When traveling and teaching in Korea, you will discover that there are countless places to visit during your stay. After living and teaching in South Korea for three years, I have compiled a list of what I think are the must-do experiences or top 9 places to visit for expat teachers. To travel and teach in Korea was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I have told countless friends that there is a huge difference between being a tourist and a foreign teacher making your living in another country. I believe working in a foreign country is the most effective way to experience another culture; because of my connections through work, I was often able to experience real Korean life—or at least get very close to immerse in it.
Almost anyone with money can plan a trip to see the famous temples in Seoul, but not everyone can say that they have experienced a traditional Korean wedding, a Korean home cooked meal, or glimpsed inside the life of a modern Korean family. Here are 10 amazing places (starting from the ordinary to the more exotic) that I feel go far beyond sightseeing—the essential experiences that tourists may not have time or connections to enjoy, yet we teacher expats have full access to!
1. Korean Grocery Stores & Traditional Markets
I know this might seem like a strange sightseeing location, but trust me—once you have had the opportunity to travel and teach in Korea for a few months, you will know what I’m talking about! As an expat, going to the grocery store in Korea can be a fascinating experience. I savored every trip to our neighborhood grocery as well as bigger supermarkets; I would find everything from live octopus in the seafood section, to what seemed like countless varieties of kimchi, seaweed, as well as fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before. Take this one step further and visit the local traditional markets in your area (similar to a farmer’s market back home, with completely exotic and unexpected twists!) one of the most amazing markets is the “Jagalchi Fish Market” in Busan. It is a place to see an array of unusual sea creatures that we would consider adventurous eating. It is Korea’s largest seafood market and a place where many enjoy eating raw fish and drinking soju in outdoor dining areas by the waterfront.
2. Jimjilbang
A jimjilbang is a Korean bathhouse. In the West, we are not used to spending spa time in the nude. Be prepared to stretch your comfort zone if you are a bit shy about this. Luckily, I already had the European sauna experience before moving to teach in Korea, so I was not embarrassed to strip down. If anything, I became self-conscious, simply because my traveling partners were so uncomfortable getting naked! Remember, the bathing areas are segregated by gender, and experiencing the bathhouse is therapeutic, not sexual. It is a different mindset—and part of experiencing another culture is the excitement of getting out of your comfort zone. Take it off! If you find that anyone is staring, it’s probably because in some more remote jimjilbangs, they have never seen a foreigner. In addition, be aware that tattoos may attract a bit more attention. Just brush it off and enjoy yourself. Jimjilbangs range from modest to absolutely breath-taking. one such bathhouse I frequented had a room full of jade, a full restaurant, and an option for a full body scrub by a spa employee. A jimjilbang is a place for everyone (from drunken revelers to families, to ex-pats)—it’s an amazing authentic cultural experience that you do not want to miss as a traveling teacher. A jimjilbang can also be a place to sleep. Many are open 24 hours a day and although it may not be something you want to do every time you take a trip out of town (the sleeping arrangements are communal and modest), it is a very cheap and safe—even for solo female travelers. Of course, it is always important to use common sense while traveling, yet I have found Korea to be very safe for female travelers.
3. Korean stationary stores
If you are in need of a pick me up in the form of an adorable pencil case, slippers, hair accessories or stationary, I highly recommend stopping by a Korean stationary store. Two that come to mind are “YP Books,” and “Art Box.” While YP Books is more focused on actual books (hence the name), Art Box is a mecca for anyone who loves cute Korean goods. Even if you don’t like this kind of thing yourself, something unique from Korea makes a great gift to bring back home during vacation time.
4. Norebang
As an American, I am most familiar with the Japanese word “karaoke.” We have our own version in the U.S. in which we often picture a horrible amateur singing along to a recorded pop song to a large crowd of drunk bar patrons. Korean norebang is much, much better. Norebang is a unique experience, and an awesome place to bring friends. In Korea, friends will rent a private room to sing to their heart’s content. As an added bonus, you can order alcohol and snacks and there are nice couches to sit on. Depending on the quality of the norebang, some can get pretty fancy. Going to the singing room can also be a fun experience with co-workers. I have awesome memories of singing at the norebang with other teachers at my school. When Korean people let loose, they really know how to have fun—don’t miss out on a night at the norebang with friends from work!
5. Temples
My husband and I visited many gorgeous temples while traveling and teaching in Korea. Although we can’t say that we’ve visited them all, I believe we became familiar with almost all of the most famous temples over our three-year stay. I would say, hands down, the most epic temple I have ever visited (I even felt that it was one of the most amazing places I have ever been to in my life) was “Guinsa” in the North Chungcheong Province. Located in the Sobaek mountains, Guinsa (salvation and kindness temple) is the home of Cheontae School of Buddhism. Many Koreans come here as a retreat from daily life, and the monks serve a free dinner to guests at the temple every evening. We arrived during an afternoon downpour, thinking that this would detract from our visit. If anything, the rain amplified the magic and mystique of the temple, as the buildings ascended high up into the mountains. The temple also offered something called a “temple stay” which is an overnight (or longer) stay at a Buddhist temple to enhance understanding of Korean Buddhism. The experience is open to people of any religious or non-religious belief system, and includes rituals and activities related to Buddhism and temple life.
6. Insadong
Speaking of eating and cooking, Insadong is a ‘don’t miss.’ Located in Seoul (the capitol city of South Korea), Insadong is a hub for art, tradition and food. The Insadong area (dong means neighborhood) really represents both traditional and modern Korean culture. This is the neighborhood in which I had my first seven course traditional Korean meal! It is well famed for great sightseeing, as it can attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each day. It is a place to buy souvenirs, traditional Korean snacks, apparel and much more. Although it can be a crowded area, I think it’s worth a visit. I highly recommend ducking into a traditional Insadong tea house if you need a break from the vibrant bustling streets.
7. Jeju Island
Jeju Island, often nicknamed “Korea’s Hawaii,” is an experience you don’t want to miss. Known as Korea’s honeymooner destination, the island is filled to the brim with fun activities, beautiful ocean front landscapes, breathtaking waterfalls and natural beauty. Many famous Korean movies and dramas were filmed on this gorgeous island. Even better, the island is not horribly over built with modern buildings—it still retains a lot of its traditional charm. In my three years of traveling and teaching in Korea, we visited Jeju three times. I often chose Jeju over other trips I could have taken because I enjoyed it so much the first time I visited. It is a short and relatively inexpensive flight from Korea’s mainland. There are also options for ship travel, although I preferred flying. The famous Olle hiking route passes through small villages, forest, beaches, farms and other areas of interest. Seogwipo City is a great place to start, as it’s very reasonably priced and near many major attractions. Some of my favorite experiences included: Mt. Halla (a full day hike, or half if you’re very ambitious), Manjanggul Cave (lava tubes), and Udo Island.
8. Loveland
Korea is known for its off-beat theme parks, and the fun and awesome stories to take home with you is only one of many reasons to visit Loveland Themepark and Sex Museum on Jeju Island. While this park was originally geared towards the flocks of Korean honeymooners, it has become an attraction to tourists and ex-pat teachers. The erotic sculptures are often humorous in nature, but very adult. At the park, we ate penis shaped bread with red bean filling, and viewed jaw dropping statues; it is the unique chance to see the naughty side of Korea. And, what is travel but a series of adventurous experiences that you will never forget!
9. DMZ
Visiting the DMZ made a lasting impression on my husband and I. First of all, Gangwondo is a beautiful province, and the trip to the DMZ was very scenic. once we arrived, we were able to actually view North Korean territory from an observatory on the South Korean side, which was a once in a lifetime experience. It was absolutely amazing to see this no man’s land, which was so eerily quiet that you could almost hear a pin drop. Above the land we could see eagles circling over the quiet beach, which was patrolled by soldiers and every tiny part of the beach was surrounded in barbed wire fencing. It made us sad to see this buffer between North and South Korea—a sad reminder of families separated by a war and to remember that Korea is still a country divided.
Whatever your preferences, there is definitely something for everyone in Korea. Keep in mind that there are countless other Korean experiences to check out if you are planning to travel and teach in Korea!
About the Author
Heather Douglas is a freelance writer and photographer. She is also a trained teacher in subjects such as English, Spanish, Creative Writing, EFL and ESOL. After living and teaching in Korea for three years, she is contemplating her next travel adventure and loves to inspire others to take the leap of a lifetime into International teaching.