When I included Seoul in my trip all those
months ago, I knew the 5 days I planned to stay here would likely be the most
daunting of my entire trip... and they were! Caused more by the confluence of
many issues: not being able to communicate in Korean, having no prior
familiarity, Korean cuisine not being the most appetising, or just a general
lacklustre. I admit to being spoilt by Singapore, and more so, I had to deal
with some work-issues that left me just going through the tourist motions, and
retreating to the hotel to nurse my head cold.
But that said, I did manage to get around
the city enough to get a good grasp of what Seoul is: a huge city with an even
bigger population, and a discernable preoccupation with Western culture,
especially in the youth. I can say so comfortably because the baby boomer and
older generation are noticeably true to Korean culture, and wholeheartedly so.
It’s actually quite comical watching the
young Koreans. Most are polarised between the recurring 70s fashion of London
or the hip hop culture of America. But juxtapose that to a preoccupation with
hairstyles – and largely feminine / model styles – I had to keep a straight
face many a time. It’s also mirrored back to them in their pop culture... Korea
still has a host of pop soloists and groups, and boy do they go wild at the
sight of one! (I stumbled upon the clichéd pop star opening of a new shopping
mall.) But to be honest, I saw the same thing in Singapore, and sometimes in
Bangkok too. So let’s just say it’s an Asian trend, and leave it at that.
So to why I’m in Seoul: it’s the capital
city of one of the oldest cultures in history. In contrast to Thailand, Korean
monuments are not temples but palaces, similar to London’s monuments. So to
visit Korea is to peak into the history of a culture that has survived itself,
and several attacks of China, Japan, and its war-prone sister country to the
north. I found docile people struggling with the advent of Westernisation, but
still proud of their history. But I also found a city that’s probably 4 times
bigger than London, with a population to match. Seoul is so big that the
international airport has now been relegated to its own island! The subway
system has 8 lines, and it can take 3 hours to traverse it on a single train...
that’s huge! Tourists shouldn’t consider using busses as they’re only marked in
Korean, which makes navigation almost impossible. Underground stations are so
big that they often are several storeys themselves... and many of them have
their own underground malls... or even a museum!
It’s not a place I would like to visit
again, but I can say that Seoul lived up to my expectations, and put me through
enough adversity for me to know that I’m tempered well for travel. Having said
that, I know there’s worse things that can happen while travelling... But if
anything, it was a good place to recharge my batteries before tackling the
great USA!
