What I Wish I Knew Before Coming to Seoul

As the semester comes to an end, I thought about some things I wish I knew before coming to Seoul, like cultural norms, apps to download, food, and packing tips. Hopefully this post gives you some insight into what to expect and how to prepare for your time here!

Cultural Norms/Surprises

The most standard ones everyone's told are: no loud chatter or noises on public transportation, people usually shove past you in crowds without acknowledgement, and don't hold the door open for those behind them. But what I didn't expect was: 

• There are smokers, everywhere: everyone in Seoul seems to smoke so you'll quickly get used to seeing corners of streets and alleys fill with smokers and cigarette buds on the ground.
• People spit on the ground, and inside the corners of buildings (sometimes): It's very common to see spit on the ground in streets and even inside buildings--there's a reason people don't wear their shoes inside their homes.
• Used toilet paper goes in trashcans, not the toilet. Yes, it's very common to see used toilet paper in trashcans, although it seems like most people still flush it. Just don't be surprised if you find a trashcan full of used paper.
• Staring is very common: I'm a woman of color with frizzy, curly hair and dark skin, so it's likely that I stand out get more stares than "normal." However, people, especially older people, don't shy away from staring intensely at you even after you smile at them. On many occasions I've actually gotten compliments as a result of me smiling, so never assume the worse intentions.
• Trash cans are not common in Seoul: Don't expect to find one on the street so easily! You may have to hold on to it and throw it away at a subway station or when you eventually come across one.
• Smoking in clubs (especially in Hongdae) is very common. Going off of there being smokers everywhere, they generally smoke inside the clubs as well. If you're like me and don't like the smell of cigarettes then you'll likely feel stuffy. Fear not though, clubs in Itaewon are more ventilated and people generally smoke less inside the clubs. Also, after smelling so much smoke on the streets, you kind of get used to it. 

Apps to Download

• Kakao Talk: Most people, if not everyone, use Kakao Talk to communicate. And yes, you can sign up with a foreign number!
• Kakao Taxi: I find this to be one of the best Taxi apps. Uber also works in South Korea, so I do end up using that most of the time. Howeverm public transportation is quite efficient here so I barely used taxis to get around.
• Naver Map: This was the best app for me to get around Seoul. It can be buggy but works better than most. Sometimes it only takes addresses in Korean:
  • Tip: Search the place up on Google Maps and navigate down to find the Korean address. Copy-paste it into Naver and it should work!
• Kakao Map: You can choose between Naver and Kakao--I used Kakao for a while and moved to Naver, but both work just fine!
• Papago: The best translation app out there. It has the ability to translate speech and images in real time!

Food

South Korean food is delicious and I am genuinely a fan, but I found that the flavors are not as diverse as I expected. Meaning: a lot of dishes carried the same tastes/flavors, so I ended up craving something different. When homesickness hit, I didn't expect to miss familiar flavors so much! There are plenty of opportunities to eat foreign food but keep in mind that they can be expensive. If you enjoy Indian cuisine, you'll find comfort in stores like Saravana Bhavan in Itaewon (the best option for South Indian cuisine in my opinion--it is vegetarian though). There are also tacos, pasta and burgers everywhere, and shawarma spots too (Big Kebab in Hongdae is a personal favorite!). You could also run down to a supermarket and purchase pasta and pasta sauce for cheap to cook quick meals! 

Packing Tips

If you like the style of clothing in South Korea then you will be shopping, so pack light! I ended up buying new clothes here but luckily. If possible, try to bring at least one empty or half empty check-in luggage. However, if you're not a fan of the clothing, I would suggest packing everything you may need. Pinterest is pretty accurate when it comes to South Korean style, so I suggest doing some research beforehand to decide if you are going to be shopping.  

Overall Experience

I had a great time in South Korea and I definitely recommend studying abroad here. There's always something to do and I will absolutely miss it. I hope this information was helpful, thank you for reading :) 

              - Jayani Jayakanthan