A dehumidifier is essential to keeping your apartment, house or office cool during Korea's summer months. This small appliance circulates the air in a room and pulls the moisture out. Water from the air collects in a receptacle in front of the dehumidifier, and should be discarded daily.
Head to a department store like Lotte Mart or Emart to buy one. These stores can be found in most cities in the Republic of Korea, and both carry a wide selection of dehumidifiers. Prices range from about 100,000 to 150,000 Won ($85 to $125 USD) for a basic unit, but it is well worth the investment.
Most modern apartments and homes in the Republic of Korea come with small, wall-mounted electronic air conditioning units. If you do not have one, and your dehumidifier isn't doing the trick, head over to your local department store to purchase one.
Air conditioners can be found at common big box stores throughout Korea, including Lotte Mart and Emart, as well as local electronics stores. Prices range from 125,000 to 175,000 Won ($110 to $150 USD).
Koreans eat special dishes in the hot summer months to replenish their fluids and keep up their immunities. These include samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup), naeungmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and guksu (cold wheat noodles). These dishes all come in a light broth with plenty of healthy veggies.
If you're in Seoul, check out Goryeo Samgyetang for the real deal, located in the Seoul Financial Center building (Phone: +82 (02) 775 8853, Hours: 11:00 - 20:00.
Feeling adventurous? Visit myepikorean.com for authentic recipes to try making these dishes on your own.
For a real bargain--and an adventure--check out the Yongsan Electronics Market in Seoul. This open-air market is the place to go for deals on all kinds of electronics, including those meant to cool you down. To get there from Seoul Station, take the dark blue subway line southbound to Yongsan Station. The market spans several blocks around the station.
Keep in mind that the Republic of Korea uses Eurpoean-style outlets that put out 220 volts of electricity - twice the output of North American outlets. If you have a dehumidifier, air conditioner, or electric fan that you want to bring with you to Korea, be sure to invest in an adapter AND 110/220 transformer to avoid a fire hazard. While a 110/220 converter is fine for small devices like a hair dryer or radio, you will need a heavier-duty transformer to handle an appliance like a dehumidifier (Reference 5).
