Seoul | Immaculate Inception

[cityscapes]

South Korea is the origin of so many things we encounter in our daily lives, more so than many people think. When I was younger Korean products, culture, and technology were not as widespread as I feel like they are today. Hyundais and Kias weren't regarded as good cars and now they're strong contenders. Most people had Nokias and Motorolas and now the Samsung Galaxy line seems to be one of the best phones on the market. Many of the soap operas my extended family in Turkey watches are actually adaptations of K-dramas. K-pop stars have been churning out so many good songs I had a really hard time picking a song to go with this thread, and as a southerner I crave K-BBQ more than southern BBQ. Increasingly much of the shelf space in Sephora has become dedicated to Korean beauty products or Korean inspired products.

The spread of Korean culture has really taken off over the past decade and all of this has made me interested in visiting. Seoul made the most sense to visit as nearly 50% of the country lives there. I highly suggest that everyone visit if you have the opportunity. The city is so multifaceted, it feels corporate and organized on the main streets, then you step down a side street and the character changes as hilly twisted backstreets filled with cool shops, cafes, and bars with their brightly lit signs create such a vivid sensory overload. There are young people out everywhere and they're all perfectly dressed and trendy I felt like I was in an Asian Copenhagen.

Everything is so modern and futuristic yet there are many impressive examples of historic Korean palaces all around the city that let you take a mental and visual break from the hustle & bustle of the city. Everything was so functional I had the easiest time getting around despite the extend of my Korean being "안녕하세요". The country has a lot to offer outside Seoul and I would definitely like to go back and explore more. Busan looks like it has an insane urban setting, there's mountainous winter sport destinations, and places to enjoy the beach like Jeju. It seems like everyones instinct when they're planning a trip to Asia is Japan, but after visiting Seoul I feel like it should be at the top of everyones must see list not just for Asia but for the entire world.

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