Ryan Brooklyn - Artist

2021-11-16

21 Images available in this Post by Ryan Brooklyn

Hey everyone, Ryan Brooklyn here, sharing my first trip to South Korea. It was a spur-of-the-moment trip, and I was really excited to see what Korea had to offer. Let's just say, it was an experience with its ups and downs.

This place is amazing

Expectations vs. Reality

You watch Korean TV shows and YouTube videos, and you think, "This place is going to be amazing!" Well, I had my moments of delight and disappointment. Some parts of Korea are genuinely authentic, while others feel like they're curated for tourists. Here's the rundown on the good stuff. I arrived at Incheon Airport on November 16th, 2021, and was greeted by a very modern and clean environment. This was during the COVID-19 period, and I was impressed with how organized everything was. Everyone was in line, wearing masks - quite different from what I was used to.

The Arrival Process

So, when I was flying, I was handed an arrival card and a health declaration form which I had to fill out. Not sure if this is still a requirement, but back then, it was part of the entry protocol. Additionally, I had to complete a travel declaration form detailing the goods I was bringing in, my address, and a travel record declaration mentioning the countries I'd visited in the last 14 days. All this paperwork was done during the flight.

Upon landing, when I showed my passport at border control, I received an entry confirmation. Interestingly, it was just a piece of paper; no stamps in the passport.

Korea is beautiful

WLAN in South Korea - a Myth or Real

Here's something I didn't prepare for: Internet access. Upon arrival, I had no internet, which was a bit of a shock. However, there was some slow internet available, good enough for WhatsApp or Signal, and maybe sending a few pictures. Thankfully, the train to Seoul had better internet connectivity, which was a relief since I came quite unprepared in that department.

After the long flight, I just wanted to get to my hotel. But first, I needed food. Found a KFC, and the meal was surprisingly good, better than expected, and quite affordable at around 8000 won.

The airport was impressively clean. I was excited when I picked up my luggage. Here's a piece of advice: if you're exhausted, opt for the express train. I didn't know the difference and chose the regular one. Payment was tricky since my American Express didn't work, but thankfully, my Visa did. The train was clean, and the ride gave me a first look at places like Yong Yong Airport, Digital Media City, and eventually, Seoul Station.

My first day was mostly positive. The food was great, the environment was quiet and clean, and there was no loud commotion. However, the mandatory COVID test was not pleasant - it's quite invasive.