We got a slightly later start this morning, giving us the chance to sleep in a little longer. After eating breakfast at the hotel, we took a bus to a Taekwondo dojo in Seoul. We got suited in up in uniforms and prepared for a class in the traditional Korean martial art. We started by learning some history of Taekwondo and then stretched. The instructor then taught the basics of punching and kicking, and we then performed several exercises and movements to practice them. He also demonstrated the proper footwork for sparring and had us practice with a partner. At the very end, we got to put our kicking practice to the test and break boards. Throughout the lesson, the instructor also taught us some more Korean phrases and Korean history. After a tiring morning of martial arts, we were soon off to a revitalizing lunch.
For lunch, we had the popular meal Korean barbeque, loved for quality meat and the experience of cooking it on a stove at the table. As we walked in, we could see the owner of the restaurant cutting slices of pork belly, indicating just how fresh the meat was. With multiple types of kimchi on the side and as much pork as we were willing to cook and eat, this meal was by no means meager. Some unique aspects were cooking on a stove at the table and using scissors to cut the slices of meat. Also, unlike in America, it is customary to call “yeo-gi-yo” to get a waiter’s attention during a meal. After eating way too much at the Korean barbeque, we were off to tour Seoul City Hall.
Seoul City Hall is a two-part building, the original city hall constructed in 1925 and the modern building constructed in 2012. The modern building was designed by Korean architectures and features large glass panes in a curved and fluid structure. We started by walking through the old city hall, visiting the old mayor’s office, conference rooms, and a public library open to the people of Seoul. We then walked across the connecting bridge to the new building and toured its facilities. Despite being a building with offices for city work, there were many floors designed for public use. From workspaces and a robot that can make you a coffee, the citizens of Seoul can use the city hall space as they please. Surprisingly, they may even bump into the mayor, whose office is located on one of the floors. Moreso than in Pittsburgh, the mayor is easily accessible especially through the Digital Civic Mayors Office, a digital interface where citizens can address issues and gives the people of Seoul a voice in how the city is run. As we ended our tour of the inside of city hall, a health fair was being held in the green space outside. We got free vitamin supplements, protein drinks, and other health related products from stands circled around the area.
For dinner we rode the subway to Myeongdong and got a hearty dinner of beef bulgogi and an assortment of sides. The owner of the restaurant was very generous and brought out tofu, mushroom, and vegetable soup for everyone free of charge. After dinner, we walked to the adjacent Namdaemun Market. Known for its very cheap prices and the ability to haggle as you shop, it was quite the different shopping experience than the malls in America. On the way back to the hotel, I tried some Korean snacks, several of which have now become my new favorites. Among the hundreds of snacks at convenience stores here, banana puffs and Yakgwa (honey cookies) are at the top of my list!
