Adventures in Korea With TravelingJules

South Korea Culture
by Juliana Broste Mar 28, 2018

People ask me all the time where I’m from. They are often confused when I say Colorado. The answer they want to hear is somewhere in Asia.

Long before I was interested in South Korea, other people were curious about my heritage. As soon as they discover that I was born in South Korea and adopted as a baby, they always want to know if I am looking for my birth parents. Nope.

Is that weird?

People often think that’s the story.

This is not that story.

This is my adventure about reconnecting with a place I have such a special tie to. With Korea as the site of this year’s winter Olympic (and being an expert snowboarder myself), I couldn’t resist.

Over the years, I’ve been to Korea several times. I spent four summers teaching English in Seoul, getting to know one of the world’s most densely populated cities and learning about the country where I was born.

During that time, I got to see and experience a lot. I got into the daily grind, weaving my way through the crowded streets of Seoul, people watching on the subways, and answering old ladies’ requests for directions in my almost non-existent Korean.

I visited the top sights — enchanting palaces, bustling markets, and colorful festivals. I discovered Korean culture, belted out some tunes at norebang (private karaoke rooms), and scrubbed down at jimijlbang (Korean saunas that locals visit weekly).

In time, I started learning my way around, I developed a taste for kimchi, I learned a little bit of the language, and I made friends with the locals. And now, I want to share my adventure with you.

Let’s experience Korea — just you, me, and my camera. We’ll sample the street food and try tteokbokki, one of Korea’s most popular snacks. We’ll stop in at one of the many quirky cafes in Myeong-Dong and have dessert.

Then, we’ll explore the traditional side of Korea, visiting Bukchon Hanok Village in true Korean fashion (in a hanbok)! We’ll have dinner with my best friend and her family before we head out of Seoul. We’ll hop aboard the new high-speed bullet train to Pyeongchang and hit the slopes, getting a feel for snowboarding in Korea. Then, we’ll make one last stop in Seoul, and see what Gangnam style is all about.

You can follow @TravelingJules on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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