Tourist Season: Tourists from Hell

This week kicks off our summer rerun series, digging up the best tourism episodes from the archive while we take a break from new true crime deep dives. First up: 141, Tourists from Hell.

Years of running walking tours and food tours in Seoul means years of collecting the worst behavior tourism has to offer. Hand holders who never read their confirmation emails. Tour-splainers who think they know the history better than the guide telling it. The no-show who ghosted, left a one-star review, then demanded a refund anyway. A hotel concierge (the irony) who wanted a private tour at group rates, only ate at Michelin-level places, and ended the day eating bread from a bakery because nothing else met his standards.

Plus, why Joe stopped taking media fixer gigs after some genuinely great experiences with names like Bourdain and Zimmern, and a stack of tourist horror movie recommendations to close things out.

If you've ever worked in hospitality, this one's for you. If you've ever been that guest, you might recognize yourself.

Topics Discussed

• Introducing the "Tourist Season" summer replay series
• The most memorable difficult guests from years of leading tours
• "Hand holders" who never read booking information
• Tourists who showed up at the wrong location and demanded refunds
• Guests who tried to explain Korean history to the guides
• No-shows and last-minute cancellations
• Refund requests after missed tours
• Hecklers and guests with personal agendas
• The infamous "Touché!" guest
• Drunk guests and disruptive tour behavior
• Guests distracted by phones and Pokémon Go
• Problems unique to hiking tours
• Food tour horror stories
• Vegetarians booking Korean BBQ tours
• The worst guest ever: a hotel concierge with impossible expectations
• Working as media fixers for international television productions
• Positive experiences with Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, National Geographic, and Milk Street
• Horror film recommendations for travelers

Mentioned During the Episode

• ZenKimchi Experiences
• The Dark Side of Seoul Tour
• Korean BBQ Experience
• Anthony Bourdain
• Andrew Zimmern
• National Geographic
• Milk Street

Listen & Follow

Website: https://darksideofseoul.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dark-side-of-seoul-podcast/id1504623984

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lZBXNX79kwH2NXcJWNcb8

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Contact: [e-mail]

About The Dark Side of Seoul

The Dark Side of Seoul explores Korea's hidden history, folklore, true crime, urban legends, supernatural traditions, and the overlooked stories that shaped the peninsula. Alongside deep dives into Korea's darker past, the podcast also explores life in modern Korea through travel, culture, and the often hilarious realities of working as professional tour guides.

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