Korean Life Explained

As you walk through Insadong, you may notice traditional Korean wooden masks carved to resemble human faces. Some look like they are smiling. Others seem to be frowning. You might first think of them as souvenirs to hang on a wall. But if you enjoy Halloween, a different question comes to mind. What if I took one home and wore it next Halloween? A Hahoe mask is not the kind of Korean souvenir most people think of first. If you picked one out in Insadong and wore it for Halloween back home, it would be a very different choice from a typical Halloween mask. Hahoe masks were originally worn in Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori (Mask Dance Drama of Hahoe). The surviving traditional masks were made of wood and represent different characters, such as the yangban and the gaksi. But just because something in an Insadong shop looks like a Hahoe mask does not mean it was made to be worn. If you are thinking about wearing one next Halloween, that is the first thing to check. Not Everything Th...

When you look at hanbok rentals near Gyeongbokgung, you'll usually see several rental options to choose from. You might be able to rent one for just a couple of hours, choose a longer option, or keep it for the whole day. If it's your first time, it's easy to plan your day around the number of hours shown on the booking page. But a two-hour rental does not necessarily give you two hours inside Gyeongbokgung. It depends on whether the time you spend choosing and changing into your hanbok counts toward your rental time, and how long it takes to walk from the rental shop to the palace. Before deciding how long to rent one, first work out how much of that time you'll actually have inside the palace. First, Check When Your Rental Time Starts Arriving at the hanbok rental shop does not mean you can head straight to Gyeongbokgung. You first need to choose a color and design you like, check the size, and change into your hanbok. If you decide to have your hair s...

Step into a hanbok rental shop near Gyeongbokgung and you'll see that hanbok doesn't come in just one style. You'll see the familiar combination of a long skirt and a short top, ornate outfits that look like a king's or queen's robes, and simpler, more modern versions too. The labels differ from shop to shop as well. Some shops sort them into categories such as "Traditional," "Fusion," "Premium," or "Themed." "Wear hanbok and it's free" sounds simple enough. But once you're standing in front of a rack of different hanbok, it gets a little less clear. Does the one I picked count for free admission? If it says "Fusion," does that mean it doesn't count? What about a modern version? What if only my top or only my bottom is hanbok? Gyeongbokgung has its own rules for what counts as hanbok for free admission, and those rules don't depend on the product name a rental shop gives the outf...

You leave the arrivals hall at Incheon Airport and head toward the bus stops with your suitcase. You have already found the airport limousine bus number that goes to your destination in Seoul. Now it feels like all that's left is to get on the bus. But can you just tap your T-money card like you would on a Seoul city bus? Or do you need to buy a ticket first? At Incheon Airport, You Usually Buy a Ticket First For airport limousine buses from Incheon Airport to Seoul, you generally buy a ticket at the airport before boarding. Even if you already have a T-money card, don't head straight to the bus stop as you would for a Seoul city bus. First check whether your bus requires a ticket. There are exceptions, though. Some routes from Terminal 1 allow passengers to board with a transit card or cash. That is why you may see one traveler online say they used T-money, while another says they bought a ticket first. Have your bus number and terminal ready, then ask at a b...

You've checked out of your hotel, but you still have a few hours before your flight. You wheel your suitcase into a subway station and find the luggage lockers. Some compartments are empty. But when you step closer to use one, you notice a QR code and instructions for an app. T-Locker (또타라커). It looks similar to the lockers you've seen at other stations, but it doesn't work the same way. Seoul subway stations have newer T-Lockers that you use through an app, as well as other lockers that you use by following the instructions on the machine. So before you choose an empty compartment, check how the locker in front of you works. First, Check Whether It's a T-Locker or Another Type of Locker If you see a QR code and a T-Locker sign, start with your phone. With newer T-Lockers, you use the app to check which lockers are available, choose a compartment, pay, store your luggage, and retrieve it later. Official T-Locker app: Android / iPhone If there's a...

You found your bus number, waited at the stop, got on through the front door, and tapped your transit card. Then the bus pulls away, and a new question comes up. How do I know when I'm getting close to my stop? Should I wait for the announcement? Do I need to keep checking the map on my phone? And when my stop is coming up, do I need to press the stop button? Here, "Seoul bus" refers to a regular city bus in Seoul, not an airport or intercity bus. Keep Track of When Your Stop Is Coming Up Once the bus starts moving, you can use the onboard display or announcements to tell where you are along the route. If you're riding an unfamiliar route, you can also check the map on your phone. Look at your current location and the stops ahead, then check whether the next stop on the map matches the name you hear or see on the bus. As the bus passes each stop, your location on the map moves along the route, and the stop names shown or announced on the bus change too...