# Is Seoul Underrated?



## Sen (Nov 13, 2004)

> I think the people who were disappointed by visiting Seoul(more broadly Korea)


Jeju was very nice


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## ejd03 (Oct 23, 2003)

paidos said:


> I don't quite get what you wanted to say, so I am replying according to my understanding.
> I have many Korean friends in Seoul, so I was not travelling alone, but no one could decide what a tourist should do there. Usually when you travel, it's not difficult to make a must-do list. The strange thing is that most of them could only brag about the Korean's 4 distinct seasons, which I find difficult to comprehend.
> There are so many different cities a tourist can go. Why do they have to choose Seoul? You need a selling point if you want to be recognised.
> Most tourists who go to Korea have been to places like Japan and China. If you have tried the shinkansen, you won't find the Korean trains (even the latest KTX) particularly impressive. If you have shopped in Tokyo or Hong Kong, you won't find the shopping attractive. If you have seen a Chinese or Japanese palace or courtyard, a Korean one will look much smaller and less detailed/refined.
> ...


well even if you didn't like Korea you must not just simply express your inner feelings that easily. I feel really bad


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## ejd03 (Oct 23, 2003)

paidos said:


> I don't quite get what you wanted to say, so I am replying according to my understanding.
> I have many Korean friends in Seoul, so I was not travelling alone, but no one could decide what a tourist should do there. Usually when you travel, it's not difficult to make a must-do list. The strange thing is that most of them could only brag about the Korean's 4 distinct seasons, which I find difficult to comprehend.
> There are so many different cities a tourist can go. Why do they have to choose Seoul? You need a selling point if you want to be recognised.
> Most tourists who go to Korea have been to places like Japan and China. If you have tried the shinkansen, you won't find the Korean trains (even the latest KTX) particularly impressive. If you have shopped in Tokyo or Hong Kong, you won't find the shopping attractive. If you have seen a Chinese or Japanese palace or courtyard, a Korean one will look much smaller and less detailed/refined.
> ...


So you were just constantly talking like "Korea simply sucks" and you didn't say seoul is bad?


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## kyenan (Mar 22, 2003)

ejd03 said:


> So you were just constantly talking like "Korea simply sucks" and you didn't say seoul is bad?


@ejd03, calm down. I don't think he's particularly against Korea. He's just expressing his ideas and feelings.


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## paidos (Jul 27, 2005)

ejd03 said:


> So you were just constantly talking like "Korea simply sucks" and you didn't say seoul is bad?


As a tourist, I didn't find many interesting things to do in Seoul because it doesn't have anything unique or special = Seoul is bad, Seoul sucks?
This thread is about whether Seoul is underrated. Basically there are only 3 options, either you think it is, it's not or it's average. 


ejd03 said:


> well even if you didn't like Korea you must not just simply express your inner feelings that easily. I feel really bad


Why can't I express my opinion? Did I start this thread and intentionally make Seoul sound bad? or you only want people to say good things and make propaganda like a tourist association?
Why don't you suggest a should-do list to keep a tourist occupied and happy for a few days?


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## citypia (Jan 9, 2005)

paidos said:


> If you have seen a Chinese or Japanese palace or courtyard, a Korean one will look much smaller and less detailed/refined..


I respect your opinion
But I think you don't know how to approch and appreciate cultural things in diffrent countries.
It's like you are saying that Versailles,France palace, is better than Buckingham Palace, Schloss Charlottenburg and spanish palace etc(don't get me wrong, it's just example) because Versaille is much larger and wonderful garden?

Every palaces in the world has its own beauty, reflecting the highest virtue of people living in those days.
You can love chinese and Japanese palaces than korean one as you like
according to your taste and preference.
But you can't say that chinese and japanese palace is better than korean one easily

Just like I can prefer Bhutanese palace to persian one
But I can't say that korean palace is better than Bhutanese palace 
Because "Size does matters"?

My point is
Comparing with cultural things in diffrent countries is quite worng idea.
There is no superiority or inferiority but difference



paidos said:


> Don't try to teach me good things can look ordinary and modest. Ordinary looking things will get the reputation they deserve. Face it, no one will spend a lifetime there to try to appreciate its much deeper inner value. If a person wants to see ordinary things, does he need to fly to Korea?
> Actually I did read a book about Korean history before travelling, which claims Korea to have 6000 years of civilization. I doubt if it has a positive effect on any tourist. Maybe the treasure is hidden outside Seoul and Busan.


Don't confuse " modest" with "ordinary"
There is BIG difference betweent them 
I mean Korean palaces is modest but not "ordinary" at all.
Actually, exercising moderation was the highest pursue of those days.
So building architecturs in excessive ways,( like making it bigger more than they needed, being be extravagant with lots of human-made decoration ) was and is rather unsightliness.

Like I said before, I am not saying that korean palace is the best in the world
but it deserve to have equal value on par with Bhutasnese palace or any palace in the world

Just like Edouard Manet is not better than Picasso or Rodin



paidos said:


> I know Seoul has progressed tremendously for the past decades, but most affluent Asian cities started from almost nothing 50 years ago too, why should Seoul be any more special?


Which asian cities started from nothing 50 years ago?
Name it please,
Singapore? A war broke out 50 years ago in Singapore island?
and they lost everything?
Their streets were filled with beggers,wounded soldiers, orphans and many women widowed by war?
I am not saying that Seoul is special
But Seoul had definitely the worst sistuation at those days.

Thanks for reading


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## Pki86 (Oct 20, 2005)

its also significant to note that many of the palaces were destroyed during the korean war...and some of the ones still in seoul are direct re-makes of the ones destroyed....and also of course there are also more palaces up there in north korea (i mean pyongyang was the capital before)


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## dhuwman (Oct 6, 2005)

Why are you guys so angry?
They are entitled to their opinion aren't they? They're just expressing what they "PERSONALLY" felt like. No hard feelings I could see.

Well, if you guys want to promote Seoul, that's fine, because I love the city.
But dissing everyone's opinion who don't PRAISE Seoul, but show some interest in the city doesn't really help, does it?

If you guys want to correct things up, that's fine too. But at least, let's not diss other people.


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## paidos (Jul 27, 2005)

dhuwman said:


> Why are you guys so angry?
> They are entitled to their opinion aren't they? They're just expressing what they "PERSONALLY" felt like. No hard feelings I could see.
> 
> Well, if you guys want to promote Seoul, that's fine, because I love the city.
> ...


Exactly!


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## citypia (Jan 9, 2005)

dhuwman said:


> Why are you guys so angry?
> They are entitled to their opinion aren't they? They're just expressing what they "PERSONALLY" felt like. No hard feelings I could see.
> 
> Well, if you guys want to promote Seoul, that's fine, because I love the city.
> ...


Guys?(Plural) 
Who? me?

First of all, I am not angry at all    

Second of all, I am experessing my opinion too, just like everyone do here

I never use any improper words and bad manners.
Did I?
If I did, forgive me please  

Third of all, I don't promote any other city, here with disscussion?
hmmm....

Fourth of all, diss other people?
not so good word you select :sleepy: 

Last of all, Goodbye everyone 
I am OUT of this disscussion


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## Harkeb (Oct 12, 2004)

Seoul is heavily (and most non-english speaking cities for that matter) underrated. Seoul is one of the largest cities in the world and the capital of the 10th or 12th largest (not sure) economies of the world, yet not many people have even heard of the city. As for me (an educated person), I have never seen a picture of Seoul before actually coming here a few months ago. I am still splendidly surprised abouth this great city. It's almost on par with Tokyo!


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## paidos (Jul 27, 2005)

Pki86 said:


> its also significant to note that many of the palaces were destroyed during the korean war...and some of the ones still in seoul are direct re-makes of the ones destroyed....and also of course there are also more palaces up there in north korea (i mean pyongyang was the capital before)


It is the background of Seoul. That may explain why Seoul has become what it is, but what you said will not make Seoul any more interesting. 


Pki86 said:


> Don't confuse " modest" with "ordinary"
> There is BIG difference betweent them
> I mean Korean palaces is modest but not "ordinary" at all.


I am sure there will be a group of people who has got fed up with the more exotic and colourful things and are eager to fly to different places to see how modest everything looks.


Pki86 said:


> Which asian cities started from nothing 50 years ago?
> Name it please,
> Singapore? A war broke out 50 years ago in Singapore island?


The Japanese didn't invade SE Asia? Malaysia didn't expel Singapore out of the union and forced it to survive on its own? There was no war in China? Hong Kong wasn't flooded by hundreds of thousands of refugees? Must everyone flock to Hiroshima just because it managed to fully recover from the atomic bomb attack? What kind of infrastructure did they have 50 years ago? 
Didn't everyone only have a few hundred (or less) USD GDP to start with?


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## Pki86 (Oct 20, 2005)

paidos said:


> It is the background of Seoul. That may explain why Seoul has become what it is, but what you said will not make Seoul any more interesting.
> I am sure there will be a group of people who has got fed up with the more exotic and colourful things and are eager to fly to different places to see how modest everything looks.
> The Japanese didn't invade SE Asia? Malaysia didn't expel Singapore out of the union and forced it to survive on its own? There was no war in China? Hong Kong wasn't flooded by hundreds of thousands of refugees? Must everyone flock to Hiroshima just because it managed to fully recover from the atomic bomb attack? What kind of infrastructure did they have 50 years ago?
> Didn't everyone only have a few hundred (or less) USD GDP to start with?



hey i would appreciate it if you would quote correctly, b/c i only said the first one....

what i said wasnt trying to make seoul more interesting...i was just trying to explain WHY the palaces aren't as abundant and comparable to china and japan's (talking about size)

and on the last quote, he was talking about the korean war buddy, not wwII...and whats worse than colonization during a world war? well a civil war where your nation splits into two and destroy everything in its land (i.e. korea)...so your reasoning with hong kong and singapore isnt the same....the korean war happened AFTER WWII...
and by the way, what does destruction (besides moral and culture) does colonization have anything to do with each other? japan didn't colonize southeastern asia to destroy everything but to make money off of it...whereas in the korean war, the objective was to destroy the infrastructure of the other side and kill the most ppl...

what kind of infrastructure did singapore and other countries have after colonization? infrastructure created by the japanese of course and its not like the japanese destroyed everything....
in korea, even the infrastructure created by the japanese were destroyed during the korean war....and actually most of the japanese-made infrastructure was in the north, like the hydroplant.

and oh yea...in the 70's, korea was far poorer than the southeastern nations...it was comparable to african nations... i mean korea relied on rice aide from philippines and thailand...
and no, not $100, but try $60 per year.

theres a difference, therefore your analogy doesnt work.


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## Evangelion (May 11, 2005)

I myself find Seoul to be a fascinating city however i do understand Paidos, because i live here in chicago where everyone(alot) think its all grand/exciting/fun however i find it to be pretty dull


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## SUNNI (Sep 20, 2002)

lets calm down everyone, one person hating korea wont have any affect on korean tourism economy 

and plus, everyone has different tastes, and some people dont seem to like seoul that much. It's just the way it is.


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## Mosaic (Feb 18, 2005)

I like Korea and Seoul is beautiful and much developed.


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## gentlejunho (Aug 12, 2004)

Korean tourism promotion is not very smart.

You know how much it is self centered and lack of taking visitor's situation,

One of the great example that clearly shows Korean tourism's promotion's poor standard is 'KIMCHI ' package.

I never thought Kimchi is any pleasant foods for foreigners who see and taste it for the first time, (though I know its very nice food after you find its real taste )

The very interesting fact is that Korean ministry of culture and tourism recommends tourists to participate in Kimchi making progress as one of the tour package ,Whats that ? I think its real self centered thinking offer. 

Instead of recommending to participate in making Kimchi (that you are going to have to touch garlic powder or some of the salted anchovies),(I am sure no foreign people will find it Kimchi's good aspects by doing this way )

What about teaching them to enjoy kimchi in more pleasant and tasting way such like eating it with Korean BBQ first time ? I think fnding real attractive taste is the first step and the making should follow. 

Such thinking way will never help promoting Korea's image in tourism or attracting investment. 

One of the Korean's tourism promotion quote (I do not know if it is still used)

Korean thing is the best . (우리것이 최고다-though I understand it emphasize on the importance of native culture)

It will just give very negative impressions only.


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## skyscrapercity (Aug 31, 2004)

gentlejunho said:


> Its the thing that only Seoul can proudly show and offer to the world.





gentlejunho said:


> Seoul is good for the young people's making active drinking and playing memory.
> 
> But in other aspects,I doubt if it has any very praisable things.





gentlejunho said:


> Also ,Seoul failed to fulfill developing its unique attraction.
> 
> Nothing was made greatly here





gentlejunho said:


> I think Seoul has no featured unique attraction,to be honest as many foreign people point out here .


Seoul, the city has nothing unique by what you said, have two UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE.
Is UNESCO so stupid as to designate world heritage for mankind in Seoul which has nothing unique and special?
Not many cities can contribute to the mankind like this


Seoul may be not a competitive city as a tourst destination
But it doesn't mean city has nothing unique 
Tourist is just tourst, 
Most of them is just people who are looking for fun and enjoying themselves
Nothing less and nothing more, that's all
(Do not get me wrong, I don't underestimate tourism, I merely point out that the city can't be judged by toursts)

BTW,Just read this
Time asia 


Time said:


> in the first nine months of this year, 550,000 tourists visited South Korea on Wave package tours, which take them to locations where TV serials have been filmed.


Are they all so stupid as to visit Korea which has nothing unique?

Even though I am not a korean, I suggest that you should open your eyes and listen to what your city tell you


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## gentlejunho (Aug 12, 2004)

skyscrapercity said:


> Time asia


http://www.time.com/time/asia/2005/korea/story.html

Written By Anthony Spaeth and Donald Macintyre

but With reporting by Stella Kim, Hwang Injae, Chan Yong Kim/Seoul 


 


http://www.time.com/time/asia/2005/korea/story3.html


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## kyenan (Mar 22, 2003)

harkerb said:


> Seoul is heavily.....*yet not many people have even heard of the city....*


Are you sure about it? When I traveled Canada, China, and USA, I don't see many people in those countries who didn't even hear of Seoul. :shocked:


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## Zwanderlust (Apr 7, 2005)

Nope. Underexposed? Yes!


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