외국인 : 한국 시골은 원래 이래요..!? 한국 시골에 가본 외국인의 반응

외국인 : 한국 시골은 원래 이래요..!? 한국 시골에 가본 외국인의 반응

When I go to the countryside, I get a lot of stares. And they look at my parents. And there are quite a few #$@^% in the countryside. We see them quite often too. LOL “Oh, is this your first time in Korea?” “Oh, then you should definitely go here!” “This food is really good, so try it!” And the driving is a bit… (swoosh swoosh swoosh) One taxi driver even swore “Ah!!! #$%^” while driving. LOL ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
And he was really broad. Haha We’ve never seen a countryside like this. But it didn’t look poor. Today’s question: What’s the difference between big cities and the countryside in Korea? I ‘ve been to the countryside a few times to visit my mom’s family graves . It’s in the countryside up north. One thing I’ve noticed after going to the countryside is that I’m half Korean, half American. Country people are more curious or surprised when they see a foreigner. They ‘re more interested, you know? They watch what I do there, how I eat. On the other hand, Seoul is always full of people from all over the world, so they’re not that shocked by foreigners. And I rarely get curious or interested looks at what I’m doing . Hahaha. When I go to the countryside, I get a lot of stares. Or at least that’s how I feel. And they look at my parents. I wonder what they ‘re thinking. Hahaha. I think the biggest difference is that Seoul has a more global feel . So it doesn’t feel strange to have foreigners in a big city, compared to the countryside. I’m from Malaysia, and many people think of Kuala Lumpur when they think of Malaysia, but I’m from a city called Klang, which is almost like Gyeonggi-do in Korea…? I’m from Gyeonggi-do in Malaysia. Haha. I went to a Korean language school in Daegu, and I’m currently a university student in Seoul. Last summer vacation, I went on a solo trip to Suncheon. I’m from a rural Malaysian town… (I guess) Haha. Traveling to the Korean countryside was much more fun than going to the big city, or even Seoul. It was summer, so the trees had a perfect summer vibe, which was great. Of course, Seoul has its own charm, but I loved the hanok houses I saw on my trip to the countryside… the experience and scenery. (Especially) Air, air!!ㅎㅎ The air in Seoul is a bit stuffy..ㅋㅋ For a moment.. refreshing..ㅎㅎ (on the way back) That’s why it was nice.ㅎㅎ The difference from big cities is, just.. a little more attention to tourists (foreigners)..? A little more welcome. Because Seoul is already a big city, it’s natural for foreigners to visit, but in the countryside, there aren’t that many foreigners , so they show more attention, and there were quite a few very kind and friendly people . Actually, we live in the Korean countryside.ㅋㅋㅋ We live on the outskirts of a small city called Asan . But we live outside the center of the countryside, between rice paddies. So the difference from big cities is really big. It’s much more calm and comfortable. And around this time of year, you can hear all the frogs croaking and ducks chirping. And there are quite a few snakes too. We see them quite often.ㅋㅋㅋ We really like this kind of Korean countryside.ㅎㅎ And the Korean lifestyle is very, very active. It’s always work, work, work. So when I get home from work, I tend to just turn off my phone. And when I open the door, it’s so quiet and peaceful, which is really nice. I think it’s definitely different. We used to go on road trips to various parts of Korea with friends . We’ve driven in Seoul, and even in Chuncheon, and even down to Mokpo. The Korean countryside has a slightly slower, more relaxed energy, you know? Driving in various parts of Korea definitely varies a bit, but driving in Seoul is really scary. ㄷㄷ Driving in Seoul is really, really scary and difficult, but most rural areas are fine. Haha. And the people in the countryside are really friendly. I think it’s interesting and great to go to small areas or rural areas . Because I think people in the countryside aren’t used to seeing foreigners. So their reactions are similar to mine. So when they see a foreigner, they say, “Oh my god!” (foreigners are amazing), “I can’t believe you’re here!” “Welcome to Korea!” “Try this candy !” (giving them candy, lol). Everyone is so welcoming and eager to promote and share the good things about Korea . I was really grateful. ㅎㅎㅎ And there’s a story about a taxi driver I met when I went to Mokpo (Mokpo is located in the southwest of Korea). The taxi driver I met there looked at me and said, “Oh, is this your first time in Korea?” “Oh, then you should definitely go there!” “This food is really delicious, so try it!” We had a really fun conversation and were very welcoming. And they always tried to speak English, but I’m not very good at Korean. I can hear it… a little… but I can’t speak it, and I’m not very confident. But they still tried to communicate with me in English, so I was really, really grateful. ㅎㅎ And when I told them I couldn’t speak Korean, they said, “Oh, it’s okay! I know English!” “You should definitely try this!” One taxi driver even gave me candy. It was really nice. (Country people) They’re really nice people. ㅎㅎ They’re just super friendly. ㅎㅎ Seoul is a little different. Most of the time, Seoul is a good experience, but the taxi drivers don’t talk much, and I don’t think I like being social very much. And driving is a bit… (swoosh swoosh swoosh) a bit more dangerous. LOL Yes, it’s really fast. LOL One taxi driver even swore “Ah!!! #$%^” while driving. LOL LOL LOL (Swearing at others) “Driver, it’s okay!” “I’m not busy at all!” LOL Yes, that’s why I think the countryside has a more conversational atmosphere. I’ve traveled around Korea a lot, and there are two places that are the most memorable. Jeongseon and Damyang! Damyang is memorable for its bamboo forests, and the air is cleaner than Seoul , and the city isn’t that big, so you can get around by bike , which was impressive. Jeongseon has forests and mountains, so I really remember going for a walk in the mountains at night under the stars . LOL It’s definitely different from Seoul, where you can’t see many stars because there are so many bright lights at night, so I like traveling to the countryside a lot. When I think of Seoul, the first thing that comes to mind is the general ground, right? You can feel the incredibly clean roads and clear paths. The countryside is a place where you can feel the dirt, sand, and dust more. Then I hitchhiked to a small village. The Korean countryside is truly beautiful, with its rice paddies, fields, and mountains. And the people there were really friendly. When I told them I was traveling by auto stop , they took me to different places and invited me to eat with them. They even brought me snacks or bought me food at places like McDonald’s . Haha. So, honestly, I think I enjoyed traveling in the countryside more than the big cities in Korea . If you ever come to Korea, try exploring the countryside outside of Seoul! Haha. I ‘ve traveled to Seoul, Busan, and Jeju Island, and I think all three are very different and have significant differences. In Jeju Island , there were so many tourists that I couldn’t even tell who actually lived there, so I didn’t have a chance to experience the difference. However, while traveling in Busan, I began to notice the differences between the people of Seoul and Busan . (It’s not the countryside, but) Busan people seem more focused on enjoying life . And they’re really open-minded. Haha. They seem to shout a lot. And they seem to really enjoy their lives. In Seoul, on the other hand, everyone seems more focused on being perfect. It feels like they’re working on something. So Busan and Seoul are really different. They feel like different worlds. They’re completely different. But there are also some things that are strangely similar. We ‘d never seen a landscape with tall buildings in the middle of nature before. So we planned a trip to the Korean countryside. We could see on the map that we were in the town we wanted to visit , but suddenly, tall buildings were popping out of the mountains and hills. (Shocking) Everything here is quite tall. We’d never seen anything like this in real life. The contrast was truly astonishing. And the bridge we saw in the Korean countryside was one of the most impressive bridges I’ve ever seen in my life. It was truly surreal. (It was amazing.) It was a beautiful river and a beautiful bridge, so well-built. It’s just like my wife said. The Korean countryside seemed to preserve nature and scenery more. But even in the countryside, there were a lot of tall buildings. And there were a lot of people moving at a slower pace, and in some ways, it seemed more leisurely. This is why we spent most of our time in Korea in the countryside. We’ve passed through industrial areas, but the countryside we’ve experienced so far seems really quiet. It’s full of beautiful, green nature. I loved the Korean countryside. Today, we drove six hours from Gyeongju to Incheon Airport , and during our trip, we crossed all of Korea, so it was wonderful to see the diverse landscapes of Korea . The Korean countryside we saw during our trip was very different from big cities like Seoul. However, even places we thought were rural actually had a lot of tall buildings and looked like cities. I’ve been to both Busan and Seoul, and while Busan is also a big city, the two cities were different. Seoul has more of a party atmosphere, less greenery, and (natural) lakes are smaller and fewer in number. Haha. Seoul also has more lights. And Busan has the ocean. The beaches are really beautiful. Busan was okay, but it wasn’t that quiet because it’s a big city. Haha. My favorite place was Gyeongju! Haha. It was a small city, but after going there, I personally felt more familiar and liked small, rural towns. That’s because the city I live in isn’t that big either. Haha. That’s why I always feel burdened when you take me to a big city like Seoul . Haha. And Korea’s natural environment with lots of mountains and fields seems to be similar to Germany. Germany also has mountains and fields everywhere. That’s why it felt like Germany to me, and it always feels like home. Haha. The places I’ve traveled in Korea are Daegu, Seoul, and Busan. Daegu and Busan aren’t really rural, but they seemed quieter than Seoul. Maybe it’s because Seoul is the capital, but everything is big and busy. In Seoul, everyone moves so fast, everything just feels so fast. See that? It’s so fast! LOL Even though it’s the weekend. Even though it’s supposed to be a leisurely weekend, everyone seems to be moving so fast and rushing. In contrast, the countryside in Korea seems more relaxed, laid-back, and peaceful. People are also peaceful. Busan is also a big city, right? So, out of Seoul, Daegu, and Busan, Daegu seems the quietest. We’re not in the countryside, but we’ve been to Busan, and the weather was a bit colder and chillier than Seoul. It’s windy because of the beach. Seoul feels more like a city, so it’s warmer. And Seoul people don’t seem to rush, which I liked. There are a lot more people in Seoul. I think nature is really nice. It seems like the style of nature is different from Japan, but it’s incredibly beautiful and wonderful. I don’t know how to explain it, but there’s something about the atmosphere? Something different. And also, things like rocks? I felt that was different too. People didn’t really notice anything different. But I think it’s hard to get to the countryside because there’s no subway or anything . ㅎㅎㅎ I went on a DMZ tour, so I think there was some countryside on the way to the DMZ . We stopped by a few villages and gas stations along the way . It felt really different from Seoul or other big cities . Because it didn’t feel like big cities, downtown areas, or busy areas around the world . But the Korean countryside felt… a little more basic (ordinary)…? What should I say… It didn’t feel like an expensive or wealthy neighborhood. Do you know what I mean? But it didn’t look poor. Subscribe, like, and turn on notifications! If you look, even their everyday clothes look like hiking clothes. ㅋㅋㅋ (Always wearing them ㅋㅋ) So the place I want to recommend is !@#$^! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Korea’s big !@#$^!!!! It would be great to go in the summer. It’s definitely ^@$!%. The jajangmyeon there is especially delicious! ㅎㅎㅎ Many places in Seoul don’t open before 10 AM , but !#@% is great because many are open in the morning. I strongly recommend @#$% to everyone !! I’d like to recommend it. It’s something really simple, but it’s something you don’t find in Vancouver , so that’s why I really like it. Today’s question: Why are you learning Korean? My favorite place was probably… Bukhansan Mountain! Until two years ago, I wasn’t really interested in hiking, but after hiking in Korea, I loved it. I’ve been there about seven or eight times, and Bukhansan Mountain is by far my favorite. I think it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen . Haha. The reason I like Bukhansan Mountain the most is because sometimes the view from the summit is obscured by trees , but Bukhansan Mountain is open, so you can see the scenery better. Also, the main hiking trail is crowded and crowded , but if you take the smaller paths, there are no people, and it’s quiet. So you can spend some time alone in nature . There’s also a large temple there, but it’s also quiet and rarely crowded. So you can enjoy the mountain view and the temple view in a quiet place without anyone else . It’s a wonderful feeling of being completely alone in nature . Because, unless you leave the city, you don’t have time to escape the crowds . LOL. That’s why I really like spending time alone like that once in a while. Now, I’ve become a fan of hiking. Don’t you think I like hiking just by looking at you? Even my everyday clothes look like hiking clothes. LOL. (I always wear them. LOL.) I just got back from England, and I’ve never hiked in England, but I tried it this time. I discovered the charm of hiking thanks to hiking in Korea. LOL. I’ve been to Korea before, and this is my third time. There’s a place I always go when I’m in Korea, and there’s something I really recommend to people who are planning to travel to Korea : riding a bike along the Han River. And then eating Han River Ramen. It might sound really simple and basic, but I think it’s something you have to experience if you come to Korea . I’m so excited to take my friend! LOL. Yes, I’m excited to experience the Han River too. LOL. LOL. (Laughing) I’m so excited! LOL. Because it’s an experience you can’t have in Vancouver . There’s no beautiful river you can sit right next to . But you have the beautiful Han River, where you can wander around, take a walk, or even have dinner . It’s such a simple thing, but it’s something Vancouver doesn’t have , which is why it’s so great. Vancouver’s river isn’t very accessible or close to where people live, so you have to drive, but you can just walk there and enjoy yourself. We liked Busan the best. And Haeundae…? Haeundae Beach! And the Sky Capsule! And the seafood! Yes, it was so delicious. Haha. That’s why we loved Busan so much. The beach is really pretty, there are so many things to do, and it’s easy to find places to visit and get around. We also had fun hiking. Haha . We often come to Korea to see concerts, especially BTS concerts. So the place I’d recommend is the stadium! Haha. A big concert hall (stadium) in Korea. A place like Jamsil Stadium. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ We’re going to Goyang later. Goyang Stadium! To see a BTS concert! (Oh yeah) ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m from Pakistan. I’m Korean. I ‘m Korean~ I’m Korean too! (cute) First of all, I want to say that all of Korea is really beautiful. Among them, the place I’d like to recommend to others is Busan. There are so many bright and pretty lights, and there are many places that not only us but also children can enjoy. Especially Busan Spacewalk! And there’s a high place on a mountain in Busan (like an observatory), and it’s great because there are so many bridges there and you can look down on the entire city. I like Busan. There’s a (pretty) beach, so it would be great to go in the summer. Jeju Island! There’s the ocean and lots of mountains, so the environment seems great. (Nature) Jeju Island. You can swim, the breeze is (cool), and you can pick tangerines. I traveled to Korea last year, and there were so many great places, but my favorite was definitely Nami Island. It’s far from Seoul, but it’s worth it. There’s a zipline to the island, a speedboat, and even a two-person bike. There’s lots of delicious food and lots to see. I really like Nami Island. Haha. My favorite place in Korea so far is a small coffee shop called Goose Coffee behind AK Plaza in Pyeongtaek . (Very specific) Hahaha. The staff are really nice. They understand English and were able to have conversations with me. And the coffee is delicious. Haha. Busan! Because it’s so cool. Haha. Cool, really cool. And the ocean! So beautiful. And the train? Yes, the train. (Haeundae Beach Train) The Haeundae Cashier Train was really great. And the food was really good, especially the jajangmyeon! Haha. Lotte World! Because there are so many fun rides . Pharaoh’s Wrath was the most fun. My favorite place in Korea is probably Suwon. I love castle walls (like the palace walls). They’re really beautiful. The best place I’ve ever been is Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. It’s a 45-minute drive from downtown Busan, and it’s literally the most beautiful sunrise in Korea! My favorite place in Korea is Jeonju , especially the Jeonju Hanok Village. It’s easy to walk around, incredibly traditional, and offers an authentic experience you can’t find anywhere else . It’s a city hundreds of years old, but you can see its unique characteristics that set it apart from other cities . It’s really detailed. You can also see a lot of history, like horizontal and vertical writing. You can see vertical writing all over Jeonju . This is an example of how Korea has changed . I think the best place in Korea is Jeju Island. I recommend going to see all the waterfalls around the volcanic crater on Jeju Island . Haha . I also highly recommend the Jeju Olle Trail! It’s a 432km walking trail. It’s a beautiful place to take your time and enjoy . Another place I’d like to recommend is Jeju Island’s Thinking Garden. There were so many beautiful bonsai trees, and I think I even saw a waterfall with a rainbow. Haha, it was amazing. Jeju Island is such a beautiful place. I really liked Gyeongju. It was so beautiful, and I loved getting out of the city. I really liked Seoul, and Busan was really fun, but I really enjoyed getting out of the smaller cities and going to the countryside where it was easier to walk . And there are more places open in the morning. I really liked Seoul, but keep in mind that most things in Seoul don’t open until 10 a.m. But in Gyeongju, many places are open in the morning. As a photographer, this is really important to me. My favorite place was Apgujeong Rodeo! Yes, that’s my favorite place. Because there are so many delicious and good restaurants, I really like that place. My second favorite place was Seongso…? Song…? Songseo…? Or… Seongsu! That’s where the Dior store is. Yes, it’s where the luxury brands are. I think it was Seongsu-dong. I really like Seongsu-dong too. Hongdae is fun, and Itaewon is fun too. Haha But my favorite place is Apgujeong Rodeo. We’ve been to Korea three times, and this is probably our fourth time. And I think the best place to visit in Korea is Jeju Island. It’s really beautiful. Haha Because the weather was great, and the locals were really kind to us. And the places we went were really beautiful. The ocean was nice, too. It was really great. So I want to go to Jeju Island again. Haha The Garden of Morning Calm. It’s a beautiful garden about an hour and a half away from Seoul . I’ve been there in the spring and in the fall, and it was really great. I really like flowers and gardens. It’s really a wonderful place. My favorite place in Korea is It was Udo Island in Jeju Island. When I went to Jeju Island , I went on a trip to Udo Island . It was such a beautiful place, full of the ocean and beautiful nature . I rode an electric bike around the entire island for a day and had peanut ice cream, which was really, really good. And that day, I managed to get tickets to a BTS concert , so I was really, really happy. Haha. I think I made the best memories on Udo Island in Jeju Island. It’s such a beautiful place, so I recommend a trip to Udo to anyone going to Jeju Island . We traveled around Korea for two weeks, and I really loved Lotte Tower, Seoul Grand Park, and the National Museum of Korea. And the people! Koreans are such wonderful people. I’ve been to Korea four times now, and my favorite place was Myeongdong. There’s so much delicious food. Haha. And it’s also great for shopping. I buy a lot of cream and things like that. My wife is coming to Korea soon, so I’m planning to take her to Myeongdong. Haha. We really love shopping. Haha. We went on a tour of Seoul, and we really enjoyed our time at Seoul Tower . Because there was a total lunar eclipse that day. I think it was around 2 a.m. Watching the eclipse was really exciting. Going up to Seoul Tower and watching the eclipse will be a really good memory. If you’re visiting Korea for the first time, I highly recommend visiting Seoul. It’s the closest place to the airport, a big city, and there’s so much to do 24 hours a day. There’s plenty of food, bars, and historical sites. You can visit palaces, castles, gates, or even the Blue House. There’s so much to do in Seoul! I think everyone who comes to Korea should visit Hongdae, Itaewon, and Myeongdong . I also went on a day trip to the border between South and North Korea . I met a female North Korean defector and had a great conversation with her. So, while Seoul is great, I personally found the border trip the most amazing and enlightening . Subscribe, like, and turn on notifications!

외국인들이 말하는 한국 대도시와 시골의 다른 점!?
외국인 : 한국 시골은 이게 달라요!