What are some things I should DEFINITELY take with me on my first trip to S. Korea?

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I'd say:
- money (in 'wons' would be good or in addition a credit card)
- passport
- boarding tickets
- map of Korea
- cell phone, camera (make sure it's fully charged when you go out)
- English-Korean dictionary
- any vaccinations+
- a friend (It's good that you're traveling with a group of people -you actually have known.)
besides those:
- clothes
- a few small towels
- some toiletries
- backpack or some kind of bag to carry around during your trip
- water bottle, snacks
- adventerous mind & heart (I'm sure you got that covered.) [;

I understand many people are afraid of getting their money stolen when they visit a foreign country, so just keep alert anywhere you go. If Korean food doesn't fit your taste buds in the beginning, you will find that there are many other alternatives such as American franchise restaurants and other Western / Asian food restaurants in S. Korea. Hopefully, you'll enjoy Korean food after your trip. I'm sure this trip to Korea will really be a memorable one since it's your first international trip. Korea is a wonderful country, so I hope you're able to discover its hidden beauty. gl & I hope you enjoy your trip in Korea!

I really like this site, so I hope it could be of some help: http://tour2korea.com/

sheloves_dablues

South Korea is an incredible country. I visited for 2 weeks in 2001 and loved it. The only thing I would suggest is that you might want to bring along a bunch of "snacks". Korean food is very different from North American food, and you may find that it doesn't appeal to you. (My brother and I LOVED the food, but my mom didn't...)

The South Korean people are very friendly and many speak English. We had strangers come talk to us out of the blue, just because it was obvious that we were foreigners and they were looking for opportunities to converse in English.

As a developed country, you will find South Korean urban centers to be very much like any other North American city. Anything you forget to bring you can buy.

Enjoy your trip and remember to take lots of pictures!

PS. Of course they have toilet paper in Korea. Although some public toilets are still the ones you "squat" over...

stainless steven

You should first check up what vaccinations you will need. All other items are secondary.

TuRtL3

yuo should bring along a korean friend lol

Meep

i went to s.korea over teh summer so i know things. and it was my first time out of ny/USA too. i stayed there for a month and a half.
BRING:
mp3/ipod(bordom)
money(exchange at airport and save some USD in case u spend all ur won in korea)
clothes. (or buy some there)
all the general stuff(toothbrush toothpaste soap)
pajamas
they use toliet paper in korea don't worry
the electric translator
korean friend/translator
ummmmm
a shirt that says i luv kimchi(lol)
something that u cannot sleep without
buy a converter (here)there incase u need to recharge something
and anything else that might be really important to u

Seehaze J

your passport and money.

john m

money

Gray

In essence, it's the same as most in-country trips with a couple other things you may wish to take. Obviously you need at least 3 forms Identification, 1 to include a passport. You should also have about 400,000 won (roughly $400) available to you at all times for expenses (transportation, food, etc.) DO NOT keep all that money together. If you put all of it in one location and some kid steals your wallet, you're out of luck. Be aware that many Koreans will try to cheat you if you can't read the language and amounts. Beyond that, you may wish to take a camera, and an international prepaid cell phone.

As a final note, if you're headed to Seoul, expect that within the first few days you will probably be ill for a day or two, unless you're really lucky.

Elizabeth

Hi there, I'm from NJ and this is my first time staying in South Korea for a year teaching English. Some stuff in Korea is very expensive or just hard to find. Make sure to bring the following items with you:

1. Deodorant (yeah, they have started selling this, but it costs an average of $8 a stick)

2. Money!!! The living costs in Korea are high. I recommend bringing at least $2000 US dollars if you're staying for 11 days. You're going to be traveling mainly by bus, subway or taxi. Subway fares start at 900 Won ( almost $1) and go up to 1800 won depending on your destination. Bus fares vary from 700, 900, and 1600 Won depending on where you are traveling. I recommend buying a T Money card which is a rechargable travel card that looks like a green and white credit card. You have to pay 1500 Won for the card initially, but the savings from using the card vs. money is well worth it.

When transfering from subway to bus or the other way around, make sure you place your T-Money card up against the black box located by the exit door before you get off the bus. Otherwise, you will be charged an extra 700 to 900 Won the next time you ride the bus or subway. The black box or touch mat in the transportation systems in South Korean cities is a computer that time stamps when you get on and off buses and subways. You have 30 minutes from the time you get off the bus or subway before transferring onto another without having to pay another initial fare of 900 Won. Traveling easily costs $5 a day if you're going by bus or subway.

Korean food costs anywhere from 4000 to 10000 won. Don't worry about finding American food here - there's plenty of fast food places and restuarants like Bennigans, Outback Steakhouse, KFC, Popeye's Chicken, McDonalds, Burger King, Papa Johns pizza, and plenty of snacks like potato chips, soda, and cheetos if you're craving American.

Don't forget to bring money for souvenirs! Korea is famous for its gingseng and Amethyst. Make sure to visit Namdaeumun Market, Myungdong, and Itaewon while you're there. You'll find lots of foreigners and Americans there.

2. Warm clothes - it's getting chilly here in October so be sure to pack some sweaters, warm pants, and a pair of comfortable sneakers if you plan to hike the mountains.

3. Travel guide to South Korea. This can be found in Barnes and Nobles or your local Korean Embassy. A pocket translator or guide to key phrases in Korean will be very helpful. An English map of the Seoul Subway system will also be very helpful. A good website to check out is

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/South_Korea/Soul_tukpyolsi/Seoul-1058426/Transportation-Seoul-TG-C-1.html

and

www.iluvkorea.com. It's a site for foreigners living in Korea. You'll get a good idea of the issues we deal with while living here.

4. Korea uses a different Voltage system than ours in the USA so you will need to bring an adaptor that can convert our 110 Volts to 220 Volts. If you don't bring any, you can easily find them at small hardware stores that usually charge 500 Won per adaptor. It's black, has 2 rounded prongs, and is about 3 inches long and wide. Usually these places are owned by Korean speakers only, so if you feel uncomfortable, you can go to chain stores like EMart, LotteMart, or Homever and check out the electronics section. However, be prepared to pay over 1000 Won for each.

5. A Digital Camera! You've got to take pictures. Korea is beautiful during this time of the year with Persimmon trees and Jujube trees chock full of fruit. Again, you'll need to bring an adaptor to recharge your camera. You may also want to rent a cell phone at the Incheon airport. Another alternative is to bring an international roaming cell phone.

6. Passport and an American Express credit card. Most merchants in Korea do not accept Visa and Mastercard.

7. Aleve and Imodium AD in case you get sick. I find that Korean ibuprofen or naproxen doesn't work as well. Korean anti-diarrhea medicine is quite different and I find that nothing comes close to my handy bottle of Imodium AD tablets.

South Korea is a highly developed country which has become very westernized in the past 20 years. You won't have problems buying daily living supplies here or having to worry about clean, hot running water. However, make sure to bring a packet of Kleenex with you at all times since not all public bathrooms have toilet paper. Because the population in South Korea is so high, stocking public bathrooms with toilet paper is not always a priority. Conserving paper and water are big things over here.

Don't worry! You'll have a great time.

You'll love it!

famousbayon

YOU SHOULD TAKE WITH SOME CLOSE CAUSE IT GET COLD OVER THERE.

Nora

passport, warm clothes they have just about all you will need there

Kiss A Small Angel

Probably kind of late now since your leaving in a few days, but get every kind of immunization available. Hepatitis B especially. Do not eat any fruits and vegetables in the markets unless they have been properly cooked and/or cleaned or you will get sick or come home with parasites.
Drink bottled water.
My daughter visited Seoul, and Oi Jam Boo 2 years ago and I previously lived in Korea.

DRDENNIE

hand sanitizer

Master C

An MP3 player, NyQuil (pill form), airborne and a phrasebook/travel guide.

Other than that, everything can be purchased there for a cheap price.

Ken

1.) MONEY - (for obvious reasons)
2.) International Credit Card - (used to pay for establishments that accept it like hotels)
3.) Condoms - You might bring something home and your wife or girlfriend won't be happy about it. (STDs)
4.) More MONEY - in case you really like the petite asian girls there. (my personal motto when in a foreign country is to splurge on the girls)
5.) Bring someone who knows how to speak Korean if possible because not many Koreans know how to speak english. Or maybe a translation book ... like english to korean dictionary. Or possibly look for a cheap and reputable guide who can act as a translator.

Good Luck!

N my answer is..

1) A translation dictionary Korean - English... and English - Korean

2) Utensils to eat..

3) Leave your cat at home unless you want to see him in a soup...

Timeflo

socks and underwear - they take it as an isult if you don't wear either. They may even kick you out of the country.

elitesouthwest

an invisible shield

bitterbitter1

Toothbrush, clean underwear and your passport. And toilet paper. In South Korea they don't have toilet paper, and use a toothbrush instead. That's why you should always have extra toilet paper.

MrRight

Your Doctor..........

stormking41

20 american dollars will get u many prostitutes like 50 of them

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