3 Things I Will Miss About Korea

Photo by Sava Bobov on Unsplash

For the past four years, I lived in South Korea. It was a chance of a lifetime that I didn't want to pass, so when I got the opportunity to study abroad, I grabbed it. After three years of studying and a year of working there, I decided to take a little break, and I went back home to the Philippines. It's hard not to compare the differences you notice between the two countries, and after spending almost a month back home, there are definitely a few things I will miss about Korea.

1. Accessibility

Photo by Janosch Lino on Unsplash

Korea has an efficient public transportation system. You can go anywhere within the city as well as outside in a matter of a couple hours at most for intercity commutes. Furthermore, they have designated loading and unloading points which makes it easier for commuters to know where to catch the bus. They also have a centralized digital tracking system so that you will know how long it takes for the next bus to arrive.

Apart from using cash as a mode of payment, people can use transportation cards which reduces the hassle of carrying bills and coins or knowing how much you need to pay, and lessens the transactions needed between passenger and driver. People have more than one option to get from point A to point B. If passengers get easily nauseated when riding vehicles, they can take the subway as an option. Of course, the one big advantage of the subway is its speed.

Not only this, but Korea also has WiFi-enabled public transportation. As long as you have a Korean sim card, your phone can connect to the internet on the bus, in the train, or even at the bus stops and train stations. Some public spaces also have WiFi installed, so you can always stay connected on the go.

2. Digital Literacy

While we're on the topic of Korean internet, one of the things that I really liked was that you can have everything you would ever need while you're in the comfort of your own home. You can have food delivered within an hour just by going on one of the many food delivery apps available.

Their online shopping ecosystem is quite robust, so there are also many options from where you can buy whatever you need. What's more, because they have an efficient routing system, companies can guarantee that your packages will arrive on time, even the next day. Banking is almost purely online as well, although many people still go to the bank for certain purposes like loans, updating their personal information, or creating a second account.

Korea's LAN internet speed

Did I mention Korea's blazing internet speeds? And at low cost. Since the government has invested so much on network infrastructures, they can ensure that consumers get the fastest speeds at the most affordable prices. Plus, Korean culture is notorious for wanting everything done immediately, which they refer to as the "빨리 빨리" culture. So if there were any issues to your internet connection, they want to have it fixed right away. Although Korean internet rarely, if ever, faces any instability, in those very rare instances when it does, it gets fixed almost within the hour.

3. Environment

Korea's weather did wonders for me. The cleanliness of the air, even during those seasons when yellow dust polluted the atmosphere, has been very good for my health. I rarely had my allergies triggered. I also think Korean food has made me stronger and more resistant to changes in climate. Generally, streets are quite clean, and they have a good system for garbage disposal.

Despite being urbanized, there are still areas with natural surroundings. Korea is a mountainous country and they try to preserve places like that for hiking and strolling in nature. Granted, having four seasons means your body needs to adjust to each season as they come, but once you get used to it, it's not that big of a deal.

Conclusion

I still consider the Philippines my home, but life is considerably more convenient in Korea. Living in Korea has been a life-changing experience for me. From being able to go wherever you want, anytime you want without having the stress from the commute to being able to get things done as quickly as possible, there are just some things that increases the quality of life when you live in Korea. I do hope that the Philippines could reach that level of convenience and efficiency, but it's still far off and it might even take as long as it took Korea to transform their country into one of the largest economies in the world.