5 Strange Things About Life in Seoul

Living in a foreign country is a trip! No matter how much you learn about a place's culture and customs, there are always some unique differences that you just have to experience firsthand. Some things, like food and language, are guaranteed to feel new and strange at the beginning. Other things, like bathrooms and cream buns, are more surprising in their variety. Read on to learn 5 surprisingly strange things about living in Seoul, South Korea. 

1. Tons of public restrooms... but zero public garbage cans.

When we're out and about, travelling in a foreign city and responsibly staying hydrated, we may often feel the call of nature on the go. Back in Canada, I tend to duck into restaurants and hope a server will allow me passage. In Paris, you put a coin in a little toilet cubicle of sorts, though the postcard-pretty streets still frankly reek of less discrete measures. In Mexico, you pay a toll to a restroom guard, who may deign to give you some toilet paper. In Seoul, amazingly, there are public toilets everywhere. They're everywhere, they're incredibly clean, and their locations are made clear with signage. This is one world class city in which I guarantee you will not have to hop around wondering who you have to pay around here to pee.

However. If you're holding on to a piece of trash and looking for a garbage can to properly dispose of said trash... forget about it. You will be carrying around that garbage all day and taking it right back to your apartment. The only alternative is to sneakily forget it in one of the aforementioned public restrooms.

2. Trends, trends, trends.

In the world of South Korean fashion, trends are everything. Arriving here as an outsider, one of the first things you notice is how stylish everyone looks, especially young people. Street style is cool yet casual, and many Seoulites have that effortless chic that doesn't seem possible for mere mortals. It's very aesthetically pleasing, but also slightly unnerving, because everyone also looks somehow... the same. Whatever is currently on trend is what most people are wearing. Long puffer jackets, black or white. Peacoats, tan or navy. Makeup, pinks and corals. Huge white sneakers. Right now the shared closet colour palette is neutrals and pastels, which is why everything I own is now lavender and baby pink (I don't hate it, but it's weird).

3. North Korea. 

It's... there. Like a shadow side to bright, cosmopolitan Seoul, the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas lies just 50 km to the north. In terms of everyday life for Korean people, it's a world away, but I think having a real life dystopia for a neighbour has a psychological impact on those of us who live here. The two countries are technically still at war, and there are many refugees from North Korea living here in the South. Growing up in North America, I thought of North Korea as something scary but unreal, and- I'm ashamed to admit- sometimes a punchline of a joke. I now know that 25 million people live in North Korea, and it is very, very real. If you want to learn more, I recommend reading memoirs by North Korean refugees, such as Yeonmi Park's In Order to Live and Jang Jin-sung's Dear Leader. 

4. Ajummas. 

Oh, the ajumma. Perhaps comparable to the role of aunties in other cultures, ajumma are middle-aged Korean women, and they occupy a particular place in Korean society. Ajumma frequently sport a face-framing perm, a pair of hiking sticks, and a facial expression that says 'don't mess with me'. The ajumma who lives down the hall could be your best friend or your worst enemy, and that choice is entirely up to her. She could bring you traditional cakes on Lunar New Year because she's worried you might be homesick, or she could knock you down in the subway to get past without so much as a warning. She may grasp your arm in a friendly gesture (and a surprisingly strong grip) speaking rapidly in Korean, or she might serve the evilest side eye you've ever seen towards your fluro minidress. The ajumma is probably the backbone of Korean society, and as a well-intentioned but ignorant foreigner, I respect and fear her.

5. Sweet and savory. 

Have you ever had sweet garlic bread? Many of us foreigners living here unfortunately have, and I hope we can unanimously agree that it was an upsetting experience. It's something very strange that you never quite get used to- what should be sweet is sometimes savory, and what should be savory is often sweet. Red bean is one of the most common culprits here, as the popular East Asian filling is used heavily in buns and desserts, often showing up where you expect cream or sugar. Inventive pizza toppings are a category unto themselves, but you can expect the unexpected with everything from honey to cream cheese to sweet potato. Any seemingly normal bag of chips may be more like a crunchy dessert. White bread is sweet (and delicious), but is that actual grains of sugar on your toasted ham and cheese sandwich? The answer is probably.

There you have it! 5 of the new experiences you encounter when you move to Seoul. As strange as change can sometimes feel, it's a real privilege to live in a foreign country, and I aim to embrace every surprising twist and turn. What surprised you about the places you've travelled? Share your stories in the comments below!