As part of my flight path back home, I had to change airports in South Korea. I took off from Haneda, landed at Gimpo, and flew from Incheon back to Honolulu.
I was a bit worried about the airport change, but everyone I talked to assured me that it wouldn't be too bad. Indeed, all the signage was in clear English and easy to understand. If you have half a brain and can navigate through Tokyo's mess of subways and train lines, getting between Gimpo and Incheon is a breeze.
I packed light and only had my small purple carry-on, not expanded, and my backpack with my laptop. I didn't want to wait around for my luggage at the carousel and drag it all through Korea.
The first rude person I interacted with on my trip was the immigration lady at Gimpo. She did not say ANYTHING to me - no indication for me to move forward, no greeting, no instructions throughout the screening process. She snapped at me when she looked over my papers, "Where is your Korean address?"
"I'm going straight to Incheon."
After that she put my passport back on the counter and said nothing, so I left.
I made it to Incheon with time to spare. Even took some photos!
"I'm that Korean actor from You're Beautiful that you cannot escape.
Welcome to Incheon"
There's an ice skating rink!
"If I let go right now I will die."
A lot comfier and aesthetically pleasing than most airports.
I had to check in for my second flight, so I went toward the dozen or so counters for Korean Air. It seemed like half the check-in wing was dedicated to Korean Air, and they have a slightly different check-in counter system than most airports. They ask you to check in according to what kind of traveler you are - if you're in a tour group, family, with baggage, without baggage, etc.
I passed the No Baggage Check-In once and saw the one male employee behind the counter flirting with some woman, maybe his off-duty girlfriend. I didn't want to go over and disrupt Korean Rico Suave but I also didn't want someone else yelling at me for going to the wrong check-in counter, so I went over to him.
"I need to check-in."
Guy was obviously miffed. "Don't you have to check your luggage?"
"No." I handed him my passport and his woman disappeared around the corner.
I got that done and decided I needed a snack. I bought a Coke and the worst onigiri I have ever eaten at a shop, and the girl didn't even put it in a freaking bag. CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT I HAVE ONE HAND FULL WITH MY LUGGAGE AND MY WALLET IN THE OTHER HAND?
I went to security and the officer weighed my bag and my suitcase. "It's overweight combined. You have to check one." JESUS CHRIST, I saw NO ONE else go through that. So I went and checked in the carry-on, again with rude employees who don't know how to greet people, say thank you, or generally interact with customers. I almost forgave the girls who were standing around to manage the line, because they lifted the seatbelt-looking thing to let me through, but they just went back to chatting and overall looking unprofessional.
I got to the gate and I thankfully did not have to deal with anyone else, but I couldn't believe how the employees acted. The guy at the gate had his iPhone out and was busy texting someone for 10 minutes. A girl who came by with supplies for the plane was talking on her phone, running her cart into the door because she didn't have a proper grip on the thing BECAUSE SHE'S GOT HER HEAD COCKED NEXT TO HER SHOULDER AS SHE CHATS MINDLESSLY WHILE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT SHE'S DOING. And another employee wearing a shirt 3 sizes too small was generally dismissive of a customer who came up and asked a question.
The flight attendants on the plane were much better. Even more so because I was randomly upgraded to business class. LAY FLAT BEDS FTW.
Long story short, maybe I'll go back to visit Korea but I sure as hell am not living there. THEY'RE SO RUDE.
