Photo Trip Report: South Korea

[buksida]

Since we were in Japan, we thought why not visit Korea as its just a short flight away so that's what we did. Thais need a visa for Korea since so many go over there to work illegally. The process was relatively painless, however, with a few forums to fill in and docs to upload online.

Day 1 Osaka to Busan
Today was a transit day with a 6am start to take a train to Kansai airport which is on an artificial island about an hour out of Osaka. The airport transfer was one of the fastest I have done though there was very little in the departure lounge which appeared to cater for just the two budget airlines – Peach and Jeju Air.

The uneventful flight was just over an hour and the transit into South Korea was also very quick and efficient with very little attention paid to visas (for Thais) or QR codes we had to acquire in advance for Covid procedures.

We grabbed a couple of local travel cards (T-Money) and topped them up before taking a train into Busan. The Korean rail network is also very efficient but nowhere near as extensive as Japan’s so it was a bit of a hike from the subway station to the hotel.

The first issue was the hotel which wouldn’t let us check in until 5pm. However, this gave us time to explore Gwangali Beach and the surrounding streets for potential eateries and minimarts for supplies.

Being a tourist area primarily for Chinese and Japanese, there were a lot of pricey seafood and Japanese-style restaurants and bars. Surprisingly, eating and drinking in Korea appears to be more expensive than it was in Japan!

The hotel finally let us in as the sun was going down over the tower block cityscape that fringed the beach. The entire bay and bridge were lit up after dark giving me a chance to test out the new camera.

IMG_20231108_115157.jpg (122.45 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

IMG_20231108_140927.jpg (134.52 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0128.jpg (202.56 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0130.jpg (228.35 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0133.jpg (180.36 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0134.jpg (168.58 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0137.jpg (155.36 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0138.jpg (201.13 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0142.jpg (163.27 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0144.jpg (178.5 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0148.jpg (105.6 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0153.jpg (211.14 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0156.jpg (147.17 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0159.jpg (120.77 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0162.jpg (195.38 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0164.jpg (190.11 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0165.jpg (253.42 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0167.jpg (279.14 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0168.jpg (215.93 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0170.jpg (161.14 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0173.jpg (139.43 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0174.jpg (149.11 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0179.jpg (136.33 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0186.jpg (136.08 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0188.jpg (133.97 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0189.jpg (132.38 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0199.jpg (187.22 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0206.jpg (170.26 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0209.jpg (182.91 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

DSC_0213.jpg (173.25 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

To follow: Gamcheon, Busan

[Big Boy]

Oh wow, looking at IMG_20231108_115157, that bridge looks as though they've by-passed the town by building the bridge out into the sea. Is that what they've done? What an innovative idea if I'm correct.

[buksida]

Yes, it was very impressive, like a bypass road over the ocean. Imagine if Thailand could build something like that to circumvent Bangkok traffic hell ...

[Big Boy]

Brilliant idea, but such an obvious solution. Well done Korea.

[PeteC]

Photo 0128 as an example. Do those cameras have a setting to get what's close as well as distant in focus, or do you have to sacrifice one of them?

[buksida]

Yes, all depends on your aperture settings and whether you want that effect or not, the blurry background is called bokeh.

[Nereus]

Yes, all depends on your aperture settings and whether you want that effect or not, the blurry background is called bokeh.

It is also called "depth of field". When I had to know such things I always had a little memory help by thinking: "close up the shutter like a telescope for far away objects, and open up to "soak up" all of a close object.

[pharvey]

Pretty sparse bedroom (DSC_0167.jpg) - and a 5pm check-in!!

Seriously though, I was in Busan briefly a fair few years back - from the (cracking) photo's, the place has changed quite a bit. Must admit, I like the idea of a quick hop across from Japan if the LHG and I do manage to make the visit.

[STEVE G]

Just from the pictures, South Korea looks a bit more human than those Japanese cities that came over as a bit alien!

[HarryVardon]

Was in Korea earlier in the year. Beautiful place. I hope you ate the live octopus!

[buksida]

Pretty sparse bedroom (DSC_0167.jpg) - and a 5pm check-in!!

The hotels were the biggest let-down of the whole trip, stupid check-in times and very expensive, you can get a room for a month in Hua Hin for the same price as a night in Seoul.

Was in Korea earlier in the year. Beautiful place. I hope you ate the live octopus!

Being a diver and knowing how intelligent octopus are, I declined but the Koreans can't get enough of them!

[buksida]

The first objective of the day was to secure tickets for the bullet train (KTX) to Seoul in a couple of days. However, we were bamboozled by technology yet again with the Korea Rail website telling us everything was full when we tried to book online. As we did in Japan, we headed to Busan Central Station to speak with a nice human who sold us two seats on the KTX to Seoul for around 60,000 won (approx. 1,600 baht) each.

With onward transport secured, we took a bus to the Gamcheon Culture Village. This is a very picturesque hillside township that resembles the South American pueblos pintorescos with its multi-colored houses, tiny alleyways, steep staircases, and wall murals. However, it was very touristy so we ventured off the main walking route into the heart of the labyrinthine community to get lost among the clusters of vibrant houses and shops.

DSC_0218.jpg (216.73 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0219.jpg (240.02 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0220.jpg (238.22 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0245.jpg (279.95 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0246.jpg (242.01 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0249.jpg (224.21 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0250.jpg (249.55 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0252.jpg (284.99 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0254.jpg (191.25 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0257.jpg (210.06 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0259.jpg (171.44 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0260.jpg (232.79 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0261.jpg (193.76 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0263.jpg (220.38 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0264.jpg (151.69 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0266.jpg (171.11 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0268.jpg (205.63 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0269.jpg (167.26 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0270.jpg (222.78 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0273.jpg (250.25 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0274.jpg (228.2 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0276.jpg (204.37 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0278.jpg (224.35 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0280.jpg (247.52 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0281.jpg (232.15 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0284.jpg (210.55 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0286.jpg (187.4 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0287.jpg (209.45 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0289.jpg (274.87 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0290.jpg (224.11 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0292.jpg (259.09 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

DSC_0293.jpg (304.25 KiB) Viewed 7462 times

To follow: more from Gamcheon

[buksida]

More from around Gamcheon, this place was very photogenic ...

DSC_0295.jpg (268.27 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0297.jpg (208.89 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0299.jpg (213.33 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0300.jpg (211.89 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0303.jpg (213.37 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0305.jpg (232.83 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0307.jpg (250.44 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0309.jpg (210.76 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0311.jpg (202.33 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0313.jpg (115.12 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0315.jpg (184 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0317.jpg (201.25 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0318.jpg (190.15 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0320.jpg (128.74 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0321.jpg (196.32 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0322.jpg (174.46 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0324.jpg (120.8 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0326.jpg (210.69 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0328.jpg (240.31 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0330.jpg (175.76 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0331.jpg (225.46 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0332.jpg (179.43 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0333.jpg (252.54 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0336.jpg (178.69 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0339.jpg (211.13 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0340.jpg (224.73 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0344.jpg (151.29 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0346.jpg (207.04 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0348.jpg (146.75 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0349.jpg (215.92 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0350.jpg (237.72 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0353.jpg (260.87 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0356.jpg (245.66 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0359.jpg (229.84 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0360.jpg (241.36 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

DSC_0361.jpg (262.45 KiB) Viewed 7362 times

To follow: Songdo Beach, Busan

[Big Boy]

I was under the impression it was quite cold while you were there, yet some of the flowers look very nice.

They certainly like their colours there.

[buksida]

Busan had a similar temperature to Japan, 18-20 during the day and down to about 10 at night in November. Seoul was like going to the Arctic!