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The best thing to do in South Korea

by Posted in Adventure, Climbing gym, Habits, Korean, Lifestyle, Rock Climbing, Training, Uncategorized Tagged , ,
iGuideKorea rock climbing summit Insubong

Traveling and living in another country is an enriching experience, offering a new perspective on life and a chance to explore different lands and cultures. Many expats come to South Korea for its vibrant cities, famous K-Pop, delicious food, and beautiful landscapes. While not as popular as New Jeans or Korean BBQ, rock climbing is one unique activity that makes South Korea an exciting travel destination. In this article, we will explore the reasons why rock climbing is one of the best things to do in South Korea. From the health benefits to the unique travel experiences and social interaction, rock climbing is an ideal activity for expats and visitors traveling in the ROK (Republic of Korea). 

Unique Travel Experiences

One of the reasons why rock climbing in South Korea is so appealing is the unique travel experiences it offers. Just like Hawaii seems to have been made for surfing with its world-class beaches and surf breaks, South Korea was made for rock climbing. 70% of the country is composed of mountains and rock. From the granite peaks in northern Seoul to the sea cliffs in Jeju, there is so much rock to climb, and so much variety offering new climbers so much to do. 

Traveling to the hundreds of rock climbing destinations in South Korea will keep even the most seasoned expat busy for years. These destinations are often geologic marvels and hidden in beautiful and less traveled areas giving intrepid travelers a unique Korean experience. An added benefit to rock climbing is that many of these destinations are very accessible. Bukhan-san, often known as the Yosemite of South Korea, is accessible by the Seoul subway. A quick search using the public transportation mode on Naver Maps will show which buses pass by the trailhead for some of the climbing crags. 

iGuideKorea Seoraksan rock climbing summit.

One of the must-visit destinations for rock climbing enthusiasts is Seoraksan National Park. With its granite peaks and stunning valleys, Seoraksan offers a challenging yet rewarding climbing experience. Climbing to the summit of these mountains rewards climbers with a unique view of the East Sea and Taebaek mountain range. The park is also home to the famous Ulsanbawi, an impressive granite formation and tourist destination. Climbing to the top of this rock tower is a dream for any adventurer. 

Physical Benefits

Rock climbing is not only a thrilling adventure but also a great way to improve your physical and mental well-being. In South Korea, you’ll find a wide range of rock climbing spots that cater to all levels of experience, from beginners to advanced climbers. Whether you choose to climb the sporty cliffs of Halmae-bawi or the full-day excursions of Seoraksan, you’ll be amazed by the stunning views and the challenge that awaits you.

One of the major health benefits of rock climbing is its ability to build strength and endurance. Not only does rock climbing require the use of multiple muscle groups, including your arms, legs, and core, but the hike to the mountains and cliffs will increase your overall strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.

Mental Benefits

Apart from the physical benefits, rock climbing also provides mental and emotional well-being. Scaling a cliff requires focus, concentration, and problem-solving skills. As you face the challenges of each route, you learn to overcome your fears and self-doubt, and build self-confidence. The sense of accomplishment you feel when reaching the top of a difficult climb is unparalleled. 

For working expats, tired of the daily grind, exhausted by congested commutes, frustrated by colleagues, students, or superiors, the release of endorphins from exercising, and the release of adrenaline from overcoming a scary challenge helps to increase your positivity and productivity. Additionally, looking forward to an amazing climbing weekend can help you get through a tough week at the office.  

iGuideKorea rock climbing summit Insubong

Building Relationships

Rock climbing is not just a solo sport; it’s also a great way to meet new people and forge lasting friendships. Since South Korea has become an international hub, you will meet climbers from all walks of life and many different countries. Whether you join a local climbing gym or participate in a guided tour, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with fellow climbers and share experiences. 

In addition to the social aspect, rock climbing in South Korea also offers a chance to immerse yourself in the local culture. As you climb the mountains and explore the crags, you’ll encounter friendly locals who are often eager to share their knowledge and stories. The camaraderie and cultural exchange that come with rock climbing in South Korea make it a truly unique and rewarding experience.

See you at the top!

If you’re wondering about fun things to do in South Korea, and you’re looking for something more than temples and bars, try rock climbing. Rock climbing in South Korea is an adventure that combines physical fitness, mental fortitude, unique travel experiences, and social interactions unmatched by any other activity. From the health benefits of improving strength and endurance to the breathtaking views and adrenaline rush, South Korea offers a diverse range of rock climbing experiences. So, why wait? Contact iGuideKorea for more information, rock climbing courses, and tours. Embark on this thrilling journey and discover the beauty of rock climbing in South Korea firsthand. The country was made for it. 

Contact Eddy Park at iGuideKorea for more information on the best things to do in South Korea. He can be reached at igk@iguidekorea.com or +82-20-2080-9443.

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How do you say…?

by Posted in Adventure, Habits, Hiking, Ice Climbing, Korean, Lifestyle, Rock Climbing

You’ve probably heard it before: “You should learn Korean.” And while the words can sting, you probably know it’s true that you should. You know that there is more independence, and so many more benefits to learning the native language. You know that you’ll get to experience more facets of Korean life, and you’ll feel more at home and less like a stranger. As a climber, specifically, you’ll get more access to climbing information, hear about area closures, read about gear sales, and meet way more climbing partners.

From knowing how to buy gear online to understanding government text-message warnings, knowing the language is way better than not. But, It’s incredible how hard learning a language is for most adults. According to a landmark study by Joshua K.Hartshorne et al. with an “unprecedented” sample size of 669,498 participants, the researchers found that “ultimate attainment” of a language is achieved when it is learned before 10 to 12years of age. They also observed that the ability to learn grammar begins to drop around the age of 17. Furthermore, another study from the Journal of Neuroscience used MRI scans and discovered that some adults’ brains are not “intrinsically” wired for language learning. This study gives weight to the belief that some people are “naturally” better language learners. While research in the study of language-learning seems to portray a discouraging scenario for adults, a look into general cognitive abilities provides more encouragement.  

As we get older many cognitive abilities decline, but it is important to note that not all abilities seem to decline. Physically, the size of the brain’s hippocampus decreases, and the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers wears down, however, the branching of dendrites increases, and connections between distant brain areas strengthen. According to Harvard Health Publishing:

“[t]hese changes enable the aging brain to become better at detecting relationships between diverse sources of information, capturing the big picture, and understanding the global implications of specific issues. Perhaps this is the foundation of wisdom. It is as if, with age, your brain becomes better at seeing the entire forest and worse at seeing the leaves.”

Furthermore, Dr. Michael Merzenich, a leader in the study of brain plasticity, has found that even in 80 to 90 year olds (https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_merzenich_growing_evidence_of_brain_plasticity/transcript), the brain is still able to rewire and adapt itself to learning. There is a false belief that after 40 years old our cognitive abilities decline, and so we must accept it. Do we have to? Personally, after forty, I started surfing, sewing, training a dog, and I continue my long journey to be fluent in Korean. I’m reading up on these skills, and applying what I learn. Dr. Merzenich’s advice to maintain brain plasticity can be summed up in the adage, “Use it or lose it.” When the brain is stimulated and engaged in a meaningful task, the brain is exercising its plasticity. 

While not a muscle, discussions on maintaining cognitive brain function often refer to exercising the brain, and the similarities are insightful. For example, three common concepts in memory retention are: recalling, spacing, and interleaving. Recalling is like repetitions. With vocabulary retention, specifically, it is not about how many reps you do, it’s the quality of the reps; more specifically, putting the repetitions in meaningful contexts. Spacing is like rest days that allow your muscles to build and strengthen, and interleaving is like cross-training that ensures comprehensive fitness. And like exercising, these concepts should be practiced routinely in order to maintain and improve brain health. 

This brings me to my long-winded purpose, learning more Korean. In iGuideKorea’s quest to help more Earthletes access South Korea’s amazing Earthletic playgrounds, we have created a list of common words specifically for climbers. The hope is that climbers will be more predisposed to learn Korean in a more meaningful way if there is vocabulary geared towards their interest. Since climbing is often an intermittent passion-driven activity, the memorization of the words can exercise the aforementioned three concepts of memorization: recalling, spacing, and interleaving. The word list can be used in reverse as well for Korean-speaking friends that want to learn more English. The word list comes in an Excel document with two sheets. The first sheet (Terms) has the translated terms, and the second sheet (Pronunciation) has pronunciation chart for the Korean alphabet. Please share the document, make adjustments, add more languages, and continue to exercise your brain.  

Here’s a link to the document! Have fun!

PS. Here is another link for www.howtostudykorean.com that gets into great and easy to digest details about how to read Korean.

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To Tell or Not to Tell

by Posted in Adventure, Hiking, Ice Climbing, Lifestyle, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Stories, Surfing

The dilemma of the secret spot. 

Just you and your best friends. Mix in a chalkless crag primed for first ascents, or a secluded beach with nothing but sand and waves, or miles of untouched trails, and you have perfection. 

two men standing on top of the mountain

No annoying dog barking at nothing and everything. No angry, obnoxious music about how tough someone is and how much money they have. No one littering or leaving their cigarette butts on the ground. No one else ruining perfection. 

Being the adventurous tribe of people that they are, veteran climbers, surfers, mountain bikers, and other Earth-letes commonly seek out the secret spot. It’s a spot where they can go to get away from everything and everyone else. It’s a spot where they don’t have to wait for routes, share waves, or slow down for the person in front of them. It’s a special spot on this great big Earth where they can feel at home. The problem is sometimes the secret spot is so special that they want to tell everyone else. It’s like a juicy bit of gossip that you know you should keep to yourself, but you’re just dying to tell someone. 

I’ve seen friendships fizzle because of these secrets. One person wants to share it with the rest of the community, and the other wants to keep it hush hush. One person feels like the other is being a selfish territorial elitist by not telling anyone, and the other believes that most people can’t be trusted to respect the spot. Each side has valid reasons, but when one considers everything involved with a secret, it might give you more incentive to keep things confidential. 

Many don’t know how much time and effort goes into finding and developing a secret spot. The process of finding a new sport climbing area, in particular, is like a part-time job that you pay to do. Firstly, you can travel hundreds of kilometers searching for an area. Most of the time you’re working on a hunch – I’ve risked weekends hiking through thick brush because I thought I saw a cliff from the highway. Usually, once you get to the crag it’s a choss pile with rock that crumbles to the touch. However, if you get super lucky and the rock is solid, then the next step is to clean the crag. This normally involves multiple days of hanging in your harness, brushing moss off the holds, and prying off dangerous loose blocks with a crowbar. Once the route is safe and clean enough to climb, out come the drill and bolts. Finally, after hours of sweat and toil, the route is ready to be climbed, and you hope it’s not so hard that you can’t climb it or so easy that you send it first try. 

The process is similar for other Earth-letics, too. In surfing, there’s a lot of luck involved with timing the weather. Having a degree in meteorology kind of helps, but you never know until boots hit the ground, and you make the long journey to the spot. Often on these recon missions, you end up just watching the ocean; but at least you’re watching at the ocean. In mountain biking, there’s so much shovelling and building. Builders are often creating hundreds of meters of trails. It’s basically road construction with hand tools.  

With all the effort that goes into finding and developing a secret spot, one would wonder: “Why do it all?” Depending on who you talk to, the answers vary. Some believe the more effort that you put into something, the more you will love it. Others love being first: climbing the first ascent, carving the first turns down a snowy slope, catching the first wave at sunrise, or being the first to huck the big jump. There’s an intrinsic excitement to being first. 

woman in pink tank top sitting at the table

Then there are others like myself who love the intimacy of finding and developing a secret spot. It’s like building a relationship: a chance meeting, a few dates, a lot of effort, and then you climb all over each other (never forget the physical part of a relationship). From the intimacy, there comes a special sense of belonging and privilege, as if the secret spot was made just for you. 

All over the world there are spaces that you have to share, accommodate, and compromise with others; and one should share, accommodate, and compromise. It’s how a society becomes decent and cooperative, and how things get done. But there are people who don’t understand how to share, accommodate, and compromise no matter how much you ask, and from those people, I like to get away every now and then.

I understand the guilty pleasure of telling secrets. Sharing secrets is a great way to create intimacy with someone; especially someone you want to impress. In her book, The Serious Business of Small Talk, Carol Fleming points out that sharing secrets “bestows a sense of kindred spirits.” Telling another climber, mountain biker, or surfer about an unknown, amazing area that you know is a way to legitimize your place in the community. 

Furthermore, revealing a secret spot may be unintentional. Highly extroverted and talkative folks may accidentally let the secret slip out. In a moment of awkward silence, between two strangers sitting around a campfire and who only have their surfing, biking, or climbing in common, one might say, “Hey, have you heard about this cool new spot in …?” Secrets just don’t usually stay hidden for very long. As the playwright Jean Raacine so simply put, “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.” 

Despite the best efforts of even the most fastidious secret-keeper, if the secret spot is good enough, it will most likely be found by another adventurous Earth-lete. That is the nature of the beast: to roam and seek out the best spots on Earth. But, until time does catch up to the secret, enjoy that secret as much as possible. Be grateful for the hidden gems that the Earth reveals to you, be respectful of the place, and when the others do come, try to welcome them with open arms, and lead by example. Then, maybe they’ll stay there long enough for you to find the next secret spot. 

Stoked to know about this secret crag.
You need to add a widget, row, or prebuilt layout before you’ll see anything here. 🙂
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ROCK 클라이머 위한 7가지 선물

by Posted in Adventure, Climbing gym, Ice Climbing, Lifestyle, Rock Climbing, Training Tagged , , , , , , ,

인생 전체가 열정적으로 중독된 클라이머들을 위한 양심적 크리스마스 선물.

 

정보 제공 : 우리가 직접 판매하거나 이 페이지에 해당 품목 링크를 연결해놓았습니다. 왜냐하면 우리가 좋아하고 직접 그 물건들을 구매해서 쓰기 때문이죠.

그들은 여러분의 목숨을 구합니다. 좋은 빌레이 파트너들은 매우 드물죠. 위에서 떨어져 사망에 이르는 것을 막고, 참을성있게 당신이 움직이는 동안 붙잡고 있습니다. 경로를 벗어나 어린 아이처럼 칭얼거릴때도 겸손하게 경청해줍니다. 당신의 빌레이어에게, 적어도 그 모든 어려운 루트에 셋업되어있던 밧줄들을 생각해서라도 크리스마스를 맞아 감사함을 표시해보세요. 크리스마스이기 때문이 아니라 감사한 마음을 담은 선물을 할 때이기 때문입니다.

Photo by Scott Osborn on Unsplash

쿠팡, 지마켓, 아마존과 같은 온라인 쇼핑 플랫폼을 이용할수도 있고, 제작자와 쉬운 컨택이 가능한 알리바바와 같은 포털에는 클라이밍과 같은 틈새시장을 위한 어메이징한 선물 아이템들이 많습니다. 소비 지상주의를 용납하지 않더라도, 사려깊은 선물을 주고 받을때 일어나는 긍정적이고 따듯한 에너지에 대해 우리는 모두 알고있습니다. 선물을 통해 당신이 그동안의 관심과, 그 사람이 중요하다라는 생각, 애정을 나타낼 수 있습니다.

또한 전통적으로크리스마스 소비주의 지배는 특히나 크리스마스 파티와 선물교환 시기에는 무시하기가 매우 어렵습니다. 하지만 선물교환에 대한 다른 접근 방법으로 바꿀 수 있고, 어쩌면 소비주의 효과를 감소시킬 수 도 있겠습니다.

우리 모두의 백과사전인 위키피디아에 따르면 물질주의 철학은 "그 문제는 자연에 있어 근본적인 물질이다. 그리고 그 모든것들, 정신상태와 의식을 포함한 것은 물질적 상호작용의 결과물이다."

마지막 부분에 대한 정의(정신상태와 잠재의식은 물질적 상호작용의 결과물이다)는 크리스마스 때나 보통 물건을 구매할 때 집중해서 생각합니다. 우리는 어느정도는 물질적이고, 환경을 생각하는 물건을 구매했을때 만족감을 느끼죠. 이러한 것들이 지구에는 훨씬 덜한 충격을 주게 되고, 우리가 그렇게 행동하는 한 계속 유지될겁니다. 우리는 물건을 선택할 때 지구를 덜 지저분하게 혹은 천천히 지저분하게 만듦을 인식함으로써 행복감을 느낍니다. 그에 따라 많은 사람들은 플라스틱 병이 박혀있지 않은 모래사장을 기분좋게 거닐 수 있고, 산에서는 바람에 날아온 징그러운 갈색 흔적이 묻어있는 축축한 플라스틱 물티슈가 없이 하이킹을 즐길 수 있게됩니다.

그래서 마음에 저것을 새기고, 크리스마스 선물 추천리스트를 보여드립니다. 클라이밍에 열정적으로 중독된, 그리고 환경에 관심이 있는 당신을 위해서...

1. 클라이밍 하드웨어 (9,000원)

당신의 빌레이어나 사랑하는 사람을 위해 구매할 수 있는 다양한 클라이밍 장비들이 있습니다. 가격도 천차만별이죠. 하지만, 물건의 주인을 당신이 얼마나 잘 파악하

Mad Rock Oval Screwgate locking carabiner iGuideKorea shop nose profile

Mad Rock Oval Tech Screw Locking Carabiner

고 있느냐에 따라 값비싼 로프나 클라이밍 신발은 피할겁니다. 경험이 많은 클라이머들은 장비에 있어 개인 선호도가 있는데 특히 신발같은 경우는 핏이 잘 맞고 아늑해야 합니다. 숙련되지 않은 클라이머들에게 있어 비싼 장비를 사는 것은 매우 큰 학습 경험이 될 수 있습니다. 저도 지난날 많은 시간을 공을 들여 어떤게 가장 좋은 로프인지 찾아보고 학자금 대출비를 가치있게 쓴적이 있습니다. 자, 그래서 저는 값비싼 토템 카메라 세트를 추천 리스트에 올려놓고자 합니다. 물론, 당신의 클라이머가 무엇을 원하고 필요한지 정확히 알고 있다면 그걸 선택하면 됩니다.

장비를 살 준비가 되어있다면, 하지만 돈만 그저 많이 지출하는게 아닌 뭔가 유용한 걸 갖고 싶다면, MAD ROCK OVAL TECH SCREW 와 같은 타원형 잠금 카라비너를 추천합니다. Anchors, rappels and belaying에 유용하고 열심히 쓰일 수 있는 장비입니다. 작지만 자물쇠 역할을 합니다. 저의 카라비너의 스크루게이트 움직임은 4년이 지난 지금도 굉장히 부드럽습니다. 게다가 2개를 사도 충분히 저렴한 가격이죠!

 

2. 클라이밍 브러쉬(3,000원)

Butora brush side profile iGuideKorea shop

Butora Brush

저는 제가 쓰던 칫솔을 다시 쓰기때문에 클라이밍 브러쉬는 사지 않습니다. 그런데 최근에는 매우 위생적인 몇몇 분들이 나의 징그러운 플라그가 홀드에 문질러지는거에 대해 굉장히 사납게 비판했습니다. 그래서 부토라에서 멧돼지털과 대나무 핸들로 만든 멋진 브러시를 발견했습니다. 이 작은 환경적인 물건은 멧돼지털이 적당히 뻣뻣하기 때문에 브러쉬로 쓰기에 알맞고 플라스틱보다는 100% 낫습니다. 한가지 흠이라면 가끔 거친 털로 만들어진 브러쉬는 공격적인 빗질을 하게 만든다는 점인데, 하지만 완전히 자연에서 온 소재로 만들어졌기 때문에 산 속 바위에서 브러쉬를 잃어버려도 죄책감이 들지않게 합니다. 부토라 브러쉬 만세!

3. 회원권/1일 패스 (10,000원에서 30,000원)

당신의 클라이밍 파트너가 지역 실내암장에서 멤버십을 갖고 1년 내내 쉽게 클라이밍을 할수 있는지 확인해보세요. 한국에는 400개가 넘는 많은 실내암장이 있습니다.

lead climbing gym sign

 

4. 손톱깎기 세트 (4,870원에서 12,000원)

bigger manicure kit from coupang

manicure set from coupang

좋은 매니큐어세트는 열정적인 중독으로 인한 고통과 수술을 피할수 있게 하죠. 클라이밍은 손과 손톱에 무리를 주는 운동이고 특히나 발과 발톱에는 더 그렇습니다. 꽉 끼는 클라이밍 신발은 무거운 압력이 작은 발디딜곳에 가해져 내성발톱에 영향을 끼칩니다. 어떤 클라이머들은 내성발톱때문에 수술을 해야한다는 사실을 방치하기도 합니다.

좋은 매니큐어 세트는 손톱깍기, 발톱깍기, 굳은살 제거기 등이 있고, 살점이 떨어져나가는 것을 방지하고(즉, 찢어진 피부), 갈고리와 칼날이 있어 손톱밑바닥까지 손톱이 찢어지거나 제가 이세트를 가지고 있는데요(이곳 클릭), 알루미늄 케이스 안에 여러가지 다양한 도구가 있어서 좋습니다. 이 세트는 좀 더 가지고 다니기 좋지만 가짓수는 적습니다(이곳 클릭). 두개 다 구매하셔서 하나는 집에, 하나는 gym 가방에 넣고 다니세요!

5. 손 연고 (25,000원)

climbskin iguidekorea shop

Climbskin hand lotion

위에 언급했듯이 클라이머들의 손은 항상 상처투성이입니다. 불가피하게 피부는 피를 흘리게 되고 틈에 끼거나 바위에 긁히게 될겁니다. 그외에도 자연에 항상 노출이 되어있죠. 이런 일이 발생했을때 제일 잘못된 행동은 항상 쓰던 오래된 보습제를 쓰는것입니다, 그럴땐 클라이밍 용 핸드밤을 써야합니다. 보통의 보습제에는 향균기능이 없고 클라이밍으로 손상된 손을 치료하기에는 적절하지 않기 때문입니다. 클라이머들에게는 수분 베이스가 아닌 보습제가 필요합니다. 마치 우리가 바위에 딱 붙어있는것처럼 우리 피부에 찰싹 붙어있을만한 것이 필요합니다. 몇가지 개인적인 이유로 저는 ClimbOn bar를 좋아하는데요 : 바깥에서 클라이밍을 많이 하고, 강한 피부를 원합니다. 모회사인 SKINourishment가 환경을 생각하는 기업으로 실천하고 있고, 알루미늄 포장이 플라스틱보다 재활용하기가 쉽습니다. 좀 더 부드러운 손을 만들고 싶다면 제가 현재 사용하고 있고 만족하는 Climbskin을 추천합니다. 한국에서도 쉽게 구할수가 있고(사실 우리가 판매하고 있습니다), 플라스틱 포장으로 나오지 않아 정말 마음에 듭니다. 아, 그리고 당신의 화장 팁을 위해 한가지 더 말씀드리면 Climbskin은 피부톤과 비슷한 색깔이라 커버력이 2배가 될 수 있습니다.(그렇게 들었습니다 저도).

6. 텐션 행보드 (115,000원, 배송비 포함)

(알려드립니다 : 뻔뻔하게도 저희가 텐션 클라이밍 제품을 팔고있고 국내 독점 판매자 입니다. 시중에서 구매할 수 있는 단연코 최고의 휴대용 행보드라고 다소 편향되게 생각하고 있습니다. 그 점 감안해서 리뷰를 읽어주시기 바랍니다.)

Flash board Tension Climbing iGuideKorea

Tension Climbing Flash Hangboard

모든 클라이머들은 강하고 건강한 손가락을 원합니다. 초보자부터 프로까지 강한 손가락은 당신을 높이 클라이밍 할 수 있게 하죠, 간단하게. 적절한 행보드 훈련은 당신이 더 강한 손가락을 갖게 합니다, 간단하게. 당신의 클라이머를 행복하게 만들고 싶다면 행보드를 선물해주세요, 간단하게.

텐션 클라이밍 플래시 보드와 블럭은 클라이머들에게 최고의 훈련기구이자 재활기구입니다. 텐션의 휴대성, 조절기능, 그립의 다양함은 텐션보드를 다용도 목적으로 활용할수 있게 합니다. 제 플래시보드로 워밍업 하는것을 정말 좋아하고, 캠핑 갈때도 꼭 가져갑니다.
나무에 첫번째 볼트를 걸기도 하고 아니면 제 발에 걸어서 위로 당길수도 있습니다. 그리고 집에 와서는 풀업 바에 걸고 바위를 부시는 힘을 기르는 훈련을 하는거죠!

이런 텐션보드의 훌륭함을 알게해드리고 싶어서, 크리스마스까지 CHEAPER 코드를 써서 플래시 보드나 블럭을 10,000원 더 싸게 구입할 수 있게 해놨습니다. 비송비나 환율, 주 세금 등을 감안하더라도 미국에서 사는 가격보다 싼 가격에 구입하실수 있습니다, 행복한 성탄절 보내세요!

7. 손가락마사지기 (₩8,000원)

So iLL finger massager iGuideKorea store

SoiLL Finger Massager

사실 이 작은 반짝이는 링이 어떻게 효과적인지 확신할 수는 없지만 느낌이 환상적이라는 것만은 확실히 압니다. 굳어 있는 손가락을 이 링으로 위 아래 움직여주면 그만큼의 즐거움을 주기 때문에 이 기구가 긍정적인 재활치료 기능이 있다라고 자신있게 얘기할 수 있습니다. 비슷한 류의 링이 인터넷에 굉장히 많은데 저는 SoiLL 에서 만든 제품이 좋아서 판매하고 있습니다. 클라이밍 회사 제품이고 이곳은 바로 부서지거나 하는 재질이 아닌 좋은 제품을 만들고 있습니다.

 

 

이렇게 다양한 예산의 범위를 감안한다면, 당신의 특별한 클라이머에게
"고마워요!" 라고 작은 감사표시를 안할 이유는 없지 않을까요.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
여러분 메리크리스마스!
Eddy Park
에디 박

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Christmas Gifts for ROK Climbers

by Posted in Adventure, Climbing gym, Ice Climbing, Lifestyle, Rock Climbing, Training Tagged , , , , , , ,

Conscientious Christmas gifts for the vertically addicted climber in your life.

 

FYI: We sell or are affiliated with most of the products on this page because we like and use most of these products.

They save your life. Good belay partners are a rare breed. They keep you from falling to your demise, they hold you patiently as you work the moves on your project, and they politely listen to your childish rants as you continuously peel off your route. Show your belayer gratitude, or that rope gun that sets up all the hard routes, by giving them a gift this Christmas season; not so much because it’s Christmas, but rather because it’s probably about time you did.  

Photo by Scott Osborn on Unsplash

With online shopping platforms like Coupang, Gmarket, or Amazon, and the ease to connect with manufacturers through portals like Alibaba, there are amazing gift items for every niche including climbing. While we don’t condone consumerism, we know that there’s a warm positive energy that happens when you give and receive a considerate gift. It shows that you have been paying attention, it shows that a person matters, and it shows affection. 

Also, tradition and the sway of Christmas consumerism are really, really hard to ignore especially during Christmas parties and gift exchanges. But a different approach to gift giving can be taken to modify and perhaps curtail the effects of consumerism. Think slightly more materialistic. 

According to all-knowing Wikipedia, the philosophy of materialism “holds that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions.” 

It’s the latter part of the definition (“mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions”) that we focus on during Christmas and, when we normally buy stuff. We are slightly materialistic in that we are pleasantly satiated when we buy things that promote environmental mindfulness, have weaker impacts on the earth, and last as long as we do. We try to choose items that provide our mental states with bliss knowing that we are messing up the earth less or at least slower so that more people can enjoy the feeling of walking on a beach without plastic bottles jammed in the sand, or hiking in the mountains without a plastic wet tissue with that gross brown spot blowing in the wind. 

So with that in mind, here are our Christmas gift recommendations for the vertically addicted and/or environmentally conscious loved one in your life. 

1. Climbing Hardware (₩9,000)

There is a plethora of climbing gear you can buy your belayer or loved one, and there is a wide range of prices for gear. However, depending on how well you know the person you’re buying for, I would stay away from buying high priced items like ropes or climbing shoes. Experienced climbers have a preference for gear; especially rock climbing shoes as the fit should be very snug. For the inexperienced climber buying expensive gear is a great learning opportunity. I know more about ropes by having spent pain-staking hours researching the best value for my student loan sponsored climbing rope. So, I would leave the big ticket items like an expensive set of Totem cams to your climbers. Of course, if you know exactly what your climbers want or need, go for it. 

Mad Rock Oval Screwgate locking carabiner iGuideKorea shop nose profile

Mad Rock Oval Tech Screw Locking Carabiner

If you’re set on buying gear, but don’t want to spend a whole bunch of cash, but want to get something useful, I would get an oval locking carabiner like the MAD ROCK OVAL TECH SCREW. It’s a workhorse type of gear that can be used for anchors, rappels and belaying. It’s small, and it’s a keylock. The screwgate action on my carabiners is smooth even after 4 years of use. Also it’s cheap enough you can buy two!

2. Climbing brushes (₩3,000)

Butora brush side profile iGuideKorea shop

Butora Brush

I usually don’t buy climbing brushes as I’ll just re-use my old toothbrushes. Recently, however, some very sanitary people have started to foofoo this idea yapping about me scrubbing my gross plague onto the holds. So, I found these awesome brushes by Butora that have natural boar bristles and a bamboo handle. These little environmental treats have bristles that are stiff enough for proper brushing and it’s 100% better than plastic. My one small issue is that a few bristles come out with aggressive brushing. But being made from completely natural sources, you won’t feel guilty for losing your brush at the crag. Yeah for the Butora Brush!

Here are two easy generalities to consider while shopping this season.

Try to:

1. Buy stuff that doesn't have too much plastic or has no plastic at all. If it does have plastic, try to get stuff with recycled plastic. Yes, I know that recycled plastic is not going to solve our global plastic problem, but if sales of recycled material increase enough for companies and manufacturers to notice, it can shift our economy towards a more circular economy and a disruption toward more environmental economy can change our global waste problem. Furthermore, plastic is notoriously hard to recycle properly.

2. Buy stuff with materials that are easier to recycle or dispose like wood, metal, or glass. Glass, for example, is made of sand, and when you crush glass fine enough, it becomes sand; or you can melt it to recycle it. The process of recycling metal is also easier than plastic because there is less concern of contaminating the recycled material. For example, you should wash out your plastic salsa sauce bottles before recycling them, and then maybe they will get recycled. Metal, on the other hand, gets thrown into a huge super hot vat and then melted down again. The drawback is that it takes a lot of energy to heat up that vat; although modern innovations towards more sustainable electricity production has made the process more sustainable.

3. Gym memberships/day pass (₩10,000 to 30,000)

Make sure your climbing loved one gets to climb all year round with a membership at a local climbing gym. South Korea has a lot of climbing gyms, over 400 hundred! You can locate 109 of them through the Korea on the Rocks website or keep your eyes open for a sign that says something like 암장 (climbing place), 실내암장 (indoor climbing place), 클라이밍 (climbing), 짐 (gym), or any combination of these words.

lead climbing gym sign

To see if the gym is a good match for your climber, try a day-pass. When you get there you can ask (or show) the following:  “내친구 크리스마스 선물로 하루 이용권 상품권 살수있을까요?” which means: “Can I buy a day-pass gift certificate for my friend’s Christmas gift?”

If this doesn’t work download and use the Papago translation app. It’s made by Naver, and in my opinion, it has the best English-Korea translations. It even has a on/off switch for honorifics.

4. Manicure kit (₩4,870 to 12,000)

bigger manicure kit from coupang

manicure set from coupang

A good manicure kit will keep your vertical addict (i.e. climber) free of pain and free from surgery. Climbing is tough on hands and nails, and especially on feet and toenails. Tight climbing shoes coupled with heavy pressure on small footholds create ingrown toenails. Some climbers will neglect their nails to the point that they need surgery for their ingrown toenails.

A good manicure set will include fingernail clippers, toenail clippers, files to shave down calluses and prevent flappers (i.e. torn skin), and a variety of hooks and blades to dig and cut nails out of the nail bed. I have this set exactly like this one (click here), and I like the variety of tools in the handy aluminum case. This one is more portable but has less tools (click here). Buy both! Keep one at home and put one in the gym bag.

5. Hand salves (₩25,000)

climbskin iguidekorea shop

Climbskin hand lotion

As mentioned, climbers’ hands take a beating. Inevitably, the skin will start bleeding or tear from being jammed into cracks, scraped on the rock, or from just being exposed to the elements. When this happens, the wrong thing to do is grab a regular old moisturizer. The right thing to do is apply climbing specific hand balms. Common moisturizers don’t have antibacterial and healing properties needed to repair climbing hands. Climbers need a moisturizer that isn’t water-based. We need something that will stick to our skin like we want to stick to rocks. For a great review on the different climbing balms checkout this post by 99boulders.com. We personally like the ClimbOn bar for several reasons: we climb outdoors a lot and need tough skin, the parent company (SKINourishment) has environmental-conscious business practices, and the easy to recycle aluminum packaging is way better than plastic. But if you’re looking for something for softer hands, we use and like Climbskin, and it’s easily available in South Korea (we actually sell it); we’d love it if it didn’t come in a plastic package. Oh and bonus for you cosmetic type, Climbskin is in a skin tone color so it can double as a cover up (I've been told).

6. Tension hangboards (₩115,000 shipping included)

(Please note: We unabashedly sell and represent Tension Climbing products. We are most definitely biased in believing that they are the best portable hangboard in the market because it’s true. So please read this review with that chunk of salt.)

Flash board Tension Climbing iGuideKorea

Tension Climbing Flash Hangboard

Every climber wants stronger healthy fingers. From the novice to the pro, stronger fingers get you up climbs, simple. Proper hangboard training gives you stronger fingers, simple. Want to make your climber happy? Get them a hangboard, simple. 

Tension Climbing Flash Board and the Block are great training and rehab tools for climbers. Their portability, adjustability, and variety of grips makes them so versatile. I love warming up my fingers with my Flash Board and take it camping with me. I can hang it from a tree, the first bolt of a climb, or I can pull on it from my feet. Then when I get home, I’ll hang it off my pull-up bar and train for rock crushing strength! 

Because we want you to know how great they are too, from now until Christmas use the code CHEAPER to get 10,000KRW off the Flash Board or the Block making the price cheaper than US prices when you factor shipping, exchange rate, and/or state tax. Merry Christmas!

7. Guidebooks (₩25,000 to 155,000)

Yes we live in a digital age with apps and online publishing like Mountain Project, The Crag and Korea on the Rocks. So why would someone want a guidebook, especially one written in Korean that they can’t read. 

Kim Yongki korea rock climbing guidebook iguidekorea wide

Kim, Yongki's guidebooks

Guidebooks are more convenient. It’s easier to look at route maps and flip back and forth from pages comparing climbing areas in a guidebook than it is on a phone...a computer is debatable, but a guidebook is more portable and durable than a laptop, and guidebooks don’t require wifi. Also they are like travel mementos, and you can share guidebooks with friends traveling to the same location.  I try to get a guidebook for every area that I climb at. Looking through the pages takes me back to good times and scary poop-in-my-pants times. It gets me motivated to travel and climb. 

The definitive rock climbing guidebooks in South Korea were written by Kim, Yongki. He wrote 5 books with each book covering a different area of the country (e.g. Gangwon-do, Gyeonggi-do). They are written inKorean, but the route maps are decipherable by any climber. Furthermore, it creates an opportunity to learn Korean through an interesting topic. It’s how I learned how to read and write 암장 (rock climbing place, could be a crag or gym), 바위 (rock, boulder, and sometimes cliff),  난이도 (level of difficulty or climbing grade). 

climb Dongil-ryu Korea rock climbing guidebook

Dong-il Ryu's guidebook

The only English guidebook for South Korea was written by Don-il Ryu. In his one compact book, he fits in brief descriptions of over 200 climbing crags. While not a
complete guidebook due to the lack of route maps, it’s a great place to start your Korean rock climbing journey with useful information on transportation, information and GPS coordinates. Fun fact, Dong-il was also a major contributor for The Crag’s Korea section.  

Unfortunately, both these books are out of print, so it’s hard to find through the normal shopping channels. But fortunately, iGuideKorea, has a few on hand as a special gift for that special person. Email Eddy at igk@iguidekorea.com for more information or to order. 

8. Online courses ($40 to 175)

“Give the gift of learning.” “Teach a man to fish and you feed him a lifetime.”

aim adventure u logo

training beta logo

the power climbing company logo

Learning is a great way to discover more out of life, and with a huge selection of online courses, you can learn an amazing variety of topics in any language virtually anywhere. But being a climber focused post we’ll keep it focused on climbing related topics.  

First on the list is Aim Adventure U. I first heard of these courses through my Climbing Magazine subscription. Some of the courses they offer are: Overcome your Fear of Falling, and 6 Weeks to Stronger Fingers. What’s nice about the site is that they offer an option to gift the course at checkout. They also offer courses in backpacking and skiing. 

Training Beta offers a comprehensive selection of resources for climbing courses, personal coaching, and nutrition. They also have a very informative podcast that interviews leading training professionals. I’ve bought an ebook and a training course from them. Their 6 Weeks Power-Endurance Program was real tough for me and made me realize how much fitness I lacked. It provided a great insight on how to climb and train harder. I did get stronger after the 6 week program, but it was tough. That’s what it takes though. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this post, Training Beta didn’t have their gifting program set up. But you could always give a cute card with a few Korean wons and a message like: “To help you train to overcome  whatever challenge you face,”  or something as lovingly cheesy as that. 

Similar to Training Beta, The Power Company has multiple resources for the climber. I haven’t bought anything from them yet, but I listen to their podcasts, and Kris Hampton, owner and coach, knows what he’s talking about. His knowledge and the success of his clients have created a strong reputation in the climbing community. Kris also emailed me saying that they were starting a gifting option for their Proven Plans for the holiday season. And if there are any issues or questions with gifting their products, Kris said to email him, and please be sure to tell him that you came from the iGuideKorea page.

While not about climbing, it’s in line with this blog and company (i.e. climbing in Korea), Korean language learning programs online and offline. Even if your loved ones are going to be in Korea for a short stay, they’ll get way more out of the experience. They’ll be more independent, travel more efficiently around the country, and meet more people. I learn Korean through a private tutor so I haven’t fully tried these options but subscriptions to these online programs seem to be the most popular: FluentU and KoreanClass101. I didn’t see any gifting options on either site so you might need to do the old card-cash-and-quote trick. I tried a sample KoreanClass101, and I like their word-of-the-day email that comes with a photo. Keep in mind that they send a few emails abut promotions regularly, too. If you have comments or opinions about these programs please let me know at igk@iguidekorea.com or leave a comment below.  

9. Magazine (digital) subscription (₩11,000 to 110,000)

rock and ice for sale Climbing magazines are awesome! They got great content in one convenient medium. When I’m sitting down to a nice meal, or on the can taking care of that meal hours after, I like going straight to a magazine. I don’t want to search the blog-o-sphere for one post, then search for another, and then another. I’d much rather flip a page. And who doesn’t like getting stuff in the mail? Furthermore, magazines like Climbing and Rock and Ice have gifting options for international subscribers as well. 

But yes, we live in a convenient, digital world that is more and more paperless and more smartphone dependant. Well good news, through services like Magzter and their apps, you can subscribe to thousands of digital magazines (Climbing and Rock and Ice included) for about the same price as one traditional magazine subscription. Magzter even has a gifting option which is great for the holidays. 

10. Acupressure finger massager (₩8,000)

So iLL finger massager iGuideKorea store

SoiLL Finger Massager

I’m not really sure how effective these little spikey rings-of-joy are, but I do know they feel fantastic. Rolling these rings up and down stiff finger joints gives me enough pleasure to confidently say they are a positive rehabilitation tool.There are a bunch of these kinds of rings all over the Web but we like and sell the ones by SoiLL. They're a climbing company and make pretty good stuff that won't break right away.

 

 

With so many options for a wide range of budgets, why not give that special climber in your life a little token that says, "I appreciate you!"

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Eddy Park

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Staycation in South Korea

by Posted in Adventure, Lifestyle, Podcast, Stories, Surfing Tagged , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Staycation in South Korea

A staycation, where one takes a vacation near home, is perfect to minimize the vacation stress, especially the financial strain. Because summer is a peak season for travel, prices of airplane tickets and accommodations at popular destinations abroad are staggering. For the international student studying in Korea or the hagwon teacher trying to save money for student loans, or the family of four paying off their apartment loan, summer prices can be out of reach. However, that doesn’t mean one needs to forgo a vacation this summer. 

showing iGuideKorea tours in Gadeukdo

CheapAir.com’s 5th Annual Airfare Study Reveals the Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets

If you want to save money on summer flights, cheapair.com created an insightful report on the best time to get the best price for flights. They reported that booking  99 days before your summer departure (which can cause an organizational nightmare) is the best time to get tickets. 

If you’ve been living in South Korea for any amount of time, you know that travelling in the country is very affordable. The extensive train or bus system will get you to almost anywhere, and definitely to the start of your summer adventures. With a large variety of options for accommodations (hotel, motel, guesthouses, pensions, minbaks, or camping), you’ll be able to find something that fits your needs and budget. Additionally for expats in Korea, you won’t need to go through the hassle of exchanging currency, learning another language (on top of Korean), wondering what food you just ordered, putting your dog in a kennel, leaving the lights on at home, natives preying on gullible tourists at tourist traps, or missing your daily dose of kimchi.   

Gadeukdo iGuideKorea

With 70% mountainous terrain and 12,400km of coastline, the topography that makes up the ROK (Republic of Korea) is prime for adventure and excitement. Camping, hiking, surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking, paddle boarding, it’s all here. And if you don’t know how to do any of those things, Korea has a number of guiding outfits (think iGuideKorea) that can get you on the road to a new adventure, and possibly, a new hobby that will enrich your life in the country and elsewhere. 

What about the crowds? The best tip to avoiding the crowds in South Korea is to travel during the week. Traveling during on weekdays is like being in another country compared to weekend travel. Another tip is to find a guiding company (think iGuideKorea) who knows the country well enough to find the more remote (and often more scenic) venues. The last tip is to take the path less travelled. Look on a map of South Korea and pick a spot that has no cities around it. The random islands at the bottom of Jeollanam-do province have been some of my favourite places to explore. Also, hikes into the deep valleys of the national parks like Seoraksan away from the popular tourist spots is another great way to find a little piece of Korea all to yourself. 

Download a PDF by the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) that overviews all the national parks here.

Please understand that I’m not saying South Korea is a better vacation than Bali, Okinawa, Boracay, or Bangkok. What I am saying is some times those places are better when it’s not peak vacation season. I’m also saying that for most expats, you’ve already travelled hundreds or thousands of miles to get to Korea; take the time to enjoy it. There’s lots to do. Check out iGuideKorea’s Youtube channel for our mini video guides on places to go, or email Eddy at igk@iguidekorea.com for ideas, or listen to our podcasts on surfing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and hiking for more information. 

iGuideKorea and Surfyy Beach

To help you get started here's a general sample of a beach itinerary to the small beach village of Hajodae (하조대) and the beach resort Surfyy Beach. Perfect for the summer:

  • Take the train/bus to Gangneung.
  • From Gangneung take a bus or taxi to Hajodae. 
  • Book an economical room at Olive Beach or for some thing fancier, Cotiere Pension.
  • Check in and walk towards Surfyy Beach. 
  • Contact Jake McFayden surf instructor and book a surfing lesson or rent a paddle board.
  • Get a drink and relax at Surffy’s beach lounge chairs or hammocks.
  • Go to Single Fin Ale Works Beer Garden and splurge on a good but pricey pizza and a craft brew.
  • Find some more adventure and tell us about it at igk@iguidekorea.com.

surfing at Surfyy beach with iGuideKorea

For more fun at Hajodae and Surfyy Beach, check out this excellent blog post by SeoulInspired for more itineraries and suggestions. Lots of details! 

 

Whatever you end up doing, I truly hope you have an awesome summer vacation!

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Athlete Assistance Program Launch Party

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AAP Launch Party!

Excited about the coming of spring? Stoked to get outside? Jazzed to smell the honey-sweet fragrance of budding flowers? Enlivened by the long-awaited warm radiance of the sunshine during these ever-lengthening days? Come celebrate spring with team iGK at the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) Launch Party!

What's the AAP? Click here to find out how iGuideKorea is making South Korean mountain biking events more accessible for everyone. 

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Daejeon’s Spring Flower Bike Rides

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A guide to Daejeon’s best mountain bike areas to enjoy spring’s flowers.

The lovely city of Daejeon, during the fantastic spring months, is home to some of the most garish and dynamic natural performances the floral world can offer up. Riding a bike, especially a mountain bike, is a great way to explore the natural environment surrounding and within our beautiful city and catch a glimpse of some of the most exciting and well-hidden vantages of this display. The parade of colors lasts from mid March through mid June, always evolving: First comes the sharp yellow vanguard of forsythia, which slowly blends into the gentle pink of the azaleas. These are joined my the shockingly white and cream petals of the cherries and other fruiting trees. Finally, crimson and purple are offered up from the bushy azaleas and roses late in the season. Just as Daejeon’s foliage is diverse and dynamic, so are its trails: Different mountains and trails in town are famous for different types of spring foliage. Let’s take a tour of some of the best. Read More

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iGuideKorea’s Podcast Episode 4: Surfing in South Korea and Surfyy Beach Resort

by Posted in Adventure, Lifestyle, Podcast, Surfing Tagged , , , , , , ,

This is episode 4 of the iGuideKorea podcast. In this episode, we learn more about surfing in South Korea and Surfyy Beach, the newest and hottest beach resort at Hajodae Beach, in Gangwon-do. We talk to Jake McFadyen, the English surf instructor and ambassador at Surfyy Beach. Jake’s interview provides our audience with valuable information about what to expect when surfing in South Korea. If you have more questions about what we talk about in this podcast, feel free to contact Jake on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=561385724). For more information on Surfyy Beach (강원도 양양 현북면 중광정리 508) check out there Facebook page ((https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surfyy-Beach-서피비치/480485138782748).

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