All language subtitles for Travel.Quest.With.Bill.Ball.S01E04.CONVERT.1080p.HDTV.H264-CBFM

BILL BALL: This week,
my quest is an unusual one.

It doesn't include tracking
rare and dangerous animals

or attempting a life-risking thrill.

This week, I risk nothing more
than overeating

and having to deal with
modern luxury.

This country can be characterised
by great palaces, natural wonders,

a unique cuisine,
and incredible skylines.

Welcome to South Korea.

Since I was young,

I had an intense desire
to discover the world around me.

That hasn't changed -
just the level of adventure.

Now, every journey has a purpose

and each time I venture out

to explore new destinations
around the globe,

I am following my Travel Quest.

South Korea is located between

two of Asia's other
cultural powerhouses,

Japan and China,

each only a couple hours'
flight away.

Even with this
close geographic proximity,

Korea has been able to maintain
its own unique identity.

I have taken it upon myself
to find the true Korean spirit,

to understand what it is
to be Korean.

I thought one way
to get into Korean culture

is to get INTO Korean culture.

I'm going to wear a traditional
outfit into the palace.

They're looking for
a 'gigantic' right now.

The Korean traditional 19th-century
dress is called the hanbok.

MAN: Did you put down
your cleaning deposit?

My particular one
is that of a nobleman.

I feel royal already.

Oh!

Uh, you better put
your slipper on, there.

(LAUGHTER)
There you go.

Sorry about that.

Our guide, Angela, convinced me

that wearing it all morning
while I visit the palace grounds

would be perfectly normal.

Lots of people do it.

They told me everybody
in Korea dressed like this!

It didn't take long for people
of many nationalities,

from Koreans to Chinese,
to Malaysians to Taiwanese,

to ask to have
their picture taken with me.

I tell you, they watch my program
everywhere in the world.

Apparently, even
at the police station.

(DRUM PLAYS MARCHING RHYTHM)

Every day the palace opens

to the fanfare of
the changing of the guard.

This is decidedly Korean,

with ancient weapons,
flags and drums.

A sense of the depth of their
history is becoming apparent.

(MUSICIANS PLAY)

That is one big drum.

I can't help but see similarities

between this royal residence
and the Forbidden City in Beijing.

The Korean version originally
had over 500 buildings,

which is quite impressive.

Angela tells me this royal city

is actually older
than the Forbidden City.

The complex is massive,
covering nearly 100 acres.

As I wander by the finely carved
and painted buildings,

I can't help but think that it was
the proximity of Japan and China

that created a competitive nexus
that made the arts flourish.

It was now time
to step it up a notch

and dive headfirst into
the cuisine of South Korea.

I didn't know
what I was getting into.

In this case, eating the food
is the easy part -

it's getting it to your mouth
that's the difficulty.

I've never been good at chopsticks

and this quick lesson
isn't doing really well for me

and all of the people behind me
are very helpful,

but I think I'm the entertainment.

There are four traditional
markets in Seoul.

Three of them are dedicated to food.

Angela decided to start me out easy
with mung bean pancakes,

one with meat - pork -
and the other without.

To reduce any inhibitions
that my friends or I might harbour,

she poured us a few rice wines.

The Korean way is communal,
shared food among friends.

And sometimes strangers join in,
adding to the fun.

It just seems that having
a good time eating fresh food

eclipses all else.

There's nothing fresher

than an octopus that's
still moving on the plate.

I started out safe
with mung bean pancakes,

but, in exploring the side aisles,

I found people eating crazy food.

And there is nothing crazier

than eating raw,
still-moving octopus.

These gals were a little more
adventurous than I wanted to be.

I had been dwelling so much
on the past

that it became evident that I needed
to see the pride and joy of Seoul,

where history meets modernity.

After years of abuse and pollution,

many people wanted this tributary
of the Han river filled in,

but in 2005, the mayor
had a different idea -

turn it into a respite
for the middle of the city.

Talking about history,

it was time for me to see it
in one of its most authentic forms,

and the best place for that
is in the countryside

in a place called Andong.

About 100 miles from Seoul,

Andong is a world away in time.

Though modern conveniences
have reached

the UNESCO-designated Hahoe Village,

the architecture and traditions
are strictly 16th century.

The mostly wooden buildings have
either thatched or stone tile roofs

that today would normally exist
only in tourist attractions

and historic temples.

The Hahoe traditional village
got its fame

because of its unique architecture.

But, for me, there's something
even bigger than that.

The village was started
by the Ryu family,

and still to this day

70% of the people that live here
are members of that family.

But, more remarkable than that,

this particular house
has had 23 generations living in it.

In the centre of town
is a giant Jacob tree

that is over 600 years old.

Locals believe
that the age of the tree

gives it a strong spirit
and can grant wishes.

People put their wishes
on a piece of paper

and tie it to the rope
around the tree.

You can make as many wishes
as you like.

The catch, though, is the tree
will grant only one wish.

So wish big, and only big.

On the way back from the village,
I had a chance to see

the incredible groves
of blooming cherry trees.

South Korea has
a cherry blossom festival

just one week after Japan's,
each April.

Koreans are quick to point out
that they have more flowering trees

than the more famous
Japanese holiday.

It was tremendous!

An explosion of colour and perfume,

a destination incentive
in its own right.

And if you're an enthusiast,
you can time your trip

so you can take in both countries'
floral extravaganza.

As we exited the blossoms,

we were invited to watch
a local mask dance.

The masks used in this dramatic dance

are considered national treasures.

The characters,
whether male or female,

are always played by men.

For many observers, the dance's
message and its musicality

is its best and
most attractive assets.

For me, though, it was the bull's
interaction with the audience

and the shocking things
the proper lady does.

Near Hahoe, there is
one last stop I wanted to make.

The 16th century Confucius Academy
is near and dear to my heart.

It honours teaching,
where I began my career.

Teaching is one of the highest
callings in Korea tradition.

But we got an unexpected bonus.

As we arrived, we suddenly saw

that they were filming
a live Korean television show.

The Academy is a perfect location
for historic drama,

since it has remained largely
unchanged since the 16th century.

The students at the Confucius Academy

looked at their teachers
as spiritual leaders

and dared not even
step on their shadows.

(WOMAN SPEAKS KOREAN)

MAN: OK, that's a cut.

I was beginning to see
a pattern and culture emerging

from my first two area visits -

strong family,

strong admiration for the past
with an eye to the future,

and a unique take on life

shaped by other
surrounding societies,

but branded with
a truly Korean style.

The first great Korean empire
was the Silla kingdom,

which ruled much of what is today
North and South Korea.

The Gyeongju area
was Silla's capital,

so it also became
the final resting place

for its royalty and high officials.

Over 100 of these large mound tombs
are found in the region.

Now, when they opened this tomb up,
could they tell who was buried there?

TRANSLATION: Well, we don't know,

because really we're still learning
about the Flying Horse Tomb

and when it was excavated,
we found no bodies in it.

So we're not sure if the tomb
contained a king or a queen.

That's what we don't know exactly.

So you don't know exactly
who was buried,

but they did find
a golden crown inside, right?

Yes.

Not only at that time
the king or queen,

but probably relatives
and people of higher social stature

were buried in tombs like these.

Today, the wooden coffins have
dissolved into a pile of debris

and there's no trace
of the body or bodies,

except for the jewellery
that adorned them.

I have travelled and seen
a lot over the years,

but the craftsmanship and advanced
civilisation of the Silla dynasty

truly astounded me.

Bok took me through a field of tombs

to show me something very special.

This astronomical observatory
is the oldest surviving tower

in Asia, maybe the world,
dedicated to stargazing,

which is actually what
the tower's name means in Korean.

The Silla dynasty
was deeply religious,

with ties
to Confucianism and Buddhism.

One of the most significant
architectural complexes

is the nearby UNESCO
World Heritage Site, Bulguksa Temple.

The temple has several
significant Buddhist statues

and prayer pavilions, aimed at peace.

Korea was subject to Chinese,
Mongol and Japanese invasions,

so this huge temple complex
was dedicated

to stopping the conquest
of the peninsula.

Unfortunately, someone forgot
to tell the Japanese,

and many temple buildings
were destroyed

in a 16th-century assault.

Luckily for us, Korea has undertaken

an extensive renovation
and restoration

of all of the
temple complex buildings.

Korea is a mashup
of the past and present

in areas like the Palace,
Andong, the Confucius Academy

and the great tombs of the emperors.

But these are nothing
compared to the future of Korea.

Just two hours from Seoul is
the site of the 2018 Winter Games.

I love visiting Olympic sites
around the world,

and this was one
of the best I've seen.

A representative of the Olympic park,

Lim Lesung, met me at the base of the
most impressive venue - the ski jump.

In the Olympics, there are two
ski jump competitions

based on where the competitor
is to land -

90 metres, or the 300 feet,
and 120 metres, or 400 feet.

We rode up the same monorail
the athletes did

as they took their jumps for gold.

Americans have become
very good at bobsled.

Oh, really?
Yeah.

Used to be Germans and Russians only.
Right. Right.

Now the Americans
have really caught on.

The bird's-eye view from the top
is just spectacular - and scary.

The ski jump slope -
and this is the small one -

is daunting to say the least.

The 13,000-plus stadium below

is one of the best I've seen at any
Olympics for a ski jump competition.

The venues here were designed
to both maximise

the athletic endeavour

and the comfort of the spectator.

One of the local attractions,

now mostly for Koreans,

is gearing up for tourists -

the Institute
of Korean traditional food.

Here they demonstrate
the proper storage

of fermented foods
like the national dish, kimchi.

But the big draw is
the preparation and tasting

of traditional Korean foods.

They are preparing bibimbap,

a word that literally means
'mixed rice'.

There are seven different vegies
in it, from eggplant to seaweed,

plus meat and eggs
and, of course, rice,

all laid out quite colourfully.

Yet another opportunity for me
to hone my chopstick skills.

(LAUGHTER)

Oh! Now it is hot.

It wasn't at first.
(LAUGHTER)

Oh, it comes...it comes...

Mm, now it's really coming.

Yeah, OK. It's hot. Yes.
WOMAN: OK.

Officially labelled hot.

It seems, in Korea,
the more I look forward,

the more history and customs
play a deciding role.

Another good example is a special
people-to-people encounter

between visitors and monks.

Here, we can ask a Buddhist monk
about their life -

something that has been
unchanged for centuries -

in the context of the modern world.

The Buddhist adherent explains
that his lifetime choice

is one that comes at both
a high price and great rewards.

The price is chastity, no liquor
or meat, and certainly no money.

If donations are scarce,
the monks must beg for their food.

Of the 50 or so monks here,

over 30 of them devote themselves
solely to meditation.

To help understand the art
of meditation,

our Buddha devotee
had us make lotus flowers

out of coloured paper
and a simple paper cup.

My final product was
a bit short of the model.

Well, words don't
describe it adequately.

Using our floral masterpieces
as an offering to Buddha,

we did a meditative walk and chant,

before entering the main temple
to show our respect.

(CHANTS)

After a heavy dose of history

and a chance to meditate
on the subject

as to what being Korean is,

I felt I was much closer
than when I started.

I had but one last direction
to head to get some answers -

north.

No, not North Korea,

but as close as I could get -
the DMZ.

Before coming here, I hate to admit,
I didn't know much about the country

other than the 1950s conflict
known as the Korean War.

Over 3 million died
in the three years of fighting.

There is little evidence of the war,
despite the destruction

of nearly 80% of the property
on both sides of the border.

There is one area
that is a constant reminder

of the tensions that still exist

between the two
very different Koreas -

the DMZ, the demilitarised zone,

a two-mile no-man's-land on each
side of the negotiated border.

The DMZ has evolved
into a tourist attraction,

albeit a highly regulated one.

The tours, run under
the scrutiny of the military,

has a number of interesting
and informative stops.

They begin at the base where
monuments to reunification abound.

The official South Korean policy
has always called for reunification

through peaceful means.

One of the first stops on the tour

actually shows why this is
more of a dream than a reality.

The longest of the sites visited,
the Third Tunnel,

allows visitors
to ride deep underground

and to walk in an invasion tunnel
dug by the North,

probably in the early 1970s.

Three tunnels
have been located so far.

'Cause the roof, actually,
is getting lower,

not staying the same.

We're just a little over
a football field away.

170 metres... (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

The optimism of the South
is contagious, though.

Just one mile
from the tunnel entrance,

a train station has been built

to move people between
the two disparate Koreas.

Of course, the station is abandoned,
except as a tourist photo stop.

Despite that,
the talk is never 'if'

but always 'when'
the two Koreas will be one.

Probably, though, the most
interesting stop, at least for me,

is the observatory near the border.

Here, though, you can see into the
most isolated country in the world.

Well, here I am
at the edge of the DMZ

and it's sort of
a pilgrimage for me,

because my father fought
in the Korean War.

I don't think he would imagine,
nor would I,

that I would ever be able
to stand in a place like this.

(WOMAN SPEAKS KOREAN OVER P.A.)

Moving people around is a challenge
for every urban area in the world.

Many countries fail miserably,

ignoring the need
for public conveyance.

With South Korea's dense
city centres,

public transportation
became a necessity.

Of course, they were
up to the challenge,

creating a vast network
of train stations

that provide local, regional
and national connections

at a very reasonable cost.

The most famous part
of their public system

is the fabled bullet trains,
called the KTX.

At over 190 miles per hour,

they literally fly
across the countryside.

We used them to get between
most of the cities.

Back in Seoul, we had one more
amazing experience waiting for us.

(MUSICIANS PLAY)

a traditional performance
at Korea House,

where they preserve the culture

and history comes to life.

Most dances in Korea are either
exclusively for men or women.

Here, ladies play
and perform with drums,

which is unusual,
because in most cultures

that is strictly within
the male purview.

Men perform with drums as well,
and in this case

they add the challenge of keeping
the cord on their hats spinning.

Probably the most beautiful
and artistic performance

is the fan dance.

This neoclassic experience
combines ancient and modern steps

to create a visually
stunning spectacular.

It was created in the mid-1950s,

drawing influence from both
court and folk dances.

Korean traditional dance
is over 5,000 years old,

originating with
shamanistic practices

where the shaman, or the mudang,

act out as an intermediary
between gods and man

with the aim of curing an ill or
solving a problem for the village.

(APPLAUSE)

With the complexity of Korea
and what it means to be Korean

swirling in my head,

I knew that I had just
scratched the surface.

Korea's rich history and astounding
leadership in the modern world

makes this an incredible
place to visit.

And there seems no better location
to end my time here

than with a view from
the highest point in the country -

N Tower in the south of Seoul.

Spread out before me
was this modern city

with its preserved ancient wonders.

I can't say that I understand
what it is to be Korean -

there are 50 million people
that tell that story -

but I can say
that I'm a better person

for sampling the riches
it has to offer.

Captions by Red Bee Media
(c) SBS Australia 2023