As someone who grew up in a constant state of anxiety over every little decision, I wondered where I would find my place in busy Seoul to both keep the hobbies I had in America, yet still feel comfortable as a beginner-level Korean speaker. Often, I felt nervous as I wasn’t fluent in the native language and was afraid of making mistakes.
Despite this, it was something I grew accustomed to, and I found that navigating the country was actually a lot easier than I thought. Knowing how to read the characters already definitely helped, as well as basic phrases. To further improve my Korean skills, I tried to use it as much as possible, and the staff were friendly and patient.
This led me to become a lot less afraid of going out and doing what I typically hobbied in America. Oftentimes, I even found myself not even needing to speak, as self-serve kiosks were in most shops. Hobbying in Korea is actually a lot more convenient than you may think!
Cinema in Korea
I absolutely love films and going to the theater for new releases, so I knew I was going to want to see as many movies as possible while in Korea. With the huge hype I’ve seen over the quality of the theaters here as well, I was super excited when I finally visited a CGV and saw exactly how well equipped they were! From an uber-clean environment to self-serve food kiosks and ticket machines, it was absolutely nothing like the experiences I’ve had in American theaters.
The Yongsan I’Park Mall’s CGV, where I watched Project Hail Mary, has the largest IMAX screens in all of Korea!
Photo courtesy of Korea.net
Often, foreign films originally filmed in English play on screen just as they do in a typical American theater, with Korean subtitles, but there are also limited screenings of Korean films with English subtitles. So far, however, I’ve come to learn that there actually aren't a ton of Western movie releases in Korea that come out at the same time as they do in the West.
I was able to see, however, the release of Project Hail Mary directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller – and it was one of the best solo experiences I’ve had! From the huge IMAX screen to the truly respectful and quiet nature of other patrons around me, the cinema felt like a luxury.
While I did love seeing the film, I do wish I had taken the time to see a Korean-made film. Luckily, if you do look into seeing more movies in Korea, CineinKorea is a website I found made for foreigners with helpful links to specific locations that show films in English or have English subtitles!
Reading in Korea
As a highly academic-focused country, it was a given that Seoul would be filled with bookstores. But, after travelling 40 minutes for book club to an ‘English’ store only for them to be closed, I found that business is not run like how I was used to. Maybe it was because the shop was more local, or I had a stroke of bad luck, but going so far only for a shop to not actually be open was not fun!
Fortunately, I learned of Kyobo, which is the largest bookstore chain in South Korea, and it was truly like walking through book-lover heaven.
As a Korea University student, the closest one to me was the Gwanghwamun location. The massive store is littered with stationery and books, and there is a large foreign section towards the back right with books either released or translated into English. A majority are also from Penguin UK, which I personally believe has the most beautiful cover designs!
Found my favorite book as a Penguin Modern Classic release: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
Going through Kyobo, it was always a battle on what I wanted versus what I could afford to stuff in my already brimming suitcase. As the semester comes to a close, I’ve put myself on a book-buying ban, but it definitely does not stop me from constantly coming back just to look at what’s new!
A huge selection of Korean books translated into English.
Coming to Korea was a major change for me. I had come without my parents' initial approval, but studying abroad was a dream I had for such a long time that leaving had just felt right.
Prior to being here, the only places I’d been to outside my home country of America were Vietnam and Canada, and I was always with family. Both times had felt so long ago that my travel anxiety was through the roof. In my personal experience, when you grow up in an immigrant household where most decisions must go through your parents first, every new step without them brings feelings of guilt and anxiety.
The feeling of being here for four months weighed heavily in the first few weeks, and trying something new can always be daunting, but, as I’ve found, it is often brief. The experience has always turned out much more enjoyable than anything.
You never know what gems you’ll find from just walking around and exploring. Who knows? Maybe in the future you’ll have new places for me to try!