south korea
Psy Fans Gallop To Gangnam District (And Why I’m Not Happy About It)
You might assume that most global citizens have had enough of Psy, the infamous rapper who, if he didn’t invent his signature “gallop” dance, certainly resurrected it. You may think this genius of a man has been transformed into something even more obsolete than a teeny-bopper’s “so over” description: gasp, a meme. Though Psy has […]
Mixing It Up In Seoul: 5 Unique Ways To Experience South Korea
Travelers often feel a certain pressure to see everything of historical and cultural significance when they visit a new city or country. They frantically rush from museum, to monument, to palace as if they are writing a guidebook, and before they know it, the trip is over. They return home exhausted, armed with an overabundance […]
This Is Why You Want To Experience Seoul’s Nightlife
Quite simply, it rocks and will probably suck you in. On a recent trip to the Korean capital, my friends and I found it utterly impossible to break the cycle of pre-dinner drinks, delicious Korean food, bars and street food, followed by an early afternoon wake-up call. We had every intention of sightseeing-filled days, a […]
A Welcome Of The Most Korean Kind
South Korea, my Asian home away from home where I experienced my first living abroad experiment, is an anomaly of sorts, really. There are aspects of the culture I will never comprehend, nor should I. There are things in which I tilt my head in confusion, which is fine. There are things I embrace and […]
Seoul: The Old, The New, The Perfect
Korea, like an onion (or Shrek), is steeped in layers. Ancient history and tradition hold fast as trendy and progressive thinking prevail. It has an interesting dynamic of old and ultra-modern, most likely due to an age-old history of invasion. The fiercely held traditions are entwined within a country that is, literally, freshly built. Nowhere is the gap more dramatic than in the country’s capitol of Seoul. Perhaps that […]
Almost Making It To The Top Of South Korea’s Jirisan
Jirisan, one of South Korea’s highest mountains, is a favorite hike in the country. But come prepared, it’s not as easy as you’d hoped. By Andrew Post Jirisan, the highest mountain in continental South Korea, is a 6,284-foot-high pile of rocks, trees, rivers, bushes, flowers, black bears, Buddhists and backpackers, located on the western fringe […]
Manners And Taboos: Advice For Watching Yourself Abroad
We all know different cultures have their specific intricacies, and it takes a little research to become aware of them when traveling. Even I remember a friend of mine in Korea, very politely saying, “Jon, ah . . . that is, maybe, a little bit rude.” After a thousand apologies and deep bows, I was […]
The DMZ: Travel To The Most Dangerous Place On Earth
A trip to the DMZ only heightens the wish that one day, unification for the Koreans will no longer be a dream. By Jon Wick 3/29/09 2:42 p.m. Dora Observatory, DMZ Razor wire surrounded us as soon as we reached the northern border of Seoul. Manned watchtowers lined the rivers and even tanks cloaked in […]