Category: Seoul

Seoul, South Korea: Food-trippin’ at the Namdaemun Market

For such a huge place, we had quite a hard time finding the entrance to Namdaemun Market, which does not make sense as I think about it now. But from what I remember, we were simply just overwhelmed by so many buildings, signs, and people all around, and I guess we just weren’t alert enough. But we did manage to get there, and had a look at Namdaemun Market at night.  Continue reading “Seoul, South Korea: Food-trippin’ at the Namdaemun Market” →

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Seoul, South Korea: Wandering Around Hongdae

I’ve always heard and read about Hongdae being the “trendy” hub of “pop culture” in Seoul. Arts, music and entertainment, from mainstream to indie to underground… you name it, this place seems to have it. But this is more on the hip side, so the crowd is pretty much younger. That, in itself, is quite daunting, for some reason. But I still thought I should check it out, to see a piece of it, even if a small one, in a short amount of time.

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Seoul, South Korea: Walking Around Ewha Womans University & Shopping Street

If you thought the title of this post has a grammatical error, let me correct you outright: that’s really how the name is written. Womans. Not Woman’s or Women’s. It’s really Ewha Womans University. I, too, did a double-take when I first saw it, and took several clicks and readings to be enlightened.

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Seoul, South Korea: The Ddong Cafe (Poop Cafe) in Insadong

Coffee shops everywhere have truly evolved that I’m no longer surprised when someone used “old school” to describe the likes of coffee giant Starbucks. Even here, in my town, coffee shops have ceased to be places that merely offer a selection of coffee-based beverages. They now sell experiences revolving around a specific concept, from the weird to the fantastical, from the whoa to the duh, and so when I heard about poop-themed cafes springing up in this or that city, it was not surprising at all.

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Seoul, South Korea: Insadong (feat. Ssamziegil)

The strong rain and wind has been going at it for the past several days, and only getting stronger by the day. But I know for a fact that if I go downtown, I’d still see more than a few tourists going around, umbrellas and raincoats in tow, doing all the touristy things visitors do when they come here. I can relate. I’ve been to several places where the weather was not at its best, but that did not stop me from exploring what I can of it. Like that time we went to Insadong, strong lashing rain and all.

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Seoul, South Korea: Around Bukchon Hanok Village (and Granhand!)

There’s something jarring and otherworldly when I visit temples and palaces, especially those located in urban areas. It is mostly that disconnect between the future and the past, having that no small piece of the historical ancient in the middle of a thriving metropolis. The Bukchon Hanok Village is one of the most popular tourist-y places to visit in Seoul, but it wasn’t only until my 3rd visit to the City that I actually got around to checking it out.

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Seoul, South Korea: The Innisfree Cafe in Samcheongdong

If I had the luxury of time and money, I’d love to go back to Seoul and do a cafe tour, hopping from one coffee shop to another. Never mind that I’m not much of a coffee drinker, I’d just do it for the aesthetics, because have you seen Korean cafes? Especially the concept cafes? Describing them as “instagrammable” will be understating it, because of the overall experience they provide. On top of my list would have been the Innisfree Cafe.

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Seoul, South Korea: From Gyeongbukgong to Samcheongdong

I agree with the consensus that the best way to explore one place is to hit its pavements and walk around. Sure, it can become exhausting on the legs, but nothing will get you more up close and personal with a place than by walking its streets. Yes, even when there is some drizzling going around. The continuous showers certainly did not deter us from our original plan of walking around Samcheongdong that day.

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Food-trippin’ in Seoul, South Korea

The downside of having foul and gloomy weather for more than a couple of weeks now is that, instead of going outside enjoying the great outdoors, we stay cooped up inside, with food. Eating, pigging out, then wanting more, and then wishing you could eat something. Alas, you can’t, because it  means going out into all that rain. So, you end up just thinking about it. Like I did, when I remembered some of the food that we enjoyed during our trip to Seoul.

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Our Jjimjilbang Experience at Dragon Hills Spa (with Doraemon & Totoro!)

There are several South Korean things that I am envious about. Their subway system. Their artifacts and relics appreciation and preservation. Their zippy-speedy internet connection. Their skin care products. And their public bathhouses. Yes, your read that right: “public bathhouses”. Or, as they call it, “jjiimjilbang”.

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SoKor 2015: Huwon, The Secret Garden of Changdeok Palace in Seoul

Imagine feeling bored and tired of your usual routine, so you retire to that garden at the back of your house, where you could smell the fresh air, read a book (or even write one), walk for hours along the picturesque trails, sit inside any of the pavilions and be mesmerized by how calm and still the water on the pond is… Oh wait, I suppose you can only do that if (1) you are royalty and (2) you lived during the Joseon era. You can still catch a glimpse of that long-gone era, however, by checking out Huwon, the Secret Garden of Changdeokgung.

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SoKor 2015: Changdeokgung (Changdeok Palace) in Seoul

Palaces are a staple if you’re visiting Seoul. Or South Korea, in general. In fact, I think you cannot say you’ve made a proper visit to this beautiful country without having visited at least one of these national treasures. Changdeokgung, or Changdeok Palace, is one of these palaces: a well-preserved historical relic of the past and a beautiful reminder of that past in the present. Out of the five major palaces of Joseon, it is the most well-preserved to this day, and that’s partly the reason it was declared another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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SoKor 2015: Hiking Up Bukhansan Part 2

We always find new hobbies, and we even actively seek them out when things are starting to become “meh~”. But hiking, going out in the great outdoors, and travelling is sure to be a hobby that I will have for a very long time to come. I always stop and savor that feeling of gratefulness for the opportunities that I get to see as much as I can (or as much as my resources would let me). When we reached the peak of Mt. Bukhansan was definitely one of the moments when I felt that gratefulness wash over me. In great waves.

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