. I think that the safest country I ever been. You can walk in downtown late at night without any problem. I never felt unsafe anywhere in Korea. The crime there is very low which is very nice.

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  • WebFling's Profile Photo

    Latrine somewhere in Seoul

    by WebFling Written Oct 6, 2002 6 reviews

    1.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

    toilet flush

    Spent the night strolling with friends downtown and ended up in a karaoke house. I went to use the bathroom and it was a squat type like the Japanese toilet, but with a weird toilet flush and it took me a while to figure it out.

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