Cat cafes. Dog cafes. Domestic animal cafes are pretty well-known by now. I’ve had many friends from the US ask me about dog and cat cafes. I have a dog cafe near my home - a 5 minute walk away. Sure, they are adorable and nice to pet, but many people already have them as pets at home. What is far more exciting are raccoon cafes. I don’t know any friend that has a raccoon as a pet!
Read MoreTags: free time in korea, dog cafes in korea, Cafes, things to do in seoul
Cafes, cafes everywhere. Huge chains. Themed paradises. Underground gems. One never needs to look too far to find a place to enjoy a cup of coffee and a cute, delicious array of desserts. It is truly one of the charms of Korean culture. Cafes are places to study, work, catch up with friends, or get to know a new love interest. In the mornings, cafes offer a peaceful environment to work, study or wake up with a strong brew. The atmosphere completely changes once it hits around 5PM, and everyone is meeting friends and lovers after work or school. All cafes become packed. One must first find a seat, reserve it, then order. Employees tone down their establishment’s lights and change their playlist for proper socializing.
Read MoreTags: Gangnam Style, coffee in Korea, Gangnam, coffee shop, coffee, Cafes, Gangnam Station, culture
Spring is a popular season in Korea. Plenty of tourists travel to North East Asia to view the Cherry Blossoms, which bloom in Korea and Japan during the month of April. The season begins in March and ends around May, as the temperatures warm up for Summer in June. Spring is also a season for harvesting. It is common to see countryside farmers planting rice and potatoes, as well as sowing seeds and pruning trees. In this blog I will offer a variety of ways you and your friends can enjoy the comfortable spring weather while living and teaching in Korea.
Read MoreTags: korea bucket list, outdoors, hiking in korea, Spring, cherry blossoms, parks in Korea, outdoor activities, Recreational activities, Cafes, patbingsu, Festivals in Korea, picnics in South Korea, Spring Time, korea spring
Fall in Korea is my absolute favorite season! The humidity of Summer is gone and the cooler, favorable temperatures have arrived. It's the perfect time to enjoy the warm colors of the changing leaves and the cinnamony smell of latte's. Orange, red and yellow is all around, and the Koreans are also bringing out their hottest Fall fashions.
Read MoreTags: fall foliage, Teach Abroad, things to do in Korea, food in Korea, tourist attraction, outdoor activities, cultural activities, Cafes, outings, fall in korea, fall in seoul, autumn
Rain Rain go away! Now that we are in the midst of summer, monsoon season in Korea seems to be finally kicking up. Korea experiences four distinct seasons, with monsoon/the rainy season beginning in the middle of June. "Jangma, 장마" aka the rainy season brings heavy rainfall with lots of heat and humidity. Seoul experiences an annual precipitation average of about 1373 mm, mostly during July and August.
Read MoreTags: pc bang, Jjimjilbang, Cafes
Korea is known for its history mixed with modern technology. People come to teach in Korea because the money is good and because they can still live somewhat live in a ‘Westernized’ manner. Even as that may be, most people who come will at least try to live up to the hype of partying “Gangnam Style” to see what it’s all about. However, if you are not into getting drunk off of cheap soju or from bottle service at one of Seoul’s premier clubs, here are four activities in Korea that you can do to enjoy your time while living in Seoul.
Read MoreTags: things to do in Korea, things to do on weekend, things to see in korea, museums, gyeongbokgung, cat, dog cafes in korea, Cafes, escape room
I would argue a lot of South Koreans work hard to cultivate a certain image of sophistication and trendiness. That suave aura that many Koreans strive for is achieved not only through their impressive sense of style, but also in their choice of hangout spots. For Koreans who fancy themselves classy and urbane, the idea of a café resonates quite strongly and has a powerful appeal in this country. I don’t know if Koreans want to seem Westernized or maybe just really just love hanging out in cozy environments, but there is no doubt that this country is a land of cafes, and the rapid spread of café culture has led to some interesting variations that offer a whole lot more than just coffee.
Tags: Games, Teach English in Korea, Teach Abroad, Teach in Asia, coffee in Korea, pets in Korea, Cafes
Korea has very distinct seasons. There are cherry blossoms in the Spring, snowy icicles and the Siberian wind in Winter, and hot muggy Summers. Personally, Fall is possibly my favorite season in Korea. Coming from South Africa I don’t have much of an opportunity to experience the beautiful foliage and changing colors of leaves. In the Southern Hemisphere we don’t experience Fall as much as the Northern Hemisphere. Korea was my first experience of a ‘real’ Fall and I have taken every opportunity to get outside as much as possible. The weather is perfect with clear blue skies and sunny afternoons. Simple activities like walking or riding a bicycle outdoors can really be enjoyable. Some of the top things to do in Korea during the Fall season is hiking, exploring your city, outdoor cafes, or traveling the countryside and visiting historical-sights and cities.
Tags: fall, fall foliage, Teach English in Korea, Teach Abroad, Teach in Asia, teaching in Korea, a year in Korea, things to do in Korea, hiking, outdoors, Activities to do in Korea, Cafes, sightseeing
Cafe culture in Korea is taken seriously -- cafes are on every corner in my neighborhood. In addition to your run of the mill coffee shops, cafes with specific themes abound. I've posted previously about my visits to a board game cafe and the Mustoy cafe, but I have to admit, when I came to Korea, I was the most excited about the availability of a cafe theme I hadn't encountered before: animals.
Tags: tourist spots in Korea, things to do before leaving korea, coffee in Korea, cafes in Korea, Cafe, Activities to do in Korea, tourist attractions, coffee shop, coffee, cat, dog cafes in korea, doggy cafe, Dr Fish, Cafes
In case you haven't noticed, owls are super "in" right now, and Korea is definitely following suit. They also happen to be one of my favorite animals and in the past decade or so, I've amassed quite an owl collection. You can just imagine my elation and fascination, then, when I heard that Seoul has an actual Owl Museum! After spending the morning walking around the Bukchon Hanok Village, my friends and I wandered through the neighboring Samcheongdong to see what this Owl Museum was all about...
Tags: tourist spots in Korea, museum, things to do on the weekend, cafes in Korea, Cafe, museums, museums in Korea, Cafes, Weekend activities in Korea