Korean Then and Now
Korea today is well known as one of the most influential, strongest, and loved country even across the whole globe. Today, we got to see both the humble beginnings of this country as the fruit of its flourishing and development right now in Seoul, the capital.
Time traveling back to 1935, we arrived at one of the main royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Across the huge acre of land, traditional buildings with gray tiled roofs were placed evenly all over, the main ones being the court rooms. Gazing at the beautiful scenery of the Palace, we enjoyed seeing the other tourists wearing their beautiful Hanboks, which are the traditional Korean attires.
Isn’t it breathtaking? Knowing that the country has been flourishing based on this kind of foundation, we took a short bus ride to one of the most populated parts of Seoul, Myeongdong, to really see where the country is at today.
We had the opportunity to split up into smaller groups so that we can go around the streets and let me tell you, these streets were PACKED with both people and also stores of different kinds. Food, clothes, Korean gifts, jewelry, merch, name it all and you probably would’ve found it here! Walking around, you can hear languages from all over the world and you can definitely tell Korea has caught the heart of many.
Some of the sisters and I were wandering around to see what would be something memorable for us after the Korea trip and we somehow found ourself enjoying a cup of coffee inside of a cat cafe! You get to enjoy your drink while also spending time with cats! Definitely would recommend it if you get to visit any animal cafe one day!
It’s almost unimaginable to think that even less than a century ago, this country that we’re in was in an impoverished state with definitely not as much of a powerful economy or resources. So now, seeing the busy streets with the sky towering buildings as well as the most up to date technology even compared to the rest of the world. Being one of the most loved and well respected country across the globe thanks to its growing influence from its culture and economy, it really shows how much God must love Korea as well!
Tomorrow we’ll be heading out on a 3 day pilgrimage to different parts of Korea so stay tuned to where we go and the experiences that’ll come with it!
Rie Horii
Korea Blogger, Generation Peace Academy
