6 Must See Places in Seogwipo (Jeju Island, Korea)

Guest Post by Leah, The Vegetarian Traveller:

Jeju Island is said to be the paradise of Korea, and the number of tourists that flock here only supports that sentiment.  Seogwipo-si sits on the southside of the island, less than an hour’s drive from the main city of Jeju-si. It has a small town feel with the amenities of a larger city, making it an awesome place with something for everyone.  Although there are plenty of museums and indoor attractions in the area to keep anyone entertained, the best spots to visit are definitely the natural wonders.  Below is a guide to the best outdoor spots to hit when visiting the south side of Jeju-do.

Cheonjiyeon Falls

Cheonjiyeon Falls

Continue reading

How to Pronounce Korean Words… Without Learning Hangul!

How To Pronounce Korea Words Without Learning Hangul | LifeOutsideOfTexas.com

Even though learning hangul, the Korean alphabet, will make your life in Korea infinitely easier, I know a lot of people can’t be bothered to study a language for a place they’ll only live for a year or so. That’s why I’m going to teach you how to pronounce words in Korean, the easy way! Continue reading

Korean Cooking: Baby Back Rib Stew (돼지 등갈비찜)

Korean Recipe: Baby Back Rib Stew (돼지 등갈비찜) by LifeOutsideofTexa... #korea #koreanfood #recipe

A few weeks ago at cooking class we learned how to make an amazing rib dish. I’ve never really been a big fan of ribs, but this completely changed my mind. They were tender and full of flavor. I can honestly say that it’s my favorite thing we have made at cooking class.

Here’s the recipe so you can all try cooking them at home! Continue reading

Ulsan Eats: Yoogane Spicy Chicken

yoogane-ulsan

Yoogane (유가네), pronounced Yoo-ga-neh, is a chain restaurant in Korea that specializes in dak galbi (닭갈비: spicy stir-fried chicken). Yoogane is a favorite among foreigners and Koreans alike. It’s especially great for people just beginning to eat Korean food because the menu is in English and there aren’t an overwhelming amount of choices. Also, you’re sure to see some things on the menu you’re familiar with, like fried rice and ramen noodles. I always bring my friends that are visiting Korea here because it’s a nice, easy transition into Korean food. It’s also pretty inexpensive and very tasty! Continue reading

How To Stay Warm in Winter

Dave got an email from KEB, his bank here in Korea, that provided some pretty interesting tips on how to stay warm during the cold Korean winters. We found it really amusing so I knew I had to share it with all of you.

How To Stay Warm in Winter by KEB

  • Scour your friend’s drawers for stray gloves, hats, mufflers, and any other wearable accessories, borrow them for 3 months, and return in April;
  • Knit your own muffler, hat or sweater: it’ll keep you indoors for days at a time and prepare you, well, for next winter;
  • Indulge in winter treats like hotteok, a fried, chewy, doughnut-like rice pastry; bunggeoppang, a piping-hot, fish-shaped pastry filled with red-bean paste; or keun koguma, crispy baked sweet potatoes;
  • Invest in a foot warmer (or two); they come in all shapes and sizes, from huge fuzzy ladybugs to thin heated insoles that slip inside your boots;
  • Spend a few hours at a Korean bathhouse; Jjimjilbang bathing pools range from warm to skin-searing hot (tip: water temperature is posted on the wall). After you’ve turned to a shriveled prune, unwind in the dry sauna;
  • Sign up for KEB’s Internet Banking, and take care of your banking needs from the warm comfort of your own home (okay, we’ll admit this is a bit of cheerleading, but it makes sense, doesn’t it?)

Korean Cooking Classes in Ulsan

I have been taking a Korean cooking class for the past few weeks and I love it! Our teacher, Sunok, is so sweet and she’s an amazing cook. I’ve also been having a great time with the other wives that take the class.

Ulsan Korean cooking class

A few weeks ago Sunok invited us to her parents house in the countryside for a special class. We were going to learn how to make samgyetang (삼계탕), which is a soup made from chicken and ginseng. Sunok’s parents even supplied chickens for the meal, and many of the ingredients were fresh from their garden. Continue reading

Housewives (and girlfriends) of Ulsan

As you may already know, I came to Korea over two and a half years ago to teach English in Busan. Then, I met Dave, who was working on an oil and gas project in Ulsan. Now that I’m not teaching, I am on a tourist visa, but I stay with him as much as possible and spend a lot of time in Ulsan.

dave and meagan-28

Photo by Aaron Nicholas Photography

I haven’t worked since leaving Busan. I went from being a teacher who was extremely self sufficient to a stay at home girlfriend. It was a drastic change and has taken a lot of getting used to. Something that’s really helped the transition is keeping busy! Lately I have been loading up my schedule with tons of activities.

As part of my promise to make my blog a bit more personal, I thought I would share with you all what a typical week in my life might look like. If you’ve noticed a lack of activity on my blog lately, you will probably realize why after reading this post. Continue reading

Spa Sarojin, Old Downtown Ulsan

Unfortunately, it seems as though Spa Sarojin has closed. The Thai restaurant on the first floor is still open.

Have you ever walked by this building in Old Downtown? It is the host of a barbecue, wedding planner, coffee shop, a pretty good Thai restaurant, and spa, all sharing the Sarojin name.

Spa Sarojin

The spa is on the 3rd floor. Before walking through the door, make sure you take your shoes off and put on a pair of the provided slippers.

You’ll be greeted with a smile by the manager of the spa. Her English name is Lyndsey. She speaks English fairly well so as long as you’re patient, communication shouldn’t be a problem. When I initially went in for information, she gave me their spa menu in Korean and told me the very basics of each treatment. I took the menu home and translated it into English (scroll to the bottom of the post for the menu/price list).

My experience was quite interesting. After changing into my gown, I realized I wasn’t told how to lay in the bed so I just sat there and waited. The two Thai massage therapists and the manager all came into the room and helped me get situated.

I had booked a Basic Body Treatment Massage and a Trouble Therapy Facial. They started with the back massage. Both therapists stayed in the room, but only one was working on me. The therapist started out straddling me on the bed and the massage was really relaxing. Once she hopped down off the bed she started using what felt like her elbows. It hurt so much, but I can only blame myself. When asked, I said I wanted it “a little bit strong.” I don’t think the Thai girls spoke English well because they didn’t understand me telling them that it was hurting (I think they thought I was saying I was hot). If you don’t like feeling elbows running down each of your back ribs and shoulder blades, repeatedly, then I suggest you mention that to Lyndsey before your massage. I told her that it was painful afterwards and I’ll definitely ask them to take it much easier on me next time.

The facial felt amazing! It was so relaxing. The best part was the face and scalp massage. I felt more relaxed during that bit than I ever have during a massage or facial before. If you want extractions, you need to ask beforehand. Just say “black heads” instead of extractions and she should understand what you want.

Overall, I’m very pleased with Spa Sarojin and I will definitely be going back. Next time I’ll be sure to say I’d like a very gentle massage. 😉

PLEASE NOTE: Spa Sarojin only takes cash. They do not take credit cards.

Facials

A. Basic Care

B. Anti Aging & Lifting

C. Trouble Therapy

D. V Line Contouring

Duration

60 Minutes

60 Minutes

60 Minutes

60 Minutes

Price

40,000 won

40,000 won

60,000 won

60,000 won

Sarojin Gold Facials

E. Whitening Care

 F. Blue Caviar Therapy

Program

PH balance, intensive moisturizing,                              promotes cell regeneration, whitening

Promotes lymphatic circulation,                                 strengthens skin elasticity

Duration

60 Minutes

60 Minutes

Price

80,000 won

80,000 won

Massage Treatments

G. Basic Body Treatment

H. Slimming

I. Body Scrub Treatment

Thai Massage

Program

Back & lower body aroma massage, muscle relaxation

Forearm, abdomen, thighs and calves: Improves circulation, helps detoxify the body

Sauna, aromatherapy body massage, muscle relaxation, exfoliating

Thai Yoga Massage/Therapy

Duration

60 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

 120 minutes

Price

60,000 won

60,000 won

70,000 won

120,000 won

30 Minute Massage

J. Scalp

K. Feet

L. Abdomen

M. Back

N. Legs

30 Minutes

30 Minutes

30 Minutes

30 Minutes

30 Minutes

40,000 won

40,000 won

40,000 won

40,000 won

40,000 won

Lyndsey also told me that if you pay for 10 treatments upfront, you will get a discount or many many service-uh! If you’ve been in Korea long enough, you know that’s Konglish for freebies. I asked if you can buy the package and share it and she said that’s fine. The package I bought was 500,000 won and she said that it will give me a 700,000 won credit. That should last Dave and I awhile.

Spa Sarojin
11:00am – 10:00pm
Closed Wednesdays

Phone: 070-8258-4668

PLEASE NOTE: Spa Sarojin only takes cash. They do not take credit cards.

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Hair Salon Lingo in Korea

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Friday, August 31

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I saw a hair salon around the corner from the Exordium Apartments where I live. The sign outside was modern and appeared to be English friendly so I had high hopes. I went in for a wash and a dry. The shop was staffed by mostly men. They seemed intimidated when I walked in. One man walked over to the counter and attempted to help me. When I told him what I wanted, he scurried off and went straight to another guy to try to get him to translate what I’d said. While he was away, I used Google Translate. When I showed him, a lightbulb went off… “Oh! Shampoo and dry!” Must remember that for next time.

The actual process was quite interesting. The curling iron was placed on the floor while it was being heated up. I just laughed it off, but I won’t go back. There are 10’s of hair shops in the few blocks surrounding the apartment.