It's hell about time I got this up. I've been procrastinating so much that I almost forgot I had gone on vacation earlier this year. So here's a long overdue post covering the highlights of my virgin trip to South Korea in January.
2017 was certainly off to a good start. Just 6 days after starting my new job, I jetted off to the Land of Kimchi with the cousins.
It was super cold! I had bought a winter jacket for the occasion but who knew five layers (and a winter jacket) would still be insufficient! In other words, I've got to say a great kudos to Jo for planning it out.
#1 LINE Café; Ehwa Women's University
We arrived on a Thursday morning. After dropping off our baggage at the apartment, we headed to Edae! We walked right onto a street of cosmetic shops. While the cousins headed off to get their hair done, the teeter and I walked into shop after shop and ended up spending a bomb.
Thing is, we weren't prepared to shop for cosmetics. Or rather, we didn't plan for it because we are both not big on make-up. I guess when you're in a heaven of affordable cosmetic brands, you kind of give in to the temptation.
Apart from the satisfying cosmetics shopping, we chanced upon a LINE shop! Pretty sure it's not the famous one because there wasn't a life-sized model of any LINE characters but we still had great fun queueing up to take photos with the decor!
I've never been a huge fan of LINE characters but I remember the LINE team was really nice to send us a box of customised cupcakes during my stint with Simply Her, although the cupcakes tasted mediocre, possibly lackluster too.
Also, to think a fellow like Brown has such a cute girlfriend- The virtual world sure seems like a nice place to belong to sometimes. Only sometimes.
When we were done with the inside of the shop, we decided to head outside once again where it remained a challenge to keep ourselves warm and safe from the relentless winds.
Cony definitely didn't look too pleased about being outside alone in the cold so we joined him for a bit.
Couldn't spend much time with Cony because he, for one, isn't a very attractive fellow but also because we had to make our way up the hill to get to Ehwa!
Climbing up the hill was not as much of a feat than it was braving the winds. I've never, in my entire lifetime, experienced such chilly winds. Despite 5 layers of clothes, I was still freezing. It wasn't simply cold. It was the kind of cold that was piercing and painful, and I regretted not layering more but there's only so many layers of clothes I could fit underneath my winter jacket!
When we finally reached Ehwa in one piece, we scrambled to take more photos. (I think the agenda of our trip was to spam as many photos as we could.) Unfortunately, that day was full of failed shots. And I hate to say it but I never realised how good I was at spoiling shots.
After continuous failed shots and us laughing our asses off at how ridiculous we looked, we just gave up trying. Or rather, I gave up.
We spent almost half an hour outside our accommodation taking photos of/with snow.
We had to commemorate the snow because we weren't expecting it at all. (I don't think the Koreans themselves were expecting it to snow during a period when it was supposed to become warmer.) So we were really lucky when we woke up to snow!
We headed straight for Myeongdong to do some more shopping. But you can sort of guess there wasn't much to shop because, well, it was winter. Most of their winter wear isn't thick to begin with but it would still be too hot for humid Singapore. But we bagged more cosmetics and facial products.
At the end of the day, we decided to wind down at a sauna aka jjimjilbang (찜질방).
Okay, I'm gonna be real honest and say the cousins gave us a head's up about women baring their all. It is a norm for them, even other foreign visitors do the same, so it was an eye-opener.
We, on the other hand, did not conform to the norm and walked around fully clothed.
It was cold but never too cold for bingsu, I suppose.
We also experienced a 70°C sauna room.
When you spend hours out in subzero weather, 70°C sounds rather soothing. But after I was done with the sauna rooms, I went to chill in the common areas on one of those automated massage chairs. (They were mostly worn out and it was hard finding one that seemed safe to sit on.) But you know, even just chilling outside of sauna rooms in the common area was kind of cold for me.
The final agenda for the day was visiting a raccoon cafe! Raccoons have always piqued my interest. They're such naive yet gentle creatures but they can be aggressive as well. I don't always support animal cafes because I feel they belong in their own natural habitat but gotta admit having an animal in your cafe is bound to draw in the crowds.
There was a white raccoon that took comfort in a high corner of the room but this one was far more animated! It was surprisingly very sociable. Not in the way that we could pet it and all, but it was a natural in front of all the cameras.
I was so intrigued by it though? It was my first time seeing a raccoon up close and it was just so... unbelievable?
#3 Han River, Hongdae and becoming sheep whisperer
Seeing a river up close kinds of reminds me about my tiny existence in this vast universe, and how I'm always trying to make a mark wherever I go.
There's always something about soaking up nature that reminds you tough days will pass. For me, at least.
#4 Biggest meal ever!
Our last 2 days were spent in Jeonju. We were looking forward to staying in a hanok but had not expected our luggages to be helluva noisy as we pushed them up the hill to the main road in the middle of the night. (It was 3AM and we had a coach to catch back to Seoul where we depart from.)
I don't think I'll ever get used to living in a hanok. You've got to always observe your noise level because the walls between the rooms aren't sound proof. I could hear my neighbour's tv on one side and my teeter on the phone on the other side. Thank god we put the two noisy sleepers together.
I actually forgot to bring my pjs for this trip and had to sleep in my eldest cousin's oversized shirt for 4 consecutive nights. I still can't believe I didn't pack any pjs though!
On a brighter note, here's the biggest, most extensive meal I've ever had!
Those two at the end shared one table and the rest of us shared another. Jo actually asked our landlord to recommend a restaurant that serves "many side dishes". As you can tell, we got many side dishes. We didn't even finish our food!
This restaurant was just minutes from our accommodation. Can't even say we burned off whatever calories we put on during this meal!
#5 Play dress up, the best seafood pancake, and encountering a Great Dane
When you're in Jeonju, the one thing people do most is to rent a hanbok and walk around the quaint hanok village, which was exactly what we did. Only that it's not advisable if the weather records 2°C and even five layers of clothes won't keep you warm. We stripped down to just 1-2 layers of clothes to put on the hanbok.
I still have no idea what possessed us to don these beautiful traditional wear and strut around town with strong winds and single digit weather.
If given a choice, I will not do it again. Like, never. Or at least I'll choose to travel to Seoul when it's slightly warmer.
And finally, we had our last meal in this unassuming restaurant that served the best seafood pancake. (No kidding!)
Essentially, it was the combination of flour and egg batter that gave the seafood a fitting platter to be served on. Wolfed down in a matter of minutes!
I, on the other hand, was just super interested in the Great Dane.
안녕, 칸아~ Just look at my hand against his head! He is HUGE. People sometimes look at Shelty and comment on his size but they've never seen a true big dog. (Shelty's a pedigree Shetland so he's medium-sized.)
Next day marked the end of our trip. Back then, I was more than elated to return home because the weather was such a bummer. But as many of you know, I recently returned from my 2 and a half week vacation in Canada so 5 days in Seoul really pales in comparison to the trip I had not too long ago.
Still, considering it was my first time being in the homeland of my favourite K-stars (I've been a K-pop fan for 10 years now!), I am more than thankful.
There's always something mesmerising about being 10,000 feet above ground crusading through the clouds and watching night turn to day (and vice versa). It never fails to remind me of how small I am in this universe. Got to keep reminding myself I deserve all the good things in life because I worked hard for them.
2017 was certainly off to a good start. Just 6 days after starting my new job, I jetted off to the Land of Kimchi with the cousins.
It was super cold! I had bought a winter jacket for the occasion but who knew five layers (and a winter jacket) would still be insufficient! In other words, I've got to say a great kudos to Jo for planning it out.
 |
| Different shapes and sizes but I'll always be proud to call you guys my family |
#1 LINE Café; Ehwa Women's University
We arrived on a Thursday morning. After dropping off our baggage at the apartment, we headed to Edae! We walked right onto a street of cosmetic shops. While the cousins headed off to get their hair done, the teeter and I walked into shop after shop and ended up spending a bomb.
Thing is, we weren't prepared to shop for cosmetics. Or rather, we didn't plan for it because we are both not big on make-up. I guess when you're in a heaven of affordable cosmetic brands, you kind of give in to the temptation.
I've never been a huge fan of LINE characters but I remember the LINE team was really nice to send us a box of customised cupcakes during my stint with Simply Her, although the cupcakes tasted mediocre, possibly lackluster too.
Also, to think a fellow like Brown has such a cute girlfriend- The virtual world sure seems like a nice place to belong to sometimes. Only sometimes.
Cony definitely didn't look too pleased about being outside alone in the cold so we joined him for a bit.
Couldn't spend much time with Cony because he, for one, isn't a very attractive fellow but also because we had to make our way up the hill to get to Ehwa!
Climbing up the hill was not as much of a feat than it was braving the winds. I've never, in my entire lifetime, experienced such chilly winds. Despite 5 layers of clothes, I was still freezing. It wasn't simply cold. It was the kind of cold that was piercing and painful, and I regretted not layering more but there's only so many layers of clothes I could fit underneath my winter jacket!
When we finally reached Ehwa in one piece, we scrambled to take more photos. (I think the agenda of our trip was to spam as many photos as we could.) Unfortunately, that day was full of failed shots. And I hate to say it but I never realised how good I was at spoiling shots.
 |
| That's right, it's me. |
 |
| Sun in my eyes but that backdrop is supposedly hella famous |
After continuous failed shots and us laughing our asses off at how ridiculous we looked, we just gave up trying. Or rather, I gave up.
#2 Snow! Raccoon Café; and, um, nude women
We were pretty damn lucky to have experienced snow that Friday! We knew it was going to be subzero cold but to think we got to see snow was just amazing!
It was personally much excitement about touching snow for the first time. I've always wanted to experience snow - and I mean the kind that piles up and you can make a snow angel! - but this snow was a good starter pack.
We had to commemorate the snow because we weren't expecting it at all. (I don't think the Koreans themselves were expecting it to snow during a period when it was supposed to become warmer.) So we were really lucky when we woke up to snow!
We headed straight for Myeongdong to do some more shopping. But you can sort of guess there wasn't much to shop because, well, it was winter. Most of their winter wear isn't thick to begin with but it would still be too hot for humid Singapore. But we bagged more cosmetics and facial products.
At the end of the day, we decided to wind down at a sauna aka jjimjilbang (찜질방).
Okay, I'm gonna be real honest and say the cousins gave us a head's up about women baring their all. It is a norm for them, even other foreign visitors do the same, so it was an eye-opener.We, on the other hand, did not conform to the norm and walked around fully clothed.
It was cold but never too cold for bingsu, I suppose.
We also experienced a 70°C sauna room.
When you spend hours out in subzero weather, 70°C sounds rather soothing. But after I was done with the sauna rooms, I went to chill in the common areas on one of those automated massage chairs. (They were mostly worn out and it was hard finding one that seemed safe to sit on.) But you know, even just chilling outside of sauna rooms in the common area was kind of cold for me.
The final agenda for the day was visiting a raccoon cafe! Raccoons have always piqued my interest. They're such naive yet gentle creatures but they can be aggressive as well. I don't always support animal cafes because I feel they belong in their own natural habitat but gotta admit having an animal in your cafe is bound to draw in the crowds.
There was a white raccoon that took comfort in a high corner of the room but this one was far more animated! It was surprisingly very sociable. Not in the way that we could pet it and all, but it was a natural in front of all the cameras.
I was so intrigued by it though? It was my first time seeing a raccoon up close and it was just so... unbelievable?
#3 Han River, Hongdae and becoming sheep whisperer
No one told us it would be mad crazy and cold but it would have been such a pity if we never got to see the Han River despite being in such close proximity to it. Regardless of the weather, the teeter and I plunged into it.
It was so windy!? I lost my mittens a couple of times because I had to keep going in and out of them to take photos. It was hilarious! At one point I lost my mitten and had to backtrack the route we took in order to find it!
It was so windy!? I lost my mittens a couple of times because I had to keep going in and out of them to take photos. It was hilarious! At one point I lost my mitten and had to backtrack the route we took in order to find it!
Seeing a river up close kinds of reminds me about my tiny existence in this vast universe, and how I'm always trying to make a mark wherever I go.There's always something about soaking up nature that reminds you tough days will pass. For me, at least.
After surviving the chills, the cousins told us they were on their way back from ice fishing. (Truth is they didn't even fish because it was too cold.) So we married at Hongdae!
More specifically, we married at the sheep cafe at Hongdae.
I know sheep are generally very harmless. (I mean, just look at them!) But I was honestly slightly afraid they'd come charging at me even though there was no reason to.
Also, here's a fun encounter: the male one (on the left) started defecating at the gate when I wanted to leave the pan. Pretty sure he didn't do that to make me stay in there longer.
 |
| Who knew I had fate with these fluffy animals!? |
I know sheep are generally very harmless. (I mean, just look at them!) But I was honestly slightly afraid they'd come charging at me even though there was no reason to.
Also, here's a fun encounter: the male one (on the left) started defecating at the gate when I wanted to leave the pan. Pretty sure he didn't do that to make me stay in there longer.
#4 Biggest meal ever!
Our last 2 days were spent in Jeonju. We were looking forward to staying in a hanok but had not expected our luggages to be helluva noisy as we pushed them up the hill to the main road in the middle of the night. (It was 3AM and we had a coach to catch back to Seoul where we depart from.)
I don't think I'll ever get used to living in a hanok. You've got to always observe your noise level because the walls between the rooms aren't sound proof. I could hear my neighbour's tv on one side and my teeter on the phone on the other side. Thank god we put the two noisy sleepers together.
I actually forgot to bring my pjs for this trip and had to sleep in my eldest cousin's oversized shirt for 4 consecutive nights. I still can't believe I didn't pack any pjs though!
On a brighter note, here's the biggest, most extensive meal I've ever had!Those two at the end shared one table and the rest of us shared another. Jo actually asked our landlord to recommend a restaurant that serves "many side dishes". As you can tell, we got many side dishes. We didn't even finish our food!
This restaurant was just minutes from our accommodation. Can't even say we burned off whatever calories we put on during this meal!
#5 Play dress up, the best seafood pancake, and encountering a Great Dane
When you're in Jeonju, the one thing people do most is to rent a hanbok and walk around the quaint hanok village, which was exactly what we did. Only that it's not advisable if the weather records 2°C and even five layers of clothes won't keep you warm. We stripped down to just 1-2 layers of clothes to put on the hanbok.
If given a choice, I will not do it again. Like, never. Or at least I'll choose to travel to Seoul when it's slightly warmer.
And finally, we had our last meal in this unassuming restaurant that served the best seafood pancake. (No kidding!)
For some reason, having just seafood pancake for our last meal in Jeonju seemed underwhelming so we decided to pop into this cafe we had walked past earlier (and spotted a Great Dane!!!)
This is what happens when four out of five of your cousins are into dogs. We see a dog, we pet the dog (unless the owner keeps it away from passers-by). Skinny wasn't feeling too well so she went back to the hanok first, where she regurgitated everything she had had that day.
안녕, 칸아~ Just look at my hand against his head! He is HUGE. People sometimes look at Shelty and comment on his size but they've never seen a true big dog. (Shelty's a pedigree Shetland so he's medium-sized.)
Anyway, the cafe was his home. He was parading around giving zero hecks about the customers aka us. He was only interested in his owner, literally following in the footsteps of his owner!
Fortunately for him, he's got a thermal blanket (and a shirt maybe five sizes too small for his body) to keep him warm in the winter. And he stayed indoors the whole time! That's the right way to treat your dog.
Next day marked the end of our trip. Back then, I was more than elated to return home because the weather was such a bummer. But as many of you know, I recently returned from my 2 and a half week vacation in Canada so 5 days in Seoul really pales in comparison to the trip I had not too long ago.
Still, considering it was my first time being in the homeland of my favourite K-stars (I've been a K-pop fan for 10 years now!), I am more than thankful.
There's always something mesmerising about being 10,000 feet above ground crusading through the clouds and watching night turn to day (and vice versa). It never fails to remind me of how small I am in this universe. Got to keep reminding myself I deserve all the good things in life because I worked hard for them.
 |
| Every trip away from home somehow brings me back to you |
Comments