Travelling around South Korea, although undoubtable easier to navigate than our previous country, China, there are always new things to learn.
In this article we share with you all the random, weird and wonderful things we learned on our South Korea travel.
South Korea Travel: What Did we Learn?
You may have guessed by our name that we love to WANDER, wandering around and soaking up the surrounding environment tends to lead to lots of quaint new learnings that you may miss if on a tour.
Let’s share some of our random learnings during our South Korea travel with you.
1. South Korea Holiday: There’s Free Public WiFi
Most places (major towns and cities) offer free public WiFi, the connection may not always be the strongest but should be just enough to find out which direction you should be going.
2. South Korea Holiday: Koreans Respect the Green Man
Unlike some of the other Asian countries we’ve visited lately, Thailand and Indonesia, Koreans do not cross the road unlike the green man says so.
This will be the case even when crossing a distance of 5 metres with no car in sight!
3. South Korea Holiday: Motorbike Drivers Are Exceptional Rule Abiders
Keeping in line with the previous point and highlights the Korean people’s rule abiding ways.
Bike drivers will get off their bikes and join the crowd to wait for the green man, not only this but then will proceed to WALK their bike across the road before continuing on their journey.
We were genuinely shocked seeing this, again, unlike many other Asian countries where we are used to dodging bikes for our life on the FOOTPATHS.
4. South Korea Holiday: Koreans Love Christmas
We visited Korea in May and witnessed many Christmas and New Years decorations in the city of Seoul.
From Christmas trees, to light up reindeers, and we even had a “Merry Christmas” sign in our room!
5. South Korea Holiday: Koreans Love Coffee
Even more than their Christmas decorations, Koreans love their coffee. Our South Korea travel was a complete 360 from China where they were tea obsessed and we found it difficult to even find coffee..
6. South Korea Holiday: You won’t See Many Babies
Did you know that Korea has one of the lowest birth rates in the world? With only a .6% birth rate.
7. South Korea Holiday: There’s Not Many Public Toilets
Unlike China, where there are toilets on every corner, we actually found it difficult to find public toilets during our Korea travels. So, when you spot one, use it.
8. South Korea Holiday: Not Only Do South Koreans Love Octopus BUT…
Not only do Korean People love octopus but they eat it LIVE.
9. South Korea Holiday: English is widely spoken
Before our South Korea travel, we spent a month in China where this was certainly not the case. It was rare to find an English speaker in China but it seemed to be a given in South Korea.
There is a big American presence in Korea with 30,000 American soldiers based in Seoul.
10. South Korea Holiday: Shops Close Early
Unlike other Asian countries, shops and markets close early in South Korea.
We visited what was referred to as a “Night Market” only for all the stalls to be packed away by the time with arrived – this was only 8pm!!
11. South Korea Holiday: South Korea is Very Catholic
Did you know that South Korea ranks among the most strongly Catholic countries in Asia?
If you did not know this, you will soon become aware during your South Korea travel upon witnessing the amount of Catholic churches about.
12. South Korea Holiday: Bus Transport is Comfortable
During our South Korea travel we were transported to each destination by bus and we got to even look forward to these travel days!
Buses are super comfort with spacious, leather chairs, each offering reclining and leg rests.
Buses display the arrival time on a screen in front and offer a 15minute toilet/food break on a 2 and a half hour journey – not too short, not too long, but just right.
If you are enjoying this article, why not check out our China edition of random learnings.
13. South Korea Holiday: Korean Look After Their Cats
Don’t be surprised to walk passed some make shift “cat beds” padded with an old jumper and some bowls of cat food outside.
It gets cold for the cats too!
14. South Korea Holiday: Refund your Metro Ticket
Oddly enough, unlike most places we have visited where the machine you exit the metro from takes your ticket.
This is not the case and instead the capital city of Seoul gives you another chore.
Instead of the machine taking the ticket once you finish your subway journey, you have to go to a “Deposit Refund Device” machine which will given you back your 1000 KWR deposit upon return of your ticket.
Seems a bit Ludacris to us.
Don’t fancy messing around with metros? Why not consider renting a car to explore South Korea at your own pace?
15. South Korea Holiday: It is Worth Getting a T Money Travel Card
A T money card will allow you to pay for any public transport in South Korea and saves you messing around having to have the exact change for every journey.
Plus you get a discounted price by using the T Money Card. You can purchase these cards in most convenient store such as E Mart and 7 Eleven and you can top the card up there too. Easy.
You can use one T Money card between two people for bus transport but you will need your own individual cards for Metro transport.
But you can still use cash on public buses. We were told that we couldn’t, but you can!
16. South Korea Holiday: South Koreans Use VERY Small Towels
During our South Korea travel each accommodation offered the smallest ….we’re going to say “tea towels!”.
If you were staying in more upmarket accommodation you might be lucky enough to get two of these tiny towels.
17. South Korea Holiday: It is Possible to Eat Cheaply During Your South Korea Travel
South Korea is not the cheapest country to travel in, especially if you are travelling full time like us.
Luckily we found the South Korean version of the “Bento Box”, which turned out to be our saviour!
These were available in any convenience story such as 7 Eleven and come in many options. Give them a try, you’ll be surprised how tasty they are.
18. South Korea Holiday: South Korea Doesn’t do Supermarkets
Happy Irish Wanderers are big fans of supermarkets on our travels but we found them very difficult to find during our South Korea travel – believe us we looked!
19. South Korea Holiday: The Tap Water is 100% Safe to Drink
We lived in Mackay in North Queensland Australia, for almost 7 years – a place voted as “Australia’s best tasting tap water”.
Needless to say we hold pretty high standards when it comes to water.
We loved that we could drink the tap water during our travel in South Korea, not only this, but it tastes pretty good too. Thumbs up from Happy Irish Wanderers.
No excuse not to stay hydrated folks!
20. South Korea Holiday: Rubbish Bins are a Rarity
You will rarely come across rubbish bins on your wanders. This frustrated us at first but then we came around to the idea of carrying your own rubbish until you can bin it at home. Seems fair.
21. South Korea Holiday: You Will Need Cash
An important on our list of South Korea Things to know is that surprisingly in some places, such as the intercity bus station in Sokcho, they only accept cash. Crazy.
22. South Korea Holiday: Slurping Equals Scrumptious
Don’t be surprised if at times you hear an audible slurping of noodles during your South Korea travel. This is not thought of as impolite, rather, it is considered a compliment and an expression of enjoying the meal.
23. South Korea Holiday: Public Toilet Cubicles Have Emergency Buttons
Not sure what went on in a public toilet in South Korea in the past but every toilet cubicle visited displayed quite a dramatic emergency button.
So if getting trapped in a public toilet during your South Korea travel was a concern of yours, fear not.
24. South Korea Holiday: Beware that The Price for Accommodation Can Double
This was a tough one to find out during our South Korea travel.
Expect to pay at least double the price for accommodation during weekends, not weekends that fall on a National Holiday – every weekend!!
25. South Korea Holiday: South Korea Makes a Mean Sandwich
One of the greatest South Korea things to know is that South Koreans really know how to make a good sandwich.
Just go into any of the convenience stores such as 7 Eleven and witness for yourself how packed they are.
Top Tip: If you spot a good one snap it up, because when they’re gone they’re gone!
26. South Korea Holiday: South Korean Dress Comfy
You will notice many of the younger generation dressed in over-sized, baggy clothing. They always look pretty chill and comfy.
27. South Korea Holiday: South Koreans Love Van-Life
After living in the top-dog of campervan life – Australia – for years, it was a pleasant surprise to see this way of life so popular in South Korea.
You will see many fantastic camper vans out and about, parked by beaches and lakes, and soaking in South Korea’s beautiful outdoors.
28. South Korea Holiday: South Koreans Sleep on the Floor
Ok well not all Koreans. However, if you look at the older generations, they often still sleep on the floor, and most don’t even have a bed.
Koreans sleep on the floor because in the past they created heated floors, also called “Ondol,” which means warm floor.
Some accommodations offer “Ondol” or “standard” options when booking your accommodation.
29. South Korea Holiday: There is a Funfair at the DMZ
Probably the most odd point of all.
The DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone, is a buffer area along the Korean Peninsula which separates North and South Korea to prevent military conflict – very serious stuff.
Needless to say, when we arrived at the first stop of the tour and spotted a funfair this was an unexpected turn of events!
30. South Korea Holiday: Google Maps Does Not Work
Google maps will not work properly in South Korea and will not give directions. Instead download NAVER Map.
31. South Korea Holiday: Accommodation Offers Free Filtered Water
We stayed in accommodations from five different parts of the country and each place offered hot and cold filtered water, as well as, a microwave.
Perfect to heat those yummy Korean Bento Boxes!
Enjoy Your South Korea Travel!
We loved our time in South Korea and genuinely hope that some of the above points offer you some assistance for your South Korea travel.
If not then we hope that some of our “South Korea things to know” at least give you a giggle!
Have you visited South Korea, are there any weird or wonderful things you noticed that we missed?
We would love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to leave us a message below or contact us through our socials.
Slán go fóil
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