A Trip to South Korea

안녕하세요! (Annyeonghaseyo)

View of the wing and sky from my flight — On the way to South Korea.

Getting around Seoul

The buses in Seoul impressed me. I could get almost everywhere I wanted to go by bus, so I never needed a cab. Seoul was busy, but many of the other places I visited were surprisingly quiet.

People were gentle and patient. When English got us nowhere, I typed what I wanted to say into Papago and held up my phone for everyone to read. 😂

I saw stores and print cafés running without anyone behind a counter. At the cafés, people could print things for themselves.

ICML, and a research club in Seoul

ICML was busy: a huge poster hall, lots of researchers, and plenty of conversations. We also organized a Frontier Research Club event in Seoul. I met new people there and made some friends.

Crowd of attendees inside the ICML 2026 venue — Inside ICML 2026 in Seoul.

Full view of the ICML poster hall — The poster hall.

Yogendra Manawat standing beside research posters at ICML 2026 — Me beside the posters at ICML.

Attendees at the Frontier Research Club meetup at ICML 2026 — The Frontier Research Club meetup we organized during ICML.

Myeongdong

Myeongdong reminded me of Sarafa Bazaar back in Indore. I walked around looking at the food stalls; the whole place had a familiar energy.

There was much more seafood than I usually see at home, and a surprising amount of sweet food too.

Seafood and other food displayed at a Myeongdong street stall — One of the street food stalls in Myeongdong.

Baked snacks at a Myeongdong market stall — Baked snacks at another stall.

Street food skewers cooking at a Myeongdong stall — Skewers cooking at the market.

A selection of snacks at a Myeongdong stall — Another stop among the food stalls.

The palace and the stories behind it

Gyeongbokgung Palace was beautiful. I learned a lot about Korean culture and history while walking around. I saw a Joseon-era sundial that used the sun's shadow to tell time.

I also heard the story of King Taejong. After violence involving his brothers at Gyeongbokgung, he didn't want to return, so he had Changdeokgung Palace built.

View across the grounds near Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul — A view near Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.

A round Joseon-era sundial with its shadow marker — A Joseon-era sundial.

A train to Busan

I took the train to Busan and visited Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. The path in made it feel a little hidden, and then suddenly there was a temple right beside the sea. What a beautiful place. 😍

Yogendra Manawat beside a train at a station in South Korea — At the train platform.

Stone stairway and lanterns on the path to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple — Following the steps down through the temple grounds.

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple beside the sea in Busan — Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Busan.

I'd watched Korean films and shows before the trip, but Exhuma hit differently when I saw it after coming home. I loved how it brought Korean history, shamanism, and folklore together in a horror story. Just wow. 🤯

Official poster for the Korean film Exhuma — Exhuma (2024).

감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida)