Old building
Take Exit 2 from Apgujeong Rodeo Station (Bundang Line), and walk straight ahead, and you'll see SM old building on your left.

Original image from Little Miss Shoo

New building
You can walk from SM old building (which is under renovation now) to the new building.
From SM old building, walk into the alley next to it, you'll notice schools on the both sides of the alley.

Keep on walk straight, till the end of the alley, where you will reach a T-junction,

Take a right turn, and keep on walk straight for about 20 minutes, you'll be able to see SM building on your right.


This is how the building looks like now.

Labels: Korea, SM Entertainment, 서울

Sunday, 13 October 2013 | 0 comment[s] | back to top

1. T-Money(티머니)
Get a T-Money card at a subway station, the card costs 2500 won and you can recharge it at any subway station or mart. You can even buy drink or stuff at a mart with your T-Money. Besides, you'll get a little discount if you use T-Money to swipe for the subway ticket instead of using cash to buy the subway ticket.


2. Keep a subway map, always (지하철)
Get a Seoul subway map, and study it before you start your journey. Study as in plan your journey on which route/subway line you're taking and which exit(나가는 곳) you'll be going out from.

Example: Subway Line 5(5호선), go out at Exit #2 of Ganghwamun Station(광화문역). Walk 400 meters.

Each subway station could have several exits that would lead you to different places. For an example, in Myeong Dong station(명동역), if you get out of exit 1 or exit 2, you would be at the opposite side of the road.


You could also download Jihachul(지하철), smart phone apps for Korean subway station(available on both iPhone and Andriod).


Some of the subway station have interchanges, which is abit confusing. You don't have to totally exit the subway station to go to another subway line, it's built within the subway, there will be sign board showing 'Transfer to Line 2'(갈아타는 곳) . just follow the signboards and arrows, and you'll reach the 'Line 2' subway station.


Read more here:  Seoulistic
Get the huge Seoul Subway Map: Here

3. Learn some simple Korean language
For an example:
Where is the toilet?
화장실이 어디에요?(hwajangsil-i eodieyo)

How do I get to ______ .
_______ 에 어떻게 가면 되나요? (_____e eotteohge gamyeon doenayo?)

Please give me this.
이거 주세요(igeo juseyo)

How much is this?
이거 얼마에요?(igeo eolma-eyo?)

Thank you
감사합니다(gamsahabnida)

4. Don't hesitate to ask for directions
Koreans are very friendly, and willing to help. From my personal experience, me and my friends got lost in Namsan-dong(남산동), around 11pm. There was this ajusshi riding bike, and he walked us back to our guesthouse. 

In some tourist spots, there are voluntary students(I'm not sure whether they get paid or not) who can speak English, Japanese or Mandarin helping out with directions and maps.

5. Most of the signboards have English too.
The road signs in South Korea is written in both Korean and English. So you don't have to worry about not able to read Korean language.


6. Prepare to walk alot.
Do not wear heels, or uncomfortable shoes as there are stairs and slopes everywhere. It requires alot of walking too, from one place to another. Once you get out of the subway station, all you see is stairs,  you're not going to climb up the stairs with your heels right? Reminder: Taxis do not fetch customers if the distance is very short.


Have you been to Seoul? Share your experiences with us.

Labels: Korea, Seoul

Saturday, 24 November 2012 | 3 comment[s] | back to top

If you're looking for a  budget / affordable and comfy place to stay in Seoul, you can consider Namsan Guest House (남산 게스트 하우스). It's located very near to Seoul Tower a.k.a Namsan Tower and walking distance to shopping paradise, Myeong Dong. It's very near to the Myeong Dong subway station(명동역) too, Seoul Subway Line 4. There are few restaurants and 24 hours marts(Family Mart and etc.) all the way to the guest house.

The guest house consist of Namsan Guest House 1&2 and  the newer one Namsan Guest House 3. The receptionist even recommended me to stay Namsan Guest House 3, the next time I visit Seoul. Because the facilities are newer and little more comfortable.


All the three guest houses are located very nearby to each other. As for Namsan Guest House 1&2, you just have walk further in about 2mins.

The facilities are good and very clean. Every morning an ahjumma comes to clean the house as well as prepares coffee. You'll have unlimited supply of drinking water(hold/cold), Ramyun(Korean instant noodles) and bread+jam. Free high speed Wifi is provided as well. The rooms are air-conditioned and have attached bathrooms, so you don't have to share with other guest, with hot and cold shower.  Refrigerator and microwave are provided in the kitchen, in case you want to reheat and store some leftover food.


The receptionists are multilingual and friendly, so communication is not a problem. Multilingual, i mean English, Mandarin, Korean, Thai, and some other languages. There are free subway maps of Seoul and information flyers available at their reception. If you are hesitating about how to get somewhere, you can ask the receptionist, they are willing to help you out.

The guesthouse also provide airport pickup service to the airport and from the airport, and it's not free. You maybe want to consider this option, if there's too much luggage to carry to take the public transport to InCheon Airport.

These are the things you get FREE at Namsan Guest House
1. Free Breakfast, includes coffee, bread and jam, ramyun.
2. Free Internet/Wifi
3. Free Cable TV
4. Free drinking water
5. Free washing machine 

Tourist spots in walking distance
1. Namsan Tower & Park
2. Myeong Dong
3. Namsan Hanok Village



If you can have question you can ask me or email Namsan Guest House at webmaster@namsanguesthouse.com

Address: 33-3, Namsandong 2 ga, Jung gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel: 02-752-6363

You can reserve the rooms via email, but at least 3 months before the arrival date.

Official website : Namsan Guest House
Image credit: Namsan Guest House
Other good review of Namsan Guest House by Diana Teo

Labels: guest house, Korea, review

Thursday, 25 October 2012 | 0 comment[s] | back to top

I just got this from whoever that wrote it, the major difference between 돼 and 되. Many people just get confused with these 2 words.

안되(X)→안 돼(O)
Cannot.

그러면 되요(X)→그러면 돼요(O)
 If that is so, it's fine.

 일이 잘 되서(X)→일이 잘 돼서(O)
Everything worked out well.

안 됍니다(X)→안 됩니다(O)
 Should never.

그래도 돼는데요(X)→그래도 되는데요(O)
Even so, it's possible.


Just a rough translation, please do let me know if i'm wrong.

Labels: Hangul, Korea

Monday, 15 October 2012 | 0 comment[s] | back to top

The difference between Welcome to my house and You're welcome.

If  you going to welcome someone to your house, you should say
어서오세요(eo-seo-o-se-yo) or 환영합니다(hwan-yeong-hab-ni-da)

If you're saying you're welcome, after someone said thank you, this what you should say,
천만에요 (cheon-man-eyo)

Labels: Hangul, Korea

Sunday, 14 October 2012 | 0 comment[s] | back to top

You're a Korean language lover, this is the day to rejoice and celebrate.
9th of October - Hangul Day, 한글날
or which is also known as Korean Alphabet Day.
It's declared as a public holiday in the South Korea.




More read up on Hangul Day on Wikipedia.

Labels: Hangul, Korea

Tuesday, 9 October 2012 | 0 comment[s] | back to top