Spring festivals in Korea: the Jindo Sea Parting and Butterflies
Last weekend, I walked across a parted sea wearing thigh-high rubber boots, chewed on wiggling octopus tentacles, and saw a baby wild boar poop on a guy’s t-shirt–all within 24 hours. With Adventure Korea, a budget travel company catered to foreigners, I traveled to Jeollanam-do, Korea’s southwestern province, to attend two annual spring festivals. On...
Biking around Upo Wetland, strawberry picking, and experiencing my own funeral
Last Saturday, I embarked on a weekend trip to the southeast province of Gyeongsangnam-do to bike around a famous wetland, mingle with other travelers and teachers, pick fresh strawberries and visit a festival celebrating the Daegaya Kingdom. Once again, I traveled with Adventure Korea, a well-established tour company catered to foreigners and travelers in Korea....
Ice Fishing in Hwacheon: embracing Korea’s sub-zero temperatures
The stressful holidays have passed, and now it’s January and time to relax. In Korea, we are currently living in frigid, sub-zero temperatures. Everyday I bundle up in my thick winter coat and Uggs, which I refused to wear in the past because they are so hideous-looking, but now I wear them with pride. Sometimes...
Solo Daecheop: a flash-mob style blind date for the singles in Seoul
In South Korea, Christmas is a romantic holiday, rather than a family or religious celebration. Couples spend the day flaunting their status in matching sweaters and reindeer horn headbands, making dinner reservations for two, and raising the armrest between their seats at the movie theater. In order for singles not to feel quite so lonely...
Asia / Destination Articles / Festivals / Food and Beverages / Hiking + Climbing / Korea / Photography / Reviews
Hiking, Gochujang and Buddhists with swords
With the vibrant fall foliage currently dotting the Korean countryside in shades of gold, crimson and burnt orange, I embarked on a weekend getaway with Adventure Korea to the county of Sunchang, located in North Jeolla province. A number of traditional Korean foods originated in North Jeolla province, including bibimbap, mixed vegetables with rice, and...
Asia / Destination Articles / Festivals / Food and Beverages / Hiking + Climbing / Korea / Photography / Reviews
Famous for a day: the Heongseong Hanwoo Beef Festival
This past weekend, I was invited on a weekend trip to the Heongseong Hanwoo Beef Festival by Adventure Korea, with the impression that I would eat some delicious beef, hike a mountain, and drink a lot of soju. And that’s exactly what I did–in addition to catching a trout with my bare hands, eating it raw,...
Black Raspberry Picking, Bare Handed Fishing and Clamming in North Jeolla Province
In Korean, the word bokbunja literally means, “a force so strong that it would knock a urinal over.” The city of Gochang, located in North Jeolla province, is famous for bokbunja, luscious black raspberries, that ripen in the month of June. These black raspberries are used to make juice, candies, and most importantly, bokbunjaju, black raspberry wine. This festival...
Seoul’s 13th Korean Queer Culture Festival and a glimpse into homosexuality in Seoul
Ironically, my first appearance at a gay pride parade happened to be in Korea, where being gay is still widely unaccepted. However, I was happy to see a relatively large amount of Koreans and foreigners participating and watching from the sidelines. Although most of the Koreans in the parade wore face masks and sunglasses to...
A Traditional Japanese Wedding Ceremony at Meiji Jingu
On a mild February day in Tokyo, I set out to see the elaborate costumes and anime character look-a-likes that Harajuku has to offer. I wanted to verify what Gwen Stefani raved about in her song, “Harajuku Girls.” Although I saw many elaborately dressed young females with stage make-up caked on their faces, I spontaneously...
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