Korean is the only official language in the country. Seoul, however, is the capital of South Korea, and many foreigners come here to study, work or travel. Because of that, I hear people speaking so many different languages, including English, Spanish, French and German. That is especially true at my host institution, Yonsei University, where the international community includes over 600 students.
In South Korea, the currency is the South Korean won (₩). Today, $1.00 USD is worth about ₩1,370. Most places, such as restaurants and convenience stores, accept credit cards. Still, I always carry some cash with me because I need it to top up my transportation card, buy street food or pay certain university fees.
The price may vary, but a single water bottle costs about ₩1000 or $0.75 at the convenience store. Some places have deals where if I buy two bottles, I can get one for free. It's the famous “2+1”.
스테이크 솥밥 (steikeu sotbap) is a Korean dish served in a traditional hot stone pot called a 돌솥 (dolsot). It comes with rice topped with green onions and sesame seeds, a raw egg yolk, pieces of steak and seaweed. Korean meals are also commonly accompanied by multiple 반찬 (banchan), or side dishes.
