My Happiest Memory in Seoul

In case you’re wondering why I named my blog 'meheartseoul'. Yes, this blog was started after my first trip to Korea in 2012. It was a DIY trip after the travel agency canceled the tour as they don't have enough participants. So disappointed because they only informed us less than 7 days before the traveling day. We couldn't find other agencies that could match the date as they suggested later date which it's impossible for my hubby to change the applied leave from his company.

Desperate me decided to plan and travel on our own. Lucky that I have few kind and helpful Korean friends to checked through my whole itinerary and transportation especially from one province to  another one.

Our 9 days of amazing virgin trip covering some parts of...

  Seoul (Cheonggyecheon, Gangnam, N Seoul Tower, Myeongdong).

Met the private tour guide that supposed to accompany our nine days trip in Gangnam. However, we ended up travel ourselves because of calculation error and ended up it's a lot more expensive than our budget. Nonetheless, he's helpful and kind to assist us in booking interesting accommodations such as minbak in Udo Island, Caravan glamping at Jaraseom, and also flight to Jeju and back. 

When he refunded us the balance after deducted all the payments, we even asked his suggestion where we could find authentic Hanjeongsik, and he even assisted to call and reserve the table for us at Samcheonggak on our last day in Seoul. 

Jeju Seogwipo (Yakcheonsa Temple, Jungmun Beach, 

Cheonjeyeon Waterfall and breathtaking Jeongbang Falls).

 

 Udo Island (ATV ride to scenic spots of this beautiful island

and lazying at Seonbinbaeksa beach to catch sunset).

Awesome experience and right decision to stay overnight in White Castle Minbak. Halmeoni, the owner of the minbak was kind to invite s inside her house and boil hot water for our ramen and we'd some fun chit chat. I think Halmeoni had hard time to understand because of my poor grammar.

 Jeju City (Just Jeju (Hallim Park, Hyeopjae Beach, Biyangdo Island,

    Yeongduam Rock, Geumneung Beach, Jusangjeolli Cliffs, O'Sulloc Museum).

Visited all of these places was made possible because we found friendly Mr Park Kisanim (taxi driver) to drive and show us the beauty of Jeju Island in 9 hours.

Busan (Haeundae Beach, Haedong Yonggung Temple, Dongbaek Park, 

Haeundae Dalmaji-gil, Gwanggali Beach, Mt. Hwangryeongsan).

Million thanks to Oppa and his wife, to be frank we only correspondents through emails as I was online seller and sourcing children apparels from Korea. But when he knew that I was going to visit Busan, he insisted to spend their precious time to accompany and show us around... yes, even though he's super busy with his businesses. Thank you so much~!

As we'd to leave early in the morning, Oppa had brilliant idea to drive us up to Mt. Hwangryeongsan, so he could see the whole beautiful Busan from the top of the mountain!

Gyeongju (Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, 

Donggung Palace, Woji / Anapji Pond and Daereungwon Tomb Complex).

 

Jaraseom & Nami Island.

 Seoul (Itaewon, Dongdaemun, Hangang Park).

We're really happy to visit charming places, tasting delicious local delicacies, interacting with locals and experience Korean culture throughout the trip in Korea. But if I have to choose only the Happiest Memory in Seoul, then it was on our last day in Seoul...

 

 Changdeokgung Palace.

Our first palace visit in Seoul wasn't Gyeongbokgung, but UNESCO World Heritage Changdeokgung Palace. Glad that they provided free guided English tour for us to know more about the palace and functions of the halls as well as where the last royal member stayed. 

 King Sejong Story (세종이야기).

From Changdeokgung, we headed to Gwanghwamun Square where the statues of King Sejong The Great and legendary Admiral Yi Sun-Shin stood. We walked around and found King Sejong Story exhibitions underground it.  

We're so engrossed by his awesome inventions and awesome to find out that how he created Hangul for the sake of his people which enormously contributed to Korean civilization. Didn't notice the time passed so fast and we quickly browsed The Story of Admiral Yi Sun-shin before left the hall.

 Samcheonggak (삼청각).

From the exhibition hall, we walked to Kyobo bookstore at Gwanghwamun as there's shuttle bus provided for Samcheonggak's guests .

Didn't expect that to see such a huge and beautiful Hanok style buildings and charming garden there. We're lost until the staff guided us to the correct building. I was shocked when walked pass the familiar building shown on Korean Drama 'Feast of the Gods'. 

We had  8 course Yuha Sura (Yuha Royal set meal). The menu included Seasonal Porridge & Water Kimchi, Mug Bean Jelly with Beef, Bamboo Shoot Salad with Ripe Persimmon, Grilled Scallops, Assorted Pan-Fried Delicacies, Korean Beef Sirloin Bulgogi Salad, Japchae, Rice Cake, Grilled Pork Neck, Makgeolli, Sikye and fruits for dessert.

They only serve you another dish after you finish the one on your table, and you'll need to wait for awhile for them to prepare it freshly from the kitchen. Do set at least 90 minutes to enjoy these tantalizing and appetizing meal in this calming Korean classical ambience.

Excellent customer service too, as when they knew that I didn't eat beef. The chef came out to check whether I want to change it to pork instead. Was really impressed and it totally matched on what stated on the menu list "A dining table prepared with sincerity for you someone special."

The price was ₩45,000 / person, and it worth the price with the quality authentic Korean food, services for this high-class Korean-style restaurant. 

Lotte World Shopping Mall => Lotte Mart (Seoul Station) =>

KTO HQ => Deodeokbap => Cheonggyecheon Stream.

It's free time as we didn't schedule anything between lunch and dinner. So, we went to Lotte World to buy ginseng, snacks and gifts. But it was super crowded and we retreated to Lotte Mart in Seoul Station. 

Then went to KTO HQ, but sadly the Hanbok Experience counter was closed already and they suggested us to go to Myeondong. But, it's too troublesome to carry big and heavy box around. So we just had fun taking photos with standees at Hanbok and Hallyu Experience Zones.

Kurt came all the way to Seoul just to meet us for dinner. He brought us to Deodeokbap restaurant to have grilled Deodeok set meal. I thought deodeok was ginseng as it looked and tasted like ginseng. It's really delicious and I even asked my other friend to help me buy deodeok kimchi when he came to Singapore. I tried to pan grilled it but it's not as yummy as what we had there ;P

After dinner we strolled along the Cheonggyecheon stream with colorful laser lights displays. As he can speak English, we had no problem communicating and talked almost every topics from Singapore to Seoul, worklife, our trip,... 

I'm blessed to know and have them as my friends. This was definitely unforgettable trip we had.  My Korean friends making this trip possible and memorable one. They showered us with care, welcomed us as if we're their own family. Texted me almost everyday just to check whether we need help, update us on the weather forecast, and host us in their house, guide and even pampered us delicious meals. 

Even Halmoeni, Kisanim, Imo, and strangers that we just met assisted and did their best one way and another to make us feel so comfortable as if we're home. 

 Happiness is when you're surrounded with friendly Koreans.

Our Happiest Smiles~!^^

Yes, it's this magic of heartwarming 'Jeong (정)' that keep me wanting to revisit Korea again and again.  많이 감사함니다~!^^

[Seoul] - Center Mark Hotel

The first 2 nights we stayed in Sejong Hotel, and we booked our last 2 nights in CenterMark Hotel.  The location of this hotel is a plus point as it's nearby to major tourist attractions such as Unhyeongung, Gyeongbokgung, and Gwanghwamun. For shopaholic, a 10 - 20 minutes stroll will bring you to shopping districts such as Insadong, Samcheongdong, or Myeongdong.

The front desk lady really friendly and helpful.

The receptionist able to converse fluently in English. She asked us to rest at the lobby, while she helped us to process our check-in with our passports and Agoda booking confirmation. After that, she came to our seats, walked us to the lift and even pressed the lift button. Then she handed us the room card and wished us a happy stay with her nice smile.

A decent sized Standard Double Room.

Clean and comfortable room with modern facilities.

    

Bathroom with bathtub, warmed water and heated seat bidet.

              

This is famous Jongno Tower, what a great view from our hotel window.


Free Wifi internet connection in the room,
It's time for Olleh WiFi Router (Pocket WiFi) to rest and recharge :)
 

Quite rare to find 3 pins socket together with 2 pin socket.
Great to have additional socket because we have so many devices 

to recharge. You know batteries lose power quickly due to cold temperature.

 

 Art de Chef Buffet Restaurant.

 Breakfast : 7am ~ 10am  |  Lunch : 11:30am ~ 3pm  | Supper : 6pm ~ 10pm

Our room is not included breakfast. We actually wanted to try their lunch buffet, but it was already closed after we check-in the room, so we'd Ginseng Chicken Soup at Mogyo Samgyetang (무교 삼계탕) which is just opposite the hotel.

There are some restaurants and cafes at this food alley behind the hotel.
Can you see that gigantic office building? 

              

Top Cloud (탑클라우드) restaurant sitting on top of this 33-storey Jongno Tower.
Imagine myself enjoying tasty meal and majestic view of Seoul!

Walk to the end of the alley and you'll find subway station.

Jonggak Subway Station is about 5 minutes walk from the hotel.

Jonggak underground shopping center~^^

       

In front of YMCA, you can find airport Limousine Bus.

We took this bus to Incheon Airport. It's more convenience

rather than carrying luggage to Seoul Station and take AREX.

                        

 Kill time while waiting for the airport bus :P

I was left alone, as hubby took early flight. Actually wanted to go to airport earlier, but don't feel like to drag heavy luggage... so just spent a lazy morning gazing out from the window and silently say goodbye to Seoul.

Sigh... missing Seoul already though I'm still in Seoul!

When can I see you again my lovely Seoul?!

Trazy's Survival Tips for Travellers to Korea #2: Seoul's Public Transportation System

Welcome to Seoul!

Now that you’ve arrived, how do you get around this massive city? There are three options: Bus, Taxi, and Metro. For Bus and Metro, it is recommended to use T-money items as fares are discounted 100 won (about 10 cent) per trip. In addition you are allowed up to 4 free transfers when you use T-money items.

BUSES

   

All Credit for pictures to hikorea.go.kr

The Blue buses travel across the city and  drive through at least two districts.Green buses operate in at least one district and carry passengers to metro transfer points. Red buses are express buses connecting Seoul with the suburbs and cities surrounding it. Bus service is fast and direct, so if you need to go outside of Seoul and don’t want to take the train, take this. If you have subscribed to a local Telecom service there is free-WiFi for you. Lastly, Yellow buses travel in a closed circle around major districts.

Most buses end their service at 11pm, but some run till 3am.

To get more info for buses , download the mobile app Seoul Bus  and enter the bus stations ID number to find out more information on run times (see below as some end at 23:54 while another at 01:49) or for when buses are arriving at your current location.Use Google maps to give you a set course of which buses to take to arrive at your chosen directions. For those with a little knowledge of Korean, use Naver Map.

Popular Bus Routes

Some popular bus routes that you’ll want to take are:

#273 that travels to Hongdae, Sinchon, Gwanghwamun

#104 travels to Gwangjang Market, Myeongdong, Namdaemun Market

#472 stops at Seolleung, Sinsa “Garosugil“, and Apgujeong “Rodeo Street”

For the Blue, Green, and Red Buses, the standard fee is 1,150 won in cash and1,050 won with a T-money card. For the Yellow bus the standard fee is 950 won. When using the the T-money card, just place the card on top of the sensor ( See picture below) and your charge and remaining balance will be shown.

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TAXI

When you’re in a rush, a taxi will be there to get you to your destination as fast as possible. But, which taxi should you take?

The first option for taxis are silver, white or orange colored taxis. There are two types: standard taxi company and individually owned taxi (개인).

The next option is the deluxe taxi. While deluxe taxis are more expensive than normal taxis, they more comfortable and offer a more pleasant ride than the standard. They are usually black.

Your last option is the International taxi, usually found around tourist areas. If you want to make a reservation or inquiry call Navi Call (1599-8255), K-Taxi (1577-9977), N Call (1688-2255) and for online reservations visit here  (English).

The fees for each type of  taxi are as follow :

Tip: 1. When taking a taxi in Seoul make sure you’re not taking taxi’s labeled ( 경기고양 or  인천: Gyeongi Province or Incheon City). They may refuse to take you since they operate outside of  Seoul.

*If a taxi refuses to take you other than not being a Seoul taxi or refusing to use the fare meter (it’s against the law to do so) please report the license plate number, time and date of use, and the destination details (i.e. starting and ending destination) to happyride@seoul.go.kr or the Korea Tourism Organization Tourist Complaint Center (☎ 02-735-0101, 02-1330).

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METRO

Last but not least is Seoul’s metro system. Seoul Metro system is very clean and convenient. There are 9 lines on the Seoul Metro numbered 1-9. In addition, there  are other lines that go to Gyeonggi Province connected to the metro system such as Incheon, Airport Railroad and Bundang.

You can download the map here  and use the interactive map on the page to plan your trip easily. The website is available in Korean, English, Chinese (traditional and simplified), and Japanese.

The fee for a single journey ticket on the Seoul Metro is  1,150 won per ticket in cash and 1,050 won with T-money card. If you’re traveling long distances the fees are :

So how do you  take the Seoul Metro?

1. Locate the Metro Station.

2. Purchase a ticket at the vending machine or use your T-money card.

3. Locate the turnstile.4. Insert your ticket or place your T-money item on the sensor.

5. When you’re inside, some maps can help you. On the left is a map of the direction the train is headed. On your right are the times the metro will run.  In this case the Line 2 metro ends at 23:58.

6. There are also Screens letting you know when your train arrives 

7. Finally as you exit the train, insert your ticket or place your T-money item on the sensor again to exit the station. As you exit, you’ll notice signs (see picture below) which will help you figure out which exit to go through to reach your destination. 
 

 Was this helpful for you? Let us know in the comments section. For more survival tips  and new locations visit this blog and Trazy.com, your online guidebook to all things local  in Korea.

(This post is authorized reblog from Trazy).