Our journeys can start from the smallest sparks of inspiration: a movie, a book, a photograph, a song. In the Spring of 2019, I followed my little trail of inspiration across the ocean to a place that a few years prior, I probably couldn’t have even pointed out on a map: the Land of Morning Calm: South Korea. In this writing, I just wanted to pour out a little Seoul appreciation post to tell a bit of my story and why this place means so much to me.
My first of several trips to South Korea was to be a transformative adventure and Seoul was to become one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s dynamic cityscape immediately grabbed me. The massive urban swath is a gorgeous juxtaposition of the old and the new; from the sleekest of modern skyscrapers in Gangnam to the intricate traditional patterns on ancient Buddhist temples and historic palaces.
It is a city at once grand and imposing yet intimate and tranquil. The bus zooms over the large Han River dividing the city to reveal the gorgeous city skyline framed by mountains. There are countless vistas amongst Seoul’s hilly terrain to take in a beautiful view of the city.
Explore closer and you are greeted by the endless little alleys and side streets: the veins of the city, dotted with so many cafes, galleries, and countless beautiful details to discover. Seoul is truly my favorite city to get lost in.
It’s almost too easy to stumble upon something beautiful and intriguing: spontaneous concerts and buskers, Buddhist chants echoing from temples, a charming stream or hidden trail into the mountains. I have never traveled somewhere so unbelievably easy to explore.
In the same day, I could take a short train ride to the picturesque fields of the nearby countryside and easily be back in downtown Seoul in the evening amongst its glowing night lights. As a woman traveling alone, I have scarcely ever felt so safe. I had heard of Korea’s very low crime rate but to experience firsthand walking down dark streets alone as a woman was honestly incredible.
Seoul is naturally one of the best places to experience Korea’s famous cuisine. I savored hearty dishes full of tangy, spicy, rich, savory feasts, banquet-like meals with dozens of side dishes, bustling markets lined with aroma-filled street food vendors. Dining culture seems an epicenter of Korea’s spirit of community; unwinding with colleagues after work, laughing with friends over grilling meat and clinking soju glasses. I felt a sense of celebration and savoring of life.
I have experienced some of the kindest gestures and interactions from strangers in Korea. It can be in the little moments such as the many people who enthusiastically smiled and waved at me (sometimes from across the street!) to heartily wish me a great visit. My heart is still warmed by the memory of a bus driver who pulled over to give me an umbrella on a rainy day. Once I stumbled upon a beautiful art gallery where the artist invited me to stay for supper with her friends and gifted me a beautiful notebook that I still cherish today.
People truly seemed to go out of their way to help me and welcome me. And yes, as a black woman moving around a very homogeneous society, there is a lot of staring and a handful of those stares were not so friendly but those few sour glances were barely a whisper in the bigger song of such warmth and kindness I have felt from Korean people.
It is a place I understand to have many complexities and social issues like any other. I was well aware even ahead of my first visit of the struggles with mental health and intense social pressure that pervade Korean society. Something about the knowledge of this made these kind gestures, their warm smiles, the vulnerability of the stories people shared with me even more meaningful and heartfelt.
South Korea is a country with a rather harrowing story of overcoming conquest and violence. As I learned about this history through their museums, monuments and palaces, it made me feel even closer to this unique place. It was something I felt in Korea’s diverse music and art that I couldn’t quite put my finger on till I was on the country’s soil: Korea has a spirit of fight and perseverance that you can truly feel. It is a contagious spirit of “Don’t give up! You can do it!” that grabbed me and empowered me during a chapter in my life when I sorely needed it.
Why I love Seoul and Korea as a whole is not some easily definable thing. It’s in a glowing avenue awash in a rainbow of neon signs. It’s in a rose-colored sunset on the Han River. It’s in a stroll down a quiet road as cherry blossom petals rain down overhead. It’s in joyful music playing from the storefronts, making the whole street feel like a party. It’s in stories and loud belly laughs over rice wine and a delicious stew. Korea is, for me, a place brimming with life, adventure and so many magical moments that both enlivened and healed my spirit.
My little South Korea appreciation post may seem overzealous and glamorizing of a place with flaws like any other but I say, in this hectic, stressful world, I will grab joy when it reaches out to me. I see no problem with romanticizing our lives a bit as we float through space on this rock together. A quote I like goes something like this: We don’t travel to escape life, We travel so that life doesn’t escape us. We have an opportunity through travel to touch some far off lands and discover places that uniquely wrap around our hearts and make us feel renewed. So please, go and see the world. There may be places that you haven’t been where you already belong.
Thank you so much for reading! If you feel inspired to visit South Korea, I hope you’ll check out my Korea packing list here for some handy travel essentials!
