Trips
The trips i went on included Sokcho, Jeju, Busan, Suwon and Jeonju. Each were memorable for their own reasons but were fantastic for their own reasons.
Sokcho is in the east, a 3 hour bus journey from Seoul. A beautiful fishing town on the coast that has recently grown into a city. You can visit sea temples, complete incredible hikes to extreme heights in Seoraksan National Park, eat fresh sashimi in an underground fish market, sunbathe and swim at beautiful beaches or visit an abandoned ski resort in the mountains. This was actually my favourite trip, just such an incredible city.
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Suwon is where the other half of our campus is situated and it great for a day trip, with an immense fortress with palaces that are really interesting to visit- well worth getting a free guided tour around the palace grounds. We learnt so much about Korean history here. The place is actually dedicated to King Jeongju's father, who was executed by his own father for not obeying orders to commit suicide. It’s a wonderful place simply because of what it means to the people here, our guide told us that people often cry at the stories told to them about the kindness paid by the king for the elderly and public shown through the palace.
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Jeju is a volcanic island paradise. You have to fly, as it is an island off the bottom of Korea. It has stunning beaches with milky clear water and white sand, stunning waterfalls, the controversial Loveland (a sculpture park dedicated to sex and fertility, supposedly built where there was a time of hunger as there were no fish in the sea which was ended by a man masturbating into the waters, bringing the return of fish). The nature is just stunning, with countless places to watch sunsets, swim and relax, and a huge hike to the tallest peak in Korea if you fancy.
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Busan is a cultural hive on the beach, with an incredible culture village. This, like many other villages across Korea, was once a ’shanty town’, which local councils place funding into commissioning local artists to paint murals across the village. Lots of small cafes and restaurants as well at shops are opened in these villages. They are amazing to visit, there are a few in Seoul and one in Jeonju. Also with a nice beach- not as nice as Sokcho and Jeju as it is built up, but still worth a visit. It’s a great city for nightlife.
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Jeonju is the culture city of Korea. It has a huge Hanok village, with many Hanoks you can actually stay in (well worth the traditional uncomfortable futon bed). An amazing hive of cuisine and a great place to stay out and drink makgeolli with food. It's got great viewpoints as well and is an interesting place to simply wonder around.
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