Seoul city, 5 days itinerary.
8:28:00 AMFuhhh today is the day that we can finally enjoy our sleep without any alarm, taking some slow walk around, having an awesome hi-tea while blending in korean lifestyle.
Twosome+ cafe in Hongdae, I kinda like today's weather :) Although raining a little but I am all good if its not heavy rain. Somehow, I prefer a day without sun heheehe..
After two fabulous day with AIA Real Life Now Festival 2014, we were suffering all sorts of muscle pain from head to toe :(( but I don't care, if I were given a 2nd chance to join this festival, I will still die for it lolll.
The purpose of this short trip is actually all about AIA festival in Seoul. I know, travelling has been a trend nowaday, and staying in a guesthouse or hostel is just like a norm for teenagers. Well, not sure am I still counted as a teenager or not, but I love staying in guesthouse!! Tho not only young people, from family with kids to elderly people, they can be seen in guesthouse too :D
After browsing thru internet, we've decided to stay in Kimchee Dongdaemun. Yes!! It's dongdaemun, the shopping heaven hehhee. I simply love this guesthouse for their friendly and helpful staff, and best part...very near to subway station and dongdaemun!!
They have a rooftop cafe with a nice decoration, this is the place where everyone in the guesthouse will be gathered. And this is the place I love the most too as we get to know each other, people from different places, different culture ;))
How to get to Kimchee Dongdaemun : Stop by Jongno 5-ga station, exit 4. Go straight until the first traffic light then turn left into the alley, first turning on left again and you've reach.
So, let's start with Day One.
We arrived in Incheon Internation Airport around 0830am, to get to Seoul city, you can choose either by airport city bus or train service. For airport city bus, it's very convenient which they usually drop by popular places like hongdae, dongdaemun etc. and the cost will be KRW10,000 one way, depends on where you want to go, just check with the information counter which bus number to your destination, the frequency is every 15minutes. For train services, they have two types, one is the express, AREX which cost more expensive at KRW 14,000 another one is KTX, cost KRW4050, is an all stops train. Both train stop at Seoul station, and from there, you may change to subway line. If you are first timer, I strongly suggest you to take airport city bus, the subway routes can be really confusing! It's huge with lot of line, no joke!
No matter how, you still need to use the subway to get to places that you want, to travel around with subway, you first need to get a T-money card. It's just like a prepaid card that makes your trip access easier. T-money card is sold in any convenient shop ExcepT only 7-Eleven. Weird right? Haha. You can get it at airport itself, can't really remember where but definitely is at arrival hall level.
After check in to our guesthouse, immediately we took a train to Jamsil Sports Stadium for YG FAMILY Sound Check Party, hooray I am really excited for this as it's only 1200 people got selected to join heheheh.
Oh, the smile on my face :))
How to get to Jamsil Olympic Stadium : Get down at Sports Complex station exit 7.
After the rehearsal, we went back to Dongdaemun for "Man from the stars" exibition..hmm, I don't think it worth that price KRW12,000 but since it's the most popular korean drama in 2014, taking pictures with it still worth a little back :D what more, the exibition only there for 3 months!
How to go to Dongdaemun : Take a stop at Dongdaemun History & Culture park station. I personally thinks that it's nearer than Dongdaemun station :)
Day Two, 15th August AIA real life now festival 2014 starts today!
We had our breakfast in Ehwa University, and did a little shopping before the music festival. Ehwa University is a very popular university in Seoul, you can enjoy some cheap clothes, shoes or bags here as they are doing mostly student business.
The famous stairway of Ewha University.
How to go Ewha University : Get down at Ewha Womans University station exit 2 or 3.
After our brunch, again we went to Jamsil Sports Stadium. Yg Family Power World Tour is really something that you should go, if you think that PSY have two songs, Oppa Gangnam Style and Gentleman to performs only then you are truly wrong, he can really brings a big wave in that stadium!! Everyone just enjoy to the max. With superstar like BigBang, 2NE1, EpikHigh, LeeHi, AkDong and latest Winner, TeamB, I am sure you will find one that you love! Kpop is the trend now, don't get outdated XD
Day 3, 16th August, AIA real life now festival 2014 2nd day. Who's the famous star of the day, yesss is Lady Gaga!! Even just a 100minutes performance, you'll drop your eyes and hit that beats!!
Before we head to Jamsil Stadium, we had our brunch at Ihwa Mural Village. This is a village that famous with their wall arts. It's free, just you need to do some exercise hehehe. Trust me, worth the climbs really ;)
How to go Ihwa Mural village : Take the subway to Hyehwa Station (Line 4), Exit 2. Follow the road signs along the road. It's around 10 mins walk form the station.
As the weather is really hot in Seoul today, we decided to have some hi-tea after the climb. So we chose a nearby cafe which has a promotion like KRW9900 for two americano with two pancakes combo :D Korean loves americano, I don't know why, I personally don't really like it tho. They have smoking area, but I guess the smoking area only opens during winter or autumn time, summer is too hot to stay outside perhaps. So smokers, please take turn to smoke outside loll.
And then we took subway to Gwanghwamun, nothing much to see for me, but if you are interested with history, probably you should visit this Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue. It's just right in front of Gyeongbokgung, so after taking a picture, understand the story or do whatever you like, you can walk across the street to Gyeongbokgung. We did'nt enter Gyeongbokgung as we are not really into about history :D You will need to pay an entrance fees for that.
And then we took subway to Gwanghwamun, nothing much to see for me, but if you are interested with history, probably you should visit this Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue. It's just right in front of Gyeongbokgung, so after taking a picture, understand the story or do whatever you like, you can walk across the street to Gyeongbokgung. We did'nt enter Gyeongbokgung as we are not really into about history :D You will need to pay an entrance fees for that.
Getting to Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung :
You can take subway line 3 to Gyeongbokgung station exit 5 ;
subway line 5 to Gwanghwamun station exit 2;
subway line 1 to Jonggak station exit 1.
If you are not tired and you still keen to walk, Insadong is just 300-400meters away. Follow the sign board and it will lead you to Insadong. This is what we did because taking subway is just one station away, we saved KRW1050 loll. Not much but at least, we exercise hehe.
After the hi-tea kinda thing, we went to gwangjang market to have some early dinner. Gwangjang market is a very historical local dry market that packed with cheap foods and drinks. I really enjoy eating here as you will feels like you're living a korean life :D What more with my favourite tukbokki slurrpps.
Getting to Gwangjang Market :
Jongno 5-ga station (subway line 1), exit 8.
Eujiro 5-ga station (subway line 2,4), exit 4.
Operating Hours: 10am to 6pm except Sunday (shops), 6pm till late daily (food stalls)
Day 4, we don't have much plans for today as I mention above, this is a day that we can finally REST! We just walk around Hongdae, having some hi-tea, and then we went to see rainbow fountain at Banpo Bridge. A warning for you, you need to walk quite a distance to reach the bridge, its about 800meters from Express Bus Terminal Station and the rainbow fountain operations may close due to weather condition, so make sure you check first before you go. You will somehow enjoy it after the walk, no worries :p
Express Bus Terminal Station (Seoul Subway Line 3,7 or 9), Exit 8-1.
Go straight for 250m, and turn right at the Express Bus Terminal 4-way intersection.
Continue going straight for 400m and cross the street at the crosswalk.
Go straight through the underpass to arrive at the park.
[Bus]
Take Bus 405 or 8340 and get off at Banpo Hangang Park.
Go straight for 250m, and turn right at the Express Bus Terminal 4-way intersection.
Continue going straight for 400m and cross the street at the crosswalk.
Go straight through the underpass to arrive at the park.
[Bus]
Take Bus 405 or 8340 and get off at Banpo Hangang Park.
Rainbow fountain operation time :
April-October (Duration: 15min)
* Weekdays: 12:00, 20:00, 21:00
* Weekends: 12:00, 17:00, 19:30 (July & August only), 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30
* Weekdays: 12:00, 20:00, 21:00
* Weekends: 12:00, 17:00, 19:30 (July & August only), 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30
Oh ya! Before I forgot, Dongmyo is another place that I think you should go. KRW1000 for a second hand clothes? Wouldn't it be too cheap for a used clothes? If you want something vintage, this is the right place to shop XD
Getting to Dongmyo flea market :
Dongmyo station line 6, exit 4 or 6.
Dongmyo station line 6, exit 4 or 6.
Day 5, last but not least.
We decided to do some last minutes shopping in Myeongdong, I am sure you heard of it right? If you care for some hot and spicy food, I can suggest you to Abiko Curry house. They have a real spicy curry for you! Choose the grade you like, from one to five. I had mine at grade 3, and I felt like as if there's fire in my mouth!! T.T
How to get to Myeongdong :
Myeong Dong station ( Line 4 ) exit 5,6,7 or 8.
Euljiro Il-ga station ( Line 2 ) exit 5.
The last day we decided to take airport city bus 6002 from Dongdaemun as it's more convenient than subway which requires transit. The journey tooks about 1 and 15minutes.
If you know how to speak mandarin, traveling in Korea is really not a big deal, trust me...no language barrier! Thanks to people's republic of China, they are every where in this world, you might don't like them, but truth is..they have the control after all. In Korea, tourist hot spot mostly will have a group of translater, spot them with a red vest on. You can ask them for anything, like which shop you're searching and they'll show you the direction.
I still in love with Korea, this is not first time I am here and this is not gonna be the last visit too!! See ya' soon, Korea.
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