The 13th of December marked a full year in the Republic of Korea for The Tefl-on Don, and as some of you may already know I have decided to extend my stay for another 2 months. So, I plan to be back in beaming Bedford sometime in March.
Last weekend we went to Cheong Wa Dae, also known as The
Blue House. Cheong Wa Dae is the office and residence of the Korean head of state.
We booked the tour three months in advance and I was truly looking forward to
it, to be inside such a significant building where the country is run would be
inspiring. In reality you don’t go inside the building, you hardly even get
close to it. Considering it is called the Cheong Wa Dae Tour it is very
disappointing and misleading, it should be called the Cheong Wa Dae Garden
Tour. Had I known this I would have been less interested, especially as it was
-5°C in the middle of December.
The sub-zero freezing tour went like this… “This is a
170-year-old tree”. Don’t care. “This is where the former presidential office
once stood”. Not concerned. “This is where foreign dignitaries stay when on
official duty in Korea”. I don’t have any flying fucks to give. It was far too
cold for sightseeing.
The following day we went to watch ROAD FC, or Korean UFC to
you and I. Now, this was interesting. Violence, ring girls, and sipping Poju
(Powerade and Soju) made for an excellent Sunday evening, and all the better as
we got free tickets (thanks Susie!).
This was my first experience of UFC. I rather enjoy boxing,
but this sport is different. It is so much more violent and seems to lack
concern for the fighters’ safety in my opinion. In boxing it seems that the
referee is willing to intervene quicker, preventing any unnecessary blows to
the head. Throughout the many fights we saw on Sunday evening the fighters were
allowed to knock a fighter to the floor (some seemed unconscious) and they are
allowed to continue punching them on the head until the ref stops the fight. I didn’t
like this aspect.
Fighters would enter the stage to their own choice of music,
most played high tempo rap or rock songs to build anticipation. But my
favourite fighter came out to Westlife’s version of You Raise Me Up. It was
hardly intimidating but he won.
The best part of the evening was the women. As if there wasn’t
enough testosterone in the bodies of every emasculated man in the audience, the
women caused quite a stir.
And speaking of women, allow me to introduce you to Song Ga-Yeon.
She is a ROAD FC fighter.
With her involved I would enjoy being her punching bag. The
beating that I’d taken would definitely be worth the semi-naked contact in an
enclosed ring.
The Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) is known to be “the most
dangerous place on earth”. OK, that seems an exaggeration; I can’t help
but think central Africa, the Gaza Strip, or Middle Eastern war zones where
people are beheaded are slightly more dangerous. The DMZ is a place where any idiot with a camera, such as
I, can stroll around unharmed. Sure, some people have been shot here, but
that doesn’t make it the most dangerous. A more accurate description would be ‘the
most heavily guarded’. I’d rather take my chances here at the DMZ than on a
night out in Luton.
The tour starts at the DMZ Observatory Post, here you can look into North Korea. The main thing you can see is Kijong-dong, a village in the
North known as Peace Village, but outsiders know it as Propaganda Village. This
is a fake village where propaganda about the country’s great leader, and music
will play for 20 hours a day. It is all an act as no one lives in the village,
as you can see doors and windows painted on to the buildings. In the 1980s the
South Koreans erected a flagpole on their side of the border, only to be outdone by the North as they built
a taller one soon after.
The view of North Korea from the DMZ Observatory Post. It's difficult to tell from the picture but the trees stop suddenly on the North side of the border. This is to make it easier to spot any potential escapees to the South.
Propaganda Village, a fake village visible from the South.
The next stop on our tour was to look at the third infiltration
tunnel that was discovered by South Korean soldiers in 1978. The North used
dynamite to hollow out a tunnel, although they claim they were looking for coal…sure.
We entered the tunnel (not an innuendo), and it was, erm, a tunnel. Long, dark,
and narrow. Like most tunnels.
Soon after we went to Dorasan Station, a station that once connected
the two divided countries for all of… 1 year. As tensions grew once again they shut it down. The station was used to transport materials and goods to and
from Kaesong Industrial Region (a joint business venture by both countries, the
cheap labour of the North is utilised by major companies from the South).
Finally, we visited the Joint Security Area (JSA), an area
on the DMZ that is used to host negotiations between the two countries and the
United Nations. This room is on the border, quite literally half of the room in
the Republic of Korea (South) and the other half in the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea (North). Prior to entering this room we were briefed on the
risks and we signed our lives away in expected fashion. We were under the
control of a 20-year-old American soldier, who openly said “I don’t care if I
cause open fire, but y’all might not like it” and “I don’t read books, I only
read magazines”, this was the guy in charge.
We stepped out onto the steps of Freedom House; we looked across
the JSA buildings, the North and South soldiers in stand-off, and Panmungak
(the main North Korean building). There was a huge amount of tension, none of
the tour group dared to speak; it was eerie, and dangerous. Apparently, when
out in the open where we were North Korean snipers are aiming directly at us,
anticipating any provocation.
We went into the JSA building where there were South Korean
soldiers on duty. They stood motionless wearing sunglasses (a scare tactic to
intimidate the Northern soldiers). They are all highly trained in Taekwondo,
and this was as close as I was willing to get to him.
The seemingly insignificant picture of the slabs on the
ground (above) do have significance. The concrete slabs represent the border
line between the countries, and standing to the left of the slabs shows that I
have crossed the border into North Korea. That’s something off the bucket list!
We were in the JSA room for 5-10 minutes before we were
ushered away.
The last stop before heading back to Seoul was at the Bridge
of No Return, a bridge used for prisoner exchanges after the cease-fire in
1953. Prisoners of war were allowed to choose whether to stay in the country of
their capture or cross the bridge to the other country, once a decision was made they could never
return, hence the really imaginative name.
The DMZ tour was very interesting; although very touristy
there are plenty of interesting sites of the formed of the divide. Whether you
know a lot about the Korean conflict or not I would still recommend it. If you
don’t know much about the North Koreans, allow me to summarise. North Korea
hate all Americans, with the exception of the eccentric, alcoholic, spouse beating, transvestite
that is Dennis Rodman. He’s the one they accept. If that doesn’t show how
fucked up their county is then nothing will.
Angie and I went away for the weekend to Gyeongju. Gyeongju
is known as the “museum without walls” and was the capital of the Silla dynasty
for almost 1,000 years (57 BC – 935 AD). During Korea's many conflicts with Japan
and the North a lot of their historical sites have been damaged or destroyed.
In some cases structures have been rebuilt, this reconstruction period took
place in the 70s and 80s, meaning that the authenticity is lost slightly. In
contrast, the many sites in Gyeongju were untouched during these battles – they’re the real McCoy. It was
to be a weekend retreat away from the smog and the bustle of city life in
Seoul.
Upon arrival we walked around the Daereungwon Tomb Complex,
it was the place where all the former kings of Silla were buried many years
ago. The complex has been well preserved, and with the foliage changing colour
it was an enjoyable wander. Having said that, it is essentially a glorified
graveyard. One of the tombs has been excavated, and is open to the public were
you will see historical artefacts, and the place where the king was laid to
rest. You're in and out of this public hole in about 10 minutes – a lot
like the girls on Geordie Shore.
Our walk soon took us to the Cheomseongdae Observatory.
Cheomseongdae means 'star-gazing tower' in Korean (according to Wikipedia). Built
in 7th century, it is the oldest observatory in East Asia. It is a
reflection of how developed the people of Silla were.
Our tour of Gyeongju continued to the Anapji Pond. An
artificial pond and garden built in the 7th century. We arrived just
before sunset, and it really was beautiful. The water was still and peaceful,
and as the sun went down and the lights came on you could see a perfect
reflection of the pavilion on the water. After the sun had descended the area
became manic, all the other tourists showed up in their thousands. The last
time so many people showed up to take pictures of a pool of water was when
Michael Barrymore last had a party.
With a day of sightseeing behind us we looked for a room for
the night. That night was to become my first experience of a Korean love motel.
These motels are very popular in Korea, young adults will continue to live at
home with their parents until they are married, this inevitably leaves little
time at home for private encounters. In Gyeongju, there seemed to be very few
places available so the motel had to suffice.
The next day we decided to first check out the World Culture
Expo Park, the main feature being Gyeongju Tower which has a nine-story pagoda
cut out in the middle, this is homage to the Hwangnyongsa Temple pagoda which
was destroyed by the Mongolians in 1238. It was the tallest structure in the
world at the time, reaching a height of 80m.
Soon after we made our way to Bulguksa Temple, the head
temple of Korean Buddhism, and is considered by many to be the best. The
initial building of the temple started in 528, it is vast and incredibly
impressive. But with this title it has become a bit of a tourist trap. There
were hundreds, if not thousands of people there, which killed the vibe. I’m no
Buddhist monk but I was under the impression that the temples are meant to be
peaceful, tranquil places for prayer and meditation, instead Bulguksa is filled
with crowds, crying children, slow walking tour groups, tour group leaders with
PA systems, and constant queues because some twat is taking another selfie. It
says it all that the temple has a souvenir shop. I’m not saying don’t go to
Bulguksa, but I would encourage you not to go on a weekend. If Buddist temples
are your thing then go to a smaller, less popular one. There you will get a
true, authentic experience, you will get the place to yourself, and you’ll see
monks in their daily routine. You will not see this at Bulguksa.
Sunday was wrapped up with a short visit to Seokguram
Grotto, 4 miles up the mountain from Bulguksa. A giant stone Buddha has been carved from a
single rock. An impressive feat but it wasn’t something I could truly admire as
a non-Buddhist. I could only appreciate it for its artistic value, which took
all of about 2 minutes. If you’ve seen a Buddha statue before then don’t bother
going to Seokguram Grotto. There I just save you a trip.
It would have been nice to stay another day, there were some
other places I wanted to see but after a while it started to feel very similar.
Temple, field, shrine, pavilion. Temple, field, shrine, pavilion. Returning to
Seoul where there is civilisation, where restaurants aren’t empty after 9:30pm,
and you don’t have to wait 20 minutes to get a taxi was nice. Gyeongju is a
nice escape, but I am thoroughly glad to be living in a city.
Karl and I recently travelled to Japan over the Chuseok
break. Japan has always been a country that I have wanted to visit, arriving
there I felt an excitement that I haven’t felt in other counties. Being in
Japan for the first time it reminded me of the time that I arrived in Korea. I
was in an unfamiliar Asian country where language was an issue (for me, not the
locals… they can speak Japanese pretty well). In Korea I’ve picked up enough of
the language to get by, but in Japan I was back to hand gestures and pointing.
While I was struggling it didn’t take Karl long to start mixing with the
locals.
Our first evening in Tokyo, Karl and I decided to explore
the local region around our hotel. Before long we noticed that we were in the
red light district of Tokyo, that’s why the hotel was so cheap. (The area is
called Shinjuku if you’re planning on going). As we wandered around we were
constantly approached by Nigerian men who try to lure you into the “bars” and
“clubs”. When they approach you they say things like “you like girls?” or
“Japanese girls sex” or “FREE TITTIES!” As much as I like girls, sex, and free
titties, I was not in the market for those services on that particular night.
Unsurprisingly, these guys started to get very annoying. When you turn down
their offers they try to entice a response from you by saying “you don’t like
titties?!” Karl and I started telling them that we were in Tokyo on our honeymoon,
that kept the guys at bay. If there’s anything that will ward off Nigerians it
is homosexuality. Karl and I just started making out in front of them just to
prove a point.
This is all the touristy stuff we did:
The following morning. When looking for things to do in
Tokyo, Karl told me that we should “have a beer for breakfast”. I’m not sure
how that is unique to Tokyo but we obliged, and in true British fashion we had
a beer and a curry for breakfast.
We went to the Meiji Shrine. It was vast and very Asian. It
was a cool thing to see but having seen a lot of cool Asian things in Korea I
think the novelty has worn off a little. It’s like when Lindsey Lohan did her
first line of coke, I bet she got a huge thrill out of it but now when she
vacuums up a line it’s a little underwhelming. That’s like me with Asian
monuments.
A little later we went to the Shibuya Crossing, you often
see it on TV. It’s a huge crossroad where all 4 directions of traffic stop to
let hundreds of people cross the street. It doesn’t sound that cool when you
write it down but it’s a touristy thing to do. Shut up.
A trip to Japan wouldn’t be complete without seeing some
robots and the place to see them is at The National Museum of Emerging Science
and Innovation. You should have seen Karl’s face when we were there, it’s
basically Disneyland for him. His smile got wider when he saw the exhibits and
he started learning. I asked Karl shall we do some more sightseeing? He
scoffed. I asked him, shall we get something to eat? He said “why?” I asked
him, shall we go to a bar and meet some ladies? He said “science is the only
sexual stimulus I need”. They are genuine quotes. We hung around for the Honda
Asimo exhibit, which was pretty cool.
Whilst in
Tokyo I noticed that there are a lot of white people. In Korea, there are a lot
but usually only in the “white people areas” of Itaewon and Hongdae. In Tokyo
they’re everywhere. The white people in Korea seem normal, they’re most likely
teachers, or in the military. But the white people in Japan are just strange,
they’re the weird kids at school who were into anime and Dungeons and Dragons,
and there are thousands of them.
We went
back to Shinjuku (the red light district), mainly because our hotel was there.
The sex trade is almost non-existent in Korea, so I’ve heard. But in Tokyo it’s
in abundance. Anything you want is on offer, and it wouldn’t take long to find
whatever you’re into. A crazy thing I’d heard about Japan that I wanted to
investigate was used panty vending machines. Not that I’m into that kind of
thing… honest. But, I’d heard that this craziness existed and I wanted to see
it (the vending machine, not the panties). I must have looked at every vending
machine in the area but I couldn’t find a panty pantry. I was quite
disappointed. I’ve since read that they don’t exist anymore but were available
about a decade ago.
One thing that the Japanese do well is British pubs. They have dozens of
them. I know, I know, you go all the way to Japan and you spend your time in a
British pub, it’s madness but sometimes you just want a quick pint. We made up
for it by trying the local cuisine. Karl and I both sunk our teeth into a
chicken Teriyaki sandwich from Subway. We were fully immersed in Japanese
culture.
The craziest thing we did in Tokyo was the Robot Cabaret Show. It seemed
a little expensive at ¥6,000 (£40) a ticket but I can say it’s worth every yen.
It’s not a show that you will fully understand unless you witness it for
yourself. The best way to describe the show is that someone took a lorry load
of acid and filmed what they saw. I went to Japan looking for weird shit and I
found it. If you go this is what to expect; dragons, robot eating sharks,
masked men shredding it on guitar, tanks and Gatling guns, giant snakes, robots
fighting pandas, robots fighting tribesmen, Japanese women in bikinis riding
10ft robotic women, and so many other things that my brain couldn’t process at
the time. It’s been a week and I’m still trying to comprehend what I witnessed.
(See the video below for some highlights).
The video highlights:
Japan is
probably the most interesting country I’ve been to, they can boast history,
scenery, bustling cities, and pure crazy. But I don’t think I’d like to live
there. The weirdness would become the norm and then the rest of the world would
just be a disappointment. It’s OK that Japan is strange because you can
experience it for a week and then go home. I was a tourist to the craziness,
but the people that live there are prisoners to it.
This is a short guide to the football stadiums in Seoul and
the surround areas. The 4 most successful teams within the capital region of
Korea are; Seongnam FC, Suwon Bluewings FC, FC Seoul, and Incheon United FC.
Seongnam are currently the most successful team in Korea as
they hold a record 7 league titles, 2 FA Cups, and 2 AFC Champions League
titles. Suwon Bluewings hold 4 league titles, 3 FA Cups, and 2 AFC Champions
League titles. FC Seoul holds 5 league trophies and 1 FA Cup. And finally,
Incheon United can only brag of finishing as runners-up in the K-League in
2005. (The Korean League Cup was omitted from list of titles as it is no longer
an active trophy). These 4 teams of ranging success are located in or a short distance
from the capital city of Seoul.
There are many similarities between these stadiums. Food and drinks (including alcoholic beverages) can be bought in the concourse and can be consumed in the stands. Prices for food and drink are reasonable and will cost a little more than if they were purchased at a regular convenience store. The busiest times to buy food and drinks are just before kick-off and at half time, but even during these peak times I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to get a drink.
The food is unfamiliar compared to the snacks sold at football games in England. Snacks on offer are usually kimbap, and dried squid - a far cry from the usual pie and chips.
Toilet access is very convenient in the large World Cup Stadiums, and due to the small crowd sizes you often don't have to queue (I'm speaking from a male point of view, I cannot comment for the female toilets).
Seoul World
Cup Stadium
Tenants: FC Seoul, and the Korean National Team
Capacity: 66,806
Opened: 2001
Average Attendance (2013): 16,607
Average Attendance % by Capacity (2013): 24.85%
Average K-League Attendance (2013): 7,652
Subway Directions: Take
Line 6 to the World Cup Stadium station. Exit 1 or 2.
The 2002 World Cup left a legacy in Korea with the main testimony
to this being the stadiums that were left behind. The largest of those within
the capital region is the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The population of the
Republic of Korea is an estimated 50 million people and with half of those people
residing in the capital region this generates a huge potential of football
fans. Unfortunately for the current inhabitants, FC Seoul only manage to
quarter fill the ground.
Domestic games often draw crowds of around 16,000 fans and mid-week
continental games draw in less. Despite this, the loyal fans still create a
good amount of noise and sing throughout the 90 minutes. For those fans who
want to mingle among the louder, more vocal fans should buy a ticket in the
north stand. For those who wish to sit for the duration of the match should opt
for the quieter east or west stands. Away fans usually occupy the south stand.
The other occupiers of this stadium are the Korean national
team. They played their last international friendly before the 2014 World Cup
against Tunisia. For that game the attendance was 57,112, a huge increase on the usual FC Seoul faithful. For that particular game there were pre and post-match shows as the country prepared for the World Cup in Brazil. International games are usually of better quality in terms of playing ability, atmosphere, and as a general spectacle, and this was obvious to see. The Korean players that represent their country often play overseas and to have them back playing on home soil you could feel the national pride as they took to the field. It was a great experience but the added quality is represented in the match-day ticket price.
FC Seoul Tickets: General admission adult tickets cost ₩12,000, more lucrative
seats can be purchased. There are discounted tickets for juniors, and
complimentary tickets are available for senior citizens over 65, the
handicapped, and pre-schoolers accompanied by an adult.
Republic of Korea Tickets: Tickets for international games may vary due to the status of the game. For friendlies tickets range from ₩30-100,000 for an adult ticket, and competitive international games are likely to be more expensive.
Tancheon
Stadium
Tenants: Seongnam FC
Capacity: 16,250
Opened: 2002
Average Attendance (2013): 2,825
Average Attendance % by Capacity (2013): 17.38%
Average K-League Attendance (2013): 7,652
Subway Directions: Take
the Bundang Line to Yatap Station. Exit 3. Walk straight out of exit 3 until
you reach the river, turn left and cross the bridge. The stadium is about a 10
minute walk from the station.
The stadium is a short walk from the station but when I visited I had no directions so I asked the locals how to find it. I asked (in my best Korean) 'where is the football stadium?' (I actually, begrudgingly, said soccer as Koreans prefer the use of American English, but that's another issue). My question was met with puzzled faces as none of the people I asked knew of any stadium in the local area. I asked for directions in a local convenience store, that happened to be about 500m from the ground, and again I received no directional guidance. It's not difficult to find if you follow the directions shown above.
As the most decorated team in Korea my expectations were raised when I visited the Tancheon Stadium, the home of Seongnam FC. The arena is very eerie. When you enter you walk through long corridors that feel more like a run-down conference centre rather than football stadium. In the stands, you have access to the entire stadium. You can move freely to any part of the ground. The fans are spread so there's not really a place to specify the area to sit for the best atmosphere. This was the first football ground that I'd been to that had a running track around the pitch, you are a distance from the action on the pitch.
For football fans who seek a more modest stadium distant from the larger World Cup stadiums, then this is for you.
Tickets: General admission adult tickets cost ₩10,000. Junior tickets can be purchased for ₩6,000, and tickets for disabled fans cost ₩3,000.
Suwon World
Cup Stadium
Tenants: Suwon Bluewings FC
Capacity: 43,959
Opened: 2001
Average Attendance (2013): 17,689
Average Attendance % by Capacity (2013): 40.24%
Average K-League Attendance (2013): 7,652
Subway Directions:
Take the Bundang Line to Suwon Station. Exit 1, 5, or 6. Take a taxi from there
to the stadium, the taxi journey will take about 5-10 minutes and will cost
around ₩5,000-6,000.
The Suwon World Cup Stadium, nicknamed the Big Bird Stadium, is by far my favourite stadium that I have visited in Korea. There is charm to the ends not being covered, and there is so much colour it adds character that can draw your attention away from the game.
I first visited this arena during Korea's monsoon season, there was torrential rain throughout the game. As the ends of the stadium are not covered this forced a lot of fans to seek cover at the back of the stand. This led to a concentration of singing supporters. The crowd were fantastic, singing throughout. If you want mingle among the louder fans then you should buy a ticket for the north end. Highly recommended.
There were a couple of 'footballing firsts' for me at this ground. I had never before seen football fans wearing rain macs, nor had I seen football fans using umbrellas. Umbrellas are very much taboo in English football after their association with Steve "The Wolly with the Brolly" McLaren.
Suwon can boast the largest average crowd in the K-League. My experience of this stadium was very pleasurable. The game, the crowd, and the facilities were all excellent. Add to that the unpredictability of the game due to the amount of rain.
After the game there was just as much excitement. The ground staff turned the pitch watering jets on to the crowd and drenched them. Most of the supporters were already wet from the rain, but some were shielding from the jets of water behind their umbrellas. They seemed to enjoy the tomfoolery and it brought a smile to those in the other stands. As the fans exited the stadium many congregated outside to carry on their support of the team. You can see in the video below that the fans were very happy with the result of that particular game.
If you wish to attend any of the stadiums on this list my recommendation would be to the Suwon World Cup Stadium. A must-do for any football fan living in Suwon.
Tickets: General admission adult tickets cost ₩12,000. Junior tickets cost ₩6,000, and pre-schoolers are free. There is a discounted price for disabled fans.
Incheon
Football Stadium
Tenants: Incheon United FC
Capacity: 20,891
Opened: 2012
Average Attendance (2013): 7,077
Average Attendance % by Capacity (2013): 33.88%
Average K-League Attendance (2013): 7,652
Subway Directions: Take Line 1 to Dowon station. Exit 1.
The stadium was built to replace the much larger World Cup stadium where Incheon United previously played their home games. The Incheon Football Stadium was built to host some of the football games that are due to be played during the 2014 Asian Games.
As you exit Dowon station you can immediately see Incheon Football Stadium. The stadium has a unique design as 3 of the four stands have covers which leaves one end open, this end is nearest to the station giving you a full view of the inside of the ground.
As we walked closer to the arena we walked through a children's clothes market. There were dozens of stalls just outside the ticket box. It was very odd, and seemed unimaginable compared to a match day in England.
The stadium has only been opened for a few years and is very modern. It is unassuming but there is beauty in it's simplicity. The south stand is where the 'ultras' are located and this stand even has a standing area - this I loved.
The pitch was in good condition and the football on the day was exciting as Incheon United ran out triumphant winners. Incheon United cannot compare to the other teams in this guide but this does not mean that their facilities are lacking. The United ultras cheered throughout the game but they were less vocal than other teams but this is probably due to the lower attendance.
Incheon United cannot compare their crowd size or on-field success to some of the other surrounding teams but you can still enjoy a day at the football there. A visit to Incheon Football Stadium should be must if you live close by.
Tickets: General admission adult tickets cost ₩10,000. Junior tickets cost ₩6,000. There are further discounts for disabled fans and pensioners.
