"Seoul" Searching: My South Korean Escapade

Sunday March 15, 2009

Today was our first full day in South Korea. Seoul is full of rich culture and style, which I got a small preview of today. It was a little windy this morning, but, overall, it was a perfect day for sightseeing. The first stop on my itinerary was Gyeongbokgung, a Korean palace originally built in 1395 during the Joseon Dynasty. The palace whose name means “greatly blessed by heaven,” was destroyed in 1592 during the Japanese invasion, and was rebuilt in 1868. As I and entered the gates of the palace, I was greeted by stone-faced, attention standing palace guards dressed in traditional Korean guard uniforms. I became immediately excited to explore the palace. I snapped a few pictures with guards and went into the palace. The palace was beautiful! It had four main gates and many different areas, rooms, and paths with beautiful trees, and water all against a beautiful mountainous background. I was able to see the king and queen’s throne and their quarters. I really liked the palace. It was huge and beautifully built with intricate and fascinating paintings on the ceilings and walls.


One of the most interesting parts of today was on the way back to the hotel. My classmates and I were walking and we heard music. As we came up the steps from the lower level of the street, we saw a drum circle of about nine people. All were playing traditional Korean instruments. As they sat in the circle and played, I closed my eyes and listened to the rhythmic sounds they created. The circle (made up mostly of men) played the instruments with such intensity and fervor. It was interesting to see and hear them playing, and at that moment, I felt as if I was really a part of their culture.

I can’t wait to see what else Seoul has to offer!
I’m supposed to go to KBS, a Korean television station, and Korea University.

Stay tuned as I Seoul Search…