Foreign visitors sometimes ask why trash cans in Korea seem so hard to find. As a Korean, I find that question interesting because I have never really thought of trash cans as especially difficult to find. That does not mean there is one on every corner. There isn’t. I just do not usually feel that … Read more
Autumn in Seoul can be ridiculously beautiful. The sticky summer humidity finally disappears, the air turns crisp, and entire streets begin changing from green to yellow. The ginkgo trees in Seoul are especially dramatic. When a whole row turns at once, even an ordinary Seoul street can suddenly look like a movie scene. Then you … Read more
Olive Better is a wellness-focused store created by CJ Olive Young. While a regular Olive Young carries a broad mix of beauty, skincare, and health products, Olive Better puts more attention on wellness, nutrition, healthy snacks, supplements, drinks, and lifestyle products. If K-beauty shopping is your main goal, Olive Young is likely the more useful … Read more
Chuseok travel in Korea is a little different from traveling at any other time of year. Train tickets become harder to find, highways get busier, and some small restaurants and neighborhood shops close for a few days. At the same time, Seoul often feels quieter as many residents leave the city to visit their hometowns. … Read more
The Seoul subway is easy to use once you understand the map. The harder part is often knowing what to do with yourself once you are inside a crowded train. Should you move away from the door? Is it okay to sit in that empty seat? Do you need to apologize every time someone bumps … Read more
This Korean convenience store guide is not just about viral snacks or elaborate instant-ramyun meals. For people who live in Korea, they are much more ordinary than that. Sometimes you go in because you need one specific thing. Sometimes you grab a quick meal and eat it at the table by the window. Sometimes a … Read more
Traveling like a local in Korea does not mean copying everything Koreans do. It is more about noticing what people around you are paying attention to. A Korean restaurant may not explain where to put your trash. A bus does not tell you whether passengers usually greet the driver. An escalator may have an official … Read more
