Seoul 2014: Day 6 (Night Roaming in Myeongdong)

Hey there! Sorry everyone I know it has been too long! I've flown back to Perth for my final studies of uni and it just took some time to settle back into study mode and the new house.

Long stories aside, let's get on with the Seoul 2014 trip!

To see what delicious morsels I gobbled in Gwangjang Market on Day 5 of my trip, click on this link:
http://vanvanscully.blogspot.sg/2015/02/seoul-2015-gwangjang-market.html
To check out my trip to Myeongdong Cathedral and N Seoul Tower on Day of my trip, click here:
http://vanvanscully.blogspot.sg/2015/05/seoul-2014-day-7-myeongdong-cathedral.html

(I apologise for the bad font below later. I don't know what happened and I've tried to rectify it but to no avail)

I wasn't feeling too well from Day 5 onwards, so I took the opportunity to rest up on Day 6 because falling sleep on a solo holiday would be the last thing I want (imagine all the medicine and confusion I would have if I had to make a trip down to a clinic).

Andong Jjimdak 안동찜닭 delivery for lunch!

Followed by some intense afternoon napping, resting and TV watching...

Then as night fell on Seoul, I got dressed and made my way down to Myeongdong, which was about 15 minutes away from the residence.

Christmas hits Korea =) Outside Shinsegae Departmental Stall. This section is filled with chauffered limousines for rich Korean ahjummas, all lined up neatly waiting to fetch their Korean lady bosses.

I brought really dodgy boots to Korea (they were literally peeling off and revealing their base), so I made my primary Myeongdong Night Mission about looking for a new pair of affordable boots.

GUYS I literally discovered that SPAO is just so affordable. I never went in because I thought that it would be filled with SM Entertainment fangirls. Desperation drove me in, because I could not find affordable boots at all, even from the street side stalls. I was prepared to pay 29,000₩ for the boots but when I went to the counter, there was a further discount and i paid 19,000₩ for my boots! HOW AWESOME!

Satisfied with my buy, I headed over to O'Sulloc (a haven for green tea lovers) to chill out for a bit. They sell green tea drinks, desserts and other kinds of tea/green tea concoctions.

Tea for Sale! O'Sulloc teas can be pretty pricey - but if you're a tea connoisseur then they are pretty worth it - especially the Wedding Green Tea OMG amazing!

Managed to order in Korean! The staff here can speak English which will be beneficial to tourists. Make your order at the counter and you will be given a black buzzer which will light up and vibrate when your order is ready. When it does, head over to the collection counter to grab your order!

Iced Green Tea - so milky, so smooth and so fragrant!

Chill-out chairs (look how relaxed that lady is at the end)

Can't find any seats? Not to worry. The O'Sulloc outlet in Myeongdong is 2 stories high and the 2nd floor has more than enough comfy chairs.

My verdict? Definitely worth the time and chill-out. This place has excellent green tea, free wifi and the staff are friendly and warm. Toilets are also clean (although there is only one cubicle for males and females respectively). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you are looking to chill out with friends or relaxing on your own.


O´sulloc Tea House
Jung-gu Myeongdong-gil 48 (Myeongdong2-ga) |서울특별시 중구 명동7길 12 (명동1가)
Operating Hours: 0900-2230
How to Get Here: Alight at Myeongdong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 6. Upon exiting the
                                station, turn left onto Myeongdong 8-gil. Go straight about 400m, until you see
                                O´sulloc Tea House on the right.

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Those patches are supposed to increase your boob size and slim your tummy and thighs. WHAT?! This is just taking patches to the next level.

These patches were $100+ each and yet people were snapping them up like they were free.

Cute makeup trial section at Olive Young where you can wash up, put on =) So pretty!

Psychedelic Beauty Product Shopping in Olive Young~

BTW GIRLS - I found really cheap herbal sanitary pads at Olive Young and they are so good!

Wandering the streets of Myeongdong. I was alone but happy to take in the entire atmosphere - the sights, smells and sounds.

Anyone getting hungry? I was after wandering around for 4 hours straight. And there was one last thing that I HAD TO try before I left Korea.

SOFTREE ICE CREAM - behold the original of all the soft serve honey comb ice creams - and by far the best. Creamiest, milkiest, smoothest, the best quality honey and most substantial amount of Honeycomb! I did so much research just to find this brand to try.

This was absolute heaven. One of the best things I ate this trip in Korea. I savoured every bite slowly, and indulged in spoon after spoon of this delicacy till I got back to the residence. 

My verdict? Absolutely necessary to try this! Make this a must on your list of things to do. Please do not try brands like Milkcow or any other milky or honeybee named shop unless you are going to try the ice cream from this shop. SOFTREE is the original and the best - this is my biggest and most important advice to you this trip! HAHA =)

**I can't seem to find an address for this - but it is on the road leading up to Myeongdong Cathedral!
 There are other outlets to locate this ice cream shop - Gangnam, Itaewon, etc.
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Watching the light show near the city hall (which was on the way back to the residence). The images of Christmas were being projected onto the building. I was so captivated but it was also scary (this was where I met a dodgy person who tried to ask me for money in Korean) but I just pretended not to understand anything he said. Thereafter I walked at a speed I never knew I could attain ever in life (and thankfully he didn't chase after me).

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 EXCITED about my new kicks!

P.S There were fur trimmed on the inside which made wearing them extra warm and comfy.

Well then, that's all I have for today. Stay tuned to the next post where I check out Myeongdong Cathedral and Namsan Tower!

Till then,

Fly Safe and Eat Happy,
V

Korea 2012: Day 6 (Kona Beans 코나빈스 - Lord Stow's Bakery - Kyochon Chicken 교촌치킨 in Apgujeong 압구정 - Kalguksu Alley in Namdaemun)

Hey guys! Sorry its been a really long time since the last post. I've been exceptionally busy with 1 exam and 3 assignments due for uni next week.

Anyway back to the Korea 2012 posts: this post is a continuation from my previous post Korea 2012: Day 5 (Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을 - Myeongdong Dog Café 강아지카페)

We headed out to Gangnam 강남 and Apgujeong-dong 압구정동. Yes the area where all of you are doing that rodeo dance for as made popular by Psy. Jess wanted to check out the SM Entertainment Building and also the cafe opened by the mothers of Super Junior members Leetuek, Sungmin and Kyuhyun. Also, you can't come to Korea and not try Korean fried chicken: so we headed to Kyochon Chicken (advertised by Super Junior as well). Oh not forgetting to insert this really yummy, fluffy and creamy egg tart in between.

Gangnam 강남 and Apgujeong-dong 압구정동 instantly gives you this upper-class feeling. Not my kinda place, but nice to check out for a change. If you're a Singaporean, or you've been to Ion Orchard in Singapore, you'll know what I mean:
In Ion Orchard Shopping Mall, every level above Level 1 gets more and more expensive, even the air smells different (or maybe its just my nose overreacting). If Hongdae was Level 1, Gangnam would be Level 5.

Apgujeong-dong 압구정동 is sort of melded together with Gangnam 강남. The two come hand-in-hand. 

HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Gangnam Station (Seoul Subway Line 2) and take Exit 10 or 11.

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First Stop: Kona Beans

HOW TO GET HERE: Take Exit 2 from Apgujeong station 압구정역. Make a U-turn on your left and follow the path straight all the way till you see a Hyundai Oil Station. Continue to walk straight until you see Cafe Pascucci at a small alley junction(which is on your right). Turn right and walk into the alley. On the way to Kona Beans cafe, make sure you see Jindo building to ensure you are going in the right direction. Walk up about 100m and you’ll see Kona Beans Cafe.
*REFER TO BELOW*

The cafe definitely has a nice mood and tone to it. The design is well done: a cosy ambience, and fragrant coffee, with beans imported from Hawaii! Aloha~

Jess' order of a blueberry bagel with cream cheese spread.

Can't remember what Jess ordered (in the black cup) but with me there's no surprise: I ordered a Caramel Macchiato (in the yellow cup) with generous drizzles of caramel... YUMMM!

It was approaching christmas when we visited (December) so the fans decorated the shop beautifully with their fan gifts and sweet thoughts to their idols.

My verdict? Initially when Jess suggested this place to me, I was skeptical about how good the quality of the coffee and food would be. I mean idol mums opening a cafe together seemed like a gimmick and nothing else. But I was completely astounded in a good way. The coffee was great, service was excellent, and ambience takes the win.

**I checked the website and this shop doesn't seem to exist anymore. Either that or there is another available route? I've put down the address of the new shop and the directions to head there below.

Kona Beans Cafe 코나빈스
1202 Boutique Monaco, 1316-5 Seocho-dong | 서을시 서초동 1316-5 부띠크모나코 빌딩 1202 호
Opening Hours: 7am-11pm | Website: http://www.konabeans.co.kr
HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Gangnam Station 강남역 (Seoul Subway Line 2) and take Exit 9. Walk straight along Seocho-daero 서초대로 and you will see Kona Beans on your right.

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2nd Stop: Lord Stow's Bakery (Andrew's Egg Tarts)

I swear finding information on this shop is absolutely futile. There is a high possibility that this shop no longer exists in Gangnam. Since I can't even get an address, the best I can offer you is a photo and a review. The nearest clue I have gotten is that it is near Apgujeong Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2. It is also somewhat near Kyochon Chicken (if it still exists). If anyone has been there recently, do let me know: IS THIS SHOP STILL THERE?

My verdict? Hands down the best egg tarts I've ever had (apart from KFC's ones where they are baked then fried which unlocks a new level of flavour. I know this brand is from Macau, but somehow I don't remember eating such good ones in Macau back when I was there.

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3rd Stop: Kyochon Chicken

Jess was keen to come here because back in 2012, Super Junior endorsed this brand. I was too excited to try Korean fried chicken for the first time altogether.

Because I'm no spicy aficionado, we ordered the soy garlic chicken to share. The thing about Kyochon Chicken is that they don't have smaller sets or so. This is pretty much the minimum size which is way too much for one person to eat. So if you're in a group of 2, and one enjoys spicy food while the other doesn't, someone has got to make the sacrifice.

My verdict? Best Korean fried chicken I've had so far and I haven't found anything close anywhere else. Hopefully on my latest trip at year end I'll be able to try good fried chicken! *licks lips* Getting excited just thinking about all the good food that I'll be able to try on this trip. A MUST VISIT in my opinion.


Kyochon Chicken (Apgujeong Branch)
Level 1, 1309-8 Seocho-dong, Seoul | 서울 서초구 서초동 1309-8 1층
Opening Hours: | Telephone: +82-2-592-1993
Website: www.kyochon.com
HOW TO GET HERE: Gangnam Station Exit 9, walk straight for about 500m.


Shinhwa Kyochon Chicken Restaurant
서울 특별시 강남구 신사  동 640-5대 성빌덩1층1호
HOW TO GET HERE: Take Exit 6 of Apgujeong Rodeo Station and walk straight. Turn left when you pass Hana Bank and walk straight. Ensure that you pass a Starbucks and look out for Kyochon Chicken.

*They open rather late, from about 1pm onwards.
*Update: Since June 2014, Super Junior no longer endorses Kyochon Chicken. E.L.F.s out there take note.


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We were absolutely unlucky in finding the underground Apgujeong Rodeo shopping area, so we proceeded to Namdaemun 남대문 for some cheap shopping and - utter disappointment - on my part.

Namdaemun Market 남대문 시장 is more of a wholesale area, especially with its jewellery, accessories section. Most prices are also un-haggable. I did manage to buy stuff from the 10,000 won racks and stacks but the fashion there is a little old and mostly good for kids clothings.

We went to grab dinner at the Kalguksu Alley- the comforting warm, soup noodles in Korea.

The iconic plastic doors at the entrance of the Kalguksu Alley.

Not trying to be mean or anything but you have to be cautious when entering this place. Have a lot of conviction. Ahjummas will be urging you to come sit at their stall. Don't give in unless they are Native Koreans. Yes I do have to spell that out clearly because many of the stalls here are run by Mainland Chinese who have learnt to speak in Korean. Its not that I don't value that they have to make a living. But their food just doesn't taste the same. The stall which we visited was run by native Korean ahjummas.

*on that note: Korean ahjummas can also speak Chinese, so do your best to differentiate the Koreans from the Chinese. Otherwise, refer to blogs to know which stalls to look out for.

As part of the SERVICE for visiting their stall, stallholders will give you some complimentary spicy noodles or rice. Jess opted for the spicy cold noodles while I had the sticky rice with seaweed.

Yummy Kalguksu =) I had a happy warm tummy. The Ahjummas were also really nice and friendly to us!

The entire street of cushy stools and noodle-slurping customers.

Look out for these Ahjummas and this stall! =) "Minsok Sikdang"

My verdict? A fun experience with comforting, happy food and a good rest from shopping in Namdaemun. If you're on a tight schedule though give it a miss. Its not that much of a delicacy or big thing that you HAVE TO eat there.

Namdaemun Market Kalguksu Alley
Minsok Sikdang (민속식당)  
HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Hoehyeon Station (Seoul Subway Line 4) and take Exit 5. You should walk straight down from the big gateway 6 of Namdaemun Market. Look out for the plastic door entrance on the left of the streeet.
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That's all for this post. Thanks for staying tuned everyone! The next post will be really short because I didn;t get to take many photos when we went to Insadong and met Jess' Korean friend who brought us around. I will include information and tips on what to visit from the preparations I've made for my upcoming trip.

Till the next post~

Fly Safe and Eat Happy,
V

Korea 2012: Day 5 (Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을 - Myeongdong Dog Café 강아지카페)

Hi there! Thanks for being so patient with my Korea series. I do realise its taking a little long and can be frustrating for those of you who are planning your trips now.

This is a continuation of my previous post Korea 2012: Day 4 Part 2 (Puppy Café Sangsang Dabang 상상다방 애견카페 - Café Jass 카페자스 - Café aA: The Design Museum)


Anyway, we didn't get to do much on Day 5 due to the heavy snow and rain in Seoul. But I'm getting ahead of myself again. So let's get to the start of the day.

Jess and I decided to check out Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을.

Surrounded by Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, Bukchon Hanok Village is home to hundreds of traditional houses called 'hanok' that date back to the Joseon Dynasty. The name, 'Bukchon,' which literally translates to 'northern village,' came about as the neighborhoods that the village covers lie to the north of the two significant Seoul landmarks, Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jongno. Today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants and tea houses, providing an opportunity to experience, learn and immerse in Korean traditional culture.

HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3) and take Exit 2. Go straight on Bukchon-ro 북촌로 for about 300m to arrive at Bukchon Hanok Village.

Due to the increasing amounts of visitors to the Bukchon Hanok Village area, the number of complaints from residents living in the village about disruptions in their neighborhood has increased.

Unlike Namsangol Hanok Village or other folk villages, Bukchon Hanok Village is not meant to be a tourist attraction. Although many of Seoul's hanoks can be found clustered together in this area, Bukchon Hanok Village is a residential neighborhood where people actually live.

Please keep this in mind and follow the precautions below when visiting Bukchon Hanok Village:
Keep noise levels to a minimum (e.g. no loud voices, horsing around, filming, etc.) especially in the 31 Gahoe-dong area (which is a residential area). Do not litter. Keep group visits as small as possible. Do not use microphones or loudspeakers. Do not take photos or film the insides of houses, even if the door is open.

Please note: The heavily residential areas of Bukchon Hanok Village (31 Gahoe-dong, 33 Gahoe-dong, etc.) will no longer be offered as part of the Seoul City Walking Tours. 

The architectural difference is pretty amazing. Old in the middle of all the new.

We were exploring the area when it started snowing!

Footprints in the snow!

TOURIST TIP:
Don't wear any high heels or heels of any form to this place if you can. The roads are EXTREMELY STEEP! Heels only make it worse. There aren't any handles or such to help with moving around on the steep sloping roads, so I would suggest that if you are travelling with older folk, this location may not be too friendly on their knees. (Then again, I've got terrible knees for a young person.)

My verdict? Bukchon Hanok Village is a lovely cultural walking experience where you can experience bits of Korea's history which have mostly disappeared in the face of modernisation. If however, you're running on a tight schedule, I would suggest to give this place a miss. Skip this location as well if you're travelling with older folk. I would only recommend this location to cultural enthusiasts. I had lots of fun taking photos!

Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을
37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul  | 서울특별시 종로구 계동길 37 (계동)
Website: bukchon.seoul.go.kr (Available in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese)

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The snow started to get crazier and more heavy, it was quite insane. The temperature dropped drastically as well so we made our way back to Anguk Station and into Daiso 다이소 to kill some time and buy some heat packs.



I recommend the sticker types more than the handheld ones. They heat up much faster and provide so much relief. I bought the sticker ones and placed them on my rheumatism-plagued knees - BLISS!
If you've got weak knees like me, the sticker ones are AMAZING!
If you don't like too much heat, get the hand-held ones then as they provide a steady, gradual warmth rather than full-on heat; so you'll never feel that it gets too hot or warm.

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The snow was relentless, so we had to run into a traditional Korean restaurant 한식집 (han-sik-jb).

With the crazy snow, the 아줌마s (ahjummas) in the shop were lamenting that we had been through so much running through the snow. Our hair and jackets were completely covered in snow we had to stand outside and brush it all off before we entered the shop.

Smoking hot bulgogi which was heaven-sent in the cold weather.

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When the snow got a little less insane, we decided to make our way back to Myeongdong and explore the area (since there were so many shops, we wouldn't experience any plan destruction due to the snow).

Lo and behold, our happiness was short lived. It began pouring rain! POURING!

We seeked shelter in Myeongdong Dog Café 강아지카페 and spent a good 2-3 hours there.

Remember my previous post where I mentioned the puppy café in Hongdae? This Myeongdong Dog Café provides a good contrast. The dogs are of varied sizes and breeds, and have different energy levels as well.

HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Myeongdong Station 명동역 and take Exit 6 or 7. Walk straight down Myeongdong-8gil 명동8길. Turn left after you pass a huge Nature Republic. Then make the first possible right turn onto Myeongdong-6gil 명동6길. It is located along Myeongdong-6gil 명동6길 and look out for the red signboard on one of the buildings. It is located on the fourth floor. 

Image from http://finaldustjourney.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/day-15-dog-cafe-at-myeongdong.html
The signboard that you will see which shows you the stairway to the dog café

Image from http://finaldustjourney.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/day-15-dog-cafe-at-myeongdong.html
The entrance to the dog café. With an entrance fee of 8000 won, you get a free drink of your choice. One of the pricier dog cafés but when you're rained in, you have no choice.

The dogs here can get up to a really huge size! My favourite! Look at that lazy black lab! =)

The black lab came to squeeze with us at our corner seat and pushed Jess out of her seat. When the owner came over to check on her, she pretended to be asleep when she actually wasn't. Haha sneaky girl.

Lazy black labrador Gucci (that's her name!)

My verdict? A pretty fun place to be rained in for dog-lovers. Cat-lovers can check out the many cat cafés within Myeongdong if you happen to be rained in as well. I'm glad I went because I met my black lab!


That's all for this post. Sorry its a little short and information-less since I didn't have many photos. It turns out that some days I have barely any photos at all because we barely did any sightseeing some of the times.


Till then,

Fly Safe and Eat Happy,
V