Is Korea Really Boring?
Over at the Lost Nomad there is an interesting posting and discussion going on about this Donga article. The article pretty much makes the case that foreigners in Korea find the country to be boring. I tend to disagree because I feel there is always something going on in Korea, you just need to know where to go. For example if you are a foreigner and the only thing you do is go to Itaewon or the local ville, yeah Korea is going to suck. However, if you get yourself a good guide book and just go out and adventure around a little bit you can have loads of fun.
I have always found it amazing how many foreigners and I am referring primarily to US soldiers since that is who I usually deal with do not own a guide book. Korea is not a place where things to do just jump out at you because of the differences in language and culture. So a good guide book is critical to enjoying your time in Korea. I prefer the Lonely Planet Korea guide book which provides many great ideas for things to check out in Korea. Everything is covered from entertainment, cultural, historical, outdoors activities, restaurants, hotels, etc. in the country. Another great guide that is especially GI friendly is the guide book, Having a Great Tour. This book focuses more on things to in Korea focused around the US military installations which is a great guide for USFK personnel. Another option is, I’m going to plug the Marmot here, but go get the Seoul magazine. The magazine is filled with things going on in Seoul and it is really one of the strong points of the magazine.
Another key thing to learn to do is master the public transportation system. I know seeing all the Korean hangul seems intimidating at first, but Korea does an absolute superb job with providing English translations throughout their mass transit system compared to other nation’s mass transit systems. The subways have English signs at every station and if you got a good guide book like I suggested you will have a English subway map handy as well. The train system in Korea is also quite easy to master and if you don’t have a car is the best way to get around the country and see more of what is outside of the Seoul area. Additionally the mass transit in Korea is extremely cheap, clean, and safe way to get around.
The next thing people need to do to enjoy their time in Korea is to get involved in the culture. I see soldiers sit around on post and never interact with the community around them. Go out and try different Korean foods for example besides bulgoki rice and yaki mandoo they sell in the ville. Do a home stay with one of the Korean KATUSA soldiers and meet their family and learn more about them. Get involved in teaching English at nearby schools or volunteer at a local orphanage. These activities will keep you busy plus help you make friends in the Korean community. Once you make friends with Koreans they are some of the best friends you will ever have. This will help you enjoy your experience in Korea more and motivate you to want to learn more about the place.
I could go on and on with tips but I think I have made my main points, get a good guide book, learn the public transportation system, and get involved with Korea. Other nations in Asia do a good job promoting themselves and their culture, so when you go to China you want to see the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China and the tour buses are lined up to take foreigners there. Korea on the other hand does a very poor job promoting themselves, plus the wackiness of some of it’s citizens and the even wackier North Koreans, that gets broadcasted on foreign television screens doesn’t help either.
So when a foreigner comes to Korea they don’t know something like Suwon has a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Suwon Fortress that is a short train ride from Seoul that should be a must see for someone visiting Korea. Or if you are visiting in the winter that Korea has some great skiing and is a candidate for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. It may not be the Alps, but it is still fun. I once arranged a ski trip for soldiers in my unit before and they had a blast and were amazed that Korea had such modern ski resorts. That is because Korea doesn’t promote themselves as a ski destination to the rest of the world.
If you stay on camp all weekend and sit in front of your Playstation then of course you are going to think Korea is boring. Or if you are an expat that doesn’t do anything other than go to Itaewon or a similar villes and drink OB than yes that is going to eventually get old too. There are number of other great things to see in Korea besides the inside of your barracks and the ville, but you have to do your research and then go out and do it. I have always maintained that if you find Korea boring than it is your own fault.
Korea is not boring. Get out of the damned barracks and out of the clubs. That isnt korea, that is a building filled with equally close minded people. Head out to the mountains or to the coast for a camping or hiking or jetski or 4 wheeling trip. Do something that doesnt involve getting drunk friday, waking up at 4pm in the morning on saturday and doing it again only to wake up on sunday at some point to pee for 2 minutes straight and wake up for formation on monday.
[…] is Boring – This is something I hear all the time and it mainly comes from people who do nothing but go to the ville on weekends. This all goes back […]
Seoul is a boring place indeed. I mean just look at it! Korean people are boring too. Most Koreans dislike westerners and make it quite obvious. What a bunch of ungrateful self loving dweebs. The west saves them twice, gives them billions in aid back after the Korean War and what do they do? That's right they steal our technology and copy or products. They sell lots of their products to the west but make it very, very difficult for the west to sell our product in Korea. Kore is dull and most Koreans are nasty and they hate foreigners.
Live in Seoul,Korea for a year – fun and exciting.. 2years – need something new to do. 3 years – BORED..
For me, Korea is indeed a boring country. I explored their beaches, mountains, clubs, restaurants, palaces, amusement parks and so on for a year and a half and I’m damned BORED after that. Even attended a wedding ceremony that only lasted for 30minutes then you go home after eating coz there’s no party.. In short, Koreans don’t know how to have fun except to get drunk and that’s it. If you want to spend the holidays, it would be too tough for you to get out of the city coz you’ll be stuck in the traffic even on a normal weekend.
Tedder, please foad, twat
Is not just Korea. Is just the same in Japan. I had the chance to see both countries, and let me tell you, there is not much a difference between them.
And YES, they don’t like foreigners, and they are caught up in their traditions and customs, more than any other nations on the planet.
I’m not sure, but I guess the Chinese are just the same.
Generational Perspectives: they make it highly unprofitable to comment on items such as this, and the comments back and forth. Here goes anyway.
To those who fought in khaki and low-quarters with WWII junk, coldest winter in history, hearing unclear signals of support from home—including the Pentagon, allies (Brits) still carrying on commerce with North Korea while we (and they) were fighting in the South, against sanctuaried Chinese millions, modern day Korea is a wonder of which we are damned proud (and yeah, many of us would fight to get assigned there today!)—before you holler too much, have been there and done that time and again the past eight years.
Those of us who were there in the beginning of the ROK (50-54) realize that the ROK and its people are what we, USA, made them, and we can be damn pleased with that. Sorry if that bores you!
It is kind of nice to be able to lay on collective asses complaining—ought to try the draws and brush over in AFGHAN right away if you are bored!
They are probably going to be looking for Sarin Gas detectives in SYRIA soon—volunteer for that. Sniff and die.
Alternatively, realize that your boredom will be remembered as paradise if you find yourself in snowed clogged gullies and mountains in ROK, this winter fighting for your lives, or scrambling for NEO-space at any available airport.
One of the most common excuses for widespread juvenile crime in USA is the kids who lay around on their collective asses, doing “stuff,” iPads plugged in blowing their ears out, bitching about nothing to do, “bored.” Billions of federal bucks spent combating that bs each year.
Like I said, Generational Perspectives: they make it highly unprofitable to comment on items such as this, and the comments back and forth.But, I tried anyway.
Teddy Roosevelt gave Korea to Japan. Teddy hated weaklings, having overcome a childhood illness that had left him very weak. fast forward to today, and Teddy was right: Korea was weak, is weak, and will always be weak…but, of course, screaming as if they are a major player on the world stage.
What a joke.
Korea is the fat girl at the dance continually asking her friends, “Am I pretty? I pretty, right? Am I pretty? tell me I’m pretty.”
She is not pretty.