I Visited the ‘Most Boring City in Korea’
And I Was Pleasantly Surprised 4 Times in a Row
Last week, I traveled to Daejeon, South Korea, also known as ‘the most boring city in Korea’ by locals (although I only heard this description once I arrived there!).
This not-so-flattering label is apparently due to its lack of cultural events, entertainment, and historical landmarks— a contrast to the vibrant and bustling Seoul, just an hour away by high-speed train!
However, despite my low expectations (I ended up here due to a short work commitment my partner had), I found myself pleasantly surprised time and again throughout the entire trip!
Let me share the four things that impressed me the most:
1. The Calm
Despite having limited time off from my job and mostly working during the trip, I couldn’t help but being pretty happy with the peace I soon experience during a walk in a nearby park close to my hotel.
After all, Daejeon is a city of 1.5 million inhabitants, with skyscrapers, futuristic landscapes (like the one below!), and all the traffic related to a population of this size.
Yet, I couldn’t resist strolling through its streets without feeling overwhelmed by the chaos.
Despite the constant background noise of cars, there were no blaring honks or ambulance sirens to be heard — surprisingly, the city managed to be remarkably quiet.
2. The Food
At night, my partner and I decided to have dinner a restaurant close to our accommodation.
I had no prior expectations, had not searched anything on Google Maps, and had only a one-hour lunch break available.
Reality check: If you work full-time for a remote company, your routine is likely very similar to the one you’d have if you worked at the office. If you’re curious about what I mean, you can read about it in the article below.
Well, at the humble restaurant just a few steps away from our accommodation, we ended-up experiencing the best Korean barbecue we ever had in our life (or perhaps, the second-best!).
Believe me if I say that in the three months total we spent in Korea, we tried a LOT of barbecue!😄
The Korean barbecue we found entailed a lot of extra small dishes, against the 3 or 4 which you’d normally be served, with way more vegetable offerings than usual.
The price? Just above 11€ per person!
I know, just shocking.
3. The Foot Spa
Undeniably, this is my favorite discovery and the most surprising one of all!
While wandering around Daejeon, I stumbled upon an open-air foot spa that is completely free!
Apparently, the spring water in Yeusong Hot Spring originate from between 215 and 450 meters deep, and it contains a high mineral concentration, known for softening the skin.
How amazing would be to socialize with friends in such a setting, without the need for the typical “let’s grab a beer” routine? As a Virgo with a strong passion for self-care, I absolutely adored the idea.
The ambiance around the foot spa was relaxed, but I couldn’t help but notice that the majority of visitors seemed to be on the more advanced age spectrum, which, I must admit, made me feel slightly intimidated and didn’t end-up trying the spa myself.
However, I visited during the daytime when younger folks are usually at work, so it’s quite likely that the atmosphere would be different and more diverse in the evenings!
4. The Bingsu
During our short stay in Korea, the locals were astonished when I confessed that I had never tried the popular dessert called “Bingsu” — apparently, it’s all the rage in Korea at the moment.
Disclaimer: I wasn’t surprised that a sugar-packed treat was trendy, given how Korea is sugarizing itself. I talk more about it here:
Nevertheless, I was excited to try this sweet treat and was determined to remedy my lack of knowledge about Bingsu. So, we headed to a popular spot just a few steps away from our accommodation to give it a try.
But, what exactly is Bingsu? It’s a milk-based shaved ice dessert with a variety of sweet toppings, such as cocoa, chopped fruit, condensed milk, and red beans.
I must admit, it was delicious and surprisingly lighter than gelato, thanks to its ice-based nature.
Now, did I like it more than gelato? C’mon, I’m still Italian, after all!
Conclusions
In conclusion, my visit to Daejeon, Korea, was nothing but a pleasantly surprising experience.
From the peaceful walks to the unexpected discovery of an open-air foot spa, from the delightful Korean barbecue, with its abundant small dishes and vegetable options, to my initiation to the trendy dessert “Bingsu”, I had a lot of fun in my 2-day trip!
This adventure also reminded me that exploring a place with an open mind and without preconceptions can lead to some of the best and most fun moments.
Until the next one!
➡️Are you interested in enhancing your time and location freedom, and orienting your lifestyle towards remote work and traveling? Then join my newsletter. Two emails per month, no fluff.
%22%3E){kind=link}