Where are you from, asks the fresh-faced minimart cashier once he’s rung up my haul: Korean meal set to microwave for breakfast tomorrow, souvenir snacks for mom, a giant bottle of iced americano, unsweetened.
Thailand, I reply. Ah, taegug! He exclaims in recognition and I smile my polite yes I’m Thai smile.
His next question surprises me: You speak English?
I touch my debit card to the contactless machine, wondering where this conversation is going before concluding nowhere as the cashier is now busy typing on his phone, my foreign presence forgotten.
The machine sings: payment complete. I’m about to gather my purchases and leave when the cashier holds up his phone for me to see his question Google-mangled into English: You OK at home? Many storms.
For a moment, I don’t know what to say. I’m half-taken aback by his unexpected concern for my well-being, half-confused because I haven’t been following the news: Was there a storm in Thailand? I’m also wondering if I should tell him I live in Vietnam.
I’m OK, thank you. I settle for simple. My family is OK too. I add for good measure.
The young man smiles, visibly relieved. I wish him a good evening, he wishes me a good evening. I then walk the twenty steps back to my AirBnB, all the while thinking: God I love Seoul.
Why I love Seoul
Last October, sitting exactly where I am now, in a hip, bustling café off Garosu-gil, I wrote a newsletter extolling the virtues of Seoul: its remarkable safety, its incredible walkability, its abundance of discoveries that spark joy.
That newsletter last year was supposed to be my love letter to Seoul, an impassioned articulation of why I love this city, why despite having called home enviable places like London, Paris, and Bangkok, Seoul is by far my favourite corner on earth.
Yet what I produced was a listicle that didn’t do either Seoul or my love for it justice. My inferior writing chops were partly to blame, but if I’m honest my inadequate post owed mostly to laziness—I simply hadn’t given the question of why I love this city the thinking it deserves.
No longer. I arrived in Seoul five days ago and in that time I have done nothing but think about why I love this place. Here’s my second attempt at an answer.
I love Seoul because as soon as I disembark at Incheon International Airport, I am greeted with a sign that tells me which belt my luggage will be on. I love Seoul because when I reach immigration, the officer smiles rather than scowls and the fingerprint machine cheerfully tells me, in Thai, to place my index fingers just so before wishing me a pleasant stay. I love Seoul because when I drag my suitcase into arrivals, I immediately spot where to buy the ticket and board the comfortable airport bus that will take me into the heart of the city. I love Seoul because when my bus deposits me ten minutes’ walk from my AirBnB, I don’t have to check in first so I can unburden myself of valuables—I can take my suitcase, my passport, my extra cash to a cute local café and get urgent work done to the backdrop of Korean drama soundtracks without the least bit of worry about getting my precious items stolen.
I love Seoul because I can cross every street without fearing for my life as, unlike in Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok, cars actually stop at pedestrian lights. I love Seoul because every corner I turn there is an inviting restaurant, shop, or café I’d like to give all my money to. I love Seoul because eating establishments provide free drinking water as a rule. I love Seoul because when I order pizza it comes with scissors and gloves so I don’t end up with more pizza on me than in me. I love Seoul because, here, everyone dresses immaculately—not a single hair or item of clothing out of place—which makes a stroll here more aesthetically pleasing than in any other city. I love Seoul because everywhere I go the toilet is spotless and the toilet paper never runs out. I love Seoul because all the bus stops are also announced and displayed in English. I love Seoul because I can go everywhere, do everything with just my phone, my debit card, and my rechargeable public transport card. I love Seoul because I can amble home at 11pm absorbed in a podcast and not feel unsafe. I love Seoul because even though 80% of locals I interact with barely speak a word of English, with technology’s aid we understand each other perfectly.
I love Seoul because the fresh-faced minimart cashier asks if I’m OK with “many storms” in Thailand. I love Seoul because when I sit down to eat at a different minimart, a box of tissues magically appears before I even think to ask for it. I love Seoul because when I don’t understand my movie ticket—a wall of Korean alphabets interspersed with numbers—the staff at the popcorn stand deciphers it for me with a smile. I love Seoul because the kind-faced proprietor of a handmade leather goods store I happen upon doesn’t mind interrupting his glueing of a custom laptop sleeve to explain in detail the different types of leather he carries, what colours they age to, and when I tell him I’m looking for a purse patiently helps me choose one, asking his female colleagues to weigh in when I just can’t decide between burgundy and yellow.
I love Seoul because, here, I never have to worry. Everywhere is safe. Everything works. Everyone is polite, respectful, helpful beyond measure.
Finally: I love Seoul because every time I touch down in this wonderful city, I instantly feel at home.
What do you think?
I have just under a week left in Seoul, and wish I had a lifetime more.
What city do you love truly, madly, deeply?
Be it a place you lived in or visited, what corner of the world has left you enamoured? Please hit “reply” or leave a comment—I read every response and I’d love to hear from you. If you want, share this post with a friend who lives somewhere you’re dying to visit.
Until next Friday… Stay thoughtful,
Val
Photo by Martin Kempster on Unsplash
Thanks for the interesting post! Now, of course, I want to visit Seoul. As for my favorite city, I'll say Granada, Spain, not for the very famous, historic and beautiful Alhambra (though it's great), but more because the city is very attractive, bustling with people walking around looking happy, populating the many indoor-outdoor cafes whose prices are not in the stratosphere, and using the well-developed public transit system. Meanwhile, if you find a good viewpoint ("mirador"), you'll see that there's a beautiful, snow-capped mountain range in the distance! Also, from a personal standpoint, I'm a student of Spanish, so Granada gives me the opportunity to hear - and sometimes speak - one of my favorite languages.