Seoul is a city perpetually in motion and this is why it's well worth visiting
This story is part of the June 22 edition of Sunday Life. See all 15 stories.
The Seoul air hangs heavy and humid around me, thick enough to taste the soy sauce, sizzling garlic and exhaust fumes. Traffic fills the streets, food hawkers noisily advertise their wares and office workers messily squeeze onto pavements as they make their way home in one large mass.
Seoul possesses that particular urban hum – a thrum of human activity that speaks of a city perpetually in motion – but away from the neon-lit high-rises and the flashy fast-fashion, there's more than what first meets the eye.
Synonymous with K-pop and kimchi, South Korea flew under the radar until the past decade or so. However, after Psy's infectious Gangnam Style wormed its way into our collective consciousness and Squid Game became a TV phenomenon, both the East Asian country and its capital city have had a moment.
A great beginning is the historic Bukchon Hanok Village. Dating back centuries, its winding laneways offer a stark contrast to the surrounding urban sprawl. While popular with tourists, venturing up the steeper alleys rewards you with quiet stretches and stunning panoramic views over tiled rooftops to the cityscape beyond.
A glimpse into Korea's 1700-year-old Buddhist heritage is never far away. The centrally located Jogyesa Temple is both significant and easily accessible. For a deeper immersion, many temples offer overnight experiences.
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Also Zen-inducing are jjimjilbang, the communal baths that are similar to the Japanese onsen, where you'll find warm baths, cold plunge pools, steam rooms and saunas. And if you're looking for something to do after all that relaxing, many jjimjilbang are located in multi-storey complexes that house restaurants and karaoke rooms.
To grasp the richness of Korean cuisine, there's no substitute for local markets, and Seoul's granddaddy is Gwangjang. Pile your plate high with kimchi, savoury pancakes, and hearty bibimbap. For the more adventurous palate, there is live octopus, blood sausage and pig trotters.
A more palatable option is Korean barbecue. Known locally as gogi-gui, it refers to the method of grilling meat on gas or charcoal grills inlaid into the dining tables. As a foreigner, it can be a daunting task to choose from the staggering number of 'meat houses' that sit on almost every corner. Out of all city districts, Mapo is the best-known for barbecue; 'mapo-style' means charcoal-grilled cuisine, and this is often complemented with aged kimchi, and a raucous atmosphere.
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Sydney Morning Herald
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- Sydney Morning Herald
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Singapore Airlines said on Sunday it had cancelled two flights between Singapore and Dubai, warning in an advisory that other flights between the South-East Asian country and the emirates may be affected 'as the situation remains fluid.' Several American and European airlines paused flights to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar last week after Israel started bombarding Iran. The moves highlight growing worries in a part of the Middle East that is typically considered safe and sheltered from regional dislocations. US President Donald Trump said American bombers struck Iran's three main nuclear sites on Sunday and he threatened further action, pulling the US directly into the country's conflict with Israel despite claiming he wanted to avoid new wars under his 'America First' agenda. 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IBERIA EXPRESS: The airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until June 30. ISRAIR: The Israeli airline has cancelled all flights from and to Israel until June 30. ITA AIRWAYS: The Italian Airline has suspended Tel Aviv flights until August 1. KLM: The Dutch carrier has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until at least July 1. Some flights to, from or via Beirut until June 29 may be disrupted. LUFTHANSA: The German carrier has suspended all flights to and from Beirut up to and including June 30, and to and from Tel Aviv and Tehran up to and including July 31. Flights to and from Amman and Erbil are cancelled until July 11. PEGASUS: The Turkish airline has cancelled flights to Iran until June 30 and flights to Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan until June 23. QATAR AIRWAYS: The Doha-based airline has temporarily cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Iran and Syria. RYANAIR: The European budget airline has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until September 30. SINGAPORE AIRLINES: All flights to the Persian Gulf may be affected. TAROM: Romania's flag carrier has suspended all commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until at least June 24. TRANSAVIA: KLM's budget airline has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut until at least June. TUS AIRWAYS: The Cypriot airline has cancelled all its flights to and from Israel scheduled until June 24 (inclusive). Flights scheduled for departure between June 25 and June 30 are closed for sale. UNITED AIRLINES: The US carrier says all travel to Tel Aviv could be until at least August 1. Flights to Dubai have been suspended.
The Age
6 hours ago
- The Age
Major airlines cancel flights to Dubai, Doha after US strikes on Iran
British Airways and Singapore Airlines have cancelled flights to the Persian Gulf, increasing aviation disruptions in the region after the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran and Tehran vowed to retaliate. London-based British Airways cancelled several flights to Dubai and diverted two planes bound for the emirate overnight, according to data from Flightradar24. One flight took off from Heathrow Airport on Saturday night but was diverted to Zurich after it reached Saudi Arabia's airspace in the early hours of Sunday. Another Dubai-bound jet returned to Heathrow after going as far as Egypt. The carrier also cancelled flights to Qatar's capital Doha on Sunday and halted routes to Bahrain through to the end of the month due to operational constraints and airspace restrictions. British Airways said it has adjusted its flight schedule as a result of recent events to ensure the safety of customers and crew. Singapore Airlines said on Sunday it had cancelled two flights between Singapore and Dubai, warning in an advisory that other flights between the South-East Asian country and the emirates may be affected 'as the situation remains fluid.' Several American and European airlines paused flights to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar last week after Israel started bombarding Iran. The moves highlight growing worries in a part of the Middle East that is typically considered safe and sheltered from regional dislocations. US President Donald Trump said American bombers struck Iran's three main nuclear sites on Sunday and he threatened further action, pulling the US directly into the country's conflict with Israel despite claiming he wanted to avoid new wars under his 'America First' agenda. The state of play in the air AEGEAN AIRLINES: Greece's Aegean Airlines cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv up to and including the early morning flight on July 12, as well as all flights to and from Beirut, Amman, and Erbil through the morning arrivals of June 28. AIRBALTIC: Latvia's airBaltic has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until September 30. AEROFLOT: Russia's Aeroflot said that it had cancelled flights between Moscow and Tehran, and made changes to other routes in the Middle East after the first round of Israeli strikes on Iran. AIR EUROPA: The Spanish airline has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until July 31. AIR FRANCE: Air France has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice. AMERICAN AIRLINES: All flights to Doha have been suspended. ARKIA: The Israeli airline said that it was cancelling all its flights until June 21. AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES: The Azeri airline has suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until June 30. BLUEBIRD AIRWAYS: The Greek airline has cancelled all flights to and from Israel until at least June 30. BRITISH AIRWAYS: The UK flagship has cancelled all Tel Aviv flights until July 31 and all flights to Amman and Bahrain until the end of June. It has also paused flights to Doha and Dubai. DELTA AIR LINES: The US carrier will not guarantee any travel to, from or through Tel Aviv until August 31. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES: All scheduled flights cancelled or closed to new bookings until at least July 15. ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES: All flights suspended between Addis Ababa and Tel Aviv. ETIHAD AIRWAYS: All flights cancelled between Abu Dhabi and Amman until June 20 and between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv until June 30. EMIRATES: The UAE carrier has suspended flights to and from Jordan, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq until at least June 30. FLYDUBAI: The airline has suspended flights to and from Iran, Iraq, Israel and Syria until June 30. IBERIA EXPRESS: The airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until June 30. ISRAIR: The Israeli airline has cancelled all flights from and to Israel until June 30. ITA AIRWAYS: The Italian Airline has suspended Tel Aviv flights until August 1. KLM: The Dutch carrier has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until at least July 1. Some flights to, from or via Beirut until June 29 may be disrupted. LUFTHANSA: The German carrier has suspended all flights to and from Beirut up to and including June 30, and to and from Tel Aviv and Tehran up to and including July 31. Flights to and from Amman and Erbil are cancelled until July 11. PEGASUS: The Turkish airline has cancelled flights to Iran until June 30 and flights to Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan until June 23. QATAR AIRWAYS: The Doha-based airline has temporarily cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Iran and Syria. RYANAIR: The European budget airline has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until September 30. SINGAPORE AIRLINES: All flights to the Persian Gulf may be affected. TAROM: Romania's flag carrier has suspended all commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until at least June 24. TRANSAVIA: KLM's budget airline has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut until at least June. TUS AIRWAYS: The Cypriot airline has cancelled all its flights to and from Israel scheduled until June 24 (inclusive). Flights scheduled for departure between June 25 and June 30 are closed for sale. UNITED AIRLINES: The US carrier says all travel to Tel Aviv could be until at least August 1. Flights to Dubai have been suspended.
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
Seoul is a city perpetually in motion and this is why it's well worth visiting
This story is part of the June 22 edition of Sunday Life. See all 15 stories. The Seoul air hangs heavy and humid around me, thick enough to taste the soy sauce, sizzling garlic and exhaust fumes. Traffic fills the streets, food hawkers noisily advertise their wares and office workers messily squeeze onto pavements as they make their way home in one large mass. Seoul possesses that particular urban hum – a thrum of human activity that speaks of a city perpetually in motion – but away from the neon-lit high-rises and the flashy fast-fashion, there's more than what first meets the eye. Synonymous with K-pop and kimchi, South Korea flew under the radar until the past decade or so. However, after Psy's infectious Gangnam Style wormed its way into our collective consciousness and Squid Game became a TV phenomenon, both the East Asian country and its capital city have had a moment. A great beginning is the historic Bukchon Hanok Village. Dating back centuries, its winding laneways offer a stark contrast to the surrounding urban sprawl. While popular with tourists, venturing up the steeper alleys rewards you with quiet stretches and stunning panoramic views over tiled rooftops to the cityscape beyond. A glimpse into Korea's 1700-year-old Buddhist heritage is never far away. The centrally located Jogyesa Temple is both significant and easily accessible. For a deeper immersion, many temples offer overnight experiences. Loading Also Zen-inducing are jjimjilbang, the communal baths that are similar to the Japanese onsen, where you'll find warm baths, cold plunge pools, steam rooms and saunas. And if you're looking for something to do after all that relaxing, many jjimjilbang are located in multi-storey complexes that house restaurants and karaoke rooms. To grasp the richness of Korean cuisine, there's no substitute for local markets, and Seoul's granddaddy is Gwangjang. Pile your plate high with kimchi, savoury pancakes, and hearty bibimbap. For the more adventurous palate, there is live octopus, blood sausage and pig trotters. A more palatable option is Korean barbecue. Known locally as gogi-gui, it refers to the method of grilling meat on gas or charcoal grills inlaid into the dining tables. As a foreigner, it can be a daunting task to choose from the staggering number of 'meat houses' that sit on almost every corner. Out of all city districts, Mapo is the best-known for barbecue; 'mapo-style' means charcoal-grilled cuisine, and this is often complemented with aged kimchi, and a raucous atmosphere.
