I will be traveling to Seoul this summer to to visit a friend

>>1247146
>I was wondering what people on this board think of it.
Get ready for an endless flurry of "Japan is better" posts.

>>1247146
Seoul is my favorite city in Asia apart from Taipei. It's like Tokyo, but with:

-friendlier locals
-locals who are less jaded by Western tourists
-less tourists (particularly the annoying weebs you get in Japan)
-cheaper prices

Personally I think the food is better too, but that is of course personal preference.

>>1247693
Hell yeah, Taipei seems great. I've only been there for a few days for work trips, but its seems quite laid back. Whats your opinion on it?

Considering living there for a while.

people don't pay to go to south korea unless they're korean immigrants.

people usually get paid to go there.

it's not an awful country, just utterly boring, low-key unpleasant, and completely devoid of culture and interesting things.

japan and taiwan are much better travel destinations.

I should also mention that if you are into nature, Korea is remarkably dull and ugly landscape wise, absolutely shit-tier. Japan and Taiwan (not to mention China) absolutely blow Korea out of the water many times over when it comes to the countryside and national parks.

>>1247693

My missus is Taiwanese but I've never been over there (plan to soon, but work/life keeps getting in the way). Of course she raves about Taiwan and how great certain things are.

I would appreciate some objective advice from a fellow "lo wai" as to what is worth seeing & what to avoid.

TIA

>>1247146
>Is the city fun or depressing?
False dilemma? Seoul is fun. Korea doesn't really have a whole lot of interesting traditional culture--food and nightlife are it. Food is pretty damn good. Definitely stuff your face with as much kalbi and samgyeopsal and all that as you can. BUT when you go to a Korean restaurant in Korea you basically can't go alone. It's all family style.

Hongdae is fun! Go to the park and try to meet the Makgeolli Man.

>>1247693
>friendlier locals
>he's never met a viciously aggressive piss-ass drunk ajeossi who will literally bark and curse at you and try to hit you with his cane unprovoked for being a foreigner
(this literally happened to me--twice).
>he's never met a shitty plastic visor ajumma who will push you out of the way and get in front of you in line at the grocery store

At the very least, older Japanese are much more polite friendly and civilized than older Koreans. I don't reallly blame them--Korea did only industrialize like 50 years ago. These old folks are primitive. Koreans are better at English though.

>locals who are less jaded by Western tourists
Western tourists? Most Japanese people aren't hanging out in Asakusa by Sensoji. Maybe Kyotoites are jaded but Westerners just don't really enter the day of the average Japanese person--at all. And an overwhelming majority of tourists to Japan are not Western and the western tourists are better behaved the Chinese, so why would they be jaded by the westerners?

>less tourists
Yeah because besides drinking and nightlife Korea is pretty boring m8.

>cheaper prices
Transportion is definitely cheaper! Seoul has actually surpassed Tokyo in terms of cost living actually. Western foods in particular are out of control expensive in Korea. A loaf of bread is like 10,000 won I remember ha.

>it's like Tokyo
Except no where near as vibrant, culturally interesting, historical, clean etc.

t. Guy who works in the auto industry who has worked in Korea and Japan

I had some of the most exciting and crazy times of my life in Seoul and Busan. But i put effort into speaking a little bit of korean .

I highly recommend you do the same.

OP should just book flight to Tokyo and get his friend in Korea to come out there. If he/she's a foreigner working there, then I can guarantee you they will be incredibly eager for any opportunity to get a break from that shithole. If he's a native Korean, he/she will also be eager for any opportunity to spend a couple days away from Korea.

Japan is ten times the country and civilization Korea ever was and will be.

I was in Seoul for 2 days 2 weeks ago. I stayed in Hongdae and had a great time. Take a look at the palaces and the war memorial.

OP be warned. Bitter anons such as >>1247996 are samefagging in your thread. Don't let them dissuade you from having a good time.

They say the same thing in every single thread pertaining to Korea. When you ask the for details they just call you a koreaboo and sidestep the question. They're full of shit, best to ignore them.

>it's like Tokyo

Seoul is not even one fourth as interesting, pleasant, beautiful (not beautiful like an old European city, but just well-designed, neat and easy on the eyes), fascinating, historical, and vibrant and Tokyo is.

Tokyo is up there with world class cities. It's competitors are places like New York (a dirty shithole, but still an amazing place), London, Paris and Hong Kong.

Seoul is on the same tier as Jakarta, Mumbai, Irvine or Shenzhen.

>>1247996
>>1248000
Which hotel or hostel did you stay at in Seoul? Hongdae or Gangnam? Did you end up in Busan at all? Seomyeon, Gwangan and Nampo are really cool places man

>>1247996
>>1248000
I know it's you, mentally ill anon. It's always you isn't it?

I liked Seoul more than Tokyo myself. Have fun and don't let these Japan fags tell you otherwise.

Really the only good thing to do in Korea is stay out all night drinking. SK is my favourite party country in the world: drink at the convenience store, all kinds of bars, all kinds of restaurants. Even parks are big drinking spots. Everything's open till the sun comes up.

But otherwise there's nothing else to recommend. There are some pretty hiking spots if you can get there when the Koreans aren't there (because they'll be screaming and blasting music). There's literally nothing to recommend in Seoul in terms of touristy things to see and do (t. lived in Korea 3 years, including in Seoul). Just eat lots of kimchi drink lots of soju.

>>1248056
Seriously. Why do the Koreaboos not get this? Not everyone is into nonstop drinking and fucking the easiest girls (only the easiest if you are white. Korean girls worship white cock) in the entire world. If you like that, Korea is great. But if you want something more, it has absolutely nothing to offer next to Japan or Taiwan.

>>1247146
dont listen to the japan promoters. im sure japan is super fun but thats not the topic here. i went to seoul in december as a solo traveler. it was the best 2 weeks of my life. i stayed in hongdae and i would highly recommend that area. friendly enough for tourists but not so touristy that it seems fake. as far as things to do. FOR FUCKS SAKE BUY EGG BREAD. its a type of street foodand it is the greatest thing ive ever had in my life. i would buy it everyday while i was there its like $2. but yeah try new foods even the weird stuff you may not be use to. if you are not asian looking people will probs be more inclined to talk to you so dont be afraid to be social. doing the touristy stuff is cool but make sure you see the authentic stuff korea has to offer. have fun my man

the korea hater is LITERALLY one guy. hes been here for months. hes actually so off topic im surprised he isnt banned

>>1248056
>pregame in front of the GS25
I'm missing it back home

>>1247146
Was there in December during those protests which basically centered around some hot spots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcxbjfRkZDU&t=3s

Since the impeachment and new election it is now calm.

Check out Namsan Park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_P-C-j5H8

Seoul Tower and its surroundings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZVd-Bc-T4I

As well as the royal palace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3DwuEq9mRo

The DMZ to North korea is about 40km away and is open for tourists.

>>1247998
I don't get why people are so triggered over South Korea, I understand it's not Japan, if I wanted to go to Japan I would go there.

>>1248277
That's really funny desu.

>>1248345
>>1247977
>>1248056
>>1248276
Actually helpful, thank you!

are there any good music festivals planned over the summer? i prefer rock/metal myself

>>1248925
>culture

you need to go somewhere else for that I'm afraid. Korea is a culture-free zone, unless you count really bad pop music as culture.

File: Meghan-Trainor_All-About-That-Bass_video-snap.jpg (98KB, 1222x805px) Image search: [Google]

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>>1248934
America must be the most cultureless country in the world.

how good is their english-speaking ability? what's a good korean book for someone who sucks at talking?

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>>1249690
>how good is their english-speaking ability?
They rank #27 out of every country that doesn't normally speak English.

They rank #5 in Asia. To put things into perspective, they outrank Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Macau, and Thailand; these places are known for speaking reasonable amounts of English.

Source: http://www.ef.com/ca/epi/

>>1248380
Hey I'm the guy who has lived in Tokyo and Seoul who wrote this: >>1247977

I really don't want my post to come across as a triggered weeaboo thing. I personally am also pretty shitted when any Korea thread inevitably turns into a "Japan is better" shitshow. It's just when people say things like Seoul is like Tokyo but better in some way--just can't let that slip.

You are going to Korea and you just can't have your expectations be distorted. Seoul is no Tokyo, and Korea is no Japan frankly, but Korea definitely does have its charms.

It's just that your main diversions are going to be food and nightlife--which are pretty damn good in Korea really.

>>1248000
>Seoul is on the same tier as Jakarta, Mumbai, Irvine or Shenzhen

m8 come on. Generally speaking Seoul is a pleasant, safe city. Calling it Jakarta or Mumbai is pretty irresponsibly false.

>>1248936
Low quality bait.

>>1249829
>Japan known for speaking reasonable amounts of English.
LOLWUT.jpg. Japanese English-speaking/listening comprehension skills are horrible. Nobody in his right mind would ever say the Japanese speak "reasonable" amounts of English.

>>1249865
Really no east asian country is good. Koreans English ability is overrated though definitely higher than Japanese. Id say a healthy plurality of 20s Koreans have a grasp of basic conversational english.

>>1249867
The Japanese have good English reading comprehension and that's about it. Their conversational skills are abysmal, thanks to the way English is taught in their schools. I've met a good number of Japanese English-language teachers (I work at a university here) and none of them was able to hold even the most basic of conversations in English. It's either insane or hilarious, depending on your viewpoint.

It's an alright country, good for a beginner traveler since it's super safe, easy to get anywhere and people are among the friendliest and most helpful I've ever met. I visited Seoul, Jecheon lake, Gumi, Busan, Gyeongju and Ulsan area, Jeju island. However, I'm more of an adventure traveler and the country was too developed for my taste. Everything is facilitated. Not really into high-tech. CCTVs are everywhere too and you have to pay for whatever you do there. Food is very bland too, the worst I've ever tasted.

>>1249934
>Korean food
>bland

First I think I've ever heard that one. I've heard people trash Korean food by saying its unrefined but never bland.

Bulgogi is a pretty unique savory taste. There's a bunch of spicy stuff. Dunno hiw you get bland. Korean food is less spicy than Koreans like to think it is though.

Just.Go.To.Japan.

>I personally am also pretty shitted when any Korea thread inevitably turns into a "Japan is better" shitshow.

But it is better.

When a neighboring country is objectively so much better (from a traveler POV, not necessarily to live in), you would be irresponsible if you didn't point that out.

>>1250033
>objectively better

That in my mind is the issue; there is no objectivity in travelling preferences. Some people prefer different things.

I preferred Korea to Japan, but acknowledge that I am in the minority of that, and that most people would prefer Japan.

My reasons are as follows:

>better food
This is subjective, but I prefer Korean cuisine, and particularly their dining styles. E.g. In Japan you may sit alone in a booth after ordering Ramen from a machine. Compare that experience to the social occasion of Korean BBQ

>people
All the Koreans I met were much more friendly, and way less autistic. In Japan you will struggle to talk/engage with a local, compared to Korea where guys/girls would welcome me and invite me to eat/party with them.

>tourists
I really really disliked a) the number of tourists in Japan, and b) the type of tourists. If you can handle being in a place with weebs and literal autists trying to pretend they are Japanese then more power to you.

>>1249934
>Food is very bland too
U fuckin wot m8
>>1250033
Objectively isn't the right word anon. You're looking for subjectively. But you're objectively wrong about your subjective opinion about Korea.

>>1250033
What you're doing is akin to visiting a Chevy dealership, only to tell customers that Ford is better.

Even if you're right, you're a cunt. Let people think for themselves.

I don't really understand why you people think Japan is fun. I found it extremely boring. What exactly did I miss? Akihabara is retarded.. Akasaka is nothing... Shibuya is underwhelming as fuck... where are you Japanophiles /going/?

>>1250033
>When a neighboring country is objectively so much better (from a traveler POV, not necessarily to live in), you would be irresponsible if you didn't point that out.

You're a shitcunt. Italy and Slovenia are neighbors too. If some rando on /trv/ was like "so I'm heading to Slovenia anything I should check out?"

Nobody would be like OMG just go to Italy bro it's so much better.

>>1250199
Oh look it's another boring person. Just look in a mirror man. You might be the problem.

>>1250223
To clarify, my point being that I think most people would agree Italy is more interesting and exciting than Slovenia for a tourist, but no one is going to tell someone who is heading to Slovenia to head to Italy instead just because they're neighbors.

I'm visiting from May 18th to the 31st. Anybody want to meet up and get wasted?

>>1250199
What countries have you been to that you have enjoyed?

There is so much garbage in this thread, I feel sorry for OP.
Not the kind of garbage like "Fuck your opinion, mines so much better." Just too many people hating on South Korea for the fun of it.
If you don't like it, this isn't that thread. Read the OP.

I lived in northern SK for almost 2 years. Seoul was a lot of fun, mainly for the drinking and if you're white, you'll make a friend everyday.
One night 2 older Korean dudes bought my 2 friends and I soju for 3 hours just because they wanted to talk to us and hang out with us because we were white.
Only the older generation don't like foreigners, like any other culture.

The food is great, so much to eat even if you are buy yourself. Everything comes with like 10 extra side dishes each meal.
The BBQ is a fun experience, cooking your food on your own grill in the table, and those that just like to bitch about having to cook your own food and can't simply enjoy a new experience, can have the waitresses come by and cook it for your.

There's an incredibly huge mall in Seoul that has a really cool and very large aquarium called...The Aquarium (I know its not very creative.)
The most fun I had was to go ride the train towards Seoul, about an hour and a half ride from where I was, Dongducheon, and just get off at a random stop. There was always places to eat and things to see, plus you get away from the touristy areas and actually see the country and the people. Most people could carry on a basic English conversation.

If you like the outdoors, the locals love to hike, everywhere. Every train you went on, there was always some Korean lady or older guy dressed up to hike with their hiking boots and backpack and 2 hiking sticks, fucking ready to go.
The temples are cool and the shrines in the mountains are pretty neat to see, nothing like other Asian countries equivalent.

>>1250453

The last thing I can think of to see that's pretty cool or might be interesting, is find a large American Army base and go to the town its in and hit up some bars
The environment is totally different and the soldiers are usually pretty fun, though sometimes a little rowdy. There's a curfew for them so they can't stay out too late and cause too many problems.

Get out of Seoul whenever you get the chance. The countryside is dope and easily accessible. You could spend days ferry hopping some of the little islands off Mokpo and just enjoying eating and hanging out. If you are into hiking head to Gangwon or down to Jirisan. Miryang also has some good camping and little guesthouses that are pretty much like American motels.