At two opposite ends of the Eurasian lands, Seoul—one of the cities hosting this year’s World Cup—and Paris—the only city in which we don’t mind looking like a tourist—prove to be two enduring destinations this summer

by Jack Yan
Photographed by the author

RAVEL EXPERTS had predicted that 2002 would be the quiet year for travel, but don't you believe it. Although most companies scaled down their expected customer numbers in the first quarter, the travel experts we've spoken to have been caught off-guard now that people have decided it's OK to cross oceans once again.
    The advice this summer is to get in quick. The high season has grown to encompass more weeks, so more expensive airfares are in the offing. But where to go?

Soul to Seoul
One of the host cities for the soccer World Cup in 2002, Korea offers cultural surprises to the visitor. A cosmopolitan city of 40 million people, the third largest metropolis in the world, Seoul has a unique blend of Confucian and post-Korean War blandness, at least at first glance. But deeper investigation reveals far more.
    Many Asian cities seem to suffer from an odd mixture of Americanism and local tradition. Near the city hall in Seoul one can find any number of Baskin–Robbins, Burger King and KFC outlets. Even exiting various stops on the subway—one of the most efficient Lucire has experienced, with air-conditioned stops and trains—there are plenty of take-out joints that will be familiar to the visitor.
    But travel to Insadong, the shopping district, and there is an ironic mixture. Insadong is arguably one of the very few places one will see non-Korean faces (remember, the locals make up 99½ per cent of the population here, until you get to the border and meet some of the 40,000 GIs stationed in South Korea) yet there are more shops here that are quintessentially Korean, away from those located inside city high-rises.
    The high-rises have an Asian architectural flavour—a mixture of postmodern and ancient in some cases—but there just seems to be that much more authenticity visiting stores like Pagoda in Insadong. There are art centres and a delightful former school classroom-turned-café decorated with prewar school desks and a blackboard.