Spring Break in Korea Day 9 (5 April 2015)

Sunday = Lazy Day (yes, it applies even when you are on holiday :D)

Our simple yet yummy breakfast at noon

All 3 of us slept in and had late breakfast around noon! Then we set out around 2pm for Hongdae.  God, it was extremely crowded in Hongdae. I couldn’t remember Hongdae streets being this packed, except while I was chasing Jang Geun Seok during the filming of drama "Marry Me Mary" and Yoon Shi Yoon  (from drama "Baker King Kim Tak Gu") during the filming of Guerrilla Date, back in 2010, as a exchange student at Korea University.  Hahaha I did spot quite a few of Korean celebrities then.  I was such a cray cray girl for K-Pop & K-Drama back in 2010 but I'm much calmer now :D

2 of us outside Seoul Station Exit 4, nearest to AREX line

Spring Break in Korea Day 8 (4 April 2015)

After non-stop touring for the whole week, it was time to sit back and relax.  Our friends left for airport quite early around 8am. As we were waving bye to them and wishing them safe flight, we felt like we were sending off our house guests!  Haha :D

After they left, we packed our bags, cleaned up our cozy AirBnB apartment, made sure nothing is left behind then called our landlord to let him know we were ready to leave and to thank him.  He called taxi for us so that we could move to a smaller apartment right behind Seoul Station.  There was not much traffic around 11 am and we spent just 10,000 Won on taxi fare. 

NUS Gang in Korea Day 7 (3 April 2015) - Part II

After a satisfying lunch, we continued onto Samcheon-dong neighborhood from Tosokchon (the place marked with a red pin at the bottom left corner of the above map).

In my previous trip 2 years ago, we walked the other way round, from Samcheon-dong towards Tosokchon.  Either way is fine, depending on your schedule.

http://musingsofmissn.blogspot.com/2014/01/mr-missy-in-korea-day-13-28-may-2013.html

Samcheon-dong

We took a stroll from Tosokchon, back to the main gate of Gyeongbokgung, and along the palace walls on the Eastern side. Then cross the road into Samcheon-ro street, marked in the above map with a red line.

Alternatively, you could take subway for 1 station from Gyeongbokgung to Anguk and begin the exploration of the area from Anguk Station, Exit 3. That was our starting point of the Bukchon+Samcheondong stroll during Mister exchange student days. 

http://musingsofmissn.blogspot.com/2014/01/mr-missy-in-korea-day-13-28-may-2013.html

Samcheon-dong is a quaint area dotted with many unique museums (Owl museum, anyone?), cozy cafes, organic beauty shops and pretty boutique stores. 

Spring was admittedly more beautiful. This was taken 2 years ago in May 2013.

NUS Gang in Korea Day 7 (3 April 2015) - Part I

After a couple of days of simplified breakfast at our Airbnb accommodation,we went back to the small eatery located inside the Yeongdeungpo station for breakfast around 9am. Their menu is limited to stews, udon and kimbab but food is pretty tasty!  

Gyeongbokgung Palace

We reached our first sightseeing spot slightly after 10 as we did enjoyed our leisurely breakfast. Construction of the Gyeongbokgung Palace was completed in 1395, 3 years after the Joseon Dynasty was founded by King Taejo. The Palace as the heart of the capital city of Seoul flourished as a small city, with over 500 buildings covering 64 hectares at the height of its glorious past. Sadly, it was destroyed by the Japanese invasion not just once, but twice in 1592-98 and 1915. Since 1990, there has been an ongoing enormous effort (a 40-year project) to restore this once-stunning palace grounds to its former glory. 

NUS Gang in Korea Day 5 (1 April 2015)

Wake up call was set at  7am.  Wanting to set aside at least 1 hour of travel time to get to Seoul Station during morning peak hour, we planned to leave our place at  8am, to catch our  9am train to Busan.  However, we left our place later than planned and reached to train platform just in the nick of time, 5 minutes before departure!!! Even then, Mister and Kyaw Kyaw still rushed to convenience store on the platform to buy breakfast.  Apparently, simple breakfast we had today wasn’t fulfilling enough for them haha :D Well, if you plan to have breakfast during train ride, buy before reaching the platform as the items at convenience stores there are quite over-priced. Supply and Demand I guess. 

Our Simple Breakfast 

Anyway, we really did enjoy our KTX ride.  The seats were comfortable and the leg space was quite roomy.  Charging points were available at every row and there was free WIFI on-board as well (although we could only connect during the first 30 minutes of the trip).  There was a space dedicated for large luggages in every cabin while there is also overhead racks to store your smaller bags. The cabins were really clean and the journey overall was a smooth one. The trains were very punctual since they depart and arrive exactly at the times printed on our tickets. So yes, please don’t be late as trains will not wait for you.

 On board KTX

NUS Gang in Korea Day 4 (31 March 2015)

A ha! Finally the day that we 2  girls were looking forward to!  DMZ tour was the perfect distraction for the guys, which allowed us to enjoy the whole day of shopping! mwahahaha 

After dating me for a couple of years, Mister knew me well enough (at least about my tendency to go a bit overboard while on shopping spree) that he lent me his cabin luggage to bring on our shopping day!  My friends were shocked and surprised but we both utilized it so well! I was thinking we couldn't fill it up and yet, we did! 

Ewha Women University (Edae)

A busy day for us started with shopping at Edae.  Being located in the university area means clothes here are trendy and in style for the youth and are relatively cheaper. Trust me, clothes on offer here are more fashionable than those found in other shopping zones (which could be tacky sometimes).  Except for Dongdaemun, I guess.  Clothes in Dongdaemun are chic and stylish but they are on the pricey side.  Remember to explore the narrow side alleys of Edae which are littered with pretty boutiques!

Hongdae, Sinchon & Edae are 3 neighboring university towns, bustling with youthful energy of college crowd.  Hongdae is known for busking, bars, clubs and nightlife in general while Edae is famous for shopping and beauty treatment at hair saloons and nail spas.  Ewha is a university for women afterall ^_~ I might be slightly biased but to me, Sinchon has the best food among these 3 university areas.

Best to shop for: 
1) Cute, customized, handmade items
2) Shoes for ladies
3) Accessories
3) Fashionable, feminine clothing at affordable prices

Must-try snacks:
1) Egg muffins (not the ones with egg on top of the bread, try the ones with egg inside the bread)
2) Spicy fried chicken with rice cake & hash brown (Cup Dak)

How to get there: Ewha Women University Station, Line 2, Exit 2 or 3

At beautiful Ewha Campus

( I'm being biased but I still think my alma-mater Korea University is still more beautiful :D )

NUS Gang in Korea Day 3 (30 March 2015)

Noryangjin Fish Market

We headed out around 1030 am towards Noryangjin Fish Market.  This vibrant market is connected to Noryangjin Subway Station via an overhead bridge.  It was a bit smelly but it was pretty intriguing to observe the happenings at this traditional fish market. We felt a bit bad having to pick out seafood (they were still alive) for our lunch.  But we figured its just one meal?  

We purchased salmon, one big crab, mini octopus and spoon worm (or more commonly known as 'penis fish') for 65, 000 Won. Bargain okay?  Its perfectly fine to check the prices at various stores first before finally negotiating with the sellers. There were usually ushers from restaurants who would lead you to their restaurants. These restaurants in the market can prepare your purchases into fresh seafood sashimi or stew or fried dishes.  Again, check prices first before following the ushers.

One of the restaurants helped us prepare our food into salmon sashimi and crab stew.  The octopus and spoon worms were cut into tiny pieces to be eaten raw with salt and sesame oil.  Lunch service including rice, makgeolli and side dishes for 6 of us set us back another 45,000 Won.  While it was definitely one of the most expensive meals we had in Korea (around 18,500 Won per pax), we thought it was pretty good deal considering fresh seafood would cost us at least 3 times more in Singapore.

How to get there: Noryangjin Station, Line 1, Exit 1 
                      (cross the overhead bridge & follow that fishy smell!)

Opening Hours: 01:30 am - 10:00 pm

The largest selection of fresh seafood in Korea - be prepared to face a full-on assault of your senses (smell, sight, taste, and touch if you are particularly feeling brave)

Our spread of fresh salmon sashimi, spoon worm and baby octopus (which were still squirming even after they were chopped up!)

The highlight of our meal: Korean-styled fresh crab stew

NUS Gang in Korea Day 2 (29 March 2015)

Day 2 was spent exploring the Gapyeong area. It is located outside Seoul city area and is most known for Nami Island, filming location of the drama Winter Sonata which started South Korea's soft power - Hallyu Wave. Both I and Mister had been there (3 times for me) and our companions didn't feel like there is much to see at Nami Island, so we visited Petite France and Garden of the Morning Calm instead. 

Petite France

What is it: a French cultural village set in the Korean countryside, which is dedicated to the Little Prince story. The village consists of 16 French-style buildings where visitors can lodge and enjoy French food, try on clothing and experience household culture (Credit: Visit Korea Website)

Why is it famous: Its picturesque surrounding paves way for it to be featured in numerous Korean variety shows and drama.  Most famous were Running Man (with guests from 2PM  - Nichkhun & Teacyeon), Beethoven Virus, Secret Garden & My Love from Another Star (where Do Min Jon & Cheon Song Yi shared a kiss).

How to get there:  
From Seoul: Take subway to Gapyeong Station or Cheongpyeong Station then take Gapyeong Circular Tour Bus (5,000 Won for one-day unlimited ride) or taxi.

Opening Hours: 9am - 6pm

NUS Gang in Korea Day 1 (28 March 2015)

Wow back to Korea for the 4th time and many people kept asking me why I go there so many times! Trust me, I wonder about it too :D  The land of K-Pop, cosmetics, fashion and of course, some of the best tasting and healthiest food around!

As I have blogged before about my Korea trips, I requested Mister to be my guest writer, for a change in tone & perception. So here we go!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We departed Singapore at 9pm the night before and reached Incehon Int'l Airport at 730am with a short transit in between at Ho Chi Minh City.  

At Changi Airport, just before our departure

The moment we stepped out from the plane, we already started feeling cold! The end of March usually signals the beginning of Spring but it definitely felt more like winter!

After passing through customs, we had a driver waiting for us to take us to our AirBnb accommodation which was just fantastic. It was so cozy with a living room and a full kitchen!

Our cozy little place in Yeongdeungpo

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 14 (29 May 2013)

My last day in Korea T.T

We met at Sinchon only around 10 am to give me enough time to pack everything.  Then, we walked over to Slow Garden for brunch.  It's actually just 5 minute walk away form Yonsei's SK Global House and 3 minute walk away from Ewha Women University's back gate.  If you are in the area, you should consider going there! I love the cozy, comfortable atmosphere and food there was great!!!

Some selfies while waiting for our brunch

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 13 (28 May 2013)

Rainy weather continued :(

Oh well, what to do? We gotta do what we gotta do! I was determined to find all the photo spots in Bukchon Hanok Village today haha Bukchon refers to the area between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace featuring well-preserved traditional Korean Hanok houses. During the Joseon era, this village was populated by royal family members and aristocrats. Today, it is a popular spot for shooting films and TV dramas (Personal Taste, 2Days1Night).

Relying on the "Pleasant Tour of Seoul on Foot" Map (courtesy of Seoul City), we started our walk from Exit 3 of Anguk Station, Line 3. 

http://www.visitseoul.net/en/article/article.do?_method=view&art_id=58509&lang=en&m=0004004004001&p=04

Tada! We found our first spot! It offers a very nice view of the Changdeokgung Palace.

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 12 (27 May 2013)

As our flight back to Seoul is at 8:40 am, we wanted to be at the airport by 8 am.  So we checked out from our hotel at 7 am.  We stayed very near to the airport but we had to look for a gas station to refill the Mini's tank. When we collected the car, it was with full tank so we had to return it in the same condition. Plus, we had to drop of the car to the car rental company's parking lot.  They would need to check everything was fine with the car before they send us to the airport with shuttle bus. Yeah, so that was why we needed to set out about 1 hour earlier. Plus, its easier to get lost inside a city than on a expressway right?  

Saying bye to our Mini of 72 hours

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 8 (23 May 2013)

We only met at 11am at Sinchon Subway station. We had such a late start today because we would be leaving for Jeju with 7:55pm flight and I needed to pack ALL my belongings, check out of my guesthouse and leave all my luggage at the reception before starting my day. 

Thursday is Mister's fast food day.  He is pretty strict with eating junk food so he allowed himself to eat fast food just ONCE a week.  As there is no Taco Bell in Singapore and he loves Mexican food, we had our lunch there.  I love my cheese quesadilla! 

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 7 (22 May 2013)

Mister came to Sinchon Station around 10:30am to bring me to his hostel so that we could eat lunch together. I planned to edit our trip photos and arrange them in chronological order while he attends his afternoon classes 1-3pm.

Along the road to SK Global House

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 6 (21 May 2013)

Since we couldn't take our Hanbok photos the day before, we had to go back to the Korean Tourism Organization at M plaza Level 5.  We reached there around 1030am and didn't have to wait long for our turn.  Each group is given 10 minutes to take photos. 

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 5 (20 May 2013)

The next day was Monday and Mister had to attend classes till 1pm. He came over to Sinchon Station around 1:15pm to meet me for lunch.  Since it was a bit warm, we decided to try cold noodles (Naeng Myeon  냉면) and dumpling (mandu 만두 )! 

Noodle in ice-cold water! Perfect summer food haha :D 

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 4 (19 May 2013)

Thanks to our Hanok owner, we knew we needed to change our bus ticket so we checked out from Seonunjae Inn pretty early, around 730 am.  Since we have to go back to Jeonju to take our shuttle bus back to Seoul, we left our luggage at the Seonunjae Inn. Of course, we remembered to take pictures at our beautiful Hanok before we left.

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 3 (18 May 2013)

Thanks to Korea's efforts to promote tourism, there is a free shuttle bus to Jeonju for foreigners - http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1797480 . Since there is only one bus per day, we need to book early though. I met Mister at Sinchon Subway station at 7:15am as the bus would depart at 8am from Donghwa Duty Free parking lot.  Donghwa Duty Free parking lot is just 1-2 min walk away from the exit 6 of Gwanhwamun Station (Line 5). 

Since I will be staying in Jeonju for one night, I checked out of my room and left my luggage at the guesthouse's reception counter.

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 2 (17 May 2013)

I met Mister at Sinchon Subway at 7:30am since we planned to go to Nami Island and the Garden of the Morning Calm. Such an early start! So I just had a simple breakfast of Korean strawberries and yogurt. Strawberries were pretty sweet and not too sour!

Mr & Missy in Korea Day 1 (16 May 2013)

I was a bit unsure about flying with China Eastern Airline as I have never heard of it and didn't know many people who have flied with China Eastern Airline.  But to my surprise, it departed from Changi Airport Terminal 3!