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 garnered a record-breaking billion-plus YouTube views for his hit “Gangnam Style,” in a world of rapid turnover, this international superstar is a little dated, at least in the United States. However, in his home country of South Korea, Psy’s influence still reigns — even if his signature song isn’t constantly blared in every club, as was mandatory in Stateside bars when the song first caught on.

Love him or hate him, Psy has sparked worldwide interest in South Korea. What previously resided in American minds as North Korea’s progressive older sibling, South Korea is increasingly regarded as a bona fide hotspot for experiencing K-pop culture and luxury beyond what Las Vegas has to offer, particularly in Seoul’s storied Gangnam neighborhood.

“In Gangnam’s Apgujeong neighbourhood, K-pop stars are delivered to their entertainment companies’ headquarters in gleaming black Hyundai Starex people-movers with tinted windows,” notes the Sydney Morning Herald, “while Seoul’s super-rich worship at the flashy temples of luxury fashion lining a boulevard of dreams dubbed ‘yuppie street.’”

Endless mounds of fun seem to be had in Seoul. In the SMH article, the Gangnam District is described as home to trendy clubs to which only sub-30, super-rich glamazons may enter, karaoke-fueled bars and non-negotiable shots of soju paired with silkworm larvae snacks. Frankly, a Friday night in Seoul’s Gangnam District seems like a night I would like to experience at least once in my life. Of course I would be armed with a fistful of cash, an outfit akin to a disco ball and a well-rehearsed K-pop song primed for karaoke. When in Rome, right?

But there’s something about Seoul’s newfound attraction that’s unsettling. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth — what I imagine to be the flavor of silkworm larvae.

Are we so blind to the interesting, unique parts of the world that a stupid (there, I said it) pop song is the catalyst that places it on our radar? I confess, I didn’t give Seoul — let alone Gangnam — much thought prior to viewing Psy’s video an embarrassing number of times.

I suppose this phenomenon is nothing new. After Editor-in-Chief Matt Stabile’s favorite book by Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love, was published, Bali experienced a surge in tourism by “mostly 40-something female travelers who’ve arrived looking for their own spiritual enlightenment and time to put in on their own soon-to-be bestsellers,” as an earlier article on The Expeditioner reports. Likewise, Seoul had 11.1 million visitors in 2012, “a figure that was up 13.4 percent on 2011,” according to the country’s Culture Minister.

Maybe Seoul is the new Mecca for techno-loving, wealthy club kids. Let’s not forget that people have been traveling to far flung places they’ve never heard of on the basis of an idea and a somewhat-trusted tip. For example, The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy spurred a massive increase in travel to New Zealand. The Oregon Trail, the California Gold Rush, Columbus’s New World — this is not a new story.

So perhaps it’s unwarranted to be frustrated by this wave of Gangnam tourism. I implore you, book a flight if you wish. But for the sake of your own pride, at the very least, tell family and friends you’re going there for the culture — not to learn the gallop dance.

By Jenna Blumenfeld

About the Author

Jenna Blumenfeld, (Jenna Ogden Blumenfeld when she’s in really big trouble) hails from the wee state of Connecticut. Although her childhood dream of becoming a bug doctor — with a specialization in ladybugs — has gone unfulfilled, she is content writing about travel, cuisine and culture. A vegetarian, she currently resides in the food hub of Boulder, Colorado. Read more of her food-centric writing at NewHope360.com.

The post Psy Fans Gallop To Gangnam District (And Why I’m Not Happy About It) appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

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 trip to the North Korean border to see the DMZ, wandering the city palaces and more, but in the end we succumbed primarily to the night.

Luckily, we live close and were only traveling on a quick 90-minute flight over from Shanghai on a Chinese New Year getaway. Coincidentally, Korean New Year falls on the same day, meaning some sights were closed, and others, such as traditional palaces were bustling. With such cheap flights available anytime, the pangs of guilt for seeing the inside of more bars than museums were assuaged with the knowledge we could return again on a whim.

Seoul’s extensive airport bus system divides the city into quadrants, and then stops just about anywhere you may be staying, hostel or hotel, quickly and directly. Although Seoul is a vast metropolis, the city’s easy-to-navigate subway system — which is the third-largest in the world by passenger volume — can take you just about anywhere, and even far enough outside the city to see mountains and to camp.

Most visitors gravitate towards the district of Itaewon, located near a large U.S. military base, and known locally as something of a “ghetto” due to the large number of immigrants and foreigners. To say that Itaewon attracts a varied assortment of people would still be an understatement. In addition to the military personnel, young Koreans abound, and English teachers come from all corners of the city for a night out. “Homo Hill,” a collection of gay bars on a steep street is a central fixture. “Hooker Hill,” just two streets over, is a separate (but equal) sight unto itself, despite recent government attempts to crack down on the brothels. Pool bars, hookah lounges, catchy K-pop tunes, Döner Kebab and cheap, delicious Soju are all at your fingertips in Itaewon. A bit sweeter than vodka due to the sugar added in the distillation process, a bottle will only set you back $1-$3 from a convenience store, and just a bit more at restaurants.

Perhaps even more importantly is the abundance of street carts selling delicious grilled meats and snacks well into the night. Sweet grilled chicken skewers are a must, as are the delicious fried dumplings, known as mondu. The atmosphere remains vibrant and convivial, with the occasional skirmish to be seen between some military boys who let loose a little too hard on their day off. In the extremely safe city, Itaewon’s police branch must be the busiest. These fights are generally easy to see coming and avoid however, so it’s relatively easy to stay uninvolved.

Then there is Hongdae district, which is a whole different plate of kimchi. Certainly the best nightlife and people-watching district the city has to offer, the area offers a much more typically Korean atmosphere, although equally raucous. As opposed to the bars that dominate Itaewon’s scene, Hongdae, located near a major university, trends more towards clubbing, live music and karaoke in addition to the bars, restaurants, and street stalls.

Like most places in Asia, karaoke in Seoul means renting a room with friends to belt out some power ballads, not performing on a stage in front of strangers. While not always the best method for meeting new people, it’s a fun way to get warmed up for the rest of the night to come. Food options abound, so come early, hungry, and be prepared to stay until the subways open around 6 a.m. If you have an aversion to Red-Bull and get caught in the no-zone of 12 a.m. to 6 a.m., taxis in Seoul are surprisingly cheap. Even a 30-minute late-night ride to the other side of town will only set you back around $20.

To rejuvenate, sometimes you just need a vacation where eating and drinking counts as sightseeing. If you’d like to make it sound even more cultural due to lingering catholic guilt, call it building understanding through analyzing the local country’s culinary tradition. If that’s a concept you’re comfortable with, Seoul cannot possibly disappoint.

By Kyle Long of UnTourShanghai.com

About the Author

Kyle Long is the Chief Running Officer of UnTourShanghai.com, an urban adventure tourism company specializing in jogging sightseeing excursions and custom culinary and food experiences in Shanghai, China.

[Nightlife by Martin Bengtsson/Flickr]

The post This Is Why You Want To Experience Seoul’s Nightlife appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

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 is part of its charm. During my time in Korea, I would visit the electric streets almost weekly to take in the dense history in the morning, the teeming markets by afternoon, and the hip clubs by night. Seoul was my refuge, it was my insight, and it was my wonder.

Hemishpere echoes this with a “perfect” three-day itinerary for Seoul, introducing the city as, “a major metropolis with pockets that feel untouched by industrialization. The joy of a visit is in plunging into both sides of Seoul—the old and the new — and imagining where the city will go from here.”

Many of the sights suggest get the personal Jon Wick seal of approval (as if that matters, really, but at least I can vouch for them). For modern, head to Yonsan Electronics Market, where I picked up an Ipod for a killer deal, then to Dongdaemun to experience the youth phenomenon sweeping the globe. After catching up on the latest Girls Generation hits (Check out Gee Gee— you’ll be singing it all day), take a ride up the N Seoul Tower over looking the labyrinth that makes up the city.

For old Korea, and one of my personal favorites, head straight to the Insadong neighborhood, a hub of old world in the throngs of the new. Start exploring at  Changdeokgung Palace, built in 1405, then to the Insadong shopping street  for some traditional crafts (if you’re lucky you’ll get a to catch a traditional style impromptu street dance), then hit up the changing of the guards at Gyeongbokgung Palace — all within walking distance.

* Photo courtesy of TheExpeditioner Flickr Group and  jonwick04.

The post Seoul: The Old, The New, The Perfect appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

So much more than the “leeks, onions, garlic, and other greens” that swim amidst the odd presence of sliced hotdogs and Spam, one of Korea’s favorite dishes, Budae Jjigae, is a stew with a backstory not likely associated with most meals, as TheExpeditioner.com’s own Jon Wick finds out in this piece.

Arising out of the ashes that was Korea following the Korean War, Budae Jjigae is more a stew of necessity, consisting of whatever Koreans could scrounge from the earth and from the packs of American G.I.’s (which explains the use of Spam).  As one Korean explains to Jon, “The U.S. soldiers would give away their army food to local people and they make this stew . . . U.S. Army very good to us. It was a very, very bad time.”

So where can you go to try the best? Head north from Seoul to Uijeongbu Odeng Shik-dang and get in line to visit what many Koreans consider to be the best joint serving this odd concoction. I have to admit, this makes my impending dinner of ramen from a bag look kind of lame now.

The post When Has Your Meal Had A Story Like This? appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.