Travel guide South Korea

Let's face it, Koreans are big drinkers. Whether it's for celebrations or to unwind after a hard day's work, with family or friends, alcohol often invites itself to the table. Among the country's must-haves are soju, makgeolli and beer... soju being the star alcoholic beverage.

One of the first things you notice when you set foot in Korea is the uniformity of its people. There are fashion trends everywhere, but here it's far more crucial. You have to have the same shoes as everyone else, the same coat and, above all, the same impeccable physique, even if it means going under the knife once.

Baseball is to the Koreans what soccer is to the French. They're all huge fans. In bars and restaurants, it's not uncommon to see games broadcast on television. Among the most popular teams are Seoul's Doosan Bears, Busan's Lotte Giants and Daegu's Samsung Lions.

Even if today the religion of Koreans is divided between Christianity and Buddhism, the latter is rooted in the country's religious and cultural liabilities. Temples, national treasures, national holidays, Buddhism is present in many aspects. We do not fail to let ourselves be resourced by this religion full of purity.

It's hard to separate these two sister countries, with their shared history. The southern part of Korea secretly dreams of reunification with the North, or at least the official declaration of the end of the war. Even if, once in South Korea, you don't necessarily think about it, the hope of reunification still hangs in the air.

A successful Korean evening always ends with a few songs (whether you're just singing or not, by the way). There are several of them: the classics 노래방 noraebang where you pay for 1 hour or more; then come the 코인 노래방 noraebang corner where you pay per song and finally the 노래타운 noraetown, where you can order drinks and food.

Where would the Koreans be without kimchi (김치)! It is the traditional fermented food, with atypical flavours, on which you will have no choice but to stop. In 99% of the cases (except fast food) you will have a small plate of this side dish. Initially surprising in taste, the kimchi will know how to conquer you.

It's certainly thanks to Korean music that the country has been able to take off internationally. A real business, you can't escape the K-pop industry, which is felt in so many ways. Restaurants, shopping malls, shopping streets... you can hear it everywhere, and sometimes, admittedly, quite loudly, but that's part of its charm.

Even if some cities are overly modern, this doesn't mean that nature lovers won't find something to their liking. Marine parks, numerous national parks, municipal parks... all very well preserved and maintained. Korea has natural jewels that it knows how to cherish.

Famous characteristic of Korean and Asian cities in general. In vibrant neighbourhoods, when night falls, bar and restaurant signs light up and sparkle. The streets become even more vibrant and magical. We'll be sure to take pictures to preserve sparkling memories.

There are no garbage cans outside, but the streets stay clean! Even the most touristy areas are virtually immaculate, thanks to an ultra-competent cleaning service that performs its task, day and night, to perfection. A small exception is the bar areas, which are a little less "pure" late at night.

Internet at the height of quality. Wifi is of course available in hotels but also in cafés and restaurants. More surprisingly, wifi can be picked up EVERYWHERE, even at the far end of the mountain (very practical and ideal for never getting lost). In order not to spoil anything, the connection is extremely fast. Welcome to the land of 5G!