The Asian city that never sleeps 亞洲不夜城

South Korea’s high-energy capital moves at a pace that rivals the world’s busiest, with its pulsing creative energy driving innovation in music, technology and fashion.

By Lindsey Galloway

南韓首都充滿著活力，城市的步調堪稱是最繁忙的城市，不停跳動的創造力帶動了音樂、科技與時尚領域的創新。

“Pali pali” – meaning “quick, quick” – isn’t just a favourite expression in Seoul: it’s a way of life.

「Pali pali」意思是「快點，快點」--不只是首爾最喜歡用的詞：它是一種生活方式。

South Korea’s capital moves at a pace that rivals the world’s busiest cities, fostering a culture of hard work, service and “just getting stuff done”, residents say.

南韓首都以角逐世界最繁忙的步調前進著，孕育了認真工作、服務和「反正就是要把事情做完」的文化，居民們表示。

“It is the most high-energy, intense city I have ever lived in. I’ve lived in New York City and Tokyo, but Seoul beats them hands down,” said Ruchika Sahai, who moved here from Sydney, Australia, nearly two years ago.

兩年前住在澳洲雪梨，後來搬來首爾的Ruchika Sahai說：「這是一個我住過最活躍、最緊湊的城市，我住過紐約、東京，但是首爾無疑地打敗了他們。」

Office hours stretch well past 10 pm, but the drive of the nearly 10 million residents rarely wavers. Even beyond the modern city streets, the underground markets pulse with a chaotic and old world vibe.

上班時間晚到超過晚上十點，但將近一千萬的居民卻很少為此動搖，甚至跳脫現代城市街道，地下市場還是以混亂老舊的氛圍活躍著。

While locals are busy, they’re also friendly, open and willing to help. “The people of Seoul say they are ‘the Italians of the East’ and are proud of it,” Sahai said. “They wear their hearts on their sleeve, belt out arguments, are very friendly and not afraid of showing emotion.”

雖然當地人很忙碌，但他們也很友善，敞開心胸，也願意幫助他人。Sahai說：「首爾人自稱東方的義大利人，而且引以為傲，他們真情流露，大聲說出自己的意見，非常友善，而且不怕表現情緒。」

There’s a creative energy that pulses here too, that drives innovation in music, technology and fashion, and contributes to the city being one of the world’s strongest economies.

這裏也有永不停歇的創造力在流動著，帶動音樂、科技與時尚的創新，使這座城市擁有世界上最強的經濟之一。

“South Koreans are trying to come up with the next big thing,” said US student Taylor Evans, who recently participated in an exchange programme with Seoul’s Kookmin University.

最近參加首爾國民大學交換計畫的美國學生Taylor Evans表示：「南韓正致力於抓住下一個大趨勢。」

“Small businesses in Seoul really take on this challenge to entice customers, and in turn create outlets that are very creative and unorthodox.”

「在首爾，小企業要吸引顧客真的很有挑戰性，而必須要用一些很有創意、非正統的方式來創造出路。」

From a cafe where you can watch popular TV shows projected on a concrete wall, to a hair studio that doubles as a tea shop, to a bar that has its menus on bowling pins, Seoul’s businesses always play with new ideas . “Every day is a new adventure,” Evans said. 

從一家你可以收看店家投影在水泥牆上的熱門影片的咖啡廳，到髮型工作室複合茶店，到把自己菜單印在保齡球上的酒吧，首爾的企業永遠有新的點子， Evans說：「每天都是一場新挑戰。」

Where do you want to live?

你想要住在哪？

There are two kinds of expats that live in Seoul, Sahai explained. Those who want to recreate the comforts of their home country, and those who prefer to experience local life.

Sahai解釋住在首爾的有兩種外國人，一種是想要重新創造家庭的寧靜，一是種比較偏好體驗當地生活。

Itaewon, south of downtown, is the neighbourhood for the former, where international grocery stores and restaurants abound.

梨泰院，首爾的市中心，是充滿前者的街坊，充滿許多來自世界各地的雜貨商店和餐廳。

Sahai lives in Seongbuk-dong, to the northeast of downtown. Also popular with expats it has more cultural facets, such as art galleries, boutiques and hanok houses (residences built using traditional Korean architecture). 

Sahai住在首爾東北方市中心的鄰近地區城北洞，也很受外國人歡迎，它有更多文化面特色，像是美術畫廊、精品小店和韓屋（居民用傳統韓國方式建造的建築）。

Yeonhui-dong, to the west of downtown, is close to the International School and therefore perfect for expats with families, while French-speaking families live near Bangbae in the south for the nearby French School.

延禧洞市中心西邊，靠近國際學校，因此很適合外國家庭，然而說法文的家庭適合住在靠近在南邊的方背，附近設有法國學校。

Evans recommended the HapJeong area, near the Han River to the west of downtown. It’s close to the popular arts-friendly and university neighbourhood of Hongdae, but not as busy and noisy. “It's beautiful, unique and full of one-of-a-kind cafes and stores that you won’t find anywhere else in Seoul,” she said.

Evans建議市中心西邊、漢江附近的合井區，這邊很靠近藝術聞名的弘大大學區域，但是並沒有那麼繁忙和吵雜。她說：「這裏很漂亮、獨一無二、有各種在首爾其他地方找不到第二家的咖啡館和商店。」

What do you want to live in?

你想要住在什麼樣的地方？

Most locals live in the city’s many high-rise apartments. More affordable than houses, apartments also offer same-block access to services like doctors, dentists, grocery shopping and salons that the 24/7 culture demands.

許多當地人住在城市的高樓大廈裡，費用比一般房子還要便宜，公寓附近同一個區也有提供一週七天無休的文化所需要的服務，像是醫生、牙醫、購買雜貨和美髮沙龍。

Houses are more common in the expat-friendly neighbourhoods of Itaewon, Seongbukdong, Yeonhui-dong and Bangbae. 

一般獨棟的房子在適合外國人居住的區域像是梨泰院、城北洞, 延禧洞和方背比較常見。

Where can you travel?

你可以去哪裡旅遊？

Seoul’s Incheon International Airport gives quick and affordable access to other Asian capitals. By air, Beijing is two hours away, Tokyo is two and a half hours, while Hong Kong is three and a half hours, and flights cost well under 350,000 South Korean won.

首爾仁川國際機場可以快速又便宜的到達其他亞洲首都，搭飛機到北京只要兩個小時，東京要兩個半小時，而香港則是三個半小時，而且航班價格都不超過三十五萬韓圜。

The airport is even an attraction in and of itself. “Incheon Airport is really something,” said Mahogany Beckford, an American who has worked in the city in various stints.

這個機場甚至本身就是一個景點，一個曾在各式各樣的城市工作、現在正在首爾工作的美國人Mahogany Beckford說：「仁川機場真的很不得了」

“They have packed all sorts of attractions in there to entertain or pass the time as you wait for a flight. It has a great spa, a golf course, a skating rink, even a museum!”

「那裡包含了各種景點，在你等飛機的時候，可以娛樂、打發時間，他們有很棒的spa、高爾夫球課、滑冰場、甚至有博物館！」

Seoul’s extensive subway also makes it simple to take day trips. Suwon City, just an hour by subway, is a historic walled city – one of the country’s oldest. Built in 1794, the Hwaseong Fortress epitomises the military history of the time and provides a natural escape, as the Suwoncheon stream flows through it, alongside peaceful green areas.   

首爾大規模的地鐵也讓一日遊變得更簡單，水原市，搭地鐵只要一小時，一座歷史悠久的城市—是韓國最古老的城市之一，於1794年建造，華城是當時的軍事歷史的縮影，橫靠著寧靜的綠地貫穿華城的河流水源川提供自然的逃生管道。

Farther afield, South Korea’s second largest city, Busan, has the bustling energy of a big city with the benefit of six beaches and a carnival boardwalk. Located 325km southeast of Seoul, it takes about 2.5 hours to reach by train and four by car.

更遙遠一點的區域，南韓的第二大城市—釜山，擁有大城市繁華的力量，六座海灘和一條海灘步道，位在首爾東南方325公里遠的地方，搭火車到那裡需要2.5個小時，而開車需要4小時。

How much does it cost?

要花多少錢？

Though it is more expensive than many of its fellow Asian capitals, Seoul is remarkably affordable for a city of its size – especially where transportation is concerned. The subway fare and bus fare is only 1,350 won and transfers are free.

雖然那裡的開銷比許多其他亞洲首都還要昂貴，首爾相對於其城市規模，仍然是一個經濟又實惠的城市，尤其是他們的交通，地鐵和公車的票價只要1350韓圜，轉車還不用錢。

Taxis also are affordable at only 11,560 won for an 8km ride. Housing, too, is about 50% cheaper than similar accommodation in New York City or London, according to cost of living site Expatistan.com, at only 2,300,000 won for a 85sqm space.

計程車一趟搭八公里只要11,560韓圜，也是很超值；住宿也是，根據住宿網站 Expatistan.com上的價格，跟紐約或倫敦相似的住宿只要半價，85平方尺的空間只要兩百三十萬韓圜。

Skipping the Pop Tarts and Cheerios at international grocery stores can also save money, Sahai said. “If you shop at the local stores and markets, it is super affordable,” she said. “And so much more fun!”

“The only thing you're going to find expensive there is coffee,” Evans said. “I don't even want to calculate the amount of money I spent in Korea on coffee!”

跳過那些在國際雜貨商店販售的果醬吐司跟喜瑞爾，你也可以省點錢，Sahai說：「如果你在當地的商店跟市場買東西，會超級物美價廉，而且有很多樂趣！」Evans說：「在那邊你唯一會買到比較貴的就是咖啡，我甚至不想去計算我在韓國花了多少錢在咖啡上」

原文：https://goo.gl/lnGrXo