The useful Korean expressions for trip

 As the number of overseas tourists who visit Korea is increasingly growing, most of the famous tourist attractions and organizations provide the information and guide in various languages for foreigners. Also, you can see English signs on the street and the name of the foods which are written in English in restaurants, and hear the English, Chinese and Japanese announcements in the subway.

 However, we mostly provide only three language services including English, Chinese and Japanese, so people who use other languages or can't speak English will experience the communication problem. I'll introduce you to the basic and useful Korean phrases for staying in Korea.

1. Greetings and Basic expressions

• Hello. 안녕하세요? [an nyeong ha se yo?]
• Goodbye(when the other person is staying) 안녕히 계세요. [an nyeong hi gye se yo]
• Thank you. 감사합니다. [gam sa ham ni da]
• Sorry. 미안합니다. [mi an ham ni da]
• Excuse me. 실례합니다. [silye ham ni da]
• Sure(Yes) 네 [ne]/ No 아니요 [a ni yo]
• Where is~? ~가(이) 어디에요? [(the name of the place) ~ga(or i) eo die e yo?]                                     ex)Where is the subway station? 지하철 역이 어디에요? [ji ha cheol yeok i eo die e yo?]  

2. Shopping

• How much is it? 이거 얼마에요? [igeo eol ma e yo?]
• It is 20,000 won. 20,000원이에요. [iman won i e yo]
• Please give me a discount. 깎아주세요. [kkakk a ju se yo]
• I'll take this one. 이걸로 주세요. [i geol lo ju se yo]

3. Restaurant

• Excuse me!(calling a waiter) 여기요. [yeo gi yo]
• Two orders of Bulgogi(the name of the food), please. 불고기 2인분 주세요. [Bulgogi i-inbun juseyo]
• Please leave out the Gochujang. 고추장 빼 주세요. [gochujang ppae juseyo]

 The videos will help you practice the basic Korean expressions by listening to the detailed explanations and pronunciations. Keep in mind these phrases, and it's very helpful while you're traveling Korea.

Source : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6h5qjdU7Jg

              http://www.korean.go.kr/09_new/edu/kteacher_book03.jsp

Enjoy the Korean unique street foods in Gwangjang Market

 Snack stalls on the street have been well-developed in Korea. Gwangjang traditional market is the first market in Korea and popular with young people for food alley because there are filled with many snack stalls selling a variety of street foods and traditional foods. 

Source : http://discoveringkorea.com/110123/gwangjang-traditional-market-in-seoul/

 I visited the market with my friend who was from Hong Kong around 2 weeks ago. I took her to the food alley which was dominated by the scores of snack stalls to introduce some street foods.

 We tasted three things sitting on one of the snack stalls. One is 'Sundae', which is left side of the below picture. It is a kind of blood sausage, and is made generally by boiling or steaming cow or pig's intestines that are stuffed with various ingredients. We both were surprised because the size was so huge. As a Korean, I've never seen this kind of huge Sundae before.
 The middle one is little Gimbap, which is called 'Mayak Gimbap'. The Korean word 'Mayak' originally means drug. I think we call the Gimbap like this because it makes people be addicted to the food like the drug. It has to be added with the special mustard sauce. It's one of the top 3 foods that you should eat in the market.
 In the right, it's Tteokbokki which is rice cakes in hot sauce. Even though it looks very spicy, my friend said the level of spicy flavor was moderate.

 They totally cost 12,000won($12 USD). After finishing eating these foods, we moved to the other place to taste 'Bindaetteok', which was one of the most famous food in the market. It resembles thick pancakes, and is made of mung beans seasoned with meat and vegetables. We usually eat it with a simple soy and onion dipping sauce, and it's perfect combination with Makgeolli which is raw rice wine. It’s an especially beloved food in the winter or on a rainy day.

 'Yukhoe', which is Korean-style raw beef, is the last must-eat food if you visit here. However, we couldn't eat it because we're very full. 

Source : http://feedhana.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/gwangjang-market-part-1/

 It is basically a Korean steak tartare. It is usually made from raw ground beef seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, salt, sesame oil, spring onion, minced garlic, sesame seeds, black pepper and julienned pear. A raw egg yolk is usually added, either on top of the dish or separately. It's a good match with a bottle of Soju.

 Besides these foods, there are more of the special street foods and traditional foods here. If you want to taste the unique Korean foods, visit the market and enjoy them at inexpensive prices. Street vendors are open all year round.

Directions : Exit 8 of Jongno 5-ga Stn. on subway line 1

                 Exit 4 of Euljiro 4-ga Stn. on subway line 2, 5

Cheonggyecheon

 Cheonggyecheon is an 8.4 km (5.2 miles) long and the resting place in downtown Seoul. It had been natural stream across downtown Seoul carrying waters gathered from the mountain valleys around it to the Han River. After the major success in urban renewal and beautification, it was opened to the public in September 2005 and has become popular among Koreans and foreign tourists.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheonggyecheon

 You can stroll along the stream and relax while drinking coffee on the stone platform. Especially if you take a rest here in summer, it makes cool yourself down. At night, you can enjoy fantastic night view with modern light systems. 

Attractions

1. Palseokdam

Source : http://www.sisul.or.kr/grobal/cheonggye/eng/WebContent/sub_gallary.jsp?page=ceu20103_1&img=16.jpg

 Palseokdam(Pond) is a place to make your wishes come true when you throw a coin here for luck! It is located at the starting point of Cheonggyecheon, and was made stones collected from 8 provinces throughout the country. It is connected to the path, so people can directly experience the flow of the water.

2. Banchado of King Jeongjo

Source : http://www.sisul.or.kr/grobal/cheonggye/eng/WebContent/sub_gallary.jsp?page=ceu20103_1&img=2.jpg

 Banchado of King Jeongjo is a painting of the Joseon Dynasty's King Jeongjo's 8-day royal procession to Hwaseong to visit his father's thumb to celebrate his mother's 60th birthday. It's a tile wall painting, comprising of 5,120 pieces of ceramic tiles.

3. Wall of Hopes

Source : http://www.sisul.or.kr/grobal/cheonggye/eng/WebContent/sub_gallary.jsp?page=ceu20103_1&img=3.jpg

 It was made of the 10m x 10m ceramic tiles that more than 20,000 citizens from nation of provinces, 5 provinces in North Korea as well as Korean nationals abroad directly wrote and painted their own hopes and desires on them. Individual hopes are expressed on the tile and the Wall of Hopes was installed on both sides of the 50-meter-long wall located between Hwanghakgyo and Biudanggyo.

The Seoul Lantern Festival

 

Source : http://www.visitseoul.net/en/article/article.do?_method=view&art_id=59030&lang=en&m=0004021003004&p=21

 The Seoul Lantern Festival takes place in Cheonggyecheon. It has been celebrated every year since 2009, and currently becomes the most representative annual event of Seoul. It is usually held from the beginning of November and lasts 2 weeks.  It shows various themes through lanterns and has different themes every year. The lighting hours are from 17:00 to 23:00. If you plan to visit Korea at this time, you have to check the exact period of the festival before you come here. To get more information about the festival, visit this site : http://www.visitseoul.net/en/article/article.do?_method=view&art_id=58485&lang=en&m=0004021001001&p=21

 If you want to know the history, restoration and features of Cheonggyecheon as well as get further information about tour courses and attractions, visit the official website : http://www.cheonggyecheon.or.kr/

Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheonggyecheon, http://www.cheonggyecheon.or.kr/

Insadong-gil

 Insadong-gil is well known as a Korean traditional street. It contains the mixture of historical and modern culture. The shops for antique, traditional artworks and galleries are concentrated in that area. Besides, traditional tea shops, restaurants, cafes and bars are doing a splendid business. It is one of the most visited areas among foreign travelers and the best place to buy souvenirs which symbolize Korea.

Source : http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=1210447&cid=200000000&categoryId=200002964

Attractions & Foods & Events

1. Ssamzie-gil

Source : http://teacherspage.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/introducing-insadong/

 Ssamzie-gil is a shopping&culture complex which you can feel traditional and youthful atmosphere. It has become a representative place to bring a date in Korea. It's a five-story building. From basement to four floors above ground, it's filled with about seventy handicraft and souvenir shops, galleries and tea shops. The various programs for foreign visitors, such as Hanji, which is the Korean traditional paper and mother-of-pearl craft are provided in the basement.

2. Traditional Korean tea house

 There are lots of the traditional Korean tea houses in Insadong-gil. You can enjoy drinking ginger or plum teas and eating sweet snacks or rice cakes. The overseas visitors in the video said the puffed rice with honey on the outside was very sweet and crunchy. They said the plum tea was almost like liquid honey, but it's not too overwhelming as well as the ginger tea was very strong flavor, but it's the perfect way to warm up in the winter.  Especially in winter, they make you keep warm by sipping the teas on a warm Ondol floor in a room elaborately decorated with Korean traditional ornaments. The teas and snacks cost about 12,000 won($12 USD).

3. Traditional performances on the street 

Source : http://teacherspage.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/introducing-insadong/

 Its main street was designated into a pedestrian zone with no cars from 10:00 to 22:00 everyday. Every Saturdays and Sundays, the road is used as a venue for exciting street performances including the traditional folk performance which is called 'Samulnori'.

*How to get to Insadong-gil

Exit 3 of Jonggak stn. on subway line 1(3-minute walk)

Exit 6 of Anguk stn. on subway line 3(2-minute walk)

Exit 5 of Jongno 3-ga stn. on subway line 1,3,5 (5-minute walk)

Reference : http://insadong.jongno.go.kr/inTown.do?menuId=9148&menuNo=9148

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung was the second royal palace built following the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was built in case the main official palace, Gyeongbokgung couldn't be used because of the war and huge disaster. It is the most well-preserved of the five remaining royal Palaces. In addition, it was designated as World Heritage by the UNESCO on December, 1997.

<The main gate of Chandeokgung Palace>
source : http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%B0%BD%EB%8D%95%EA%B6%81

Changdeokgung Palace represents the unique Palace architecture and garden culture of the Joseon Dynasty. While the buildings in the Gyeongbokgung Palace stand in good order on a flat road, the most distinguished feature of the Changdeokgung Palace is that the space is arranged in harmony with nature. It has beautiful and natural scenery because all buildings, garden, even small stones and trees in the Palace were placed in harmony with nature, whereas other palaces were built artificially to symbolize the authority of the kings. So if you stand in front of the main gate of the palace, Donhwamun, you can't see the royal audience hall unlike other palaces because the buildings weren't arranged in a straight line but placed in different ways depending on the natural features and space size.

Must-see places in Changdeokgung Palace

There are two courses to look around the palace. One is the regular tour which you can only see the palace area, the other is Huwon (Secret Garden) Course which you have to accompany with the guide. You're required to make a reservation in advance for Huwon Tour via Tel: +82-2-762-8261 (English), Online reservations (Korean only)

1. Injeongjeon Hall                                  

It's the symbolical place of this palace. Important national events such as coronation ceremony of new kings, congratulatory ceremony and reception of envoys were held at Injeongjeon. At those events, civil officials lined up in the east side, and military officials stood in the west side according to their rank stones. 

The picture source : http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%B0%BD%EB%8D%95%EA%B6%81

2. Huijeongdang Hall

Originally it's the king's bed chamber, but it became used as a room for council in the late Joseon Dynasty. The original Huijeongdang was destructed by a fire in 1917. There is the evidence in the reconstructed building that adopted the western culture such as western-style chairs, glass windows and carpets in the late Joseon Dynasty.

The picture source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changdeokgung

3. Daejojeon Hall

It's the official residence of the queen and the most difficult to access the place. A main floored room divides it into west Ondol(Korean floor heating system), the bed room for queen and east ondol, the bed room for king. Besides, the princes and princesses were born and educated in here. It's the place where the last council in the Royal presence of the Joseon Dynasty was held in 1910. Japanese annexation of Korea which our sovereignty was deprived by Japan was determined in the council, and Joseon Dynasty that had a long history came to an end. It's the place of our poignant history.

The picture source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changdeokgung

Behind the palace, there is Huwon (Rear garden or Secret garden) which was originally used for the royal family and palace women. Even high officials were not allowed to enter without the king's permission. The garden is comprised of a pond, pavilions, landscaped lawns, a hundred different species of trees and flowers.

4. Buyongji area (in the Secret Garden) 

The pond of Buyongji has an area of 1000㎡, and it is the most largest place in the garden. There is a round islet in the pond that the huge pine is growing. Buyongji had based on a 'Cheonwonjibang' ideology that means the heavens is round and the earth is square. Therefore, it has squared pond representing the earth and round islet representing the heavens. Also, there is a unique shaped pavilion called Buyongjeong which its two pillars were erected in the pond. It was used as the place that king and royal family enjoyed reading books and took a rest.

The picture source : http://blog.naver.com/wonc97?Redirect=Log&logNo=50151611506

• Direction : Exit 3 of Anguk stn. on subway line 3 and go straight for 5 min.
• Closed on Mondays
• Further information regarding admission&tickets sales time, tour hours, admission fees, free guided tour and more explanation of places is displayed on the palace's official website. Visit http://eng.cdg.go.kr/main/main.htm

Reference : http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=1582254&cid=3077&categoryId=3077

                   http://eng.cdg.go.kr/main/main.htm
                   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changdeokgung

Gyeongbokgung Palace

There are 5 grand palaces in Seoul. Gyeongbokgung Palace is the main and largest one, and it was built for the first time among 5 palaces which were created in the Chosun Dynasty. The name of the palace 'Gyeongbok' means "Greatly Blessed by Heaven".

Source : http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=566482&cid=1630&categoryId=1630

• How to get here : Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung stn. on subway line 3                                                                                                           Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun stn. on subway line 5
• Hours : 9:00~18:00 (Final admission at 17:00)    

             * June through August                9:00~18:30 (Final admission at 17:30)
             * November through February     9:00~17:00 (Final admission at 16:00)
             * Closed on Tuesdays

• Admissions

        Age 19~ : 3,000 won/ 2,400 won(group, 10 or more)
        Age 7~18 : 1,500 won/ 1,200 won(group, 10 or more)
        Age 6 and under children, Permanent Residency Status Holder(Age 65 and older): Free
          *Combination Tickets : 10,000 won for adults, 5,000won for youth
             -With one admission, you can enter Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and                            Jongmyo Shrine within one month.
               You can purchase it at the ticket offices of each of the five different palaces.

• Free guided tour in foreign languages

        English - 11:00, 13:30, 15:30
        Japanese - 10:00, 12:30, 14:30
        Chinese - 10:30, 13:00, 15:00

Must-see places in Gyeongbokgung Palace

1. Gwanghwamun

It is the main gate of Gyeongbokgung palace. It has a double-roofed pavilion over three arched openings set in a high stone foundation. The king entered through the central arch, whereas the crown prince and officials used the either side of the openings.
The royal changing of the guard ceremony is held in front of it at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Watching the ceremony was selected as the third favorite activity in Seoul by nearly 2,000 foreign visitors.

2. Geunjeongjeon

It is the largest and most formal hall in Gyeongbokgung. It is the throne hall where the king granted audiences with his officials, held officially important events, and received foreign envoys. While coronation and reception for foreign envoys were held, the officials stood according to their rank stones placed with two rows on the stone-paved courtyard.






3. Gyeonghoeru

The pavilion was built on a pond to the west of Gangnyeongjeon, the king's living quarters. This is the royal banquet hall used to hold the reception for foreign envoys and feasts between the king and officials. The name means that the king can deal with national affairs only when he gets the right people around him. Three stone bridges which are connected to the pavilion are decorated with sculpted twelve Zodiac animals.




To get further information about tour of the palace, visit the official website :  http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/html/eng/main/main.jsp


Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyeongbokgung
              http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/html/eng/main/main.jsp

The most efficient public transportation : Subway

How to use the subway

Seoul subway system offers the most convenient way of exploring the city.

You can reach all of the tourism attractions in Seoul if you take the subway.

There are 9 lines and some other lines such as Incheon International Airport Railroad and Bundang line

which are connected to the airports and nearby cities. 

Each subway lines are classified into different colors that represent line numbers.

It allows all passengers to easily recognize them and find out how they can get to their destination. 

In addition, the numbers associated with each line are indicated at the end of each and every line.

The stations that you can transfer to other lines are marked by a larger circle, 

exactly the Korean symbol 'Taegeuk' on a subway map. 

There are three types of transportation cards : 

• 1. Single Journeys
• 2. T-Money Cards(Multiple Journeys; Rechargeable)
• 3. M-PASS(1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 5-day and 7-day passes)

The video shows the process of buying the Single Journeys transportation card.

Two foreigners explain how to use the automatic machine to recharge the T-money card.

To find out more information, visit Korea Tourism Organization official website : 

http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/TR/TR_EN_5_1_4.jsp#Subway01

You can learn subway signs and how to purchase three types of tickets, refund deposit 
and use automatic machines in details etc.