I once took a bus trip from Seoul to Seoraksan (basically coast to coast). I was tremendously impressed by the industry with which every available square meter

I once took a bus trip from Seoul to Seoraksan (basically coast to coast). I was tremendously impressed by the industry with which every available square meter was cultivated. In Seoul, anywhere there was green space, there was a garden. No space at all wasted on grass. Even the narrow verge between the highway and an apartment block was be cultivated. In the countryside, people were logging nearly vertical hillsides, and as far as I could see they were doing so without using mechanized logging equipment. Every barbecue restauraunt had sesame plants growing outside, which they used for leaves to serve with bulgogi, although I think it's also for advertising. And of course, there were pots for kimchi everywhere. Korean people told me that eating kimchi is why Koreans are so strong and healthy. I find it hard to disagree -- anecdotally, I have never felt more energized than after eating kimchi jigae for breakfast. And my American companions who passed on the kimchi but tried to keep up with the soju, they all got quite sick. Anyway, kimchi is delicious and everybody should eat it.