Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAIT
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor's of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master's of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn't in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
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Traditional Kimjang with Sue at the Songtan Market 2023
Would you like to participate in a traditional family-style Kimjang? (FYI, if you love cooking and Korean food the answer is, “YES!”) Then, sign up immediately for this 2-day traditional cooking event at the Songtan Traditional Market. Come learn how families work together to prepare their kimchi for the year. This is an all-inclusive event that includes snacks, meals, and numerous side quests like making kimchi for needy families in Pyeongtaek! (PS Vegan option available) Event Details Let’s start off with the details. This all-inclusive traditional kimjang event with Sue at the Songtan…
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Starting a Plant-Based, Vegan Pantry in Korea
Moving to South Korea as a vegan and wondering how you will survive? Well, it’s not actually that hard these days. Plant-based foods continue to grow in popularity across Korea and many can be shipped right to your house. This will likely be a blog in progress that gets updated over time. Getting Started on Your Vegan Kitchen The first month is the hardest for vegans moving to South Korea. The first reason is that you are trying to find vegan options in a whole new country, you can’t read…
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Plant-Based Vegan Seafood Options in Korea
Looking for plant-based alternatives to regular seafood? Korea has a variety of vegan seafood options for you to try. Here are options we’ve come across during our shopping adventures. It’s all part of the South of Seoul Plant-Based Food Initiative. Plant-Based Tuna (비건 참치) Plant-based tuna is a vegan or vegetarian alternative to traditional tuna fish. It seeks to replicate the taste, texture, and appearance of real tuna without using any animal-derived ingredients. There are a few primary ingredients and methods companies use to create plant-based tuna: Tomatoes: This is…
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10 Vegan Korean Side Dishes
Looking for vegan Korean side dishes? Did you know Korea has a strong tradition of plant-based foods so you have quite a few options? Here are 10 side dishes traditionally made without meat or animal products. Keep in mind, many modern Korean recipes do add meat to some of the following items but you can easily make them yourself in a vegan style without losing flavor. About Korean Side Dishes (Banchan) ‘Banchan’ translates to side dishes in Korean. Typically served family-style in the center of the table, they accompany the…
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A Vegan Weekend Trip to Gangwondo, Korea
Wondering where to travel as a vegan in Korea? We have a great weekend trip recommendation, SOKCHO and GOSEONG! About Vegan Travel Information Sokcho and Goseong If you go online there is very little about vegan trips to the east coast of Gangwondo in South Korea. The East Coast experienced a great deal of development for the 2018 Winter Olympics but still doesn’t offer a great deal of English information for English-speaking international residents. This means folks often don’t realize it can be a perfect vacation spot for all kinds…
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A Chuseok Menu for International Residents in Korea
Do you want to celebrate Chuseok in Korea but you don’t know how? Maybe you don’t have a Korean family or this is your first year in Korea? Here is how you can create a Chuseok menu at home using Traditional Markets and learning a few recipes. Let’s go, we promise it will be fun! About Chuseok Chuseok, often referred to as Korean Thanksgiving, is one of the most significant and festive holidays in South Korea. However, calling the holiday “Thanksgiving” may feel misleading when you first experience the holiday…
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2023 Initiative: Plant-Based Living in Korea
Welcome to the South of Seoul Plant-Based Food Initiative! Our mission is to inform and empower international residents living in South Korea with information, awareness, and accessibility to plant-based foods. Dive in to discover what we’re all about and how you can get involved. Our Vision The South of Seoul “Plant-Based Living in Korea” Initiative aims to improve English language access to plant-based living information. Additionally, we aim to cultivate a community that thrives on inclusivity, knowledge, and shared passion for sustainable food. Our objective is clear: celebrate the plant-based…
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Korean Drinking Games at Songtan BBQ Fest
Headed to the Songtan Market BBQ Festival this fall? Here are some Korean drinking games you might want to learn! About Korean Drinking Culture Many people in Korea love to play games when they drink. This includes Korean nationals and international residents who join local customs. The games tend to be simple, easy to follow, and designed to make everyone laugh or suffer together, or both. Spending a night playing drinking games in Korea is like a right of passage. For Non-Drinkers If you don’t drink, you can often still…
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Menstrual Product Shopping Tips for Korea
Do you need help shopping for menstrual products/ feminine hygiene products in Korea? You have come to the right place. This post offers tips for finding the right products, images from Korean products, and cultural insight. Information is power and we believe in empowering people with information so let’s go! Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of…
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Get to Know Plus Planner: Groups and Private Trips
Looking for a cheaper, easier way to travel in Korea while living here? You are not alone and finding ways to make your life easier when living in Korea is smart. So let’s talk about Plus Planner. You might have seen their trips on Facebook and wondered, “Are they for real?” Well, I had the same question so let’s get into it. (TLD;R Plus Planner is legit) Traveling Beyond Seoul Traveling across South Korea may feel challenging if you don’t speak Korean or can’t use Korean booking apps. It’s hard…
