Taking The Korea Airport Railroad to Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport

     

A view of the Incheon Airport upon exiting the Airport Railroad.

    No one really wants to take the airport bus for 10,000 won while they are bobbing around in Seoul city traffic. That's where the AREX (Korea Airport Railroad) also known as KARST (Korea Airport Railroad Seoul Station Terminal) comes into play for a comfortable and fast trip to the Incheon International or Gimpo airports. Now you can even check-in to major airlines at the City Air Terminal in Seoul Station.
    When taking the AREX passengers have a choice between two trains the Express and the Commuter. While the Express seems to be the obvious choice the price changes are drastic. Taking the Express Train from Seoul Station will cost you 13,300 won. This is 4 times the price of the Commuter Train, but the train is only 10 minutes faster than the commuter. Yes that's right, the Express Train is 43 minutes from Seoul Station to Incheon for a price of 13,300 won, while the Commuter Train takes 53 minutes and costs 3,700 won.

The Commuter Train costs 3,700 won and takes 53 minutes from Seoul Station.

     So what are you paying for on the Express Train? The first difference between the Commuter and the Express is comfort. The Express Train is new, it opened in December of 2010 and allows it's passengers to sit in comfortable front facing seats. The train is also non-stop and is equipped with TV screens, outlets, and free high speed Wi-Fi for those that plan on using computers or need to charge something before their journey.  Those on the Express also have the opportunity to check-in if you are flying on Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air, or Korean Air. You can get your boarding pass and even check your bags. The minimum check-in time is 3 hours before flight departure. Trains come every 30 minutes.
    If you're not worried about an extra 10 minute travel time and don't mind a subway style train the Commuter Train is just as great for the lower price. The train will make stops along the way at major subway stations such as Gimpo, and Hongik University. If you still wish to check your bags ahead of time, you may pay an extra fee of 3,000 won. Otherwise roll your bags on and enjoy the ride. Trains come every 13 minutes.
    When entering Seoul Station from the Seoul Station Subway you need to follow the KTX terminal signs which will lead you outside. Go up all the escalators, you will exit the subway completely to enter the Seoul Station Train Terminal. Once inside of the KTX terminal walk all the way to the back and turn left for the Airport Railroad. To see exact times of the trains and more information visit The KORAIL Airport Railroad Website.

    
If you have any questions or comments about "Taking The Korea Airport Railroad to Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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What's happening in April 2011: cherry blossom festivals and a sunset booze cruise!

Cherry blossoms are on their way! Photo courtesy of Heather Smith.

April is the month to enjoy perfect spring weather and view the cherry blossoms!  Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on this month around Korea.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 





 April 1-10 Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival: This festival takes place in the Gyeongsangnam-do region.  See the thousands off cherry blossoms on the tree lined streets. Over 2 million tourists come each year to see the blossoms. Check out more at the Korea Tourism Org.

April 8 TOMODACHI Music Fundraiser: Help Japan by attending the TOMODACHI Music Fundraiser in Itaewon this Friday. To learn more visit my article about the event here.
April 9 Fortress Wall of Bugaksan Hike: This hike is among my favorites, I wrote about it here back in February! If you're not brave enough to follow my directions, you can go with the RASKB.  Learn more here.


April 8-10 Nonsan Strawberry Festival:  Korea's strawberries  are among the freshest and sweetest in the world.  Visit the area that harvests the most strawberries in Korea . The train ride is 1 hour 30 minutes from Seoul, and you will return with tons of cheap strawberries.  To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.

April 15-17 Cheongpungho Cherry Blossoms Festival: Enjoy the cherry blossoms from the beautiful scenery of Cheongpungho lake. Among the blossoms there are exhibitions, water sports, and even bungee jumping. Click here for more info.

April 30 Sunset Booze Cruise:  Adventure Korea is hosting another booze cruise on the Han River. There are only 31 seats left as of today April 1st. So book one soon on their website! Visit the Adventure Korea website to purchase tickets online. 

If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in April 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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What's happening in March 2011: Walk on water at the Jindo Sea parting festival or witness some action at the Cheongdo Bull Fighting Festival!

Spring in Korea is finally here and so are the strawberries!

 March is a great month! There are tons of concerts, and events to celebrate the beginning of Spring! Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on in March.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 

March 11-13 Yoengdeok Snow Crab Festival: This festival takes place in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region. The festival takes place this time of year because it is the peak season for snow crab. So work up and appetite and enjoy the freshest crab of the year! Over 100,000 snow crabs are sold each year at this event, check out more at the Korea Tourism Org.



March 17-20 Sansuyu Blooming Festival:  Celebrate spring's arrival this march with the blooming of the Sansuyu trees. The yellow blossoms will cover the area surrounding Mt. Jirisan. Different kinds of food, tea, and snacks are made from the flowers which can all be sampled by tourists. To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.

March 17-20 Cheongdo Bull Fighting Festival: Cheongdo's main attraction is bullfighting. I went here a few months ago and the area has a lovely and quaint atmosphere also known as the persimmon capital. The bull fighring festival is sure to deliver an action packed trip! 
Click here for more info.
March 19 Far East Movement Concert:  This Asian American electro-hop group from LA will be performing at 9pm. They are famous for the song "Like a G6." Tickets are all standing and cost 88,000 won. There are still plenty of seats available and it takes place in Seoul at the Sheraton Grand Walkerhill. Visit the Interpark Ticket website to purchase tickets online. 

March 19-21 The Jindo Sea Parting Festival: This event always looks so amazing! One time a year the sea parts and leaves a small stretch of land where people can walk from Jindo to a nearby island. The trek from Seoul is a long one, but I'm sure an amazing experience. Learn more here.

If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in February 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Exploring the once forbidden Seoul Fortress Wall

Built in 1396 many are calling it Korea's Great Wall. The wall surrounds the entire vicinity of central Seoul.

Marie Webb at the Malbawi entrance of the wall.

    Now that spring is on its way, enjoy hiking around the Seoul Fortress Wall without the slippery snow covered hiking trail. A few weeks ago on a random Sunday, I decided to venture a quick ten minute bus ride from my apartment to get a glimpse of the wall. Without checking the weather, a full on snow storm met me and my friends on the mountain! But the snow didn't stop us as we were determined to explore this old yet newly popular historical icon of Seoul.
    None of my Korean friends, co-workers, or students have ever talked about vising the Fortress Wall. This is most likely because the area was off limits for so long. According to the Seoul Fortress Website the area around Mt. Bukaksan was closed for 38 years to the public, and was only a military security area. The military presence still remains, mostly because portions of the wall go back along the mountain directly behind Cheong Wa Dae (The Blue House) which is equivalent to America's White House.

The steps here are not as steep as China's wall.

    The wall is quite extensive and actually connects the four mountains surrounding Seoul: Namsan (남산) in the south, Inwangsan (인왕산) to the west, Naksan (낙산) to the east, and Bugaksan (북악산) in the North. Most people are familiar with Namsan because of the famous Seoul Tower, and Bugaksan which is a great hiking destination. Even though, many have not heard about the Seoul Fortress Wall, and its importance to Korean history.
    Seoul Magazine published an article stating that the wall was built in order to satisfy the old 9th century philosophy of Feng Shui.  With the mountains in the North, South, East, and West, the fortress wall truly is a perfectly balanced structure meant to protect the main city of the Joseon Dynasty as early as 1396.
    The physical structure of the wall varies throughout the mountains because of destruction from wars, rebuilding throughout the years, and current renovations being made. The Korea Tourism Org. has gone as far to say as it is a ruin comparable to The Great Wall of China. This can be debated at  later time, but the wall and trails around the mountains do offer great views of the downtown city of Seoul, and spectacular moss and ivy covered stones which make up the quite magnificent scenery of the wall itself.

Here the steps get steeper!

    There are several ways to view the wall up close. I recommend starting at the Malbawi section so that you can pass through the Sukjeongmun Gate. This is the Mt. Bugaksan section and it can be accessed via Anguk Station on Seoul Metro Line 3 (exit #2). Immediately outside the exit is a bus stop. Hop on the green bus #02, you will head up the mountain and get off at the Sungkyunkwan University rear gate. Walk up the hill about 5 minutes and you will see the Malbawi sign to your right. From here you can't miss the wall! If you want a more leisurley way to see the wall, try the Namsan path. But keep in mind the views and old history will be some what sacrificed on this newer section of the wall.
   Warning!!!!!: Be sure to bring your passport and a few bucks. There is a section of the wall that requires identification because it goes so close to Cheong Wa Dae. Without identification you will be forced to leave the trail!

Some of the military buildings present on the wall.

If you have any questions or comments about "Exploring the once forbidden Seoul Fortress Wall" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Listening to K-pop on the lifts of Sungwoo Resort!

 

    About 1 minute up the lift, my fingers started tapping against the cold metal bar of the safety bar. My snowboard was swaying over fresh powder to the beat, and my lips starting humming the sound of "Can't Nobody" by the famous K-pop band 2NE1. Yes, to my astonishment there was K-pop music blasting on the lifts at Hyundai Sungwoo Resort!

    My friends and I couldn't help but laugh in astonishment, as this was the first time we had ever experienced pop music while cruising up the mountain to hit our first run. Everyone on the mountain was dancing to the beat, and the music was a great way to enjoy the day while snowboarding in perfect conditions.
    Never in my life have I experienced such organized chaos on the slopes. People had no idea what they were doing, and the lifts go so slow that you don't even have to strap into your snowboard or skiis. People were casually walking off the lift, a sight that one would never see in American or European ski resorts. And all along the journey, everyone is jamming to the latest hits like The Black Eyed Peas "The Time (Dirty Bit)"
    To learn more about Sungwoo Resort check out the full article "Snowboarding and skiing at Hyundai Sungwoo Resort in South Korea".

If you have any questions or comments about "Listening to K-pop on the lifts of Sungwoo Resort!" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Snowboarding and Skiing at Hyundai Sungwoo Resort in South Korea

A view of the mountain from the bottom of Hyundai Sungwoo.

    Snowboarding in Korea sounded like a joke after living in Colorado for 2 years and shredding the slopes of Vail. Vail has 33 lifts, 7 back bowls, and 11,570 feet (3527 m) of elevation. Where as Sungwoo has only 9 lifts, no bowls, and 896m of elevation. But I have to admit, the fresh powder at Sungwoo Resort was quite impressive for such a small mountain. And even better, there were no lines for lifts during the peak Lunar New Year holiday. Simply because Sungwoo is still a relatively new, all season resort which opened in 2004.
    If you are looking for crazy double blacks, this is not your place. The double blacks that are listed on their mountain are more like blues back in America if you ask me. But if you want to avoid crazy lines, a crowded slope, and enjoy a quick hour and a half drive from Seoul, then this is your place. I strongly recommend this resort for those that are beginners. The conditions on the bottom of the slope are perfect for those just starting out, they really keep good care of the mountain which ensures lots of fresh snow and no icy patches.

My friends and I rocking our rented snowboard outfits at the highest run!

     So lets talk about prices. The prices can be outrageously cheap if you book a package in advance. I got my entire package for 50,000 won which included transportation, and 50% off your lift ticket, and rental.  Renting clothes for the day is really cheap at only 13,000 won, which includes pants and a jacket. The clothes are very comfortable and stylish! I had a bright neon pink jacket lined with fur around the hood. A snowboard rental is 28,000 and an all day lift ticket is 64,000 won. Keep in mind, if you book a package tour in advance by calling, you can get all of these things half price including free transportation.
    Getting to Sungwoo is easy. Simply look up the bus schedule on their Korean Website and see what time the bus gets to your nearest location. I took the 6:05 bus at Jongak Station on a Saturday morning. You need to call (02) 2201-7710 in advance to reserve your seat on the bus. Find out more information at their newly remodeled English Website.

Colorful boards outside of the Starbucks at the base!

If you have any questions or comments about "Snowboarding and Skiing at Hyundai Sungwoo Resort in South Korea" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Please stop smoking in my hallway and my elevator!

A letter to my neighbors to stop smoking in my hallway!

    Exiting the city streets engulfed by the polluted air of Seoul into an apartment or office building can sometimes be relieving. This is simply because the air quality is usually much better due to average heating and air conditioning systems. But lately, getting off the elevator in my apartment building is a source of enormous frustration. I enter into a hallway completely filled of smoke, and hold my breathe as a run all the way to the end of the hall and open my door as quickly as possible. But then once inside my apartment, I have relized that the smoke seeped in through the cracks around the door and I still haven't escaped!
    Why do I put up with this on a daily basis? The smoke is clearly from the two young girls that smoke at the end of my hallway next to the window. I have complained to them before saying "smoking anyeo!" no smoking in Korean, and all they do is laugh at me like I'm some stupid foreigner. Well I have news for you Korea. I'm not some stupid Waygooken. I have asthma for Christ sakes, and the pollution in Seoul is enough to deal with!
    So two days ago after returning from the gym to a smoke filled hallway, I finally had enough. I walked over to the window and left it wide open so the girls would have a freezing cold draft of air seeping into their apartment which is right next to the window. Secondly, I stole the hidden lighters by the window! The next day I did the same exact thing, and carried one of the lighters with me to work so that I would remember to ask a Korean co-worker to help write me a letter.
    The letter reads: Hello, please do not smoke in the hallway. The smoke comes into my apartment. Please use the rooftop or go outside. Thank you. I taped the letter to the window and returned all 4 of the lighters that I had stolen from the days before. It has only been 2 days, but no other lighters have appeared yet, and there hasn't been any smoke. But the sign was ripped down.

    I hope that this problem will be resolved, and that Koreans will have more respect about where they smoke. Most people would think that smoking inside an enclosed hallway is completely rude, and all of my students and Korean co-workers agree. The girls are simply lazy, and don't want to go outside into the cold, or take the effort to board the elevator all the way to the rooftop or downstairs. This story seems strange enough, until I consider the time that I was going to work and a man started smoking inside the elevator! He simply couldn't wait a lousy 30 seconds to light up, and so I had to suffer the consequences.
    Everyone knows that smoking is a huge epidemic in Asia, and Korea is no exception. I went to my class the next day, and to my irony had to teach an article about product warnings. The article was about cigarette warnings. We were brainstorming positive and negative things about smoking, and all the male students could come up with were positive reasons. Some of them included: relief from stress, a good feeling, looking cool, a cheap price in Korea, and more tax money for the government. All I can say is, "Lord help them!" and "Please stop smoking in my hallway and my elevator!"

If you have any questions or comments about "Please stop smoking in my hallway and my elevator!" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Seoul Food Girl: Mad For Garlic in Korea has a completely garlic menu

The Garlic For You Steak is one of the signature dishes on the menu.

This article can also be read  at www.Koreataste.org and www.seoulfoodgirl.com.

    I'm simply mad for garlic! Upon moving to Korea I am trying to live a healthier lifestyle by including foods like garlic, green tea, and ginseng in my everyday diet. That's why when a friend told me about Mad For Garlic, we decided to spend our New Years Eve toasting with fine wine and bad breathe! Yes everything on the menu has tons of garlic in it, there is even garlic gelato for dessert. You may be just as surprised as I was to find out that the franchise is a Korean chain that has recently become international with locations in Singapore, Indonesia, and Hawaii to name a few. The Italian Wine Bistro first opened in Seoul in 2001, and now has 11 locations in Korea.

Try the steamed mussels in tomato garlic sauce for an appetizer.

     Plan on spending alot of money at this restaurant. Between my boyfriend and I we managed to spend around 100,000 won, but we also ate enough for four people! This is a great place to spend a romantic date, or celebrate a special event. The atmosphere is extremely romantic, there are dim lights and wine glasses dangling from beautiful wooden beams in the ceiling. The garlic theme is also represented in the decorations such as a garlic wreath, and garlic ornaments on the restaurants Christmas tree in December.

The crab and lobster pasta comes with plenty of seafood.

For an appetizer try out the garlic steamed mussels in the red sauce. There is always a great debate between my friends and I about whether or not red or white is better with this dish. However, at Mad For Garlic the red sauce is clearly the winner. Order some extra bread to dip in the bucket of extra sauce. This dish is humongous and will be enough to share with others unless you are stingy with your seafood!  The garlic tower bread is also a must, and comes literally packed full of garlic which is then smashed down into the tower by the waiter right in front of you.

End with garlic gelato.

   The sweet potato pizza is a huge let down. The only cheese on the entire pizza is about 4 little balls on each slice, and it comes served with a mayonnaise like sauce all over the top. Its pretty much like ordering a thin crust pizza with salad on top. Don't experiment on any other types of pizza, and simply order the Gorgonzola pizza $16.90 which is perfectly cooked with a thin crust and lots of garlic and cheese. If you want a little seafood in the mix try out the crab and lobster pasta. The sauce isn't to die for, but the seafood is definitely fresh and they give you plenty of succulent lobster.
    The steak on the menu is all from Australia, and so the cuts are some of the most expensive items on the menu. The Garlic For You Steak comes served on a sizzling plate with sauteed bell peppers, onions, garlic cloves, and an entire head of garlic on top, stem and all just in case you didn't get enough! The steak was cooked to perfection, and is a reasonable price of $32.90 which is very reasonable for this cut in Korea.
    For dessert ordering the garlic gelato is a must, and don't forget to top off the meal with a nice glass of wine. The house red wine from Chile is a great choice that compliments almost any dish with its light and sweet aromas. There is a little bite to it, but it wears off immediately with a smooth after taste.
    Visit The Mad For Garlic Stores page to see the nearest locations to you. You can also view a menu, but it is not the most updated version. With all of the locations throughout Seoul you are bound to find one close by. Good luck and enjoy your garlic!

If you have any questions or comments about "Mad For Garlic in Korea has a completely garlic menu"  please leave them in the comment box below or email them to seoulfoodgirl@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Whats happening in February 2011

Check out all the great Valentine's Day gifts!

Sorry this is late, blame it on my boyfriend who took up all my time while he was visiting Korea for the past 2 weeks! Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on in February.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 

February 2 – 4: Happy Seollal (Lunar) New Year! This Year the Chinese New Year takes place on a Thursday which means Korea gets an extra long holiday. You must book tickets months in advance to travel anywhere during this holiday. If you forgot and are stuck at home check out "How Koreans Celebrate Seollal, Lunar New Year".

February 17-19 Jeju Fire Festival: This yearly event has been canceled. If anyone knows why, please leave a comment. Here is the website from The Korea Tourism Org. about the event and the cancellation: Jeju Fire Festival. 

February 10-13 La Boheme:  This opera will be performed by the Incheon Opera Group. The cheapest tickets are 30,000 to 100,000 and more information can be found at Korea 4 Expats. There's nothing like a good opera performance to relax your mind and soothe your soul!

February 14 Valentine's Day:  Be sure to check out all of the crazy Valentines Day gifts sold at Watsons and Olive Young, as well as your local Mini Stop! This is one of the most celebrated holidays in Korea!


If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in February 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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The top six funniest mistakes from English students: 2010

The number 1 mistake award goes to "I want to making love with you!"

    I always carry a little notebook to my classes to record funny things that my students say. Some of them are cute, and some of them are just flat out funny. Here are my favorites from 2010.

1. Making Love: "Ok class lets practice some of these gerunds." "I want to making love with you!"  Correction: I am falling in love with you! This guy was 32 years old and his name was Tango. There is no way that I was letting this one slide as I blurted out "Making love means sex!" This class was really close and were great friends so they simply laughed hysterically when I told them this. After the class I think the student felt bad, because he invited to take me to Burger King for lunch.

2. Doing work in the bathroom: "The girl was in the bathroom doing her work" "When she finished doing her work she did not wash her hands!" Correction- The girl was going to the bathroom. When she was finished using the restroom (going pee/poo) she did not wash her hands! My adorable low level Talk Time students made this mistake. No one taught them how to simply say, "I'm going to the bathroom!" This is simply a cute and endearing mistake that we all laughed over in class.

3. I'm bad at drinking:"I don't drink, I'm bad at drinking." Numerous Koreans think that they have an allergy to alcohol because their body turns bright red when they drink. This is not a little pink, its full fledged Mc Donald's color red. Therefore many of my students say in class "I'm bad at drinking." They come up with this sentence because they are almost ashamed that they cannot drink, as drinking is a big part of Korean culture. They mean by this that their bodies are actually bad at drinking. I find this quite hilarious, because in all reality no one's body is meant to withstand a six pack of Coors Light or a bottle of soju!

4. Husky voice: "Teacher Carla, is this correct?" "Teacher Marie has she always had a husky voice?" Correction: No correction, I have always had a deep, husky voice!" Everyone that knows me understand that I have a raspy surfer girl voice. My students have never heard anything like it, and so they all always ask strange questions about it, and often compliment me with other weird sayings like "Your voice is really sexy."

5.Feeling me up:  "He was feeling me up!"  Correction: He was sizing me up! Of course my students couldn't possibly know what the idiom feeling up means. But there was no way I could possibly explain this one in class, I had a group of severely awkward students that couldn't even talk about dating with straight faces! So instead of correcting them in class, I let this one slide to save the embarrassment.

6. Reggae hair: "That guy has reggae hair!" My fellow San Diegan co-worker happens to be African American. He also happens to have dreadlocks. Unfortunately, Konglish is so advanced they even have a name for dreadlocks by simply referring to people as having reggae hair. I find this mistake flat out funny because they took the Reggae genre of music and applied it to hair. Would you ever say to someone, "I like your K-pop hair," or "I like your jazz hair?"

If you have any questions or comments about "The top six  funniest mistakes from English students: 2010" please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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