The cheapest way to get to South Korea. Self-drive travel to seoul. Shopping in South Korea

Holidays in South Korea will surely give you vivid impressions and emotions. Combination of modern cities with skyscrapers, traditional Korean culture and architecture, scenic national parks, beautiful beaches, flavored with developed infrastructure, will make a trip to this country comfortable and memorable.

South Korea looks especially beneficial for residents of the Russian Far East, because it is closer to fly here than to Moscow and the European part of the country.

I present to your attention a great useful material about traveling to South Korea, where you will learn how to get cheap, how to get around, where to live, what to see, and how much the trip will cost.

Korean women

Visa to South Korea: is it necessary?

Since 2014, Russians can enter the country without a visa if the period of stay does not exceed 60 days (but no more than 90 days a year).

Documents for visa-free travel to South Korea:

passport, which is valid for at least another six months from the date of entry
a completed migration card that will be issued to you on the plane or other transport
completed customs declaration (if you have something to declare)

Instructions for filling out a migration card

I also met on the Internet that I needed return flights and confirmation of the availability of funds (hotel reservations, a bank statement, cash, etc.). But they did not ask us anything from this list, we flew in from Kuala Lumpur. Nevertheless, I advise you to do it just in case.

Hotel reservations can be made at the booking site (choose the "free cancellation" option).

How to book air tickets without payment, I wrote in detail in. Ideally, though, if you have real tickets back.

If you plan to stay in the UK longer, you will need a visa. They are workers, students, research.

How to get to South Korea cheap?

The most convenient way to get to the country is by plane, as most tourists do.

There are direct flights from Russia to South Korea from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

There are direct flights to Daegu from Khabarovsk and Vladivostok by T'Way Air and Hanh Air at a cost of about 13-15 thousand rubles in both directions.

There are direct flights to Seoul from Vladivostok (S7, Aeroflot, Jeju Air, Korean Air), from Moscow (Aeroflot, Korean Air), from St. Petersburg (Aeroflot), from Khabarovsk (S7, Aeroflot, Asiana Airlines).

There are direct flights to Busan from Vladivostok (Aeroflot).

The cheapest way to get to South Korea is to catch the sale of the Korean low-cost airline Jeju Air from Vladivostok to Seoul. Once they sold tickets for 3000 rubles one way and 6000 round trip. Unfortunately, sales are rare.

Airfare from Moscow

Transportation in South Korea

Aircraft

The most major airlines are Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, which operate flights between the capital and other cities in the country, as well as between provincial cities.

Also, check out Air Busan, Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, T'way Airlines, Hanh Air if you are considering flying on a domestic flight.

Jeju Air counter at Jeju Airport

The prices are not high, discounts are not uncommon at the beginning of the working week, but on weekends the tickets are more expensive, and besides, they are quickly disassembled. For example, we flew from Jeju to Busan for only 48,000 won for two (with 15 kg of luggage each).

Trains in Korea

The country also has a convenient railway system, although it does not cover all regions.

KTX High Speed Train

Trains come in three main classes:

KTX- high-speed, fly from Seoul to Busan in two and a half hours (costs 59,800 won in Economy Class, 83,700 won in First Class)

Saemaul- stop only at large cities, the same route costs 42,600 won.

Mugunghwa- the slowest, but still comfortable. Seoul-Busan costs 28,600 won.

If you plan to travel a lot on trains, buy an unlimited KR Pass, it will be more profitable. A one-day pass costs 81,000 won, a three-day pass 113,000 won.

You can buy tickets at railway stations, travel agencies, as well as on the official website of Korean railways... See the train schedule in advance there.

Buses

The bus system in the country is very developed, thousands of buses run on the roads between all large and small cities. There is no place you don't get to.

Buses are divided into express and intersity, which often arrive at different terminals in the same city. The former run between the main large cities, the latter between the smaller provincial cities. In addition, there are also varieties according to the class: Ilban (ordinary) and Udeung (superior, with three seats in a row). Night buses are usually superior with an appropriate price.

Intercity bus

VIP bass with three seats in a row

In general, the bus ride is quite comfortable, the driver makes stops every 2-3 hours, and the roads have all the infrastructure with cafes, toilets and entire shopping malls.

As a rule, there is no need to buy tickets in advance, except on holidays and weekends. This can be done at the bus station before departure. You can view the schedule in advance at (in the upper right corner, select English).

Bus station in Busan

Ticket machine

Car rental in Korea

To rent a car in Korea, you need an international license (issued over a year ago), and you must be over 21 years old. The road infrastructure is well developed here: you will find equipped parking lots, campgrounds, cafes, gas stations ... The roads are gorgeous wide with a dividing fence, multi-level interchanges.

Road infrastructure is excellent

Ferries

Ferries run to numerous islands. We did not sail on such (more precisely, only from Jeju Island to Udo Island), but all information about the schedule and prices can be found in the ports.

Ferry from Jeju Island to Udo Island

Local urban transport

The best way to save money on city travel is to buy a special vehicle. T-money card... It is sold in special devices in the subway (upon arrival at the airport), or in supermarkets GS25, CU, 7-11 and costs 2000-2500 won. You can also top up your balance there. When entering and exiting the metro or bus, simply lean her against a special machine.

What is the main advantage of this card? It offers a 100 won discount on every ride, plus the option to use another mode of transportation for free if you change trains within 30 minutes. Thus, it pays off in a day. We spent the rest of the card in the supermarket at Seoul airport before departure.

The metro is the most convenient urban transport, there are subways in 6 major Korean cities. Fares are usually from 1,100 won, with longer distances slightly more expensive. We have never paid more than 1,800 won for the subway anywhere.

Seoul Subway

When is the best time to go?

The best months to visit South Korea are April, May, September and October (if you plan to actively travel the country) and from mid-June to September (if a beach holiday is your priority).

In winter, it is worth coming only if you plan to go skiing in the Olympic Pyeongchang and the surrounding area, it is at this time that there is snow in the mountains and all the conditions for a ski holiday.

In spring, the weather here is warmer than in Russia. April is famous for cherry blossoms, it looks really incredible, and May is like summer in central Russia. However, there can be cold winds in the evenings, so bring your sweatshirts with you.

In summer, the beach season opens from late June to early September. Hot and humid. An ideal time for a beach holiday at any of the many resorts, the most famous of which are Jeju Island and Busan.

At the end of September-October, autumn takes its toll, and the trees are painted in yellow-red colors. The best time for trekking and visiting national parks, moreover, it is not so hot anymore.

When is the best time to go to Korea: spring and autumn

Lodging

Finding where to sleep in Korea is not a problem. Anything more or less tourist town you will find a wide range of accommodations from hostels to decent international hotel chains.

If you are traveling alone, hostels are the best way... But together it is sometimes more profitable to rent a hotel room.

You can book hotels on a website that collects in one place offers from different booking systems, such as booking.

An interesting option for living can be a hanok - a traditional Korean house converted into a guesthouse. You will sleep on the floor on a mattress, but the floors are heated, so the house is warm. A list of these houses across the country can be viewed at (Korean only).

Feel like a Buddhist monk and spend the night in a monastery thanks to the Templestay program. More than 100 temples across the country are available to travelers. More details on the official program.

Tents on the beach in Busan

In national parks, it is possible to spend the night in campsites and shelters. It is not at all expensive, besides, there is the necessary infrastructure and amenities, and there is no need to drag a tent from home with you :) List of campsites with prices all over the country. Choose a national park and look for the "Fee" section in the left menu.

Renting an apartment from the owners will be beneficial for families with children, large companies and just those who like to feel at home. To do this, search on

The highest prices and demand for hotels are in July, August, September on the coast and in October, November in national parks and nearby. Therefore, if you are traveling during this period, it is better to book in advance.

Breakfast is rarely included in the cost of living, but still there are such options, it is very convenient. The staff usually speaks passable English, as long as they do not climb completely into the wilderness.

Holidays in South Korea: resorts and attractions

Holidays in South Korea are quite diverse. There are both beach and ski resorts here, despite the small size of the country.

The peninsula is washed by three seas at once on three sides, so there is something to choose from among the beach resorts. The most popular resort in South Korea for both locals and tourists is the volcanic Jeju Island... Magnificent beaches of volcanic sand, bombing landscapes and clear sea make it a very popular holiday destination.

On Jeju Island

Udo Island and a volcano in the distance

What it takes to cross the border

In order to travel to South Korea or visit relatives in 2020, you will need the following papers and documents:

Overseas passport, passport validity period to enter Korea must be at least 6 months.
Tickets back or to a third country.
Confirmation of solvency for the duration of the visit to the country. That is, you need to have with you either a printout confirming your hotel reservation or a tour operator's voucher. The Migration Service of the Republic of Korea does not find fault with tourists, and therefore does not require certificates from their place of work and bank statements from them.
Migration card.
Completed customs declaration.

Customs Declaration to be Filled Upon Entry into South Korea

These documents are quite enough to take a vacation in South Korea or go through it to a third country in transit, since there is a visa-free regime between Russia and South Korea. If the visitor has other goals that take more time to be realized, then a visa is a mandatory procedure.

Long term visa to South Korea

Long-term visas can be of several types. They generally fall into two broad categories:

Long-term visa (D, E, H).

Let's consider each of these types of visas in more detail. And also we will determine what papers are needed to receive them, the procedure for processing, how long it will be valid, the time and cost of the procedure.

Long stay visa (D, E, H)

Such visas are issued for a period of 3 months to 2 years with the possibility of extension (does not apply to E visas). In order to extend the validity of a visa, it is enough to contact the Immigration Service of the Republic of Korea.

To whom such visas are issued:

Students wishing to get education in one of the educational institutions of the Republic of Korea.
Masters and graduate students wishing to obtain the necessary scientific degree under the program of one of the universities in Korea or undergo a professional internship in the country.
Those on a long business trip.
Officially employed. This includes both the search for work by unskilled personnel and highly qualified specialists, leaders, top managers, scientists.

Such a visa is required for everyone who wants to stay in the country legally and get an official job. In order to, it is necessary to contact the embassy with a corresponding request, providing a certain package of documents. This will be discussed a little later.

Entry visa for foreign compatriots (F-4)

The F-4 visa is not available to all ethnic Koreans. It can be issued only by the following foreign compatriots:

Qualified specialists who have carried out their professional activities in the Republic of Korea for 6 months or more.
Masters, graduate students (and above) who received their academic degree (not lower than the master's) in one of the educational universities in South Korea.
Highly qualified workforce who previously stayed for some time on the territory of the Republic of Korea, without violating the laws and visa regime of the country.

Consulate of South Korea in Moscow at Krasnopresnenskaya emb., 12

In order to obtain any type of visa, you must contact the South Korean embassy and submit an application and other papers for consideration.

Step-by-step instructions for applying for a visa by invitation

For more than 60 days it is easy. The first thing that is necessary for this is that the side from Korea, which will act as your guarantor while in the territory of the state, filed an application with the Immigration Service of the Republic of Korea.

The guarantor can be a legal entity, for example, an employer, or an individual - a relative or friend who is a citizen of the Republic of Korea or has permanent resident status.

After the guarantor submits the application, the applicant must submit to the visa department of the embassy a package consisting of the following documents:

It should be noted that in some cases it is possible to obtain an electronic visa without having to contact the embassy for this purpose. This applies to the registration of visas E-1, E-3, E-5. Visas of these categories are issued online via the Internet.

The visa fee is paid in the same way. At the time of travel, you must print your e-visa. This will ensure unhindered entry into the Republic of Korea and a hassle-free stay in the country.

In Korea, a tourist has the opportunity to stay without a visa for a maximum of two months. In 2020, the price of such a visa was $ 125 if there was a reservation at the hotel, and $ 195 if there was no reservation. The term for issuing a visa is 7 working days. The price increases for urgent visa processing in 3 days.

Itaewon Aliens Street in South Korea

If you want to stay for a longer period, Korea obliges you to register with the local migration service. For long stays and additional permits are required.

Allocate an F-2 visa, which is the essence of a residence permit in a form that is quite familiar to us. It turns out it in several ways. The simplest is the conclusion of a marriage union with a citizen of Korea: to obtain a residence permit, you must submit certain documents, including a marriage certificate.

Sample visa to visit South Korea

For the first time, the right to a long-term stay in the country is issued for three years. After the expiration of the established period, it is necessary to determine whether to renew this visa or immediately apply for an F-5 visa, which is permanent residence.

Another option for obtaining a residence permit in 2020 is rather vague - a residence permit is provided to foreigners who have lived in Korea for a long time and have made a significant contribution to the life of the country.

This path can be called difficult due to the fact that there are no clear criteria by which to assess the contribution to the development of the country.

Another method, not common, but still a good option. We are talking about "professional migration" or residence permit for specialists. An F-2 visa can be issued to foreigners living and working in Korea on the basis of a specific type of visa (engineers, master students, professors, etc.). To apply for a residence permit, you just need to collect the required number of points out of the maximum - 120. The minimum threshold is 80 points.

This is what an ID card looks like in South Korea

Nobody gives a guarantee of obtaining a residence permit, but when the minimum threshold is passed, the chances increase. If you still get this type of visa, then an F-5 visa is issued, which provides the opportunity to live in the country. After a certain time, you can. The advantage of this method is that a professional who has received an F-2 visa can bring his family to Korea on the same visa.
Visa can be renewed after one year, but it is important to show that the company is profitable and provides jobs for Koreans. Otherwise, there is a high probability of visa refusal.
The advantage of this method is that for 2020 the market in the country is not saturated and there is no need to open super-expensive production facilities, you can open, for example, an inexpensive restaurant.

22.06.18 46 678 21

Live in Seoul and receive a scholarship of RUB 688,000 per year

I dreamed of getting a creative profession abroad.

Olga Khan

went to study in South Korea

In 2010, I started looking for scholarships at foreign universities. At first I thought about Europe, but universities in South Korea offered more money. At that time, the most famous scholarship program "Erasmus" paid an average of 500 € (36,159 R) per month. In South Korea, they pay me 770 € (55 685 R) per month, plus they cover the air tickets home and back, and once again they give 200 € (14 464 R) per quarter for study expenses.

In 2013, I entered Chung Ang University with a degree in film director. I moved to Korea from Tashkent and now continue my studies at the Seoul graduate school. In total, I have been living in Korea for five and a half years.

Language

Most Korean universities begin with the TOPIK exam - Test of Proficiency in Korean. This is an international exam in Korean language proficiency. You need to pass at least the third level - an analogue of pre-intermediate in English.

It was possible to learn Korean at home, but I decided to immediately immerse myself in the language environment and went to courses at Songyungwang University in Suwon, near Seoul. Most often, language courses in Korea are held at some universities.

Studying at the language school began in March 2012, cost 600 $ (38,766 R) per month and lasted a little less than a year. I did not pay for accommodation: I lived with family friends. During the course, I met scholars from Uzbekistan, who advised me to apply for one of the Korean grants. After completing my studies at the end of February 2013, I immediately passed the TOPIK exam for the 3rd level.

I still swim a little in vocabulary, but that doesn't stop me from continuing my studies in Korean. It is important to understand that the higher the TOPIK exam score, the more likely you are to get a grant to study at a Korean university. It is possible to study in English, but in this case the choice of scholarship programs is reduced by 90%.

Korean is difficult. There are many sounds in it that are not in the Russian language. With vocabulary and grammar, too, everything is not easy, sometimes they hardly give in to the logic of a Russian-speaking person. Overall, it took me two years to learn the language.

The local population hardly speaks English, so it is practically pointless to go to Korea for a long time without knowing Korean. Many Koreans, especially young people, of course learn English in school, but the emphasis is on writing, not speaking. Some are very embarrassed to make a mistake in a conversation. Others believe that since you have come to Korea to study or work, be so kind as to speak the language of the country. At the same time, Koreans are very friendly and like to make acquaintances with foreigners.

Scholarships for foreigners

International students can get one of three scholarships in South Korea.

Government Scholarship - Korean Government Scholarship. It is received by future bachelors, masters and doctors of science, as well as interns. This scholarship is paid for 1,000,000 ₩ (57,380 R) per month - this is the maximum amount of a scholarship in Korea.

₩

The state currency of South Korea is the South Korean won

Scholarships from Korean organizations are issued for the same and for the same purposes as in the first case, but they usually pay less: 600,000-700,000 ₩ (34,000 -39666.7 R) per month. For example, an internship to study the Korean language from the Korea Foundation International Korea Foundation or a master's degree from KOICA is the Republic of Korea International Cooperation Agency. If you want a creative specialty, you can try the AMA scholarship, which is given to students studying theater, film and television.

There are also individual scholarships from different universities. Seoul National University has invented the Silk Road Scholarship and the Scholarship for Outstanding Students.

How I got the scholarship

Having passed the TOPIK exam, I returned home to Tashkent and in just two weeks collected documents for two scholarships: a government scholarship at Chung-Ang University, specializing in film director, and a KOICA scholarship at Korea University, specializing in visual culture.

I won both grants and chose the government scholarship at Chung Ang University because it is bigger. As part of the grant, I was paid for a ticket to Seoul.

Since my Korean level on the TOPIK exam did not reach the 5th, I was sent to improve it on language courses in the city of Daegu. The courses are also paid for by the scholarship. The scholarship program itself distributes students to the cities where language training will take place. It takes about 4 hours to get to Daegu from Seoul by bus.

The whole year I received a scholarship - 900,000 ₩ (51,500 R) per month. During my studies, I managed to improve my knowledge of the language by two levels, as required. Two weeks after the end of the language program, my master's degree in Seoul began. For improved knowledge of Korean, my monthly stipend was increased to 1,000,000 ₩ (57,380 R).

Once a semester, students are entitled to about 240,000 ₩ (11,500 R) to reimburse educational expenses, the exact amount depends on the specialty. To receive this money, you need to provide a personal curriculum: it is necessary to prove that the additional payment will go to reimbursement of materials and teaching aids.

13,000 RUB

on average, they give South Korean students once a semester - this is money to reimburse educational expenses

Study in Korea

Studying in South Korea is hard. Some fellow fellows could not stand it and went home. Tuition lasts from Monday to Friday, but the moderate amount of lectures is compensated by a lot of hands-on activities and homework assignments.

After two years of master's degree in Korea, I received a diploma MFA (Master of Arts) specializing in film director. The final gift to all defended scholarship participants is a direct flight home ticket.

Six months later, I returned to Korea again and since September 2017 I have been studying at the graduate school of Chung Ang University. This time I submitted documents through the embassy. I am again paid a scholarship of 1 million won and reimbursed for my studies and airfare to Korea.

Studying in Korean graduate school differs little from Russian: you study subjects in your specialty, pass exams, write a dissertation. You have to not only read a lot, but also translate a lot, because all training is only in Korean.

Moving and visa

Since I am Korean by nationality, I applied for a “visa for foreign compatriots,” or an F-4 visa. It needs to be updated every five years. The visa cost me $ 80 (5111 R). Other international students renew their visas every six months to a year. In Russia, the average cost of an "ethnic visa" to Korea is $ 100 (6479 R). To apply for a visa, I also paid for the notarized translation of my diploma and an insert with grades.

According to the conditions curriculum, the ticket to Korea was paid for by the university. A return ticket is also paid, but only if the student successfully defended his diploma or dissertation within six months after graduation.

80 $

I paid for the visa

In Korea, there are no discounts for travel or anything else for students. With regard to all kinds of payments, the student is exactly the same citizen as the rest.

Taxes and salaries

A good salary in Korea is about 3,000,000 ₩ (172,000 R) per month. The average salary in Seoul is 1,500,000-2,000,000 ₩ (86,000 -114,667 R) per month.

The most prestigious professions are considered lawyer, teacher, doctor and civil servant. Koreans often stay late at work and work on weekends. A ten-hour day is in the order of things here.

Taxes in Korea are divided into local (city and regional) and national taxes. Regional ones are, for example, a tax on road maintenance and a tax on the development of a region. City taxes are trademark registration fees and taxes on tobacco products.

100,000 RUR

average salary in Seoul

Income tax refers to national and is charged on a progressive scale: from 10 to 22%. VAT in Korea is 10%. Income tax is also paid on a progressive scale: from 6 to 40% depending on the level of income.

I am a foreign graduate student and do not pay taxes to the state.

Banks

To apply for a card, deposit or loan, you need to go to the bank. Bank employees, in my experience, do not speak English very well. All banks have mobile apps.

I have only one Woori Bank card (translated from Korean - "our bank"), for which I receive a scholarship. It took me half an hour to issue it. I chose a bank that my university uses. This is convenient because the ATMs are located right on campus. I do not pay for service of the card. For payments and transfers, you can use the Internet bank, where it is also easy to monitor account movements. There is also an SMS notification function, but it needs to be connected separately - I don't need it.

In Seoul, almost everywhere you can pay with a card, paypass here also works absolutely everywhere.

0 R

I pay for the service of a bank card because I am a student

Lodging

There are four housing options for a student in Korea: a dormitory, kosiwons, hasukchibs, and apartment rentals.

Dorms is no different from Russian: two students live in one room. average price for a place in a hostel is 200-300 $ (12 922 -19 383 R) per month.

Kosiwon- looks like a dormitory, but here each student has his own tiny room. All amenities - kitchen, laundry, toilet, shower - are shared. There are kosivons with a private toilet and shower, but they are more expensive. The word "kosiwon" is derived from two hieroglyphs: "exam" and "house".

Nowadays, not only students live in kosivons, but also beginners who have just got a job, and the poor. The prices for mows depend on the area and on the conditions in the room. Prices range from approximately 250,000 ₩ (14,000 R) to 350,000 ₩ (20,000 R).

Hasukchib- this is something like a boarding house. The owner and his tenants live in the house. The rooms are settled one by one, several rooms have one bathroom and toilet, and the laundry is common for the whole house. The price includes breakfasts and dinners prepared by the hostess (usually an adult married woman).

For renting an apartment, as elsewhere, you need to conclude an agreement and post a deposit. The owner determines the amount of the deposit. Average price for a one-room studio apartment in good area Seoul - 500,000 ₩ (28,700 R). Utility bills are not included in this amount.

18,000 RUB

per month, on average, I pay for the rent of a one-room apartment

I managed to find very a budget option: I rented a studio apartment in a good area of Gwanak for 330,000 ₩ (19,000 R) per month. When I entered into the lease, I paid a deposit of 1 million won. This amount will be returned to me when the contract ends.

You can rent housing through agencies or directly from the owner. I found an apartment on the Seoul Craigslist website. It is the most popular property search site in South Korea, and is used by both foreigners and locals.

Width = "2000" height = "1187" class = "outline-bordered" style = "max-width: 1000.0px; height: auto" data-bordered = "true"> Studio near university 550,000 won (31,600 P) per month

People

In Tashkent, where I was born, there is a patriarchy. There they get married early, and weddings often take place as a result of parental matchmaking. The husband supports his wife, and she takes care of the children. This is not the case in South Korea. It is customary here to get married after 30 years, and divide all expenses in the family in half.

In Seoul, people are smiling, line up at bus stops, don't make much noise and don't show too violent emotions in public places.

Back in South Korea, there is a real cult of bosses. The boss is always right. In Tashkent, employees go home after work, while in Korea they often go to a bar for a drink - this is how they relieve stress after hard work.

Transport

In Seoul, everyone travels by bus and subway. There are about two hundred different bus routes, on public transport you can get almost anywhere. The buses are colorful: red, blue, green and yellow. The route depends on the color. The reds and yellows go from Seoul to the suburbs:

Fares depend on the route. A ticket within Seoul costs about 1150 ₩ (66 R), a trip to the suburbs - 1950 ₩ (112 R). You can pay in cash or with a transport card. The card saves about a hundred won on travel, it also allows you to change trains for free between routes (in half an hour you need to have time to change to another transport to get there for free).

The Seoul Subway has nine lines, including two train lines: Chunangson and Pundansong. Station names are duplicated in English.

Many people ride bicycles in Seoul. There are few hills, the landscape is flat, and the ride is comfortable. Cycle paths are laid along all city parks and rivers, there is a city bike rental system. You can pay with a pay-pass or card. A day pass costs 15,000 ₩ (860 R).

There are a lot of cars in Seoul, so there are traffic jams in the city in the mornings and evenings, and on weekends too. In my experience, driving in Korea is not very accurate and often violates traffic rules. There are also many car sharing services - for example, Socar, Greencar, Easycar. Each of them has their own mobile application. Car sharing is very popular among Koreans: it is several times cheaper to travel by them than by taxi. A good car for 4 hours in car sharing will cost about 25,000-40,000 ₩ (1400-2240 R).

Seoul Taxis offer no hassle to pay by credit or transit card. Taxi drivers speak good English. Some machines have devices for simultaneous translation from Korean to English. There are three types of taxis: economy, luxury and international - the latter will definitely have an English-speaking driver. In an economy class taxi minimum price trips - about 3000 ₩ (172 R). For the first 2 km they pay 1600 ₩, for each subsequent kilometer - 650 ₩ (37.3 R). At night, prices increase by 20%.

Medicine and insurance

My health insurance covers about 80% of what I spend on doctors and drugs for which I got a doctor's prescription. The rest of the conditions are standard: the insurance does not include everything related to pregnancy and dentistry, as well as a urologist for men. The gynecologist is included, but in part - some of the procedures will not be covered by the insurance. Even insurance will not treat STDs.

Several times I went to the doctor with a cold and paid 10,000 ₩ (575 R) out of my pocket. Then I took the documents from the clinic to the university, and 80% of the expenses were returned to me.

550 RUB

on average, I paid for a doctor's appointment when I caught a cold

Medicine in South Korea is developed at a very high level. Here, for example, cancer is treated very well. There are even companies that organize medical tours to Korean clinics. The hospitals here are comfortable and have the most modern medical equipment.

In this case, it is accepted to be treated with antibiotics, sometimes strong ones. It doesn't matter if you have a flu or a sore throat - they will pick up a medicine for 3-5 days. Antibiotics are sold without a prescription in the pharmacy. And the dose will be lethal. A stuffy nose is also treated with antibiotics.

Plastic surgery and beauty

Plastic surgery is very developed in South Korea. Koreans strive to fit themselves to the standard: porcelain skin, graceful nose, chiseled V-shaped chin and huge eyes. According to statistics, one in five Korean women went under the scalpel for the sake of perfection. Many consider plastic surgery to be the best gift from parents for school prom, and for graduates of any gender.

Since South Korean surgeons have gotten their hands on the ideal European eye cut, facelift and rhinoplasty, there are often people coming here for plastic surgery from other countries as well. From Russia to Seoul, special tours are organized with characteristic names, for example "Youth and Beauty". 8 days in a plastic surgery clinic cost from $ 682 (43,500 R) - this is the price only for accommodation and transfer, air travel and operations are not included here.

1 out of 5

Korean women had plastic surgery

But in my experience, there are still a lot of girls and guys who are against plastic surgery. I have not done plastic surgery and do not plan.

This is how many Korean women change over the course of their lives. Source: medicaldaily.com

On the streets of Seoul, there are an incredible number of well-groomed girls. Korean women don't leave the house without makeup and styling, and South Korean cosmetics are popular all over the world. A whole ritual of daily self-care is adopted here. They wash themselves first with hydrophilic oil, then with a foam, then apply a tonic, then potent agents like serum or essences in special capsules, then apply a tissue mask to the face, and then use a cream. And so every day. It was the Koreans who came up with the "bi-bi-cream" - a special type of foundation that simultaneously cares for the skin and protects from the sun.

Plastic surgery prices in South Korea:
correction of the lower jaw - from 420,000 R
eyelid surgery - from 84,000 R
cheekbone correction - from 247,000 R
botox for one area of the face - from 12,000 RUR

I like Korean cosmetics, for skin care I have completely switched to local brands. Almost all the products here slightly whiten the skin and are very helpful for problem skin with acne. If you are interested in cosmetics, I recommend Etude House, It's Skin, Tony Moly, The Face Shop, Skin Food, Nature Republic, Innisfree. These are inexpensive brands, some of which can be bought in Russia.

Mobile communications and internet

I use the simplest tariff - calls and SMS. I pay about 14,000 ₩ (800 R) for him. The tariff with the Internet costs about 73,000 ₩ (4200 R) per month. In general, I rarely call, more often I write messages.

South Korea has excellent internet. There is free Wi-Fi almost everywhere in Seoul - in any restaurant, mall, a museum or just a tourist spot. I also have internet at home, it is included in the rent. The average cost of high-speed unlimited Internet in Korea is 29,000 ₩ (1665 R) per month.

760 RUB

on average, I pay for mobile communications per month

During all my time in Korea, I have never experienced any communication problems.

Leisure

I'm a creative student and I love going to museums. There are many unusual museums in South Korea, such as the Illusion Museum, the Toilet Museum or the Teddy Bear Museum. A ticket to an exhibition in Seoul costs an average of 10,000-13,000 ₩ (570 -741 R). In Seoul, I usually take guests to pet coffee shops and themed cafes like vintage. I also love amusement parks and horror shows.

Koreans love to pop into the bar after a hard day at work. Almost half of Korean men smoke, while women rarely smoke. All Koreans drink beer and Korean vodka, often mix. If they drink, then a lot.

Holidays in Korea are short, they rarely go abroad. Mostly students travel - they travel in a company to Europe, but more often to the nearest countries South-East Asia: Thailand, Malaysia or the Philippines. The rest of the Koreans rest within the country: they visit royal palaces, Buddhist temples, and amusement parks. For shopping in Seoul, there are two popular streets - Myeongdong and Insadong. There are many cafes and restaurants in traditional Korean style, souvenir shops and small shops where you can rent a traditional South Korean outfit - hanbok for a few hours.

Width = "720" height = "900" class = "" style = "max-width: 720px; height: auto"> I rented this traditional hanbok outfit for two hours for 18,000 won

Cafes and restaurants

There are a lot of great places to eat in Seoul. For lunch in a small Korean restaurant, I spend about 5000 ₩ (290 R) - for this money you can eat soup, or fried rice, or Korean noodles.

In a mid-level Seoul cafe, a hearty lunch for two will cost 20,000-25,000 ₩ (1150-1437.5 R). Restaurants in Korea are small and cozy, food is delicious everywhere.

Width = "2000" height = "1330" class = "" style = "max-width: 1000.0px; height: auto"> Cafe with Dogs - Cafe Gaene Myeongdong. Admission fee is 6,000 won (322 R). A coffee drink costs 4,000 won (R 345). You can play with dogs as much as you like

Independent travel abroad is a doubly exciting event. There will be no guide or tour organizer nearby, wherever you go, you can only rely on yourself and your travel companion. What is it like to go to South Korea on your own? Do you want to know about tickets, accommodation, attractions and features of this country? Then our material is for you.

Now the whole world is watching the events unfolding on the Korean Peninsula. The DPRK continues to test its nuclear weapons, trying to prove to the whole world, in particular the United States, that it is better not to touch them. In turn, the United States is already threatening the "northerners" not only with sanctions, but also with war. South Korea has always found itself between two fires. What is happening in such a tense period in this country and how does the population live?

The VK Press correspondent cast aside all fears and doubts and went to rest in Seoul. How it was? Read on.

Preparing for an independent travel to Korea

I wanted to visit South Korea for a long time. The country of morning freshness, as it is called, attracted not only with its culture and traditions, but also with its level of development. Just think, in half a century it was able to turn from an agrarian land destroyed by the Japanese occupation and civil war into a prosperous high-tech state. The republic’s economic breakthrough even got its own name “Miracle on the Hangang River”.

We began to prepare for a trip to this extraordinary country from the most important step - buying plane tickets. It is better to do this two to three months before the trip to make it cheaper. We flew with a transfer in Moscow. Four flights (Krasnodar - Moscow, Moscow - Seoul and back) cost one person 40 thousand rubles. It's easy to find the right tickets on Skyscanner.

A treasured ticket to Seoul.

After buying tickets, you can safely proceed to booking accommodation, in our case it was a hostel. There are many booking sites, I usually choose Booking, Roomguru and Trivago are also quite popular. A double room in a Seoul hostel for two weeks cost almost 24 thousand rubles. It is better to print air tickets and reservations in advance so that they can be provided later on the spot.

The next step for a tourist is usually a visa, but in this case it is not needed. Our countries have concluded an agreement according to which Russians can stay in South Korea without a visa for three months.

What to take with you on your trip to Korea

For many, collecting a suitcase becomes a real headache. To understand what things are needed and how much, we carefully studied the weather forecast, thought about what would be comfortable for walking the streets and visiting attractions. Be sure to take a comfortable pair of sneakers with you or go in it right away to save space. If we talk about the climate of South Korea, it reminded me of the Kuban one. At the end of September it was hot, in October it got a little colder and I had to pull on a sweatshirt over a T-shirt.

Don't forget the first aid kit. It is not easy to buy the necessary medicines in Korea, usually even the simplest cold medicine requires a prescription. Also, take care of insurance, because medicine in Korea is very expensive.

The question of how much and in what form to take money, we decided so - a little cash in dollars and on the card. Dollars can be exchanged for local currency upon arrival at Seoul Airport.

The rest of the luggage depends on individual preferences, the only thing that needs to be packed is deodorant. In Korea, there is a very small selection of these funds, since locals do not use them because of the characteristics of their body.

Road to Seoul

The path to the Land of Morning Freshness began at the Pashkovsky airport in Krasnodar. After two hours in the sky, a six-hour transfer was waiting for us in Moscow.

The flight to Seoul took 8.5 hours. The flight was operated by the Korean airline Korean Air, which impressed with the high level of service and the careful attitude of the staff towards passengers.

And so we arrived at international Airport Incheon, which is located in the city of the same name, 70 km from the capital of South Korea. For several years in a row, it has been recognized as one of the best in the world. The airport building is beautiful and modern. Inside you will find a convenient location of the passport and customs control zones, baggage claim. There are signs in English all over the place.

At passport control, passengers are divided into two streams - Korean citizens and foreigners. The retina and fingerprints of each guest from abroad are scanned using a special device to be entered into the database. Automated system she will tell you what to do. And don't worry about the language - the device speaks Russian too.

After receiving the luggage, the most interesting part begins - the quest "Find your hostel in an unfamiliar city". To begin with, we exchanged some currency. The course at the airport was good, although the best was found in the Myeongdong area. Local money is called won. According to the exchange rate, 1,000 won is equal to approximately 50 rubles.

There are different ways to get to Seoul from Incheon: by taxi, bus, subway and express. The cheapest and convenient option- underground. In order not to look for small change for tickets every time, buy a T-money transport card, which is sold in special machines, and top it up in the terminal by selecting the “Reloading the transit card” function. For a trip to Seoul by subway, you will have to pay an average of five thousand won.

By the way about the metro. At first, it is confusing because of its confusion, many transitions, turns, escalators, steps and exits. But over time you get used to it. The main thing is to carefully look at the colors of the branches, and in the direction of which station you need to go.

Subway stops are announced in four languages: Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English. Information is also broadcast on special screens. It helps a lot when you can't hear the name of the station.

Sights and simply beautiful places in Seoul

When I get to the hostel, I want to sort things out faster, have a little rest and go to see the city. What must be seen in the capital of South Korea?

Lovers of history and Korean architecture will love Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Traditional Village.

Also worth visiting is Gwanghwamun Square, where monuments to the country's most revered and famous historical figures are erected - King Sejong, thanks to whom the Korean alphabet appeared, and General Lee Sung Sin, a national hero.

Be sure to rent hanbok, a traditional Korean costume. Five hours of rent cost 10 thousand won per person, that is, only 500 rubles. On the plus side, admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace for visitors in hanboks is free, the rest will have to pay three thousand won.

If you are attracted to something more modern and high-tech, visit Dongdaemun Design Plaza. It is a complex of exhibition buildings similar to spaceships with an adjoining park. It was designed by the talented British architect of Iraqi origin, Zaha Hadid, whose work is known throughout the world for the boldness of its forms.

With the onset of darkness, it is especially beautiful there, since the illumination of buildings and installations in the form of a meadow of flowers turns on.

In early 2017, another ultra-modern building opened in Seoul - Lotte World Tower. Its height is 555 meters (123 floors). Today this is the most high building in South Korea.

The Seoul Sky works in the tower - observation floors, with transparent sections of the floor. It is especially breathtaking on the site, where the floor suddenly becomes transparent after you stand on it. A ticket to Seoul Sky isn't cheap - 26,000 won, but it's worth it. The capital of South Korea is mesmerizing from a bird's eye view.

For a relaxing holiday on earth, we chose parks. During the warmer months, Oido is ideal next to the Han River, which divides Seoul into northern and southern honor. Right there, you can buy bedding and have a picnic while admiring the river, sailing ships passing by and flying kites into the sky. This kind of vacation is very popular among Koreans.

Also worth a visit is another urban novelty - Seullo Park 7017. It is an overpass, which was blocked by the decision of the authorities and made a green zone there. This is such a serious decision for the improvement of the city. In Seoul, they try to use every free area for landscaping, plants appear even on the roofs of buildings.

If we talk about atypical attractions, then you should pay attention to Korean universities. The buildings of universities are very beautiful, made in European style, sometimes it even seems that you are somewhere in Germany or England. During our trip, we managed to visit four universities in Seoul: Ewha, Yense, Hankuk and Kenhee. Each of them amazes with its vast territory, beautiful buildings and unusual landscape.

Ewha is one of the largest and most famous universities in the city, and it is also the world's largest women's university. Yensee is one of the three most prestigious higher education institutions in Korea. The University of Foreign Languages Hankuk is known all over the world, as it is the third university in the world in terms of the number of languages studied at the university - there are 45 of them. And Kenhee is famous for its beautiful campus, on the territory of which there are buildings in the Gothic style.

Food and drink in South Korea

Koreans love to eat well. We can say that in the Land of Morning Freshness there is a "cult of food", that is, wherever you go, it will be everywhere.

In Seoul, you can find street food at every turn. It is quite high in calories and not very healthy, but it is very cheap.

A separate topic is spicy food. It is better to ask when ordering so that the dish is not too spicy. And if a Korean tells you that it will be spicy, you better not even try it. Believe me, the feeling that your stomach is literally eaten away by spice is not the most pleasant thing.

What do you really need to try on the streets of Seoul? First, tokbokki is something like rice flour dumplings in a hot sauce. In Korea, like others Asian countries, rice is the head of everything. Therefore, it is eaten not only in its usual form, but also ground into flour, from which noodles and dough for confectionery are prepared.

We also really liked the omuk - fishmeal cakes. They are sold on skewers. You can take a paper cup and pour yourself the broth in which the omuk was cooked for free, it is also very tasty and will warm you perfectly if it is cool outside.

Desserts included fish-shaped punoppan patties with a sweet red bean filling. Speaking of red beans ... They are the traditional filling for most Korean desserts, so don't be surprised. The taste is unusual, but it is worth trying and not to come off.

Hottook are tortillas that are fried in oil. We tried stuffed with sugar and sunflower seeds. Very hot and sweet.

In summer, be sure to order binsu - crushed ice or frozen milk with berries, fruits, chocolate, cream, and various syrups. We managed to try it with mango, apple and cream cheese. It is a little expensive (from 1.3 thousand rubles), but one portion is enough for two, three, or even four people.

You cannot visit Korea and taste such traditional dishes as gimbap and bipimbap. Everyone knows Japanese rolls, gimbap is also a roll, but only Korean. Usually a leaf of nori seaweed is taken, on top is a layer of rice and a variety of fillings - ham, omelet, pickled radish, cucumber, carrot, tuna. Then all this is rolled up and cut into small pieces. You can buy gimpab not only in street food stalls, but also in shops like 7-Eleven, GS25, CU. Price from 1.8 to 3.5 thousand won (100-170 rubles).

The traditional version of bipimbap consists of rice topped with chopped vegetables, slices of meat, mushrooms, spicy pasta and scrambled eggs. The ingredients are mixed right before eating. Not far from our hostel, we found a cafe that specialized in making bipimbabs. Most liked with chicken and teriyaki sauce. The price was also pleasing - five thousand won (about 250 rubles). By the way, in Korea, several snacks are always served in the main course. Usually it is kimchi - spicy pickled cabbage and radish, seaweed, bean sprouts.

Another feature of Koreans attracted attention - they drink cold drinks at any time of the year, even in winter. The cafe serves just ice water, and the most popular coffee in Korea is ice Americano. It even turned out that in one cafe we asked for a normal hot cappuccino, but we were told: "Sorry, we only have ice americano."

Shopping in Seoul: where to go shopping

It is difficult to imagine a trip to any country without shopping. Where is the best place to go for shopping in Seoul?

Several areas are suitable for this - Myeongdong tourist paradise, Insadong traditional souvenir market and student Hongdae, where young people from all over Seoul gather. It should be said right away that of these three, Myeongdong is the most expensive. The area is very popular with foreigners, so prices are often overpriced there. But it is still worth a visit to Myeongdong, if only for the eight-story Daiso store, where you can buy everything from ballpoint pens and spoons to goods for dogs and garden.

For cosmetics and clothes, you need to go to Hongdae. Prices are lower here as the area is considered a student area. You can find both branded items and mass market. By the way, Hongdae is loved not only for shopping, but also for its special creative atmosphere. In the evenings, young people perform here at different venues. They play musical instruments, sing and dance, gathering a crowd of passers-by around them.

But traditional souvenirs and gifts can be bought at Insadong. I noticed that all souvenirs, without exception, are made in Korea, which is confirmed by the words Made in Korea (instead of the usual Made in China). Here you will find incredibly beautiful postcards, bookmarks for books, key rings, magnets, figurines, fans, dishes, writing supplies, hanboks and much more.

Koreans' attitude towards foreigners

Any person likes it when his country is respected and interested in his culture. Koreans have become more open to others in recent years. They are very friendly towards foreigners, at least towards Europeans (Russians are also residents of Europe for them). Passers-by often greeted us, asked where we were from, made compliments, showed us "class." In general, a girl with light eyes and light brown hair will definitely not be ignored.

When we were walking around the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace in hanboks, a man approached us. When he found out that we were from Russia, he started talking about Putin. V general outline we realized that our president is very good, because he does not let the Japanese get away (apparently he meant our steadfastness in the Kuril issue).

We did not receive any aggression, rude words or sidelong glances in Korea. Russians are really well treated. By the way, Koreans believe that the most beautiful women live in Ukraine and Russia.

Despite the fact that Korea is a country where people are under great stress due to fierce competition in school and at work (hence the high suicide rate), you will not see a gloomy expression on the faces of its residents. Everywhere you are greeted with warm smiles and friendliness. Believe me, if you open your soul to Korea, she will happily do the same for you.