Seoul & South Korea: How Much Do You Really Know?
Alun's arrived in Seoul, South Korea's sprawling capital, but it hasn't been plain sailing. After a disappointing layover in Shanghai, we hear how Alun's airplane seat resulted in a moral dilemma. Turbulence was the least of his worries!
Adam throws a South Korean pop quiz in for good measure. Alun's only been in Seoul for a few days, but correcting the jet lag with buckets of kimchi is all the preparation he needs.
Support the show and access the Lost & Found section; this week, we discuss Alun's travel plans for Seoul, as well as how to invite a complete stranger to a public bath.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripologypodcast
Submit your travel stories here: https://www.tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro: Alun's jet lag
04:00 - Airplane seat dilemma
09:30 - Shanghai layover of disappointment
12:26 - Airbnb vs Hostels: Are hostels profiteering?
17:00 - SF Bagels: The best bagels in South Korea
20:18 - Tripping Point: Seoul & South Korea
Need travel insurance? We recommend SafetyWing! Click here to get started: https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=26035801&utm_source=26035801&utm_medium=Ambassador
Require an onward flight? Please use this fantastic flight rental service: https://onwardticket.com/tripologypodcast
Discord: https://discord.gg/Kcps95DF
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tripologypodcast/
X: https://x.com/tripologypod
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world.
TRANSCRIPT:
Alun:
[0:03] Annyeonghaseyo and welcome to this episode of Tripology, the only backpacking
Welcome to Tripology
Alun:
[0:08] show where the hosts put on little backpacks and sort her off around planet Earth. I'm Alun and I'm here with one of the greatest backpackers of all time. It's the ever toroidal Adam.
Adam:
[0:18] Thank you so much for joining us for yet another week. We really do appreciate it. Alun, it's good to talk to you, mate. We heard on the last episode that you were off to East Asia. Tell us what's going on.
Alun:
[0:27] I've landed in Seoul, South Korea. I'm here. I'm literally in the country going about or somnambulistically recovering from jet lag.
Adam:
[0:39] Oh, dear. Is jet lag something that affects you often or only when you do sort of really long distances east to west?
Alun:
[0:45] Historically, I've been very unconcerned with jet lag. But on this trip, I really tried to plan in advance. I set my watch to Korean time. I was looking at it whilst I was in the UK going, oh, sort of 7pm in South Korea, I can start winding down thinking about it. So when I did arrive... first few nights mate were a breeze I thought I'd conquered it until about three days in I found myself drifting off in a museum sort of in time to the music of one of the exhibits and I thought this isn't good and just last night I was
Jet Lag and Emotional Issues
Alun:
[1:15] up until 6am so I've well and truly been floored and hammered.
Adam:
[1:20] Were you passing until 6am or were you just up as a result of the jet lag?
Alun:
[1:24] Yeah I was in bed sort of shivering trying to cry myself to sleep as only jet lag can do to a man.
Adam:
[1:29] Oh no Are you sure it's jet lag as well? There's absolutely no way. You're up at strange times, not feeling tired when you should be.
Alun:
[1:36] Are you trying to suggest it could be like an emotional issue related to the jet lag?
Adam:
[1:41] Well, I don't know. Maybe it's just an easy go to, isn't it? Because you've flown such a long distance between time zones. Whenever you feel tired or you wake up in a strange hour, maybe naturally you'd go, well, it must be the jet lag. Maybe it's not. Maybe you should dig a little bit deeper. There's something else going on.
Alun:
[1:55] Yeah, yeah. something some deep rooted issues that like now that i'm traveling to escape them again they've actually all come.
Adam:
[2:01] Flooding back four days is a long time there's like a delayed kind of lured you into a false sense of security you thought, I put all this training and preparation in, and it's still done me.
The Journey Begins
Alun:
[2:12] Mate, I have put a lot of training and preparation in. Let me tell you the story of how I came to be here in the Republic of Korea, just trying to see what there is to be seen here. I chose Korea because, as we all know, I've got a working holiday visa for Japan, that I have to be in Japan by April. And I thought, there's a country pretty close to Japan that I've not explored, that I want to explore, so I'll come to Korea first. What a beautiful decision that's turned out to be. i of course had a layover in shanghai now the problem with layovers in shanghai is that you can't check in online for the flight because they want to check you can definitely go to shanghai do you know i mean they're not just like yeah check in online get your boarding pass sort of through to the plane those shanghai people want to see you at the check-in desk in the morning to check what your business is there oh.
Adam:
[3:00] Really okay but did you need to provide sort of an outbound journey proof of flight or anything along those lines or.
Alun:
[3:07] As soon as they see the passport mate they're good to go but they want to see it physically physical but instead of telling you that instead of just going hey you can't um you can't check in online for this flight, china eastern airlines give you the option they're like why not check in online and then when you try and do it they go oh sorry there's been an unexpected error please come to the check-in desk why not and then i go but what that essentially means mate is i couldn't pre-book a seat So I want your opinion on this. So I was left with my big, long flight to Shanghai.
Adam:
[3:37] Your big, long flight.
Alun:
[3:38] I was given that seat. They're sort of at the front of the plane.
Adam:
[3:42] Where the pilot sits.
Alun:
[3:42] Yeah, I was on the pilot's lap. They ran out of seats. Colin, his name was. I think that was his English name.
Adam:
[3:48] We do need you to check it in person so we can see your passport. But we have upgraded you to the cockpit.
Alun:
[3:55] The proverbial cockpit. Yeah, exactly. No, I want your opinion on it, mate, because I was in that seat where you've got extra legroom.
Adam:
[4:03] Right.
The Flight Experience
Alun:
[4:03] But the cost of the extra legroom is that you're at the front of the plane. the stewardess sort of sits right next to you and you have one of those entertainment systems that comes out of the arm of your chair as opposed to on the seat in front yeah and i think it also carries a set of moral obligations that i was uncomfortable with oh.
Adam:
[4:24] Like opening the exit or in the case of an emergency.
Alun:
[4:28] I'm not so worried about that because i'm very confident there wasn't going to be emergency but you are the front domino of the seat reclination cascade that will ensue if you try and relax for even a moment yes.
Adam:
[4:41] Yeah you're right people don't talk about this sort of stuff often enough but of course if you don't recline your seat there is a chance that no one behind you for the entirety of the plane or at least to where the divider is where usually the first set of toilets are everyone could just sort of sit upright and have maximum spaceage.
Alun:
[4:59] In that front seat you are the last frontier that guards the passengers at the very back of the plane from being crushed unrelentingly by the seat in front of them i can't hold myself responsible for what every passenger behind me will do but what i damn well can make sure is that there's the a glimmer of hope and i like as as i sat in that front seat and saw passengers go behind me i looked at them like a army general commander with a salute saying i will hold the fort here i will say bolt upright for this whole entire flight don't worry i.
Adam:
[5:37] Have absolutely no doubt mate that you've thought about this probably more than most people would um but that's why you run this travel show it's a lovely observation that i'm sure lots of people listening to this we'll think about next time they're on a plane. Have you ever thought about broaching the subject with the person behind you? Because you're doing a good thing because you're thinking of them. You're thinking about it's a long plane journey as well. If you sort of peeked over the chair and just went, hey, just to let you know,
Shanghai Layover Struggles
Adam:
[6:02] I won't be reclining my chair for the entire trip. So enjoy that.
Alun:
[6:07] What would be good is if I had a sort of pass it on disposable business card that I could pass, like saying, right, guys, none of us are going to recline our seats. Pass it on and just keep it going right to the back of the plane. And then because I was in the middle seat, right, middle front. so imagine if one beautiful bolt upright middle row where we're like hold hold we're all up right everyone else is reclining crushing each other when the when the stewardess comes to bring around our dinner she's like can you just put your seat up we've got dinner we're like we're already up baby let's go we don't need to put our seats up for landing we're already up and we have been for 11 hours we've got spinal issues scoliosis left and right but my god have we been done each other proud yeah.
Adam:
[6:50] The community the sense of togetherness is uh through the roof um yeah i don't think that the front seat certainly where you're talking about you might get extra leg room, But because you do have the television that comes out on that sort of arm, and then also the tray table as well, doesn't it?
Alun:
[7:07] Yeah.
Adam:
[7:08] It's a downgrade, if you ask me. I'm not sure the price of the seat should be the same.
Alun:
[7:12] You're on the same wavelength as me. So many people say, listen, that's a great seat. You've got extra leg room. But frankly, I'm an averaged height man at five foot and nine inches. I don't really need that extra.
Adam:
[7:26] Taller than messy.
Alun:
[7:27] Tall and messy but a lot of that height comes from the torso you know i've got short legs and i don't need that extra leg room what i crave is lateral motion and that is significantly reduced in those seats and i think china eastern airline if they are going to make you check in in person they should really say look do you have the morale for these seats because 11 hours you're head of your row you're head of your column and and you've got to be prepared for very limited lateral motion so you know it's.
Adam:
[7:58] One hill of a responsibility.
Alun:
[7:59] It is mate and and as a result i arrived in shanghai airport sort of i'm not i'm not going to say broken and downtrodden because i felt like i did my column proud i don't know what went on behind me i'm sure that a few rows down someone did recline and and and i i'm sorry for that to everyone else there but i can't manage that yeah Yeah.
Adam:
[8:19] I am team no recline. I'm not even sure I think that the seats on an aeroplane should recline. And I know that sounds a bit dictatorial. I just don't know if the enjoyment or the pleasure that's given or that you receive from reclining your seat, is enough to justify how fucking annoying it is when someone in front of you does it.
Alun:
[8:49] I'm team recline not at all or recline all the way and just have everyone resting their heads on each other's laps all the way back to the back of the plane.
Adam:
[9:00] Maybe that's the button you should have at the front. If you're in that front seat, the button should be you either all go back or no one goes back. And then that really is a moral obligation to sort of look around. you ready for a snooze guys yeah yeah all right i'll press the here we go you're ready hold on.
Alun:
[9:15] I have the power just to ratchet everyone back yeah i'd like forward then i would pay extra for that seat there's.
Adam:
[9:21] A lever that the air hostess can pull when the just a few moments before the food is served everyone shoots bolt upright babies go flying.
Alun:
[9:28] Love it that's what i learned so i arrived in shanghai mate shanghai airport i've got to say it's a little bit disappointing it's impossible to connect to the wi-fi there like literally there's a series of firewalls that means that even though they try and bait you in and say oh why not go to a wi-fi kiosk get a little code i found it impossible which meant that i arrived for the second leg of my journey i was planning on doing a lot of work in shanghai airport i was planning on booking my accommodation in korea i was planning on sort of figuring out how to get to my accommodation how to get into the city from the airport so maybe that's on me a bit of lack of preparation but for me i think i've got six hours in shanghai to do that i've i thought i could rely on having wi-fi and capability i.
Adam:
[10:15] Think that's very normal for you to have thought that that would be possible if you if you asked 100 people on a survey name one thing that will be in shanghai airport top answer it'll be wi-fi free wi-fi i'm sure.
Alun:
[10:28] Well my top answer would be like sort of broth soup Chinese people noodles and dumplings and there was that so they did cater to the very top spot but number two for me was Wi-Fi and that wasn't available oh.
Adam:
[10:39] Dear so you sort of twiddled your thumbs mooched about you had six hours to kill what does six hours in Shanghai airport look like for you because, Your bag's going the whole way, is it? You've got to carry on, that's all you need?
Alun:
[10:50] I've got my carry on, mate. I basically spent three hours trying to connect to the Wi-Fi and then another three hours just trying to sleep, sort of curled up into a ball, just defeated.
Adam:
[11:00] Oh, really?
Alun:
[11:01] And thought, I hope this is all over soon.
Adam:
[11:03] Airports in Asia, it was surprising to me when you texted me and told me that it wasn't great, didn't cater to your needs. Because, I mean, airports in Asia, I think, are far superior to most... airports in other parts of the world.
Alun:
[11:17] Well i i agree mate i thought that as well and it was only when i finally touched down in seoul south korea that i thought now this is the sort of asian efficiency that i was hoping that shanghai would provide i know that's controversial and i know it might cause issues with my visa and prospects going to china in the future but frankly i was so god darn impressed by the hospitality beauty cleanliness hygiene super fast internet capabilities of the airport that i landed in in seoul yeah that my mind was blown mate and i thought i'm glad i'm here and staying here now when you arrive in south korea the first thing you should do is get a little tea money card
Arriving in Seoul
Alun:
[11:59] from a convenience store that allows you to ping around on the public transport with no problem. So I did that, checked myself into an Airbnb late at night, put my head down and that concluded my first day in South Korea. I literally got to the airport at 3pm, boom, straight to the Airbnb, fell asleep.
Adam:
[12:17] Okay, so you're in your Airbnb, I noticed. I gave you the name of a few hostels that I stayed in. Any reason you didn't go with any of those, mate?
Alun:
[12:25] Mate, I searched for those hostels that you suggested and I was alarmed to find that a lot of them were considerably more expensive than any airbnbs that are available and you know i'm struggling again with something i've been noticing for a while i've maybe mentioned on the show before hostels are becoming pretty pricey and it's almost as if you're paying a premium for the experience of staying in a hostel whereas a little one bed tiny airbnb that comes with the free ability to do laundry a fridge a microwave those sorts of things they've sort of been.
Adam:
[13:00] Better priced yeah they obviously are more private and i need to say from my side i don't know anything about the runnings of a hostel so i can't say um whether there are genuine reasons why some hostels are more expensive but it's it's natural to draw that conclusion to come to the conclusion that well hang on if six to eight people are in the same room and they're all paying more than what you would pay for a night in an airbnb on your own it does beg the question why are these things be why are these things priced more highly but if we if we just try and brainstorm it now, the only logical solution i can come up with is that backpacking as an activity as an experience is becoming more and more popular and therefore there's an increase in well people traveling i suppose and staying in hostels so naturally they're just profiteering off that and raising the prices yeah.
Alun:
[13:56] It's it's alarming that they're selling the experience because i would prefer to be in a hostel i want to be around other backpackers i want to be doing things like going to the dmz and all the palaces and the museums here with other people.
Adam:
[14:08] Yeah so i.
Alun:
[14:09] Would prefer that experience and i would you know i i just draw the line at paying more for that experience especially while i've been sort of somnambulistic and getting over the jet lag so I've resigned myself to spending the first sort
Accommodation Choices
Alun:
[14:22] of five days in an Airbnb and I'll try and move to a hostel after that. Not much to report about my first sort of few days in Korea, mate. I've slept a lot. I've ate some good food. I went to a night market and have some lovely noodles. I've had some Korean barbecue. One thing, one early little observation that I think is beautiful and I love is that unlimited kimchi comes with almost every meal a probiotic fermented cabbage that is obviously so good for you i think it's amazing well you know looking around korea having come from the uk it is alarming how healthy and fit everyone looks i think that can be in no small part due to the kimchi i think it's ironic that we look at the west we look at korean people and go oh they look so beautiful and youthful and young it must be that they have excellent skincare but in actual fact they're just eating buckets full of kimchi every day and it's working well.
Adam:
[15:19] If i know you well and i do um have you done any research any digging onto the uh sort of health properties and nutritional value of kimchi itself.
Alun:
[15:29] I mean my tongue's been doing the research mate it tastes like it's fermented to high heaven and as such is very good for the gut.
Adam:
[15:36] Yeah well the the side dishes that you're talking about have you noticed that you get quite a lot of side dishes just with your main meal they sort of come free sometimes as many as 12 or 14.
Alun:
[15:47] Oh i haven't had as many as 12 or 14 but what i have had is one basically just the kimchi so far so um i need to explore more i went to this little night market had this like dumpling broth it just came she kept on observing from behind the counter she was like that guy needs more kimchi that guy needs more kimchi and with a wave of a hand more kimchi would be brought to me.
Adam:
[16:11] That's that's amazing those little side dishes that we're talking about that come free with the meal are called banchan and they're uh they're definitely one of my one of my fondest memories one of my favorite things about korean cuisine is that these things just keep coming and keep coming they're unlimited and they change the experience of eating food. They often go very well with the food you're eating and they're also sort of regional specialities as well. So if you are tight on money...
Alun:
[16:37] I think we all know that I am.
Adam:
[16:39] I don't mean necessarily you. But you can have a pretty good feed in Korea just by buying one dish and then absolutely feasting on all of these lovely banchan of which may be the most iconic is, of course, the lovely kimchi.
Alun:
[16:53] Now, I described you at the top of the episode as toroidal, and of course, everyone knew that that was the scientific term for a sort of bagel or donut shape. Do you consider the bagel to be a traditional Korean food? I have frequented a few bagel places at lunchtimes.
Adam:
[17:08] No, no, I don't consider the bagel having any sort of history or origins in Korea. How has your bagel experience been so far?
Alun:
[17:17] See, I would disagree. I think it's been co-opted by the Korean people as a sort of traditional Korean lunchtime snack.
Adam:
[17:22] Okay, fair enough. So in modern day culture... the bagel is is a popular dish what's what have you been having you've been having unlimited kimchi in the bagels i've.
Alun:
[17:31] Gone and seen our friend down at sf bagels mate he was very excited to see us and anyone who's in seoul south korea i would recommend go to sf bagels.
Adam:
[17:40] Yeah that's uh that's because that really is a full circle moment i know that's a bagel joke obviously um but uh but is it the best bagel you've ever had i hope it's at least the best bagel you've had in korea because Did you have a scone as well?
Korean Cuisine Highlights
Adam:
[17:54] Go back. I know you're going to be there for a couple of weeks. Go back and have one of the scones. My goodness.
Alun:
[17:58] Well, so excited to see the other half of Tropology having befriended the first half, i.e. you. She did give me a free scone.
Adam:
[18:05] Are you joking? I'm doing the work on this side so you don't have to. That's great, mate. You had it with jam. Where did you eat it? What was it like? Talk to us about it. Because a scone, I mean, are you going to tell us that a scone is also now a part of modern day Korean culture?
Alun:
[18:18] I think the scone is very much being co-opted by the Korean people. as a traditional lunchtime dessert. And what I do like about Seoul that I've noticed so far is there's quite a lot of green spaces intermingled into the city. So I would recommend, if you did want to enjoy an SF bagel and a scone, you should go to one of the green spaces, a little park, have a little hike and enjoy. Under the surveillance of CCTV, there's a lot of CCTV all over the city. And I enjoyed the fact that there was probably someone watching me eat that bagel.
Adam:
[18:52] You think they're they're monitored live there's people there they're just.
Alun:
[18:56] Well someone told me that if you jaywalk in the city yeah then the cameras will auto detect that you've jaywalked, use facial recognition to find out who you are and then send a ticket to your registered address that's why everyone waits at the red lights at the crosswalks i.
Adam:
[19:15] Mean i don't know if i'm in a position to say that i disagree with that but it's it's maybe a bit much from what i'm used to.
Alun:
[19:21] I've been wearing a parka kindly given to me by my friend to survive the cold weather here, so try and facial recognize that, South Korean government. I bet you can't. Oh, it's that sexy Inuit fellow again, jaywalking across the street. He doesn't have an address.
Adam:
[19:38] Dear, oh dear. And if you want to make sure, I guess, that someone does see you eating your bagel, you could always eat it whilst jaywalking.
Alun:
[19:44] Exactly.
Adam:
[19:45] You can just sort of, you know, look up, look at one of the CCTV cameras smiling as you tuck into one of those very delicious, very free SF bagels.
Alun:
[19:52] I love it, mate. So that's what I've been up to so far. And I'll be sure to share more stories with you as I traverse Korea more thoroughly.
Tripping Point Challenge
Alun:
[20:00] Now, though, I don't believe you have something for me.
Adam:
[20:02] I do. I know you've only been there a couple of days, but you're very quick to get to gain an understanding of a place. So I have, I've curated for you a little thing we like to call tripping point.
Alun:
[20:26] Now, Adam, I hope these questions are not too complex, because I can say, I can say, I can say, I can say, I can say, is it, I wouldn't know.
Adam:
[20:39] I've got no idea.
Alun:
[20:40] I think that means yes, what else can I say? I can say, that's about it. So I've got a basic understanding of the language. But apart from that, I know very little about Korean culture.
Adam:
[20:53] Yeah, no, that's totally fine. There's absolutely no questions surrounding Korean language, but they are interesting. So I'm ready to kick off. Now, as is tradition, we do have to have some stakes. So I'll pick the stakes if you pick the number that you think you can achieve. two.
Alun:
[21:12] Out of five.
Adam:
[21:13] You reckon you're gonna get two right you.
Alun:
[21:16] Know i've only had two full days where i've not been asleep so i'll say i'll get one question right for every day that i've been here.
Adam:
[21:23] It sounds like you've done more preparation for the jet lag than you have of your time and career so yeah if you do get less than two um then uh maybe it's time to to go to a few more museums um but what we'll do is if you get two or more correct then i will pay for your boat i will gift you your boat journey from the south of korea over to japan in time for your activation date uh your japanese working holiday visa amazing.
Alun:
[21:53] I am actually planning on buying a houseboat and doing that journey.
Adam:
[21:56] Myself so thank you.
Alun:
[21:58] So much kamsamira.
Adam:
[21:59] That's handy that's handy And then if you don't get to, you can pay for my flight over to Japan.
Alun:
[22:08] All right, deal.
Adam:
[22:09] That's fair. And like you, I was thinking about buying a small biplane as well. So cost-wise, that should sort of work out roughly the same.
Alun:
[22:17] Well, yeah. Mate, you couldn't drive a biplane.
Adam:
[22:21] Right, here we go. Here we go. Here we go. South Korean tripping point. Love it. Number one. K-pop bands are hugely influential, and the industry generates huge sums of money. But what unwritten rule is imposed on K-pop stars by their management companies? Is it A, no fried chicken or kimchi performances? Is it B, male stars must have either natural or platinum blonde hair? Or is it C, no datings or relationships?
Alun:
[22:49] It's C, no dating or relationship. And you know how I know that, mate? it's because i'm a big k pop fan and i always check what sort of relationships they're in prior to getting invested and i'm always pleased to see that they're not in one.
Adam:
[23:01] Okay cool uh so that's that's done and dusted you got one in the bag um did you know k-pop originally emerged in the 1950s but transformed in the 1990s into a more modern genre the industry's estimated value is 10 billion us dollars what do you think about that rule mate do you know do you know much about the rule i mean i've done some reading so that i could ask you the question but um well.
Alun:
[23:23] No i agree with it because i noticed that whenever you mention your partner on topology listening listenership drops dramatically so i agree with the rule i mean if you want to be successful you should keep yourself available.
Adam:
[23:38] Yeah god um it is that exactly that mate it is because um you know they obviously create this kind of uh idea i suppose and there are a lot of crazy fans fanatics who maybe imagine themselves one day with this certain person so I don't think it's written into contracts but it is sort of frowned upon to speak about a partner or dating I can't imagine it's policed to the point where they're actually not allowed to have a relationship but who knows not me number two, It's considered taboo to write someone's name in which colour ink? Is it A, red? Is it B, blue? Is it C, green? Or is it D, black?
Alun:
[24:20] Oh, it's either red or black. Black seems like it would be fucking a real issue.
Adam:
[24:27] Very impractical.
Alun:
[24:28] Yeah, really impractical. So for that reason, I have to say it's got to be red.
Adam:
[24:32] It is red. You're right. I love the methodology there, the workings out. Did you know that the superstition is that if a person's name is written in red, death or bad luck will come soon. Previously, when someone died, the name written on a memorial wreath or a death certificate was written in red to ward off bad spirits and prevent them from following the deceased's soul. The only time that red ink is acceptable is for doing a dojang, which is kind of a personal stamp, and that was traditionally used instead of a signature.
Alun:
[25:01] Interesting stuff. And that anxiety, that national anxiety was, of course, exacerbated by the anime Death Note, in which a man writes people's names and by doing so kills them.
Adam:
[25:12] Oh, wow. In red ink, I assume.
Alun:
[25:14] I'm not sure what colour ink he uses, but I think he can use whatever Penny likes. I think most of the magic is stored in the book itself.
Adam:
[25:20] Yeah. Very, very cool. So number three, it's already got a mention a few times on the show. The staple food kimchi is synonymous with South Korea, but roughly... I'll deliver that again. Number three, it's already got a mention a couple of times on the show. The staple food kimchi is synonymous with South Korea, but roughly what percentage of people consume it on a daily basis? Is it A, 55%? Is it B, 65%? Is it C, 80%? Or D, 90%?
Alun:
[25:51] Now, I think 90% feels right considering how much kimchi is served free of charge with every meal as discussed. But you've got to factor in that not everyone's going to like kimchi, even popular though it is. And then there are some meals... There simply must be, mate. Everyone has a different
palate. And there are some meals, like the aforementioned national Korean dish, the bagel, which don't come with kimchi. So for that reason, I've got to go with 80%. I think that feels right.
Adam:
[26:23] Okay, it is estimated at a 90%. I mean, it's absolutely mammoth. That's almost everyone, don't you know? And did you know Koreans consume an estimated, if you had to pick a number, Alun, of tonnes of kimchi annually, would you be able to say something 10 000 tons try 1.8.
Alun:
[26:42] Million that's what i meant when i said that i was to put the zero in the wrong spot i'm sorry i meant 1.8.
Adam:
[26:49] Million well you're the editor i'm sure using ai you can uh create the correct answer i.
Alun:
[26:53] Mean it's ridiculous 10 000 is ridiculous because you just said that but i was imagining 90 of all koreans eating.
Adam:
[26:59] A tiny bit each, uh moving swiftly on you're doing very well so far though i'm impressed two for three Number four, in Korea's traditional aging system, if you were born on December the 31st, how old would you be on January the 1st? Now, if you don't know about this, it is quite interesting.
Alun:
[27:23] No multiple choice, I notice.
Adam:
[27:25] Let's go with A, you would be zero, no years old. B, one year old. Or C, you'd be two.
Alun:
[27:35] Right. Okay. So let me just tell you. I basically think that it's ridiculous for the answer to be anything other than zero or one.
Adam:
[27:47] But in in.
Alun:
[27:49] Tripping point i'm always playing the player and not the game.
Adam:
[27:52] Right and.
Alun:
[27:53] I just don't think you would have included it as a question so i can only assume and imagine that you are one when you're born and turn two when it crosses over into the new year and that's why you've asked the question so i'm going to say two.
Adam:
[28:07] You are simply the smartest person i know that is exactly what happened traditional aging system in korea means that you are one when you're born and then you add a year so everyone in korea ages up on january the 1st the first not on their birthday mate.
Alun:
[28:22] I've earned every penny of that boat ride to japan haven't i.
Adam:
[28:25] Yeah yeah no that was i love the way you worked it out um i i wouldn't have got that i would have just been you know spinning my wheels going well hang on you must be zero i mean why wouldn't you be zero um but yeah in june 2023 south korea officially adopted the international age system for administrative, legal, and civil matters to reduce confusion and social costs. Yeah, no shit.
Alun:
[28:47] I'm glad they owned up to it. They're like, oh, this is causing quite a lot of administrative, legal, and social issues.
Adam:
[28:52] So, yeah, now that we've got people traveling abroad and there's soft power and they're living in other countries, it's getting quite difficult for people to say how old they are. Yeah. Right, number five. You ready? There is a little bonus question afterwards as well, but we've got number five. Here we go. The DMZ, or demilitarized zone, is the border barrier that runs between North and South Korea. But which year was it created? A. 1948, B. 1950, C. 1953, or D. 1956?
Alun:
[29:23] Okay, now I don't know anything about North Korea, the DMZ, the conflict there. I'm going to go to the DMZ during my time in Seoul, so I'll know a lot more. My intuition would be that it has to be sometime around the cessation of the Second World War, but not so close to that that they've not had time to set up a DMZ yet. So I suppose I'll go for 53.
Adam:
[29:47] Oh, you're bloody good, mate. You got it right. I mean, that boat ticket is well and truly yours.
Alun:
[29:53] What a performance.
Adam:
[29:54] I know. You've been amazing, man. 1953. So you are quite right. There was the Korean War that I think lasted from 1950 to 1953. But interesting little fact that's not that fun. Due to the Korean War ending with a ceasefire as opposed to a peace agreement, the countries are technically still at war.
Alun:
[30:11] Well, I'm sorry to hear that.
Adam:
[30:15] We've got a bonus question just to keep it nice and light. Are you ready? Are you ready for this one?
Alun:
[30:20] I've always been ready for these, especially when I'm 4-1 up.
Adam:
[30:23] Yeah, little bonus here. The busiest domestic flight route in the world is between Seoul's Gimpo International Airport and Jeju Island's Jeju International Airport. But how many flights are there per day?
Alun:
[30:36] Gimpo?
Adam:
[30:37] Apparently so. Apparently so.
Alun:
[30:39] Uh... 50 50.
Adam:
[30:42] Flights per day as the the busiest the busiest route.
Alun:
[30:45] Yeah in.
Adam:
[30:46] The busiest air flight.
Alun:
[30:47] Flights on the same route more.
Adam:
[30:49] Yeah same route the most flights in the world the busiest.
Alun:
[30:52] Well obviously it's more than that well i don't know what do they send a plane up every two minutes how how many minutes are there in a day you're.
Adam:
[31:01] Not far wrong mate there are more than 130 flights on that route per day which is.
Alun:
[31:06] Equal to about one.
Adam:
[31:07] Every six or seven minutes 14 million seats per year all of which shouldn't recline.
Alun:
[31:14] I just that was a stunt lap for me i wasn't invested in the bonus question having already bossed the rest of the quiz right.
Adam:
[31:20] You are mate i look forward to that you can just send me the invoice just send me that little link to the boat you want to book when the time comes and i'll
Tech Issues and Airbnb Complaints
Adam:
[31:25] just uh settle that for you with no problem at all.
Alun:
[31:28] Very expensive it's going to be a luxury boat ride to japan can't wait that's all we have time for today but we will go straight to the patreon section the lost and found if you've not ever heard the patreon before please consider supporting us over on patreon it's where the real cool community lives over there lost and found there's a link in the description of this episode wherever you get it if you're on youtube watching the video you can click the description if you're on spotify or something similar just click like show more you can see the link click on it pay a bit of money patreon lost and found bonus content it's ever so exciting but next week we'll hear more about your adventures in new zealand and more this is very much classic typology for me where we're sort of two pins and different corners of a map both traveling both moving around classic typology you gotta love it we'll see you all next week.
Adam:
[32:18] Thanks ever so much guys cheers for tuning in we'll see you then bye bye.
