Psy may have put Gangnam on the map with his bow-ties and “gentleman”ly behavior, but the fact of the matter is… Gangnam is for girls. Recently, I took a bit of a staycation in Seoul’s upscale district in search of the area’s best shopping, dining and entertainment facilities and made a point to take plenty …
Many Westerners who come to Korea to live or to visit quickly write off K-pop, Korea’s mainstream music genre, as a cheesy, sugar-coated excuse for entertainment. They see outlandish costumes, boys in heavy eyeliner, and flamboyant choreographed dance moves. They become annoyed with strange Engrish lyrics and seemingly identical tunes that blare from just about …
Imagine a place where you can buy everything you need at a reasonable price. In one convenient location. At any time of the day. While such a fantasy land might only seem like the stuff of dreams, in Korea, it’s a reality and it goes by the name of Dongdaemun. Here, mammoth modern shopping complexes …
Before the days of discount supermarkets and department stores, markets were the primary locales for shopping, trading and gossiping in Korea. Unfortunately, due to rapid modernization and an increase in more convenient shopping facilities over the past few decades, the country’s traditional markets have continuously lost patronage and are quickly diminishing both in size and …
It’s no secret that moving is a headache. But moving across the globe? Well, let’s just say there’s not enough aspirin in the world to cure that nasty migraine. While there’s certainly no way to make an international move completely stress-free, there are a few ways to make the process a bit smoother: thoughtful planning, …
Worth approximately $500 million annually, the South Korean medical tourism industry is experiencing an all-time high. But despite its increasing growth, the industry still presents a number of challenges to international visitors looking to go under the knife, including safety concerns, price transparency and language barriers. Enter Eunogo, a trusted, government-approved community marketplace designed to …
Every year, over a million people flock to the sleepy town of Hwacheon to participate in the Sancheoneo Ice Festival. The festival, which takes place annually, is consistently voted one of the best local festivals in Korea and was even named one of the “Seven Wonders of Winter” by Lonely Planet. I participated in the …
After the end of the Korean war, Seoul, like many Korean cities, was left in shambles. Reasonably so, rebuilding efforts were focused more on practicality than aesthetics to reconstruct the city quickly and efficiently. These days, however, Seoul’s skyline is an eclectic mishmash of contemporary architecture, from towering cement apartment complexes to eye-catching glass and …
The PyeongChang 2018 Olympics are officially upon us! While the Games are no doubt going to be action packed, offering plenty of excitement for both locals and the 150,000 athletes, reporters and die-hard sports fans that are expected to travel to Korea for the event, there’s also plenty to do and see outside of the …
I sip my latte and stifle a chuckle as I take in my surroundings at Ddo-Ong Cafe in the Ssamzigil shopping complex in Insadong. Colorful mini plungers hang delicately from a tree in the corner, old fashioned squat toilets are placed tastefully throughout the shop and two girls take selfies with a stuffed doll with …