Good things to know for a rainy day trip to Korea
In South Korea, mid-June and July are typically known as monsoon season ("JANGMA" 장마). The country is experiencing sudden and intense rainfall with high humidity during this period.
No matter which country you travel to, clear and sunny weather is ideal but, if you know some safety tips to keep in mind on rainy days and interesting cultural aspects about rain, you can definitely make the most of your trip during the rainy season in Korea too.
❍ Comfort food for Rainy days
On a rainy day, there are long lines outside restaurants that specialize in certain food, and delivery orders surge for popular menu items.
- JEON :
It is a Korean-style pancake and one of the most popular foods by Koreans on rainy days. Depending on the ingredients inside, they are specifically called "PA-JEON", "KIMCHI-JEON" or "GAMJA-JEON" which means green onion pancake, kimchi pancake, and potato pancake respectively.
Although the exact origin of why people seek JEON on rainy days is not well known, there is an assumption that on rainy, damp, and humid days people crave crispy JEON as a form of compensation.
- MAKGEOLLI :
It is a traditional Korean rice wine. Just like a McDonald's meal comes with a burger, fries, and a Coke, it is highly recommended to enjoy JEON with MAKGEOLLI. All supermarkets and convenience stores have a wide variety of MAKGEOLLI and the price is in the 3,000 KRW ($3) range or higher.
- SUJEBI or KALGUKSU:
SUJEBI is a hand-pulled dough soup (anchovy broth) made from flour batter with various vegetables and KALGUKSU is a knife-cut noodle soup. There is also a menu that combines both KALGUKSU and SUJEBI, and the dish is sometimes called KALJEBI.
Due to the sudden chilly weather and rain, warm soup dishes such as GAMJATANG (pork bone soup) and UDONG (noodle dishes) are also popular.
❍ Emergecy numbers in Korea (*no area code required)
- 112 : police (interpretation service available)
- 119 : Fire & Rescue (interpretation service available)
- 1345 : Foreigner helpline ("Hi Korea")
- Emergency telephone numbers (112 & 119) can be dialed free of charge in a public call booth
❍ "Emergency Alert" by the Government
The Korean government sends real-time emergency and public safety alerts within a certain radius of emergency situations. However, the text message is written in Korean, and only a few keywords may be in English.
To be fully informed and receive national emergency alerts, I recommend anyone arriving in Korea to download the "EMERGENCY READY" app.
As of today, June 29th, 2024, the monsoon rain has begun, and the government has started sending safety alert messages such as warnings to stay away from riversides, and low-lying areas due to the expected heavy rainfall. The screenshot above also shows a real-time update of relevant information from the EMERGENCY READY app.
❍ Pack with waterproof products
- waterproof backpacks
- water resistance cameras and lenses
- Proper shoes made from materials like rubber or synthetic materials
- light-weight jacket (Even though it's summer, during the monsoon season, there can be strong winds, and indoor air conditioning can make it chilly)
❍ Use the subway rather than the bus
Short-stay visitors to Seoul and, tourists can purchase the CLIMATE CARD (aka a travel pass) with unlimited train and bus access by selecting 1,2,3,4,5, and 7-day passes.
I have written a blog post specifically about the "CLIMATE CARD" and included a link to it at the bottom of this page.
❍ Access to the riverside may be restricted or prohibited
Hangang (Han River), Cheonggyecheon (Cheonggye Stream), and Jungnangcheon (Jungnang Stream) are famous tourist attractions. It is advisable not to approach areas near these riverbanks during rainfall, for the safety of both yourself and urban personnel tasked with protecting the city.
Link:
Unlimited travel on train and bus in Seoul Korea (international travelers from Jul 2024)
