Seoul Searching in Korea Part 1

If you are looking the most number of tourist spots in South Korea, then Seoul is the place to go to. It has excellent transportation links and thus is the easiest place from which to embark on a tour of the whole country. Retaining a lot of its cultural and historical heritage, the capital city of Seoul since 1394 is now a busy metropolis full of commercial centers. It is the royal residences,however, that draw the most number of tourists. Some of the sites are even UNESCO-listed. For instance, enclosed in beautiful Secret Gardens, the Changdokkung Palace will always satisfy the curious tourist. In a nearby area full of lush greenery stands the Chongmyo Shrine which contains the ancestral tablets of the Kings of Joseon Dynasty. During the first Sunday of May, a wonderful Confucian ceremony is held here.

The Korean Wave

In Asia and even all over the world, Korean pop culture has had a considerable impact hence, the name Hallyu which means "Korean wave." For example, in Japan and other Asian countries like the Philippines, Korean boybands like TVXQ and television dramas like Winter Sonata were received quite well and have found success. Rain, the Korean pop icon, has been recognized in Asia and has began to make waves in the American market. Korean movies like Dragon wars, Oldboy, Oasis, and My Sassy Girl have also received International recognition.

It is technology which has dominated the Korean modern way of life. From top-of-the-line cellular phones, and the latest on-line games, Koreans have had much to spend their time and money on. Korea has one of the highest number of households which have very fast internet access. Computer games are serious business in South Korea. These are regarded like a major sport where there are professional commentators, professional players and major sponsors.

Starcraft, for instance, is one of the most popular games in Korea. There are over five million gamers and actually has two television channels that broadcast games and up-to-the minute updates on winners, games and other on-line gaming features. This pop culture has created professional gamers like Lim Yo-Hwan aka "SlayerS 'Boxer' who earned as much as $300,000 at the prime of his career.

More About Sports in Korea

South Korea and Japan were the joint hosts for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and South Korea was the first Asian team to successfully reach the semi-finals. The Korean football team known as the "Taeguk Warriors" have played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany for their sixth consecutive World Cup appearance.

South Korea was also the venue for a cycling competition called the Tour de Korea in 2007. After 10 years, this was the first international cycling competition held in South Korea. It is indeed a feat for South Korea to be the host for the 2010 Formula One race which will be held in the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam.