Hiexpat Korea

Once again it is the season of rain and wind, the Jangma season. Every year during late June through July, the most annoying Jangma season (known as rainy season or monsoon season by Koreans) will be visiting South Korea with lots of rain and wind, where it may cause some places to flood due to heavy rainfall. Furthermore it’s summer so, expect the weather would be really humid and your body might felt sticky as well.

During the season, it is advised to bring at least 2 to 3 umbrellas whenever you go out. Troublesome? Yes, but is better than you left your umbrella in the subway or bus or taxi and had to either wait for the rain to stop or spend unnecessary money on umbrella(s).

Sky may looks clear in a minute and started raining heavily in the next. Maybe once a while you may be caught by surprise by the crazy strong winds, which will basically ruin your umbrella, let go of it if it’s pulling you, you don’t want it to pull you off the roads and risk your life for a mere umbrella right?

In Seoul, walking is an everyday life and walking on puddled streets itself is already a nuisance. Not to mention carrying an umbrella walking through the pack of humans is even more challenging. Most Koreans doesn’t care much about people’s feelings. In my experiences, when you are in an awfully pack place, or sometime it isn’t that pack, they will anyhow push from behind and leave without saying a word, not even a sorry… Let it be at a subway, a stairs. Sometimes it keeps me wondering if it’s that hard to say the word “excuse me”?

Wet streets, wet shoes, wet clothing upon reaching your destination will indeed frustrates you. Raincoat is NOT a fashion for Korean adults, if you don’t want to be glanced at weirdly, don’t wear a raincoat. For shoes, rain boots will be good to go. As Korean fashion industry has been developing rapidly in the past couple of years, designs of rain boots nowadays looks really fashionable unlike the old black farmer boots of those days, so it is OK to wear it. Even idols like girl group KARA wears them to perform on stage too.

It might seems to be a bad time to visit Korea during this month because it could interfere your visit to some of the outdoor places, but don’t worry as there are also indoor places that you could go.

 

1. Lotte World

Lotte World is Korea’s biggest indoor theme park, located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu that can be accessed from Jamsil station, Line 2 and 8 of the subway. This theme park is open all year round including the public holidays! Various kinds of excitement fun ride, it’s suitable for both adults and kids! Kiddy’s love merry-go-round, thrilling roller coaster which rotates 360 degrees and even up to 540 degrees in some parts, there’s even a kids playground inside too! So, just pluck Lotte World into your list if it starts raining outside!

2. COEX Mall

Another place that you could add into your itinerary is COEX Mall, which is located in Gangnam-gu, known to be the largest underground shopping mall in Asia, accommodating more than 200 shops in it. Bring your kids and family or even just yourself to enjoy the view of underwater sea creatures, visiting the museum to learn about Kimchi or you could also enjoy the movies in its largest cinema. To get there, take Line 2 subway, Samseong station exit 5 and 6.

Be well prepared during the Jangma season if you don’t want to get all wet from top to bottom and let’s hope the rain and wind could go by quickly.

Living

Tags: Jangma season