Seoul Series

I’ve wanted to go to Seoul ever since I became a kpop fan. It has been my dream to venture the heart of South Korea and their main city. I want to experience the feeling of stepping into Seoul soil or even do Seoul-searching hehehe. So when the day came, me and my kpop friends booked a flight with Cebu Pacific and off we go to our dreamland. And so, our adventure begins.

Day 1.

Our schedule for the first day are the following: Check in at Hongdae Guesthouse (first of all), visit Korea’s palaces, the famous four, (which became the main center of every Joseon era k-dramas and even modern era series of Korea), go and try Hello Kitty Café (with their best waffles and coffee) and see Coffee Prince Café, the cafe used for k-drama Coffee Prince.

Upon arriving Incheon at around 4:50 am (we were earlier than the expected arrival time), we went wearing our winter gear because it was so cold, it was still winter time – well, we all agreed with this season to experience winter as well. We took the subway to get our baggage (whew!) on the other side of the airport. Oh, Incheon airport is really huge. We were even wishing a hallyu star passing by (^^) most especially Incheon airport is very famous as a hotspot for most hallyu stars and Korean idols.

(The clock says 5:54 because this was taken after buying our subway cards at a store and roaming around. ^_~)

Since we were early, we went looking for Hongdae Guesthouse in Hongdae (in Hongik University area). We were so lucky to get a guesthouse in this area because it was accessible to all stores and even the night market once you crossed the street downstairs (oh, mah friends, remember?).

But since our check in time starts at 9am, we tried Dunkin Donuts at the ground level first for our morning caffeine fix and a taste of Seoul Dunkin Donuts. Oh, of course, it tastes the same, but I love their hot chocolate more. After breakfast, we went up and left our baggage at the guesthouse and went to the palaces to start off our itinerary. 
I love the palaces especially the very last one we entered because of its long pathway, where they said the king and his guards used to walk towards the palace rooms. 

I can also reminisce the k-dramas I’ve watched before such as Sungkyungkwan Scandal (special mention ‘cuz it’s my favorite!) and other Joseon dynasty dramas I’ve been addicted to because some scenes seems so familiar right now. 

three different palaces we visited

We were so cold and hungry walking the winter streets so we had our lunch along the way. Of course, there’s no such thing as eating authentic Korean meals in their country itself. 

And yum! This was really delicious. 

kimchi rice on the left *_* forgot the one on the right though =p

Back to our guesthouse now, we unpacked our stuff and took a rest, charging our phones and using the internet chatting with everyone back home. I loved our first guesthouse because it has a wide capacity and even a second floor plus the wifi. After resting a bit, we went to look for Hello Kitty Café and our tour guide, Kate (btw, this is her third time in Seoul now so I can officially call her the tour guide, LOL), led the way. Since we are staying in Hongdae, it’s just few walks away from the café, across the street. So off we went, and along the way, there is the night market and lots of students walking along winter night, this place is daebak! We entered Hello Kitty Café and ordered waffles and coffee to cap off our night. The place, I can say, is so cute, so ‘hello kitty’ because it’s interior and everything inside has a hello kitty touch. This is awesome! And the food, the best. 

even their waffles and their coffee have hello kitty ^^)

After a great night, we decided to go back to the guesthouse because everyone is tired now and it’s super cold too. We went home feeling uber happy and satisfied with our first day, forgetting that Coffee Prince café was on our list, oh well, it’s out of the itinerary now. Maybe tomorrow? =p              

So everyone’s off to sleep with a smile. Day 1 ~ done.

Day 2.

We have Namsan on our second day. So we started the day with bread and jam breakfast which is usually free in guesthouses here in Seoul. We brought our own food as well for back up, cup noodles, cookies and biscuits. Look at the view downstairs from our guesthouse. 

day and night view from our guesthouse 

After breakfast, we checked in at Ann’s guesthouse (we’ll stay with Ate Ann until our last day here in Seoul). It is just a few floors up only from Hongdae guesthouse. Ate Ann and her husband are nice and very accommodating. Our next room was cozy but very homey and we loved this too. 

So off we go to Namsan though we had a stopover at Myeongdong to exchange peso money to korean won. 

We took the bus going to Namsan and climbed the steps up to the tower. It’s now called N Seoul tower. We tried the dried squid along the way and took photos and selcas. 

                

We arrived finally at the top and were so awed with the ‘love locks’ with all sorts of sizes, colors and lots of love messages locked in top of Seoul’s haven. We also brought our own locks and with the love messages, found our own space to display them. =p

We even wrote our names down as a memoir here. Anyway, they will clean this afterwards. 

In Seoul N tower, you’ll also find stores you can buy gifts and memorabilias for people back home and they even have kpop stuff and merch here. I saw SHINee, Super Junior, Girl’s Generation’s official diaries here. They also have the latest magazines in the rack. There is also the Teddy Bear Museum, with different sizes of teddy bears with colorful costumes. 

Upon reaching the top where there are lots of people visiting the place, we even saw another set of guards we saw yesterday in the palace, you can still go further and look at the view of Seoul on top. So we bought tickets and stepped on the elevator, which is the fastest elevator that will take you up in a matter of seconds while a staff entertains you and will ask you to look up and there’s an LCD explosion of the view going up, and there you are in no time. The view from up here was so perfect! 

Up here, there are also stores for souvenir items, cosmetic boutiques (ah, Nature Republic) and even a restaurant. 

Jang Geun Suk for NR and Lee Byung Hun's leather goods store

Going down, we walked and did not go with our plan to take the cable car because it was so crowded and we might not be able to take a good look at the view while riding. We had our lunch along the way going to Myeongdong.

Next stop now is Myeongdong. This place was so great we had to go back here more than once. It’s a shopping haven for everyone. You can find every stuff here from clothes, dresses, bags, shoes, almost everything. Every cosmetic store is just along the way, name them, and you can spot them easily.

SPAO is our main area there and the bag store. Whew! But after buying a few stuff, we decided we’ll go back because we still have a few on our list for today. So we had our dinner at the guesthouse. 

Myeongdong day and night *_*

The last on our itinerary tonight is Handel and Gretel. There goes another fangirling moment! My friend Nina loves Super Junior’s Yesung and we will not go home without supporting her bias’ café. So after resting a bit, it’s now another café time so we took the subway to Yeouido. It was already a bit late but we realized nothing can stop a fan girl (yeah!). My friend following the directions she searched online, we were able to arrive to H&G just in time before they closes. We experienced crossing these wide streets in the cold winter night haha. Yesung’s mom was there and a few staff almost fixing everything since it is closing hours already. We ordered coffee and tea (for me), and the staff explained we only have 15 minutes left until they closed so we were just in time! But not only the four of us, there were two Japanese fans who arrived next after us, so they ordered as well and the staff were very nice to say we can take photos of the café (except the kitchen area please). Lots of Yesung’s photos everywhere and my friends were overwhelmed. We were too. The café closes and we enjoyed this great night. 

Look, my friend, Nina, our main fangirl of the night, savoring her experience to be at that counter. =p

fangirl Nina at H&G's counter

Yesung’s mom agreed to have a photo with us too. 

Going back, we walked at Yeouido park a while sipping our coffee and tea and enjoying the winter night here. This was one of the memorable nights I had with Seoul. The adventure of walking the streets, finding the place first time (for all of us), and catching the last hour of the subway train. Really, this was another daebak moment! 

Back home, our two other friends were already sleeping. They did not go with us because it’s too late already and they were tired. I understand because they are not the hardcore kpop fans as we are but they’re here to venture and came to appreciate Seoul life.

And as for that, day 2 is also done.

Day 3.

It was Sunday. We have Myeongdong cathedral originally in our itin, however, we need to be up early. But since it was so cold, everyone was still sleeping. Anyway, we also plan to go to Lotte world and Lotte mart after. We planned it for a whole day because it is an amusement park. People going there need to relax, have fun and play! =)

So after taking our breakky and all preparations, we headed off to Lotte world. It was soooo cold that day, but still my friend Julie still craved for ice cream (oh yeah!). It’s a bit far from Hongdae, but after a few more stops and subway lines to go to, we arrived. 

It was nice once you entered and woah!!~ is that Etude house there, it was major. So I bought most of my etude stuffs there, w/ a lot of freebies (even a pillow). We pose and took photos and was amazed w/ the grandeur of the place. It was classic and modern combined hahaha,,,, did I say classic? Yup, because memories of that old Korean drama came up, my friend Nina, even took a photo of hers there w/ the view of the grand carousel at the back. But if you look, my friends Kate and Girlie were even at her side far from the view. He he he. =p

We went around Lotte and got to watch their morning parade and dance w/ the music. I saw Holika Holika upstairs and got a photo opp w/ Yonghwa, hahaha of course, his poster ad, not him! It’s a CNBLUE endorsement. My friends were craving for food, so we walked around more. We went out even if it’s uber freezing cold, and the view! They have the major rides as well here in the outside theme park. Look! The castle view at the back is totally amazing, right?! HAH! But we were pretending, see, it is cooold. Can you feel me? Hehe =p 

My friends lined up to try one of the rides - Atlantis. Girlie and I declined since I don’t seem to enjoy it ‘cuz it’s super cold plus there’s water, I felt it’s gonna be cold three times more because of the wind. But they enjoyed it after, and you’re not going to get wet anyway.

Our next stop was Star Avenue, so photos here and there for us. It’s a perfect fangirl experience to go there. Hmmm Bigbang, Rain, Kim Hyun Joong, 2PM, Song Seung Hoon, JYJ, actors and actresses = perfect! 

After Star Avenue, we walked along to Lotte mart to buy ‘pasalubong’ and the endless shopping in a supermarket. It’s our last day tomorrow, so we bought food and stuff, ramyun, nori and the likes. =p 

We’re suppose to go to Dongdaemun after this, but we bought a lot and it’s pretty heavy, we decided to drop by at the guesthouse first. Then, after dinner, we went to Dongdaemun. It’s open until late night, and almost forgot, tonight is BigBang concert night in Seoul, so we assume it’s over because Japanese fans are all over Dongdaemun now wearing BigBang jackets. Oh gosh!~ that jacket.

Anyway, it was another experience at Dongdaemun, since the other stuff we like to buy such as sets of chopsticks, souvenir items are found there and they’re cheap. But since the place was totally huge, friends got lost and went home, though, we waited for them until we tried their paging system.. =p oh, you’ll never believe what I mean. I was the one who asked that ‘oppa’ to page my friends and when he cannot say it in straight English, I know my lost friends will not understand, I did it, in Tagalog! Hahaha! And w/ my friends outside laughing at me because the entire mall heard it. After waiting for them, we went home by a cab since it past midnight and thank God, they’re not lost anywhere, they’re just home. Good thing everyone got a map to guide us. One lesson, never forget to bring a subway map w/ you; you’ll memorize it in no time, anyway. Day 3 was pretty tiring but we managed it, it was a full day!

Day 4. 


Last day and we feel sad already. Last stop will be Kona Beans and Myeongdong. We packed our stuff and prepared everything to check out from the guest house in the morning. Ate Ann was very kind enough for us to leave our baggage w/ them until later. After Myeongdong, we’ll return to Ate Ann and get them. So after breakky, off we go to Kona Beans. This is one of the branches in Seoul that Leetuk’s, Sungmin’s and Kyuhyun’s moms own. This has been a main spot of fangirling here in Apgujeong. They offer wide range of coffee and pastries, not to mention the main effect if, and I say, if one of the boys were there helpin’ their moms at the counter. A lot of times, it’s the moms. So after searching for Kona, which took us almost half of the day, oh! That’s the main fangirling mode, you get lost and you try and try because we need to be there. Hehe, w/ my friends keep encouraging me, we found it. I’ll make sure to blog the correct map to go there,’cause the one I got was totally wrong. 

Here we are lost in the way looking for Kona. =p So we stopped somewhere and had our lunch first.

We continued searching for it and returned to the original spot where we came from. Ha ha ha! Good thing we didn’t gave up, asked people around, and came to Apgujeong w/ almost familiar places as mentioned now in the map directions. There you are Kona Beans! Whew! 

When we got lost earlier, it was a different Kona beans we entered. Compared to the other one, the interior here and the ambience were different too. There are fangirls here - we just know, with those cameras - and the music on the tv screen was playing Davichi’s song (instead of Super Junior’s) =). Oh well, we ordered coffee, espresso for me, I need to stay awake ‘till later. 

I was shy when I saw Leeteuk oppa’s mom at the counter. I didn’t recognize her at first, but because of friends telling me, what? She’s your mom! You know what they mean, I went and talked to her, gave her the dried mangoes for them and asked for a photo w/ her. She willingly obliged, stood up and even said ‘fan? ELF?’ meaning SUJU’s fan? Owww,, she so nice, she held us and took us beside the booth section where the three boys’ photos were set up. I think that’s the spot where all fans stands to take a photo since the background says so – mugs, tumblers and memoirs, plus the boys’ photos = perfect. I was sooooo happy and she even asked us , ‘oh, from where?’ my friend knows Korean so she was speaking to mom saying ‘yeppo-da’ (beautiful) and mom said ‘oh, thank you’ hahaha!!~ she would hold you as if you were close when taking a snap w/ her. She’s pretty like oppa. This is one more fan girl experience I will never ever forget! 

   

Kona beans interior and display; w/ Leeteuk oppa's mom

And after Kona, next stop is again, Myeongdong via cab. Good thing as well, T-money can be used in paying a cab aside from the subway and buses.

What’s with this place that even in our last day, we still have to return here. Ha ha ha!! Fan Merch, SPAO merch and bags and dresses that sells at a cheap price. Every cosmetic boutique has a freebie and I swear, cosmetics here are not expensive. I even had some of my peso (yes, not dollars but peso) exchanged to Korean won here in Myeongdong. I just love this place.

Back to Ate Ann’s guesthouse, I ate downstairs w/ my friend, she really love to try these soondae (blood sausages) and we wanna say goodbye to our friends who were selling street food there. I haven’t mentioned every 5pm onwards, they sell fish cakes and tteukbokki and we always buy there. It’s ahjumma and ahjussi and they even told us to come back and see them again. *sad* but yes, we will really visit them once we’re back. 

After eating, we thanked Ate Ann for her hospitality and left her a letter posted in our room. There were lots of letters from people who visited Seoul who were touched by Ate Ann and her husband’s kindness and even if she doesn’t speak English fluently, she managed to talk to us always w/ a genuine smile. My friend Kate has been to this guesthouse more than once and she can prove ate Ann’s really nice.

We have a late flight tonight so we were able to sight Incheon airport’s majestic view, this airport’s really huge they even have a skating rink, and lots of shops, cafes and stores all around. We had our Baskin Robbins using our remaining wons and coins hehehe. Pretty sure once back in Manila, it’s super hot there. 

Incheon airport's view and the skating rink inside ^_~

me and my friends waiting to board; Baskin Robbins while waiting for the flight; its our plane to MNL

 See you again very soon, Seoul! What a seoul-ful experience!!! ♥♥♥

Credits for other photos used:

My friends ~ Nina, Kate, Julie and Conrad and Girlie ^_~ love you all!