Yeah it is awkward haha, but I’ve had to get used to it.

Not safer as such, but when walking around I need to greet old people and if they want to talk to me I can’t just walk off, I need to be respectful but can be really difficult with my beginner Korean. Most have never left this area in their whole life and don’t have experiences with foreigners so don’t understand that even though I can speak some Korean, I can’t understand everything they are saying especially dialect. Being on a bike means I can greet them as I go by but not have to stop, so still be respectful but not be caught in that situation.
My husband jokes about me being kidnapped if I’m walking around by myself but I think a small part of him is worried, so it’s better if I’m on a bike haha.