"To borrow from the modern vernacular: Best. Trip Report. Ever."

Not if you believe a trip report should include irrelevant detail, unfinished thoughts, inside references understandable to only a few, strange humor and too much personal information.

Putting those aside, yes I would agree.

@ gertie – The differences between the Seoul of 1978-1982 and the Seoul of today must have have been very striking. I’m sure you expected that it would be much more modern; it must have been odd to find that it was also "older," with so much of what was historic, but had been destroyed, having since been recreated. I’m glad you thought the changes for the better, as that is certainly not always the case with modernization.


@ shelemm – Thank you so much for your words of praise! And thank you, too, for your wonderful description of South Korea – you capture a wealth of information in a compelling few sentences. I love your conclusion: “For such a little country right off China and dominated for so many years by Japan, the culture is thoroughly and unapologetically distinct.” Indeed! That was a point made by many of the guides with whom I interacted: South Koreans have a very long tradition of taking what they value from others, and then making it their own. :-)


@ colduphere – LOL, if you didn’t find my humor strange then I certainly didn’t reveal too much of myself! ;-) Thanks again for your compliments – much appreciated!

>>>Dinner at Arirang. OMG, just across the street from the entrance to the Korea House was a branch of Arirang – a restaurant that Robert (@ AskOksana) had recommended! It met my needs perfectly – I had a delicious meal of mushroom bulgogi with a ton of banchan and a beer and attentive service. :-) (Thanks, Robert!)<<<


You are most welcome, kja, pleasure and - rather appropriately - warm Seoul Friday morning greetings to you. To date, every Arirang business dinner of ours has been most enjoyable; glad my recommendation worked well for you.

Once again, can't thank you enough for your brilliant and thoughtful writing. Finally got around to reading and savouring your report last evening. Rest assured, your S. Korean exploits and impressions have been duly 'bookmarked' for future and long overdue S. Korea holiday, as my Seoul business trips continue to almost exclusively entail hotels, office buildings and the Incheon airport (where I'll be later today, before flying home to Singapore). You experienced so much during your S. Korea journey and wrote about it so eloquently with such delightful humour; well done.

Will reiterate my offer of lodging, dining and recreational options for you in our fine home of Singapore. Just know you would appreciate some of our sweet city-state's more intimate boutique properties. And, as always, pleasure to suggest seating and meal options (all classes of service) for our Singapore Airlines.

[Concerning lodgings, will have more to convey in future regarding the Four Seasons' impending Seoul hotel. And, another fine international hotel group favourite of mine will soon be revealing more of her Seoul plans. Interesting Seoul lodging developments and additions at present.]

Thanks again kja, for another wondrous collection of writing. Warm Friday morning - and early weekend - wishes to you and all from Seoul,

robert


... Singapore Girl, You're a Great Way to Fly ...

@ AskOksena – I appreciate your compliments, Robert, and am glad you enjoyed my report. I sincerely hope that I tavel to Singapore one day and will count on you to help me plan that trip – I know it will be much more enjoyable as a result. :-)

kja, what a long and detailed report! I've only read through your Busan section since I was there last year for a conference. You managed to see so much more than I did when I stayed there for the entire week at a hotel on the beach. But I did go to the temple by the sea and the one in the mountain that you went to. That fish market sounds really good. Wish I had gone.

Will continue to read more. Thanks for sharing.

@ JC98 – If you were in Busan for a conference, then I’m sure you had many things to do other than sightseeing. The fish market -- Jigalchi -- was definitely cool, but given your interest in Buddhism, visiting some of the temples around Busan was probably the best use of your limited free time in the area.

Thanks again for your input as I planned my trip and for encouraging me to pursue a templestay. I certainly thought of you during my memorable night at Haeinsa!

kja, I already got some maps and brochures from the Korea Tourism Organization in NJ (that's the NY office) that I requested online. :)

@ Mara - Good for you! :-) If you are only going to Seoul, you probably won't need any special vaccinations or other pre-travel medical treatments, but that's between you and your physician. Here's the CDC link:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinat...ne/south-korea

And the guidebook I found most helpful, the <i>Seoul Selection</i> guide, does come in a version that is specific to Seoul and that you can get through amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Seoul-Selectio...lection+guides

Keep me posted!

We will be watching for photos.....

@ hnl -- Unfortunately, I don't anticipate posting any photographs, at least in the foreseeable future. But thanks for your interest!

Sea Hag, I'm back! My son is once again living and working in Busan South Korea. This time he has a wonderful job with the South Korean government. I'm off to South Korea in September with my Korean DIL. I will get to meet her parents and grandparents.

Remember those days way back when both our sons just went to South Korea? It looks like we both got Korean DIL's out of it. We are so lucky to have ours in our family.

Sorry, to hijack the thread....

hester, I have wondered about you and your son and DIL! We are living parallel lives! We are going to Seoul the second week in September to meet the in-laws! My son was working for the Korean government when he met his wife. We are looking forward to our trip and celebrating the marriage with our new family.

SeaHag, Wow! We really do live parallel lives. I leave for Korea on September 14. But I will be going to Busan. I have met Hee Ju's (DIL) parents and Grandparents on Skype but it will be nice to meet them in person. I don't speak Korean and they don't speak English but that's OK. They raised a lovely daughter and it will be nice to meet them. Hee Ju and I will have lots of fun while Joe is at work. My husband is staying home this trip.

On our previous trips we always stopped in Japan. We love it there. How a wonderful trip. Leslie :)

kja, absolutely insane trip report or in current vernacular 'awesome".
I am just starting the planning for my first visit to S Korea and your accounts will help a great deal. Thank you very much.

Curiously, one thing that caught my attention is your reference to TA and the reviews you made there on hotels. I too flip between TA and Fodors Forum for my research but I am now reminded that it is the quality of writing such as yours that sets this site apart and propels the read from mere research to enchantment. Bravo !

We just miss each other, we fly home the 15th! We will be facing a language barrier too. It should be interesting as we will be spending three days together on Jeju island. My son rented a large home and we and Sohee's siblings and parents will all share the place. I hope you have a great time too! I will wave at you as our planes pass!

Sorry for the hijack kja!

@ christo - Enchantment?!? Wow - thank you so much! And LOL, one of the words I found most useful while in South Korea was "daebak" ("awesome"). :-) I'm very pleased that you think my report will prove helpful and am sure you will have a wonderful trip. Please keep us posted!

@ hester and SeeHag -- no worries! My goal in writing this trip report was to be useful, and reuniting old friends is, IMO, a useful thing! :-) I hope you both enjoy your upcoming trips to South Korea and find many qualities to treasure in your newly extended families.

kja, I just read your Gyeongju section. Amazing that you remember all the details, and the names of buildings and places too. Just now I had to google Gyeongju to see how it's spelled! Do you take notes as you travel? I should have written a trip report right after I return to better remember the details.

I traveled to Gyeongju like 3 years ago, and have already forgotten a lot of the names. For future travelers, there's a mountain (Namsan) just outside of Gyeongju with lots of large and small stone carvings of the Buddha that you can see along a hike. Some carvings were large as one side of a mountain. I remember the images were carved to ward off the marauding enemies in ancient times, first the Mongolians and later the Japanese. The hike was really cool through a forest with open vistas here and there, and the Buddhist stone carvings made it more interesting.

And even on a mountain hike that you think is quite remote, you can always count on finding a drink/food stall or even a vending machine to replenish you! We got to a rest stop on Namsan toward late afternoon, and no one was around but 2 vending machines dispensing hot and cold drinks were on standby to serve!

We took a taxi to Namsan but on the way back after the sun had set, a father who was hiking with his young daughter offered us a lift back to city center in his station wagon. The girl was so cute, trying to teach us how to say "hello" in Korean, and she got a bit frustrated when we didn't say exactly right.

@ JC98 - That's not my memory speaking -- that's me typing up my journal. ;-) Namsan (the one outside Gyeongju) sounds lovely. (There's also a Namsan in Seoul, site of the N Seoul Tower.) I sure wish there had been a vending machine or two along the fortress hike near Busan -- I could certainly have used one, and they did seem to be otherwise ubiquitous. I had trouble learning to say "hello" correctly, too, and am not sure I ever got it QUITE right, but it was definitely worth trying so that one could speak to people like this father and daughter and so many others.

A post-trip correction: Upon going through my photographs (oh no -- the lens of my camera was apparently damaged early on!) I realized that Beomeosa, a temple near Busan, had more to appreciate than I thought at the time. I must have been too tired and thirsty by the time I got there to notice some of the details.

@ M. Bowman -- I just saw the compliments you offered on your blog -- thanks so much! :-) I'm glad you found my report worth reading.

Oh no! How badly was your camera affected?

Oh no ditto! Did you lose your photos? I started a habit of uploading them everyday from my camera to whatever else I have with me - during my recent trip in the US my tablet -or else my laptop.....

When I was in Japan I had a memory card error at one point but I had already, thank goodness, uploaded all the photos to my laptop....

btw, kja, I already bought a Korean phrasebook.... ;-)

@ thursdaysd and Mara -- Thanks for your sympathies! Unfortunately, the camera is a goner. Just a point-and-shoot, and an old one at that, although I really liked it. I didn't "lose" any photos - rather, I have thousands and thousands of pictures that all have a dark, fuzzy-edged, dirty-looking blob just off center. :-( Oh well, they still work for reminding me of things, and I didn't even own a camera for my first few trips.... Bottom line: I'd rather have the memories any day, and hope I have them longer than any pictures I might have taken.

and Mara -- that's awesome! I'm looking forward to hearing all about your trip. :-)

Great report Kja - just booked some flights to Seoul for the end of March. Only a quarter of the way through this TR and I am finding it incredibly helpful!

@ crellston -- thanks so much for your post! I'm glad that you are finding my report helpful and hope you enjoy Seoul. Let me know if you have other questions -- I might not be able to answer, but will do my best!

Very kind of you Kja. I will certainly take up that offer and will start a new post once I have a few things in mind. Still reading this thread and beginning to wish I had allowed longer for korea!

@ crellston -- good luck with your planning! It's alway difficult to figure out how long to devote to specific destinations, isn't it?

Hi Kja!
I just made an account to express my thanks for your awesome report! Honestly, I haven't finished reading it yet - but I can already see that it will be very interesting and helpful during my planning. Thanks for taking your time to write so many details and upload it online :)
I found it by chance and it immediately got my attention. I'm also female, also plan for 4 weeks and it seems that I will also have to go solo. (offtopic: I never travelled solo, so I'm a bit worried about...well, basically everything :D But also excited. If you don't mind me asking, how old were you when you went solo for the first time and where did you go?)

@ will_travel – welcome to Fodor’s and thank you for your kind words! I’m glad that you are finding my report helpful.

I first traveled solo when I was in my 20s. A friend and I had been planning to attend another friend’s wedding in LA and then travel around, but just days before we were to go, something came up and my intended travel mate had to cancel. I already had my tickets, and they were nonrefundable, so I went on my own. I spent some time in LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Seattle. Thus began a LOVE for solo travel. :-) I find it a great luxury, because I can do exactly what I want, when I want.

I can understand a bit of worry – I was nervous about that trip, and I was nervous before my first international journey, and nervous before each subsequent venture into the unknown. ;-) I’ve chosen my travels with some attention to my limits and some thought about my options should I feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, I’ve never needed my back-up plans. Instead, what I’ve found is a tremendous wealth of wonderful experiences.

There are several other solo women travelers who contribute to Fodor’s, and some solo male travelers, too. You might find some inspiration on this thread, where many of us provide links to our trip reports.
http://www.fodors.com/community/trav...collection.cfm

Feel free to ask questions, and when you're ready, start a thread about your plans. There don't seem to be too many Fodorites who have traveled to South Korea, but I think you'll find that many who have will be very generous with their knowledge.

@ kja - Thanks for the warm welcome and also the link!

And also thanks for answering my question :) Seems like the day your travel mate had to cancel turned out to be a lucky one in the end! Honestly, you are quite an inspiration for me right now. I think your approach to travelling is very wise.

I'm currently in the "research" stage, which is going to take me a looot of time. But when I get enough ground and ideas, I will try starting the thread as you recommend.

Take care.

@ will_travel -- Indeed, that friend did me an incredible service that neither of us recognized at the time. Good luck with your research!

@kja: I can't stop reading your TR since yesterday. I have been thinking of giving a surprise b'day present to my 68 y.o. mom who loves anything about SK.

My mom & I are addicted to kdrama especially the historical stories. I am more so than her though ;b..

It is a year in advance planning ;)... hopefully to celebrate her 69th bday in Oct'16, there.

I am similar with you. Always do an extensive research, plan in detail ahead of time to ensure the most cost effective but most enjoyable trip.

We are Indonesian who live in San Francisco.

I ran into some interesting info during my research:

http://seoulistic.com/travel-to-kore...t-attractions/

http://seoulistic.com/travel-to-kore...0-usd-a-night/

https://jungrach.wordpress.com/2013/...booking-guide/

Hostel Maru
Best location in Hongdae
www.guesthouseinseoul.com

400-3 ASAN BUILDING
SEOGYODONG MAPOGU
SEOUL KOREA
[email protected]
Tel: +82-70-8833-0046
Reception open from 9am untill 11pm
Earlest check in from 3pm
Check out by 1pm on your last day of staying in Maru
No curfew, less regulation, more enjoy.
> This one was just opened recently. The reason for no review found yet.
> They claim all rooms are soundproof & safe with electric lock key.
> They have their own luggage lockers the guests can use.

Hope those who are planning their trips right now will find these usefull.

@ vclilydb -- I'm glad you are enjoying my trip report and finding some useful information there.

vclilydb - I am also a kdrama addict and spent three days in Seoul last spring. There are a few palaces there than you can visit and also see the changing of the guard when they wear the costumes that you will recognize.

In the Gwanghawmun Square you will see the huge statues of King Sejong and Admiral Yi - below is a wonderful museum about them....

You will constantly see posters with stars that you have seen in dramas. When I was there I had recently seen My Love from Another Star and Kim SooHyun posters were all around.

I'm sure you and your mom will enjoy!

I admit that just about everything I know about kdrama is what Mara shared on this thread -- and even so, I enjoyed my time in South Korea tremendously!

There are many sites in Korea associated with Korean dramas. I don't know much about the subject, but I do know you can visit the Danyang Ondal Movie Set which has been the location for many historical Korean dramas. Here is the Korean Tourism webpage about it:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/...jsp?cid=905827

I think there are several sets from kdrama that you can visit --
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/...jsp?sets=drama

Hi Kja,

Your exploration of South Korea was wonderful reading! I plan on visiting in June 2016 and I may end up going alone. I have never been to Asia and I really would like to get a handle on the cost of things, self-explorative tours and such…but I was wondering about the amount of money it would take to explore like you did but for only about 14 days. Based on your experience, can you give me a round-about figure?? Thanks

@ Janetr -- I'm sorry, but no, I really can't estimate your costs, as it will depend on how YOU travel and where, exactly, you go.

If you are traveling from somewhere outside of Asia, my guess is that your biggest expense will be your airfare. IIRC, my rooms ranged from about $40 to $100 per night -- though of course that’s largely a function of my selection process. Check booking.com for a better sense of what it will cost you in light of your needs and preferences. And IIRC, my Korean dinners ranged from about $10 to about $40, but you could eat for less if you go for street food. (Breakfast was generally included in my room rate and I don't eat lunch.) I thought transportation costs very affordable -- especially the buses, but even the high-speed rail line and flights were reasonable as I recall -- but I honestly don't remember. You might be able to get some idea from South Korea's on-line tourism site:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/TR/TR_EN_5_1_2.jsp

I'm sorry I can't help with budget estimates, but wish you well and am happy to try answering other questions.

Your trip report is so detailed and so very helpful. After trying to discover the frequency of spring yellow dust pollution in Seoul, we have decided to visit South Korea in April. Along with articles, travel books and postings on Fodor's Forum I am learning a great deal and have come up with my first itinerary. Thank you kja for this report with all its great information.

@ re -- I'm so glad that you found some helpful information in my report! I hope it communicated my sense that South Korea can be an interesting destination, and hope that's how you find it.

I'm always open for questions!