The Seoulite

This is the Dutch embassy in Berlin. The foreign embassies in Korea do not look this nice. Governments should increase their embassy budgets here!

Need a list of the embassies here in Korea?

Australia http://www.southkorea.embassy.gov.au 02-2003 0100
Brazil http://www.brasemb.or.kr 02-738-4970
Canada http://www.korea.gc.ca 02-3783 6000
China http://www.chinaemb.or.kr 02-738-1038
France http://www.ambafrance-kr.org 02-3149-4300
Germany http://www.seoul.diplo.de/Vertretung/seoul/ko/Startseite.html 02-748-4114
India http://www.indembassy.or.kr/ 02-798 4257
Italy http://www.ambseoul.esteri.it 02-796-0491
Japan http://www.kr.emb-japan.go.jp/ 02-2170-5200
Mexico http://portal.sre.gob.mx/corea/ 02-798-1694
Netherlands http://southkorea.nlembassy.org/ 02-737-9514
Russia http://www.russian-embassy.org/ 02-318-2116/8
Singapore http://www.mfa.gov.sg/seoul 02-774-2464
Switzerland http://www.eda.admin.ch/seoul.html 02-739-9511/4
Taiwan 02-399-2780
Thailand http://www.thaiembassy.or.kr 02-795-0095
United Kingdom http://ukinkorea.fco.gov.uk 02-3210 5500
United States of America http://seoul.usembassy.gov 02-397-4114
Vietnam 02-738 2318

Yellow dust was pretty intense yesterday.

Want a quick way to check whether you’re just being paranoid about that cough… or whether it really is yellow dust?

Check out this site from the Korea Meterological Agency. It gives you an hourly line graph of yellow dust conditions for all major areas of Korea.

http://web.kma.go.kr/eng/asi/asi_02_02.jsp

Asian Dust (also yellow dust, yellow sand, yellow wind or China dust storms) originates in the deserts of Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan where high-speed surface winds and intense dust storms kick up dense clouds of fine, dry soil particles. These clouds are then carried eastward by prevailing winds and pass over China, North and South Korea, and Japan, as well as parts of the Russian Far East. Sometimes, the airborne particulates are carried much further, in significant concentrations which affect air quality as far east as the United States.

In the last decade or so, it has become a serious problem due to the increase of industrial pollutants contained in the dust and intensified desertification in China causing longer and more frequent occurrences, as well as in the last few decades when the Aral Sea of Kazakhstan started drying up due to a failed Soviet agricultural scheme.

Areas affected by the dust experience decreased visibility and the dust is known to cause a variety of health problems, not limited to sore throat and asthma in otherwise healthy people. Often, people are advised to avoid or minimize outdoor activities, depending on severity of storms. For those already with asthma or respiratory infections, it can be fatal.

The first known record of an Asian Dust event in Korea was in 174 AD during the Silla Dynasty. The dust was known as 'Uto (雨土)' and was believed at the time to be the result of an angry god sending down dust instead of rain or snow.

All Seoulites know that the best Korean food is north of the river. And chicken soup is no exception. However, in Korea, there is literally a whole chicken in every bowl. Instead of bread, chickens are stuffed with ginseng, jujubes and rice. You’re supposed to have this dish at the start of every summer to acclimate your body to the upcoming heat. But it is good year round.

This restaurant is around the corner from the Joong Ang Cinema located in Ulchiro 2 ga. Don't be fooled by its commonplace appearance. Food north of the river has more soul... and a little less 'Seoul.'

There are medicinal qualities to the soup - both to prevent and cure colds. Some places actually do put oriental medicinal herbs in the broth! So chicken soup really does work.

Pickled radish. Self serve by the bucket on your table.

Pickled garlic stimulates your body heat and burns off many colds if caught in the very early stages.

There is only chicken at this place... that's the type of place you want to go for this dish... one that specializes only in chicken soup.

The chicken soup here comes with a shot of ginseng liqueur. It's fragrant and will also kill off any winter cold bugs. One meal here and you're cured!

Jun Tong Sam Gae Tang
Seoul, Jung-gu, Euljiro 2 ga, 166-1
In the alley behind Joong Ang Cinema
2nd Floor
Phone: (02) 318-4406

Food: 4/5
Ambiance: 2/5
Service: 3/5

This blog has got me occupied, but don’t worry, the Seoulite won’t quit his day job. It starts at the crack of dawn anyhow. If you’re curious, here’s a peek of what I’ve been up to lately at Arirang TV as the new World News Correspondent. Whoever said studying drama and international relations don’t go hand in hand? It’s like a dream come true!

Arirang TV and Arirang Radio is like the PBS and NPR of Korea... so there's a strong public service element to the programming. But that doesn't stop us from playing K-pop!

Here's the company's message straight from the website... As Korea's premier English-language network, Arirang broadcasts three channels: Arirang World, Arirang Korea and Arirang Arab. Arirang TV is viewed in 62,600,000 households in more than 188 countries.

That is fierce!

www.arirang.co.kr

Hi, I’m Sean Lim, an American expat living in South Korea.  This is my blog about becoming a Seoulite.

What is a Seoulite?
A ‘Seoulite’ (서울깍쟁이) is a citizen of Seoul, just as a ‘New Yorker’ is a citizen of New York. Of course the label ‘Seoulite’ doesn’t simply denote a place of residence [...]