Korea Trip Day 5

Wednesday 8th May 2013

• Gyeongbokgung Palace
• Bukchon Hanok Village
• Insadong
• JUMP!

We walked a lot that day. Haha! There was a lot of walking that day. And the sun was quite piercing. I think we all got slightly tanner from that day 'cause the sun was really strong and only Eunice had sun block 'cause we didn't expect it to be so hot in Seoul. Lol! But yes, the photos that day all very nice though. Haha! Nice natural lighting. =D

 Here's a nice photo of us in the guesthouse before we left~ Haha!

So our first stop that day was Gyeongbokgung Palace. You'll really feel like you enter a Korean drama setting. Haha! And yes, that's the coolest part. LOL! But I really like this palace though. I think it's the most known one? And yes yes, drama settings. Heh.

I just really like the vastness of it. Like you can just roam around freely. Though ok, it was really bloody hot that day. And I think the rest wasn't very interested. HAHA! Soz, lameo history student here but yea, they were good to agree to walk around and all that. Haha! Though ok lar, if you go Seoul and never visit at least one palace, it's quite strange. There was another palace that is quite pretty also! But we figured one palace was enough. Haha!

Heh, I think I forced them to pose for me. LOL! Lung gladly did it though. =D

OHYA!! Ok, so we were just walking around randomly 'cause we didn't really know where to walk to and it is quite a huge palace. Then this random dude suddenly came over to us and started talking to us. At first I thought he was just being nice and friendly and all that. So I didn't really think much of it. Lol! As in yea ma, it's okay to be friendly and it's nice to talk to strangers sometimes. Lol! And some more he was introducing the palace stuffs. So it was like free tour kinda thing? Ohya! We were thinking if we should pretend to be part of a tour group and walk around with them and listen to the interesting facts about the palace. HAHA! I think it was actually a super good idea but we didn't lar. Haha!

Anyway, so this dude. I honestly still think he was harmless but ok we still had to be careful ah. Foreign land all anyway. 

 He helped us take this nice photo though. HAHA! I still think it's a nice photo, just minus the fact that it was taken by a slightly creepy guy.

So anyway, he told us he can bring us around and see the stuffs that most tourists won't see. So he wanted to bring us to this rather quiet and empty place. LOL! So yea, that's when we realised we should better be careful and not follow him anymore. Lol!

 Yea, this was where he sort of brought us to. Lol! It's actually quite a nice place. Like I wouldn't mind venturing in if he wasn't with us. But okok, I think at that moment, we were all slightly panicking in our heads but we kept calm and just told him we had some schedule of some sort. Haha! I forgot how we managed to though. But we walked super fast when he was out of our sight. HAHA! Yes, this was the slightly creepy experience but it's ok! Nothing bad happened so it was all good. But ok, I still think he isn't a bad person, it's just still not very safe to go quiet places with a stranger. Luckily there were 5 of us though. Like more people safer. LOL!

Anyway, so we continued exploring the palace for awhile!

 I like this photo! If not for that random dude there. LOL! But yes, I'm really loving all these palaces. Makes you feel like a royal. Sort of ah. HAHA!

 AND YESSS! HAHA! This was the cutest thing ever lar. So I set the self-timer quite far away 'cause that was the only available place to put the camera. So yea, we were thinking if someone was to steal the camera, we have to really dash and run like mad after the thief. HAHA!

Ok, anyway, so this group of children walked pass us and I think they realised that we were taking photos so they quickly ran passed us and apologised to us. HAHA! Even though it's completely not their fault. But yea, they were really cute. And yes they apologised in Korean. I don't know how this piece of information is important but it is. Heh.

But anyway, we finally managed to take one super nice group shot ultimately. Heh. I had to run from one end to another and jump up that thing just for this photo. LOL! When you know the back story to how photos are taken, it makes the photo more awesome. Heh.

This was honestly a candid shot. So I look cool while looking at the brochure. Heh. Ok lar, I look very serious. Haha! And they say I look like my sister in this photo but I still don't think so.

 I like how there is always someone photo-booming by accident. Oh well.

 Yea poor Eun. I forgot what she did. Or didn't do. Orh. I think she didn't want to pose for a photo so she pose a "I don't want to take photo" pose. So in the end, she did pose. WOAH WOAH WOAH. Ok yes I need to stop being lame.

Ok my idea was to hold both ends of the door and look all cool. But then, I realise my hands weren't THAT long to reach for both ends without tearing my body apart. So I can't have my cool photo. =(

 But, I'll accept this photo. Haha! OOTD YO.

After walking for quite a long while, we all got hungry and tired and hot and sunny and yes, the weather that day was really very sunny and bright. So we decided to get out and look for lunch! And we happened to catch the changing our guard ceremony so we figured we might as well stay and watch a bit of it.

 

YESSSS ALL THEM KOREAN DRAMAS FEELS HEH

So we went to hunt for food! Decided to just walk and try our luck and see which restaurant we can find. LOL! Yes, that was really how we find food for most of the days in Korea 'cause I don't know, sometimes you don't need to plan everything so detailed and just be flexible~ Heh.

Anyway, so after walking for awhile, we found this decent shop and the food was quite good too~

Ok these are just the side dishes. HAHA! I realise we usually never really take proper food photos 'cause we'll rather just eat it. Oh well. HAHA!

 

Happy faces while waiting for our food to come~

After lunch, we walked around the area and I swear it's really one of my favourite places in Seoul. There is just this really unique feeling to it. Like old meets new. And it's quite artsy ish place. All the shops and the layout of the place. I can really explore that place again. There is just so many alleys to walk to and so many things to explore and to look at. Random things all over the place. Cafes and all that. Random food. Random shops with handmade handicrafts and all that. It's really my kind of place. Haha!

So ok, next few photos are really just random photos all over. Heh.

 FOOT BATH! Lung and I got really fascinated by this 'cause lol! Foot bath. Like you really just wash your feet all that. LOL! Ok, I don't know why we were so fascinated by it but it really was fascinating.

Ohya! The other 3 got hooked by a shop that sold really nice and cheap earrings and many other stuffs so me an Lung went around to explore a bit first and OHYA! I was looking for Bukchon Hanok Village. It's where the Korean traditional houses are at. Heh. Yes, I have a fetish for stuffs like that. So Lung and I went to try find the direction to head towards to reach the place.

 And we bought a drink along the way. LOL! I remember it not being fantastic but ok lar it wasn't that bad. HAHA!

After they were done with buying the earrings, we went off to find the Bukchon Hanok Village. HAHA! They really took very long I swear but ok lar, there were really nice earrings and I bought some for souvenirs as well~

 HAHA! Sharon honestly looks strangely nice in stuffs like this. Got that hipister feel. HAHA!

 DAISY! It's really pretty. HAHA!

Alfesco places. Haha! Yes, one day, I will go back there and just sit and chill and such places. It's all so cool and nice lar I cannot. Korea is too big and awesome and I really want to go again. =(

Anyway, so after walking for quite awhile, we finally reached the place!!

And ok, I got really excited 'cause erm, yes Korean dramas again. LOL! But I was slightly disappointed 'cause I realised yea, it was really just the stretch of alley that they make until so nice and all. LOL! Like the other alleys were pretty much normal looking. So that's kinda sad. Like might as well just make everything as cool and preserved?

But ok, we still found cool gems here in the end~

 Seriously, Korean dramas. Just imagine. Just. It's so there. Haha! Like how many times you see this in a Korean drama? Many many times. AND WE WENT THERE. Hehe.

We walked down the alley, and then I don't really know how we randomly pop into one of the houses and we realised that it's some doll house thingy I think? And this lady told us we can try on Hanboks as long as we pay this admission fee which was really cheap. I think I have the name card somewhere but yes, we were really excited 'cause we didn't really thought we can actually really on Hanboks. We wanted to, but we didn't really plan on trying and that we die die must try on Hanboks. So it was a pleasant surprise and very very exciting.

OH! I think we were looking for toilet. LOL! 'Cause the first thing we did when we went in after we paid the admission fee was to go to the toilet. Which was super nice and up there. It's really a proper toilet but the entire design and layout is a traditional Korean home. =D

And no, I didn't take photo of the toilet. Haha! Too bad ah, but it was really a nice toilet.

Yep, this is the inside of the place. 

Anyway, so after we were done with clearing our bladders, we went on to make a mess of the place. LOL! I think the owner was really very very nice 'cause we were very very annoying. Lol! Towards the end, can tell she was slightly annoyed but she still kept it together and try not to show a black face. Lol! But ok lar, I admit, we were really quite annoying. Haha! But we cannot help it, we were really very very excited.

We all took photo at this random part of the house that connects to another part 'cause it had cool lighting. LOL! 

Ok anyway, so it was quite awesome 'cause the lady had 4 sets for ladies and 1 set for kid. So of course, Maddy, being the smallest, got the kid one. HAHA! But it was really like just nice!! So yes, that made us very happy and excited also. HAHA! I swear, we were like some hyperactive kids there. Noisy and annoying all. But very very happy 'cause we took many nice photos~

HAHAHAHA EUN LOOKS SO DEMURE HERE HAHAHAHAHA

Haha! Ok I actually kinda like this 'cause I was genuinely laughing. I forgot why I was laughing. LOL! So yes lar, I realise a lot of photos of me from this trip that were nice were all taken by Eun. HAHA! So yes, xie xie ni~ =D

Here are the funny photos~ HAHA

 MADDY FACE SO PRETTY WHY

YA YA THIS SERIES OF PHOTOS REALLY THE BEST. I really LOL-ed when I saw these photos for the first time. It's really like 3 kids refusing to take a decent photo together until we finally gave in and decided to sit properly for a photo. LOL! Like some restless bunch of kids here. HAHA!

 HAHAHAHAHA YES I DON'T GET THIS TOO. Eun's logic was that she is waiting for her husband to come. But actually, she looks more like a corpse instead. LOL! Yea I don't know, all her weird ideas. Maybe her idea was there but I wasn't capable to carry it out nicely. Haha! But yea lar, it was really epic. I really just stare at her and take the photos and really honestly wonder why do I have such a friend. Heh.

 

HAHAHA LUNG LOOKS DAMN HILARIOUS. OK SHARON ALSO. HAHA! I remember asking them to just randomly pose 'cause my memory card was finishing so might as well spam until finish so I can change to another memory card. Haha!

 HAHA! Yes, we are both very chio here I know.

 This one macham like some runaway unglam woman from the past.

 This photo is really very cute somehow. HAHA! 'Cause all red and pink and like sister yo. Hehe.

Our idea was to look shock to be photograph in our "underwear". But ok it looks really retarded but that's okay. HAHA!

Don't worry, we did took an awesome group photo in the end~ And yes, I really like this photo. Haha!

 

So after we are done with almost ruining that traditional house, we went on to walk around and towards Insadong! 

Ok Insadong is also another place that I really really like 'cause they sell really cool stuffs also. It's really all the artsy fartsy stuffs like that I realise I like. LOL! But they are also very very expensive so it's mostly see but no buy. But I was quite tempted to buy some stuffs though. 

And along the way there, we bought some random food which I forgot what it was. LOL! But I guess it wasn't that special if not I'll remember. HAHA! Blogging now, after almost 1 year since I went is really testing my memory space in my head. But I think I'm not that bad! HAHA! Ok lar, I think I missed out stuffs here and there but it's alright! At least I still have something. LOL!

Ohya! And we bought bags too! 'Cause it was 10,000 won per bag and that about less than 15 SGD!! And the quality is quite good so we were happy. Haha!

This really cool building that is also featured in many Korean MV.

OHYA!! Not just the places in Korea reminds you of certain scenes in Korean dramas and variety shows, Korean Music Videos too!!! So yea, that was exciting. Lol! As in yea lar, you just feel happy to know that you are actually at the place where you used to see it on TV and all that. Haha!

This random hopscotch~ The whole building is really just super artsy.

After that, we went to some random place for dinner! It was a good dinner though it was super spicy and the amount was huge.

 

Maddy looks damn  small as compared to this stew of stuffs. HAHA! 

After dinner, we went to JUMP!! I love how the whole day, we actually only took the subway from our guesthouse to the palace and from there onwards, we walked the whole day. Lol! Probably that's why we were really tired by the end of the day but it was kinda awesome 'cause we really finally feel like we were in Korea after walking the many different places that we went to. Ok, for me, it was really fun. LOL! I really like to walk and explore ah. And you are overseas already so just might as well walk around and explore the place~

Anyway, this is the setting for JUMP!

 

And OMG IT'S REALLY A VERY VERY GOOD SHOW. Like everyone must watch this when they go to Korea or just at least must watch this once in your lifetime 'cause it's really awesome. You don't have to understand Korean to watch it 'cause it's non-verbal anyway. Their body gag is just so damn epic that I really laughed until I wanted to die. Like for real. I was really like OMG. And it's throughout the whole show you'll be laughing. Except for one part I think. BUT I SWEAR IT'S DAMN BLOODY HILARIOUS. Like it really made my day. HAHA!

And YESSS THEY ACTUALLY POSED FOR ME!!! I was really very excited when I realised they were posing for the photo. LOL! They are after all, somewhat celebrities. HAHA! Entertainers. But they are really very good. Like there is no dialogue at all so they really have to use their actions and all that. And it's just really damn good lar. Everyone, please go watch if you have the chance to!! It's really worth the money, I promise.

And heh, I love this photo too~ One of my favourite group photos taken from the trip. We were really very happy lar. LOL!

 

And yes, this is nice too~ =D

After the show, we head back to our guesthouse! We decided to do some late night shopping at Hongdae area since most of the shops only close at midnight and we had time~ And honestly, it's really quite safe at night there and our guesthouse is just opposite the shopping area so it was all good ah. 

And so come 2 very interesting friends I have. They decided to wear slippers out 'cause YOLO. HAHAHA 

 Slippers with pyjamas pants.

And so this friend here, saw a big, CLEARLY OVER SIZED, shirt and it was on offer so being the rash her, she ended up buying this. LOL! We tried to stop her, I think? Or maybe we didn't 'cause we actually really wanted to see her wearing this and looking like an idiot. Yes, we are very nice friends, I know. HAHAHAHAA But wah, really made my day. Ok that day was really a nice day lar so many things made my day. HAHA

And and ah, Eunice is so awesome. HAHAHAHA! And ehhhh, I still haven't see you wear this shirt in SG leh. Why ah? HAHA Please wear one day soon. I want to see so badly.

Presenting to you my 4 weirdo friends who went on the Korea Trip with me ♥ HAHA!

HEHEHEHEHE Yes, a photo with Joongki cut out. I didn't want to take actually but Lung forced me to so what can I say? HAHA! Yes, I think I somehow looked really happy here. LOL

Buying food at KFC before we head back to the guesthouse~

Yes, she is really my favourite woman lar. LOL! All the most nonsense stuffs that only she will do. Heh.

And her fellow playmate. HAHA! The two of them really very very epic I swear. They started doing all these random stretches all over.

And yes, our late night snack~ 

So yep!! Our fifth day in Korea was really awesome~ Like we finally feel that we are actually in Korea after walking so much and doing all those random stuffs. And trying HANBOKS!! =D AND JUMP. Ok that day we really did a lot of stuffs I realised. HAHA!