South Korea

[XiamenBoy]

I'm planning to go to South Korea (Seoul and Pusan) this coming January. I would appreciate any input/ tips from any backpacker (read: budget traveller) who's been there. Things like-- accomodation, places to see, etc. Gamsa hamnida!!!

[TheDreamer]

I'm not that knowledgeable on South Korea BUT you ought to try their vodka .. the SOJOU (or is it soju) or "jing-lo" and have a go on their drinking games. I'll ask my friends from AIESEC Korea.

Btw, if you are planning to go budget and you are still below 25 years old, I suggest you avail of the STA Youth TRAVEL CARD. You can get discounts all over incl on accoms, entrance fees to places of interest and even avail of the blue ticket for your plane ride. The only authorized agency of STA Travel is KenStar Travel. Go to http://www.statravel.org for more information. I have the STA International Student Identification Card (ISIC CARD) and I get heaps of discounts wherever I go. My contact in KenStar is Ms. Vixie Tibon. Very friendly and helpful.

*paw*

[baby_boi]

Originally posted by XiamenBoy
I'm planning to go to South Korea (Seoul and Pusan) this coming January. I would appreciate any input/ tips from any backpacker (read: budget traveller) who's been there. Things like-- accomodation, places to see, etc. Gamsa hamnida!!!

anniyung hashiyo (Hello!)

I have Korean neighbors here and they taught me a few words/phrases in Korean. I thought thank you in Korean is KAMSA HAMNIDA. not Gamsa. :D

Anyways, enjoy your vacation in Korea this January...

[baby_boi]

Originally posted by TheDreamer
I'm not that knowledgeable on South Korea BUT you ought to try their vodka .. the SOJOU (or is it soju) or "jing-lo" and have a go on their drinking games. I'll ask my friends from AIESEC Korea.

*paw*

It's soju! Mas matapang pa sa iniinom natin... At palagi akong lasing sa soju. Ang lakas uminom ng mga Koreans. Promise! :D

[TheDreamer]

Originally posted by baby_boi


It's soju! Mas matapang pa sa iniinom natin... At palagi akong lasing sa soju. Ang lakas uminom ng mga Koreans. Promise! :D

:glee: na-try mo na pala!! Grabe noh?!? I went to this international conference before and they had like a big delegation from Korea. So we had room parties aside from the socials gabi gabi ... grabe ... kaka-lasing!!! Have you tried playing their drinking games?? KAKAIBA!!! Pero enjoy. I still have a bottle (shempre empty) na souvenir from those days. Try asking your korean friends if they know the game "I-SHOCK" and "BON-TEGI" ... :D

*paw*

[orcom_dude]

South Korea!!! I love South Korea!!! Went there during mid-year and it was great. Went to three cities (Seoul, Kyongju, and Taegu). Uhm, I went there to visit some Korean friends so I was able to really go to the tourist spots.

Seoul
I stayed in Seoul for just a couple of days so I didn't really get to see the place a lot. It's pretty much like Manila in the sense that there's traffic there too (but pollution's not bad).

You should visit the Lotte World in Seoul. It's one of the popular recreational parks. It's like an indoor Enchanted Kingdom but a whole lot bigger and with more killer rides!!! I assure you you'd have a great time here.

There's also an Oceanarium at the COEX mall. You should go there as well. The place is just amazing well mainly because I've never been to an oceanarium before. Galing talaga!!!

For shopping, a lot of duty free shops can be found in Seoul.

I won't be able to give you much info on Pusan because I didn't go there. I will check out the stuff I got to see if there's anything useful for you.

Taegu and Kyongju

I suggest you visit these places as well (especially Kyongju). Beautiful places. I stayed here mostly during my visit. Kyongju City is considered as a wall less museum. The entire city is one big museum. Several ancient temples are found here. It is also considered as the cradle of the Silla Dynasty so if you want to know more about Korea's history - visit Kyongju!!!

I'll post some more info on Taegu and Kyongju maybe tomorrow.

Korean Food
Try bulgogi and kimchi(spicy!!!). Bulgogi's really delicious. Most of the food are very healthy - fish, veggies, beef. As for soju, it's really great!!! I think any Pinoy can handle it. I enjoyed drinking it. What's good about it is that you get no hangover.

Etcetera
Currency is won. I think 40 pesos is equivalent to 1000 won. Korean time is ahead by an hour. Anniyohaseyo means hello. [/B]Anniyohigazeyo[/B] means bye. Kamsa Hamnida means thank you.

Enjoy your trip!!! Don't forget our pasalubong!!! Hehe!!!

*okay*

[richyuppie]

Korea came from the word "Koryo," which means "high and beautiful" in Chinese (as in what I read). Anyway, Koryo was a dynasty in Korea way back in 918 to 1392. North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPR Korea) call their own country "Choson" (sometimes spelled "Chosun"), which was derived from Chinese that means "land of the morning calm." However, South Korea call their country "Hanguk," which means Han Country, which was derived from the Han River. The official name of South Korea (or the Republic of Korea) in Korean is "Taehan Minguk," which means "the Great Han Republic/Country."

Indeed!

[baby_boi]

Originally posted by orcom_dude

Korean Food
Try bulgogi and kimchi(spicy!!!). Bulgogi's really delicious. Most of the food are very healthy - fish, veggies, beef. As for soju, it's really great!!! I think any Pinoy can handle it. I enjoyed drinking it. What's good about it is that you get no hangover.

Etcetera
Currency is won. I think 40 pesos is equivalent to 1000 won. Korean time is ahead by an hour. Anniyohaseyo means hello. [/B]Anniyohigazeyo[/B] means bye. Kamsa Hamnida means thank you.

Enjoy your trip!!! Don't forget our pasalubong!!! Hehe!!!

*okay*

Grabe sarap ng Korean food! Meron kasi Korean Restaurant dito sa condo yung friend ng mom ko... And pag kumakain kami dun, we get extra servings. Sarap ng Kimchi, Kimchi Chigue, Ojinga Dopbop, Haejangkuk, Tuk Ramian, and Kimbop (Parang California Maki pero siempre iba yung laman... sarap din!) Nagtitinda din sila ng Soju... for P90. Sa kabilang tindahan P80. Soju ang inumin mo pag gusto mo talagang maglasing... solve ka na dun!

Korean words I know:
Onni - Ate (used by younger females to call their ate)
Nuna - Ate (used by younger males to call their ate)
Hyong - Kuya (used by younger males to call their kuya)
Upa - Kuya (used by younger females to call their kuya)
Uma - Mother
Apa - Father
Tambe - Yosi
Kaja - Let's Go!
Anya - No, Hindi
Obsa - Wala
Chaisanggata - Gwapo
Musenggata - Pangit
Ippuda - Maganda
Sarang Hiyo/Sarang Hamnida - I love you!

Yun lang po! *bow*

[TheDreamer]

Try these sites:

http://www.koreatips.net
http://www.visitseoul.net
http://www.visitkorea.or.net

Goodluck!

*paw*

[XiamenBoy]

Kamsa hamnida!!! Well, well...Yeah I'm definitely gonna try soju then. As for Kimchi, I've tried it before ina Korean resto in HK and wow, my nose went ballistic!
Again, thanks you all!
(I'm gonna wait for the Pusan info though)

[XiamenBoy]

Sorry for the typo error. I meant: "Thank you, all!"

[baby_boi]

Originally posted by XiamenBoy
Kamsa hamnida!!! Well, well...Yeah I'm definitely gonna try soju then. As for Kimchi, I've tried it before ina Korean resto in HK and wow, my nose went ballistic!
Again, thanks you all!
(I'm gonna wait for the Pusan info though)

My mom's friend who owns the Korean Resto is from Pusan. She told me that Pusan is the second biggest city of Korea. Oh well, that's all I know bout Pusan... or Busan. She also told me that most historians in Korea are arguing over which is correct: Pusan or Busan. Ah Ewan... Basta Korea. Period! :D

[orcom_dude]

Originally posted by baby_boi


My mom's friend who owns the Korean Resto is from Pusan. She told me that Pusan is the second biggest city of Korea. Oh well, that's all I know bout Pusan... or Busan. She also told me that most historians in Korea are arguing over which is correct: Pusan or Busan. Ah Ewan... Basta Korea. Period! :D

That's one of the problems in Korea. You dunno which is the correct English name since the way they write their language is different. Additional examples, Taegu (a city I visited) is sometimes spelled as Daegu. Pulguksa (a temple you should visit in Kyongju) is also spelled as Bulguksa.

Ano ba talaga Kuya??? Hehehe!

XiamenBoy: I will try to post some info on Pusan by Thursday. And may I suggest you visit Kyongju City? It really is worth the visit.

:cool: