Hey, look at that. I’m basically right on time for another monthly update!

Not that that’s how I’ve planned things, it just seems to be turning out that way, but hey, it works.

First and foremost, I have to tell you all this…. Autumn has officially arrived!!!!

And in true Korean weather style, as I have learned, it basically swooped in one night unannounced and when everyone woke up, there was a chill in the air. No gradual decline in heat. No steady cooling of the days. Just blazing hot one minute, and reaching for a jumper the next. OK. I’ll take it.

To be honest, for me, the cooler weather is such a blessing after the scorching humid summer (also being rather normal fare living in the UK), I am still happy to wear a t-shirt or long sleeve shirt while I’m out and about. The Korean population as a whole however, has firmly moved into coat territory and will remain this way until the proper freeze arrives at which time they will don their black padding jackets.

I actually got stopped by another teacher while walking down the school hallway to enquire if I wasn’t cold just wearing my short-sleeved shirt – she thought I was a bit crazy. To put this into perspective though – it’s still 21^oC here, basically that’s a good UK summer right there, but obviously a tad chill for the native population.

With that all said… of course I’ve been hiking!

Yup, another 2 courses of the Wonju trail bit the dust, so that’s just 8 left to go. The areas I hiked this time were in the south western part of the city and mostly followed alongside a river which, I later discovered, actually joins up with the Hangang – that’s the main river that flows through Seoul. The scenery for the most part here was exceptionally pretty, especially the areas where the hillsides towered up over the river.

And as usual, I ended up getting lost (I have to at least once on each trip it seems), but the annoyance of the poor signposting (seriously, at the top corner of a building way above eyeline) was tempered by the fact I got distracted by taking pictures of plants covered in dewdrops. It made me happy.

Technically, I should have achieved more on the hiking front this month, but I had to dedicate one weekend to trying to be cultured by visiting the Wonju Hanji Festival and two weekends (yes two!) to popping into Seoul to see more EXO member concerts! More on that later.

Now, I know you’re thinking “Come on then, tell us what Hanji is”, so I will. It’s paper. Specifically, Korean handmade paper using the inner bark from a mulberry tree. For those of you who have seen traditional Korean houses (hanoks), the doors are covered in this paper, being both good for insulation and ventilation. It is also what used to be used for writing and recording documents by the high social classes in the past. It’s well known for its durability and its long and arduous production process.

At the festival there were demonstrations of each stage of the paper’s production; stripping bark, washing and boiling bark, mashing bark, then forming, flattening and drying it. It looked exhausting.

There were also art displays using coloured Hanji and areas where people could take part in crafting items using the paper. This was all based at the Hanji museum, so of course there was that to wander around as well.

One of the highlights of the day though was the outdoor musical entertainment. There was a group of guitar players, individual singers, and ladies playing traditional instruments. I spent a fair time in the sun just sitting and listening to them all.

And as for my concerts, I won’t drown you in gushing over my favourite singers, but I would like to take this moment to proclaim that: Here now, in this special 44^th year, I have seen and heard live in Seoul, South Korea my three all time favourite EXO singers – Doh Kyungsoo (D.O.), Kim Jongdae (Chen), and Park Chanyeol (Chanyeol).

As you already knew from last time, I’d seen Kyungsoo earlier in the year when he kicked off his Bloom tour, and then Chanyeol just recently; but the Chen concert was a stroke of accidental luck prompted by some lazy Facebook surfing on a Saturday afternoon. It just so happened an advert for it popped up in front of my face and when I checked the date, I realised the concert was the next day. I half-heartedly looked up the tickets, expecting it to be fully sold out, but low and behold there were a couple left! I debated for about 2 minutes, thinking about cost and logistics, before I suddenly realised I now live in South Korea, just over an hour away from Seoul by train and with the concert timing, I could casually wake up mid-morning, catch the train, watch Chen, saunter back to the train and be home in time for dinner. Yes. That is the amazing shocking reality of my life. I can nonchalantly do stuff like this now.

And so I did.

And boy, does his voice NOT disappoint.

When that man belts out a note, it hits you square on in the chest and makes you gasp. His voice is POWERFUL.

The effect was even greater given the venue was small – there were only 660 seats in the place! And if that wasn’t enough to give me a good view, I actually had someone ask to swap seats with me, so 2 friends could sit together. I was feeling a bit dubious when the person approached me, until they showed me their ticket, the exact same seat 5 rows closer to the stage. OK THEN. Better view, sure!

It was great. I’m so glad I stumbled onto the chance to go and had no reservations about just taking the opportunity to book it without planning. A proper seize the moment for me.

And finally, on the music front, I would simply like to further point out that I have actually now seen Kyungsoo FOUR TIMES this year, having just returned this weekend from 3 consecutive nights of his final Bloom tour concert.

Yes, I saw the same concert 3 times running. And had it been running every night for the next month, I would have paid to watch them all.

His voice is addictive. It’s like a wonderful sedative. You can just sit quietly while his melodic voice filters into your ears and let your cares melt away.  

Except on the third night.

For that’s when, unexpectedly, mind-blowingly, and I-could-die-on-the-spot amazingly, Kim Woo Bin and Jo In Sung walk down the stairs and sit in your viewing section.

It is on the third night where you can simultaneously, for three hours, watch Kyungsoo sing, and watch Kim Woo Bin watching Kyungsoo sing.

It is on the third night I can confidently say, yes, just bury me now. My life is complete.         

And now, just as we are coming to the end of my update, I don’t want you to feel that everything here is the rosiest of roses and that nothing crummy happens.

This week, I got to experience the delights of a Korean hospital by way of having an ultrasound and MRI, for it appears I have properly buggered up my shoulder in some unknown manner. Hopefully I will be told it is relatively minor (although the pain in my arm doesn’t think so), and doesn’t need surgery. Fingers crossed.

The only thing I found amusing about the whole ordeal were the multiple times I was asked if I have any metal ‘bits’ of my body and if I am claustrophobic only because, while I know neither of these things are true, the panic which sets into my brain while wracking it to remember if I’ve ever had a pacemaker or a metal plate put into me when I clearly never have is ridiculous.

I guess this is my cue to say…. Oh, the joys of getting old.

Still, as always, I’m just thankful to be having adventures.

Catch you next time everyone!

PS. Oh, and yes, I’m teaching still. That’s fine. My house is all good. Food is great. I still love the library. And my Korean study people are still lovely. Also, DnD is still happening, and I’ve just discovered Anime and now want to visit Japan in the future. Lastly, might stay for another year and get a car. Thinking about it.