Right, I’m just going to level with you. I’m a smidge behind on this blogging lark.

Keeping busy and enjoying every day doing something different here in Korea just isn’t conducive to daily writing. I’m sorry. I suck.

So let’s do a bit of a super speed through to start catching up, because in a couple days I’m off to Jeju Island for a week, and that’s going to be a whole adventure of a different kind.

I’ve been mixing things up this week, alternating between the modern and historic and with a bit more socialising thrown in.

My modern escapades are of course k-pop related and include a trip over to Dongdaemun Design Plaza, which looks like this…

I can only assume that this building was either designed for some type of urban regeneration project or designed to win an architectural award, it has that look to it, right? Whatever its purpose, it is actually pretty empty inside from what I can tell (isn’t that always the way with these types of buildings?).

I wandered inside one section purposefully trying to track down KTown4U, an online k-pop store that apparently has an outlet here. Nope, it doesn’t. But what I surprisingly stumbled upon was this…

Yes, this is a SMtown Store. I didn’t even know it existed outside of the internet. It sells goods related to all SM Entertainment artists, of which EXO is one of. However, as I am quickly finding, most stores only have new albums or the albums I already have, and so am striking out on anywhere to really buy anything that I want. I suppose I should be happy to save the money, right?

Anyway, it seems today is destined to be SM-themed because that was where my feet took me today, over to Seoul Forest for a walk through the park and to stare at this building for 5 minutes…

Yup, you guessed it. This is the new SM Entertainment building. Not much to look at, and even worse they’ve named it Kwangya for reasons passing understanding. The previous location apparently had a whole k-pop exhibition and a café you could hang out in waiting to see the artists, but SM have decided they now hate their fans obviously, all you get now is a big screen TV outside. I actually opened the door and walked inside, because I’m like that. It was just a big lobby area inside, but there was a video playing of a nice chap singing and I kind of wished I knew who it was as he had a good voice, but I didn’t think I should test the patience of the security people inside who were already looking at me like they didn’t quite know what to do about the overheating foreigner with a hiking backpack unexpectedly standing there. Anyway, I watched the music video and then quietly left.

I want to say that Seoul Forest is a nice place to walk through. I’ve actually been through it twice now. They have some deer there, statues, open areas for people to hang out in, those lovely wooden platforms to just lay on when you feel like it, and some lovely gingko trees, the first I’ve seen in real life and for some reason was exceptionally happy about meeting them.

Walking, walking, always walking.

I somehow find myself over in Banpo, which is a fair way from Seoul Forest it has to be said, and included a walk in sweltering heat and blazing sunshine over a massive bridge. But the view was pretty worth it.

My walk was specifically to come and drink this…

Well, not so much the drink as the place. This is Kamong and is a café owned by Kai’s sister. Yup, Kai of EXO. Look, this is how I am rolling today, deal with it.

The drink was good and much needed, but even more interesting was that I was practically accosted by a little old Korean lady on the street on my way here. She literally shouted at me in English to get my attention. It turns out she studied in Canada many moons ago and was basically trying to sell me her tour guide services, but we had a fairly pleasant chat in English and of course I threw in a couple of Korean words too for good measure.

A new experience today is that I stayed out in Seoul after dark. Yup, I didn’t get home until about 10pm. I went out for BBQ and a drink (not that I ‘drank’, I had my fill of orange juice though) with Andrew, the English teacher chap who I met the other day, one of a handful of people I organised to meet from my Expat Facebook group to find out about life and work in Korea.  

I can now tell you that there is definitely a quality difference in BBQ restaurants (the one the other day was by far the most excellent), that I still don’t think Itaewon is a great area (we agreed to meet here as it has the most places to go), and that the night views in Seoul are ridiculously pretty, going so far as to say beautiful (I’ve since seen a couple, and also the sunsets are also crazily stunning).

The following day, another full offering starting with a bright and early trip to Cheong Wa Dae, also known as The Blue House, the former official residence and executive office of the South Korean president. He recently moved the location of his government elsewhere and so The Blue House (named for the colour of the roof tiles) has been opened up to the public. As a foreigner I can’t book a ticket for this online like Korean residents can, I just need to present myself at the gate at one of the allotted times (only twice a day) waving my passport and hope I am one of the 500 non-Koreans allowed in. Luckily today I am.

I can’t tell you anything really about the site as there weren’t any signs telling me anything (not even in Korean) apart from naming the buildings. I obviously went through the governmental bit because there were things like this making it seem pretty official…

Then I could also tell when I got to the residence as it was obviously a house, but they didn’t let you inside, you just wandered around the perimeter.

The grounds are really quite pretty with lawns and an area of woodland. I saw my first Buddha here and my first Roomba robot grass cutter.

I was also grabbed by more elderly Korean ladies, I guess I have found the group of people most likely to talk to me…Two of them wanted to borrow my map, so I showed them where they were and was very surprised at their level of spoken English. As I sat down for a drink of water (cause it’s still so fecking hot, have I mentioned recently it’s still 27°C at the end of September?!) another lady kept glancing and smiling at me and finally asked me where I was from, so I rolled out my basic Korean of ‘I am an English person’ (I’m getting good at this one) which she seemed happy with. Finally, and most unexpected and not really sure what was going on, I had a little old dear walk up to me while talking on her mobile phone, thrust the phone in front of me to take and so I did and said hello (in both English and Korean). I hear a bit of a babble on the other end, no clue, and once again delivered my classic English person line at which point I handed the phone back and off the lady popped. I promptly burst out laughing to myself as I literally had no idea what just happened. But it made me very happy.

Right across the road from the president’s former abode is Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of all the royal palaces in Seoul. Not only that, but nestled inside is the National Folk Museum of Korea, dedicated to showcasing aspects of traditional life in Korea. A two for one! By the way, while you have to pay to get into the palace, you can actually access the museum for free. I love all these free museums, and even the palaces are only between ₩1000-3000 (about 1-3 dollars or pounds), which is a bargain.

As you’ve already seen a few pictures and descriptions of a couple palaces already, I will spare you a lecture. I will just say that two of my favourite buildings so far are here…

The first is Gyeonghoeru Pavilion and it served as the royal banqueting hall. It has a picturesque view over the little lake and of the mountains behind, and with a small breeze blowing through it’s a lovely peaceful location.

The second building is this one. And I have no idea what it is called or what it is for (no details on the map). I therefore like to refer to it as my future home and will be sending out housewarming invitations shortly.

I also want to point out that during my walk around I saw two young lads (maybe 12-14years old, could be younger/older) wearing youth guide jackets and conducting tours of the palace. I would just like to say they were very professional sounding and led very ship shape tours, I was incredibly impressed.

The folk museum here is certainly worth a visit if you would like some insight into the more traditional lifestyle of the Koreans of yesteryear as well as some background on certain traditions. The exhibits here certainly filled in some gaps for me from my drama watching – things like foods that get placed on ceremonial tables, the significance of men and women transitioning into wearing hats or having their hair put up, the different symbols on the clothing of scholars or ministers in the royal court, and the funeral biers used.

A walk to end the day (why not, it’s not like I ever do that) and I leave the palace and walk straight through the centre of Gwanghwamun Square which contains the very large and imposing statues of King Sejong the Great (we remember him from last time, right?) and Admiral Yi Sun-Shin (who bested a lot of Japanese in the Joseon era). Anyone who has watched The King: Eternal Monarch will recognise the second statue for sure.

But wait, what’s this? A bookstore? Kyobo books? I haven’t tried them out before…why not! I could be sometime, people…

Have a good evening everyone 🙂