If you've ever been to Seoul, South Korea, you know that the city comes alive at night. People flock to bars, clubs, and lounges to drink, dance, and have a good time. Some popular neighborhoods in Seoul include Hongdae, Itaewon, and Gangnam, all of which have a unique vibe and atmosphere. Despite Seoul's generally safe reputation, crimes still happen and foreigners unfortunately are easy targets. If you're planning on partying in Seoul or elsewhere in South Korea, here are some safety tips I'd like to pass along.
Have a Way to Get Home
It might seem obvious, but many people depend on public transportation after a night out without realizing that it has a cut-off time. It is common for trains and buses to stop running at midnight and not begin again until 6 in the morning. To avoid waiting until 6 am for public transportation, you may think that you'll just take a taxi back to your accommodation when you're ready to leave. Foreigners don't realize that taxis are extremely hard to come by at night in these neighborhoods. Calling for a taxi on the Kakao Taxi app is easier when you have a debit card attached to an existing account, which many people don't. Trying to flag down a taxi is just as challenging since you're out with many other people who are also trying to get one, too. As a result, getting a taxi becomes a waiting game. If you are lucky enough to flag down a taxi, be prepared to pay twice or even triple its normal price. The best advice I can give is to either have enough money to pay way more for a taxi or be prepared to stay out until the wee hours.
Drink Responsibly
People who have been to South Korea know how intense the drinking culture can be. Then add going out at night to the mix. If you go out as a woman with a group, you should prepare to be offered endless amounts of alcohol by clubs, bars, and men. One time, a man even tried to pour drinks down my friend and I's throat! In another instance, my group was being overserved while I was out. Our group was mostly aware of our limits, but one girl kept drinking until she was no longer able to stand. When we called a taxi to get home and offered to pay the extra money, the driver refused to take us home because she was too drunk. We eventually got her home, which was a relief. There is no need to feel obligated to drink drinks merely because they are being offered to you. Make sure you know and stick to your limits.
Learn Basic Korean Phrases
Even though you might think that you can just rely on translation devices whenever you are out in South Korea, you need to have some basic Korean words or phrases in your back pocket just in case. I can't tell you how many times just the word, "here" comes in handy. Reading Korean also makes things a million times easier when navigating.
Additional Tips
If you go out, make sure you have at least one other person with you. In addition to being more enjoyable, it is also safer.You should never leave the person you came with behind. Having a one-night stand with someone you meet out is fine, but first you should ensure that the person you came with gets back to their accommodation safely.
Last, but not least, make sure that your accommodation is listed in both English and Korean so that a taxi driver knows where you are trying to go.
While there are a million and one more tips I could share for a night out in Seoul, these are the ones that immediately come to mind. Stay safe and have a good time!
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