Korea Trip (6/22)

Our destination on the 3rd day in Korea was to visit the infamous Nami Island and Petit France. We rode the subway from Euljiro-Ga 1 up to Wangsimni Station and transferred to the Korail to arrive at Gapyeong Station, which is outside Seoul.

We initially got lost while riding the Korail. The map was quite tricky from Mangu Station onwards because there is another line connected to it. We eventually arrived at Gapyeong Station and waited for the local bus.

We rode the Gapyeong bus and dropped by Petit France. Petit France is known as the shooting location for several Korean dramas and series including Secret Garden, My Love from the Star, and Running Man. The houses are very colorful and fancy.

After touring Petit France, we rode the Gapyeong bus again to reach the Nami Island bus stop. We then took the ferry to go to Nami Island. The island was named after General Nami during the Joseon Dynasty. It is well known for its tree lined roads and was featured in the kdrama Winter Sonata.

We ended the day by going back to Myeongdong (using the Gapyeong bus & subway to Euljiro-Ga 1 station), and watching the musical show Cooking Nanta. It is definitely one of the best live performances I have seen. The actors and actresses were very professional in the way they sing, dance, and cook at the same time. It was quite impressive how they can catch all the knives while doing a skit. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed once the show starts so we only took a photo of the stage at the beginning.

Korea Trip (6/21)

The following day after our DMZ tour, we decided to visit the palaces and the Gwanghwamun Square. We rode the subway around 9:00 am. Just as we arrived at Gwanghwamun, we saw a familiar picture hanging outside the building. Guess who?

The famous soccer player and frequent RM guest, Park Ji Sung 

We walked our way to the Gwanghwamun Square where we saw the statue of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-Shin. King Sejong was said to be creator of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Hangeul was developed to simplify the Chinese writing system, Hanja. Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, on the other hand, is a naval admiral known for defeating Japanese armies. 

Admiral Yi Sun-Shin 

King Sejong the Great

Gwanghwamun Square is located in the middle of  two roads. As we walked past the statue of King Sejong, we saw several empty stalls which were still being set-up. There was one truck which unloaded some art crafts made of paper.

We walked further until we saw a traditional gate to the Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was almost 10:00 am by then so we witnessed the changing of guards ceremony.

We went to the ticket booth and opted to buy the combination ticket for all 5 palaces. We went inside Gyeongbokgung and had a glimpse of the King's throne.

The palace is big such that there are too many pavilions wherein royalties can relax and enjoy nature. Initially, we planned to wait for the free tour offered in English. However, since the tour will not start until 11am, we just decided to walk inside the palace on our own. We then reached the National Folk Museum of Korea which is connected to the palace.

We entered the museum and saw a tour guide who gave us a free tour of the museum. We were a bit surprised because she started the tour even though we were the only ones who joined the tour. She introduced the 3 parts of the museum clearly, starting from the traditional Korean lifestyle. It was really an educational experience.

Traditional Korean wedding 

Traditional wedding bed 

Heirloom for groom and bride

Rice offered with prayer to goddess of birth when wife gets pregnant

(Eaten together with seaweed after delivery)

Korean children in traditional clothes

Scholars during the ancient times

Healing the sick using acupuncture

Shaman performing rituals 

(when sickness cannot be healed using ordinary means)

Traditional Korean food

Kimchi fermentation

The second part of the museum focused on the 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The tour guide explained to us the ways how people adapt to the changing environment. Afterwards, since there was no longer enough time, we skipped the 3rd part of the museum and went outside.

We stumbled across a food cart selling cinnamon pancakes and waffles. We bought one pancake and one waffle. They were yummy and sweet. 

We then proceeded to Insadong street where we saw the famous Miss Lee Cafe. I have wanted to try their lunch box meal since I saw it on a WGM episode. You literally shake the box to mix the flavour. 

The food is actually bibimbap presented in a lunch box. The taste is ordinary but you get to experience shaking the box :)

After lunch, we went to Chandeokgong Palace and the Secret Garden. We joined the Secret Garden tour and saw several pavilions as well as gate to houses inside.

We returned to Insadong to shop for souvenirs. Unfortunately, it was raining so we stopped by a few shops to cover ourselves for a while and then hurried to Gwangjang market to eat the Korean pancakes and fish cake soup.

Afterwards, we went back to Myeongdong to do some shopping and prepare for the next day.