Comments on: Throwing it open to ideas

By: gobfrey

gobfrey — Sun, 18 May 2008 09:10:16 +0000

I love the little things. Make sure you show them some dancing girls at a restaurant opening. Also, the wavey car-park attendants (seriously, how would we know how to park our cars if it weren’t for them) at a department store - these are good at night with their lit batons. Finally, I’d take them to one of the big supermarkets at the right time and see all the staff do group stretching and dancing to music played over the pa system.

By: roboseyo

roboseyo — Sun, 18 May 2008 02:56:44 +0000

I agree with zenkimchi — even just the alley behind hamilton hotel is loaded with cool restaurants.

The things my dad enjoyed the most, the two times he came were:

Taking the cable car and heading up namsan’s seoul tower — if you get there about twenty minutes before sundown, you can watch the sunset from way above the city, and then also watch all the lights come on in twilight.

63 building also gives a cool view of the whole city (if you only have one afternoon in Seoul, may as well get a view of it all), and there’s also the aquarium in the 63 building, which might be the most calming place to be after having the hell scared out of you in the DMZ.

If you only have one day/afternoon in Seoul, and you have the energy, one of the best things you can do is get on the seoul city bus tour. Search it, but it gives a really flexible tour through all the important parts of central seoul (on the north side), and you can pick and choose which stops you want to investigate and which you just want to skip, according to your group’s energy level and interest. Have fun.

By: ZenKimchi

ZenKimchi — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:05:24 +0000

Honestly, I was exhausted after the DMZ tour. We just went to Itaewon for some food and beers. The area behind Hamilton Hotel and winding around to Noksapyeong has been booming with more upscale and trendy restaurants.

By: EFL Geek

EFL Geek — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:55:03 +0000

I recommend the Seodaemun Prison - it’s on the orange line, one stop away from Gyoungbokkung. It’s worth an hour of your time and I’ve taken 5 overseas visitors there over the years and all enjoyed it.

By: Eric

Eric — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:31:52 +0000

I would like visiting any Catholic stuff in Seoul:

Myeongdong Catholic Church, the first and largest cathedral in the Korea

Jeoldusan Martyr’s Mountain, the site of the Byeongin Persecution of 1866 where many Roman Catholics were brutally murdered.

Saenamteo Memorial Church, a site where many Catholics were martyred in 1801, including Korea’s first priest Kim Dae-geon

Chonjinam Martyr Ground, Korea’s first catholic teaching and religions activity site, and now houses the graves of five pioneers who helped introduce the Catholic religion in Korea

Korean Christian Museum at Soongchil University.

I have no idea where any of this stuff is in relation to each other. I’d like to at least see the cathedral, everything else would be gravy. Lastly, I need to purchase a small Korean flag somewhere to go with the one I got in Quebec last year (that’s my mandatory souvenir thing).

By: John from Daejeon

John from Daejeon — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:27:43 +0000

Something cheap and easy is a bike ride along the river banks in town and around the Expo bridge area. I’m partial to Ppuri park south of Zooland. There are a lot of unique sculptures, paddle boats, and it is a nice place for a picnic. You may have to borrow some bikes from your students though; however, your friends can see a lot of the city while peddling around town. If they are in good shape, you might even try heading out to the dam or southwest to Bangdong Reservior. Just a thought.