"Reasons Never to Visit Seoul Again" ... Controversy Over Claims by Taiwanese Female College Student

Criticism of Environmental, Sanitation, and Walking Conditions
Debate Among Domestic Netizens

A Taiwanese female university student who visited Seoul sparked controversy by posting a lengthy article titled "10 Reasons Why I Will Never Go to Seoul Again." The debate has arisen not only among domestic communities but also among netizens overseas in places like Hong Kong and Japan.

Identifying herself as a Taiwanese university student, Ms. A posted the article on a local online community on the 11th. The article has been translated into Korean and is currently known within domestic online communities as well.

Ms. A cited "air pollution" as the first reason she would never return to Seoul. She criticized, "I know it's not Korea's fault, but the scenery is all hazy," adding, "Even the water in the Han River doesn't look clean."

Seoul cityscape. [Image source=Seoul City Instagram]

She also pointed out, "Cars drive on the sidewalks in Korea, and illegal parking is widespread," and criticized, "If you enter the Seoul subway incorrectly, you have to exit and buy another ticket to get back in, which is inconvenient."

Regarding road conditions, she remarked, "There are too many potholes on the sidewalks." She also said, "The streets are dirty, filled with cigarette butts and vomit," and added, "The terrain itself has many hills, with repeated ups and downs, making walking in the rain the worst."

Ms. A recalled discomfort caused by the difference in electrical outlet voltage compared to Taiwan, though she admitted this was her own fault for not researching beforehand. About the domestic high-speed train KTX, she evaluated, "Getting tickets is harder than expected," and said, "It lacked the comfort and enjoyment I experienced when riding Taiwan's high-speed trains."

She criticized, "Bumping into passing people is a daily occurrence," and added, "To take the bus, you have to squeeze through the crowd yourself. The same goes for getting on or off elevators."

Seoul subway platform scene

Finally, she concluded, "Korean food can be sufficiently enjoyed in Taiwan or Japan, so there is probably no need to go to Korea for the food," and said, "The reason I went to Korea was for 'Ganjang Gejang' (soy sauce marinated crab), but I don't know if it's worth enduring the nine inconveniences above just for this one dish."

The article reportedly became a hot topic not only in Taiwan but also in other Asian communities such as Japan and Hong Kong.

Opinions among domestic netizens were divided. Some agreed, commenting, "That's true. Korean people's etiquette isn't great," and "Walking is uncomfortable, and driving is indeed aggressive."

On the other hand, some rebutted, saying, "It feels uncomfortable to generalize based on personal experience," and "Taiwan's streets don't look clean at all either."

One netizen emphasized, "Every foreign country has scenes that seem unpleasant from one's own perspective due to cultural differences," and added, "Recognizing and embracing those differences is also important."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.