Safety Tips

Having been almost kidnapped once in Thailand, I take safety very seriously. While Korea may be one of the safest countries in the world, there are some precautions that should be taken.

Some drunken Korean men are not the most courteous and can even sometimes be dangerous. For example, one night I was at a restaurant with some friends. At this particular restaurant, the restroom was not inside, but rather one had to go outside of the restaurant to use it. I made the bad decision of going to the restroom by myself. On my way there, a drunk Korean man grabbed me and tried to attack me. At the top of my lungs I shouted “하지마!”, “HAJIMA!” or “STOP!”. My shouting caught the attention of one of my male friends who came out to stop the man. So girls, never go anywhere by yourself, even if it’s just going to the bathroom. This is the same for going home.

If you are a girl and insist on going home by yourself at night (particularly if you are intoxicated), only take the subway, which is one of the safest ways to get home. Last train is at about 12:30 a.m. Monday-Thursday and 11:30 p.m.-12:00 a.m. Friday-Sunday. If you are a girl, try not to take a taxi alone at night, especially if you are intoxicated. A Taxi cab driver assaulting a woman is not a common event, but it does happen with reports coming out about it 2-3 times a year. At night, always take a cab in a group, even if alcohol has not been involved in the evening.

Korea is now becoming more of an international country, with many foreigners now living there. Most Koreans are very accepting or excited for foreign residents, but there are Korean nationalists. Typically, a nationalist is someone who is older, but it is not unheard of for a young person to think that Korea should only be for Koreans. When confronted by one of these purists, keep your calm, and simply walk away from the situation. Don’t let it lead to a confrontation. Most importantly, if they start hitting you, don’t hit back. When and if the incident is reported to the police, the foreigner runs the risk of being deported because they fought with a Korean. Keep your calm if the person insults you by calling you a “F---ing foreigner” or “round eye”; these events happen, just take them in stride.

It is important to use common sense. When a situation feels wrong, get out of it, your instinct is usually right. Don’t take drinks from strangers, don’t go to 노래방, ‘Noraebang’ (Karaoke) with men you don’t know, and never go alone anywhere, especially if you are a woman.

Korea is one of the safest countries in the world, so something bad happening is low, but always be prepared. Never take your safety for granted.