The Soul of Seoul

Friday 30^th October 2015

Photos:

Deoksugung Palace
Deoksugung-gil
Seoul Museum of Art

Videos:

Patriotic Quintet at Seoul Plaza
Deoksugung Palace Pageantry

A city as big as Seoul can only function properly if it is well organised, with good systems and infrastructure in place. Their trains are a perfect example of how Seoul has succeeded in this respect. With my T-money card (akin to Sydney’s Opal Card) fully charged up with about 30,000 KRW (about A$37), I set out this morning to do some serious train hopping.

Having carefully studied the Seoul Subway Map I started off from the nearby National Assembly station where I caught a Line 9 train to Dangsan then transited to a Line 2 train to City Hall. I couldn’t help noticing how clean and modern the trains are and how efficiently they run. Something else that caught my attention was how all the people are so smartly dressed, well-behaved, polite, and courteous. No riff raff here! I found it amusing that sitting opposite me were ten passengers sitting side by side, all looking down and tapping on their ultra-modern smart phones … except for one old lady in the middle of the line who was actually knitting. I was feeling pleased with myself that I had not bought my antiquated iPhone 4 with me or, worse still, my trusty Blackberry that I use when I go to London.

I decided it was time to do somethings cultural so at City Hall I disembarked and enjoyed a tour of the interesting Deoksugung Palace and its beautiful gardens. My timing was perfect because just as I reached the exit the palace guards were about to start their spectacular performance (see my video Deoksugung Palace Pageantry). According to Lonely Planet many of the premier cultural attractions in Korea today are imperial relics of the long-lived Joseon dynasty. They are windows into a time in Korea’s history when absolute monarchs ruled. Pomp and ritual also became an essential aspect of royal power, with attention to ritual and protocol developed into an art form.

After that I wandered around in the lovely sunshine admiring the fascinating Deoksugung-gil (area) where there are lots of street activities and craft exhibits. Having whetted my cultural appetite, I then ventured through the wonderful Seoul Museum of Art. One exhibit shocked me a little though … 198 detailed Kama Sutra drawings unashamedly adorning a whole wall!

Just around the corner from the museum I discovered a wonderful eclectic bistro and café with the curious name of Ahabah Braka, where I treated myself to a delicious meal of traditional Korean food. Eating out is a social activity in South Korea and solo diners are not well catered for, so I was pleased to find a menu item “combination daily special for one” … nearly all the other items were in portions for two or more. Last night I was even turned away from a restaurant because there were no tables available for a single person. I ended up eating at KFC!

From City Hall I caught a Line 1 train to Seoul station where I browsed around the plaza and square, stumbling across a quintet giving a rousing rendition of something that sounded very patriotic (see my video Patriotic Quintet at Seoul Plaza). By this time it was 4 pm which meant that on my return to National Assembly station I experienced the start of Seoul’s peak hour, hanging from one of the overhead straps for the entire journey.

And so ends my first full day in this amazing city.