The Travel Peoples

(This article first appeared on Korea.Net .) Admiring South Korean culture as "soft power" Annyeonghaseyo! Hello! January 13 is National Korean-American Day! The day celebrates and honors Americans of full or partial Korean descent. It marks the arrival of Korea’s first immigrants to the United States on the same day in 1903 in Honolulu, Hawaii. An American former expatriate with a lustrous career in her field graces this piece. Rebecca, as she prefers to be called, reflects on her exciting life in South Korea years back. Now retired and settled back in the U.S., she relives those days and marvels at the current booming Korean culture in her country. Angelica: How did you end up in South Korea? Rebecca: Thanks to my background in international affairs and foreign languages, I was selected to work for an international organization in South Korea in the mid-1990s. That was a quarter-century ago! I miss South Korea and would love to travel there again soon. So, I’m trying to ...

  ( Photos and write-up by US-based author/flight attendant Lia Ocampo from her blogsite  http://adiaryofworldtravels.blogspot.com/ .  She regularly contributes to The Travel Peoples. ) If you are seeking fascinating, diverse experiences varying from colorful cultural attractions to delectable dining, Koreans say they have all of these and so much more. Korea is home to countless TV dramas and pop music. It has gained international exposure and popularity.  We call them K-pop and K-drama.  Among the many things to do in Seoul is a visit to the War Memorial. Surprisingly, I saw the Philippine flag alongside their flags at the Memorial.   War Memorial in Seoul I experienced to be Korean.  A hanbok is a traditional Korean dress for semi-formal or formal attire during traditional occasions.  It is characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Did I justify the Hanbok? I hope I did.   Koreans are fashionable. Even the...