Incheon China Town (인천 차이나타운), Incheon

The place that I visited during my latest trip was Incheon China Town (인천 차이나타운). The streets are full with Chinese modern architectures. And a MUST food to eat is Jajangmyeon (짜장면) which is black-bean-sauce noodle and Gonggalpang, a crispy, sweet bread that's hollow in the middle with brown sugar filling.

Direction: Seoul Subway Line 1, Incheon Station. Chinatown is just opposite the station.

Incheon's Chinatown area came into being with the opening of the Incheon Port in 1883 and Incheon's designation as an extraterritoriality of the Ching Dynasty. In the past, the area held many stores trading goods imported from China, but most Chinese businesses are now restaurants. 

Namiseom Island (남이섬 종합휴양지), Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do

Another famous hot spot that you MUST visit when you are in Korea is Namiseom Island (남이섬 종합휴양지) AKA Nami Island at Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do.

The island, especially the Metasequoia path, was one of the main filming locations of Korean Broadcasting System 2002 television drama series Winter Sonata, starring Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo. It attracted 270,000 Korean and foreign visitors in 2001. After it was featured in the drama, it attracted 650,000 visitors in 2002. Since then the number of visitors has continued to grow, reaching 2.3 million in 2012.

The most convenient way to get to Nami Island from Seoul is using the tourist shuttle bus. The bus departs from Insadong (Tapgol Park) or Jamsil Station at 930am daily and leaves Nami Island at 4pm daily. The fare is 7500 won for one way trip, 15000 won for two way trip and 23000 won for round trip ticket + entrance visa to Nami Island + ferry ticket.

Shuttle Bus (From Seoul to Namiseom Island)
* Bus Stop
1) Insa-dong (Jonggak Station, Subway Line 1, Exit 3): Next to Tapgol Park
2) Jamsil Station (Subway Line 2, Exit 4): In front of Lotte Mart

* Shuttle Bus Schedule:
Insa-dong, Jamsil Station → Namiseom Island: 09:30
Namiseom Island → Insa-dong, Jamsil Station: 16:00
※ Advanced reservation required. (Inquiries +82-2-753-1247)

If you have extra budget, you may want to try their zip-wire where one zooms down 940m above Han River to the island. It costs 38000 won.

 I personally enjoy Nami Island because of its nature beauty! I would wish to stay there for 1 night!!!!

Odusan Unification Observatory (오두산 통일전망대) at Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do

If you want to see North Korea, this is the place where you can see North Korea at the closest! 

The Odusan Unification Observatory (오두산 통일전망대) at Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do opened to the public in 1992. 

It’s one of the national tourist spot where foreigners like to visit and experience the stark reality of the divided Peninsula. From this Observation Platform, Songaksan Diamond Mountains in the city of Gyeseongi and 63 Building in Seoul are visible. 

This Observatory has five floors above ground and one underground. Various photos and computerized screens showing the stark reality of North Korea are displayed on first and second floor. Products from North Korea can also be purchased here. 

Direction: Seoul Subway Line 3, Daewha Station, Exit 5 -> walk to the bus station at the back of the exit ->  Take bus no. 200 -> get off at the entrance of Odusan Unification Observatory. 

The bus arrives about every 50 minutes. (bus fare 1,4000 won, 45 minute travel time) The first bus arrives at 7:50a.m. and the last 11p.m. 

The first thing visitors to the observatory see is this statue of Korean independence fighter Cho Man-sik.

Korean independence fighter Cho Man-sik

 The entrance

 The coin used to use the telescope to see North Korea

 

 North Korean classroom!

  

 The view at the other side. Not a single soul spotted at North!!!!

North Korean alcohol

Souvenirs!

Heyri Artvalley (헤이리 문화예술마을) at Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do

During my 3rd trip to Korea with Yiting, we visited Heyri Artvalley (헤이리 문화예술마을) located at Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do.

Less than an hour's drive north of Seoul sits an enchanting community of artists. Envisioned and created by a well known book publisher, Heyri Art Village is now home to over 370 painters, potters, photographers, musicians, architects, and writers. Not only does its proximity to Seoul make it a great day trip option, but its unique ambiance and ability to converge the old with the new in a natural environment make it a memorable destination.

Direction: Subway Line 2, Hapjeong Station, Exit #2 -> Take Bus #2200 -> alight at Heyri stop (헤이리 1번게이트).

The daddy is controlling the car his son is riding by remote! How cool!

Ice Gallery (아이스갤러리) at Jongno-gu, Seoul

This Ice Gallery! I visited during my FIRST trip to Korea in 2012! This was not written in the itinerary but since I can read hanguel now, it is easy for me to locate the location based on pictures taken! hehehehe

So, this is the ice gallery located at Jongno-gu, Seoul! This Ice Gallery is the world’s first indoor ice sculpture gallery that is open year-round. Situated from across Jeongdok Library in the middle of Seoul (Hwa-dong, Jongno-gu), it offers a fun array of ice sculptures with seasonal themes. Visitors can enjoy cool winter in the gallery that is kept under 5℃ below zero. Some of its exhibitions focus on the theme of traditional beauty, including Sungryemun (Southern Gate of Seoul in the past), Bukchon Hanok Village, Dabotap (a stone pagoda); it also offers fun ice sculptures including Ice Pension, Igloo, and Ice Slide. Visitors can participate in hands-on sculpture programs such as Making My Own Ice Cup, and I Am an Ice Sculpture (Salad Bowl, Igloo, and more). 

Direction: Anguk Station, Seoul Subway line 3, Exit #1 >> Across the Jeongdok Library

My 4th Korea Trip - THE MOST MEMORABLE 한국 여행 2014년4월 (Korea Holiday, Apr'14)

Hey all!!! I have been back for 3 weeks but the memory of my Korea trip still lingers in my mind! Although it is my 4th trip to Korea, I had quite an experince there! As usual, every trip that i plan to Korea, have a specific objective!

1st trip: Getting to know Korea through Group Travel Tour

2nd trip: Missing Korea + FIRST winter experience + KPOP hunt - this is when I travelled alone and my first WINTER and spent a lot on kpop products

3rd trip: Exploring Korea - went with Yiting. Went to Busan, Tongyeong, Nami Island, Gyeonggi and Seoul

4th trip: Catching up with friends + exploring korea further + new experiences

Let me share what are my new experiences that i had during this latest trip. I was in Korea for about 14 days altogether! ^^

My objectives for this trip is very simple. TO MEET ALL MY FRIENDS IN KOREA FOR THE FIRST TIME. Then to explore the different places which I have missed in my last trips.

So, I started off with BUSAN!  And of course I didn't want to revisit those places I have been during my last trip since its my 2nd trip to Busan. So this time, I decided to stay at Haeundae since my last trip I only covered the town area. Still, I never miss going to Nampo-dong to have my favourite Ssat Hotteok and food there! Shopping at Gwangbokro Fashion Street, went up awhile to Yongdusan Park and ate at BIFF! And some other place I went to was Sampo Esplanade, Dongbaek Park, APEC and Gwangalli Beach. Busan was cold! But I enjoyed the weather! The HOTEL WAS SUPERB! I will definitely stay at that hotel again!

Here's the start of my journey meeting my friends! The FIRST person I met was my beloved sis from Gimhae/Busan, 박영선! Known her for about a year! We used to share voice messages and we are very comfortable with each other! Together with her 남친 조성문 we went to Geoje, Oedo, Botania. It is a NEW place for me! Since he drove, it is convenient to get to Geoje. We took a ferry to Oedo, Botania. These 2 peeps are really AWESOME people! I feel very very comfortable with them! It is like I have known them for years!!!!!! ^^

After Busan, I went to DAEGU. Daegu was HUMID! The weather was like Singapore. Anyway, it was my FIRST time to the city. So kind of unsure. Nevertheless, I managed to visit a number of places. I went to Duryu Park, Jungangno Station (Shopping Street), Suseong Land/Lake and Palgongsan.

Then I met Olivia in Daegu. Had dinner together! My first ddakgalbi dinner! And our journey in Daegu was quite an experience with both of us being new to the city! ^^

After Daegu I proceed to SEOUL. HOMESTAY!!!! Staying with a Korean family! Always wanted to try that! Location was good! Convenient to get around! The family is very nice but unfortunately due to my busy schedule I didnt have the chance to hangout and interact more. ㅠㅠ 미안해요 언니 ㅠㅠ 

After returning from Japan back to Korea, Seoul, I rented a 1 ROOM APARTMENT (studio apt) at Digital Media City. Place is convenient and easy to get around too! I have always wished to stay alone! Just like in korean drama! hehehehehhe

Met 1 of the Saranger member, Vincent! Hang out and did some activities together. Of course the activities are FIRST time activities. We went to KTV (Noraebang 노래방), cycling @ Hangang Citizen Park, shopping at Sincheon/ Ewha, visit Cat Cafe at Sincheon, went to the BATTING CAGE at Sincheon (always wanted to do it just like in the drama ㅋㅋㅋㅋ) and also visited Hongdae. Thanks buddy for accompanying!!!! ^^

And the next important reason why I must visit Seoul is because of my TOPIK EXAM (34th). Took the exam at Songkyukwan University! 

And I met more friends in Seoul!!!!!!

Hangout with my newest and youngest penpal friend, 김도윤! The 2nd Korean friend i met! We went to Gyeongbukgong Palace, climbed to Namsan Tower, Insadong and Myeongdong. A sweet girl who doesn't want to talk to me in Korean but all the way in English. kekekeke when I asked in Korean, she will reply in English! And she gave me sooooooooo much food that I ate it whenever I am hungry and still have to bring home the balances.

The 3rd korean friend I met was my OPPA 오빠 함창식!!!! I met him in Spore last year! He was so kind to meet me on Friday night after his work. I know he was soooo tired since he just came back from business trip. Really appreciated the time! So he brought me to Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) and traditional tea house in Insadong. 

The 4th person, my FIRST korean friend, back in 2012, 김지현!!! We were soooo happy to finally meet! We used to send emails to each other when she was studying in Canada. We had a great time catching-up! It is really feels good meeting old friend! ^^

The last person i meet, the one I want to congratulate personally, THE BRIDE, my UNNIE 언니 박소현! I know she is busy preparing for her wedding and I really appreciate the time she set aside to meet me! My FIRST FACEBOOK friend! Hehehehehehe! Meeting her was really awesome! I learned a lot of things from her! She really inspire me and gave me motivation! It just "wow" me! Hehehehehe! And yes! I received my FIRST EVER KOREAN WEDDING CARD! Was so touched! 

Some of my friends were asking me these questions:

1) Is it safe to travel alone? - Yes! It is safe to travel to Korea alone. Don't worry. Some simple pre-cautions you have to take note are don't hangout too late at night and go to deserted areas alone at night. 

2)How about language barrier? - In Seoul, people do speak English and Mandarin so don't worry. Busan is still manageable. Signboards are available in English. Places like Daegu, Geoje maybe a little hard if you don't speak Korean.

3) How do you communicate to your korean friends in Korea? - We spoke in English! Since I can't speak Korean well, I still couldn't master the courage to speak it. hehehehe. 

4) Don't you feel awkward meeting them? Is there anything to talk about? - No! I don't feel awkward at all! In fact, I feel VERY COMFORTABLE! I feel as if I have known them for very long! It doesn't feel like a first meeting at all! We talked sooooooo much! We talked about anything! It is because we have open mind and are not afraid to meet foreigners! ^^

Summary of NEW places visited during my trip:

1) BUSAN: Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Beach, APEC, Dongbaek Park, Sampo Esplanade, Geoje - Oedo - Botania

2) DAEGU: Duryu Park, Suseong Land/Lake, Jungangno Station, Palgongsan

3) SEOUL: Seoul Public Library, Songkyukwan University, Ewha University, Lotte World, Gwangjang Market, Sinchon/Ewha/Hongdae

4) INCHEON: Chinatown

5) JEONJU: Eyebis spectacle shop, Hanok Village

Summary of NEW activities done during my trip:

1) Meeting all my korean friends!

2) Cycling at Hangang - always wanted to do this!

3) Studied at Seoul Public Library - very curious of their library! hehehehe

4) Visited Cat Cafe - the cats are super duper cute!!!!!!!!

5) Batting Cage - of course i really wanted to do this like i have seen in korean drama!!!!

6) KTV/ Noraebang (노래방) - this is sooooo much cheaper than SG! And songs are sooo up to date! And at Hongdae 1hr/person is only KRW 2,000!!!!!

7) Take an exam in Korea - YES! done! TOPIK exam taken!

8) Attend Language Cast Meetup organised by TTMIK - attended at Hongdae and met really nice koreans there! ^^

Such a longggggggggggggggg note!!!! I just wanted to pin down the beautiful memories and experiences I had! I will definitely go to Korea again! Maybe after 2 years? Currently I don't have any reasons/objectives/aims to visit again. hehehehe

Hey all!!! I have been back for 3 weeks but the memory of my Korea trip still lingers in my mind! Although it is my 4th trip to Korea, I had quite an experince there! As usual, every trip that i plan to Korea, have a specific objective!

 Friends met in Korea!!!

부산 (Busan) Memories

가제, 외도, 보타니아 (Geoje, Oedo, Botania) Memories

 대구 (Daegu Memories)

인천 (Incheon) Memories 

전주 (Jeonju) Memories

Places to go in Daegu - Palgongsan (팔공산)

The most memorable place that I have been in Daegu is Palgongsan (팔공산). Palgongsan Mountain is located 20km northeast from downtown Daegu, where Nakdonggang River and Geumhogang River meet. 

The most effective way to enjoy the mountain's view is to take a cable car up the valley. The cable car runs 1.2km from Donghwasa facilities complex to the 820m high peak. Once at the top, you will be greeted with the famous panoramic view of Palgonsan. You can climb up to the huge rock in front of the cafeteria to get the best scenic shot of the whole place. (This is where I met a very nice Ahjumma where we spoke alot! Unfortunately our photo were taken using her phone. I dont have a copy ㅠㅠ)

On the peak, there are 5 different trails for hikers to try. Lovers come here to make love vows and lock love locks along the lover's bridge. There is a belief that by throwing your keys into the tiger fairy's mouth in front of the bridge, it will watch over your love relationship with your partner. Do give it a try when you are up in the valley!

PS: Do wear your hiking shoe and bring hiking stick if you plan to hike further!

Direction: Metro Line 1, Ayanggyo Station, Exit 1 -> take express bus no 1 -> alight at last stop