Is it just me, or has Korea’s Seoul literally gone cold in the last couple of years? I’ve been coming here since my first solo trip in 2023, and the difference between then and now is actually insane. I remember being so touched when an elderly woman saw me struggling with two 1.5L water bottles and gave me the most wholesome "aigoo, aigoo" while telling me to be careful and take things slowly. The time where a retail staff found out I was here alone and passed me a snack pack and told me welcome to Korea. Or the time in 2025, a neighborhood cafe owner literally ran after my family after we left just to gift my family a custom hand towel.
But this most recent trip? I’m actually shook by how hostile it’s become. And look, I know immigration officers everywhere are usually jerks, but the level of bitchiness this time was next level. A female officer told my friend "gojoragu" right to her face, which we all know is a disrespectful way to tell someone to get lost. Another one literally threw my shopping bags so hard that my stuff spilled everywhere. I’ve been here five times and never experienced that kind of unhinged behavior from "professional" staff.
The worst part is they really think we don’t understand what they’re saying. I had an ahjumma straight up say "gojo" to me, and when I looked up at her, visibly shocked because I actually understood her, she immediately acted like she was just asking about payment. Then another woman hit me with a "YA" just to ask if I had cash or card because cash was cheaper. When I didn't have the 200k won in cash on me, because who carries that much? she started mumbling under her breath about me not having cash like I wasn't standing right there.
I’m not some tourist who expects the red carpet or fake American-style small talk. I’m Asian, I know how things work here, but the warmth I’ve felt the past five times is just... gone. It feels like the country is turning into a colder, more transactional version of Japan. It’s honestly depressing to see a place you loved change this much. Has anyone else who visits frequently noticed this, or is the "hospitality" just for show now?