Hong Kong & Seoul

It’s been 14 years since we were last in Hong Kong, the day we got engaged in fact, so it holds fond memories.

I’d forgotten what an enormous city it is. That said, it’s a great place to just stroll around, which is exactly what we do with our time. A walk up to Victoria Point provides a great view over the city and reminds us that all the hikes here are vertical! 

We get a pleasant surprise when walking back to the hotel when we find an aviary in the middle of the city. It’s very cool. Loads of tropical birds in the middle of the very impressive skyscrapers. 

Manage to catch up with a good friend from my DBA, Kevin. Spend a great evening at the Jockey Club and sample some great Cantonese food. Jenn, as the guest of honour, orders on our behalf, which I will be forever grateful for! Great to catch up, and ironically Kevin is heading to the UK the day after we meet. Small world!

A short hop from Hong Kong finds us in South Korea. Seoul was a relatively late addition to our trip, but as we pull up to the hotel, it immediately feels like a great decision. The city is reminiscent of Singapore in terms of infrastructure. Everything feels, very new, very ordered, and an easy place to spend some time. Singapore was built from the ground up after the war. Seoul has similar origins, having been constructed after the end of the Korean War in the mid-1950s. 

Despite arriving in the evening we head straight out for a walk. End up walking across the impressively wide, 1.2km, Han River. Pass a statue of two men sitting on a bench, one with his arm around the other. Will return to the significance of this in due course. Over the other side of the river, it’s pretty lively for a Wednesday night. In contrast to the order of the roads and skyscrapers, the bars, cafes, and restaurants are far more characterful.

Head back on the tube. Amazingly, you can only buy single tickets and can’t tap in and out with foreign credit cards,. Uber modern city, but with a somewhat antiquated metro system. I particularly enjoy the quirkiness of the fanfare tune that announces the arrival of a train. Get caught doing a little jig by an American lady. With a wry smile she tells me that it loses its appeal after 8 years! 😉

We are fortunate with the weather. Two weeks prior the city was experiencing highs of -5! As it is, it’s cold, but not too crazy. We head over to Namsan Mountain Park. End up strolling through Itaewon and some very trendy districts. No real agenda, just a nice stroll, absorbing the atmosphere in this undoubtedly cool city.

We head over to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Local visitors here hire traditional dress known as hanbok. Makes the whole place feel incredibly atmospheric. Enjoy the contrast of a 14th century palace, with the city in the background. Jenn buys a necklace from as street vendor on the way home. Turns out she’s really lucky as it is a one off piece! One born every minute! 😉 

Next day we head over to Gangnum, a place now synonymous with the god-awful song by Korean rapper, Psy. Our tour is led by a lady in her thirties who leads us on a journey to discover ‘the dark side of Seoul’. She begins by giving us some background on what life in South Korea is like for the younger generations, who describe it as ‘Hell Joseon’ (a hellish, hopeless society). My interest is immediately piqued, given that from what I’ve seen thus far, people seem relatively happy. 

South Korea has the highest suicide rate in the world. Seemingly, life is a bit of a pressure pot for South Koreas youth. Parental pressure is extreme in terms of education. Competition for elite universities is fierce, and the corporates such as Samsung recruit exclusively from these schools. School children, with affluent parents, attend hagwon (private colleges) outside of school hours, working until as late as 22.00, when legislation requires that they close. Everyone is stat ranked. Children are ranked in their class, in their school, and nationally. Sounds pretty intense. 

Working hours in South Korea are extreme. Having worked hard to secure a position, legislation caps working hours officially at 52 a week (a recent attempt to raise it to 69 failed). Reality is that many work far longer, the hours are just not recorded. 

Yet working hard does not solve the biggest issue facing young workers. Over 80% of the population live in South Koreas cities, where both rent and house prices in comparison with salaries, put independence beyond the reach of the vast majority. As a consequence more than 50% of people between 30 and 40 live at home, where parental pressure does not abate, just because they are no longer at school. 

We visit Plastic Surgery Street. A street full of cosmetic centres. Appearance is a big thing is South Korea, and whilst procedures are affordable (a dose of Botox can cost as little as £20 from a good surgeon), there is significant social pressure to improve ones looks. Jessica explains that in the same way as it would be considered lazy not to improve ones mind through study, it is considered equally lazy not to improve ones looks through surgery. 

The K-pop culture has seen the aspirational look pivot in recent years, with Asian beauty, taking precedence over the previously admired western features. Cutting one eyes, having fat inserted to remove the prominence of ones cheek bones, and laser surgery to create porcelain white skin are all common procedures. Such is the skill and affordability of the surgeons here that cosmetic tourism is big business. 

Jessica talks about the aspirational happy life. Good job, good partner, and good looks. All feels horribly competitive and very superficial. Blind dates are a big thing here, but seemingly potential partners are all looking for someone with a good degree, a good job, and bizarrely a compatible Myers-Briggs profile! 

The consequence of the foregoing is the highest suicide rate in the world, and a birth rate of just 0.7%. We are told that the bridge we crossed the first night is infamous as a result of jumpers. The statue was erected in remembrance of those that have died, and to serve as a reminder of the importance of compassion and hope.  

Interesting social tour, that provides real insight into the youth culture that would otherwise have been invisible to us. 

That evening we head over to Sungynyeum Gate. Interesting juxtaposition to see a 14th century gate in the middle of a modern intersection. 

We spend our final day in Seoul visiting Bukchon Hanok village. This is one of the few remaining places in the city where one can still see traditional houses. 

Seoul is famous for its animal cafes. Intrigued, we visit the Hongdae district. Visit one particular café where they have a raft of animals ranging from wallabies through to meerkats. Get introduced to an overly friendly raccoon. Think they may have misunderstood when I asked for something to keep my head warm…      

As much as I love animals, we have mixed feelings about the place and leave pretty swiftly. Cats and dogs is one thing, but some of these animals are well outside their normal environments. All look well cared for, but it’s not for us. 

Back on the street, we find all sorts of weird and wonderful outlets. One of the best air rifle ranges I’ve seen is easily accessible and inexpensive, whilst another stall offers Myers-Briggs tests. As we now know, it’s a must, if you are on the South Korean dating scene. 

We’ve had a great time in Seoul. It would be an easy city for a westerner to spend time, and there’s loads to explore. Was surprised by Jessica’s account of the reality of the city, and it’s somewhat sobering that owing to the birth rate, the New York Times claims that South Korean culture is in danger of disappearing altogether. It’s interesting that what appears on the surface to be a vibrant, modern, and characterful nation is actually imploding at a rate of knots. 

Definitely a place that we would return to, and one that I will follow with interest when we return home. 

With that, it’s off to the airport for a 5.5 hour flight to Ho Chi Minh.