Seoul

In 2018, I spent both Christmas and New Years Eve in Bangkok. After having spent nearly 2 months in Thailand thus far in my journey, I wondered whether I had had enough. As I had planned to stop by South Korea and Japan before returning to America, I booked a flight from Bangkok to Seoul. I also thought that, as my passport expires in July, I can renew my passport at the Seoul embassy. That way, I can enter countries like Vietnam that require 6 months validity.

After I booked my flight and hostel, I turned to the Kinnon staff and told them I have to leave one day earlier. Pim, the owner, told me she would miss my last day because she was going to Korea. My mouth dropped, and before I could tell her I was also going to Korea, Rita joked, "You should follow her!" I actually am, I said, and they didn't believe me. Later, I bid farewell to my friends at Jazz Happens. The next day, the cab came and I hopped on a plane to Incheon.

This was a mistake. Seoul in January. I felt really stupid. I should have realized by the low airfare that everyone wanted to go Bangkok and not Seoul. I had prepared by visiting Uniqlo in Siam Paragon, stocking up on Heattech, but this dry cold hit me like a freight train. I also quickly realized how much more expensive Korea is than Thailand, with the airport shuttle costing me over $10. Next, I realized how far Incheon is from Seoul. The city's subway system is pretty good, luckily. Still, I did not reach my hostel in the cheeriest of dispositions. My hostel choice (Yakorea) was the worst pick I have ever made. It's basically how crappy I had imagined hostels to be before I stayed at nice hostels like Kinnon and About A Bed in Thailand. Seven rickety bunk-beds in a smelly garage, one bathroom, and lax quiet/lights-out policy. I stayed in Dongdaemun, close to Cheonggu Station, which was the best part of this hostel. Given the climate and cost of Korea, I decided it would have been wiser to stay in Thailand to renew my passport. So I booked a flight back.

To enjoy the rest of my short stay in Seoul, I changed to a different, much better hostel in Hongdae called Inno. It's close to Hapjeong Station, which puts it within walking distance of Hongik University. Much more comfortable, every bed is built into a wooden structure, affording privacy and comfort. It's very clean and the staff is friendly. The owner, Kenneth, is awesome. The common space is a ground-floor pub with beer and other beverages. As I did not wish to go outside every night due to the frigid weather, I enjoyed spending time in this pub space. Many of the guests I met were Koreans visiting Seoul, including young men in and recently finished with military service. Other guests came from France and Mexico. From this, I realized that the design of a hostel makes or breaks it. A common space that promotes social engagement is key, right behind comfort and cleanliness.

Now for what I did during my short time in Seoul. As I said, I found it cold and expensive. Normally, I would seek coffee and food as I walk around the city. But it was too cold for me to walk around for more than twenty minutes. And the coffee costs the same as it does in America. And the restaurants had no English. I can read Korean but I have no idea what anything means. The first time I ordered something, bibimguksu, it arrived much colder than I had imagined (still good!). The next time I went into a diner, wanting something hot, I needed some help from young people who had finished eating as I sat to order. It turns out Koreans do not speak English! Back to this later.

The other thing I normally do is look for music at night. South Korea, being an American ally with U.S. military presence, must have a sweet jazz scene. And I did experience some of it despite being in the city for just a few days.

Jazz Club Evans. How lucky was I to be in Hongdae on a Monday, open mic night? I expected Koreans to be a bit more formal than Thais, and I indeed observed this once I found the venue. Spacious with many seats, it reminds me more of a small concert hall in the U.S. It's not the cramped, dingy style of club that I really love, but it really complements the skill that the musicians bring. I signed up to play "Afro Blue," then quietly took my seat. I didn't stay quiet long, however, as these people were really, really good. The most noteworthy performer on the stage was Yoon Seok-Chul. He's the owner of Jazz Club Evans, and he is a brilliant jazz pianist. I later learned that he does a lot of electronic work, mixing jazz with hip hop. His style aligns with my interests so well, I dare say he is one of the best jazz artists today. A lot of great young musicians, many of them music students.

I met a young pianist, Choo Seongtaek (John), who appreciated my tipsy enthusiasm. He invited me to join his group at another, much smaller venue in Hongdae, Jazzda. Situated in a basement, this is literally an underground jazz cafe! They don't serve alcohol, but I had a nice Blue Mountain coffee. And I got to play in half the set! Seongtaek and I chatted over dinner afterwards, where I learned that he studied abroad in the U.K. and that her sister teaches English. Very interesting, because he speaks very good English, even with a British accent at times. His sister teaches English but she does not speak English. Then I realized that South Korea, and surely Japan as well, has great education including English language but nobody teaches conversation. Conversation is not in any standardized test. People learn grammar and not communication. John Choo plans to study jazz in the Hague, Netherlands. Wish him luck!

Thus, I managed to make the most of my mistaken trip to Korea. Figuring I couldn't linger in Bangkok for longer, I booked an appointment at the U.S. consulate in Chiang Mai. I'll renew my passport there, I thought. I can check out Moment's Notice, the new jazz bar opened by Nu's student, and I can even surprise Nu and Yok as they told me they'd be in Chiang Mai in January. My plan was set. More on this later!