What you need to travel to Seoul. Planning a trip to Seoul, the capital of South Korea

Since January 1 this year, it has become much easier for Russian tourists to get to South Korea. However, the same can be said about Koreans who want to visit Russia. A visa-free regime began to operate in bilateral relations. Korea is an interesting country, there is something to see, where to relax and how to spend your time interestingly. RG previously wrote about the sights of Korea, and the Koreans themselves for the most part leave a favorable impression.

According to the latest data, the introduction of a visa-free regime led to an increase in the number of Russian tourists in Korea by 36%, and Koreans came to Russia by 61% more than a year earlier, when visas were still required for tourist trips. Recently, the government of South Korea also announced that it would bet on attracting Russians to the country. Thus, according to the plans of the Korean government, by 2017 the number of Russians visiting Korea should double, reaching 350,000 people.

In general, we can confidently say that Russia and South Korea got a chance to become even closer to each other, to get to know each other better. "The more often we visit each other, the better we can understand: Russians are Koreans, and Koreans are Russians. The importance of people's diplomacy has been growing in recent years, and therefore the visa-free regime will serve to form a more objective image of Russia in South Korea," said Andrei Osmakov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Busan, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

With this publication, we continue the RG series of articles on the introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and South Korea.

"Russian newspaper": Let's follow the whole chain that a Russian faces when visiting South Korea under a visa-free regime. Where should you start?

Consul: To begin with, let's say that the official name of the document, which entered into force on January 1, 2014, is the following: Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the mutual cancellation of visa requirements. The introduced new regime does not mean the abolition of visas in general, and therefore, on the eve of departure, you need to decide whether you need a visa. We emphasize right away: regardless of the duration of the visit - even if you are traveling for one week - you need a visa if you are going to study or work in Korea. It will have to be received, and this is directly stated in the agreement. Visas are not needed only for those who travel to Korea for tourism purposes or on a business trip.

"RG": Judging by the responses, many are interested in the question of the length of possible stay without a visa. It's kind of a confusing system...

"TO": It's not that complicated, it's quite simple. The principle is this: within 180 days, that is, for six months, without a visa in Korea, you can visit a total of no more than 90 days. But at the same time, each race cannot be more than 60 days. That is, you have a limit of 90 days for six months, and you "choose" it: you can 60 + 30, you can 30 + 30 + 30, you can nine times ten, etc., but in any case, you can’t be more each time 60 consecutive days. That is, 65 + 25 will not work. The 180-day period that determines your 90 days is calculated from the date you enter Korea. As it expired, a new one begins, where you are again allowed to be without a visa for a total of up to 90 days, but not more than 60 days in one arrival.

"RG": Got it sorted out. I am traveling as a tourist, and therefore I do not need a visa, I do not plan to stay more than 60 days. Started going through passport control and...

"TO": And here again, one "BUT", which operates in any country, including South Korea. Even if you do not need a visa, the country's authorities may refuse you entry without giving a reason. As they often write on the visas themselves: "Having a visa does not guarantee your entry into the country. The final decision is made on the spot by the migration control officer." And to be indignant, "to demand a consul" is useless here - it is the right of the host country not to let anyone in. And the authorities are not obliged to explain the reason. At the same time, it is useless to contact, call the Russian representative offices in Korea - the migration service will not explain anything to diplomats, and any attempts to put pressure on it will be interpreted as "interference in internal affairs."

"RG": In reality, this often happened? Based on your experience...

"TO": Let's put it this way: when the Korean authorities refused entry, they usually had good reasons for this. They didn't always give reasons, but just like that "I'm in a bad mood - fly back to Russia" - I don't remember that. As a rule, those who had previously had some "sins" in Korea were "unwrapped": maybe they were conditionally convicted, they were put on the "black list" for one reason or another. In general, all this is not out of the blue and, as a rule, the “offended” themselves understood “where the legs grow from” such an attitude, but they did not always admit it.

"RG": It may well be that someone had previously some problems with the law in Korea, he returned to Russia and now wants to visit Korea again. What would you recommend to them so that they would not immediately send him to his homeland by the next plane?

"TO": It is necessary to come to the embassy or consulate of Korea on the eve of the trip, explain the situation and ask the Korean authorities to find out if there are any claims against him. But only the Korean authorities themselves can do this. Russian diplomats cannot figure this out for every Russian, and the Koreans are not obliged to provide us with such information. And if you do it personally, then you should be told: you can go or you still have some claims. And one more thing: you should not hope that you will be able to cheat the system and "slip" in a roundabout way to Korea. Everything is entered into a common database, which the Koreans with their technologies are in excellent condition. And therefore, at every point of entry - even at the Seoul airport, even at Busan, even at the port of Sokcho, in general, anywhere, everyone will know about you. There is a single database here.

"TO": Even if you do not need a visa, the officer has every right to ask you where you are going to live. You need to know the exact address of residence. It will be great if you print out a sheet with a reservation from the hotel. This should be enough. There may be other clarifying questions of a general nature, but, as a rule, this does not happen - no one wants to create a queue. Usually the questions begin when your entry document (a small tear-off ticket that is filled in at the entrance) is filled in such a way that questions inevitably arise.
And again, I want to draw the attention of potential students. If you are going to Korea on a tourist visa, but wrote that you will live at the university, then you will have questions and you may not be allowed to enter. We repeat: if you are going to study, get a study visa, even if you study for only a month. If it becomes clear that you have decided to use the visa-free regime for study (and this is expressly prohibited by the agreement), then you will most likely be returned back.

"RG": Well, we passed passport control and here it is - the long-awaited Korea. What is your overall impression of the Korean police? Have you ever heard that law enforcement officers are trying to somehow find fault with foreigners, as they say, "out of the blue"?

"TO": The Korean police simply, without explanation, according to the law, have the right to detain any person for 48 hours, that is, for two days. Then they must bring charges, extending the detention to 10 days, after which they must transfer the case to the prosecutor's office. But in practice, no one in this country will detain you "just like that." If you were detained, believe me, then there are likely reasons.

Korean police are very friendly. If you get lost, do not know something - feel free to come up and ask, this is perceived as normal. Most likely, a "standard" Korean policeman will be able to say at least a couple of words in English. Many of the police officers are young guys who serve in the police instead of the army. So there is no need to be afraid of them, and they are benevolent. I have not heard of any "molestation of foreigners out of the blue". If you do not violate Korean laws, then no one will think to approach you, the police have a lot of their own affairs, and a foreigner is always a difficult situation in legal terms, various formalities and so on. In general, the likelihood that a police officer will start looking for a reason to "fuck" something from you is very, very small, almost zero. Here, even a passport is extremely rarely just asked.

"RG": Do you need to carry a passport with you?

"TO": It is better to keep it in a safe in a hotel so as not to lose it yourself through negligence. And just in case, you can make a copy of the first page of your passport and carry it with you. This is sufficient in most cases.

"RG": It is clear that Korea is a very safe and civilized country. But maybe there are such laws and regulations that we may not know about, and therefore we may find ourselves in conflict with local laws simply out of ignorance?

"TO": Such a situation is possible. It is difficult to cover all the possible problems, but one feature of South Korea immediately comes to mind. Consider the peculiarity of inter-Korean relations. The country has a National Security Law that prohibits the import and distribution of materials from the DPRK. And this is not a joke. For this, they can be seriously punished - up to prison terms. In practical terms, this means that there is no need to bring North Korean newspapers, books, badges to South Korea, offer to listen to North Korean songs, and so on. It is also not worth agitating for the "Juche Country" - this also falls under the National Security Law. By the way, the South Korean authorities are blocking Internet access to North Korean websites. And we do not advise you to try to get to the North Korean sites from the territory of the South. All in all, don't risk it. Local authorities are also likely to first warn, and only then "punished to the fullest extent", but they can deport - if you give a reason in this direction.

"RG": Well, can you talk about politics, or is everything too strict?

"TO": It's pretty liberal here. In South Korea, the opposition is influential, many Koreans themselves will be the first to tell you what they think their leadership is doing wrong. You can calmly talk, ask, discuss here, including about the policy towards the DPRK. Many South Koreans can ask you this themselves, knowing that Russia is actively cooperating with both Seoul and Pyongyang. This is as much as you like, but, we repeat, it is not necessary to bring and distribute bundles of newspapers from the DPRK. This will be punished quickly and severely.

"RG": Is there anything else that is strictly enforced in Korea?

"TO": Very strict with weapons, drugs, violence in any form. Any hint of involvement in this - you immediately fall under the close attention of the police and special services. The very weak distribution of drugs and weapons in Korea is primarily the merit of the authorities. This is fought very hard. Even a starting pistol will be considered as a weapon, in general - no "traumatics", "pneumatics", "grass" and other things.

Korean police officers look very friendly, and they are. But if you gave a reason to suspect yourself of something illegal, then this whole system will immediately show its rigidity, thoroughness, and uncompromisingness. This is the case that "everyone is good, as long as you yourself are good." Do not try to offer bribes - this will only complicate the situation and worsen your chances for the most lenient punishment.

"RG": Let's say I wanted to stay in Korea, work or study, then ...

"TO": Then you must personally appear at the Immigration Service and find out all the rules and procedures. It is possible that you still have to leave the country for this. But only employees of the Immigration Service can answer these questions, the embassy and consulate of the Russian Federation does not have the right to interfere in these issues. Only the applicant himself and only personally ...

"RG": It is clear that no one will voluntarily look for problems for himself, but anything can happen in life. What are your tips?

"TO": Standard and well-known: try not to get into such situations, do not visit dubious establishments, if you drink alcohol, then moderately. Many "stories" occur precisely after excessive drinking. And don't let go of your hands. A fight, even if you just push a Korean, is perceived very badly and is punished severely.

There is one peculiarity of Korean legislation. Let's say you had a fight with someone, and then agreed with him, even paid him money as compensation. But then this person can still go to the police and file a complaint against you with all the legal consequences. It is enough for him to bring two witnesses who will confirm his words and the police will begin an investigation. And "agreed, not agreed" - this is your problem.

By the way, it's the same if you came to the police, you were interrogated, but then you - the offender and the victim - decided to come to an agreement. If there were any damages, a case was started, then the investigation and the court will be regardless of the fact of reconciliation of the parties. This may be taken into account, but the fact that the one "to whom you broke your nose already has no claims" is not an argument for the Korean Themis. Once the case is opened, it must be completed, and the guilty person punished.

"RG": Let's say that for one reason or another, a Russian found himself in some kind of unpleasant situation, he was brought to the police station and began to be interrogated. What do you advise?

"TO": If you do not speak Korean confidently, ask for an interpreter from Russian. This is your right, which they are obliged to fulfill and will fulfill. Demand clearly and adamantly - this is not the first time that the Korean police have encountered Russians, they have lists of people who help them as translators, so demand. If you think that the interpreter does not speak Russian well and does not provide the proper level of understanding with the police representative, demand a replacement of the interpreter. Again, this is your right. And demand that the consulate or embassy be notified. The police must also do this at your request.

"RG": Maybe something else when communicating with the police?

"TO": General rule: if you don’t understand something, then never sign, ask for clarification, translation. If they let you go, having handed over "some pieces of paper" - do not throw them away, but figure out what it is. There are frequent cases when a person was released, obliging to appear on demand. And if you do not appear, then this will not be interpreted in your favor and the maximum possible punishment will be assigned. There were cases when compatriots were released from the police, they left, and then at the border, when they visited Korea again, immigration did not let them in. It turned out that the case was not closed, the Russian was summoned for repeated interrogations, although he had already gone abroad, then a trial, a sentence in absentia and a "black list". So make sure that there are no more claims against you, and do not throw away any received documents and certificates. The Koreans have an open judicial system and on the relevant sites, by the number of your case, you can find out everything - what is the result, sanctions, and so on.

"RG": What line of conduct do you advise to choose?

"TO": Based on the experience of dealing with various conflicts, I can say that there are two tactics of behavior. Some categorically deny everything completely and say: "And you try to prove it!". The second recognize everything and ask for indulgence. And therefore, if there really was an incident and you were taken "for the cause", then you must confess and repent. Most likely (if the conversation is not about serious crimes), you will simply be deported, giving a suspended sentence. And then you will be able to enter again, you just need to make sure that your "prohibited period" has expired. And there is no need to flaunt, saying, "yes, where are my fingerprints and other objective evidence", knowing that in fact "something happened". They can also appoint a serious term based on circumstantial evidence, most likely this will be the case. The Korean court does not like such self-confident suspects.

"RG": The season of "beach holidays" will begin soon, what should be kept in mind here?

"TO": Keep in mind that in Korea, the swimming season is only from mid-July to the end of August. Many beaches close at night. This is especially true for small towns and villages. At night, it is better not to climb on closed beaches, and in the non-swimming season too. Even in the swimming season, no one will let you swim far. Usually an area is fenced off where you can reach the bottom with your feet - and splash around there. And if you decide to swim further away, then the rescuers will immediately return you back. So the situation here is somewhat different than on the beaches familiar to Russians.

We also categorically do not recommend photographing local girls in swimsuits - at least without their explicit and clear consent to this. On all major beaches, announcements are constantly being voiced with a request to report such "photographers" to the police. We know of a case where Indonesians were detained for photographing Korean women on the beach and then deported.

"RG": Many perceive the eastern countries as an analogue of Thailand in terms of the prevalence of the sex industry.

"TO": Not that country. In Korea, it is prohibited, although it is present in one form or another. And everyone will answer - the "priestess of love" herself, the pimp and the client. In general, it is, but it is punishable, and therefore we do not recommend it.

"RG": Well, in the end, a few words about transport, traffic on the roads.

"TO": Yes, public transport is convenient here. Bus traffic is very well developed, wonderful high-speed trains KTX, affordable taxis. Convenient and clean subway, which is available not only in Seoul, but also in other major cities - Busan, Daegu, Incheon. In general, public transport is very good, but there are a lot of cars on the roads, and therefore you need to be careful. Cars sometimes pass through a red traffic light, they may try not to let pedestrians through, etc., although, as they say, this does not reach the point of "lawlessness on the roads", the order is generally present here.

"RG": Recently, many Russians have been actively using car rental, and here the number of potentially conflict situations is already increasing. Your advice, comments?

"TO": Yes, when Russians get behind the wheel, they often begin to look at Koreans differently. On the other hand, there are simply wonderful roads, a convenient road numbering system. As for advice... First of all, don't flatter yourself that you rarely see the traffic police. Here everything is in the cells, and therefore, when necessary, then they will appear very quickly. The "Korean style" of driving should also be taken into account: some may not use the "turn signals" when changing lanes. The driving style of taxi drivers and buses is often similar to our minibuses: sharp lane changes, rather aggressive driving, can cut, and therefore you need to be careful with them. I would not say about ordinary Koreans that they drive better or worse than Russians.

"RG": Nobody wants to get into an accident, but it's better to know how to behave. What are your tips?

"TO": Of course, it's better to let a scorcher go, even if he's wrong, than to get into an accident with him. Proceedings usually go between the commissioners of insurance companies, and therefore it is important to take out insurance when renting a car. There is one Korean feature: even if you are innocent by Russian standards, but you made a move, then some part of the insurance amount will be "hung" on you. It may be 10-20%, but it is rarely recognized here that only one side is completely to blame. This is a general approach and not an attempt to deceive foreigners. Perhaps you need to stand in a parking lot or in front of a traffic light to get 0% recorded. Otherwise, even if it is completely the fault of the other side, at least 5% will also be written to you.

In the case of pedestrians, it is better to let them pass everywhere and always, even if they cross in the wrong places. If you hit someone while driving, even if the pedestrian broke the rules, then 99.9% of the blame is on the driver of the car. The situation is similar with motorcycles and mopeds. They drive very dangerously, but if there is a collision, then, from the point of view of the police, the car will most likely be at fault. Here the principle is this: whoever is weaker and more vulnerable is right, according to the police. This is what we were told at one time in the Transport Police Analysis Group. Therefore, be very careful with pedestrians, mopeds, motorcycles.

"RG": Well, maybe you want to say something to those who are planning to come to Korea?

"TO": We've done a great job of answering most common questions in advance. Therefore, we strongly advise you to visit the website of our embassy in Seoul and the consulate general in Busan (given below in the "help" - note "RG") - there are tips, recommendations and other useful information, including the full text of the Agreement on the mutual abolition of visa requirements. We also advise you to write off the phone for emergency communication from the site, just in case.

If you still have questions, please contact us on our "pages" on Facebook, Twitter or by e-mail. We are always in touch. In social networks, we respond very quickly, we also respond quickly to e-mail - about three to five days.

We also advise you to register with the consular office. This can be done by personally visiting the representative office, but it can also be done through our websites - there are links there. It will take no more than 5-10 minutes. From time to time it happened that we needed to urgently contact one of the Russians in Korea, but there were no contact details. The question may arise: "Why all this?". The answer is: "Anything is possible." Who knows what might happen at home, with your family or, again, with you. It may be necessary to urgently inform you of something, but they turn to us - to the consulate or embassy. It's in your own interest.

In general, we wish you a pleasant stay. South Korea is an interesting country with a rich culture and traditions, we hope that you will get only good impressions when you come here.

To be fully prepared for a trip to the Land of the Morning Calm and get answers to all possible questions before the trip, use our tips.

1. How and when to fly

South Korea is pleasant to travel all year round. If you want to bask by the sea, the ideal month for this is August: the rainy season is already over, and the air warms up to 27–30 °C. It is warm and dry in Korea in autumn, you can walk in numerous national parks, enjoying the bright autumn colors, admiring the famous red maples, and the best time for this is the end of September - the beginning of November. In winter, the temperature rarely drops below -6 °C, which is excellent weather for skiing and snowboarding. Spring in Korea is warm and sunny with very little rainfall. And in spring, cherries, dogwood, azaleas bloom, and this is worth admiring. The peak of flowering is in April. Read more about what to do in different seasons in South Korea.

There is a seasonal direct flight from St. Petersburg to Seoul from the largest airline in South Korea, Korean Air, which means that from spring to autumn you can fly to the capital of Korea without unnecessary headaches and transfers. Departures are carried out daily, except Monday and Wednesday, the flight time is 8 hours 50 minutes.

2. How to get around the city

In Seoul, there is a problem, like in any other modern metropolis - traffic jams. Therefore, whenever possible, it is better to use the metro and other public transport. It's easy with a single T-money card that will help you save 10% on each trip compared to a single ticket.

T-money and Cashbee transport cards are valid on buses and subways in Seoul and other regions of Korea (all major cities have subways), and you can also use them to pay for taxi fares.
City buses run in all regions of Korea and have a certain color. All buses in Seoul are painted in four colors: yellow - ring, green operate flights within the same area between subway stations, blue serve several areas, red carry out commuter traffic. For more information about Seoul buses and other modes of transport, see the Transportation section of the Korea Tourism Organization website.

Sometimes it is more convenient to take a taxi. A lot of them. More budgetary - orange (in Seoul; in satellite cities - silver), luxury taxis - black with a yellow sign on the roof.

3. Where to change money and whether to tip

The Korean currency is won. The rate may change, but at the moment 1,000 Korean won (KRW) = 57.6 rubles, or slightly less than $1. Almost everywhere, except for small shops and markets, cards of international payment systems are accepted.

It is best to exchange cash in Korean banks or specialized points located in tourist areas such as Insadong, Itaewon, Myeongdong. You can also exchange money at large hotels or directly at the airport (Incheon or Gimpo), but the commission will be higher than in the city.
Keep the documents - you can change back to dollars the local currency that was not useful on the trip only upon presentation of a certificate from the bank.

Tipping is not customary in Korea. An attempt to give a tip is perceived negatively by Koreans. However, in European or American bars in South Korea, where there are no Koreans among the staff or authorities, such a gesture will be appreciated as usual.

4. How and what to buy

Korea is called the paradise of shopaholics. Major department stores feature world high brands Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Bulgari and many others. There are interesting clusters with clothes from local designers. Excellent cosmetics, beautiful products made of mother-of-pearl and pearls and, of course, souvenirs. The most popular are the Korean national costume hanbok, dojagi ceramics, puche fan and bag for luck pok jumoni.

Large shopping centers and markets are often open around the clock.
And more good news for shoppers: Duty Free, that is, a duty free zone, is available not only at airports and ports in Korea, but also in department stores of large brands (for example, local majors Lotte and Huindai).

In Korea, there is also the usual tax refund on goods purchased in the country - Tax Refund. Look for blue star stickers. If you do not find such a sticker, ask the staff about Global Blue, Tax Refund or Tax Free. The minimum purchase amount is 30,000 won. The value of a single purchase must not exceed 500,000 won including tax. It will be possible to return from 10 to 20% for jewelry. Save your receipts, fill out the Tax Free Form, prepare your passport and purchased items and contact the return point, which is not only at the airport, but also in the city center - they are indicated on receipts and at duty free points. If you can't wait, use the Global Blue mailbox located next to customs. Submit your completed, stamped Tax Free form with receipts to receive a refund on your credit card.

And yet, every summer in Seoul there is a big summer sale (Seoul Summer Sale), where a tourist can get up to 50% discount if you get a special card at the airport in advance.

5. What language to speak

Before traveling to a non-English-speaking country, the question always arises of whether it is necessary to acquire a phrase book in order to somehow communicate with the locals if necessary.

The official language in South Korea is Korean. If you want to be known as a polyglot among your local acquaintances, remember a few useful phrases. "Hello" - "anyon haseyo". In a more informal dialogue with friends, you can say "anyon" - "hello." "Very nice to meet you" - "mannaso pongauoyo." "Thank you" - "kamsahamnida". "Goodbye" - "annenhi keseyo" - is said to the one who remains. In order to make a good impression, these phrases will be enough.

But feel free to ask for directions or any other questions in English, because Koreans spend a lot of time learning this language and will not mind practicing. If you don't know who to contact on the street, look for the tourist police, whose representatives stand out in blue uniforms and black berets. Its staff will help you navigate the area or translate the inscription on the sign (although most are duplicated in English). Information support is also included in their responsibilities.

6. How not to be left without communication

South Korea is famous for the fastest Internet in the world - 26.1 Mbps, as well as its availability for the population. Free Wi-Fi is available in many institutions and hotels in Seoul, in museums, train stations and airports, and even in the subway, but outside the capital it is somewhat more difficult to find. Therefore, local operators offer portable Wi-Fi routers (they are also called Wi-Fi eggs), which allow you to access the Internet wherever there is a cellular connection. Wi-Fi router can be rented at the airport, although it is quite expensive.

Those who want to purchase a SIM card from a local operator can do so online in advance and then pick up the SIM card at the airport. Especially popular among foreign tourists are 5, 10 and 30-day SIM-cards, which provide unlimited access to the Internet. SIM cards are also sold in large supermarkets and specialized stores. Don't forget to check if your phone is unlocked for use abroad.

It should be noted that electricity in Korea is standard - 220V, 60Hz, sockets are the same as in Russia. So no special adapters are needed.

Do's and Don'ts

In the house it is customary to take off your shoes and walk barefoot.
It is not customary to pierce food with chopsticks like a fork. Don't leave chopsticks upright on your plate, especially if they're stuck in rice. And do not use them as a pointer during a conversation.
Saying a categorical “no” is considered bad form. Evasive answers are accepted here and there is practically no imperative mood.
In Korean culture, personal space is highly valued, so it is not customary to pat on the back, hug unfamiliar people, and generally touch strangers.
It’s better not to gesture: the gestures we are used to can have a completely different meaning in Korean culture and even seem offensive.
In Korea, elders are revered - by age, position. A lot of things cannot be done in the presence of elders, besides, they are supposed to be treated in a special way: bow deeply, wait for a hand to be offered to you, respond to a shake with both hands. Pour wine, pass items to the elder, you must also use both hands or holding the other by the wrist.
Blowing your nose in public is not accepted, but it is supposed to sneeze loudly. And you can even slurp to show that you enjoy food.

Holidays in South Korea will surely give you vivid impressions and emotions. The combination of modern cities with skyscrapers, traditional Korean culture and architecture, picturesque national parks, beautiful beaches, flavored with developed infrastructure, will make a trip to this country comfortable and memorable.

South Korea looks especially beneficial for residents of the Russian Far East, because flying here is closer than to Moscow and the European part of the country.

I present to your attention a large useful material about traveling to South Korea, where you will learn how to get cheaply, how to move around, where to live, what to see, and how much the trip will cost.

Korean women

Visa to South Korea: is it necessary?

Since 2014, Russians can enter the country without a visa if the period of stay does not exceed 60 days (but not more than 90 days a year).

Documents for visa-free entry to South Korea:

a passport that is valid for at least six more months from the date of entry
completed migration card, which will be given to you on the plane or other transport
completed customs declaration (if there is something to declare)

Instructions for filling out a migration card

On the Internet, I also met that I needed return flights and confirmation of the availability of funds (hotel reservations, a bank statement, cash, etc.). But we were not asked anything from this list, we arrived on a flight from Kuala Lumpur. However, I advise you to do it just in case.

Hotel reservations can be made on booking (choose the "free cancellation" option).

How to make an air ticket reservation without payment, wrote in detail at. Although it is ideal if you have real tickets back.

If you plan to stay longer in the UK, you will need a visa. They are working, student, research.

How to get to South Korea cheap?

The most convenient way to get into the country is by plane, as most tourists do.

There are direct flights from Russia to South Korea from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

There are direct flights to Daegu from Khabarovsk and Vladivostok by T'Way Air and Hanh Air at a price of about 13-15 thousand rubles in both directions.

There are direct flights to Seoul from Vladivostok (S7, Aeroflot, Jeju Air, Korean Air), from Moscow (Aeroflot, Korean Air), from St. Petersburg (Aeroflot), from Khabarovsk (S7, Aeroflot, Asiana Airlines).

There are direct flights to Busan from Vladivostok (Aeroflot).

The cheapest way to get to South Korea is to catch the sale of the Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air from Vladivostok to Seoul. Once they sold tickets for 3,000 rubles one way and 6,000 round trip. Unfortunately sales don't happen that often.

Airfare from Moscow

Transport in South Korea

Aircraft

The largest airlines are Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, which have flights between the capital and other cities in the country, as well as between provincial cities.

Also, pay attention to Air Busan, Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, T'way Airlines, Hanh Air if you are planning to take a domestic flight.

Jeju Air Counter at Jeju Airport

Prices are low, discounts are not uncommon at the beginning of the working week, but weekend tickets are more expensive, and besides, they are quickly taken apart. For example, we flew from Jeju to Busan for only 48,000 won for two (with 15 kg of luggage each).

Trains in Korea

The country also has a convenient railway system, although it does not cover all regions.

KTX high speed train

Trains come in three main classes:

KTX- high-speed, fly from Seoul to Busan in two and a half hours (it costs 59,800 won in economy class, 83,700 won in first class)

Saemaul- stop only in major cities, the same way costs 42,600 won.

Mugunghwa- the slowest, but still comfortable. Seoul-Busan costs 28,600 won.

If you plan to travel a lot on trains, buy an unlimited KR Pass, it will be more profitable. A one-day pass costs 81,000 won, and a three-day pass costs 113,000 won.

You can buy tickets at railway stations, travel agencies, as well as on the official website of Korean Railways. You can also check the train schedule there.

Buses

The bus system in the country is very developed, with thousands of buses plying the roads between all major and minor cities. There is no place you can't get to.

Buses are divided into express and intersity, which often arrive at different terminals in the same city. The former run between the main large cities, the latter between smaller provincial ones. In addition, there are also varieties by class: Ilban (regular) and Udeung (superior, with three seats in a row). Night buses are usually superior with a corresponding price.

Intercity bus

Vip bass with three seats in a row

In general, the bus ride is quite comfortable, the driver makes stops every 2-3 hours, and the roads have all the infrastructure with cafes, toilets and entire shopping malls.

As a rule, there is no need to buy tickets in advance, except for holidays and weekends. You can do this at the bus station before departure. You can view the schedule in advance at (in the upper right corner, select English).

Bus station in Busan

Ticket vending machine

Car rental in Korea

To rent a car in Korea, you will need an international driving license (issued over a year ago) and you must be over 21 years old. The road infrastructure is well developed here: you will find equipped parking lots, campsites, cafes, gas stations ... The roads are chic wide with a dividing fence, multi-level interchanges.

Road infrastructure is excellent

Ferries

Ferries run to numerous islands. We did not sail on these (more precisely, only from Jeju Island to Udo Island), but all information about the schedule and prices can be found at the ports.

Ferry from Jeju Island to Udo Island

Local urban transport

The best way to save money on moving around cities is to buy a special vehicle. T-money card. It is sold in special machines in the subway (on arrival at the airport too), or in supermarkets GS25, CU, 7-11 and costs 2000-2500 won. You can also top up your balance there. When entering and exiting the subway or bus, simply lean it against a special machine.

What is the main advantage of this card? It gives you a 100 won discount on each trip, plus the option to use one more mode of transport for free if you transfer within 30 minutes. Thus, it pays for itself in a day. We spent the rest of the card in the supermarket at the Seoul airport before the flight.

The subway is the most convenient urban transport, there are subways in 6 major Korean cities. The fare is usually from 1100 won, for long distances a little more. We never gave more than 1800 won for the subway.

Subway in Seoul

When is the best time to go?

The best months to visit South Korea are April, May, September and October (if you plan to actively travel around the country) and from mid-June to September (if a beach holiday is a priority).

In winter, you should come only if you plan to go skiing in the Olympic Pyeongchang and the surrounding area, it is at this time that there is snow in the mountains and all the conditions for a ski holiday.

In spring the weather here is warmer than in Russia. April is famous for cherry blossoms, it looks really incredible, and May is like summer in central Russia. However, a chilly wind can pick up in the evenings, so bring sweatshirts with you.

In summer, the beach season opens from late June to early September. Hot and humid. The ideal time for a beach holiday is at any of the many resorts, the most famous being Jeju Island and Busan.

In late September-October, autumn takes its toll, and the trees turn yellow-red. The best time for trekking and visiting national parks, besides, it's not so hot anymore.

When is the best time to go to Korea: spring and autumn

Housing

Finding where to spend the night in Korea is not a problem. In any more or less touristic city, you will find a large selection of accommodation from hostels to decent hotels of world chains.

If you are traveling alone, hostels are the best option. But sometimes it’s more profitable to rent a hotel room together.

You can book hotels on the website, which collects offers from different booking systems, such as booking, in one place.

An interesting accommodation option can be a hanok - a traditional Korean house converted into a guesthouse. You will sleep on the floor on a mattress, but the floors are heated, so the house is warm. A list of such houses throughout the country can be viewed at (Korean only).

You can feel like a Buddhist monk and spend the night in a monastery thanks to the Templestay program. More than 100 temples throughout the country are available for travelers. Read more on the official program.

Tents on the beach in Busan

In national parks, there is an opportunity to spend the night in campsites and shelters. It's not expensive at all, besides, there is the necessary infrastructure and amenities, and you don't have to drag a tent with you from home :) List of campsites with prices throughout the country. Choose a national park and look for the "Fee" section in the left menu.

Renting apartments from the owners will be beneficial for families with children, large companies and just those who like to feel at home. To do this, search

The highest prices and demand for hotels are in July, August, September on the coast and in October, November in national parks and nearby. Therefore, if you are traveling during this period, it is better to book in advance.

Breakfast is rarely included in the price, but there are still such options, it is very convenient. The staff usually speaks decent English, if you don't get completely out of the way.

Holidays in South Korea: resorts and attractions

Holidays in South Korea are quite diverse. There are both beach and ski resorts here, despite the small size of the country.

The peninsula is washed by three seas at once from three sides, so there are plenty of beach resorts to choose from. The most popular resort in South Korea among both locals and tourists is the volcanic jeju island. Gorgeous volcanic sand beaches, bombastic scenery and clear seas make it a very popular holiday destination.

On Jeju Island

Udo Island and volcano in the distance

Live in Seoul and receive a scholarship of 688,000 ₽ per year

I dreamed of getting a creative profession abroad.

Olga Khan

went to study in South Korea

In 2010, I started looking for scholarships at foreign universities. At first I thought about Europe, but South Korean universities offered more money. At that time, the most famous Erasmus scholarship program paid an average of 500 € (36,159 R) per month. In South Korea, they pay me 770 € (55,685 R) per month, plus cover airfare home and back, and once again give 200 € (14,464 R) per quarter for study expenses.

In 2013, I entered Chung-Ang University as a film director. I moved to Korea from Tashkent and now I continue my studies in Seoul graduate school. I have been living in Korea for five and a half years in total.

Language

Admission to most Korean universities begins with the TOPIK - Test of Proficiency in Korean exam. This is an international Korean language proficiency test. You need to pass at least the third level - an analogue of pre-intermediate in English.

It was possible to learn Korean at home, but I decided to immediately immerse myself in the language environment and went to courses at Sungkyunkwang University in Suwon, not far from Seoul. Most often, language courses in Korea are held at some universities.

Studying at the language school began in March 2012, cost $600 (38,766 R) per month and lasted a little less than a year. I did not pay for accommodation: I lived with family friends. During the course, I met scholarship holders from Uzbekistan, who advised me to apply for one of the Korean grants. After graduating at the end of February 2013, I immediately passed the TOPIK level 3 exam.

In vocabulary, I still swim a little, but this does not prevent me from continuing my studies in Korean. It is important to understand that the higher the TOPIK exam score, the more likely it is to receive a grant to study at a Korean university. You can also study in English, but in this case, the choice of scholarship programs is reduced by 90%.

Korean is difficult. It has many sounds that are not in Russian. With vocabulary and grammar, too, everything is not easy, sometimes they hardly lend themselves to the logic of a Russian-speaking person. In total, it took me two years to learn the language.

The local population hardly speaks English, so going to Korea for a long time without knowing Korean is almost pointless. Many Koreans, especially young people, of course, learn English at school, but the emphasis is on writing rather than speaking. Some people are very shy about making a mistake in a conversation. Others believe that since you came to Korea to study or work, then be kind to speak the language of the country. At the same time, Koreans are very friendly and love to make acquaintances with foreigners.

Scholarships for foreigners

Foreign students can receive one of three scholarships in South Korea.

Government Scholarship - Korean Government Scholarship. It is received by future bachelors, masters and doctors of sciences, as well as trainees. This scholarship pays 1,000,000 ₩ (57,380 R) per month - this is the maximum scholarship amount in Korea.

₩

The national currency of South Korea is the South Korean Won.

Scholarships from Korean organizations are issued for the same and for the same purposes as in the first case, but they usually pay less: 600,000-700,000 ₩ (34,000 -39666.7 R) per month. For example, an internship to study the Korean language from the Korea Foundation International Korea Foundation or a master's degree from KOICA is the Agency of the Republic of Korea for International Cooperation. If you want a creative specialty, you can try to get an AMA scholarship, it is given to students studying theater, film and television.

There are also individual scholarships from different universities. Seoul National University has come up with the Silk Road Scholarship and Outstanding Student Scholarship.

How do I get a scholarship

Having passed the TOPIK exam, I returned home to Tashkent and literally in two weeks collected documents for two scholarships: a government scholarship at Chung-Ang University with a degree in film director and a KOICA scholarship at Korea University with a degree in visual culture.

I won both grants and chose the government scholarship at Chung Ang University because it is bigger. As part of the grant, I was paid for a ticket to Seoul.

Since my Korean level was not up to 5 on the TOPIK exam, I was sent to improve it at a language course in Daegu. The courses are also paid for by a scholarship. The scholarship program itself distributes students to the cities where language training will take place. It takes about 4 hours to get to Daegu from Seoul by bus.

All year I received a scholarship - 900,000 ₩ (51,500 R) per month. During the training, I managed to improve my knowledge of the language by two levels, as required. Two weeks after the end of the language program, my master's program began in Seoul. For improved knowledge of Korean, my monthly stipend was increased to 1,000,000 ₩ (57,380 R).

Once a semester, students are entitled to another 240,000 ₩ (11,500 R) for reimbursement of educational expenses, the exact amount depends on the specialty. To receive this money, you must provide a personal study plan: you must prove that the additional payment will be used to reimburse materials and teaching aids.

13 000 R

on average, they give South Korean students once a semester - this is money to reimburse educational expenses

Study in Korea

Studying in South Korea is hard. Some of the scholarship holders I knew could not stand it and went home. Studying lasts from Monday to Friday, but a moderate amount of lectures is compensated by a lot of practical exercises and homework.

After two years of master's degree in Korea, I received a diploma MFA (Master of Arts) majoring in film director. The final gift to all the defended participants of the scholarship program is a ticket for a direct flight home.

Six months later, I returned to Korea again and since September 2017 I have been a postgraduate student at Chung-Ang University. This time I applied through the embassy. I am again paid a scholarship of 1 million won, reimbursed for my studies and air travel to Korea.

Studying in Korean graduate school differs little from Russian: you study subjects in your specialty, pass exams, and write a dissertation. I have to not only read a lot, but also translate a lot, because all the training is only in Korean.

Relocation and visa

Since I am Korean by nationality, I applied for a "visa for foreign compatriots", or an F-4 visa. It needs to be updated every five years. The visa cost me $80 (5111 R). Other international students renew their visas every six months to a year. In Russia, the average cost of an "ethnic visa" to Korea is $100 (6479 R). Even for applying for a visa, I paid for a notarized translation of a diploma and an insert with grades.

According to the terms of the curriculum, the university paid for my ticket to Korea. The return ticket is also paid, but only if the student successfully defends a diploma or dissertation within six months after graduation.

80 $

I paid for the visa

In Korea, there are no discounts for students on travel or anything else. With regard to all kinds of payments, a student is exactly the same citizen as the rest.

Taxes and salaries

A good salary in Korea is about 3,000,000 ₩ (172,000 R) per month. The average salary in Seoul is 1,500,000-2,000,000 ₩ (86,000 -114,667 R) per month.

The most prestigious professions are lawyer, teacher, doctor and civil servant. Koreans often stay late at work and work on weekends. A ten-hour day is the order of the day here.

Taxes in Korea are divided into local (city and provincial) and national. Regional ones are, for example, a tax on the maintenance of roads and a tax on the development of the region. City taxes are a trademark registration fee and a tax on tobacco products.

100 000 R

average salary in Seoul

Income tax refers to national and is charged on a progressive scale: from 10 to 22%. VAT in Korea - 10%. Income tax is also paid on a progressive scale: from 6 to 40%, depending on the level of income.

I am a foreign graduate student and do not pay taxes to the state.

Banks

To get a card, deposit or loan, you need to go to the bank. Bank employees, in my experience, do not speak English very well. All banks have mobile applications.

I have only one Woori Bank card (translated from Korean - "our bank"), for which I receive a scholarship. I got it done in half an hour. I chose the bank that my university uses. This is convenient because ATMs are located right on campus. I do not pay for card service. For payments and transfers, you can use the Internet bank, where it is also easy to monitor the movements of the account. There is also a function of SMS alerts, but it must be connected separately - I do not need it.

In Seoul, you can pay with a card almost everywhere, paypass here also works absolutely everywhere.

0 R

I pay for the maintenance of a bank card because I am a student

Housing

There are four housing options for a student in Korea: dormitory, kosiwon, khasukchib, and renting an apartment.

Dormitories is no different from Russian: two students live in the same room. The average price for a place in a hostel is $ 200-300 (12 922 -19 383 R) per month.

Kosiwon- similar to a hostel, but here each student has his own tiny room. All amenities - kitchen, laundry, toilet, shower - are shared. There are cosivons with a private toilet and shower, but they are more expensive. The word "kosiwon" is formed from two hieroglyphs: "exam" and "home".

Now not only students live in cosivons, but also novice workers who have just got a job, and the poor. Prices for cosivons depend on the area and the conditions in the room. Rates range from approximately ₩250,000 (R14,000) to ₩350,000 (R20,000).

Hasukchib It's kind of like a boarding house. The owner and his tenants live in the house. The rooms are settled one at a time, for several rooms there is one bathroom and toilet, and the laundry is common to the whole house. The price includes breakfasts and dinners prepared by the hostess (usually an adult married woman).

To rent an apartment, as elsewhere, you need to conclude a contract and pay a deposit. The amount of the deposit is determined by the owner. The average price for a one-room studio apartment in a good area of Seoul is 500,000 ₩ (28,700 R). Utility bills are not included in this amount.

18 000 R

per month, on average, I pay for the rent of a one-room apartment

I managed to find a very budget option: I rented a studio apartment in a good area of Gwanak for 330,000 ₩ (19,000 R) per month. When I signed the lease, I paid a deposit of 1 million won. This amount will be returned to me when the contract ends.

You can rent housing through agencies or directly from the owner. I found the apartment on Seoul Craigslist. This is the most popular site for finding housing in South Korea, it is used by both foreigners and locals.

Width="2000" height="1187" class=" outline-bordered" style="max-width: 1000.0px; height: auto" data-bordered="true"> Studio near university for 550,000 won (31,600 R) per month

People

In Tashkent, where I was born, there is a patriarchy. They get married early, weddings often occur as a result of the matchmaking of parents. The husband provides for the wife, and she takes care of the children. This is not the case in South Korea. Here it is customary to marry after 30 years, and all expenses in the family are divided in half.

In Seoul, people are smiling, line up at bus stops, don't make much noise or show too much emotion in public places.

Back in South Korea, there is a real cult of bosses. The boss is always right. In Tashkent, employees go home after work, while in Korea they most often go to a bar for a drink - this is how they relieve stress after hard work.

Transport

In Seoul, everyone travels by bus and subway. There are about two hundred different bus routes, you can get almost anywhere by public transport. Buses are multi-colored: red, blue, green and yellow. The route depends on the color. Red and yellow go from Seoul to the suburbs:

Fares depend on the route. A ticket within Seoul costs about 1150 ₩ (66 R), a trip to the suburbs - 1950 ₩ (112 R). You can pay in cash or with a transport card. The card saves about a hundred won on travel, it also allows you to transfer between routes for free (you need to transfer to another transport in half an hour to get there for free).

The Seoul subway has nine lines, including two railway lines: Chun'anseong and Pundanseong. Station names are duplicated in English.

Many people ride bicycles in Seoul. There are few hills here, the landscape is flat, it is convenient to ride. Bicycle paths are laid along all city parks and rivers, there is a city bicycle rental system. You can pay by paypass or card. A day pass costs 15,000 ₩ (860 R).

There are a lot of cars in Seoul, so traffic jams in the city in the mornings and evenings, and on weekends too. In my experience, they drive in Korea not very carefully and often violate traffic rules. There are also many carsharings here - for example, Socar, Greencar, Easycar. Each of them has its own mobile application. Car sharing is very popular among Koreans: it is much cheaper to ride it than a taxi. A good car for 4 hours in carsharing will cost approximately 25,000-40,000 ₩ (1400 -2240 R).

In a Seoul taxi, you can easily pay with a credit or transport card. Taxi drivers speak good English. Some machines have devices for simultaneous translation from Korean to English. There are three types of taxis: economy, luxury and international - the latter will definitely have an English-speaking driver. In an economy class taxi, the minimum price of a trip is about 3000 ₩ (172 R). For the first 2 km they pay 1600 ₩, for each subsequent kilometer - 650 ₩ (37.3 R). At night, prices increase by 20%.

Medicine and insurance

My health insurance covers about 80% of the costs for doctors and the medicines for which I received a prescription from a doctor. The rest of the conditions are standard: the insurance does not include everything related to pregnancy and dentistry, as well as a urologist for men. The gynecologist is included, but partially - some procedures will not be covered by insurance. Even under insurance they will not treat STDs.

Several times I went to the doctor with a cold and paid 10,000 ₩ (575 R) out of my own pocket. Then I took the documents from the clinic to the university, and 80% of the expenses were returned to me.

550 R

on average, I paid for a doctor's appointment when I caught a cold

Medicine in South Korea is developed at a very high level. Here, for example, oncological diseases are treated very well. There are even companies that organize medical tours to Korean clinics. The hospitals here are comfortable and have the most modern medical equipment.

At the same time, it is customary to treat with antibiotics, sometimes strong ones. It doesn’t matter if you have the flu or it tickles your throat, they will pick up a medicine designed for 3-5 days. Antibiotics are sold in pharmacies without a prescription. And the dose will be lethal. A stuffy nose is also treated with antibiotics.

Plastic surgery and beauty

Plastic surgery is very developed in South Korea. Koreans strive to fit themselves to the standard: porcelain skin, a graceful nose, a chiseled V-shaped chin and huge eyes. According to statistics, every fifth Korean woman went under the scalpel for the sake of perfection. Many consider plastic surgery to be the best gift from parents for a school graduation, and for graduates of any gender.

Since South Korean surgeons are well versed in the perfect European eye shape, facelift and rhinoplasty, people from other countries often come here for plastic surgery. From Russia to Seoul, special tours are organized with characteristic names, such as "Youth and Beauty". 8 days in the plastic surgery clinic cost from $682 (43,500 R) - this is the price only for accommodation and transfer, air travel and operations are not included here.

1 of 5

Korean women had plastic surgery

But in my experience, there are still a lot of girls and guys who are against plastic surgery. I have not had plastic surgery and do not plan to.

This is how many Korean women change throughout their lives. Source: medicaldaily.com

On the streets of Seoul, there are an incredible number of well-groomed girls. Korean women do not leave the house without makeup and styling, and South Korean cosmetics are popular all over the world. There is a whole ritual of daily self-care. First, they wash themselves with hydrophilic oil, then with foam, then they apply a tonic, then potent agents like serum or essences in special capsules, then they put a tissue mask on the face, then they also use a cream. And so every day. It was the Koreans who came up with the "b-b-cream" - a special type of foundation that simultaneously cares for the skin and protects from the sun.

Prices for plastic surgery in South Korea:
correction of the lower jaw - from 420 000 R
eyelid surgery - from 84 000 R
cheekbone correction - from 247 000 R
botox for one area of the face - from 12 000 R

I like Korean cosmetics, for skin care I completely switched to local brands here. Almost all the products here slightly whiten the skin and are very helpful for problem skin with acne. If you are interested in cosmetics, I recommend the brands Etude House, It's Skin, Tony Moly, The Face Shop, Skin Food, Nature Republic, Innisfree. These are inexpensive brands, some of them can be bought in Russia.

Mobile communication and Internet

I use the simplest tariff - calls and SMS. I pay for it about 14,000 ₩ (800 R). The tariff with the Internet costs about 73,000 ₩ (4200 R) per month. In general, I rarely call, I write messages more often.

South Korea has excellent internet. In Seoul, there is free Wi-Fi almost everywhere - in any restaurant, mall, museum, or just a tourist place. I also have internet connected at home, it is included in the rent. The average cost of high-speed unlimited internet in Korea is ₩29,000 (R1665) per month.

760 R

on average I pay for mobile communications per month

In all my time in Korea, I have never experienced any communication problems.

Leisure

I am an art student and I love going to museums. There are many unusual museums in South Korea - for example, the museum of illusions, the museum of the toilet, or the museum of teddy bears. A ticket to an exhibition in Seoul costs an average of 10,000-13,000 ₩ (570-741 R). In Seoul, I usually take guests to coffee shops with animals and themed cafes like vintage. I also love amusement parks and horror performances.

After a hard day at work, Koreans are very fond of dropping into a bar. Almost half of Korean men smoke, but women rarely smoke. All Koreans drink beer and Korean vodka, often mixed. If they drink, then a lot.

Holidays in Korea are short, they rarely go abroad. Mostly students travel - they travel with a company to Europe, but more often to the nearest countries of Southeast Asia: Thailand, Malaysia or the Philippines. The rest of Koreans have a rest within the country: they visit royal palaces, Buddhist temples, amusement parks. For shopping in Seoul, there are two popular streets - Myeongdong and Insadong. There are many cafes and restaurants in the traditional Korean style, souvenir shops and small shops where you can rent a traditional South Korean outfit - hanbok for a few hours.

Width="720" height="900" class="" style="max-width: 720px; height: auto"> I rented this traditional hanbok outfit for two hours for 18,000 won (1030 R )

Cafes and restaurants

There are a lot of great restaurants in Seoul where you can eat inexpensively. For lunch in a small Korean restaurant, I spend about 5000 ₩ (290 R) - for this money you can eat soup, or fried rice, or Korean noodles.

In a mid-range Seoul cafe, a hearty lunch for two will cost 20,000-25,000 ₩ (1150 -1437.5 R). Restaurants in Korea are small and cozy, the food is delicious everywhere.

Width="2000" height="1330" class="" style="max-width: 1000.0px; height: auto"> Cafe with Dogs - Cafe Gaene Myeongdong. Entrance fee - 6000 won (322 R). A coffee drink costs 4,000 won (345 R). You can play with dogs as much as you like

Traveling abroad on your own is a doubly exciting event. There will be no guide and tour organizer nearby, wherever you go, you can only rely on yourself and your travel companion. What is it like to go under your own power to South Korea? Do you want to know about tickets, accommodation, attractions and features of this country? Then our content is for you.

Now the whole world is watching the events that are unfolding on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea continues to test its nuclear weapons, trying to prove to the whole world, in particular the United States, that it is better not to touch them. In turn, the States are already threatening the "northerners" not only with sanctions, but also with war. Between two fires, as always, was South Korea. What happens in such a tense period in this country and how does the population live?

The VK Press correspondent cast aside all fears and doubts and went to rest in Seoul. How it was? Read on.

Preparing for a solo trip to Korea

I have wanted to visit South Korea for a long time. The country of morning freshness, as it is called, attracted not only with its culture and traditions, but also with the level of development. Just think, in half a century it was able to turn from an agrarian region destroyed by the Japanese occupation and civil war into a prosperous high-tech state. The economic breakthrough of the republic even got its own name "Miracle on the Hangang River."

We began to prepare for a trip to this extraordinary country from the most important step - buying plane tickets. It is better to do this two or three months before the trip, so that it is cheaper. We flew with a transfer in Moscow. Four flights (Krasnodar - Moscow, Moscow - Seoul and back) cost one person 40 thousand rubles. It is convenient to search for suitable tickets on the Skyscanner website.

Treasured ticket to Seoul.

After buying tickets, you can safely proceed to booking accommodation, in our case it was a hostel. There are many booking sites, I usually choose Booking, Roomguru and Trivago are also quite popular. A double room in a Seoul hostel cost almost 24,000 rubles for two weeks. It is better to print out tickets and reservations in advance in order to provide them later on the spot.

The next step for a tourist is usually a visa, but in this case it is not needed. Our countries have concluded an agreement under which Russians can stay in South Korea without a visa for three months.

What to take with you on a trip to Korea

For many, packing a suitcase becomes a real headache. To understand what things are needed and how much, we carefully studied the weather forecast, thought about what would be comfortable to walk the streets and visit the sights. Be sure to take a comfortable pair of sneakers with you or go straight in it to save space. If we talk about the climate of South Korea, it reminded me of the Kuban. At the end of September it was hot, in October it got a little colder and I had to put on a sweatshirt over my T-shirt.

Don't forget the first aid kit. In Korea, it is not so easy to buy the right medicines, usually even the simplest cold medicine requires a prescription. Also take care of insurance, because medicine in Korea is very expensive.

The question of how much and in what form to take money, we decided this way - a little cash in dollars and on the card. Upon arrival at the Seoul airport, dollars can be exchanged for local currency.

The rest of the baggage depends on individual preferences, the only thing you definitely need to pack is deodorant. In Korea, there is a very small selection of these funds, as the locals do not use them because of the characteristics of their body.

Road to Seoul

The path to the Land of Morning Calm began at the Pashkovsky airport in Krasnodar. After two hours in the sky, a six-hour layover in Moscow awaited us.

The flight to Seoul took 8.5 hours. The flight was operated by the Korean airline Korean Air, which impressed with the high level of service and careful attitude of the staff towards passengers.

And so we arrived at Incheon International Airport, which is located in the city of the same name, 70 km from the capital of South Korea. For several years in a row it has been recognized as one of the best in the world. The airport building is beautiful and modern. Inside you will find a convenient location for passport and customs control zones, baggage claim. There are signs in English everywhere.

At passport control, passengers are divided into two streams - Korean citizens and foreigners. Each guest from abroad is scanned with a special device to scan the retina and fingerprints to be entered into the database. The automated system will tell you what to do. And don't worry about the language - the device also speaks Russian.

After receiving the luggage, the most interesting thing begins - the quest "Find your hostel in an unfamiliar city." To begin with, we exchanged some currency. The course at the airport pleased, although the best was found in the Myeongdong area. Local money is called won. According to the exchange rate, 1000 won are equal to about 50 rubles.

There are many ways to get to Seoul from Incheon: taxi, bus, subway, and express. The cheapest and most convenient option is the metro. In order not to look for change for tickets every time, buy a T-money transport card, which is sold in special machines and replenish it at the terminal by selecting the “Reloading the transit card” function. For a trip to Seoul by subway, you will have to pay an average of five thousand won.

Speaking of subway. At first, it is confusing with its intricacies, many transitions, turns, escalators, steps and exits. But over time you get used to it. The main thing is to carefully look at the colors of the branches, and in the direction of which station you need to go.

Subway stops are announced in four languages: Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English. Information is also broadcast on special screens. This helps a lot when you can't hear the name of the station.

Attractions and simply beautiful places in Seoul

When you get to the hostel, you want to quickly unpack things, relax a bit and go to see the city. What is a must-see in the capital of South Korea?

History and Korean architecture buffs will love Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Traditional Village.

It is also worth visiting Gwanghwamun Square, where monuments are erected to the country's most revered and famous historical figures - King Sejong, thanks to whom the Korean alphabet appeared, and General Lee Sun-sin, a national hero.

Be sure to rent a hanbok, a traditional Korean costume. Five hours of rent cost 10 thousand won per person, that is, only 500 rubles. On the plus side, entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace is free for visitors wearing hanboks, while others will have to pay 3,000 won.

If you're drawn to something more modern and high-tech, check out Dongdaemun Design Plaza. This is a complex of exhibition buildings that look like spaceships with an adjacent park. It was designed by the talented British architect of Iraqi origin Zaha Hadid, whose work is known worldwide for its bold forms.

At nightfall, it is especially beautiful there, as the illumination of buildings and installations in the form of a meadow of flowers turn on.

At the beginning of 2017, another ultra-modern building opened in Seoul - the Lotte World Tower. Its height is 555 meters (123 floors). Today it is the tallest building in South Korea.

Seoul Sky operates in the tower - observation floors, with transparent sections of the floor. It is especially breathtaking on the court, where the floor suddenly becomes transparent after you stand on it. A ticket to Seoul Sky is not cheap - 26 thousand won, but it's worth it. The capital of South Korea from a bird's eye view is mesmerizing.

For a relaxing holiday on earth, we chose parks. During the warm season, Oido is ideal near the Hangang River, which divides Seoul into northern and southern honors. Right there you can buy bedding and have a picnic, admiring the river, passing motor ships and flying kites into the sky. This type of holiday is very popular among Koreans.

It is also worth visiting another urban novelty - Seoullo 7017 Park. It is a flyover, which was blocked by the decision of the authorities and made a green zone there. This is such a serious decision for the improvement of the city. In Seoul, they try to use every free plot for landscaping, plants appear even on the roofs of buildings.

If we talk about atypical sights, then you should pay attention to Korean universities. The buildings of universities are very beautiful, made in European style, sometimes it even seems that you are somewhere in Germany or England. During our trip, we managed to visit four universities in Seoul: Ewha, Yonsei, Hankuk and Kyunghee. Each of them impresses with its vast territory, beautiful buildings and unusual landscape.

Ewha is one of the largest and most famous universities in the city, and it is also the largest women's university in the world. Yonsei is one of the top three most prestigious higher education institutions in Korea. The Hankuk University of Foreign Languages is known all over the world, as it is the third university in the world in terms of the number of languages studied at the university - there are 45 of them. And Kyunghee is famous for its beautiful campus, on the territory of which buildings in the Gothic style are located.

Food and drink in South Korea

Koreans love delicious food. We can say that in the Land of the Morning Calm there is a "cult of food", that is, wherever you go, it will be everywhere.

In Seoul, you can find street food everywhere. It is quite high in calories and not particularly useful, but it is very cheap.

A separate issue is spicy food. It is better to ask when ordering that the dish is not too spicy. And if a Korean tells you that it will be spicy, don't even try it. Believe me, the feeling that your stomach is literally corroded by pungency is not the most pleasant.

What do you really need to try from the food on the streets of Seoul? First, teokbokki is a kind of rice flour dumplings in a spicy sauce. In Korea, as well as other Asian countries, rice is the head of everything. Therefore, it is eaten not only in its usual form, but also ground into flour, from which noodles and pastry dough are prepared.

We also really liked omuk - flat cakes made from fishmeal. They are sold on skewers. You can take a paper cup and pour yourself a free broth in which omuk was boiled, it is also very tasty and will warm you up perfectly if it is cool outside.

Desserts were fish-shaped punoppan patties with a sweet red bean filling. Speaking of red beans… They are a traditional topping for most Korean desserts, so don’t be surprised. The taste is unusual, but worth trying and not coming off.

Hotteok are flatbreads that are fried in oil. We tried with a filling of sugar with sunflower seeds. Very hot and sweet.

In summer, be sure to order bingsu - crushed ice or frozen milk with the addition of berries, fruits, chocolate, cream, various syrups. We managed to try with mango, apple and cream cheese. It is expensive (from 1.3 thousand rubles), but one serving is enough for two, three, or even four people.

You can't go to Korea and not try such traditional dishes as kimbap and pipimpap. Everyone knows Japanese rolls, kimbap is also a roll, but only Korean. Usually, a sheet of nori seaweed is taken, on top - a layer of rice and a variety of fillings - ham, scrambled eggs, pickled radish, cucumber, carrots, tuna. Then all this is twisted into a roll and cut into small pieces. You can buy kimbap not only in street food stalls, but also in shops like 7-Eleven, GS25, CU. The price is from 1.8 to 3.5 thousand won (100-170 rubles).

The traditional version of pipimbap consists of rice topped with chopped vegetables, pieces of meat, mushrooms, spicy pasta and scrambled eggs. The ingredients are mixed right before eating. Not far from our hostel, we found a cafe that just specialized in cooking pipimpap. Best served with chicken and teriyaki sauce. The price also pleased - five thousand won (about 250 rubles). By the way, in Korea, the main dish is always served with several appetizers. Usually it is kimchi - spicy pickled cabbage and radish, seaweed, bean sprouts.

Another peculiarity of Koreans attracted attention - at any time of the year they drink cold drinks, even in winter. The cafe serves just ice water, and the most popular coffee in Korea is ice americano. It even turned out that in one cafe we asked for a normal hot cappuccino, but they told us: “Sorry, we only have americano ice”.

Shopping in Seoul: where to go shopping

It is difficult to imagine a trip to any country without shopping. Where is the best place to go shopping in Seoul?

Several areas are suitable for this - the tourist paradise of Myeongdong, the traditional Insadong souvenir market and the student Hongdae, where young people from all over Seoul gather. It should be said right away that of these three, Mendon is the most expensive. This area is very popular with foreigners, so prices are often inflated there. But Mendon is still worth a visit, if only for the sake of the eight-story Daiso store, where you can buy everything from a ballpoint pen and spoons to dog and garden goods.

For cosmetics and clothes, you need to go to Hongdae. Prices are lower here, as the area is considered student. You can find both branded items and the mass market. By the way, Hongdae is loved not only for shopping, but also for a special creative atmosphere. In the evenings, young people perform here at different venues. They play musical instruments, sing and dance, gathering a crowd of passers-by around them.

But traditional souvenirs and gifts can be bought at Insadong. I noticed that without exception, all the souvenirs are made in Korea, which is confirmed by the words Made in Korea (instead of the usual Made in China). Here you will find incredibly beautiful postcards, bookmarks, key chains, magnets, figurines, fans, crockery, writing supplies, hanboks and much more.

Korean attitude towards foreigners

Any person likes when his country is respected, his culture is interested. Koreans have become more open to others in recent years. They are very friendly to foreigners, at least to Europeans (Russians are also residents of Europe for them). Passers-by often greeted us, asked where we were from, made compliments, showed “class”. In general, a girl with light eyes and blond hair will definitely not be left without attention.

As we were walking around the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace wearing hanboks, a man approached us. When he found out that we were from Russia, he started talking about Putin. In general terms, we understood that our president is very good, because he does not give in to the Japanese (apparently he meant our steadfastness on the Kuril issue).

We did not receive any aggression, rude words or sidelong glances in Korea. The Russians are really well treated. By the way, Koreans believe that the most beautiful women live in Ukraine and Russia.

Despite the fact that Korea is a country where residents are under a lot of stress due to fierce competition in school and work (hence the high suicide rate), you will not see a gloomy expression on the faces of its inhabitants. Everywhere you are greeted with warm smiles and friendliness. Believe me, if you open your soul to Korea, she will gladly do the same for you.