South Korea Warnings Or Dangers

  Itaewon -- A lot goes on here
by acommon1
 
  • Itaewon -- A lot goes on here
      Itaewon -- A lot goes on here
    by acommon1
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by Big-Damian
  • Watch out!
      Watch out!
    by schwein
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by schwein
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by schwein
 

Most Viewed Warnings Or Dangers in South Korea

1.

Other Stuff   Seoul

Other Stuff, Seoul

 21 Reviews  Recently, I visited Seoul on business and, despite a busy schedule, had time for sightseeing on a Friday night. This visit was my first to Seoul - my work usually takes me to Japan. I am embarrassed... 

 See All 90 Warnings Or Dangers in Seoul

2.

Health & Well-Being   Seoul

Health & Well-Being, Seoul

 13 Reviews  For those readers who may be abstaining from alcohol I'd like to say: good luck! Korea is a drinking country. They consume over FOUR BILLION (285 ml) bottles of soju here a year (that's over 1.5 per... 

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3.

Shopping & Money   Seoul

Shopping & Money, Seoul

 10 Reviews  Getting money can be a big problem sometimes. Many ATM's don't accept foreign cards, even a VISA card logo does not guarantee your VISA will be accepted. Many banks don't offer the service. Usually... 

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4.

Language Barrier   Seoul

Language Barrier, Seoul

 8 Reviews  Due to the imperfect nature of translating Korean writing into romanized characters, you will find a lot of confusing variation in place names. For instance "G" and "K" seem to be used interchangably... 

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5.

Driving et al   Seoul

Driving et al, Seoul

 13 Reviews  In addition to some of the various other rules you might see in Seoul or other areas, beware that buses are on a schedule and stop lights, signs and various traffic controllers do not apply to them.... 

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6.

Protests   Seoul

Protests, Seoul

 6 Reviews  We experience the police preparing for a protest at City Hall, since we were staying at the Westin. I wish I was able to go see it but the next day we realize that there was almost 200,000 people at... 

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7.

Weather   Seoul

Weather, Seoul

 2 Reviews  Bring an umbrella for any time of the year. Even in the summer it can provide you with shade. Alot of Koreans use them here. You can buy one here also. They are most useful. It's hot hot hot in the... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Silence rule on public transit

by Arial_27

For an unexplainable reason, it is quite frowned upon in Korea to talk at a normal volume on public transit. Whispering is ok, but if they can hear you, its not. Any laugher will invite dirty looks or someone coming up to tell you off. Most Koreans sit quietly on the bus/metro, if they're not playing on their iphones or other gadgets then their eyes are mostly on the floor. You will rarely see any Koreans being loud in these circumstances, and if you are, don't be suprised if someone asks you to be quiet.

Acommon1 SAFE JOURNEY ANYWHERE

by acommon1

Common sense Acommon Travel rules as to where ever you go.#1. Don't go where you shouldn't go.#2. Follow the rule of law in the country that you reside.#3. Adhere to the rule of law from your home country.#4. Respect and "pre-" read up on the culture(s).#5. Gain some familiarity with the country's national language prior to your trip.#6. Practice the local language with the locals.#7. If concerned with lodging then don't do what isn't familiar to you.#8. Eat what has been cooked.#9. Drink bottled water that has a seal. Open it yourself.#10. Know your coordinates (esp. North & South). Memorize the major cross-roads prior to taking your trip. #11. Have a copy or two of your Passport in a safe place (either on you personally or in an emergency place).#12. Go electronic (with back up paperwork) when you can.#13. Be reluctant to share your full plans with strangers. #14. Be flexible.#15. How...

Tip Photo
No Smoking! (Well, Almost)

by jburron

On July 1, 2003 Korea (maybe it was just Seoul, but I think all of Korea) entered a brave new world: one without smoking in offices or many public places. There was a full marketing push and signs were put up in all buildings (including in bathrooms and stairwells) giving notice to all puffers to take it outside.Unfortunately, it hasn't worked 100% (at all). For one: if you are a senior in a Korean company or group you can do as you damn-well please. This includes lighting up. No one can stop you...so CEOs and such continued to smoke. As well, the rank-and-file (not being told of and punishment or consequences for breaking the rules, and relying on a code of silence from all others) simply took their office-smoking to the bathrooms and stairwells (where they could take a dump or socialize at the same time--what efficiency!). Some offices even made special smoking zones for employees...

Tip Photo
Pharmacies, Clinics and Hospitals (pt.1)

by jburron

(I'm putting these in Warnings because most people only go to these places if something is wrong.)Pharmacies: There are some pretty big differences between Korean and Western Pharmacies. One is that you cannot get asprin, foot powder or Tinactin without a prescription (if at all, see story in website link, about 1/2 way down). (You can, however, get beer, wine and hard liquor at any corner store, no questions asked.) Yak-gooks, as they're called (I'm not making this up, it's just an entertaining name) have lots of vitamins and some Western remedies but Korea has an FDA-like body that regulates every drug sold. There are many, many products I have never heard of or seen before: such as the little brown pellets that you are to swallow if your stomach aches (but I think they look like rabbit turds, which makes things a little weird).Suffice it to say, unless you luck out and get an...

Tip Photo
Mid Summer is Typhoon Season

by jburron

Where I come from rain falls in cold, bracing drops for days on end sometimes. In Seoul, however, rain seems to come down in blankets, for relatively short stints and it's kind of welcome. This is because the main rainy season here is in the mid-Summer, especially July, and it's kind of a relief from the heat. (Humidity at that time goes from 99% to 100%...not much of a change, actually.)It usually rains at night, but there are showers during the day, too...seemingly without the rumbling and such that preceeds a prarie rainstorm. It just suddenly starts getting very, very wet.Hint: carry an umbrella at all times, or at least 5,000 won (USD 4) to buy one from on of the opprotunistic merchants that set up shop all over the city--especially at the subway exits.

Sand Storms from the Gobi Desert

by Kakapo2

The problem with a phenonemon named "hwangsa" is getting more severe in South Korea. "Hwangsa" is the yellow sand which is blown into South Korea from the Gobi desert. The problem has increased in the past two decades, as the desert regions in China and Mongolia are getting bigger year by year - not just because of global warming but also very much man-made, by deforestation, converting land into farm and grazing land, over-fertilisation, etc., thus paving the way for erosion and conversion of the land into sandy desert areas. I read in a report from April 2007 that there were already six sand storms up to April. The average now is 10 to 12 per year, with rising tendency. Of course you cannot predict when the storms will set in but there is always a risk that you can be affected by one, the further north - like Seoul - the more serious it would be. The sand can be blown as far as Japan.

Food you dont want to eat - dogs and live octopus

by Arial_27

Gaigogi literally means dog meat in Korean. "Gai" means dog, and "gogi" means meat. Many dogs are raised and bread exclusively for their meat here, even though I've heard that this practice has actually been illegal here for a while. It still goes on. There are some dog meat shops here in Busan where I'm living. Its sad but true...Sannakji is also a popular Korean dish, and involves eating live octopus. You can find this dish in classy restaurants or on street seafood vendors. Sometimes, the octopus's tentacles are cut off while it is still alive, so they are still wiggling and squirming on the plate when it is served to you. Many people drink soju with this meal and dip the wiggling tentacles into sesame oil before putting it in their mouth. You need to be careful to chew this thoroughly or it can choke you to death as it goes down (the tentacles, although technically dead, can still...

Tip Photo
The squatters and dirty washrooms

by Arial_27

Although South Korea is becoming more Westernized, there are still a lot of the more traditional toilets that Asia is known for in restaurants or on the street; especially in rural areas. There are many in cities too. Now, the squatting part isn't really what bothers me, its how dirty some of the bathrooms are and the fact that many of them do not have toilet paper. It doesn't make sence really why they don't stock toilet paper in some bathrooms... I've been to some restaurants where you have to ask the staff for toilet paper because they don't keep any in the washrooms.My advice is to keep tissue paper and handsanitzer with you wherever, and whenever you're traveling through South Korea. You'll be glad you did

Tip Photo
fake goods

by exoticorchidhunter

there are so many fake goods for sale here almost everywhere, if you are a purest like me, then only buy goods from branded shores. Your canon camera was made in Thailand or Vietnam, the quarnatee is invalid.

Don't Purchase Counterfeit Merchandise!

by GracesTrips

This did not happen to me but I thought I would post it since it was on the news the other day. U.S. customs, upon re-entry to the country, will inspect your purchases. If you bought a watch, purse, DVD, etc. and it is not authentic (from the true manufacturer), they will take it from you. Something to keep in mind.

Safety Tips in South Korea

Top 3 Hotels in South Korea

Lotte Hotel Seoul  Seoul

 7 Reviews and 696 Opinions  We stayed here for a week. It is very nice but DO NOT have your laundry done by them, a piece of... 

 Hotels in Seoul

The Westin Chosun Busan  Busan

 4 Reviews and 150 Opinions  My wife and I have stayed twice at the Westin Chosun within the last three months. The rooms are... 

 Hotels in Busan

Youngpyung Resort  Kangwon-do

 0 Opinions

 Hotels in Kangwon-do

538 Hotels in South Korea
 
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Warnings Or Dangers: Cities in South Korea
  1. Seoul Warnings Or Dangers
  2. Busan Warnings Or Dangers
  3. Incheon Warnings Or Dangers
  4. Suwon Warnings Or Dangers
  5. Kyongju Warnings Or Dangers
  6. Sorak-sanmaek Warnings Or Dangers
  7. Jeju (city) Warnings Or Dangers
  8. Yongin Warnings Or Dangers
  9. Sokch'o Warnings Or Dangers
  10. Okp'o-dong Warnings Or Dangers
  11. Andong Warnings Or Dangers
  12. Koje-do Warnings Or Dangers
  13. Tanyang Warnings Or Dangers
  14. Naejangsan-kungnip-kongwon Warnings Or Dangers
  15. Kangnung Warnings Or Dangers
  16. P'aju Warnings Or Dangers
  17. Ulchin Warnings Or Dangers
  18. Ich'on Warnings Or Dangers
  19. Sobaek-sanmaek Warnings Or Dangers
  20. Osan Warnings Or Dangers

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Popular Regions in South Korea

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Questions and Answers

Angrylilazngrl profile photo

Q:  Hi all, I am traveling to South Korea from 4/15-4/21 for a friend's wedding on 4/19 in Seoul. The majority of the wedding... 

dreamybd profile photo

A: Have a nice trip and fun. Be sure to visit the two tourist kiosks to get maps and guides. One is next to the express bus terminal while the other is beside the main train... 

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