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| Lop Ponciano and her friend with Psy the teddy bear in the teddy bear museum |
Lead Vocalist, The No Name Band
Owner/Therapist, Ponciano Clinic (with complimentary Chinese Medicine treatments and non-invasive liposuction) located at Rm. 915 Medical Plaza Bldg., San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas
1. What brought me there
It has been my dream to travel to Korea and see/experience what I've been seeing in Korean telenovelas/dramas. I went there with my friend, Lorre.
2. Must-try food
Moving octopus found in typical Korean grill restaurants.
The butterfly cocoon sold along the sidewalk of Dongdaemun shopping complex, in front of Cheonggyecheon stream.
King's biscuit (nut covered honey strings) spotted at Insadong.
3. Must go to
A. Jimshilbang (Korean traditional spa) in Seoul. The one I went to is found at Dongdaemun for only KW 7,000 or about P 280.00.
How to go there by subway:
Take LINE 5 (purple) to Dongdaemun history and culture park and go out at Exit 14. In the middle of Exit 13 and 14 is the entrance to the mall. Take the elevator to basement 3. Entrance to traditional Korean spa is on your left. After changing to spa clothes, go down the stairs to the spa. The look of the spa is common to how they are shown in Korean dramas.
*Check this site on how to make a "sheep towel" which was made famous in the Korean drama, "Kim Sam Soon" in 2005, How to make a Korean sauna towel
B. Sleep at hanoks (traditional Korean houses)
Warning: You'd have to sleep on the floor and the towels they provide are as big as hand towels. Bring your own towel (better the absorbent ones to save space in your luggage) if you plan to stay for more than a night.
C. Gangnam is more than just the "Gangnam" style!!
Aside from doing the "Gangnam" pose near the sign that says Gangnam...
It is the best place to be if you want to spot/meet celebrities face-to- face. In my case, I met Jang Geun Seok of "You Are Beautiful", "Mary Stayed Out All Night" and the current endorser of Nature Republic.
There are high chances of celebrity sightings here.
D. Changdeokgung Palace moonlight tour if given the chance. It would be a rare experience to see it at night : ). http://eng.cdg.go.kr/main/popup/eng_poster.html
Also in the palaces, they have a live play with the palace guards by the entrance, free of charge : ).
E. The streets of Honggik University in Hongdae are lined up with artsy clothes, shoes and coffee shops that have this friendly neighborhood flair with a homey, welcoming feeling: ). It would be an art enthusiast's go to place since the surrounding area oozes with creativity. On weekends, they have a bazaar of unusual finds made by students and street performers, too.
F. Insadong is a good place although expensive for shopping because it is a tourist spot and it's also near the palaces. The neighborhood is a mix of traditional and artistic buildings which is a breath of fresh air from the busy city : ). It's a good place to hangout and relax, too.
G. Participate in traditional craft making. You can check Bukchon tourist center near Anguk subway station in front of Hyundai corporate building for schedule of events. They also have this on the lower level of Incheon airport.
4. What I saw
Korea, I think, is the coffee shop capital of the world. Everywhere you look are coffee shops of different brands, local and international alike : ). Near our hanok were about 5 coffee shops each, a 5- minute or less, walk away.
5. Most awesome thing I saw
When we were in my friend's car and a taxi was blocking the way, I expected my friend to honk his car horn to make the taxi go away. But my friend didn't. Honking of car horns is apparently uncommon in Korea. Even if some people were blocking the car's way, drivers would just wait for the people to realize that they are blocking the way, wait for them to move away, before driving forward. Impressive road manners.
6. Thrilling budget find
You'll see a couple of clothes on sale wherever you go but they are usually a dime a dozen. If you want to spot sales everywhere, go to the subway station in Gangnam. I think it's a shopping haven of cheap but good finds : ).
In Insadong, near the tiled mural, you can find good quality and fashionable shoes for P400.
Beauty brands like, Etude, The Face Shop, Innisfree, Missha, Nature Republic, Olive Young, etc., often have sales in all of their branches. You'll see them in Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, Insadong, Gangnam subway, etc., : ). They have wholesale items at good prices. Also great for pasalubongs : ).
7. Local's advice
Travel after 9:30 am since rush hour happens before this time. Anyway, most stores and cafes will still be closed if you go too early.
8. What I expected
The hanok to be spacious, it wasn't. But, it was comfy nonetheless.
Not to be able to go to a lot of places, but I did.
It to be like in the Korean telenovelas, it was far better than that.
Not to see an actor I like after a long time, but I did.
9. Must-avoid traveler's traps/travel tips based on my experience
A. Buy a plug adaptor. Just show them the picture below if you don't know it in Korean. Their sockets are round so our plugs won't fit. I'm not sure with high-end hotels though.
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| Plug Adaptor suitable for use in South Korea |
B. Better to change money in Korea than in the Philippines. USD 200 in the Philippines = 190,000+ won. In Korea, where I traded mine in Insadong, it was 217,000 won. Huge difference!.
C. For souvenirs, like small items, etc., best to get them at Dongdaemun shopping complex along Cheonggyecheon stream , right behind Dongdaemun malls. Cheaper and at wholesale prices, too. Say, " chom gak ajuseyo" , to ask for a discount ; ).
D. You get to save on roaming charges for calls/ text via Viber/Kakaotalk messenger (Korean version of Viber) since Internet is available in most places. But, you'll need a password to get full access outside your hotel or in restaurants.
You can buy wi-fi cards/password at convenience stores. Register in the internet provider's website and input the password, then you're wi-fi ready.
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| Wi-Fi card |
E. Get the map of the subway and of Seoul to get ready. Map out your itinerary on the first day or before that so you'll be able to maximize your stay there.
F. Somethings might not be as you expected, but learn to have fun and make the best out of what would be an irritable situation!
Annyonghikaseyo!
Seoul, South Korea Photo Collection by Lop Ponciano
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