Seoul
Korea, in general, feels like an introvert country. People here mostly mind their own business — and I like that. If you need help, they’ll help, but they won’t hover over you or try to pull you into anything.
Seoul doesn’t try to impress you on purpose — and maybe that’s why it hits you with a genuine wow the moment you start walking its streets. Not the “fireworks and confetti” kind of wow, but something quieter — a feeling of joy just for being there, without any special reason.
The city is all about contrasts. You walk past a wall of glass skyscrapers, turn a corner — and you’re in a calm street with old houses and tiny shops. In spring, everything is in bloom. Not in one special park, but everywhere, like the city decided to wear its best clothes all at once.
Kimchi here? Completely different from anywhere else I’ve tried it — sharper, deeper. But most street food stalls looked a bit pricey and risky for my taste, so I often stuck to the safe option: convenience store food. Sometimes playing it safe is the smart move.
Gyeonggi-do
Busan
Busan feels more open than Seoul. The sea is always close, and the air somehow feels lighter.
On my second day, I committed my first “crime” in Korea — I threw my trash out on the wrong day, in the wrong place. Here, that’s a big deal. I swear the old ladies in the neighborhood can spot such things from 200 meters. For the next two days, I kept my hood up and avoided eye contact like I was in some spy movie.
I stayed in a small apartment with a port view. The host had left water, eggs, bread, and coffee capsules. Simple, but it felt like someone cared. That stuck with me.
And a quick fact for context — during the Korean War, Busan became the temporary capital. Millions of people came here to escape the war.
Gyeongju-si
Gyeongju is slower, quieter, and feels more provincial. On its own, maybe it’s not a “must visit,” but as part of a trip — it’s worth the stop.
The best part for me was going up to visit a small temple housing a Buddha, on a foggy, windy day. This isn’t just a local legend—it’s part of Seokguram Grotto, a UNESCO site from the 8th century, with the Buddha crafted in a perfect mudra, looking off into the horizon. There was no one else around, and the whole place felt like a movie scene. Just me, the wind, and that calm face watching over the East Sea.
Pohang
Pohang is simple — a coastal city where you can walk by the water, see fishing boats, and, of course, the Hand of Harmony — a giant steel hand rising from the sea.
I didn’t rush here. Just walked, listened to the waves, and let the place be itself.. Sometimes that’s enough.
