Things you probably don’t know about Seoul until you go there (or read this post)

1. Seoul is BIG and hilly / mountaineous

With a population of over 12 million, it is considered as one of the biggest city in Asia currently. Take a look at the extensive subway system….. pretty impressive and mindboggling, eh?

It takes about 1 hour (without traffic) to go from airport to the city centre. My colleague told me everyday she takes the bus to go to the office, and it takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours one way. For people like me, who have been living in Singapore for too long (we really ARE a spoilt bunch, huh?), I would probably move house or move job if I were her…..  

2. Not wheelchair friendly

For a developed city, I find that the city is not very wheelchair friendly. Lots of underground passages with stairs to go up and down, but no ramp, escalator or elevator nearby. Sometimes even to cross the street you need to go underground first and emerge on the other side.

3. Kimchi and Soju

These two things can be found in almost every meal. Kimchi and soju to Koreans is like sauerkraut and beer to Germans, french fries and Coca Cola to Americans, and rice and water to Asians.

And if you think all kimchis and sojus are the same, well, you are totally wrong. Every household have their own special recipe for kimchi, and if you go to the supermarket, you’ll be spoilt for choices.

For soju… the typical soju contains 19.5% alcohol, but there’s soju for women, which is only 18.5%. Soju also comes in many different packaging…… typically we only see the green glass bottles, but there are also other varieties in plastic bottles, and even cartons (please do not confuse them with 'teh kotak' or 'ultra milk' hahaha)

4. The weather is unpredictable (and humid) in summer

It is hot one minute, raining the next hour, and typhoon coming out of nowhere. And surprisingly it is quite humid so be prepared to sweat a lot if you come during summer.

5. Seoul after dark

Seoul is a very lively city at night…… there are tons (thousands, literally) of bars, restaurants, shops everywhere around the city. And it is crowded even on weekdays.  Very very different from Melbourne :P

6. And don’t forget, if you ever lost your way in Seoul, you can always BUY THE WAY :P

And here’s a sneak peek of Seoul through my eyes….