South Korea
Seoul 서울
16 - 21 November 2016
The Reason Behind
Seoul.
My main objective of visiting Seoul was for their local food.
I love korean cuisine. From their ddeokbokki, kimbap, bibimbap, japchae, jeon, euomuk, budaejiggae, JAJJANGMYEON, naengmyeon, bulgogi, kimchi, I love them all!
Plus, I'm kind of into K-Pop right now. Specifically, Big Bang pop.
I don't have any dates set for Korea yet. It might be in the middle of 2016. Depends on whether I'll be continuing my work contract in Macau.
I've been watching The Return of Superman, and I will pick some interesting places from the show to visit too.
As this will be a solo trip, I'm determined to learn some basic Korean. I'm learning how to read Hangul, and I would like to share some pictures that is extremely helpful for English speakers in learning Hangul.
My main objective of visiting Seoul was for their local food.
I love korean cuisine. From their ddeokbokki, kimbap, bibimbap, japchae, jeon, euomuk, budaejiggae, JAJJANGMYEON, naengmyeon, bulgogi, kimchi, I love them all!
Plus, I'm kind of into K-Pop right now. Specifically, Big Bang pop.
I don't have any dates set for Korea yet. It might be in the middle of 2016. Depends on whether I'll be continuing my work contract in Macau.
I've been watching The Return of Superman, and I will pick some interesting places from the show to visit too.
As this will be a solo trip, I'm determined to learn some basic Korean. I'm learning how to read Hangul, and I would like to share some pictures that is extremely helpful for English speakers in learning Hangul.
credits to 9gag.com
If you're confused with the explanation, look for tutorials on YouTube. Since it's a language, it's still best to have a video or person to guide with the pronunciation. But I find these picture tutorials to be very helpful in remembering how a certain pattern sounds like.
FlightAir Macau
MFM - ICN 16th Nov, 0925hrs ICN - MFM 21st Nov, 1505hrs |
AccommodationDong Dae Mun
K-Guesthouse Premium |
Places of InterestRefer to 'The Journey'
|
The Game Plan
I applied for an additional annual leave on 15 Nov because I was afraid that I might not make it in time for the 0925am flight if I were to rush over to the airport right after ending my shift at 0800hrs on the 16th itself. The flight tickets were almost MOP3000 so I'm not gonna risk burning those tickets away!
I packed my luggage on the 15th and collected the Wifi Egg that I've pre-booked last month. I've always opted to purchase traveler SIM cards upon arrival but this time, I would like to try using the Wifi Egg Service.
I placed my order and paid the full price + MOP1000 deposit on this website:
http://www.wifiegg.com.mo/order.php
They will send you a confirmation email shortly after payment. They will then arrange for you to collect your Wifi Egg one day before your 'Start Date'; and to return your Wifi Egg to them one day after your 'End Date'. You can also choose to mail the device to your home address (with an extra MOP20).
I packed my luggage on the 15th and collected the Wifi Egg that I've pre-booked last month. I've always opted to purchase traveler SIM cards upon arrival but this time, I would like to try using the Wifi Egg Service.
I placed my order and paid the full price + MOP1000 deposit on this website:
http://www.wifiegg.com.mo/order.php
They will send you a confirmation email shortly after payment. They will then arrange for you to collect your Wifi Egg one day before your 'Start Date'; and to return your Wifi Egg to them one day after your 'End Date'. You can also choose to mail the device to your home address (with an extra MOP20).
It comes with a black casing, a plug adaptor, the charging cable and the Wifi Egg device. The staff will explain the Wifi Egg functions upon collection. I withdrew HKD7500 for this trip. I wasn't sure how much I would spend, so I made sure my debit card was activated for international spending just in case I run out of cash.
Here's a summary of the things I've spent on before leaving for Seoul:
Air Macau flight tickets HKD 2561
(2 way + complimentary 20kg check in luggage for both ways + complimentary meals) (MOP 2638)
Accommodation HKD 972.61
K-Guesthouse Premium, DongDaeMun - Agoda.com
Wifi Egg Rental HKD 233
(MOP 240, excluding MOP 1000 deposit)
TOTAL HKD 3766.61
Here's a summary of the things I've spent on before leaving for Seoul:
Air Macau flight tickets HKD 2561
(2 way + complimentary 20kg check in luggage for both ways + complimentary meals) (MOP 2638)
Accommodation HKD 972.61
K-Guesthouse Premium, DongDaeMun - Agoda.com
Wifi Egg Rental HKD 233
(MOP 240, excluding MOP 1000 deposit)
TOTAL HKD 3766.61
The Journey Seoul 2°C, GMT+9
Day One - 16/11/16
I woke up at 6am and showered. I did a last minute check for the essentials needed on my trip. I left home at 6.50am to catch Bus 3A towards Av 24 de Junho 城市日大马路 in order to transfer to MT1/MT2 bound to the airport. I was lucky to be the first passenger on board Bus MT2, so I could slowly place my luggage on the rack and pick a seat where I could keep an eye on my luggage. The bus departed shortly and it took 20-25 minutes to reach the airport.
After checking in my luggage and received my boarding pass, I still had one hour before the boarding time. So I went to get breakfast at the Premium Lounge. Their stir fried vermicelli was awesome.
After checking in my luggage and received my boarding pass, I still had one hour before the boarding time. So I went to get breakfast at the Premium Lounge. Their stir fried vermicelli was awesome.
The flight departed on time. Shortly after the plane stabilizes, the air stewardesses started giving out our complimentary meals. We were given 2 choices: chicken rice and pork noodles. I opted for chicken rice cause hey, rice is life! They provided bread + tuna salad for appetizer, and watermelon + pineapple slices for dessert. Overall the meal was satisfactory. I really love in-flight meals.
I slept through the flight cause I'm prone to motion sickness and I don't wanna puke on the first day of my holiday. We arrived at Incheon International Airport of Seoul, South Korea around 2pm, and I followed the crowd towards the immigration counter. I have filled in the arrival card and item declaration form on the plane to save time. I forgot the take pictures of the arrival card and declaration form so I'm gonna talk about it for a bit.
The arrival card comes in a square paper. You'll need to fill in and pass the completed arrival card to the immigration officer. The immigration officer will scan your passport and the machine will be playing an audio instruction in your country's national language (how cool is that?), whereby in my case, it's the Malay language. It will instruct you to place your 2 index fingers on the scanning machine and look into the camera for identity verification. After that, the immigration officer will take away your arrival card and return your passport. Hence, there's zero verbal communication with the officer.
There's a huge screen right after immigration for you to check your airline's belt number. You'll then descend via escalator to the luggage belt area. I waited 10 minutes for my luggage to appear.
Once you've retrieved your luggage, you'll go through the item declaration area where airport staffs will be standing by to collect your item declaration form. The item declaration form is a rectangular form that requires visitors to fill in their particulars and also to state if they have brought any prohibited items into South Korea.
After the item declaration area, you'll be able to see the exit/entrance to the arrival hall. There are two currency exchange booths flanking the door towards the arrival hall. I picked one booth and exchanged HKD4000 at the rate of 143.1, so I got ₩572,400 in return.
I searched for a convenience store to purchase T money transportation card, but the store was too crowded. So I decided to just purchase it at the metro station. I followed the signage towards the airport railway, which will be indicated as KTX or AREX. I walked for 5-7 minutes before finally spotting the self-help machines for railroad ticket purchase. I bought a single journey ticket (Express train) which costs ₩7,500 and descended to the platform via escalator.
The arrival card comes in a square paper. You'll need to fill in and pass the completed arrival card to the immigration officer. The immigration officer will scan your passport and the machine will be playing an audio instruction in your country's national language (how cool is that?), whereby in my case, it's the Malay language. It will instruct you to place your 2 index fingers on the scanning machine and look into the camera for identity verification. After that, the immigration officer will take away your arrival card and return your passport. Hence, there's zero verbal communication with the officer.
There's a huge screen right after immigration for you to check your airline's belt number. You'll then descend via escalator to the luggage belt area. I waited 10 minutes for my luggage to appear.
Once you've retrieved your luggage, you'll go through the item declaration area where airport staffs will be standing by to collect your item declaration form. The item declaration form is a rectangular form that requires visitors to fill in their particulars and also to state if they have brought any prohibited items into South Korea.
After the item declaration area, you'll be able to see the exit/entrance to the arrival hall. There are two currency exchange booths flanking the door towards the arrival hall. I picked one booth and exchanged HKD4000 at the rate of 143.1, so I got ₩572,400 in return.
I searched for a convenience store to purchase T money transportation card, but the store was too crowded. So I decided to just purchase it at the metro station. I followed the signage towards the airport railway, which will be indicated as KTX or AREX. I walked for 5-7 minutes before finally spotting the self-help machines for railroad ticket purchase. I bought a single journey ticket (Express train) which costs ₩7,500 and descended to the platform via escalator.
Once you have purchased train tickets from the machine, it will issue a single journey ticket which resembles a card, and also a receipt (as shown above) that will indicate your seat number. My seat was assigned in Car 3, Seat 6D.
The train arrived around 2.50pm and I placed my luggage at the luggage rack by the train door. Mine was a window seat, and nobody was seated next to me. The train was quite empty as well. This was the express train, hence it will head straight to Seoul Station without any stops in between. There's another All Stop Train that is cheaper, but it will be stopping by 10 stations before reaching Seoul Station.
The train arrived around 2.50pm and I placed my luggage at the luggage rack by the train door. Mine was a window seat, and nobody was seated next to me. The train was quite empty as well. This was the express train, hence it will head straight to Seoul Station without any stops in between. There's another All Stop Train that is cheaper, but it will be stopping by 10 stations before reaching Seoul Station.
I arrived Seoul Station at 3.43pm; which was exactly as indicated on the receipt.
Passengers can't transfer to the other subway lines using the express train ticket. So, I exited the fare gates to purchase another ticket for the subway. There was a counter at the side of a convenience store dedicated to selling T money cards, so I got one for myself and topped up ₩10,000.
I took subway Line 4 towards Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station. It was only 4 stops away and I was grateful that my luggage wasn't too heavy for the stairs. Once I arrive at DDM History and Culture Park Station, I looked for Exit 4 as advised by my hotel. The hotel's name was stated on the top of the building, so I could easily spot it from the road junction.
Passengers can't transfer to the other subway lines using the express train ticket. So, I exited the fare gates to purchase another ticket for the subway. There was a counter at the side of a convenience store dedicated to selling T money cards, so I got one for myself and topped up ₩10,000.
I took subway Line 4 towards Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station. It was only 4 stops away and I was grateful that my luggage wasn't too heavy for the stairs. Once I arrive at DDM History and Culture Park Station, I looked for Exit 4 as advised by my hotel. The hotel's name was stated on the top of the building, so I could easily spot it from the road junction.
I entered the lift lobby that was situated next to a restaurant, and the building directory states that K-Guesthouse's reception is on the 3rd floor. I went up and my check-in process was done within 5 minutes. The boss explained on the usage of key card in the elevator and he also gave me the password to access the building after midnight. My room was located on the 5th floor, so I went up using the elevator again.
The room was very small. My bathroom was located immediately after the room door, and my single bed was just 4 steps away. There's wasn't much space to move around once I have opened my luggage on the floor. Nonetheless, it was sufficient for me as I was staying alone.
The room was very small. My bathroom was located immediately after the room door, and my single bed was just 4 steps away. There's wasn't much space to move around once I have opened my luggage on the floor. Nonetheless, it was sufficient for me as I was staying alone.
My plan for the first day was just to linger around Dongdaemun area for some sightseeing and shopping. After taking a bath and some rest, I head off towards the almighty shopping district! I followed the itinerary that I've sketched out earlier this month, and searched for a restaurant called Bukchon Sonmandoo for dinner. I walked straight along the main road from my hotel, and turned left into a small street once I spotted Olive Young (after Lotte Fitin). Bukchon Sonmandoo is located on the right hand side. I watched Simon and Martina's Youtube channel - Eat Your Kimchi, and they have featured this restaurant once.
I entered and sat at the side table. I scanned the menu and ordered Bukchon Anchovy Stock Chopped Noodles and Kids Dumpling. It was rude for me to just point out my menu choices, so I learnt some simple Korean phrases for ordering. You may point to the dish that you want and say: 'I-geot hana juseyo'. (One of this please).
I ordered two items, so I said: 'I-geot hana, i-geot hana juseyo.' (One of this, one of this please).
I entered and sat at the side table. I scanned the menu and ordered Bukchon Anchovy Stock Chopped Noodles and Kids Dumpling. It was rude for me to just point out my menu choices, so I learnt some simple Korean phrases for ordering. You may point to the dish that you want and say: 'I-geot hana juseyo'. (One of this please).
I ordered two items, so I said: 'I-geot hana, i-geot hana juseyo.' (One of this, one of this please).
The meal costs ₩9,000 and I paid at the cashier on the way out.
I lingered around the area and found Cheonggyecheon Stream. The stream was described as a popular spot for locals to gather, walk around and also to dip their feet in. I wasn't gonna dip my feet into the stream cause it's already freezing cold, even after covering every inch of my skin with layers of clothing. I'm not gonna expose myself to anymore chillness. I then walked further down the road and saw Heungingjimun gate at the road junction with construction barriers surrounding it.
I lingered around the area and found Cheonggyecheon Stream. The stream was described as a popular spot for locals to gather, walk around and also to dip their feet in. I wasn't gonna dip my feet into the stream cause it's already freezing cold, even after covering every inch of my skin with layers of clothing. I'm not gonna expose myself to anymore chillness. I then walked further down the road and saw Heungingjimun gate at the road junction with construction barriers surrounding it.
I walked back towards the crowded shopping area and started looking for food. I bought spicy rice cakes (teokbokki) and a sausage-tofu-rice cake skewer. I loved the skewer, it was so good! I then did some shopping and wasn't able to control myself when I saw products that were in my To-Buy-List.
I headed back to my hotel after shopping and bought banana milk at a convenience store along the way.
I headed back to my hotel after shopping and bought banana milk at a convenience store along the way.
For visitors who have purchased more than ₩30,000 worth of beauty products, they will be entitled for a tax refund.
Most shops that I've visited will deduct the tax directly from my bill with the requirement of my passport. But some of them (Innisfree and Nature Republic) gave me an envelope with a tax refund receipt. I will then have to process the tax refunds at the airport. Oh and all the shops that I went to hired staffs that either speaks English or Mandarin, so don't worry about not being able to speak Korean.
I bought a Pikachu blusher (₩12,800) from TONYMOLY for my sister cause she's a huge fan of Pikachu.
From Innisfree, I bought the All Squeeze Rice face mask (₩9,500), No Sebum Blur Primer (₩10,000), No Sebum Blur Powder (₩8,000) and also their UV protection cream of SPF 50 (₩14,000). (Tax Refund ₩1,500)
From Too Cool for School, I bought 2 sets of the Egg Cream Mask Holiday pack which includes firming, hydration and pore tightening masks (₩18,000 each set), and also Milky Tint in the shade of milky red (₩6,000). (Tax Refund ₩2,000)
As from Skin Food, I purchased 4 wash off masks - Black Sugar, Rice, Kiwi Yogurt and Papaya Yogurt. The Skin Food wash off masks received great reviews from bloggers and Youtubers so I can't wait to try it all out! (I lost the receipt so I forgot how much it costs, but they aren't expensive, should be ₩7,700 each for the rice and black sugar masks, and the papaya yogurt and kiwi yogurt masks were cheaper.)
As from Nature Republic, I bought 100 pieces of face masks as they were hosting a buy 1 free 1 promotion (₩47,500), and the Aloe Vera Gel Mist spray in a pack of 3 (₩16,500). (Tax Refund ₩3,500)
The last picture above were all the samples I got from all the stores I shopped at.
Most shops that I've visited will deduct the tax directly from my bill with the requirement of my passport. But some of them (Innisfree and Nature Republic) gave me an envelope with a tax refund receipt. I will then have to process the tax refunds at the airport. Oh and all the shops that I went to hired staffs that either speaks English or Mandarin, so don't worry about not being able to speak Korean.
I bought a Pikachu blusher (₩12,800) from TONYMOLY for my sister cause she's a huge fan of Pikachu.
From Innisfree, I bought the All Squeeze Rice face mask (₩9,500), No Sebum Blur Primer (₩10,000), No Sebum Blur Powder (₩8,000) and also their UV protection cream of SPF 50 (₩14,000). (Tax Refund ₩1,500)
From Too Cool for School, I bought 2 sets of the Egg Cream Mask Holiday pack which includes firming, hydration and pore tightening masks (₩18,000 each set), and also Milky Tint in the shade of milky red (₩6,000). (Tax Refund ₩2,000)
As from Skin Food, I purchased 4 wash off masks - Black Sugar, Rice, Kiwi Yogurt and Papaya Yogurt. The Skin Food wash off masks received great reviews from bloggers and Youtubers so I can't wait to try it all out! (I lost the receipt so I forgot how much it costs, but they aren't expensive, should be ₩7,700 each for the rice and black sugar masks, and the papaya yogurt and kiwi yogurt masks were cheaper.)
As from Nature Republic, I bought 100 pieces of face masks as they were hosting a buy 1 free 1 promotion (₩47,500), and the Aloe Vera Gel Mist spray in a pack of 3 (₩16,500). (Tax Refund ₩3,500)
The last picture above were all the samples I got from all the stores I shopped at.
So happy of my shopping loots! I went to bed early so I that could wake up early for my itinerary tomorrow.
Day Two - 17/11/16
I woke up at 6.30am to prepare for my day out. I departed at 7am and took subway Line 1 from Dongdaemun station to Cheongnyangni station (4 stops). I then followed the signage towards ITX platform to wait for the train towards Gapyeong station. The next ITX will be at 8.16am, so I bought hot cocoa to keep myself warm while waiting.
The ITX train stopped at PyeongnaeHopyeong station before arriving at Gapyeong station. The entire journey took 39 minutes. I arrived Gapyeong at 8.55am and I rushed towards the station's exit to catch the first Gapyeong shuttle scheduled at 9.10am.
I had trouble locating the waiting area for the Gapyeong shuttle towards Nami Island. So I went into the tourist information centre and got myself a copy of the shuttle's schedule. There were many people asking about the shuttle so I just kinda eavesdropped on their conversation. The personnel pointed at the bus stop right outside the centre. I walked towards the bus stop and noticed that it was designated for the Gapyeong shuttle only. So I stood and waited.
The bus arrived within 5 minutes of waiting and stopped right in front of me, hence I was the third person to go on board. I paid ₩6,000 to the bus driver for a one-day bus ticket. Please secure the ticket as you'll need to purchase another ticket if you lose it.
The bus arrived within 5 minutes of waiting and stopped right in front of me, hence I was the third person to go on board. I paid ₩6,000 to the bus driver for a one-day bus ticket. Please secure the ticket as you'll need to purchase another ticket if you lose it.
I've snapped a clearer picture of the shuttle bus route and time schedule, please click on the pictures below to enlarge it if you're interested to find out more. The first picture shows the timings from Gapyeong to Nami Island, Petit France, Morning Calm Arboretum etc, and the second picture shows the timings to go back to Gapyeong. The shuttle will mostly arrive every 30 minutes, but some of it have 60 minutes interval in between so be sure to check in advance to save time.
Oh and also wait at the stop 5-10 minutes earlier as sometimes the shuttle might arrive early.
Oh and also wait at the stop 5-10 minutes earlier as sometimes the shuttle might arrive early.
I arrived at Nami Island stop around 9.30am and I followed the crowd towards Nami Island Ferry Immigration. It's called 'immigration' but you don't have to present your passport. The ferry ticket, or as printed on the ticket - 'Entry Visa', costs ₩8,000 for foreigners. Once you have purchased your ticket, just show it to the staff at the Ferry Immigration and you're good to go.
There's an alternate way to reach Nami Island. You can choose to Zip Line over to the island which will cost ₩38,000 as shown in the second & third picture below, and the fee includes a one-way ferry ride back.
There's an alternate way to reach Nami Island. You can choose to Zip Line over to the island which will cost ₩38,000 as shown in the second & third picture below, and the fee includes a one-way ferry ride back.
The ferry ride took only 5 minutes. It was so cold that I was trembling very badly so I put on my scarf, gloves and ear muffs. The pictures below are on a slide show transition.
Nami Island is a very beautiful place. If you're there with a few friends, you could even bring blankets and food for a picnic on the flat grounds.
After wandering the island for an hour, I rushed to board the 11am ferry in order to catch the 11.15am shuttle towards Petite France. The shuttle's schedule will be displayed at the shuttle's designated bus stops. So look out for the shuttle schedules to know where to wait for the shuttles.
I was going towards Petite France, so I waited at the same spot where the shuttle dropped me off earlier (opposite GS25). If you're heading back to Gapyeong, then you'd have to wait for the bus stop as shown in the third picture above, which is on the same side of the road as GS25.
The shuttle arrived 10 minutes later than the indicated time, and it took about 15 minutes to reach Petite France. Don't attempt to walk there from Nami Island's stop cause it's quite a distance plus you would have to walk along some mountain slopes. So, stick to the shuttle.
The shuttle arrived 10 minutes later than the indicated time, and it took about 15 minutes to reach Petite France. Don't attempt to walk there from Nami Island's stop cause it's quite a distance plus you would have to walk along some mountain slopes. So, stick to the shuttle.
Petite France's entrance fee costs ₩8,000, and I was quite excited cause Running Man did an episode in Petite France. After the entrance, you'll walk along a small slope which leads to an array of colorful buildings with artistic looking staircases. There are shows/performances that you can watch, and the show timings will be displayed for your reference.
I lingered at Petite France for an hour before taking the 12.50pm shuttle back to Gapyeong station. I took the normal subway back to the city as the next ITX will only depart an hour later. It's a long way back hence I dozed off along the journey. I had to transfer a few times to reach my next destination - Myeongdong. (Gapyeong --> Mangu --> Ichon --> Myeongdong)
I took Exit 6 of Myeongdong station and looked for Bonjuk Porridge restaurant. The restaurant was easy to locate. Once you're at the street level of Exit 6, turn left, and then turn right at the first junction. Bonjuk Porridge is located on the right hand side, which is opposite Lush and Laneige. The restaurant is on the second floor.
I went in and decided on the porridge that I wanted. I looked around but there wasn't any servers, so I took the menu and brought it to the cashier counter to order. After placing my order, I immediately took my cash out to pay for it. The lady said something to me in Korean but I don't understand. She looked very frustrated and trust the cash back to me and continued saying things in Korean. Can't she understand no matter how many times she repeated herself in Korean, I will never understand cause I don't speak Korean?! She got quite pissed off and turned her back to me and headed to the kitchen. Then another friendly aunty came to me with all smiles and made a gesture for me to go back to my seat.
After that I realized that the cashier lady must be telling me to pay for my meal after I finish eating. Pfft.
I ordered Octopus Beef Porridge and it came with a couple of side dishes and soup. After the rude encounter with the cashier lady, I don't have the appetite to eat anymore. A few customers came to the restaurant after that and I noticed some other staffs appeared and they spoke Mandarin. Gosh why didn't I arrive later so I could have met staffs that speaks Mandarin? Plus their boss came to the cashier counter as well after that, and he was super friendly and helped another customer settled their credit card issues.
I took Exit 6 of Myeongdong station and looked for Bonjuk Porridge restaurant. The restaurant was easy to locate. Once you're at the street level of Exit 6, turn left, and then turn right at the first junction. Bonjuk Porridge is located on the right hand side, which is opposite Lush and Laneige. The restaurant is on the second floor.
I went in and decided on the porridge that I wanted. I looked around but there wasn't any servers, so I took the menu and brought it to the cashier counter to order. After placing my order, I immediately took my cash out to pay for it. The lady said something to me in Korean but I don't understand. She looked very frustrated and trust the cash back to me and continued saying things in Korean. Can't she understand no matter how many times she repeated herself in Korean, I will never understand cause I don't speak Korean?! She got quite pissed off and turned her back to me and headed to the kitchen. Then another friendly aunty came to me with all smiles and made a gesture for me to go back to my seat.
After that I realized that the cashier lady must be telling me to pay for my meal after I finish eating. Pfft.
I ordered Octopus Beef Porridge and it came with a couple of side dishes and soup. After the rude encounter with the cashier lady, I don't have the appetite to eat anymore. A few customers came to the restaurant after that and I noticed some other staffs appeared and they spoke Mandarin. Gosh why didn't I arrive later so I could have met staffs that speaks Mandarin? Plus their boss came to the cashier counter as well after that, and he was super friendly and helped another customer settled their credit card issues.
I did not finish my porridge cause the rice grains were hard to the tooth. My appetite and mood were ruined as well, no thanks to that rude lady. So I paid the boss and left, leaving a quarter of my porridge untouched. I kept repeating 'don't let a single person ruin your day' to myself but I was still feeling depressed. But all the shopping afterwards lifted my spirit. At least the store attendants were friendly enough!
Online blogs and reviews stated that some shop attendants will ask for the sample masks to be returned to them if you leave the shop empty handed, so I did not take any sample masks that were being waved around by the street. Well, I tried to take one when I passed by Nature Republic, and they hastily swung the mask in another direction when I held my hand out for the mask. Pfft! Big deal!
Online blogs and reviews stated that some shop attendants will ask for the sample masks to be returned to them if you leave the shop empty handed, so I did not take any sample masks that were being waved around by the street. Well, I tried to take one when I passed by Nature Republic, and they hastily swung the mask in another direction when I held my hand out for the mask. Pfft! Big deal!
I had some street food, and I was very excited to be able to try the items that were featured in the Youtube videos I've watched before coming to Seoul.
I bought so many masks in Myeongdong that I've forbid myself to purchase anymore masks in Seoul!
From All Mask Story, I bought the popular 30 pcs of Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask at ₩60,000. The usual price for 10 pcs is ₩30,000, but they had a pack of 30s that costs ₩60,000 only. So I grabbed it! (Tax Refund ₩3,000)
From Banila Co, I bought their famous Clean It Zero cleansing balm. I've planned to buy it for my sister, my cousins' girlfriends and myself as well, and it so happened that Banila Co has a gift pack that comes with 4 tubs of cleansing balm plus another smaller tub at ₩100,000 altogether. One of the regular sized cleansing balm costs ₩25,000 F.Y.I.. So in other words, I got the smaller tub for free! (Tax Refund ₩7,000)
From Holika Holika, I bought the Golden Monkey Glamour Lip 3 Step Kit (₩90,000, buy 1 free 1, so a total of 60 pcs) and also the Pig Nose Clear Black Head 3 Step Kit (₩120,000, 60pcs). My brain could not register the fact that the Pig Nose Kit was so expensive at ₩120,000 cause the sales girl kept talking and yabbing next to me. She kept persuading me to buy the bigger pack for the Pig Nose Kit but I kept turning her down. It was very annoying cause she kept pushing me to purchase the big pack which I've refused for God knows how many times. (Tax Refund ₩11,000)
I decided to bring all my loots back to my hotel first cause they were very heavy and I could not walk around carrying all these bags any longer. I packed all my loots into my luggage, just so I could estimate how much more I can buy. My luggage was already half full on my second day here!
The night was still young, so I went to Seoul Station and looked for Lotte Mart and Mall. I'm on a mission to search for the items on my sister's shopping list, which includes Caolion and Cremorlab. I've searched online for places that sells Cremorlab, cause I could not find it in Olive Young and Watsons. A blogger a.k.a life savior has provided the locations of L.O.H.B (Love, Health & Beauty) stores that carries Cremorlab. And Lotte Mart houses L.O.H.B.
From Banila Co, I bought their famous Clean It Zero cleansing balm. I've planned to buy it for my sister, my cousins' girlfriends and myself as well, and it so happened that Banila Co has a gift pack that comes with 4 tubs of cleansing balm plus another smaller tub at ₩100,000 altogether. One of the regular sized cleansing balm costs ₩25,000 F.Y.I.. So in other words, I got the smaller tub for free! (Tax Refund ₩7,000)
From Holika Holika, I bought the Golden Monkey Glamour Lip 3 Step Kit (₩90,000, buy 1 free 1, so a total of 60 pcs) and also the Pig Nose Clear Black Head 3 Step Kit (₩120,000, 60pcs). My brain could not register the fact that the Pig Nose Kit was so expensive at ₩120,000 cause the sales girl kept talking and yabbing next to me. She kept persuading me to buy the bigger pack for the Pig Nose Kit but I kept turning her down. It was very annoying cause she kept pushing me to purchase the big pack which I've refused for God knows how many times. (Tax Refund ₩11,000)
I decided to bring all my loots back to my hotel first cause they were very heavy and I could not walk around carrying all these bags any longer. I packed all my loots into my luggage, just so I could estimate how much more I can buy. My luggage was already half full on my second day here!
The night was still young, so I went to Seoul Station and looked for Lotte Mart and Mall. I'm on a mission to search for the items on my sister's shopping list, which includes Caolion and Cremorlab. I've searched online for places that sells Cremorlab, cause I could not find it in Olive Young and Watsons. A blogger a.k.a life savior has provided the locations of L.O.H.B (Love, Health & Beauty) stores that carries Cremorlab. And Lotte Mart houses L.O.H.B.
I was very excited for my sister because Cremorlab was offering discounts and promotions. She requested for the following items, and all of them have discounts and giveaways.
- Cremorlab Cleansing Veil 70 sheets (₩15,000+, free additional 10 sheets in a separate travel size packageing)
- Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence (₩41,000+, free Cremorlab Toner worth ₩25,000)
- Cremorlab Herbal Tea Calming Masks (₩30,000+, buy 1 free 1 = total of 20 pcs)
(Tax Refund ₩7,500)
There was a 'plus' sign behind the prices, cause L.O.H.B's price tags does not include taxes, unlike all the other stores that I've been to.
- Cremorlab Cleansing Veil 70 sheets (₩15,000+, free additional 10 sheets in a separate travel size packageing)
- Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence (₩41,000+, free Cremorlab Toner worth ₩25,000)
- Cremorlab Herbal Tea Calming Masks (₩30,000+, buy 1 free 1 = total of 20 pcs)
(Tax Refund ₩7,500)
There was a 'plus' sign behind the prices, cause L.O.H.B's price tags does not include taxes, unlike all the other stores that I've been to.
After that, I went back to my hotel and slept till morning.
Day 3 - 18/11/16
I woke up slightly later around 9.30am because there were no time constraints nor strict schedules for today's itinerary. After showering and lazying around, I left the hotel at 10.30am for Dongdaemun Design Plaza. I only loitered outside the plaza cause I wasn't interested in arts, designs and such.
After that, I walked towards Cheonggyecheon Stream again for a day view of the stream.
Once I'm done jumping around the stones, I headed towards the road junction where Heungingjimun is located at. There's a City Wall Park on the opposite side of Heungingjimun. So I walked over to the park to get a better look at Heungingjimun.
It was a blessing to witness how modern and historical buildings blend together in Seoul.
After this, I walked further down the road towards Ihwa-dong Mural Village. I followed the directions given by other bloggers and I found the mural village after wandering around the slopes for 5 minutes.
After this, I walked further down the road towards Ihwa-dong Mural Village. I followed the directions given by other bloggers and I found the mural village after wandering around the slopes for 5 minutes.
There wasn't much crowd at that moment, so it felt nice to walk around without having to brush shoulders with everyone. The murals extended uphill, so I was able to look at the city from a higher altitude. There were several coffee shops along the slopes as well.
I walked back towards the same direction that I came earlier. I'm heading towards Gwangjang market for lunch. Once I'm back at the junction where the stream and JW Marriott sits at, I turned left and walked straight for 10 minutes. Gwangjang market will be on the right hand side, and I'm aiming for their Bibimbaps!
I found the bibimbap alley and settled down at one of the not-so-crowded stalls. The lady handed me a menu and I ordered bibimbap.
The bibimbap was really good and I could taste the freshness of all the vegetables. It might not look much but I was so stuffed at the end of my meal. It costs only ₩5,000, and the bibimbap was served together with a bowl of hot soup. After that, I took the subway from Jongno 5(o) ga --> Dongmyo --> Itaewon. Itaewon houses many unique local shops. The streets in Seoul were so beautiful with autumn trees lining the sides.
I walked pass Softree that sells honey comb soft serves. I contemplated for a while and decided to get one despite the cold weather. I've read about it online and I really wanted to try some. The shop was warm enough for me to devour the ice cream without trembling with cold.
After that, I took the subway from Itaewon --> Yaksu --> Sinsa to visit Garosu-gil which was raved by bloggers. Garosu-gil translates directly as 'streets lined with trees', and in Seoul, every street was lined with beautiful trees. So I did not feel anything special about Garosu-gil.
I referred to Google Maps and realized that Gangnam district is just a straight way ahead. I'll just have to walk along the main road, and I'll be in Gangnam after 2 junctions.
But the journey was further than I thought. I arrived Gangnam feeling exhausted and I don't have energy to walk around the district. There's a lot of shops in the area, but none that I've never seen in other shopping areas. I walked around the underground shopping area for awhile, bought myself a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut and left for some rest back at my hotel.
I referred to Google Maps and realized that Gangnam district is just a straight way ahead. I'll just have to walk along the main road, and I'll be in Gangnam after 2 junctions.
But the journey was further than I thought. I arrived Gangnam feeling exhausted and I don't have energy to walk around the district. There's a lot of shops in the area, but none that I've never seen in other shopping areas. I walked around the underground shopping area for awhile, bought myself a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut and left for some rest back at my hotel.
I was craving for some jajjangmyeon so I searched for a place to dine in Myeongdong. Good reviews were given to a restaurant called Nang Man KimBap 浪漫食堂, so I took the subway to Myeongdong and searched for that restaurant. The staff handed me a menu in English on my way in. I looked for an individual seat along the side tables. I ordered Jajjangmyeon and Galbi Mandu.
The jajjangmyeon was very bland, there were no tastes in the sauce at all. I was disappointed as I came with high expectations when the bloggers said that it was better than the famous GyeHwa in the same area. The jajjangmyeon costs ₩6,000 and the galbi mandu costs ₩4,500. After dinner, I went for more street snacks.
The street snacks were really nice, and I definitely could just live on street snacks for the whole week. I walked pass Olive Young and noticed the crowd, so I figured that a huge sales must be going on. I went in and after wandering around, I found the April Skin Magic Snow Cushion that I've been looking for. I've been eyeing April Skin cushion ever since I saw how great the coverage was online. I was having trouble choosing the shades cause two of them matches me quite well. I ended up getting shade 23 Natural Beige.
At Olive Young, I bought 4 items and only 4 items for the entire day:
- Mini Flat Iron by Unix (₩12,000, original price was ₩15,000)
- Son & Park Long Keep Base (₩15,400, original price was ₩22,000)
- April Skin Magic Snow Cushion White (₩28,000)
- Nexcare Blemish Clear Cover (₩6,500, buy 1 free 1)
(Tax Refund ₩3,000)
After shopping, I went back to the hotel and called it a night.
- Mini Flat Iron by Unix (₩12,000, original price was ₩15,000)
- Son & Park Long Keep Base (₩15,400, original price was ₩22,000)
- April Skin Magic Snow Cushion White (₩28,000)
- Nexcare Blemish Clear Cover (₩6,500, buy 1 free 1)
(Tax Refund ₩3,000)
After shopping, I went back to the hotel and called it a night.
Day 4 - 19/11/16
I woke up at 8am because I wanted to watch the Military Parade at Cheong Wa Dae that only happens on Saturdays (as mentioned by bloggers). But apparently there wasn't one, so...
Anyway, I left my hotel at 9am and took the subway from Dongdaemun H&C station --> Jongno 3-ga --> Gyeongbokgung.
I took Exit 4 and walked while referring to Google Maps. The area was squirming with policemen, police buses and police trucks. I thought there was a protest going on. I walked along the road next to Gyeongbukgong to head towards Cheong Wa Dae. As I approach further down the road, I encounter a security check point and the guard requested to check my bag. He asked me where was I going and I said Cheong Wa Dae. After checking my backpack, he directed me to go straight, turn left and then straight again. I thanked him and continued walking.
Anyway, I left my hotel at 9am and took the subway from Dongdaemun H&C station --> Jongno 3-ga --> Gyeongbokgung.
I took Exit 4 and walked while referring to Google Maps. The area was squirming with policemen, police buses and police trucks. I thought there was a protest going on. I walked along the road next to Gyeongbukgong to head towards Cheong Wa Dae. As I approach further down the road, I encounter a security check point and the guard requested to check my bag. He asked me where was I going and I said Cheong Wa Dae. After checking my backpack, he directed me to go straight, turn left and then straight again. I thanked him and continued walking.
As I got nearer to Cheong Wa Dae, I bumped into two tour groups that have just arrived. I wasn't too sure of the way so I followed them. We walked towards the back door of Gyeongbokgung and gazed at Cheong Wa Dae from there. There's even a sign on the floor to show the best direction to take a picture of it. The place was heavily guarded by securities and policemen, plus I did not see anybody heading to that direction nor any signs of parades, and I overheard the tour guide saying that tourists are always forbidden to go in there. So I cancelled my plan for the Military Parade and followed the tour group into Gyeongbokgung.
I purchased the admission ticket from the booth at ₩3,000. I walked over and showed my ticket to the guard but he did not take it from me. He might have thought that I was with the tour group.
I purchased the admission ticket from the booth at ₩3,000. I walked over and showed my ticket to the guard but he did not take it from me. He might have thought that I was with the tour group.
I walked around the place and found a lake/pond with gorgeous trees, a small cutesy building and shimmering water surface. It looked so surreal, and it's called the Hyangwonjeong.
I walked aimlessly after that cause there's a lot of different houses to visit.
I followed the tour group and exited the palace confinement for the National Folk Museum of Korea.
I walked around for 30-40 minutes, mainly for the warmth of being indoors. I then walked back into the palace area again and this time the guard did check my ticket and tore off the small part for entrance.
When I'm done with Gyeongbokgung, it was exactly 11am so I managed to watch the royal guard change duty at the main gate of Gyeongbokgung.
After Gyeongbokgung, I followed Google Maps and looked for Tosokchon Ginseng Chicken for lunch. It took 7 minutes on foot from Gyeongbokgung. I was surprised that nobody was waiting in line as bloggers always talked about their long queues. I went into the restaurant and ordered the basic samgyetang at ₩16,000. The menu has instructions on how to enjoy their samgyetang. There are two small pots of kimchi on the table for self-serve as well.
Sticky rice was stuffed inside the chicken, together with a whole ginseng. They provide a shot of ginseng liquor for people who are tough enough to drink it neat. I took a sip but the liquor was too strong for me. I left the liquor untouched after that. The broth was quite bland, but they provide salt and pepper for you to season your own soup.
After lunch, I took the subway to Anguk, Exit 2 in search for Bukchon Hanok Village. It took me 10-15 minutes to reach Bukchon Village from Anguk station. There were a lot of policemen and police buses in this area as well. There wasn't much to see at the Bukchon Village though.
After lunch, I took the subway to Anguk, Exit 2 in search for Bukchon Hanok Village. It took me 10-15 minutes to reach Bukchon Village from Anguk station. There were a lot of policemen and police buses in this area as well. There wasn't much to see at the Bukchon Village though.
On my way back to the subway station, I walked pass a dessert shop that sells fish shaped pastry with frozen yogurt piped into it. I bought it at ₩4,000. You can choose to have the pastry filled with red bean or custard; and I opted for custard. The sourness of the yogurt made me cringe, but I got used to it after a few mouthfuls. This dessert was accompanied by a skewer of chocolate covered seedless grapes.
Once I'm done with my dessert, I took the subway from Anguk --> Euljiro 3-ga --> Ewha Womans University for more shopping. I wanted to visit the university compound, but they placed a signage at the main gate stating that tourists aren't allowed in the campus ground. So I walked along the streets, looking for souvenirs for my night colleagues.
All three of my night colleagues were guys, so I planned to buy facial cleansers for them. I just figured that guys don't usually use toner or any other beauty products.
All three of my night colleagues were guys, so I planned to buy facial cleansers for them. I just figured that guys don't usually use toner or any other beauty products.
I bought Tony Moly's Uni de Homme Moisture Foam Cleansing for my night colleagues, which can be used as shaving cream as well. I finally bought Clio's Kill Black brush liner from Watsons after so many trips to stores that had it sold out! And I also bought temporary tattoos stickers from ArtBox which was really cheap and I love the designs. I regretted not buying more of it.
From TONYMOLY, I bought three Uni de Homme Moisture Foam Cleansers at ₩10,800 each. It can be used as shaving cream too. (Tax Refund ₩1,500)
As from Watsons, I bought the Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner by CLIO which costs ₩12,600. The original price was ₩18,000 but they were having a discount. That was partly why I've been searching for it high and low instead of just getting the Waterproof Pen Liner which was available at every store I went to.
I wanted to get a Christmas gift for my workplace's Secret Santa program from ArtBox, but I couldn't find anything suitable. So I only bought the temporary tattoos at ₩1,000 each, but the 'love' design costs ₩1,500.
After Ewha, I went back to my hotel to unload my shopping loots and rested before heading out again. I took the subway to Gwangjang market again and bought some mayak kimbap. I wanted to try sundae but I chickened out at the sight of the massive crowd at the market.
As from Watsons, I bought the Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner by CLIO which costs ₩12,600. The original price was ₩18,000 but they were having a discount. That was partly why I've been searching for it high and low instead of just getting the Waterproof Pen Liner which was available at every store I went to.
I wanted to get a Christmas gift for my workplace's Secret Santa program from ArtBox, but I couldn't find anything suitable. So I only bought the temporary tattoos at ₩1,000 each, but the 'love' design costs ₩1,500.
After Ewha, I went back to my hotel to unload my shopping loots and rested before heading out again. I took the subway to Gwangjang market again and bought some mayak kimbap. I wanted to try sundae but I chickened out at the sight of the massive crowd at the market.
I went to Myeongdong again with the intention of visiting N Seoul Tower. I've postponed my trip to the tower for 2 days as I was too busy shopping at Myeongdong.
I followed the instructions given on Seoul's tourism website. But instead of taking the elevator up to the cable car station, I ended up walking up a very steep slope. I was so out of breath by the time I reach the top that I could feel the world slipping away from me. The sky was already dark at that time, so I must have missed the elevator on my way up.
If you are visiting N Seoul Tower, I would suggest taking Exit 4 of Myeongdong station and walk straight towards the road junction. You will see Shin Se Dong at the adjacent side of the road. Turn left and walk straight for 5-7 minutes until you arrive at the Namsan Ormi Elevator.
I queued an hour for the cable car ride. The queue extended throughout 3 floors! A round-trip ticket cost ₩8,500.
I followed the instructions given on Seoul's tourism website. But instead of taking the elevator up to the cable car station, I ended up walking up a very steep slope. I was so out of breath by the time I reach the top that I could feel the world slipping away from me. The sky was already dark at that time, so I must have missed the elevator on my way up.
If you are visiting N Seoul Tower, I would suggest taking Exit 4 of Myeongdong station and walk straight towards the road junction. You will see Shin Se Dong at the adjacent side of the road. Turn left and walk straight for 5-7 minutes until you arrive at the Namsan Ormi Elevator.
I queued an hour for the cable car ride. The queue extended throughout 3 floors! A round-trip ticket cost ₩8,500.
The cable car ride only took about 5 minutes, and it was crammed with people. I wasn't able to take good pictures because I can't even move inside the cable car!
It was freezing up there.
There weren't much to see up there. But the toilets have the best view. I've never used a toilet that overlooks the city skyline! No wonder everyone was taking their sweet time in the toilet cubicles.
Once I'm done wandering the observation tower, I took the elevator back down and spent time lingering before taking the cable car back to the streets. The queue wasn't as bad as the one uphill, and I only waited for 15 minutes.
Once I've alighted the cable car, I followed the crowd towards Namsan Ormi Elevator. I waited 10 minutes for the elevator to arrive. This elevator moves diagonally instead of up/down like normal elevators.
Once I'm done wandering the observation tower, I took the elevator back down and spent time lingering before taking the cable car back to the streets. The queue wasn't as bad as the one uphill, and I only waited for 15 minutes.
Once I've alighted the cable car, I followed the crowd towards Namsan Ormi Elevator. I waited 10 minutes for the elevator to arrive. This elevator moves diagonally instead of up/down like normal elevators.
I walked back to Myeongdong shopping district for more street food. I was disappointed with Nang Man's jajjangmyeong that I had the day before, so I wanted to try the street jajjangmyeon that I spotted yesterday. I searched for 5 minutes before finally finding it.
The stalls in Myeongdong will not always be at same location, so you'd have to search for it if you're looking for a specific stall. The street jajjangmyeon wasn't great, but at least it was more flavorful than Nang Man's jajjangmyeon.
The stalls in Myeongdong will not always be at same location, so you'd have to search for it if you're looking for a specific stall. The street jajjangmyeon wasn't great, but at least it was more flavorful than Nang Man's jajjangmyeon.
I did a lot of walking today, so I went back to my hotel to end the night early. I packed my shopping loots into my check-in luggage and brought it down to the reception lobby for weighing. My luggage weighed 17.5kg, which means I have another 2.5kg of luggage space left for more shopping.
Day 5 - 20/11/16
I allowed myself to sleep in as I only had shopping planned for the day. I woke up around 9.30am and departed for Jamsil after showering. I wanted to visit Lotte Mall and to catch a glimpse of Lotte World. I took the subway from DDM History and Culture Park --> Jamsil station. I didn't know that the mall and the amusement park were in different buildings. I got lost and blindly followed the signage in the subway station. The mall was indicated as Lotte World Mall and the amusement park was indicated as Lotte Park. I saw Lotte Park's signage first, so I walked towards that direction.
I was planning to buy the all famous Market O Real Brownie that was hugely raved online, and I was also looking for the L.O.H.B outlet to purchase Secret Key's Starting Treatment Essence for myself.
I couldn't locate the entrance to Lotte World. The building was huge and confusing, so I gave up on it.
I was planning to buy the all famous Market O Real Brownie that was hugely raved online, and I was also looking for the L.O.H.B outlet to purchase Secret Key's Starting Treatment Essence for myself.
I couldn't locate the entrance to Lotte World. The building was huge and confusing, so I gave up on it.
But I manage to find Lotte Mart in the Lotte Park building. I went in and found Market O Real Brownie that was sold in boxes of 4s and 8s. I bought the one in 8s and it costs ₩4,180. The brownie was good, but not as good as I expected from all the boasting online.
I walked back to the subway and used the connecting pathway to visit Lotte World Mall. There are two L.O.H.B outlets in the mall, but I couldn't find the Secret Key essence in the one located at the basement. So, I went to the other outlet on the 5th floor. I was so excited when I spotted Secret Key, and I bought it immediately.
I had planned to buy Missha's First Treatment Essence at first, because my pimples and acnes are not improving with the help of Cupal beauty drink. I needed something else to save my face. I stumbled on Missha's essence as recommended by some bloggers, and I was convinced that it would work for me.
However, when I was buying the Cremorlab products for my sister, the sales lady recommended Secret Key's Starting Treatment Essence which she claimed to be better than Cremorlab's essence. So I did some research on it, and found some comparisons done between Missha and Secret Key's essence. In addition, Secret Key was way cheaper than Missha (about ₩40,000 cheaper). Being an ultimate cheapskate who would never be willing to spend a fortune on myself, I opted for the Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence.
I had planned to buy Missha's First Treatment Essence at first, because my pimples and acnes are not improving with the help of Cupal beauty drink. I needed something else to save my face. I stumbled on Missha's essence as recommended by some bloggers, and I was convinced that it would work for me.
However, when I was buying the Cremorlab products for my sister, the sales lady recommended Secret Key's Starting Treatment Essence which she claimed to be better than Cremorlab's essence. So I did some research on it, and found some comparisons done between Missha and Secret Key's essence. In addition, Secret Key was way cheaper than Missha (about ₩40,000 cheaper). Being an ultimate cheapskate who would never be willing to spend a fortune on myself, I opted for the Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence.
The Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence costs ₩11,900, but the price before discount was ₩19,900. As I am writing this travel blog, this is my 6th day using the essence. I could feel some tightening effects going on, and my face is so smooth! The pimples are fading as well, and I really hope this product could give me back my pimple free skin. Fingers crossed.
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After that, I walked back to the subway station and headed to Samseong station to visit the Coex Mall. It's only three stops away from Jamsil. At the Watsons in Coex Mall, I found the Caolion Duo Pore Pack that my sister wanted, and it came together with a complimentary small container of pore tightening bounce cream, which costs ₩25,000 all together.
I was determined to not exceed my 20kg luggage allowance, so I didn't do anymore window shopping because I know that I wouldn't be able to hold back from buying more stuffs, especially when it's already my last day in Seoul.
I left Coex Mall and took the subway back to Myeongdong. I still haven't bought the Laneige Time Freeze Intensive Cream and also the essence for my aunt. I wanted to thank her for taking care of my sister during her labor cause our entire family weren't able to be there for her at that time.
Once I've arrived in Myeongdong, I headed to Gugong Restaurant for lunch. I read positive reviews about their Jeonju Traditional Bibimbap, and I'm a bibimbap super fan, so there I was.
I left Coex Mall and took the subway back to Myeongdong. I still haven't bought the Laneige Time Freeze Intensive Cream and also the essence for my aunt. I wanted to thank her for taking care of my sister during her labor cause our entire family weren't able to be there for her at that time.
Once I've arrived in Myeongdong, I headed to Gugong Restaurant for lunch. I read positive reviews about their Jeonju Traditional Bibimbap, and I'm a bibimbap super fan, so there I was.
I don't fancy hot stone bibimbaps cause I don't like the crunchy bits that will form at the bottom of the hot stone bowl. But I still ordered the hot stone version, just for the sake of ordering it. I already had the traditional bibimbap in metal bowls back in Gwangjang, and Gugong charges the same ₩11,000 for both hot stone and traditional ones.
Once I'm done with my meal, I walked to Lotte Duty Free shopping mall, which is situated next to Shin Sae Gae. There are three buildings under Lotte, which are all connected by connecting bridges. I found Laneige's counter at the last building, and was surprised to find out that the price is cheaper than the Laneige standalone stores in Myeongdong! I was glad that I did not purchase in Myeongdong prior to this.
Once I'm done with my meal, I walked to Lotte Duty Free shopping mall, which is situated next to Shin Sae Gae. There are three buildings under Lotte, which are all connected by connecting bridges. I found Laneige's counter at the last building, and was surprised to find out that the price is cheaper than the Laneige standalone stores in Myeongdong! I was glad that I did not purchase in Myeongdong prior to this.
I bought the Time Freeze Intensive Cream (USD49) and Time Freeze Essence (USD45). They displayed the prices in USD, and the exchange rate on that day was 1174.40. Hence the cream costs ₩57,545.6 and the essence ₩52,848, that's a total of ₩110,393. If I were to buy at Myeongdong it would cost ₩125,000 instead. Even after the tax refund, Myeongdong will still cost more than buying from Lotte Duty Free mall. Yipee! Such a great steal!
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I bought another box of Market Real Brownie from Lotte Market 999 at ₩4,990 in Myeongdong. It was more expensive than buying from Lotte Mart, but I wasn't able to find Lotte Mart in the Lotte duty free mall and I will not spend another hour travelling back to Jamsil just to get one more box of this brownie. I bought it for my night colleagues to try.
Oh and when I exited Lotte Duty Free mall, I passed by a small tunnel/pathway called Star Avenue and I found Lee Min Ho oppa's hand print! When I touch the hand print, the screen next to it showcased his video and I can choose to take a picture with him. How cool was that?!
Oh and when I exited Lotte Duty Free mall, I passed by a small tunnel/pathway called Star Avenue and I found Lee Min Ho oppa's hand print! When I touch the hand print, the screen next to it showcased his video and I can choose to take a picture with him. How cool was that?!
I went back to the hotel after that to rest. It seemed like I have always been taking breaks throughout the day huh? I went back to the streets around 4.30pm to visit the Lantern Festival nearby Jonggak station. I saw someone wrote about it before leaving for Seoul but I wasn't able to find any information on it after that. I then saw the advertisement on Seoul's subway train so I searched again using the 'iTour Seoul' app on my mobile, and I was lucky to be able to visit the festival on its very last day!
After the Lantern Festival, I wanted to visit the Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain, but it wasn't operating from November to April sigh. So I went to Myeongdong again, for more food! Myeongdong is officially my favorite district in Seoul!
Once I felt that I've devoured enough of Seoul, I went back to my hotel for a final packing of my check-in luggage. I weighed my luggage again and it showed 20.5kg. Phew, that shouldn't be a problem!
Day 6 - 21/11/16
It was finally the day to leave Seoul! Time was moving rather slowly for the first three days, but after that the hours just passed by like seconds! I bought banana milk and kimbap from 7-11 for breakfast.
After checking that I've not left anything behind, I departed from the hotel at 10.50am. I took the subway from DDM History & Culture Park --> Seoul Station --> Incheon International Airport. My friends have warned that there are no elevators/escalators to get into the subway from street level, so I braced myself to carry my 20kg check-in luggage, 1 carry on sling-foldable-luggage-bag and my backpack, slowly and steadily down the gazillion flights of stairs. My hands are still sore from all that carrying. My right hand did not have the energy to do simple tasks such as washing my hair after that.
I took the All Stop Train from Seoul station to Incheon Airport, and I slept through all the stops. I arrived at the airport 1 hour later, and followed the signage towards the departure hall. I searched for the tax refund booths first and tried to speculate the steps to do my tax refunds. I had 2 receipts that needs to be refunded. All the other receipts have been refunded at the stores where I purchased the goods.
I took the All Stop Train from Seoul station to Incheon Airport, and I slept through all the stops. I arrived at the airport 1 hour later, and followed the signage towards the departure hall. I searched for the tax refund booths first and tried to speculate the steps to do my tax refunds. I had 2 receipts that needs to be refunded. All the other receipts have been refunded at the stores where I purchased the goods.
I found the tax refund booths right next to Air Macau's check in counter (Row J), so I read through the signboard that was placed in front of it. The signboard states to perform our airline check-in before going through the tax refund process. But some bloggers mentioned that we could do the tax refund first before our airline check in process.
So I tried using the tax refund kiosk to see if it requires my boarding pass to process my refund. I scanned my passport and it showed someone else's name. I thought it must have some technical error so I tried scanning again with the same result. I gave up and decided to go with the recommended steps stated on the signboard and went to queue for my airline check in. I told the airline counter personnel that I have some items in my check-in luggage that needs to go through the tax refund process. She understood my request and passed my luggage back to me after tagging it. I then took my boarding pass and my luggage back to the tax refund booths. Only now that I realized there are another row of kiosks that are manned by staffs that will help the tourists to manage the tax refund process. |
I joined the queue which was moving surprisingly fast. When it was my turn, the staff took my passport and two receipts for scanning. I noticed the name that showed on the screen after scanning my passport was not my name as well, so I figured that the name matching must not be important. She then proceeded to scan the two receipts into the kiosk and told me that I don't have to surrender my purchased items for random custom check and could go straight into the immigration.
This process is only to scan/register your passport and receipts into the tax refund kiosk system. You won't be getting your cash back at this stage YET.
I took back my passport and two receipts. I then proceeded to wheel my luggage over to the 'Oversize Luggage' drop-off counter next to the tax refund booths to officially check-in my luggage.
Realizing that the tax refund staff did not check my boarding pass at all, it means that I could actually do the tax refund before checking-in. This also means I don't have to go through more trouble of having to separately drop-off my check-in luggage at the Oversize Luggage counter.
After dropping off my check-in luggage, I proceeded to immigration. Once I'm through with all the security scanning, I looked for Gate 27 for the actual cash/tax return. You will see the signboard for the Tax Refund area at Gate 27, which will lead you up an escalator. You will then find yourself in a place that looks like this:
This process is only to scan/register your passport and receipts into the tax refund kiosk system. You won't be getting your cash back at this stage YET.
I took back my passport and two receipts. I then proceeded to wheel my luggage over to the 'Oversize Luggage' drop-off counter next to the tax refund booths to officially check-in my luggage.
Realizing that the tax refund staff did not check my boarding pass at all, it means that I could actually do the tax refund before checking-in. This also means I don't have to go through more trouble of having to separately drop-off my check-in luggage at the Oversize Luggage counter.
After dropping off my check-in luggage, I proceeded to immigration. Once I'm through with all the security scanning, I looked for Gate 27 for the actual cash/tax return. You will see the signboard for the Tax Refund area at Gate 27, which will lead you up an escalator. You will then find yourself in a place that looks like this:
I handed over my passport and the two receipts. The staff asked if I'd like to get the refund in cash, and I said yes. Apparently you can choose to get it refunded to your credit card as well. But I figured it would be more straight forward to get it back in cash instantly. She then scanned my passport and receipts into the kiosk and the cash came out just like how ATM does.
In Short,
PLEASE BE AT THE AIRPORT AT LEAST 3 HOURS EARLIER if you need to perform tax refund.
Before immigration
1. Queue at the tax refund booths for the staff to assist you in scanning your passport and receipts.
2. Follow their instructions of whether you'll need to show your purchased items for checking.
3. Check-in to your airline and check-in your luggage directly with the airline (if any).
4. Proceed to immigration.
After immigration
1. Search for Gate 27 and follow signage to Tax Refund.
2. Give your passport and receipts to staff for cash refund.
AND THAT'S IT! You now have more cash to buy more stuffs at the airport!
After going through the tax refund, I had to take the shuttle train to reach my departure gate 115. Hence it's important to be at the airport earlier especially when you need to go through the tax refund process. The airport is HUGE so you'll need time to get to your departure gate as well.
I was so hungry and tired, so I bought some bread and pastry to munch before boarding. Initially I went to the Premium Lounge but it was crowded and there wasn't much food as well. So I went to Paris Croissant and got myself the ham and egg sandwich, cream cheese danish and kiwi orange juice.
In Short,
PLEASE BE AT THE AIRPORT AT LEAST 3 HOURS EARLIER if you need to perform tax refund.
Before immigration
1. Queue at the tax refund booths for the staff to assist you in scanning your passport and receipts.
2. Follow their instructions of whether you'll need to show your purchased items for checking.
3. Check-in to your airline and check-in your luggage directly with the airline (if any).
4. Proceed to immigration.
After immigration
1. Search for Gate 27 and follow signage to Tax Refund.
2. Give your passport and receipts to staff for cash refund.
AND THAT'S IT! You now have more cash to buy more stuffs at the airport!
After going through the tax refund, I had to take the shuttle train to reach my departure gate 115. Hence it's important to be at the airport earlier especially when you need to go through the tax refund process. The airport is HUGE so you'll need time to get to your departure gate as well.
I was so hungry and tired, so I bought some bread and pastry to munch before boarding. Initially I went to the Premium Lounge but it was crowded and there wasn't much food as well. So I went to Paris Croissant and got myself the ham and egg sandwich, cream cheese danish and kiwi orange juice.
I wolfed down my sandwich as I was only 20 minutes away from the boarding time. I rushed to departure gate 115 and they had just started to usher passengers into the cabin.
For my in-flight meal, I opted for the Korean styled pork rice, and it was so yummy! What a good way to end my Seoul trip!
For my in-flight meal, I opted for the Korean styled pork rice, and it was so yummy! What a good way to end my Seoul trip!
Conclusion
I did not visit other cities in South Korea such as Busan cause I wanted this trip to be relaxing, and I don't like to rush through my itinerary. I definitely did not shop enough. There are so many things that I'd like to buy but I had to watch my budget. Sigh why am I not a millionaire?
I brought HKD7500 with me, and I was left with HKD1500 + KRW 50,000 = HKD1830.
(HKD7500-HKD1830 = spent HKD5670 in cash)
Other than that, I've paid a total of MOP3017.51 with my debit card. (MOP3017.51 = HKD2930)
Hence, I spend a total of HKD8600 in Seoul itself.
Adding in the amount that I've spent before leaving for Seoul (flight tickets, accommodation and WIFI), I've spent a grand total of HKD12,366.61 for my 6D5N Seoul trip.
This might mark the highest expenditure amongst my trips to other countries.
I've only met one unfriendly Korean in Seoul, so I guess Seoul can be considered a friendly place. I would like to thank Wifi Egg for providing not-so-steady and not-so-fast WIFI service throughout my trip. Even though there were a few hiccups (maps weren't able to load clearly) but that's okay. I've lived through it.
I brought HKD7500 with me, and I was left with HKD1500 + KRW 50,000 = HKD1830.
(HKD7500-HKD1830 = spent HKD5670 in cash)
Other than that, I've paid a total of MOP3017.51 with my debit card. (MOP3017.51 = HKD2930)
Hence, I spend a total of HKD8600 in Seoul itself.
Adding in the amount that I've spent before leaving for Seoul (flight tickets, accommodation and WIFI), I've spent a grand total of HKD12,366.61 for my 6D5N Seoul trip.
This might mark the highest expenditure amongst my trips to other countries.
I've only met one unfriendly Korean in Seoul, so I guess Seoul can be considered a friendly place. I would like to thank Wifi Egg for providing not-so-steady and not-so-fast WIFI service throughout my trip. Even though there were a few hiccups (maps weren't able to load clearly) but that's okay. I've lived through it.