Korean Weddings - What to expect

Korean Weddings?!

Many of the people planning to make the trip to Seoul in September for our wedding have asked questions about the differences between a Western wedding and a Korean one. As you would expect, there are many differences between what is common in Canada and what is common in Korea. Watch the video at the link below from two people who started out in Korea teaching English and who have become professional bloggers still living there. Actually, a lot of the stuff on their website is worth checking out!

http://www.eatyourkimchi.com/what-are-weddings-like-in-korea/

Something to be clear about. Our wedding ceremony will be a little different. The best way to describe it in English is to say that we are going to do a "Korean King Wedding" for our ceremony.
Google the keywords "King wedding or Royal wedding in Korea" that and you will find a youtube video to see what it will be like. Or simply click on this link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUpvfVSTkHA

This is something that will be a unique experience for everyone, including HwaYoung! If any of my friends want to help carry me in??? Let me know! King and Queen for a day...

THIS WILL HAPPEN QUICKLY! The whole ceremony will be about 30 minutes tops. 

*DON'T BE LATE OR YOU WILL MISS IT!*

You will see after this ceremony as people make there way to the lunch area something I want to point out. The normal procedure for what follows goes like this. The guests will give an envelope (their wedding gift) and for that they will get their "meal ticket".

  Don't feel pressured by this!! 

Those giving out the tickets will be instructed that this is not necessary for the guests from Canada so you will be able to eat without having to give an envelope!! Those who wish may of course do so, we just don't want people to be caught unaware! This is very normal in Korea but obviously may be very surprising for those from Canada used to seeing a box for envelopes at the reception or a table for gifts and envelopes.

As I get more questions and learn more myself about things that may not be common in North America, I will update the blog to let you know!

Biggest thing to remember, you are our guests and we are thrilled to have you there. 

Don't sweat the cultural differences, just enjoy them!!!

Jjimjilbang (Public bath houses/saunas/spa) in Seoul

Public bath houses in Korea




One very Korean experience to be had during your time in Seoul is a trip to one of the many Jjimjilbangs.  As described on Wikipedia, a Jjimjilbang (찜질방) is a large, gender-segregated public bathhouse in Korea, furnished with hot tubs, showers, Korean traditional kiln saunas and massage tables. Jjimjil is derived from the words meaning heated bath. However, in other areas of the building or on other floors there are unisex areas, usually with a snack bar, ondol-heated floor for lounging and sleeping, wide-screen TVs, exercise rooms, ice rooms, heated salt rooms, PC bang, noraebang, and sleeping quarters with either bunk beds or sleeping mats. For the most part, these facilities are open 24-hours a day and Koreans are often spending the night there. 

This is one of, if not the most popular way for Koreans to relax and get rid of the stresses of daily life. It is very common for families to visit these spas together as well as groups of friends. Hwayoung's dad very much wanted to take me to one of these during my trip to Korea three years ago. At the time, I was a little hesitant to do so. There were two reasons. For one, the language barrier between us made doing things on our own difficult. Secondly, well, there is one aspect to these places that is a little foreign for most Westerners...

Those willing and wishing to experience a Jjimjilbang while in Korea should be prepared for one thing - nudity. 

While gender-segregated in such areas, patrons will inevitably be, more often than not, presented to you au natural. Fair warning. While in many areas you can choose to wear a bathing suit, many around you won't. Also, there will be areas where it is either considered strange to wear clothing or where it isn't even permitted!

For most areas, you will strip down in the locker room and put on the shorts and shirts given to you by the establishment:




With that said, there are bath houses that are generally considered to be slightly more tailored for foreigners to enjoy. A very famous one located in Seoul is called Dragon Hill Spa.

http://www.dragonhillspa.co.kr/hill/eng.html

With an entrance fee of about 10 bucks, this can be a great place to visit. That covers use of all jacuzzis, pools, saunas, showers and lockers. Everything else, like food and drinks, massages and other treatments, the arcade and cinema, are extra. See the link below to a blog with a great description of the author's experience at Dragon Hill.

http://bloodriceandnoodles.blogspot.ca/2011/03/dragon-hill-spa-our-first-jjimjilbang.html

Here is the link to trip advisor to see what others have written about Dragon Hill:

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g294197-d1641304-Reviews-Dragonhill_Spa_Resort-Seoul.html

For those that may want to go a little (or a lot) more high-end, another well known Jjimjilbang (Spa) is the Banyan Tree Club & Spa.

http://www.banyantree.com/en/seoul/

Another link, from CNN Travel shows what it considers the top 3 options for Jjimjilbangs:

http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/play/seouls-3-best-korean-style-spas-803323

I can't tell you my own experience at a Jjimjilbang because I've never actually gone. I expect to change this in September and very much encourage you to to the same!

Hello All

Hi,
It's  been a while we (or Trev) haven't posted on this blog!
Sorry about that.
Hopefully, you guys received our formal wedding invitation. We sent out our invitation from late last week, and started to hear R.S.V.P. from our guests!
Thank you.

Our wedding invitation is fully customized through my friend, Jang Mi. 

She used to work in a wedding invitation business. 

This is my own drawings & ideas for our invitation. 

One month later, it turned out to be this amazing design!

If you are interested customized designed cards or invitations please let me know!

I will introduce her to you.

Yes, our save the date card was also her work.

I am less sensitive regarding details of cards..

Surprise surprise! Trev picked all the fonts..

and....

this man, initially picked..

yellow and green colors there...

I am very happy that it did not happen.

We decided this blog is Trevor's responsibility and not mine.

So he will post the news and stories to help out people..

But I got a feedback recently, actually feedback from multiple people that no more updates here!

I will try to post more for you guys.

Thanks for visiting our blog!

HY

Seorak Mountain

Today, I am going to introduce a beautiful national park, Seorak Mountain to you.

Seoraksan national park

2009, when Trev came to Korea first time,

we had a family trip to Seorak Mountain.

http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=309426

(official Korean tourism website)

Seorak Mountain is the most favorite place for my family.

It has a beautiful mountain and ocean/beach, plus FOOD!

 

On the way to "SinHeung Sa (temple)"

you'll encounter a massive Buddhist statue.

SinHeung Temple is one of the easiest hiking routes in Seorak.

This temple was initiated 652. 

And it got current appearance since 1644.

Since I was in flip flops and Trev was suffering from jet-leg,

we took another easy way to climb the mountain

Cable car.

(this sounds like Trev so much, eh?)

You have to book a ticket and comeback on your schedule.

thats why we went to Sinheung temple first.

this area is called

kwonkeumsong (Fortress)

detailed information:

http://www.parandeul.co.kr/kwonkeumsong.htm

He is smiling now..but..

He lost his smile while he is climbing to the top on sketchy rocks.

I did wear flip flops, and it was such a bad idea.

Please wear sneakers!!!

It will be 2 hours from the Seoul Bus terminal.

No train but you can rent a car to drive. 

Hope some of you explore Seorak!