Scavenger Hunt around Seoul

On the first day in-country, students had a very important activity to get them accustomed to getting around the city of Seoul— a scavenger hunt!

Students were split into groups and paired with a program leader for their scavenger hunt teams. The groups were assigned the same 3 locations in a different order: Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Cheonggyecheon stream, and Sungnyemun gate. This is a student-directed activity, so while they were accompanied by Program Leaders, students figured out all of the public transportation and directions themselves!

1. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

The DDP is a famous landmark in Seoul, designed by the architect Zaha Hadid. It is a blend of traditional and modern, with restored sections of the Seoul fortress contained within futuristic retail and exhibition spaces. Amongst the art exhibitions, retail stores, and public art installations there is also a store selling K-Pop goods from the SM Entertainment company. This was the first stop for our students! Finding the store was a bit difficult so students even took initiative and asked the information booth about how to find the store in the maze of hallways and buildings. After purchasing some albums and looking at pictures of their favorite artists, students toured around the "D-Forest" Library, a library designed to look like a calm forest oasis, and then found a free light and sound exhibition. Then, it was on to their next stop!

2. Cheonggyecheon stream

The day of the scavenger hunt. was extremely hot and even though students were tired and jet-lagged, they still did their best to find the Cheonggyecheon stream. Cheonggyecheon stream is an 11km long urban renewal project that runs through some of the most popular neighborhoods in Seoul. While we didn't have time to walk the whole stream, we took a walk and found a spot in the shade to relax for a few minutes. At the stream, students were instructed to take creative pictures. In one group, the students posed on rocks positioned in the middle of the river! I was a little scared to cross, but the students were brave and even made different heart poses while standing on the rocks. 

3. Sungnyemun gate

Finally, students stopped at the Sungnyemun gate for their last stop. Sungnyemun gate, located in the neighborhood of Namdaemun, is a beautiful structure where students can experience Korean history and culture. While the gate was closed, we were still able to take pictures outside. We took a brief walk through the Namdaemun market, stopped for ice cream, and then successfully completed our scavenger hunt!

Finally, while this wasn't a stop on the scavenger hunt, we went to dinner. Students ate Dalkgalbi, a spicy chicken dish that is stir-fried in the middle of the table. Students were hungry and enjoyed the dish. They even had room for fried rice after finishing the chicken!