So, in this part of the Seoul Diaries, I’ll be talking about my personal experiences and general tips that could help you if you’re planning on traveling to South Korea. I shared a list of the most popular must-see spots and sights in another post, so make sure to check it out too. Let’s get right into it!

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Since I was going to be a student for 5 months, I had to apply for a visa. Obviously, you will also need an international passport. I applied for an international driver’s license in my hometown too, just in case. Besides that, don’t forget about getting some Korean Won cash from your local bank and a Mastercard (or some other kind) that assures you to make international payments. 

The first experiences we stumbled upon at the airport

So, me and my roommate took a bus from Ghent to Amsterdam, because there are direct flights to Seoul from there. The flight went great since I am still alive – yay. Yes, 14 hours in one go is long, but you sleep, you watch some shows, you listen to music, you read, they serve u food, you sleep some more cause doing nothing is exhausting. And suddenly, you’re the last hour in. You land, collect your luggage, and place your first steps on Korean land. But then it’s time to get real because suddenly you’re like “Um, so what now”. The next steps you should figure out and can figure out at the airport are getting a SIM card and a T-money card. I recommend buying a short-term SIM card, cause they are ridiculously overpriced. You can find more affordable and long-term ones around the city. A lot of the exchange students – including myself – bought ours at ‘Chingu Mobile’. Buying a T-money card is essential: it’s a card that you can put money on (you can load your card at every metro station or 24/7 store like GS25 and Seven Eleven) and gives you the ability to make different payments such as bus fares (check in and out when taking a bus), subway fares, taxi cabs, and even groceries at those 24/7 stores. Make sure you have Kakao Map and Papago downloaded on your phone to get around and help you get around. Kakao Taxi could also come in handy, it’s the Korean version of Uber. I believe the cheapest way to get to Seoul is by train/subway. Me and my roommate though took a cab, because of our luggage, we could split the costs, and because we literally just had no other clue.

First weeks

During my first weeks in Seoul, I was just focusing on trying to settle and trying different things out. I visited some of the popular attractions, strolled around Myeong-dong (which I did a lot during the semester), met international friends, visited museums, and took lots of photos. I became a regular at a coffee shop near my apartment, called Bresh Avenue. I experienced the nightlife in Hongdae and Itaewon and tasted Korean soju for the first time. I attended my first classes and found out I had a lot of similar ones with Rebecca, another ARMY so we hit it off immediately.

Here’s what I understand from the Korean school system: attendance during classes is required to pass the course; your score (for projects and exams) is based on your ranking. This means it’s based on your performance compared to that of other students. For example, the top 5-10% of the class will get an A, the following 30% a B, etc. The outcome is that you might get a 13/20 which will result in an A for one subject (because most scored lower), while it might only be a B- in another (because most scored higher). Every school has its own school festival at the beginning of the semester with lots of free performances. I got to see BIBI, Be Why, and StayC, but also many talented students! 

October

I did not have tickets though, but one of my friends (Rebecca) did. I stayed next to the stadium with the others (Lya, Maria & Michelle), so I did not really see them, but just to hear their voices live is literally insane. It feels so surreal thinking back, it’s like a dream, I could cry. The whole day was so wholesome. It’s one of my best memories. The post-concert phase felt weird though. We could not get over it, yet we did feel kind of ’empty’. Anyway, Rebecca and I really did not know how to deal with it the day after the concert, so we just randomly decided to go to the Apple store and impulsively buy a new phone. Mid-terms were coming up, so we all met up at Bresh often to study together. Rebecca and I basically survived on Red Bull (sugarfree is a smash and lowkey better than the original one), she in combination with a snicker, me with a white bueno. The staff at Bresh is starting to know us. We always grab the same food: cheese buns. It’s pretty funny, because we couldn’t find them once, and they knew we were searching for them. One of the staff literally came from behind the counter with the freshly baked ones for us. I’m sobbing. I visited the Proof Exhibition at Hybe Insight with Michelle, which made us tear up. I cried my eyes out because of Jin’s The Astronaut. Enjoying the fall while strolling through new neighborhoods in the city. We all went to a Halloween party in fancy Gangnam. The day after, the terrible Halloween tragedy happened in Itaewon. I didn’t know any of the victims, but it just messes with your head. The whole city was mourning for a week.

November

Fall, fall, fall! Colored leaves are covering the ground everywhere. Seoul Forest is very peaceful. Rented hanboks (traditional clothing, you find them at different places near the palace) to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace with Rebecca, Michelle, and my roommate. More parties, more museums. We’re still a mess because of the concert, or maybe we are just a mess by nature. Took a stroll through Haneul Park. It’s famous for the purple-pinkish grass in October, but by the time I went, that was not the case anymore lol. Still worth visiting! Christmas decorations are starting to light up the city. Rented a car again for another day trip and more BTS stuff, which I will cover in another post.

December

December consisted of finals and emotions. First snow! I also got my first tattoo. Strolled around Ihwa-dong and Bukchon hanok village. Visiting Hybe Insight again, because there’s no place like home. We met up with our Korean parents twice this month! I adore them. They are so supportive and positive. We always bring them a gift, since they keep treating us to food. People started to leave once the semester ended. So I was dealing with many goodbyes and got a little homesick since they were all going home to spend the holidays with their families. Strolling around the city solo, such as visiting Seoullo (Seoul Road, was not that impressive during winter though). Changing apartments since my roommate left. I experienced sort of a scam but figured it out on my own. Celebrated Maria’s birthday and spent Christmas with international friends. Michelle and I went to a painting cafe. New Year’s Eve with Michelle and Rebecca. God bless all the people I’ve met.

January

Realizing the experience was coming to an end, so I tried visiting some more attractions I really wanted to see such as Bongeunsa, and Common Ground. Realizing the ‘lasts’ of everything. Booked a trip to Hong Kong to visit another friend for a few days, which will also be covered in another blog post. My last days in Seoul were precious. We covered some more BTS-related places. Our Korean parents threw me a farewell party at their home and bought me a gift. I feel so blessed to have met them. I love them with all my heart, may all their dreams come true, really. Rebecca and Michelle took such good care of me, they were both staying for another semester. I experienced a strong sense of denial but eventually had to face the truth.

General tips and notes

• Get familiar with the currency. It can come in handy when you carry around a little note, at least at the beginning of your trip. For example: 1 Euro is approximately 1.340 KRW, 15 Euro is about 20.101 KRW, and 75 Euro is 100.506 KRW. Simply because you might be able to gauge prices more easily that way.
• Buy the ‘Discover Seoul Pass’ for 30 USD. They offer 66 places for free such as Lotte World Adventure ($ 40), AREX Train (Incheon Airpot->Seoul station) ($7,3), 63 Square Observatory ($11,5), 63 Square Aquarium ($20), COEX Aquarium ($17), Hanbok Rental ($15), Namsan Tower Observatory ($12), Cruise on Han River ($22,3), City Tour Bus ($15), 1 day Sim Card and 124 places for discount. If you are well prepared and have a clear itinerary, you could buy this on your first day. But you could also use this when u feel more settled and make the most of your last days in Seoul.
• Call or text 1330, a Korea Travel Helpline app operated by the Korea Tourism Organization. It runs 24/24 and 7/7, with 8 different languages. They will help you with immigration, safety, and medical needs.
• The subway system is easy to use, and affordable: subway signs and maps are marked (in Korean and English!), subway lines are color-coded, and exits are indicated by yellow numbers. Make sure to tap in and out, because fares are mostly calculated on the travel distance. 
• You can find all national train routes and ticket prices at letskorail.com
• Try not to use the subway during rush hours (8-9 am, 6-7 pm). If you must travel during rush hours, be prepared for crowded trains, shoving and pushing. It’s better to travel 1 hour before or after rush hours.
• Korean food tends to be spicy. If you’re not the biggest fan of spice, there are also plenty of non-spicy Korean dishes to try such as pajeon, gimbap, jjajangmyun, bulgogi, japchae, and fried chicken.
• Toilets are either high-tech or the very opposite. In most public restrooms, you should not even flush the toilet paper. There’s a trash bin in each stall for discarded tissue, which can be an awkward adjustment in the beginning. 
• Shopping late at night is a common thing. Some shopping streets and areas are temped to get packed around 10 PM.
• A perfect place to see the sunset in Seoul is Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Centre (145-35 Jamwon-ro, Seocho-gu). It’s a floating Starbuckscafé on Han River, near Jamwon Park. It has 2 floors with an amazing view of the Han River, N-Tower, and the skyline through the glass walls. It’s very crowded though, so chances are that you might not find empty seats like I experienced a couple of times.
• The Korean ‘dollar store’ is called Daiso.
• There’s no tipping, whether it’s taxi drivers, wait staff or bartenders. In some cases, leaving a tip can even be considered as rude. 
• Bowing when saying hello, goodbye, and thank you is a great way to show respect. Especially when greeting someone older or with a higher status. But in most cases, just a head tilt will do the trick as well.
• Take off your shoes when you enter someone’s home. This might also be the case for many traditional shops and restaurants.
• Use your chopsticks respectfully. Don’t use them like a fork to pick up a piece of meat, and don’t place them upright in a bowl.
• Use two hands when giving and receiving something, pouring drinks, or shaking hands. This means that you should place your hands together, or place one hand on your forearm. This goes for paying something too!

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I tried to keep it short. If you want to hear more, something is unclear, or you still have questions left, feel free to let me know (in the comments, through mail, or DM on Instagram) and I will do my best.

With love,

Lara