credit: owner
South Korea has always been my go-to destination whenever people ask where I want to travel. Even though I have been there numerous time (with tour guides, by backpack, for studies etc), it has never failed to remind me the reason I love this country so much. I am amazed by myself, having this passion since I was 11, to one day travel to Korea and study. People laugh at me for being stupid, travelling to the same country over and over again when I obviously have travelled there more than enough. Well, I laugh at them for not having passion for what you love and achieving it.
Delivery service
There are a handful of food delivery service apps that you can download for free on your smartphone. You can key in your personal details and address after signing up for an account. I've used 2 apps that I find user friendly (due to my limited Korean). One is McDonald's Korea and the other one is a famous app called Yogiyo. I personally love the feedback and review section on Yogiyo app where you can see realistic feedback given by users on the restaurant, with the aid of image too. It definitely helped to decide which restaurant to order from since there were tons of them offering the same food.
Yogiyo app where you can order a variety of food, with reviews for reference too!
While waiting for food, you will receive text messages with confirmation of your order and the estimated time it will arrive. Every single one took 5-10 mins of waiting time from the second I hit the order button to the delivery guy came knocking on my door, even when the text message said it might take up to 45 mins.
*Yogiyo in Korea actually means 'Over here!'. When people order food at a public area, such as park, beach, or field, where the delivery guy might find it hard to locate which one is his customer, they will go around asking "Did you order xxx?' or "Who ordered xxx?". The people who ordered the food will say "Yogiyo! (over here!)"
Here are some food I've ordered through the delivery app.
Braised chicken with glass noodle and rice
Chinese food (Black bean noodle, Spicy seafood noodle and Japchae)
Half-half pizza
Korean fried chicken, with cola for free
Cash-less paying system
Korea has slowly evolved into a cash-less paying system country. Everywhere I go I was able to pay with my card. In Malaysia, most stores only accept cards when you spend over a certain amount of money, or accepting only credit card, or sometimes just cash only. The entire time I was in Korea, I registered and open a bank account. Getting a bank card is the best thing ever. I go around with basically a weightless purse, just a card and a few bucks. I can pay whatever with my card.
Woori bank card ft YG
I pay 900won (RM 3.60) for a kimbap at convenient store, I pay 18,000won (RM 72) for delivery food at my doorstep, I pay 1,000won (RM 4) for spicy rice cake by the street and pay freaking 120,000 (RM 480) for my new hairstyle, all with my bank card. It really convenient somebody like me who never really like bringing a lot of cash out and constantly cashing them out from my bank when I run low on them.
Kimbap and milk from convenient store
Notebooks bought using my card, from Artbox
My student card from Yonsei also acts as my bank card and my transportation card. However, my other bank card, featuring YG, is the one I use more often because I dont to scratch my student card with my picture on it as I will be slotting in machines and taking it in and out from my purse on a daily basis.
Yonsei student card
No motor bike
As a Malaysian, I know how scary it is to have to hear motorcycles zooming by with a loud and screeching noise, often looking around making sure they don't creep beside you and snatch your bag and flee, to constantly watch out when driving just in case they are riding beside your car but at the blind spot or to get waken up at 2am because the cyclist decided to have a speed race on the road across your house.
McDonald's delivery motor bike in Korea, credit: Pinterest
However, most cyclist in Korea are actually delivery guy. To be honest, throughout my stay in Korea, I haven't seen any people riding a motor cycle other than delivery guy. But do keep in mind they tend to speed, especially when there are lesser cars at night, because they have to make deliveries on time for hungry people like me.
3-Lines slippers
The stylish plain slipper you see in probably every drama. The iconic three line slippers that can be found rather easily in Korea is worn by almost everybody in Korea, especially students. They are available in different colours and can be bought at many local stores and convenient stores. It is not expensive and is very comfortable to wear. It comes in various sizes for men and women. Do note that Korean size are different from US size and UK size that we are familiar with. So do try them on and remember your Korean shoe size as it makes it easier for you to buy shoes in Korea.
It is so iconic for Korea in my point of view because everybody is just wearing them or at least own a pair. I'm sure every household has at least one of these pairs. It can be viewed as Korea's national slipper, I swear. I can't believe the fact that it look stylish even if you wear a sock on your feet with it. Don't you just want one?
No cats
Everybody who knows me, knows how much I am terrified with cats and literally all animals. I have never once get in touch with a cat, intentionally. I am born scared of cats. And I have no idea why. Nothing has ever work for me to get rid of my fear of cats. I am not afraid of cats because they are fierce or dirty or sensitive, I am just afraid just because, they are cats. I can't go to places where cats might appear out of no where, sneaking through tables or under my chair, I can't look at cats or touch a picture of cat. I would rather starve myself if I have to go into a restaurant with cats, I would rather jump of a cliff if a cat ever corner me.
Thank god cats are no where to be found in Korea. There are cats, for sure, but I just don't see any wild cats hanging around in a restaurant, fighting on the street, jumping from trash to trash, sleeping under the cars etc. No cat places are heaven to me.
The entire time I am in Korea, I haven't seen any cats strolling around near me. I don't have to keep an eye around to make sure I don't confront any cats on my own. I don't have to slow down at street corner to make sure I don't cross path with cats. Definitely major points added for Korea for controlling street animals. You don't see road kills along the way, either.
Safety
It is a fact that Malaysia's crime rate is getting worst. I constantly look over my shoulders to make sure my handbag is in tact with me, I make sure I don't leave my laptop or phone unattended, I make sure nobody is near me to pick pocket my bag, I make sure I walk anti-traffic so that I can see what is coming towards me, I make sure to be alert of my surrounding so that nobody creeps me up from the back while I am on my phone etc etc etc. There are a lot of things that I should be aware of when I am out from my house.
On the other hand, Korea is so much different. People leave their phones and handbags on the table unattended to go to washroom or to get their food, people leave their laptops in the library to go have lunch, people leave their handbags wide open in a crowded subway, people carry their bags on their back while lining up, people talk on their phones and their eyes glued on the phone while standing by the sidewalk waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Things that Korean people do makes me wonder, why are they so different.
Laptops and phones in library while students go out for lunch
Aren't they scared? Aren't they worried? Aren't they being too careless?
Then, it hit me. It's about the mentality. Korea is not a rich country where no beggars are to be found, nor Malaysia is a poor country where people have no choice but to snatch other's belongings. Korea's employment chance is rather high compared to Malaysia, given the stress of work and peer pressure. But why aren't they stealing and snatching for their financial needs? Because they just don't have the mentality to. No doubt Korea can strive to be one of the most safe country to travel on your own when most of the people has the mentality of not to steal.
I am not talking ill about Malaysia nor priding Korea. But it is a fact I truly hope Malaysians can adopt but sadly, almost impossible, given the environment where people give up going through all the police report and court because they know the chances of justice being serve and rate of progression is just not worth the time and effort. And because of this, the cycle continues.