I was sitting in bed, flipping through the photo book that held all the memories from our trip in Korea this summer. Hot days, delicious food, and meeting new people filled my time spent there. I wonder what other people would do if they had a chance to go to Korea for vacation. I put in my earplugs and fall asleep. I dream about returning to Korea.
Korea is well-known for its culture, food, and vibes. Cities like Seoul, Busan, Daegu and many more cities are known for their youthful and nostalgic environment.
Seoul, the capital city of Korea, is mostly known for its food and fun atmosphere it brings towards young people. There are endless amounts of food trucks, cute stores and luxurious clothing stores. The most popular food truck foods are: Tteokbokki, Eomuk, Takoyaki, Fish-shaped pastries, Tanghulu, and so much more! There are also many markets people buy food and clothing from.
One of the most popular markets in Seoul is called Gwangjang Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The Gwangjang Market is most known for Kalguksu, or Knife-cut noodles. It is extremely popular because the vendor who serves food was on the Netflix TV show, Street Food, Asia. She started her food stall, called Gohyang Kalguksu because of financial difficulties she had, leading to an explosion of popularity and success for her business.
Seoul is also known for K-POP. There are many K-POP stores that sell merchandise, lightsticks, stickers, and K-POP albums. One of the most well-known K-POP store is called WITHMUU, located in Mapo-gu, Hongdae on the 2nd floor of the AK Plaza in Yanghwa-ro. They sell many things, but one of the most popular things is the Lucky Draw, which is a gacha pulling machine that gives out randomized photocards based on the number of albums purchased.
“I would love to check out Seoul. I would love to see the busy life on the streets and try all different kinds of food. I would love to go to a K-POP concert and get to meet my favorite K-POP idols. I would also visit cultural sites and learn the history of Korea. Then, I would go visit the countryside. I love how peaceful and beautiful it is. I would be able to enjoy a quiet environment but also put in good work there. I would learn how to grow crops and plants and enjoy nature,” chimes Mickayla Foley Sawi, 11 as she daydreams about going to Korea.
“I loved it when I visited the Gyeongbokgung Palace, ate various types of kimchi, and other types of traditional food, as well as going to the Namsan Tower and Jeju Island,” Jeremy Kim, 10, states.
Busan is known for its great outdoors. There are large varieties of museums, mountains, historical sites, temples, and much more. Busan is also known to have varieties of seafood, such as: clams, cockles, squid, scallops, and more! There are a wide range of markets in Busan that serve different purposes, like the Jagalchi Market, which sells various types of seafood and has restaurants that cook and serve the seafood one purchases at the market. The Bupyeong Kkangtong Market is known for its street food, cute stores, and mesmerizing views of the beautiful mountains and oceans.
Busan also has many temples to visit. The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is the most famous temple in Busan. Many people come to this temple to worship and honor Buddah, the Buddist teacher. There are many hiking trails near the temples, so one can get exercise, as well as a drink of water from the fountain that is located in spots throughout the trails. There are a few gift shops within the area that sell items from bells, all the way to zodiac sign magnets.
There are a few cat cafes in Busan, as well. The Brooks Castle, Cat Cafe. is located in Busan, Busanjin-gu, Seojeon-ro, #10 street 28, first floor. The cat cafe has different breeds of cats, such as Ragdolls, Scottish Fold, British Longhair, and many more breeds!
The city of Daegu is known for its diverse amount of food, such as chicken skewers, napjak mandu (flat dumplings), gopchang (stir-fried beef/pork entrails) and so much more! There are many markets in Daegu, as well. The Seomun Market is known for selling goods, like clothing, food and more. Some of the popular foods are: Hotteok, Tteokbokki, Fried Snacks, Eomuk, Napjak Mandu, and more! The clothes in the market are high quality but quite expensive, so make sure to bring plenty of cash! A restaurant in Daegu called 쭈꾸미네 (Jjuggumine, it’s an Octopus!) is a classic and favorite of locals. The restaurant serves spicy stir-fry baby octopus, rice-balls, and pizza, it is a great place to dine with family!
Have a wonderful and fun time in Korea!
