10 things to know before going to South Korea
Like every other country, South Korea has its own set of unique characteristics, on top of having a different language on its own. Here are 10 things to know about South Korea before going to make it more convenient for you in your travels.
1. Language
The official language of the country is Korean. It has dialects and accents that vary within regions, but these variations don’t affect the overall understanding of the language. Still the accent of the capital, Seoul, is considered standard Korean, and is the one taught worldwide and used in radio and television. Korean has it’s own alphabet,the Hangul, proclaimed in 1446, and its the only alphabet designed to fit the already existing language. Before then, only the most privileged knew how to read and write, as they used Chinese characters applied to Korean, now known as Hanja. Learning Hangul takes about 2 hours, so you can try memorizing it on the plane on your way over, that will help understand more signs during your trip.
Even though not all Koreans speak English, many are able to understand it, and its possible to travel around the country comfortably just speaking English. Direction boards are written in Korean and English, and most places have English menus, explanatory boards or resort to pictures.
2. Culture
As one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world, South Korea has evolved from its deep rooted shamanism practices, to Buddhism and later, completely welcomed the Confucian ideas until late 19th century, when it opened it’s doors to western culture and religion, after centuries of communicating exclusively with China. The first half of the 20th century they were colonized by Japan, and after the Korean war, that ended in 1953, they redeveloped the country and became the world leading society in technology while maintaining their traditions. Now, Seoul combines the fastest internet in the world with traditional festivities like Seollal, or “Lunar New Year”, and Chuseok, or “Harvest Moon”, the largest moon of the year.
The South Korean traditional clothing is the Hanbok. Used by everyone in society, it’s made up of a shirt and a skirt and there are three distinctive types; everyday wear, ceremonies, and special hanboks. Special hanboks were used by officials, and specific professions that had the privilege of having an specific design. Ceremonial hanboks were used in weddings, funerals, or birthdays. Everyday hanboks were dyed vibrant colors and decorated with jewels by the upper class, but the lower class were forbidden from dying it and wore the natural colors of the fabrics, which were cotton and wool. While ceremonial and special hanboks are still used today, the everyday hanbok has been replaced by western clothes. There are modernized versions and sometimes can be seen on the street but nowadays, you will see people wearing hanboks near tourist areas like Gyeongbokgung Palace, where there are affordable rentals and willl even get you a free entrance to the palace.
3. Currency
The official currency of South Korea is the Korean Won (원 in Korean, ₩ symbol, abbreviated to KRW). Bills come in 1,000 won, 5,000 won,10,000 won and 50,000 won denominations and coins come in 10 won, 50 won, 100 won, and 500 won denominations. Foreign currencies are generally not accepted within South Korea except for major international airports.
When shopping in South Korea, cards can be used almost everywhere, the only exception being markets and very small restaurants, where cash is preferred. When paying for transportation, the cheapest method is to buy a Tmoney card, that can be activated in any convenience store, and top it up, with cash, in the metro stations. Because of this, it’s recommended to have cash available during the trip.
4. Weather & Clothing
There are four different seasons in South Korea. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Humidity is high all year round, the lowest being in winter, with 60%, and highest during summer months with a 75%. Spring and Autumn are mild, the lowest temperature being 10 degrees Celsius and the highest 20 degrees Celsius. Summers are hot, reaching 30 degrees and July and August are very rainy, with more than 350mm average rainfall. In winter, temperatures drop below zero, the lowest being minus 10 and it snows regularly. Between winter and Spring, specially during February and March, air pollution is at it’s highest levels, due to the winds and scarce rains. Always have masks ready when visiting during these months.
To dress accordingly, during Spring and Autumn focus on layers, as mornings and nights can be cold and windy but as the day goes by it can get really warm, specially while travelling underground. For the Summer, always use sunscreen and stay hydrated. Finally, during winter, the biggest necessity is a long padded coat, used by all Koreans to stay warm and active.
5. Time Difference
The time zone that is being observed in South Korea is Korean Standard Time or KST, which is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +9). South Korea does not operate Daylight Saving Time (DST) and it stays on Standard time all year round.
6. Electricity
The voltage in South Korea is 220 Volt, which is different from North America (120 Volt). The electrical plugs and outlets that are used in South Korea resemble the European ones, two rounded pins, more commonly known as type C.
7. Public Transport
Public transport in South Korea is efficient and very comfortable. In Seoul, the metro is the fastest way to move around, but buses can be very convenient as well, specially when going somewhere that is located between two metro stations as they can be quite far form each other. The Tmoney card is used nationwide, there is no need to buy different tickets for different cities. All metro stations are equipped with top up stations, bathrooms and even underground shopping malls. To move between cities, trains are the fastest way and buses are the cheapest, there are even premium buses with extra space for commodity. You can fly between the main cities, and to Jeju Island. Jeju can also be reaached by ferry from the main port cities, like Busan or Mokpo.
8. Water
The tap water in South Korea is drinkable. The national water infrastructure and purification facilities are very well-maintained and reliable, so the tap water is of good quality. Bottled water is also readily available in South Korea at convenience stores or vending machines for purchase if you are not comfortable drinking tap water.
9. WIFI Access
In South Korea, most places offer free Wifi and being connected to the internet in a restaurant, cafe, or even airport bus is extremely easy. Nevertheless, when moving around is recommended at least one person in your traveling party has access to data and doesn’t rely on WiFi, as the Korean address system is quite complicated and finding specific locations can become a really time consuming and frustrating task. Data-only SIM cards are available in airports, convenience stores, electronic stores or from third-party providers and they only require a quick verification process explained on the instructions provided. The maps apps available in Korea don’t use an exorbitant amount of data, which means 1GB should be enough for a week long trip.
10. Emergency Numbers
Emergency telephone numbers can be called from public phones, mobile phones and home phones. Neither money nor pre-paid telephone cards are required when making an emergency call.
Police Department: +82-2-112.
Fire Department: +82-2-119.
Medical Emergencies: +82-2-1339.