Reflecting on South Korea

Gwanaksan, Seoul

In February 2020 I moved to South Korea. Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I decided I wanted to teach English. I know, groundbreaking. I realized how much I liked being with and working with children and learnt that I wasn’t terrible at it either. Although I had never taught anything before, I assumed this would be easy as I’ve spoken English my whole life and even studied English lit for two years at university. Of course, the possibility of travel initially drew me to teaching English abroad. I would be in a new country with new experiences looming around every corner, and I would also be earning money that I could use to travel in the future. A win-win-win. And to be honest, it was. I don’t want to fool you though, it definitely wasn’t as ‘easy’ as I thought it would be and I quickly learnt the realities of being a foreign English teacher in Korea. You have to get used to the fact that you are a relatively easily expendable resource. Generalising warning: this often leads to long work hours and very few breaks, not to mention everyone’s favourite, micromanaging. Not only do I have many stories from my personal experience but I also have endless stories from my friends. It was exhausting, and not only because I was working with children. This may seem like quite a negative way to start this post, but I think it’s important to highlight the positives while also shedding some light on what these experiences are really like. It definitely wasn't all bad. I met some of my best friends here, got to be part of the lives of so many wonderful children, and explored as much of such a beautiful country as possible. To put it simply, it was extremely worth it.

I must confess that before I moved to South Korea, I didn’t know a lot about the country, its people, or its culture. I grew up with no Korean restaurants near me and never went out of my way to try authentic Korean cuisine. Which sounds a little crazy considering how global and connected our world is. I realise now that simply becoming aware of something, in this case, Korean food enables you to see it in places you thought it never existed. Plus the fact that more people are making this food more accessible. Thank goodness. When I try to explain to people what Korean food is or what you’d find in a typical Korean household, they often have the same response: confusion. Confusion because they can’t quite understand why I like it so much. Spicy cabbage fermented in a clay urn in the ground for months?! But if you’ve ever tasted proper Kimchi you’ll know how it goes with every meal and how addicting it can be. Or the fresh seafood found along most of the coast, huge snow crab, local squid, giant muscles. The not-so-healthy but oh-so-good fried food, the street food you can never seem to escape from. I even grew to like the sweet crisps (chips) or the corn dogs rolled in sugar, but I’ll probably stick to my Korean ramyun. I fell in love with a lot of Korean food and I know it’ll be one of the things I miss the most.

Another thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the natural beauty of this small peninsula. Of course, it seems obvious that Korea would have some beautiful beaches and coastlines. Still, I never expected such clear, tropical-like waters, especially those around Jeju Island and the many smaller islands lining the west and south coast of the country. Korea’s inland, mountainous regions are a whole other marvel in themselves. I knew hiking was a big part of Korean culture and never questioned why. And I never really had to. After my first hike, which was only a thirty minute bus ride from my house, it was clear why it is such a popular pastime. The hikes are usually easily accessible, and there are often many different routes, ranging in distance and difficulty level. The bonus of hiking in Korea is that you are bound to stumble upon shrines, temples and traditional gates. I have often had the experience of turning a corner only to be met with a pristine, intricately designed temple seeming to appear out of nowhere. There are so many mountainous regions spread out across this small country that no matter where you are, there always seems to be a mountain waiting to be climbed.

I quickly fell in love with South Korea, all its beauty and quirks. I miss the convenience stores, the k-pop music blasting from storefronts, the busyness of the markets, and the LED signs lining the buildings. But I also crave the coolness of the ocean and the calm of the mountains.

So much happened in my two years of living in this incredible country that I sometimes find it hard to put it all into words. I had some of the best times but also some of the hardest. However, I attribute that to life in general rather than Korea. For now, my South Korean journey is over. I may go back one day, whether it be to visit or live is hard to say but right now there are so many more places waiting to be explored.

감사합니다 대한민국 (thank you South Korea)

By: Victoria Briggs