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Mokpo Blooming: A Trip to the South Coast
South Korea is justifiably proud of its spring cherry blossoms. When I set out to plan a trip to the south coast of the country to coincide with the blooming season, I didn’t understand that you don’t necessarily have to plan a lot to see cherry blossoms here. They just are. Particularly when driving along the coast from Mokpo to Yeosu, we saw more blooming cherry trees than we could have imagined. We drove the 350km (about 220 miles) from Seoul to Mokpo to start our coastal road trip. A wicked windy and rainy day wrecked one of our two days there, so we weren’t able to take a boat…
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Somebody call 1-1-9! How to Access Healthcare in South Korea
We are happy to report that thus far, we have not required any emergency services while living in Seoul. (Everybody knock on wood with us, please!) In an emergency here, you call 1-1-9 instead of 9-1-1. Easy enough for us to remember, though hopefully we never need it! After six months of living in South Korea, all visitors not already registered by their employer are required to enroll in the National Health Insurance (NHI) Program. Our case was unique in that the chemist ended up on a student visa, so he is not covered under an employer and had to register with the NHI after eight months instead of six.…
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Ancient Temples of Gyeongju: Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto
The birthday of the historical Buddha (according to the Lunar calendar), will be celebrated on May 19 this year, so it’s a good week to continue our theme of exploring Buddhism in South Korea. Buddhism originated in India and was introduced to China via the Silk Road in the 1st century CE. It then spread to the Korean Peninsula in the 3rd century and subsequently to Japan. Korean Buddhism is a distinct branch in the Mahayana tradition, having developed its own line of thought distinct from the ideas that originally traveled from India. The Jogye and Taego Orders represent most of Korean Buddhism. With the rise of Confucianism during Korea’s…
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Old Korea: Buddhist Temple Stay at Gyeongju
You can’t get very far in South Korea without encountering a Buddhist temple, especially if you spend time in the mountains. From the tiniest shrine to the largest temple complexes with multiple halls, South Korea’s mountains are filled with religious sites open to visitors. Although now there are also temples in cities, historically mountains were the refuge of Buddhist monks and practitioners looking for a safe place to worship. During the heavily Confucian Joseon Dynasty, Buddhist practices were not welcome, forcing Buddhism into the hills. Only after many Korean Buddhist monks helped to end Japanese colonialism in the 20th century were Buddhists allowed to practice freely again. These days, Buddhism…
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Old Korea: Gyeongju and Yangdong Folk Village
One of the most rewarding aspects of living in South Korea this year has been the opportunity to explore some very old historical sites. Maybe because we’re from a relatively young country by world standards, we get pretty excited to see really old stuff! Although lots of emphasis is placed on the very influential Joseon Dynasty of Korea (1392–1910), there is even older history to be explored here. The promise of ancient history prompted our travel to one of South Korea’s oldest cities, Gyeongju. Of course, the Joseon Dynasty is never far away around here, so while in Gyeongju we also visited South Korea’s largest Joseon-era folk village, Gyeongju Yangdong…
