As mentioned before;
*Disclaimer: This is not an official travel guide so opinions, reviews and instructions are subjected to biases, memory lapses and the occasional side-track rambling.*
So we returned to Seoul and spent the remaining 6 days 5 nights. We stayed at 24 Guesthouse Myeongdong. As mentioned in my South Korea trip - Food and Places (Part I Jeonju and Naejangsan) Introduction, the price per night is quite affordable (About SGD $50 per night for 2). The nearest train station is Chungmuro or you can simply walk to Myeondong, do some shopping and take the train from there. Free WI-FI, a simple bed and a public pantry at the top floor. It isn't the most comfortable bed, nor the most sanitary. We stayed on the first floor and there was one night when we came back to a HUGE-ASS cockroach in the toilet. SUPERBLY TRAUMATISED okay! The staff came and help us to get rid of it, thankfully! But from that night onwards, I always jump at the slightest sound of scuttling whenever I enter to use the toilet. ABSOLUTELY HATE COCKROACHES UGH! Yes, we traded comfort (and sanitary. SOBS!) for convenience. I have read reviews online regarding the place and there wasn't an overwhelming number of complaints regarding sanitary conditions so I guess we were the unlucky ones. :(
PLACES WE WENT:
1. NANTA Theatre Hongdae
Watching percussion cum comedy show - COOKIN' NANTA
The show was really good! We enjoyed it thoroughly! There weren't much dialogue (Yep, the website here say it is non-verbal) and instead, more of comedic mime with sound effects, exaggerated facial expressions and a great percussion performance. This show is FOR EVERYONE of all ages and nationalities! In fact, I believe it is catered to both international and local audience. The show started alright and took its time to build up the comedic elements. The percussion segment in the middle really showcases the actors/percussionists talent and dedication. Perspiration were literally caught by the overhead lights, and seen glistening off their foreheads and their chef uniform! When I saw that, it really tells of these actors/percussionists' hard work poured (get the pun? eheh) into the show and I greatly admire them for that. I used to do English Drama back in my Secondary and Junior College days and the amount of time and dedication to crafting a script, directing a show and right down to putting up and performing the show is BEYOND exhausting. Respect much! Anyhoo, it was highly entertaining and I highly recommend those of yer going Seoul to take a break from the non-stop shopping and sightseeing to catch one of their shows if you can! (4/5 stars)
The website also states that the show can be seen in other theatres such as Myeong Dong and Chungjeongno Theatre in Seoul, Jeju Theatre and even internationally, at Bangkok Theatre :O
Getting here:
Alight at Hongik University train station
Exit 9 - Go straight about 120m and cross the road in front of T.G.I Fridays.
Keep going straight and pass Hotel Seokyo.
Turn left at Baknyeon Tojong Samkyetang and go straight.
You will face CU convenience store on your right-hand side.
Hongdae NANTA Theatre is on the front left side from CU. ("Yellow stone" building)
Map and directions taken from their official website. For more info to get to other NANTA Theatres and ticketing information, look here.
Opening hours:
10am - 8:20pm daily
Showtimings:
Monday to Friday ~ 5pm, 8pm
Saturday ~ 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm
Sunday & Public Holidays ~ 2pm, 5pm, 8pm
Advice:
We chose the 2nd floor seats. You can choose the 1st floor seats as some of the audience members get pulled out to participate in certain activities during the show and receive tokens from the show e.g. chef's paper hat. Alternatively, if you are shy or do not want to randomly get chosen, you can choose to take the 2nd floor seats like us and you are safe! (:
We chose the 5pm show and the PREMIUM package costing each of us 70 000 KRW. Premium Packages are package deals with bundles for other special discounts which range from facials to entrance tickets for Aqua Planet etc. We chose SNOW Package which includes entrance ticket to Woongin Play so our entire itinerary for the following day has been decided (:
Seating arrangements range from (A), (S), Premium and VIP. Premium got us front-row seats on the second level, so feel free to do the Math for the other seating arrangements.
For more information regarding other package deals, look here. (Package deals are only available for online Internet booking)
Book tickets 1-2 days in advance online with your credit card. Ticket collection at NANTA Theatre directly.
2. Woongjin Playdoci Waterdoci
Water Park and Spa
We spent about 3 hours just playing the water slides, lazing in the lazy pool, testing the indoor and outdoor pools (Thank goodness it was about 12-18 degrees on that day so we were able to sneak outside and dip into the warm pool). We tried their saunas and even the naked one (only available in their toilets. Of course, single-gender naked saunas only!) Darren and I both agreed to try the naked sauna and come out at a specific time. But I was so caught up with spending my alone time, I completely forgot the time and spent about 45 minutes simply just soaking in the sauna hahaha... I made Darren wait an extra 45 minutes while I showered hahaa oops. :X Naked saunas are great because you can walk around naked and nobody cares. Most of the ladies there are elderly folk and really young girls. Initially, I was really shy and deliberated quite a bit before going in. But I was telling myself that I shouldn't be feeling so self-conscious because what they have, I also have! So I bit my lip and went in bravely. It really turned out a-okay. Nobody really cares about you as the elderly ladies are just chatting with each other and the young girls are just waddling around blowing bubbles LOL. The only awkward thing was trying hard not to stare. I was basically just people-watching when I realised that these people are NAKED which makes it even more rude to stare. I zoned out occasionally, which means I was staring at nothing in particular but then I realised sometimes my eyes are staring at certain objects/people/ NAKED body parts and then it becomes awkward all over again. So I ended up just facing walls and staring at them in the end LOL. But overall, it was a great experience!
Getting here:
2 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
경기도 부천시 원미구 조마루로 2 (상동)
By train:
Samsan Gymnasium Station (Seoul Subway Line 7), Exit 1.
Sang-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 7), Exit 3.
A few minutes walk using Google Maps and you should be able to find the building.
Opening hours:
10am - 9pm daily
Certain slides only open after 12pm
Advice:
There are other facilities in Woongjin Playdoci such as Snowdoci, an indoor ski park which you may like to check out.
Swimming costumes; Korean swimming costumes tend to be a bit more on the conservative side (Think swim shorts and long-sleeves shirt-like swim top). I wanted to wear a bikini but seeing how they are on the conservative side and I'm afraid that my bikini might slip up when I'm taking the slides (I'm sure some of you worry about these things too right?), I ended up wearing a sports bra and bikini bottom, which I felt was pretty conservative already, but I still caught some people staring at me :(
Anyways, bring a swim cap along as well. We didn't bring one and I think one of the lifeguards told me to put on a swim cap (he spoke in Korean so I dunno) but I'm guessing that's most probably what he was trying to tell me anyhoo.
Lockers are in the toilets for you to put your toiletries and bags in and the key is able to be attached/tied to your wrist. Toilets have showers and even a station for you to blowdry your hair.
3. Sangdong Lake Park
Streets of Sangdong
Lake Park was gorgeous! And because it was a Sunday, there were many people either taking a walk with their adorable dogs or as for youths, playing at the skate park and playground located within the area. It was really lovely and because night in Korea comes early during this Autumn/Winter period, 3pm literally felt like 5pm Sunday evenings in Singapore.
Getting here:
Located near Woongjin Playdoci and en route back to Samsan Gymnasium train station.
We were just simply walking when we saw gorgeous Autumn red trees and headed over to find out that it was called Sangdong Lake Park. It was really nice taking a walk after our rejuvenating sauna/water park experience! And YAY! Kudos to spontaneity hahaa (:
Opening hours:
Daily 24/7
Advice:
Take a walk after playing at Playdoci at the park! They have really pretty Autumn trees! If you would like to, you can even have a picnic there!
Yes, you can spend a 1-2 hours at this place. (We arrived at about 11am and left Playdoci at about 3pm to take a walk at this place till 5pm) and headed to one of the shopping districts for dinner.
4. Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University Fashion Street
Ewha Womans University has been really popular to visit as a tourist site because of its state-of-the-art architecture and really nice scenery (at this period, it is the Autumn leaves). We reached around evening time and the crowd has thinned out quite a bit. I guess the weather also started to get a little colder so everyone hid indoors.
Baviphat @ Ewha (韩国有名化妆品 3-7折)
Basically, it means popular Korean beauty products are 30-70% off
At first sight, you would be thinking a PLACE FOR ALL THOSE CHEAP LANEIGE PRODUCTS I CAN BUY?! This must be heaven! This is too good to be true! Personally, I DO think it is too good to be true. Yes, their products are sold even cheaper than Laneige retail stores in Korea but their quality is highly questionable. Prior to visiting this store, I already bought my stock of Laneige products for both my sister and myself so I wasn't going to buy the same items again, just because its cheap. Instead, I decided to purchase an eyeliner product just to see how their quality is like.
I can't remember what specific brand this is (if ya know, feel free to educate me hahaha ;)) but I purchased it and wanted to use it the next day. When I opened the box, the sticker connecting the cover to the pen was detached and stuck on the inner sides of the box. Never mind on poor quality stickers, but the lead came out like this. HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSE TO DRAW MY EYE WITH THIS?! So maybe I was just unlucky and got a poor quality eyeliner pen right? That's what I thought. We went back to the store and explained to the lady at the counter regarding the pen and she, speaking to us in Chinese, said dryly " How would we know that this product is not already opened and damaged by you personally?" I was at a loss for words and just then, the fast-talker Darren immediately retorts "If we didn't open the box, how would we know that it was damaged or not?" The lady was at a loss for words and immediately called upon her colleague/manager. (I'm just gonna call her colleague from now on) Her colleague immediately changed it for us without question. She told us that the colour that I chose only left one more and she passed it to me. I opened it and LO AND BEHOLD, THERE WASN'T EVEN A LEAD IN THERE. Basically, it was just the pen, without any product inside. There was a moment of 'Oh.' and I guess, slight embarrassment in the air as no one said anything. Darren was gloating because the lady at the counter talked to us in such a high-and-mighty way like their products in their store could not possibly have such poor quality and now, right in front of everyone's eyes, one of their products were empty (hardcore, undeniable proof). In the end, I got another pen but in a different shade.
I won't speak for the other products as I'm sure there are plenty of customers who have tried their products and are pretty satisfied with it. Also, judging by their store, which hasn't shut down by now, their products should be alright. So all in all, yes, their products are overall cheaper and they sell a range of products such as Laneige, 3CE etc etc but its authenticity leaves much to be questioned/desired. However, on the PLUS SIDE! Their food items are cheaper as compared to Lotte Mart! Trust me, Darren went to Lotte Mart to compare prices. -.- Although the food items are more limited as compared to Lotte Mart (duh, Lotte Mart is huge!), but there are some food items such as Honey Butter almonds, cashew nuts and potato chips which you can definitely buy at this store for a far cheaper price without worrying about its quality (except of course, do check the expiry date just in case!)
Cheaper than Lotte Mart definitely! And so sooooo good and addictive! I posted on my Snapchat and a couple of my friends mentioned how they LOVE it. (Snapchat: @nicesgjy) We bought at least a dozen back to Singapore and my mum absolutely went NUTS (yes, pun intended eheh) over it! :DDD There's also Honey Butter Potato Chips but the honey flavour isnt as distinct as the ones on the almond and cashew nuts ones, but good to buy some if you really like potato chips! We also purchased the Wasabi flavour almond nuts and at first taste, I didn't really like it but as I kept eating more of the nuts, the wasabi flavour kind of become less distinct under the honey buttery flavour. Pretty unique; good to buy one packet just to try if you are sceptical about wasabi! Apart from Honey Butter and Wasabi, there's also Caramel flavour. I didn't like Caramel flavour so I didn't buy any but I kinda regret it since the Wasabi flavour turned out alright, so the Caramel should be okay right? Aah wells, moral of the story; BUY A VARIETY OF FLAVOURS TO TRY! Be adventurous hahaha! Regardless, please buy many many of the honey butter! Its the absolute fave!
Getting here:
Ewha Womans University train station
Exit No. 2 or 3
Opening hours:
Most shops open daily from 12pm-10pm
(Varies according to shops)
Advice:
I personally feel Ewha Womans University shopping street sells the most affordable streetwear as compared to Dongdaemun and Myeong Dong. I bought a pair of boots at about 22 000KRW at Ewha (discounted price after asking the Uncle politely :D It was initially 25 000 KRW) and another pair of boots at Myeong Dong train station at about 35 000 KRW. Okay, so maybe the boots bought at Myeong Dong is heeled so it is slightly more expensive. And I know I know, boots are totally impractical for weather in Singapore but I can always save them for overseas trips in future right! (Buyer's cognitive dissonance at work here LOL)
If you are intending to visit Baviphat, my advice is to only purchase their food items and buy your cosmetic products from the brands' official retail stores. Its really not worth it to risk your face and skin to cheap, counterfeit products. Just no. Not in my opinion anyways. Additionally, don't expect great service here. The store is run by PRC Chinese staff who are just basically... you know, typical ladies with loud, obnoxious voices and glum/haughty - depending on how you read them - faces. If you intend to buy your cosmetic products here, at least open them IN THE STORE after you purchase to check your products - just in case.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying all PRC Chinese are rude and obnoxious, I'm just stating the facts of how these people are generally. In fact, I do know certain PRC Chinese living in Korea who are nice, polite and superbly friendly (One of them is my friend whom you will know later under the Food Category! :D) It is just their trademark behaviours, to be honest. Even my friend admits that her folks are sometimes just brash and uncouth.
5. Everland Theme Park
Attraction No.1: Amazon Express (Zoo-Topia): Darren tricked me into taking this WET ride! He said that everyone is protected by this green sheet (as seen a few pictures above)so we won't get wet. We took the ride and I must have been supremely unlucky because I GOT WET and he didn't! The water splashed onto me and another girl, and not him >:( I wasn't entirely drenched or soaked but I did get slightly wet and ended up shivering for a couple of hours as it was COLD that day and intermittently hiding in souvenir stores to keep dry. The only plus side to this ride was the photos taken of the gorgeous Autumn trees while we were queuing. This ride took about 30-45 minutes to queue.
Bears can stand up and walk around like humans! I think it's a really cool trick but the bears simply just sit near the roads and wait for the buses to approach them. To which, they then perform the tricks and get treats from the drivers. There was a bear that was just lounging by a pool and didn't want to budge. The driver kept calling out to it to get the bear to wake up and put a ball into a mini basketball hoop. When the bear successfully did, the crowd on the bus cheered and the driver just threw some treats into the pool and drove off. I was like "HOW IS THAT EVEN ENTERTAINING?!" Why the heck did you wake the bear up just so that we can watch it put a ball into a hoop. The dude's sleeping, give him a break, won't cha! And to the crowd cheering... really? I'm sure you have seen even better stuff than that right? Ugh. I get that this area is also a natural conservation site for wild animals and it's amazing how they can all live and thrive together (probably because they all domesticated to do so in the first place but still, its a valid portrayal how the environment that you grow up in can alter one's innate instincts. Okay.. being a little too serious here, but ya know where I'm going!) but I just absolutely hate it - and feeling not the least bit entertained - when bears or wild animals, for that matter, are being made to do things they do not wish to do just for human's entertainment purposes. As such, this is the last time I'm coming here. I have already listed horse-riding and elephant-riding as under my do-NOT list, so no surprise that I'm adding this to the no-no list as well.
Attraction No.2 Safari World - White Tiger Safari (Zoo-Topia): Besides White Tigers, you get to see a variety of other types of animals all living within one area. Now I'm in a contradictory position here. Here I am stating earlier that I do not wish to visit such a place again in future and yet, I'm writing a travel post about going to view these attractions. As an unbiased blogger, I recommend to go for this as it is one of the Everland attractions. To be fair, I don't think the park mistreats these animals as they look healthy and relatively content but as for me, I'm putting it on my never-again-to-visit list because I don't find it the least bit entertained. Give me rides, not animals performing tricks just for the sake of treats and not displaying any observable endearing connection to them.
This attraction has Q-passes and sad to say, Darren bought 2 Q-passes for each of us and one of the Q-passes was for this attraction. When we reached the attraction, we only waited about 20 minutes to get onto the bus to take us into the enclosed area. There was literally no queue so we kinda bought the Q-pass for nothing. :( I think we happened to go on a day where there were fewer people as the queues were not long - which makes us kinda sad because our Q-passes were kinda useless. Why do we need to jump the queue when there is hardly any queues right! Oh wells.
TIP: For the bus ride (can't remember which attraction was it), do sit on the left. The bears are closer in proximity. If you can sit closer to the bus driver, even better, as the animals go towards the front of the bus to receive their treats.
Attraction No.3 Amazon Express (Zoo-Topia): This attraction is similar to Ride No.2. In fact, I think I might have gotten the pictures mixed up as I can't remember which is which. Goes to show how similar these two attractions are though. I only remember that one of the rides is a bus (Could be Ride No.2 or 3, I can't remember) and the other, is a bus that can change into a boat when we enter the water. One attraction shows the white tigers and bears (with tricks) and the other attraction shows rhinos, elephants and giraffes (minus the tricks) - I think. This ride also didn't take long for us to queue; approx 20 minutes max but as I mentioned we probably went during off-peak period. Q-pass available, but seriously, not worth your money to spend on unless you really really love animals.
TIP: For the bus/boat ride, do sit on the left as well, for the giraffes. However, in general, no particular preference though as this ride doesn't have animals doing tricks and they place the animals strategically at different sides of the bus/boat so both sides of the audience gets their turn to appreciate the animals slightly closer.
Attraction No. 4 Friendly Monkey Valley (Zoo-Topia): Not really a ride where you need to queue up. It is basically a viewing area where you can view Chimpanzees and Orang Utans (Ah Meng - Singapore Zoo and us Singaporeans miss you * cue dramatic sobs*)
Attraction No.5 T Express (European Adventure): The ONLY ONLY ride that was worth it to take the Q-pass! We went straight pass the long queues and Darren insisted on sitting at the front row. Because he got the Q passes for us, I didn't wanna disappoint him so I said okay but inside, I was FREAKING OUT! The ride was thrilling but what made me cuss at Darren in the middle of the ride was the cold chilling wind that blasted at our faces. I was like "I HATE YOU DARREN WTF DID YOU JUST MAKE ME DOOOOOoooOOooo!~"
He really enjoyed it and went to take it a second time while I waited for him at the gift store LOL. This time, we had used up all our Q-passes and so he had to join the normal queue which surprisingly, wasn't too long either! I waited about 30 minutes for him. This goes to show we are reallllyyyyyy lucky to have come on the day where there's lesser people. Yes, WORTH IT to get Q-passes! In fact, we both agreed that we should have committed all our Q-passes to T Express as the other attractions offering the Q-passes are either closed or meh (as seen in my remarks above about the safari)
Attraction No.6 Columbus Adventure (American Adventure): MY FAVOURITE RIDE! I always LOOVVEEEEE pirate/viking ship rides because you get to see the opposite side's facial expression as they whizz up and down. Although the feeling like wanting to pee is uncomfortable for some people, I find it funny hahahahahaa and can't help laughing whenever we descend and swing down from the top. Hahahaha... LOVE and still LOVE it! That is why I HAVE to take a picture with my fave ride of all times! >.< I would have taken the ride a second time but Darren said he felt a little dizzy and it was approaching closing time so we left to catch the shuttle bus.
I brought this along to munch while we are queuing! Of course, the 6 attractions which I mentioned were just some of the attractions we took. Apart from that, we also took the Attraction No.7 Rolling X-Train (American Adventure) which is a roller-coaster ride that spins 2 360 degrees circles. Our first ride actually. Yes, it is thrilling and no, no Q-passes available for this one. Queued for about 30-45 minutes.
Getting here:
There are several ways to get to Everland, which you can view at their official Everland website here.
We chose to take a 40-50 minute bus ride from Myeong-Dong (since we stayed really near here so it was very convenient; I coloured it in yellow in the picture below taken from the website).
Reservation has to be made prior (at least 1 day in advance); get the receptionist at the hostel/hotel you are staying at to help you give a call to book in advance.
Upon arrival at meet-up point, there will be a guy holding a clipboard. Identify your name(s), make direct cash payment and get a ticket just before boarding the bus.
We left Everland at around 5:45pm as you will need to take a shuttle bus upon exiting Everland so as to get to the bus terminal. The bus waits till 6:45pm for any latecomers before leaving but best be punctual. It isn't nice to keep everyone waiting (:
Opening hours:
Park hours differ for different timing and dates.
Check here for updates.
52 000 KRW ( Single Day ticket) 43 000 KRW (Night entrance after 5pm) per adult
41 000 KRW (Single Day ticket) 34 000 kRW (Night entrance after 5pm) per child
Q-passes per ride-> an extra 20 000 KRW on top of your entrance ticket.
Advice:
Besides the tips and description of some of the attractions we took, another useful advice I can give to you is to get Q-passes for T-Express. When you purchase Q-passes online, the attractions that you want will not be immediately available. Only on the day itself when you go to collect your Q-passes, the staff at the Group Ticket office counter will ask you which attractions would you prefer and they will give you the designated Q-passes for the attractions you chose. Get your tickets and Q-passes here.
Bring snacks to munch on while queuing!
There are certain days where Everland has fireworks display so you might want to check which days are those and go on those days too. When we went, there wasn't fireworks display - which may have explain the smaller crowd.
We went on a Monday and weather forecast states that that day was very cold (2-13 degrees), so that could also have contributed to the smaller crowd.
Everland Caribbean Bay is located near Everland theme park (in fact, I think they have a discount package for the tickets) which is a major plus for those who want to go two of these parks together. We were pretty sad it was closed when we went (It only opens during Winter season -> 10th December onwards!) so we couldn't go, but Yoongjin Waterdoci kind of made up for it (though Caribbean Bay is defo MUCH BIGGER than Yoongjin!). Do go to this water park if you can! They have indoor and outdoor pools and the water is warm during winter so be adventurous and I defo recommend you to go! :DDD Wouldn't want to waste an opportunity like this, if it was me!
Everland Theme Park Guide Map look here.
For more info about Everland Caribbean Bay, look here.
For promo video of Everland Caribbean Bay, look here:
Hahhaaha.... I'm saying focus on their facilities okay! Okay fine, you can look at the hot bods as well. They are members of popular K-POP bands 2PM and SNSD Girls Generation (3/8 of the current members). So this was WAYYYY back in 2010 and it was superbly popular. I have always wanted to visit them - I mean, the Water Park ever since I saw this MV. But even if you didn't watch this (WATCH IT NOW!), the Water Park itself is worth you screaming in excitement. YOUR SHIP. Has sailed. HELL YEAH! Okay, sorry... I'm a little too excited over here and nope, not a promo advert (not even getting paid for this, why am I even doing this... *muttering darkly*)
Some of you at this point might question:
As somebody who has been to both and from my impression/experiences:
1. Family-friendly - Everland seems to be more family-friendly as they have not only kiddie rides, but petting zoos and wildlife safari to view. However, Everland also has pretty thrilling rides for thrill-seekers out there.
2. Types of rides - The only ride that appealed to us was the T-Express at Everland (you can include the other thrill-seeking ride which I briefly mentioned where you spin dizzily really fast. It's not that it was not thrill-seeking per say, but it just didn't appeal to us) while at Lotte World, there are two extreme rides - one was the vertical death-drop (no, I don't think that's the official name but its the ride where they go up and drop down really fast) and the other is the one that swings from left to right and at the top of each side, the ride rotates 360 degrees so everyone can see the gorgeous view near the river (at one side) and the entire Lotte World (at the other side).
3. Indoor VS Outdoor - Lotte World has both indoor area for indoor attractions and outdoor area for the outdoor attractions whilst Everland is entirely outdoors.
4. Extra Attraction - Lotte World is just Lotte World whilst Everland Theme Park is tied to Caribbean Bay.
VERDICT: Depending on your needs/preferences, choose either one (or both! If you have the time!) and go for it! They are after all, both amusement theme parks! (:
Juno Hair Salon has many branches in Seoul in places like Myeong Dong, Hongdae and Ewha. I really wanted to go to the Ewha branch because I heard good reviews about it and its relatively cheaper price but circumstances change and we ended up heading to Myeong Dong which was the closest salon to our place. I got my hair done at quite an expensive price, but I will leave this review in a separate post so it doesn't cause this blogpost to be too long than it already is! Stay tuned! (: [UPDATED! See my Tresses Review on JUNO HAIR SALON 2016 here.]
FOOD WE ATE:
** For Highly Recommended food
1. Gela Rosa @ Myeong-Dong **
Located just below Cafe de paris, this store is right next to Milky Bee. Really pretty rose ice-cream! Besides strawberry+yoghurt flavour (which I got above), they also have other flavours like Green Tea and chocolate. Got the cheapest one for 3800 KRW! Not too sure but they indicated on the sign that the price was only for a limited offer so... I just got it. Tasted really yummy and sweet! Yes, it is a little sour because the white parts of the ice-cream is made of yoghurt. However, if you don't like yoghurt, there are other flavours to try! Also, their scoop for the ice-cream looks like a paddle, instead of the normal round ones, as they need to shape the ice-cream into a rose! Unique! (:
Getting here:
59 Nonhyeon-ro 161-gil, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (This is the address for Cafe de paris) The store is located downstairs.
Opening hours:
12noon-11pm (Can't remember opening hours but it should be approx this timing >.<)
2. Egg Bread @ Myeong Dong (Street food)
They have a store where you can sit down to eat the chips so we sat down to rest our weary legs from walking and to of course, eat the chips! Its light and yummy! Not too sure what's the difference between the Honey Butter Potato Chips which I mentioned earlier on. Personally, they both taste the same just that this one is slightly lighter in flavour and more dry. (Might suit those trying to watch their salt intake!)
There you go! Do you see the Honey Butter Potato Chips right there? The chips that we purchased from the store are the ones that they fry on the spot so kudos for less preservatives! (I guess?) Not too sure if there's any difference between that and the Honey Butter Potato chips though, but I tried both and it makes no difference to me so.... you can give it a miss if ya wanna!
The store is located pretty near this place called Hongik Children's Park (see map below) where street performers mostly perform popular K-POP songs and their dance routines. Apparently, these boys are wildly popular as occasionally, you can hear fangirl screams from the front row audience LOL. There are a couple of other street performers but this bunch - who perform saucy and sexy popular girl band songs and their dances - seemed to be the most popular. Darren lamented and said the ones with the real talent e.g. there was a dude with only just 3 person watching him sing, are neglected. I agree hahaha...
To catch these street performers, they were seen to appear around 8pm ish on weekend nights so do catch them if you are curious! They might be the next K-POP stars!
Okay enough of street food, we did of course eat restaurant food and this restaurant was HELLA EXPENSIVE! The signboard stated that it specialised in barbecued meat so we thought the meat should be superbly good or something so we went in to try. It turned out pretty average. Why did we end up eating here? Well, the story is we were searching for good Korean Barbeque but we weren't very hungry. The tourist centre recommended us this KBBQ restaurant that is buffet-style and both Darren and I had actually been to the restaurant before in our previous Korea trip (undocumented as I haven't started blogging since then). We wanted to try something new and ala carte and ended up here, so we decided to give it a go.
Cold noodles! This was the only thing that we thought was pretty good! But I'm sure you can get good quality cold noodles anywhere since they are pretty common so there's not really a need to go to this restaurant. The prices are not very cheap and the meat, though of good quality, is nothing special. You can get good meat at other places at cheaper prices!
My Chinese friend, Fang fang whom I met during my previous trip to Korea when I attended Darren's friend wedding. We reunited and she brought us here when I told her that we wanted to eat good and affordable Korean BBQ meat! (The one at the Chinese restaurant at Myeong Dong doesn't really count because its not cheap, therefore not 'shiok' (good feeling)) She recommended to us this restaurant at Anam which we had to take a 1/2 hour train ride from Myeong Dong there.
From my IG! These slices of meat are really good! The beef slices are cut thinly unlike the common ones which you usually see - which are thick. Thin slices are equally juicy and yummy! Of course, I didn't eat the beef as my religious practice doesn't allow me to (Don't start with the 'WHAT AM I MISSING OUT' argument please.) But Darren says the beef slices are good and I only eat the pork, which are just as good! ^^ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Fang fang likes to bring along this Chilli powder whenever she eats BBQ as this reminds her (and her Chinese friends) of the tastes familiar to her hometown. I tried it with the meat and it was pretty good! Spicy, definitely! LOL Chilli powder does not come with the meat, just in case you are wondering!
Menu selection! We ordered the Teatox and the Nice Dreams Tea. I couldn't remember which tea is which but I think Nice Dreams Tea was pretty good and my Teatox had a strong chamomile scent to it, if I recall correctly.
It is said that the staff working here personally tend to these flowers and shrubs! It is like taking care of your own garden and having people over for tea parties LOL! When I first entered, it was a little claustrophobic because the plants literally 'know no boundaries'. They are overhanging on top of ceilings, protruding over walls and spilling over tables. It gets a little messy but oh-so artfully messy hahaha.. A pretty interesting cafe concept!
SCENERY: As it was Autumn period, the red and yellow leaves are LOVE <3! I love Autumn period because everything is my favourite colour hahahah! Naejangsan is really worth a visit! But I'm pretty sure there are really nice scenery within Seoul itself! We just wanted to get out of Seoul for a bit so that was why we chose both Naejangsan and Jeonju! In Seoul, Ewha Womans University Fashion Street has an area that is lined with beautiful gorgeous red Autumn leaves! Namsan Tower (which we really wanted to go to catch the Autumn scenery but never got the time to go, looks pretty from afar when we passed by the foot of the hill where Namsan Tower is at) and Sangdong Park near Woongjin Playdoci is GORGEOUS and SERENE! Worthy a sight to see!
Thanks for taking the time to read my very detailed post! Feel free to post a comment to enquire about certain details and information (accuracy not guaranteed though heh).
For reference:
View here for Part I - Jeonju and Naejangsan
PLACES WE WENT:
1. NANTA Theatre Hongdae
Watching percussion cum comedy show - COOKIN' NANTA
"Yellow Stone" building made of yellow and white glass.
The website also states that the show can be seen in other theatres such as Myeong Dong and Chungjeongno Theatre in Seoul, Jeju Theatre and even internationally, at Bangkok Theatre :O
Getting here:
Alight at Hongik University train station
Exit 9 - Go straight about 120m and cross the road in front of T.G.I Fridays.
Keep going straight and pass Hotel Seokyo.
Turn left at Baknyeon Tojong Samkyetang and go straight.
You will face CU convenience store on your right-hand side.
Hongdae NANTA Theatre is on the front left side from CU. ("Yellow stone" building)
Opening hours:
10am - 8:20pm daily
Showtimings:
Monday to Friday ~ 5pm, 8pm
Saturday ~ 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm
Sunday & Public Holidays ~ 2pm, 5pm, 8pm
Advice:
We chose the 2nd floor seats. You can choose the 1st floor seats as some of the audience members get pulled out to participate in certain activities during the show and receive tokens from the show e.g. chef's paper hat. Alternatively, if you are shy or do not want to randomly get chosen, you can choose to take the 2nd floor seats like us and you are safe! (:
We chose the 5pm show and the PREMIUM package costing each of us 70 000 KRW. Premium Packages are package deals with bundles for other special discounts which range from facials to entrance tickets for Aqua Planet etc. We chose SNOW Package which includes entrance ticket to Woongin Play so our entire itinerary for the following day has been decided (:
Seating arrangements range from (A), (S), Premium and VIP. Premium got us front-row seats on the second level, so feel free to do the Math for the other seating arrangements.
For more information regarding other package deals, look here. (Package deals are only available for online Internet booking)
Book tickets 1-2 days in advance online with your credit card. Ticket collection at NANTA Theatre directly.
2. Woongjin Playdoci Waterdoci
Water Park and Spa
As we bought the Premium package, we simply showed our NANTA tickets to them and we were able to gain our free entrance into the Water Park! No pictures inside the Water Park though as I didn't want to risk getting my phone wet or worse, lost. This is especially so as we would be moving around a lot to take the rides and dipping in different pools/saunas.
Getting here:
2 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
경기도 부천시 원미구 조마루로 2 (상동)
By train:
Samsan Gymnasium Station (Seoul Subway Line 7), Exit 1.
Sang-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 7), Exit 3.
A few minutes walk using Google Maps and you should be able to find the building.
Opening hours:
10am - 9pm daily
Certain slides only open after 12pm
Advice:
There are other facilities in Woongjin Playdoci such as Snowdoci, an indoor ski park which you may like to check out.
Swimming costumes; Korean swimming costumes tend to be a bit more on the conservative side (Think swim shorts and long-sleeves shirt-like swim top). I wanted to wear a bikini but seeing how they are on the conservative side and I'm afraid that my bikini might slip up when I'm taking the slides (I'm sure some of you worry about these things too right?), I ended up wearing a sports bra and bikini bottom, which I felt was pretty conservative already, but I still caught some people staring at me :(
Anyways, bring a swim cap along as well. We didn't bring one and I think one of the lifeguards told me to put on a swim cap (he spoke in Korean so I dunno) but I'm guessing that's most probably what he was trying to tell me anyhoo.
Lockers are in the toilets for you to put your toiletries and bags in and the key is able to be attached/tied to your wrist. Toilets have showers and even a station for you to blowdry your hair.
3. Sangdong Lake Park
Streets of Sangdong
Lake Park was gorgeous! And because it was a Sunday, there were many people either taking a walk with their adorable dogs or as for youths, playing at the skate park and playground located within the area. It was really lovely and because night in Korea comes early during this Autumn/Winter period, 3pm literally felt like 5pm Sunday evenings in Singapore.
Getting here:
Located near Woongjin Playdoci and en route back to Samsan Gymnasium train station.
We were just simply walking when we saw gorgeous Autumn red trees and headed over to find out that it was called Sangdong Lake Park. It was really nice taking a walk after our rejuvenating sauna/water park experience! And YAY! Kudos to spontaneity hahaa (:
Opening hours:
Daily 24/7
Advice:
Take a walk after playing at Playdoci at the park! They have really pretty Autumn trees! If you would like to, you can even have a picnic there!
Yes, you can spend a 1-2 hours at this place. (We arrived at about 11am and left Playdoci at about 3pm to take a walk at this place till 5pm) and headed to one of the shopping districts for dinner.
4. Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University Fashion Street
Autumn leaves are super red and pretty!~
Mandatory IG-ready pictures! (:
Baviphat @ Ewha (韩国有名化妆品 3-7折)
Basically, it means popular Korean beauty products are 30-70% off
The two images above are gotten from Google; they are not my own. But I hope the pictures serve as useful visual guides if you would like to visit this store.
At first sight, you would be thinking a PLACE FOR ALL THOSE CHEAP LANEIGE PRODUCTS I CAN BUY?! This must be heaven! This is too good to be true! Personally, I DO think it is too good to be true. Yes, their products are sold even cheaper than Laneige retail stores in Korea but their quality is highly questionable. Prior to visiting this store, I already bought my stock of Laneige products for both my sister and myself so I wasn't going to buy the same items again, just because its cheap. Instead, I decided to purchase an eyeliner product just to see how their quality is like.
I won't speak for the other products as I'm sure there are plenty of customers who have tried their products and are pretty satisfied with it. Also, judging by their store, which hasn't shut down by now, their products should be alright. So all in all, yes, their products are overall cheaper and they sell a range of products such as Laneige, 3CE etc etc but its authenticity leaves much to be questioned/desired. However, on the PLUS SIDE! Their food items are cheaper as compared to Lotte Mart! Trust me, Darren went to Lotte Mart to compare prices. -.- Although the food items are more limited as compared to Lotte Mart (duh, Lotte Mart is huge!), but there are some food items such as Honey Butter almonds, cashew nuts and potato chips which you can definitely buy at this store for a far cheaper price without worrying about its quality (except of course, do check the expiry date just in case!)
Getting here:
Ewha Womans University train station
Exit No. 2 or 3
Opening hours:
Most shops open daily from 12pm-10pm
(Varies according to shops)
Advice:
I personally feel Ewha Womans University shopping street sells the most affordable streetwear as compared to Dongdaemun and Myeong Dong. I bought a pair of boots at about 22 000KRW at Ewha (discounted price after asking the Uncle politely :D It was initially 25 000 KRW) and another pair of boots at Myeong Dong train station at about 35 000 KRW. Okay, so maybe the boots bought at Myeong Dong is heeled so it is slightly more expensive. And I know I know, boots are totally impractical for weather in Singapore but I can always save them for overseas trips in future right! (Buyer's cognitive dissonance at work here LOL)
If you are intending to visit Baviphat, my advice is to only purchase their food items and buy your cosmetic products from the brands' official retail stores. Its really not worth it to risk your face and skin to cheap, counterfeit products. Just no. Not in my opinion anyways. Additionally, don't expect great service here. The store is run by PRC Chinese staff who are just basically... you know, typical ladies with loud, obnoxious voices and glum/haughty - depending on how you read them - faces. If you intend to buy your cosmetic products here, at least open them IN THE STORE after you purchase to check your products - just in case.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying all PRC Chinese are rude and obnoxious, I'm just stating the facts of how these people are generally. In fact, I do know certain PRC Chinese living in Korea who are nice, polite and superbly friendly (One of them is my friend whom you will know later under the Food Category! :D) It is just their trademark behaviours, to be honest. Even my friend admits that her folks are sometimes just brash and uncouth.
5. Everland Theme Park
Nearby the Group Ticket Office ticket collection area for Q-passes (Express lane) I will elaborate a little more on this later on!
It was really sunny on that Monday! Dont be fooled, the weather was cold! it was about 2-13 degrees that day. The coldest day throughout our entire Korea trip!
LINE Friends Store!
You have to pay 1000 KRW to get food to feed the birds but Darren decided to see if he could trick them into flying onto his hand for a photo. Well, you can see he was quite successful! P.s Photo taken using iPhone 7s Plus hahaha
At Petting Zoo (Zoo-Topia): LIES! You have to pay to pet them. >:(
Just look at the Autumn trees! So pretty right! <3
This attraction has Q-passes and sad to say, Darren bought 2 Q-passes for each of us and one of the Q-passes was for this attraction. When we reached the attraction, we only waited about 20 minutes to get onto the bus to take us into the enclosed area. There was literally no queue so we kinda bought the Q-pass for nothing. :( I think we happened to go on a day where there were fewer people as the queues were not long - which makes us kinda sad because our Q-passes were kinda useless. Why do we need to jump the queue when there is hardly any queues right! Oh wells.
TIP: For the bus ride (can't remember which attraction was it), do sit on the left. The bears are closer in proximity. If you can sit closer to the bus driver, even better, as the animals go towards the front of the bus to receive their treats.
Attraction No.3 Amazon Express (Zoo-Topia): This attraction is similar to Ride No.2. In fact, I think I might have gotten the pictures mixed up as I can't remember which is which. Goes to show how similar these two attractions are though. I only remember that one of the rides is a bus (Could be Ride No.2 or 3, I can't remember) and the other, is a bus that can change into a boat when we enter the water. One attraction shows the white tigers and bears (with tricks) and the other attraction shows rhinos, elephants and giraffes (minus the tricks) - I think. This ride also didn't take long for us to queue; approx 20 minutes max but as I mentioned we probably went during off-peak period. Q-pass available, but seriously, not worth your money to spend on unless you really really love animals.
TIP: For the bus/boat ride, do sit on the left as well, for the giraffes. However, in general, no particular preference though as this ride doesn't have animals doing tricks and they place the animals strategically at different sides of the bus/boat so both sides of the audience gets their turn to appreciate the animals slightly closer.
Other cute animals in Everland~~ I believe this is a baby fox? Eheh :D
What the heck are you doing, Mother? Licking your own poo-poo - or whoever's poo-poo was it. Wait a minute, was it mine?? Errr..... YA LITTLE NASTY!
(Alright, I just made that conversation up in my head, obviously)
Alright alright, stop bothering us. Can't you see mummy is having her high-tea session with her bestie?? In case you didn't know, we are gossiping about the people staring at us outside of this cage. What's so fascinating about our bare saggy tits and me licking the poo-poo which I just did just now? Well... ya know... humans can get entertained anyway they want, eh? I shouldn't be judging!
Attraction No.5 T Express (European Adventure): The ONLY ONLY ride that was worth it to take the Q-pass! We went straight pass the long queues and Darren insisted on sitting at the front row. Because he got the Q passes for us, I didn't wanna disappoint him so I said okay but inside, I was FREAKING OUT! The ride was thrilling but what made me cuss at Darren in the middle of the ride was the cold chilling wind that blasted at our faces. I was like "I HATE YOU DARREN WTF DID YOU JUST MAKE ME DOOOOOoooOOooo!~"
He really enjoyed it and went to take it a second time while I waited for him at the gift store LOL. This time, we had used up all our Q-passes and so he had to join the normal queue which surprisingly, wasn't too long either! I waited about 30 minutes for him. This goes to show we are reallllyyyyyy lucky to have come on the day where there's lesser people. Yes, WORTH IT to get Q-passes! In fact, we both agreed that we should have committed all our Q-passes to T Express as the other attractions offering the Q-passes are either closed or meh (as seen in my remarks above about the safari)
Attraction No.6 Columbus Adventure (American Adventure): MY FAVOURITE RIDE! I always LOOVVEEEEE pirate/viking ship rides because you get to see the opposite side's facial expression as they whizz up and down. Although the feeling like wanting to pee is uncomfortable for some people, I find it funny hahahahahaa and can't help laughing whenever we descend and swing down from the top. Hahahaha... LOVE and still LOVE it! That is why I HAVE to take a picture with my fave ride of all times! >.< I would have taken the ride a second time but Darren said he felt a little dizzy and it was approaching closing time so we left to catch the shuttle bus.
There were of course other rides but it was either closed (like the ferris wheel) or supposedly too dizzy (for Darren) so we didn't take the rides. Yes, I do not wanna take alone so if he doesn't go, I wont go either. We are a team!
Gorgeous tree while walking to the exit!
Halloween isn't over, apparently hahahaha...
Fooling around in gift stores and also, hiding from the 2 degrees weather that day. It got really cold towards the end of the day!
Auntie Anne's Cheese Stix! So yummy! Got it while waiting for Darren as he was taking the T Express the second time.
Ending with a couple selfie shot!
Getting here:
There are several ways to get to Everland, which you can view at their official Everland website here.
We chose to take a 40-50 minute bus ride from Myeong-Dong (since we stayed really near here so it was very convenient; I coloured it in yellow in the picture below taken from the website).
Reservation has to be made prior (at least 1 day in advance); get the receptionist at the hostel/hotel you are staying at to help you give a call to book in advance.
Upon arrival at meet-up point, there will be a guy holding a clipboard. Identify your name(s), make direct cash payment and get a ticket just before boarding the bus.
Opening hours:
Park hours differ for different timing and dates.
Check here for updates.
52 000 KRW ( Single Day ticket) 43 000 KRW (Night entrance after 5pm) per adult
41 000 KRW (Single Day ticket) 34 000 kRW (Night entrance after 5pm) per child
Q-passes per ride-> an extra 20 000 KRW on top of your entrance ticket.
Advice:
Besides the tips and description of some of the attractions we took, another useful advice I can give to you is to get Q-passes for T-Express. When you purchase Q-passes online, the attractions that you want will not be immediately available. Only on the day itself when you go to collect your Q-passes, the staff at the Group Ticket office counter will ask you which attractions would you prefer and they will give you the designated Q-passes for the attractions you chose. Get your tickets and Q-passes here.
Bring snacks to munch on while queuing!
There are certain days where Everland has fireworks display so you might want to check which days are those and go on those days too. When we went, there wasn't fireworks display - which may have explain the smaller crowd.
We went on a Monday and weather forecast states that that day was very cold (2-13 degrees), so that could also have contributed to the smaller crowd.
Everland Caribbean Bay is located near Everland theme park (in fact, I think they have a discount package for the tickets) which is a major plus for those who want to go two of these parks together. We were pretty sad it was closed when we went (It only opens during Winter season -> 10th December onwards!) so we couldn't go, but Yoongjin Waterdoci kind of made up for it (though Caribbean Bay is defo MUCH BIGGER than Yoongjin!). Do go to this water park if you can! They have indoor and outdoor pools and the water is warm during winter so be adventurous and I defo recommend you to go! :DDD Wouldn't want to waste an opportunity like this, if it was me!
Everland Theme Park Guide Map look here.
For more info about Everland Caribbean Bay, look here.
For promo video of Everland Caribbean Bay, look here:
Some of you at this point might question:
** EVERLAND OR LOTTE WORLD?! **
As somebody who has been to both and from my impression/experiences:
1. Family-friendly - Everland seems to be more family-friendly as they have not only kiddie rides, but petting zoos and wildlife safari to view. However, Everland also has pretty thrilling rides for thrill-seekers out there.
2. Types of rides - The only ride that appealed to us was the T-Express at Everland (you can include the other thrill-seeking ride which I briefly mentioned where you spin dizzily really fast. It's not that it was not thrill-seeking per say, but it just didn't appeal to us) while at Lotte World, there are two extreme rides - one was the vertical death-drop (no, I don't think that's the official name but its the ride where they go up and drop down really fast) and the other is the one that swings from left to right and at the top of each side, the ride rotates 360 degrees so everyone can see the gorgeous view near the river (at one side) and the entire Lotte World (at the other side).
3. Indoor VS Outdoor - Lotte World has both indoor area for indoor attractions and outdoor area for the outdoor attractions whilst Everland is entirely outdoors.
4. Extra Attraction - Lotte World is just Lotte World whilst Everland Theme Park is tied to Caribbean Bay.
VERDICT: Depending on your needs/preferences, choose either one (or both! If you have the time!) and go for it! They are after all, both amusement theme parks! (:
****
5. JUNO Hair Salon @ Myeong Dong
FOOD WE ATE:
** For Highly Recommended food
Getting here:
59 Nonhyeon-ro 161-gil, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (This is the address for Cafe de paris) The store is located downstairs.
Opening hours:
12noon-11pm (Can't remember opening hours but it should be approx this timing >.<)
2. Egg Bread @ Myeong Dong (Street food)
Yummy Egg Bread! Bought one to try! Its located on the streets of Myeong Dong and there are plenty of stalls selling this so its not difficult to find! (:
3. Sweet and Sour Chicken in a cup @ Myeong Dong (Street food)
The chicken was not hot despite them putting it into the heater. Also, they only sold it in a cup for 5000 KRW despite the ign saying there is 3000 KRW available. AND THEY CHEATED!! The cup was NOT ENTIRELY FILLED WITH CHICKEN! There were a few chunks of meat and below right at the bottom, it was filled with a layer of tteokbokki (soft rice cake). I mean I wasn't complaining because I like to eat tteokbokki so it was the best of both worlds but I'm sure those of you who bought solely just for the chicken will feel understandably outraged. So if you really want good street food chicken, get from Hongdae instead!
4. Hong Cup Cheese Chicken @ Hongdae (Street food) **
This chicken in a cup is WAY MUCH BETTER than the one at Myeong-Dong. Cooked on the spot with melted cheese. Yummy! Located very near NANTA Theatre at Hongdae. We got it right after the show we watched there (:
5. Sandwich @ Myeong Dong ISAAC **
We first came across it in the morning when we saw many locals queuing up to buy the food. We were curious and wanted to try the food but because the queue was too long, we decided against. At night, we came across it again and decided to buy one to try! There was a hort queue and our sandwich came really fast! SUPERBLY GOOD! EVERYONE SHOULD TRY IT! We ordered the original with luncheon meat and IT WAS SO GOOD! A MUST TO TRY! I heard from my friend that they have several outlets around so do find it if you can! The one we tried is at Myeong-Dong, you might want to ask the tourist centre exactly where it is but I'm pretty sure its near Myeong-Dong train station though.... don't quote me hahaha >.<
6. Roast Lobster with Cheese @ Myeong Dong (Street food)
Yes, ordered one for the IG photos and because it looks and smells good! But damn, its WAY TOO EXPENSIVE for a street food! 15000 KRW for street food is really too much! They must be making millions since it doesn't cost much to set up a stall! The lobster meat was tender and juicy and even though it was just a few chunks of meat which we gobbled in a matter of minutes, it was pretty worthy for just a one-time try.
7. Green Tea ice-cream @ Hongdae (Street food)
Who can say no to Green Tea? (2000 KRW) There are two general types of ice-cream, the really thick creamy ones and the icy kind. This belongs to the latter and which Darren likes it more. I prefer the thick creamy kinds like Haagen Daaz ice-cream so I only a bit. Found near stall selling the Hong Cup Cheesy Chicken! In fact, the street nearby is lined with street food which you can try! (:
8. Takoyaki @ Hongdae (Street food) **
Really good and yummy! We ordered a mix, but I think the cheese one really takes the cake! Do give it a go! Located at the stretch of stalls near NANTA theatre Hongdae alongside with the Hong Cup Cheese Chicken and Green tea ice-cream!
9. Chun Cui He (纯萃。喝) @ CU Convenience Store
Okay, I know this is not Korean food per say (in fact, it is a Taiwan beverage) but I really enjoy Chun Cui He back in Taiwan and I couldn't resist when I saw Green Milk Tea flavour! At that time, they didn't have that flavour (only the Latte one is sold in Singapore 7-11 Convenience stores) so I HAD TO HAVE IT! Now they do sell the Green Milk Tea back in Singapore but ya know, I got dips first! :DDD *mock celebration* I tried finding this in their Korean 7-11 Convenience stores but it seems like only CU has it, specifically the one directly opposite Hongdae NANTA Theatre.
10. Waffles @ Hongday (Street food)
I LOVE WAFFLES! 1000 KRW and also located on the same stretch of stalls selling the Takoyaki, ice-cream etc etc.
11. Tornado Potato @ Hongdae (Street food)
I didn't try this food (What?! I can't stuff everything into my stomach as much as I wish to!) but it is a popular Korean street food. Also located along that same stretch of stalls mentioned earlier! To be honest, I think you can find this at any place selling street food. I spotted one at Myeong-Dong too! (:
12. Honey & Chips Haitaro @ Hongdae
To catch these street performers, they were seen to appear around 8pm ish on weekend nights so do catch them if you are curious! They might be the next K-POP stars!
13. KISS THE TIRAMISU ice-cream @ Hongdae (Street food) **
Yes, classic tiramisu ice-cream located at Hongdae (streets near Honey & Chips store and the street performance) Its really good! Yes, it is quite expensive but the coffee flavour is distinct and the custard filling underneath just melts into your mouth! Really yummy and worth it to give it a try! Please take note that this Tiramisu ice-cream and Honey & Chips store are located at a DIFFERENT stretch from the other aforementioned street food located near Hongdae NANTA Theatre, but the streets are within walkable distance between each other. We only happened to chance by it so it should be pretty easy to find! Good luck finding! (:
14. Chinese Barbeque Restaurant (烧肉专门店) @ Myeong Dong
Getting here:
Look for K-Grand Hostel Myeong Dong, it is located right beside it.
Opening hours:
Do you really really wanna come here? :(
Advice:
If you really wanna come here, then my advice is to get the cold noodles along with your expensive meat. (:
This restaurant seems to be more catered to Chinese tourists though as all the staff working there speak to each other in Chinese mostly.
And no, we didn't source this place out on any recommendation list. We just randomly chance upon it.
15. Mister Bossam @ Ewha Womans University **
Shop front! Located very near the school grounds!
Soup, kimchi and rice is self-service!
There's an English menu offered. Oops, I only took a picture of the Korean menu but we tried the meat with 3 flavours and smoked (I think, can't really remember specifically which one we chose but that's roughly what we can remember!)
SO DAMN GOOD! The boiled and sliced pork belly was tender and as we chose the ALL-STAR PLATTER which contains 3 sauces, it was savoury and nice! Sweet, spicy and savoury - the sauces encapsulate them perfectly! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
To be honest, Darren's colleague initially recommended this to him and that was why we tried it!
Getting here:
Located next to Smoothie King
Ehwa Womans University train station; Exit No.2
68 Ewhayeodae-gil
Opening hours:
1130am - 11pm (Supposedly closed on Sundays as seen from some reviews; not too sure if that is true)
Advice:
Have the ALL-STAR PLATTER as you get to taste all 3 sauces!
There isn't any restroom and the staff said the nearest is at the train station so my advice is to go do your business at the train station before you even visit Ewha.
16. Andong Jjimdak @ Myeong Dong **
Jjimdak is basically steamed chicken and vegetables marinated in ganjang (Korean soy sauce). Darren went crazy looking for a popular Jjimdak restaurant store to eat this dish. True story; we quarrelled while looking for this other store at Hongdae which he Googled and when we reached Hongdae, locals said it closed down already. So we went to Myeong Dong to find it because he said there's another outlet here. We couldn't find it and ended up quarrelling and I pointed to him this Jjimdak store that was just basically right in front of us and said "You want Jjimdak right? NAH! Here got one, just eat lah! Why must die die follow those online foodie bloggers!" And so, we settled for this store eventually. To be honest, I don't even know what's so good about it but Darren claimed it's pretty good and tasted like Chinese 'San Bei' (三杯) Chicken. I'm guessing he said that because he didn't wanna admit that our efforts were wasted for such mediocre meh food. But okay, IN THE NAME OF VARIETY, it might suit those interested in tasting a Korean traditional dish - apart from KBBQ so that's why I put a ** (though personally, not highly recommended by me)
Getting here:
59-20 Myeongdong 1(il)-ga,Jung-gu, Seoul
Euljiro 1 Ga MRT Station Exit 6, turn right, go straight and it's located beside GS25.
Euljiro 1 Ga MRT Station Exit 6, turn right, go straight and it's located beside GS25.
Opening hours:
Not too sure opening time but it closes at 11pm.
Advice:
Either jjimdak is not my kind of food or we didn't managed to go to the super good one. *rolls eyes* My bad experience with finding highly recommended jjimdak restaurants has left an indelible aversion to sourcing for them ever again. But of course, feel free to find other foodie recommendations to try some good jjimdak.
17. Sanjeok Korean Barbeque @ Anam **
This is the store front!
Getting here:
Anam Station (Line 6) Exit No. 3
Walk straight or located McDonalds, turn left and walk straight and you will be able to find the store.
Opening hours:
24/7 (Apparently, that's what my Chinese friend claimed but I'm not too sure if that's true. Best to go during dinner hours. We reached there at around 9pm and left at a little over 10pm so you might wanna take that as a gauge, perhaps?)
Advice:
An unpretentious restaurant; Do come here for thick, succulent thin beef and pork belly slices! My friend claims this restaurant is very popular amongst locals and recently, tourists! The pricing is pretty affordable as well (about 12 000 KRW for 600 grams)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Wish we knew about this place earlier! We only found out about it on the second last day before we were due to fly home, sadly! :( Moral of the story: Good to have overseas friends! They let you know the hidden gems!
18. Gaehwa (Kai hua 开花) jajangmyeon @ Myeong Dong **
Jajangmyeon!!!! Craving for it and was one of the first things I ate when I got to Seoul! Really delicious and yummy!
The friend dumplings were very good! Crispy on the outside and savoury on the inside with the delicious fillings of vegetable and paste!
Contrary to popular belief, jajangmyeon is a fusion korean-chinese food and it is not commonly found in Korean restaurants. In fact, if you aren't careful in looking, you may not find it anywhere else!
Our bill amounted to 16 000KRW for 2 bowls of dry jajangmyeon (there is a selection of soup but we prefer ours dry with the dark soy bean paste) and the plate of fried dumplings. The meals are served fast and the waiters speak Chinese.
Located very near the Chinese Embassy and that is why you are able to see guards/officers walking around occasionally.
Getting here:
107-1 Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
You might want to located the Chinese Embassy as a landmark to indicate that you are nearby.
Opening hours:
Not stated but we went during lunch hours
Advice:
MUST TRY if you like jajangmyeon or even, wanting to try something different!
We both agreed the sauce was yummy but the noodles were just average in terms of texture and 'Q-ness' (springy)
19. VERS Hongdae Garden Cafe @ Hongdae
Streets of Hongdae on our last day in Seoul!
Green Tea cake was pretty good and the flower on top is supposedly edible. We tried it and #nope, doesn't have any taste to it.
Hongdae Cafe Street has plenty of other cafes but as we were rushing for time, we only went for one!
Getting here:
Hongdae Station Exit No. 3
We used Google Maps and it takes about 10 minutes to reach the place.
Opening hours:
1030am-1030pm (as quoted from other reviews)
Advice:
For the unique garden theme and the nice Green tea cake!
Has free WI-FI
They only sell desserts and tea so if you are looking for mains, might be better to find a restaurant elsewhere!
20. LOTTE MART @ Seoul Station
Lotte Mart is a great place well-known for its wide variety of Korean snacks and relatively cheap prices! A lot of tourists, and locals alike, often come here to hunt for the best bargains for local produce (this includes cosmetics, electronic items, household items as well!)! Kimchi, seaweed, Market O real cheese chips, Market O choco pie, almond pocky sticks and cup noodles like jajangmyeon ramen are just some of the Korean snacks you can find here to satisfy your cravings for cheap Korean snacks. (For the record, I bought all of the ones I listed above hahahaa)
Getting here:
432, Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
서울특별시 중구 청파로 426 (봉래동2가,서울역(철도청))
서울특별시 중구 청파로 426 (봉래동2가,서울역(철도청))
Opening hours:
9am - 12am daily
Closed every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month
Advice:
Best to head to Baviphat @ Ewha to buy the Korean snacks and those which you cannot find in the store, you can buy from Lotte Mart to save a couple of bucks. Don't worry about bringing home items as they have packing stations where you can pack your items into cardboard boxes, tape and carry to the Airport.
HUGE MAJOR TIP WHICH WE DISCOVERED OURSELVES!!!
Looking to change money and unsure which place in Seoul has the best rates? We found this place just opposite the Chinese Embassy main gates! The rates are so far the best we have ever seen! Chinese Embassy is located at Myeong Dong and really near the restaurant where we had jajangmyeon @ Gaehwa (开花). This place is relatively easy to find as it is just near the Chinese Embassy main gates (huge-ass red doors). They have guards protecting the gates so once you see them, you are at the right place!
That's all for my trip!! (:
MY PERSONAL AFTER-THOUGHTS:
PEOPLE: Like everywhere else when you travel, it is always worthwhile to know a little bit of their local language. Sadly, we don't speak Korean and there were times (in outer parts of Seoul such as when we were in Jeonju and Naejangsan) where we had difficulty communicating to the people our requests such as what specific meat is in that dish (as I can't have beef, it is admittedly, a little troublesome). Fortunately, in Seoul, almost everyone understands either English or Chinese so we Singaporeans who understand both are fine! I prefer to speak in English but a lot of times when the staff wants to explain something, they will ask if we understand Chinese. Apparently, Chinese seems to be the more comfortable foreign language to communicate around Seoul, probably due to the influx of PRC Chinese tourists and the high number of Chinese working there. Often, you will realise, the staff at your favourite Korean makeup brand store is actually a PRC Chinese LOL. Anyhoo, the people here are generally quite nice and civil. They are more able to communicate with foreigners and the youths are the ones generally better at speaking English. And even if they don't (well at least the ones we met at Naejangsan and Jeonju), they try their best to gesticulate and recommend dishes for you and one of the young waiters at the Naejangsan Korean restaurant I was eating at was attentive (and cute too!:P) enough to ask if I wanted refills for the side dishes. Kudos to service! (at certain places only, of course. Baviphat @ Ewha was defo NOT good customer service)
WEATHER: As it was Autumn nearing Winter period, the weather can be relatively cold, falling between as high as 18 degrees to as low as 2 degrees. Nightfall comes especially early (around 4pm and it feels like 8pm already). 2-3 layers of clothing, a thick coat, winter thermal leggings and boots/shoes should be able to last you through if you are heading around the same time period I travelled (2nd-9th Nov 2016)
PRICE: Prices are slightly more expensive, in terms of clothing as compared to Singapore. But to be fair, it was nearing Winter time so their clothes tend to be coats and thick sweaters which generally fetch a higher price. However, I found a tennis skirt which they were selling for 15 000 KRW at Ewha and the lady claimed it was already discounted. Such skirts can easily be obtained at a lower price at Taobao, honestly.... so only get clothes that you really REALLY like! Also, their street food isn't exactly cheap so please don't have this misconception that similarly to places like Bangkok and Taipei, their street food is affordable. I mean 15 000 KRW for street food?! DAYLIGHT ROBBERY! Though to be fair, you don't often see lobsters as street food so... maybe their conceptualisation of street food differs from us. Anyhoo, everyone mostly likes to go to Korea for their snacks and cosmetic products. I dunno, I might do a review on the list of Korean food/cosmetic items that are highly recommended to buy so, stay tuned, I guess? :D
PEOPLE: Like everywhere else when you travel, it is always worthwhile to know a little bit of their local language. Sadly, we don't speak Korean and there were times (in outer parts of Seoul such as when we were in Jeonju and Naejangsan) where we had difficulty communicating to the people our requests such as what specific meat is in that dish (as I can't have beef, it is admittedly, a little troublesome). Fortunately, in Seoul, almost everyone understands either English or Chinese so we Singaporeans who understand both are fine! I prefer to speak in English but a lot of times when the staff wants to explain something, they will ask if we understand Chinese. Apparently, Chinese seems to be the more comfortable foreign language to communicate around Seoul, probably due to the influx of PRC Chinese tourists and the high number of Chinese working there. Often, you will realise, the staff at your favourite Korean makeup brand store is actually a PRC Chinese LOL. Anyhoo, the people here are generally quite nice and civil. They are more able to communicate with foreigners and the youths are the ones generally better at speaking English. And even if they don't (well at least the ones we met at Naejangsan and Jeonju), they try their best to gesticulate and recommend dishes for you and one of the young waiters at the Naejangsan Korean restaurant I was eating at was attentive (and cute too!:P) enough to ask if I wanted refills for the side dishes. Kudos to service! (at certain places only, of course. Baviphat @ Ewha was defo NOT good customer service)
WEATHER: As it was Autumn nearing Winter period, the weather can be relatively cold, falling between as high as 18 degrees to as low as 2 degrees. Nightfall comes especially early (around 4pm and it feels like 8pm already). 2-3 layers of clothing, a thick coat, winter thermal leggings and boots/shoes should be able to last you through if you are heading around the same time period I travelled (2nd-9th Nov 2016)
PRICE: Prices are slightly more expensive, in terms of clothing as compared to Singapore. But to be fair, it was nearing Winter time so their clothes tend to be coats and thick sweaters which generally fetch a higher price. However, I found a tennis skirt which they were selling for 15 000 KRW at Ewha and the lady claimed it was already discounted. Such skirts can easily be obtained at a lower price at Taobao, honestly.... so only get clothes that you really REALLY like! Also, their street food isn't exactly cheap so please don't have this misconception that similarly to places like Bangkok and Taipei, their street food is affordable. I mean 15 000 KRW for street food?! DAYLIGHT ROBBERY! Though to be fair, you don't often see lobsters as street food so... maybe their conceptualisation of street food differs from us. Anyhoo, everyone mostly likes to go to Korea for their snacks and cosmetic products. I dunno, I might do a review on the list of Korean food/cosmetic items that are highly recommended to buy so, stay tuned, I guess? :D
SCENERY: As it was Autumn period, the red and yellow leaves are LOVE <3! I love Autumn period because everything is my favourite colour hahahah! Naejangsan is really worth a visit! But I'm pretty sure there are really nice scenery within Seoul itself! We just wanted to get out of Seoul for a bit so that was why we chose both Naejangsan and Jeonju! In Seoul, Ewha Womans University Fashion Street has an area that is lined with beautiful gorgeous red Autumn leaves! Namsan Tower (which we really wanted to go to catch the Autumn scenery but never got the time to go, looks pretty from afar when we passed by the foot of the hill where Namsan Tower is at) and Sangdong Park near Woongjin Playdoci is GORGEOUS and SERENE! Worthy a sight to see!
Thanks for taking the time to read my very detailed post! Feel free to post a comment to enquire about certain details and information (accuracy not guaranteed though heh).
For reference:
View here for Part I - Jeonju and Naejangsan
View here for Tresses Review on JUNO Hair Salon 2016
xx
Loves,
Nices
