First Impressions - Seoul

October 25, 2025

“Had the street lamps and neon signs always been this spectacularly bright? Why was Seoul so beautiful all of a sudden? Everything that was once nothing seemed special and amazing somehow.”

– Sang Young Park

Its not fair really.  We have been here less than 24 hours and already first impressions form.  I will take more time for the short few days I am here to see what settles and bear in mind the gleaming city of Seoul is hardly representative of everyone.  Anymore than when you think of an “Average American” is really an accurate portrayal

As John Cena so cleverly points out -

But still, there are things to notice.  Here they are -

Trash cans -  In Japan there are no public trash cans anywhere.  It is a social norm to “Take your trash home”.  At first you go along with this because who doesn’t like a clean street?  But soon, it is a burden when you enjoy street fare and have no place to dispose of waste.  Even bathrooms have no paper towels or trash cans to clean your hands.  We noticed the trash cans right away in the airport.

However, with that observation we also saw on the streets more litter and grime consistent with a very large city.  Seoul is about the size of New York City.  It was by no means a dirty vibe.  But, it was not the level of cleanliness we saw in Japan, at least the parts we visited.

Food - The food is probably the best reflection of the differences between the two cultures, as it is everywhere else I suppose.  Food in Japan tends to be refined, delicate, with little to no spices.  Here, the home of kimchi, food is colorful, with bigger portions and often very spicy.

Pop culture - at least in the Insadong neighborhood where we are, there is a large focus on pop culture.  There are signs, ads, and more talking about various pop subjects from films to bands.  Korea is perhaps second only to India in the sheer volume of pop culture material produced.

Honking -  Traffic is very congested here like any huge city.  But it is also louder.  There is more honking and general aggression noted in the flow.

People - Again, I have only been here a few hours and it is in no way a fair comparison to everyone in Korea.  But the people we have encountered have been more emotive and less reserved.  They are definitely louder than what we experienced in Japan.  Koreans do not stay in a que well. But then, neither do we.

We started off this morning exploring Ikseon-dong Hanok Village here in the Insadong neighborhood of Seoul.  Hanock village features traditional style homes and narrow alleys.  Except now, those hopes are occupied by trendy shops and a surprising number of bakeries.  Who knew so many croissant shops could survive so close together?

We heard a lot of noise from our hotel window and wandered over to a park to see what was happening. It was a Fall Festival of sorts featuring a handsome lounge singer, ladies in traditional Hanocks, a strange drum drill team of sorts in military fatigues, and some very enthusiastic senior citizens dancing with abandon.

After getting lost a bit we made our way to the sparkling jewel in Insadong’s crown, the Jogyesa Temple. Dating back to the 14th century, the temple played a prominent role in the advancement of Buddhism throughout Korea at the start of the Joseon Dynasty.

By shear serendipity we happened upon the Temple during a Fall Festival.  This Festival was “The Sharing of the Buddhist Monk Meal”.  The place was festooned with thousands of chrysanthemums, ribbons and lanterns.  I do not pretend to understand the many nuances of the celebration, but I discerned the general meaning.  It was a humble meal shared equally among hundreds of guests celebrating the blessings of the Buddha.  As we have traveled we have now seen many celebrations across cultures involving the sharing of a meal.  From a Sikh Temple in India, a Hindu celebration of the gifts of the Moon, Passover Seder, to our own Thanksgiving Holiday.  It shows how similar we all are in so many ways.  It is such a human thing to do.

We sat beside an elderly Korean woman watching the festivities when she wanted to share with us her mandarin oranges from her home.  She did not speak English and we no Korean, yet it was a serene moment in a beautiful setting.

We came back later that night to look at the Temple again after dark.  The lights cast a magical glow across the campus.

Late in the afternoon we went to Changdeokgung Palace.  This is one of five Joseon Era palaces still intact in the city.  This era refers to a 505 year dynasty that for many was the flower of the royal history of this country.   It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. Some of the most precious relics here are from this important time.

Changdeokgung Palace is not the largest here.  That honor goes to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the original home of the royal Joseon line founded in 1395.  But, Changdeokgung has particularly striking architecture and it was fun seeing locals wearing traditional clothing called hanboks strolling around the grounds.  There are a number of shops where you can rent them regardless of your nationality and when costumed, admission to the sites are free.

It was a good first day.  Our final first impression was very favorable.

One commentator wrote, “This is a city full of contrasts.  Seoul blends ancient palaces and Buddhist temples right next to futuristic skyscrapers. You can visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, then shop for the latest tech in Gangnam, or relax by the Han River at night. It’s clean, safe, and full of energy 24/7.”

All of these descriptions appear true and you could spend a lifetime here and never see everything.

Tomorrow, we head to one of the most infamous things to see in Korea - The Demilitarized Zone (or DMV) between North and South Korea.