My Seoul: – The city that never gets boring
This article was first published in Capital Travel.
Although Kim-André Nordby has not turned 40 yet, he has
already a long line of impressive management positions in the world’s largest food company Nestlé on the CV, which has brought him around the world.
It all started with a part-time sales job next to law school at the University of Oslo in the early 2000s, before Nordby quickly started to rise in rank. After his studies, it was not long before he was given Nordic leadership responsibilities and moved to Copenhagen. In 2013, the journey continued to the executive chair in South Korea.
It was a cultural shock, because the place is not designed for western tourists, according to the Norwegian. Still, one must not be intimidated by the first impression, Nordby believes.
– You can not read, you can not make yourself understood, facial expressions and gestures no longer mean the same thing. This makes Seoul a little more difficult than most other places at first glance, but it also makes it extra exciting and exotic. And when you get a little warm in the shirt, I have the benefit of seeing someone who does not thrive very well, he says.
Seoul is the city that never gets boring, Nordby believes. And even though North Korea is barely 30 kilometers away, the place is very safe.
– Seoul is buzzing with life 24/7. Once you get under the skin of this city, it has so much to offer, including a wonderful culture and wonderful people. It’s virtually free of crime, and you’re always safe. Take the chance and be curious. Most things are probably new and different, but that does not mean it is dangerous.
After living in South Korea for three years, the journey continued to Nestlé’s home country in Switzerland in 2016, where Nordby was responsible for the billion group’s goods in Asia, Oceania and Africa for four years. Today he holds the apt title “Global Head of Commercial Strategies and Business Development” for Nestlé Coffee Brands.
With usually 200 traveled a year, Nordby continues to visit South Korea often, and the place will always have a special place in his heart.
– It is a place and a city that is closer to my heart in most other places, and it is Seoul and South Korea, says Nordby, who recommends everyone to take the trip to the exotic country (when the surroundings allow it).
Sleep in Seoul
If you want to live and touch, I would recommend staying at one of the boutique hotels in Iteawon, a district of Seoul which is known for its party life and attracts many tourists.
If you want a top hotel, you should stay at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. It is centrally located and has, among other things, a spa, swimming pool and fitness center.
In the area around “Sinsa-dong” in Gangnam, you get a slightly more luxury bohemian feeling. Gangnam is a district known for attracting many people, and here are several luxury hotels to choose from for those who want it.
Eating in Seoul
Kimchi is Korea’s national dish and perhaps one of the most well-known ingredients in South Korean food. But Korean cuisine, which is known for being healthy and nutritious, has more to offer yet fermented vegetables.
Kkot, Bape Pida is a Michelin Guide restaurant that should be experienced. The restaurant’s signature dish is bibimbap, which means “mixed rice”, and is Korea’s answer to pudding or fried rice.
The Test Kitchen restaurant in Gangnam is an exclusive little eatery with, among other things, pasta, risottos and steak.
Otherwise, Harmonium in Itaewon can be recommended if you need a little gastronomic trip back to Europe. The Italian restaurant offers a luxurious atmosphere and has its own terrace and garden.
When it comes down to it, I would first and foremost recommend drinking at My Sky, PP Seoul – a rooftop bar with great views.
But there are also many cozy places in the areas of Hongdae, Iteawon and Apgujeong.
Shopping in Seoul
Namdaemun Market is the oldest market that still exists in South Korea, and is a sought after tourist attraction. The market is also the largest in Seoul, where most are located outdoors, but several stores have their own premises in the building on site.
Myong dong is also a large marked in the middle of the city, but there are better alternatives. Sinsa-dong offers a variety of shops with something for everyone. The Seongbuk-dong area, located in the northern part of the capital, overlooks the city.
Another exotic recommendation is the underground Express Bus Terminal Market, which is an underground shopping mall with over 600 stores.
Another popular place that should be experienced is the lively fish market Noryangjin – the largest of its kind in the capital. The market is the pure seafood paradise, and on all food lovers’ “to-do-list” when visiting the city.
Experience in Seoul
If you travel in the spring, you should bring the flowering
on Yoeido or in NamSan. Flowering is called beojkkoch in Korean. Not all South Koreans are necessarily so good at English, so anyone traveling to Seoul should download “itranslate” or similar if you get caught up in Korean words and expressions. Most people are familiar with this phenomenon which allows you to speak Norwegian to the phone, which then translates what you say into Korean.
In the summer, I always go to Hongdae or Seongbukdong and buy a cold drip ice coffee in one of the many small, stand-alone coffee bars. Both the passionate (baristas in Seoul) and cold black coffee (dutch drip) are iconic and an experience. Iced coffee is perfect in a boiling summer Seoul which often gets up to 30 degrees.
If you visit the city in the autumn, I would recommend the autumn exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition is always wonderfully composed and really worth a visit, the surrounding area as well.
In the winter, order a large dinner bun to share with Galbi jim, Korean short ribs, at one of the countless small restaurants in Seodamun-gu, and ask the staff to tell the Korean story behind the dish shabu shabu.
Besides that, one should take a trip to The War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan which is always current, terribly interesting and a little scary. But it says first and foremost most about the small peninsula, which among its neighbors China, Russia and Japan has been fighting almost in full for its independence for almost 4,000 years.
Gwanghwamun Temple should also be experienced if one visits the city. It is a magnificent temple in traditional style, right in the middle of all the skyscrapers in the center. It is full of contrasts and is an important part of the history of Seoul and Korea.