Korea Trip 2022: Arrival and Exploring Jung-gu
I began planning for a Korea trip way back in 2018 with the intention of going sometime in 2019. It failed to come to fruition that year due to my long-winded naturalization process (I wanted to enter the country as a U.S. citizen), so I resolved that 2020 would be the year; it didn’t happen for a very obvious reason. The trip looked like it was on the cards for 2021, but my plans were dashed again due to my South Korean citizenship denaturalization process taking nearly eight months (it was totally my fault for constantly putting it off). I knew that after years of planning, the trip had to happen this year, as it would become progressively difficult to go with each additional year of delay. Finally, despite a bout with COVID from which I recovered very last-minute, I departed for Korea on August 31 with the intent of returning on November 5.
인천국제공항 (Incheon International Airport)
My flight arrived at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 at nearly 4:00am on September 2. Exhausted, I shuffled out of the plane and headed to the first checkpoint, where staff wearing surgical gear and face shields waved me forward after seeing my Q Code, a QR code that is one of several documents/tasks required for entry into the country, which (for now) includes the K-ETA as well as a negative result on either a PCR test taken within two days of the flight or a supervised rapid antigen test taken within one day of the flight (the Koreatravel subreddit stickies a weekly thread on entry/exit requirements that I found incredibly useful - here is a recent one). I approached another checkpoint where additional staff reviewed my Q Code and passport before directing me to the next one. There, they took my fingerprints and verified my identity via my passport. After that, I was clear to retrieve my luggage, which took less than 10 minutes.
I had booked a SIM card (which gives you a Korean phone number) and a WiFi Egg (a portable WiFi device) via Klook to use during my trip, so I first headed over to the KT booth, located near Exit 11, to pick up the SIM card. The staff there required that I take a “waiting ticket” (taken from a nearby tablet), as there were several others in line. When it became my turn, I showed them my voucher and passport, and I was told to “pre-load” the SIM by paying for minutes in case I wanted to make calls. I initially paid for 40 minutes, which cost me ₩11,000 ($8.34 in USD). They installed the SIM card into my phone, and they gave me instructions on how to extend my SIM card period or “top up” when required. I then moved over to the SK Telecom booth, located near Exit 10, to pick up the WiFi egg. The process here was similar to the one before.
I went out through Exit 10 and across two streets to the Terminal 1 West testing center for the PCR test, which is currently required within one day of entering the country. While I didn’t have to take it at the airport, it was cheaper there compared to taking it at a medical facility. After putting my luggage off to the side outside of the testing center, I waited in line for about 20-30 minutes. When it was my turn, a staff member reviewed my Q Code information to verify my contact and personal information. I was directed over to a cashier booth to pay ₩80,000 ($59.81) for the test before heading over to a sealed-off room, where another staff member - behind a window with two arm holes for her gloves - probed my nostril very deeply with the swab (they have to collect the specimen, not you).
My plans were to stay in 중구 (Jung-gu), one of Seoul’s districts, to isolate away from my extended family in case I contracted COVID from the airports or the plane. While I had contracted COVID before I left, I decided to proceed with my plans as intended. I returned to Terminal 1 and then headed back out at Exit 5 and crossed the street to get to the taxis, as I didn’t want to take bus or rail into the city in order to limit human contact. After telling a staff member where I was headed, I was told to head down the street a brief way to get to the Seoul taxis. I was directed to one by other staff members, the driver loaded my luggage, and we were off. The drive took nearly an hour and a half over the course of nearly 61 kilometers (approximately 38 miles), and I took the time to notify my family of my arrival and chat with the driver about a variety of topics, from how long he had been driving (one year) to the purpose of my visit. When we arrived at my Airbnb, the meter indicated that the drive came out to ₩59,600 ($44.45). After I paid and he helped unload my luggage, we bade each other farewell.
마른내로 (Mareunnae-ro) and 을지로 (Eulji-ro)
After settling in, it was nearly 9:00am when I decided to head out, walk around the neighborhoods, and simply explore. I began weaving in and out of random alleys between and on Mareunnae-ro and Eulji-ro (both of which are avenues), snapping photos and marveling at the random yet interesting sights abound. I was in no rush, so I just moved at a carefree pace. Hundreds of delivery motorbikes puttered past, and I learned to keep to watch for and listen for them after nearly getting getting hit by one for the second time. I saw baskets of washed napa cabbage in front of restaurants as their owners begin preparing for the day’s business, workers moving shipments and firing up what looked like printing presses, and vendors selling raw squid and fish at 인현시장 (Inhyeon Market) | Naver link. At one point, having not drank anything since I got off the plane, I stopped at a small shop and ordered a bottle of Pocari Sweat, which cost ₩2,200 (approximately $1.61). The storekeeper noted my camera and asked what I was up to. I told her I was a tourist just snapping photos of anything I found interesting. She asked, almost sarcastically, “Any interesting things around here?” “Plenty!” I replied, a little too enthusiastically.
서울 명동성당 (Myeongdong Cathedral) | Naver link
Eventually, I made my way to Myeongdong Cathedral, which is the church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul and the first Roman Catholic Church in Korea. While the Catholic faith spread mainly during the 19th and 20th Centuries, early Catholics were persecuted, and it took many years and massive efforts to build the cathedral. As I walked through the cathedral’s grounds, I observed a handful of people praying in front of statues of the Virgin Mary, while a few others went inside. I decided to stay outdoors, so I spent the time admiring the cathedral’s architecture as well as some artworks.
명동 (Myeongdong)
Myeongdong is known to be one of Seoul’s major shopping districts. I did notice that there were a lot of businesses that either closed down - victims from one of or a combination of the pandemic and rising rent prices. Still, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of people and cars in the area, especially as the day went on. I didn’t check out any stores, partly because I don’t enjoy shopping for clothes or trinkets, and partly because I wasn’t really interested in what was being sold.
One thing I did want to do in Myeongdong was exchange money, and there were dozens of money exchange vendors spread out. Wanting to get the best exchange rate possible, I ended up spending over an hour just walking around Myeongdong, noting the exchange rates being advertised and mentally knocking off the ones with low rates. I finally settled on 머니박스 명동지점 (Money Box Myeongdong Branch) | Naver link, which was offering an exchange rate of ₩1,351 for every dollar. The won’s value had been dropping significantly, especially in recent months, so as much as I would have liked to visit Korea sooner, I had come at a good time, economically speaking.
After exchanging my money, I went about searching for a street vendor selling 순대 (soondae) - blood sausage, which happens to be my favorite Korean food (much to my parents’ bemusement). While there were a handful of restaurants selling soondae, I really wanted my first meal in Korea to be from a street vendor. Luckily, I found such a vendor: 신세계떡볶이 (Shinsegae Tteokbokki) | Naver link, which specializes in 떡볶이(tteokbokki), a spicy dish made with rice cakes. I ordered a single serving of soondae that cost ₩4,000 (approximately $2.95), and I received not only soondae, but also a cup of 오뎅국 (fishcake broth) and other offal that included liver and lung. The fishcake broth was surprisingly spicy, and while the dish itself wasn’t the best soondae and offal I had, it hit the spot.
A Convenience Store and Figuring Out Quarantine
By the time I ate, it was already past noon, and the nearly 80-degree-Fahrenheit weather, coupled with a humidity level of 65%, was getting to me. I decided to head back to the Airbnb while getting some snacks and drinks along the way. My journey first led me to 이마트24 퇴계로점, (eMart 24 Toegye-ro Branch) | Naver link, a small convenience store similar to a 7-Eleven or a gas station store. While perusing inside, I was impressed by some of the items they sold, from various 김치 (kimchi) and cooked eggs to onigiri, gimbap (김밥), and smoked chicken drumsticks. I bought a large water bottle, a peach drink, and a 갈비 (galbi) flavored onigiri for ₩4,300 ($3.21). The drinks were refreshing after spending several hours out in the heat, and the onigiri really did have hints of galbi.
Upon returning to the Airbnb, I saw that the result from my earlier PCR test was available. I tested positive for COVID, which wasn’t unexpected, as people who recovered from COVID can still test positive on a PCR test for months. Still, as standard protocol, I would have to quarantine for seven days. I knew that quarantine could be exempted depending on your circumstances, so I reached out to the testing center and told them that I had tested positive for COVID the week before and fully recovered, having had no symptoms since the beginning of the week. I also shared that I had a letter from my doctor certifying my recovery. They said that the local health center would tell me what to do and until then, I should remain in my Airbnb. A few hours later, I received a text from the health office stating that I should quarantine. I then reached out to an uncle who works for the government, and through his channels, he was able to get me in touch with a representative from the health office. After explaining my situation and providing her with copies of the PCR test result from earlier, a PCR test result taken earlier in the week in the U.S., and the recovery letter, she declared that I would be exempt from quarantine.
Seoul’s Night Life: Back to Eulji-ro
By the time I was quarantine-free, the time was already past 8:00pm, and I knew I wanted to take some night photography. I left the Airbnb, camera in hand, and walked through some alleys until I came across a bridge that extends from 퇴계로 (Toegye-ro) to 세운상가 (Sewoon Sangga), across Mareunnae-ro, Eulji-ro, and 청계천 (Cheonggyecheon) - a stream that cuts across downtown Seoul. I climbed onto the bridge and leisurely walked across it, passing by people dining and drinking at various restaurants and marveling at the many instances illustrating the stark juxtaposition of Korean industrialization and technological advancement. Eventually, I got returned to street level and headed over to some of the neighborhoods on Eulji-ro that are known for their night life. While I had originally intended to eat at a restaurant selling fried chicken and beer, it was already late and I was no longer hungry. Instead, I was content with taking photos of buzzing crowds seated outdoors and bright neon signs illuminating dark alleyways. After an hour or so of further exploring, I decided to call it a night and headed back to the Airbnb, thus closing out the first day of my long-awaited Korea trip.
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