Seoul's Subway: More Than Just a Mode of Transport
The subway system in my hometown of Toronto has only four lines. It was a purely functional space, designed simply to get me from point A to point B. So, when I first arrived in Seoul and saw the subway map—a tangled web of lines—I felt like I was facing a giant labyrinth I had to conquer. Of course, this incredible system is limited to a few major cities like Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Outside these areas, getting around without a car is as difficult as it is back in Canada. But within these cities, the Seoul subway isn't just a means of transport; it's a massive city in itself, a mirror reflecting the order, speed, and daily lives of Korean society.
Technology and Efficiency: "Is This Even Possible?"
The first thing that surprised me about the Seoul subway was its technological perfection. • Connectivity: More than 20 lines intricately connect all of Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. The fact that I could get anywhere in Seoul with just a few transfers felt almost magical to me, someone from a country where you can't live without a car. • Convenience: The "screen doors" that open in sync with the train’s arrival left a strong impression on me about safety. But what was truly shocking was the uninterrupted Wi-Fi and 5G signals that worked flawlessly, even deep underground. • Accuracy: The convenience of using a single "T-money" card for all public transport, along with the ability to see a train’s real-time location with a smartphone app—even down to "arriving in 3 minutes"—felt like the ultimate efficiency born from Korea's palli-palli (hurry-hurry) culture.
The Unspoken Rules: Invisible Order and the Reality of "Hell-Subway"
The Seoul subway has unspoken rules that everyone follows without a word. • Silence: The trains are incredibly quiet, even when packed with people. Most passengers are either looking at their phones or have their eyes closed. • AirPods/Headphones: A Survival Tool: The reason for this silence is that most people have something in their ears. AirPods or headphones aren’t just for listening; they’re essential survival tools for creating a "personal room" in a crowded subway. In an environment where physical personal space is non-existent, people create their own boundaries by blocking out sound. If you forget them, your commute becomes a disaster. All the noise rushes in, the crowded space feels even more suffocating, and boredom is amplified. This is when you realize that personal earphones are just as essential as a smartphone or a transit card for life on the Seoul subway. • The "Reserved Seat" Culture: What impressed me the most was the culture surrounding the "reserved seats" for the elderly and disabled. No matter how crowded the train is, young people mostly leave these pink seats empty. Seeing people stand steadfastly in front of an empty seat was powerful proof of how strong social agreements and consideration can be, even without a law or a rule. • Commuter Rush Hour: "Hell-Subway": But this peaceful atmosphere is a completely different story on certain lines during rush hour, especially the notorious Line 2 and Line 9 Express. In these situations, the term "personal space" exists only in the dictionary. The first time I rode the Line 9 Express at 8:30 a.m., I had the bizarre experience of my feet being lifted off the ground, pushed by the sheer pressure of the crowd. It was hard to even breathe, and I couldn't adjust my bag or get my phone out of my pocket. The desperate struggle to move toward the door, fighting the fear of not being able to get off at my stop, made me feel firsthand just how intense the morning commute is for Seoul's office workers.
The People of the Subway: A Cross-Section of Seoul
Without a view from the window, I observed the people instead. The subway was the most honest cross-section of Seoul. Exhausted students dozing off, busy office workers glued to their smartphones, and seniors in hiking gear—everyone carrying the weight of their own lives, passing by one another in the same space. It made me feel both the anonymity and the dynamism of the city.
Conclusion: The Arteries of a City Below Ground
Seoul's subway stations aren’t just places to catch a train. Connected to the stations are massive underground shopping malls selling clothes and cosmetics, and there are always lines in front of "Delimanjoo" shops with their tempting aroma. The Seoul subway system is a vibrant ecosystem in itself, just as lively as the city above ground. To me now, the Seoul subway is no longer a complicated labyrinth. It's a vast network of arteries flowing through every corner of the city, a fascinating space where I can feel the everyday order, the speed, and sometimes the painful mornings of the people of Seoul up close. I now know that to truly understand Seoul, you have to spend time in this underground world as much as you do in the gleaming forests of skyscrapers.
