Basing it from my experience, Koreans treat tourists/foreigners well. I experienced asking people around for assistance whether on directions or other things and they seem very hospitable . When I go to shops, it's quite fun because they seem to provide much hospitality, and well, if I may call it special privilege to people like me. You can really feel that they do extra effort to provide you with what you need whether or not they understand english. Oh, I noticed most people here still don't know how to speak english. Most who know are the younger ones and they are not that fluent still. i also experienced getting compliments almost every time. They easily appreciate many things. And like here in the Philippines, people at the restaurants and stores always greet the customers warmly with a good day (in Korean).
I went to the mall last weekend on my own and since the subways here are quite confusing for first-timers (coz I needed to ride the train and transfer to another lane number and there are like around 6 transfer trains I think), a Korean woman offered to help me since she was going to the same area as me. I was going to Dongdaemun Stadium, a former place for the World Cup and it's a very famous area for shopping. Imagine she really exerted much effort in finding the cinema amidst the many stores and she accompanied me until the elevator while she has a meeting some hundred meters away I think. That's very nice of her really. Dongdaemun is such a shopping zone: like one whole Megamall for shopping clothes, another one whole Megamall for shopping shoes, a department store and shopping center (Cerestar and Freya) that's more than 10-storey high, a 24-hour cinema (Freya theaters) with 10 available theaters catering to Korean, sometimes Japanese, and Hollywood films. Aside from those, there are countless vendors along the sidewalks (think Quiapo but cleaner). And it doesn't really go chaotic and traffic due to them so if ever BF would be here, I think he wouldn't really have to remove the vendors then.
It's fun here you can also bargain even at the department store. And at most times, there are freebies when you buy things. Well well well, Pinoys love freebies! I received freebies like socks, vitamins, samplers of beauty products, small swarovsky stuff, among others.
It was so fun that I went to a store reminiscent of tiangge inside malls (the series of small stores - think greenhills) and I saw these wonderful accessories that I had my eyes bigger than usual and my mouth as round as my eyes in awe... I had around 20k won then and I knew that I just had to choose one among them which I could afford. So as usual I started choosing through the process of elimination. I also asked if I could use card to buy, but unfortunately (though most stores around already accept cards), they only accept cash. And actually, it became a blessing in disguise!! I told them I only have 20k won which I showed to the lady vendor. I had 3 handmade peruvian necklaces on my hand and I plan to choose one among them as they were priced: 8k, 15k, and 15k. Then the lady got my 20k and the 3 necklaces and placed them in a plastic. Then, she gave them to me... OMG!!! I saved 18k won!!! What a real winner... weeeeee!!! Ang saya!!! I'm so grateful to them!
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