Rating: 
Summary: very poor..
Review: I don't know how good the new edition is.
(heard that the south korean national tourism organization
helped a lot the LP team to revise the new edition)
but the last edition is no match for the moon's handbook.
go get the moon's one, if you plan to visit this country.
Rating: 
Summary: Forget the book, learn about Korea on your own.
Review: I have been living in South Korea for almost four years now. I am constantly amazed about how different things really are then how they are presented in LP. Outdated maps, faulty cultural notes, and a genuine lack of details. I feel the authors reviewed Korea from an airplane. Well I've been down on the streets and can attest that the best parts in Korea are not even mentioned in the LP.
Don't waste your cash on this book. If your looking for maps wait till you get to Korea. Every Tourist Info' Booth (and they are everywhere) gives great maps away for free. The Korean Government operates several tourist related webpages with great links. They also offer guides to the korean language.
The LP phrase book? Forget it. Every provence in korea has it's own distinct dialect, vocabulary, etc. What works in Seoul may not work at all in Suncheon or Kyung-Ju.
If your going to be staying in the top-end hotels and such then this book may be alright for that. But for those of us who like to be on the street. Just jump in and discover korea for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Useless, left at home!
Review: I just come back from Korea for 2-3 days.
This LP book is really disappointed me.
It lack of information, inaccurate data and undetailed map.
Ok I know that i published about 2-3 years ago, the data
might inaccurate but it almost inaccurate, also the bus route???
If you follow the book guide on the way to Tongdosa you will probably get lost! Thats unacceptable.
It is nothing more than a good introduction to Korea to read at home.Try Moon Guide or something else here is my tips
1 Need map? just go to Korea, find Tourism Information kiosk
and you will find everything you want, good illustrate map
valueable advise and everything you want to know about Korea!
2 Use International cashcard (PLUS CIRCUS) will save you from deadly banknote exchange rate, but dont expect an international ATM in country side. (you can find a lot of them in subway Seoul) keep money, not credit!
3 Dont use a network ATM (like Han-net, Easy-money) It will charge you! Use bank ATM (CHB KB)
4 Dont bring this LP with you, burden!
Rating:
Summary: Frustrating lack of content
Review: I lived in Korea for a year and found the former edition of the book alternately frustating and helpful. At least the new edition doesn't feature as many comments about there being nothing for tourists to do. The book needs more written in Korean. The romanizations are confusing because most of Korea uses a different system. So you will see different words at the bus station when you're looking for the English translation of where you're going. Additionally, the Korean alphabet is not hard. A typical foreigner can learn it in one night in a bar from a patient teacher. (I've seen this happen!) So there is no excuse for not including resturant and hotel names in Korean. Finally, fun things to do like singing rooms, coffee houses, good bars...all the stuff I wanted to find aren't mentioned very often. Different cities are famous for different kinds of food and the area specialties aren't mentioned for several places that really should have them. I agree with the former reviewers that the Moon guide book is better and the phrasebook by lonely planet is excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Frustrating lack of content
Review: I lived in Korea for a year and found the former edition of the book alternately frustating and helpful. At least the new edition doesn't feature as many comments about there being nothing for tourists to do. The book needs more written in Korean. The romanizations are confusing because most of Korea uses a different system. So you will see different words at the bus station when you're looking for the English translation of where you're going. Additionally, the Korean alphabet is not hard. A typical foreigner can learn it in one night in a bar from a patient teacher. (I've seen this happen!) So there is no excuse for not including resturant and hotel names in Korean. Finally, fun things to do like singing rooms, coffee houses, good bars...all the stuff I wanted to find aren't mentioned very often. Different cities are famous for different kinds of food and the area specialties aren't mentioned for several places that really should have them. I agree with the former reviewers that the Moon guide book is better and the phrasebook by lonely planet is excellent.
Rating:
Summary: get a different travel guide
Review: I was lucky enough to live in Korea for a year teaching English and while I was there, the LP Korea was pretty much my travelling "Bible". While other people may not consider it indepth in locations to visit, it still has more than sufficient details for your average visitor who is going to travel around for a month or two. I was working so my travelling time was limited to weekends, so as it was, the LP Korea was perfectly adequate for my needs. There was always plenty to see and do. I wanted to see the most important and interesting stuff, which typifies what Korea is all about. If you are going to be visiting Korea for an extended period of time, or living there, then maybe after a while the guide book may appear to be superficial. However, all the major regions are covered, including Jejudo Island (and North Korea gets its own section at the back). All the usual hotels, resturants and transport details are there, as well as the bog standard travel advice. So if you are a short term visitor, then the LP Korea will, in my opinion, be more than sufficient. Besides, if LP does not meet your needs, the KNTO is reasonably well developed, with tourist maps and info of most destinations at railway stations, bus stations, and airports. At major tourist points, guides will speak english, and advise you of other interesting features of the area you are in. University students wanting practice their english are also good travel guides. I had my first introduction to Daegu in this manner. I disagree with some of the opinions expressed by other reviewers of this book. To be realistic, the minute this title came off the printing press it was out of date. For example, one cannot expect all the eateries listed to still be there by the time an individual gets to Korea. When I lived in Kumi (or Gumi, which ever way you prefer) for a year, there was a resturant down the street from where I lived that changed ownership three times, being reincarnated as something different each time it reopened. Some places stay, some go. Nor can one expect all interesting destinations to be featured; what would people want more; a small compact book with sufficient info for tourists planning to be in country for 2 months or so or alternatively an immense brick like book jammed with enough destinations to keep a traveller travelling for years and which cost a bomb and throws your back out every time you lift it. I know which I prefer.
Rating: 
Summary: a good starting point - 5th edition
Review: If you are a first time visitor to Korea, this book provides an excellent overview of sights to see, places to stay, and restaurants to eat. It is great for planning your trip to Korea. When you do get to Korea, there are plenty of places to get more detailed information. That is especially true in big cities and tourist attractions. Korea is incredibly resourceful in that area. If you are going to remote area of Korea, then this may not be the book for you; then again there probably aren't any tourist books that are detailed about all of Korea. Transportation information especially local bus routes can change quite frequently. You need to find out detail information after you get to Korea. Korean people are usually very friendly to foreigners. One thing I do find lacking with this tour book is that it lists all tourist attractions in seemingly random order. Some that are not really worth a visit are covered in details yet some considered not to be missed by local koreans are covered in very little detail. This can be frustrating to short term visitors. But again, do go to a tourist center once you arrive in Korea. I also feel the nightlife section should be expanded. A visit to Korea without experiencing the nightlife is only 50% complete.
Rating:
Summary: not bad
Review: Some reviews of this book make it sound terrible. In fact, it's alright. You'll get the cultural and architectural information in much, much greater detail from the Moon Guide to Korea, and I think that's worthwhile. But you'll get lost if you use that guide; LP has better maps and practical information. So, with apologies to your wallet, I suggest getting both. If you're not going to leave Seoul, maybe just buy the Moon Guide and a map of Seoul; but still, you'll be missing LP's very practical recommendations.
Rating: 
Summary: generally helpful
Review: The book is good in giving you info on what to see and how to get around. A lot that is related to Korean culture and its people is not right or a bit off base. The info on the bus system is a bit off including prices and how it works. On the other hand, it does give plenty of info on what to see and is good on describing how you can get from place to place. Overall it gives you a lot of helpful info, but it certainly is not the "bible" on korea by any means.
Rating:
Summary: Very Lonely Planet with this book...
Review: The book should not be confused with the tv show, which is consistantly excellent. This is a poor excuse for a LP product, as most of the places, prices, dates are way out of date. It doesn't help that the country is in constant renewal, with regard to restaurant names changing, hotel names changing, etc. But if you can't get the information remotely straight, then you've got no right releasing a book like this and passing it off as accurate. Stick with Rough Guide, as I would have if I had been able to find a copy beforehand. Some nice pictures herein, but that didn't help me much. Incidentally, the reason there isn't much in the way of hangul script is because of the existance of the LP korean phrasebook, which is quite good. It's also separate, so you have to buy both books if you're making a long stay. Money isn't everything, guys.
|
