Either you have a really bizarre definition of relaxation or you’ve never taken public transport in a busy city during peak hours.
Even in Los Angeles, where public transport is barely used, everything is packed at peak times. And that’s a place where people regularly take showers. I dare you to enjoy the relaxing experience of a bus at peak times in August in a third world country like Russia.
I agree, but some cities are just not compatible with public transport. Busses in LA fit 2 bicycles. How do you cover the final mile (which could be as far as 2.5 miles) in a city with mostly single family homes and lots of hills?
Impossible to compare Seoul to LA imho. Population density has its benefits like amazingly fast (fiber) internet connection, but accessibility of public transport isn’t one of them.