If you're hunting for some nice clothes, bags or shoes for 5,000 - 15,000 won, you definitely must go Hongdae, Ehwa University & Express Bus Terminal.











image credit: pleasetakemeto.com

1. Hongdae (in short for Hongyik University, 홍대)
Take subway Line 2, and get down at Hongyik University station, and exit 8 or exit 9.There many eateries, restaurants, pubs and club at Hongdae, that you don't want to miss.  you can have a look how the street looks like here (credit cuteinkorea).

2. Ehwa Women's University (이대)
Take the subway Line 2, and get down at Ehwa Women's University station, and exit 2 or exit 3. You can have a look here (credit cuteinkorea).

3. Express Bus Terminal(고속버스터미널)
Take subway Line 3, and get down at Express Bus Terminal station, and exit 8,
Follow the sign "Go-To-Mall", and you'll reach the underground shopping mall.
Before you reach the actual underground shopping mall, you will start to see stalls and shops sell clothes and stuff. Just go straight ahead following the Go-To-Mall sign, and walk down a staircase, enter the glass door.

Labels: Seoul, shopping, 서울

Sunday, 20 October 2013 | 2 comment[s] | back to top

You will be able to get Olleh WIFI prepaid at any marts in Seoul.

You can just say you want to buy wifi prepaid or Wifi 이용권 주세요(iyong-gwon juseyo) .

I bought mine from GS25, and it costs only 3,300 won, you can use it for 24 hours.


































Once you bought the wifi prepaid, connect to the Ollehwifi (the one without lock / opened wifi) , and you will be prompted to sign in,


Type in the PIN number you got from the wifi prepaid, fill in Name(don't add space or other characters in your name, else it will prompt a message saying 'English only' ), Email & Passport (not necessary), and click Next, after that you'll be able to use the wifi.


*Note, Ollehwifi signal is very strong in subway station & subways, but however there might be limited connection on some streets and places.

Labels: Seoul, Wifi, 서울

Wednesday, 16 October 2013 | 2 comment[s] | back to top

It's pretty easy nowadays to go to Nami Island(남이섬) from Seoul, and yes you can return in one day.

Go to Yongsan Station(용산, Line 1) and take the ITX Gyeongchun Line (you can use your T-money) instead of buying from the machine (because it's all in Korean), but I'm not sure whether you will be given seat or have to stand. Those that buy from the machine, have printed tickets, which has seat numbers. The fares for ITX is not that expensive as well, if not mistaken its 4,000 - 5,000 won.

The journey to Gapyeong Station would take about 1hour +

Take ITX to Gapyeong station(가평), once you get out of the station, you'll be able to see a bus stop and lots of people waiting for taxi.

You can either take taxi to the ferry terminal or bus. The bus tour will bring you to several others places like Garden of Morning Calm. The taxi would cost about 5,000 won and ferry fare would be 8,000 won(round-trip ticket).

After visiting Nami Island, you can either choose to visit Garden of Morning Calm & Petite France.

Labels: nami island, Seoul

Tuesday, 15 October 2013 | 1 comment[s] | back to top

Now there's Namsan Guest House 4!

It's new and looks super comfy. If you read my previous post, for Namsan Guest House in Seoul, you'll know which guest house i'm talking about.

Photo credit to Namsan Guest House 4

you just have to get off at Myeong Dong station, exit 2 or 3 , and go walk up the hill.

Labels: guest house, Seoul, 서울

Thursday, 12 September 2013 | 1 comment[s] | back to top

Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain is really an awesome place to go when you're in Seoul. It's located at Banpo Hangang Park, it's the longest bridge fountain in the world!



How to get there?
Get down at Dongjak Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 1 or 2

Operating Hours
April-October (Duration: 15min)
* Weekdays: 12:00, 20:00, 21:00
* Weekends: 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30 and 12:00, 17:00, 19:30 (July & August only)

Read more about Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain, here .
Visitkorea page : http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1011983

Labels: Banpo Bridge, Seoul, 서울

Saturday, 7 September 2013 | 3 comment[s] | back to top

I seldom take taxi in Seoul, I would prefer the subway, because it's much more convenient.

And sometimes if you want to go to a place which is at the opposite direction of road / of where the taxi driver is going, the taxi would reject to fetch you.
 
Taxi - 택시(taegsi)

Vacant car - 빈차(bin-cha)

image credit: learning-hangeul


If the sign 빈차 is lighted up, it means the taxi is vacant. At first I thought 빈차 was the other way round, because the sign was red in color. In some other countries, they would show Vacant sign in green.  

Labels: Seoul

Friday, 12 July 2013 | 2 comment[s] | back to top

Caught a cold
감기걸렸어요(gamgigeollyeoss-eoyo)

My head hurts.
머리 아파요(meoli apayo)

Sore throat
목이 정말 아파(mog-i jeongmal apa)

I don't like to eat medicines
약을  먹기 싫어요(yag-eul meoggi silh-eoyo)

Go to the hospital
병원에 가요(byeong-won-e gayo)

Hope you'll get well soon
빨리 나아지면 좋겠네요(ppalli naajimyeon johgessneyo)

Don't get hurt/sick
아프지 마세요(apeuji maseyo)

Becareful not to catch a cold.
감기 조심해요 (gamgi josimhaeyo)

Labels: Hangul, Seoul, taxi, Word of the Day

Tuesday, 8 January 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