Seoul undergoes a metamorphosis at night. The atmosphere changes, and the city lights up under the lights of the store signs.
Street food is at the heart of this merry-go-round, with restaurants and bars filling up. The party begins to take hold. Karaoke on the left, food stores on the right, restaurants and bars, we don't know which way to turn! We stay with our wide-open eyes to watch the city move at 100 miles an hour.
Seoul is always busy, day and night, 7 days a week. Convenient stores are open 24 hours a day. If you're hungry at 4am, you can buy instant noodles or gimbap (large sushi) for €1 or €2. The must-have Korean drink is soju, also sold in these stores for 1900won, equivalent to €1.30.
South Korea and alcohol
If I tell you that South Korea is one of the world's top hard-drinkers, you say...? That I'm absolutely right. Yes, Korea has overtaken Russia in terms of spirits consumption (hard liquor, not alcohol in general)! There's a reason for this: in Korea, people don't just drink to get drunk. Alcohol has taken on a very important social dimension in the country.
So it's quite common to go for a drink after work with your boss, and it's strictly forbidden to refuse a drink from an older person.
Il y a fort longtemps, les coréens consommaient de l’alcool durant les fêtes comme le nouvel an (Seollal) ou encore la fête des moissons (Chuseok). Vers les années 1300, la consommation d’alcool a été davantage codifiée. Une vraie culture de l’alcool a émergé, au point d’ouvrir des écoles pour apprendre à boire convenablement, tel un gentleman. Ces cours étaient appelés Hyanguemjurye.
You have to be careful not to consume too much. Koreans have a passion for soju and going out. They're often seen at midnight on the street, staggering home.
But Koreans have invented a way to drink and go to work the next day: a hangover shot. Sold in convenience stores, these shots are supposed to suppress the effects of hangovers. There are also pills sold in pharmacies and a special soup.
So don't worry, the Koreans have got you covered!