Drafts! Travelogue so they say..

These drafts have been sitting in my blog since FOR-EVE-AH! /sad face/

1. 130616-130630 Seoul and Busan 

2. 131215-131220 Seoul

3. 141112-141120 Seoul

But first, lemme tease you of what you should expect from reading my blog..tons and tons of pics!

Mak & I exchanging for some warmth. Darn cold! Location: N Seoul Tower

I wish I could write a.s.a.p but there are things that should be done first.

Mak won't be pleased if she sees me sitting in front of the computer all day (typing like nobody's business). 

I think I'll start writing once I have fully transferred THOUSANDS of pics in my computer.

Yes, yes..

Convocation day

I survived UIA

I AM OFFICIALLY A GRADUATE. DONE. TAMAT. HABIS SUDAH. 
Alhamdullilah, praise to Allah.

Dear parents, 

here's a little gift from your rebellious daughter.

It might seem little but it's the least I could give to you.

Thank you for always been there for me.

Mak, you'd listen to my every single cry.

Abah, thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for everything!

Dear my adik-adik,

thank you for lending me ears and letting me bully you :P

it's all a part of stress therapy.

OK KIDDING! Haha.

Dear friends,

you know who you are.

Thank you. I couldn't do this without you. 

Dear lecturers,

thank you for letting me pass! Haha!

I'm sorry for everything I'm lacking.
I won't be able to graduate without your assistance.
I'd cherish everything you've taught me.

Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Hi, kids!

The mediocre teacher tells.

The great teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates.

THE GREAT TEACHER INSPIRES.

-William Arthur Ward

Which category do I fall into?

It's been over a month since I finished my 2 months teaching at a school near my place.

Well, it's about 20 min drive. 

If you're working at your parent's, you should do what she does. Hah! 

My mother, who leaves at wee hours, driving through the forest, speeding at the speed of light (OK that's an LOL).

It was torture for a sleepyhead like me..haha!

But

I had fun. I made friends. I learned.

The teachers were nice to me, most of them addressed themselves as 'Kak' (big sis) although I was at the same age as their daughters/sons. 

That didn't really bother me, they're a bunch of friendly beings! Love 'em to bits!

Oh and did I tell you about my classes? Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4.

I was in charge of English and music.

Do you know that I suck at music?! Like really really really bad. It's a HORROR..!

Anyway..

I did my best and me and the kids got along quite well.
WE HAD SO MUCH FUN..! Especially during our game session and music classes.
I managed to complete the first term of the syllabus, too! Yay! Target unlocked!

Thank you, kids!
Teacher garang sikit aje, tapi dalam hati teacher ada taman, tau~

I look forward to seeing you again. Teacher miss ya!!!!

My last day at school.

Tenanglah kau di sana

It's like a curse.

Contagious.

A deadly curse.

Whenever I'm out of town, I'd receive a call saying our cat died.

Cili, our 5 year old, the diva-est, most demanding pet amongst all, had left the world.

While I was in Korea with mak.

No wonder it was too chilly all of a sudden and I had to stopped by a cafe just to get a little warmth.

As soon as I made my way to my seat after ordering, Mak showed me the message she got from home.

I burst into tears right on my seat. 

I didn't bother who's looking.

I couldn't stop letting my tears flowing.

I just couldn't stop.

Cili, I wish I could see you for the last time.

I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

You're in heaven now.

I love you.

WE LOVE YOU.

RIP baby.

130602 Final Paper...approaching 3 months semester break!

OUR LAST DAY TOGETHER!! 

FYI I'm not much of a sentimental person.
I pretty much reserve this part of me for myself instead of baring it in public.
No matter what kind of person I am to your eyes but I'm certain of 1 thing->
I VALUE OUR FRIENDSHIP THAT HAS GROWN FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS! 
I LOVE MY GIRLFRIENDSSSSSS.
Most of my friends are graduating in 2013 but I still have 1 semester left before I walk out of UIA haha.
Best of luck to all!
Those who are getting engaged or married, mabruk! May Allah ease everything.
Sorry couldn't attend to everyone's event!
I'm flying off to South Korea in less than 2 weeks time /16 June 2013/ Tee-hee!

Short update. 
Will type more once I'm done with my last paper this Friday evening!
June 7th I can't wait! I wanna be freeee..!

130518 TVXQ! LIVE WORLD TOUR CATCH ME IN KUALA LUMPUR

I WENT TO THE MOST AH-MAY-ZING CONCERT IN 23 YEARS OF MAH LIFE-EU! MET JUNG YUNHO AND SHIM CHANGMIN YO! 

"WE ARE T!"

TVXQ! Live World Tour Catch Me in Kuala Lumpur

YESSSSSSS YOU READ IT RIGHT! THE 'KOREAN TWIN TOWERS' ARE COMING, YO! And i'm flipping! I CAN'T WAIT

Event: TVXQ Catch Me Tour Live in Kuala Lumpur.
Date: 18th May 2013, Saturday
Venue: Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam 
Time: 8PM 

More info: http://www.jpmmusic.com.my/concert.php

(credit dorkistic.net)

(INCOMPLETE) PART 1 121022-121030 2nd Korea Trip

DISCLAIMER: SORRY I COULDN'T LOCATE MY OLD PICS SO I DECIDED TO END MY POST HERE I'M SO SORRY

All thanks to my sleepless night haha! Oh and thanks KTO Malaysia!
FYI, I won a return ticket to Korea as I was picked as the grand winner of Visit Korea blogging contest.

AUTUMN TOOK MY BREATH AWAY THE VIEW WAS SO MAGNIFICENT THE EARTHY COLOURS THE FALLEN LEAVES THE SLIGHTLY COOL WEATHER..SUBHANALLAH

This time I had quite a long stay; 9 days to be exact. I brought along my baby sis, Hazirah!
*Parents insisted me to have a travelling companion*
I've decided to split my post up into 3 parts so I'd have time to put much effort into each post.
Yay?

Itinerary

Day 1: LCCT Sepang-Incheon-Gimpo-Yeouido

Day 2: Yeouido Park-Namdaemun Market-Myeongdong-N.Seoul Tower-Itaewon-KBS building

Day 3: KBS building-Gangnam Crebeau Bell-Gangnam McKiss-Time Out Gelato-SM Ent building-Omokgyo-E Mart

Day 4: Gwanghamun Square-Gwanghamun Palace-Kyobo Book Centre-Ewha street

Day 5: Namdaemun-Myeongdong

Day 6: COEX Mall-Jamsil Crebeau Jeff-Kona Beans

Day 7: Nami Island-Hongdae Hello Kitty cafe

Day 8: Lotte World-Myeongdong

Day 9: Incheon-LCCT Sepang

Day 1 Monday. I had absolutely no idea why I picked Mon of all the days. Last Korea trip, I flew on Monday too. Checked in our 'overweight' luggage but I had to take my jumper, a towel and an empty bottles out of the luggage and voila! 3kgs gone -__-
7 long hours, we reached Incheon safe and sound! Oho~someone's excited~~~Zirah
(it's her 1 st ever overseas' trip).
The immigration was nothing in particular..do bear in mind PIC AND RECORDING ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE AREA. I was perplexed at how the workers handled things, since there're long queues at the immigration counters......new ones would be opened right away

X___X Dear LCCT, please take note on how Koreans do their work!

I took the subway this time (more $$ to spare for shopping/food) instead of taking the limousine bus. From Incheon aiport, we headed to Exit 5 that led us to airport railway.

Koreans and their smart phones....I couldn't use my phone as the wifi was password protected.

The subway ride was less than W4000 (RM 12). FYI the limousine bus was W10,000 (RM30). Those who prefer comfort and carry big luggage, please ride the aiport bus. We took Line 5 (Purple) from Incheon all the way to Gimpo and then transferred to Line 5 Yeouido
*It was roughly 70 min from Incheon to Yeouido.*

 Look at that cute, mini pass-through! Provided especially for little kids! 

We stopped by a convenience store on our way to Exit 2. For first-timers, do try the banana flavour milk. It's sweet and tasted like banana smoothie! This Binggrae banana milk->W1,100 (?) (RM3).

Zirah and her banana milk. Oh-so-fresh!

Stood in front of the underground passage (subway station)

It was freaking chilly!
Zirah roamed around the area, trying to get familiar with the neighborhood. Amidst the darkness, I saw two persons approached me from the opposite direction. Kak Ayu and Zirah!
Kak Ayu is a friend of mine whom I met back in Jan, I stayed at her apartment once~
She was transferred to Korea for a year due to work (however she's back in KL as we speak).
Thanks to her, we're able to have a place to stay! 감사합니다 언니!

Love Marriott! Thanks for the lovely stay. Love the lift; went up to 11th floor merely in 30 secs! COOL!

Day 2 Tuesday. Kak Ayu had long gone to work by the time we woke up.
I packed some sandwiches thinking we could have our breakfast at Yeouido park.
It was a baaaaaaadddd  idea---fingers went numb, it's too windy outside so we had to gobble the sandwiches down in four bites...!
But the view at the park was extremely pleasing, though!!!
Ahhhh I LOVE AUTUMN!

Tracks provided for pedestrians and cycling.

We then crossed the hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee road (apparently there were like 11 lanes!) and we made it safe to the underground passage; Exit 6. LOL.

To Namdaemun Market from Yeouido, there are 2 options:
1) by Rapid subway (less stops hence less time consuming, fare is more than of those normal trains; I'm not so sure how it actually works and the train's frequency, sorry~)
2) by normal train

On our way ~

We walked into a rapid train by accident LOL let's just say we worked up a sweat re-adjusting our map and phew~finally arrived at Hoehyeon station..haha!

In front of Namdaemun Market. Spot those big rainbow umbrellas.

Namdaemun is placed 2nd after Myeongdong in term of my fav shopping places :P

Some might find Namdaemun Market (NM) offers inexpensive goods and some don't. 
If you're looking for vast variety of traditional and local souvenirs for family and friends, this is the place. 
As for me NM is where I could bring back 3-for-W10,000-I-Love-Korea t-shirts, key chains, colourful fridge magnets, comfy pajamas, chopsticks set and many other little things.
Just put on a hearty smile and bargain your way through! "Sajang-nim, discount juseyo"

From NM, it's only a stone's throw away of the bustling Myeongdong. Follow the sign boards (and the pedestrians), cross the roads, pass by some stores/buildings and Myeongdong would be in front of you. 

One of the many underground passage's exits to Myeongdong.

Lotteria.

We had lunch at Lotteria, ordered 2 sets of shrimp burger (fries+cola). It was satisfying T___T we had a short break in here, as I jotted down the things-to-buy.

111204 TVXQ Fan Party in Singapore.

THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE. FROM KUALA LUMPUR TO SINGAPORE. I HAVE FINALLY MET JUNG YUNHO AND SHIM CHANGMIN. TVXQ. AWESOME-EST \(*_*)o

**Disclaimer: I'm too much of a lazy bum to watermark my pics so if you're taking this out, please give proper credits. THANK YOU :)

Hey, it's DONG BANG SHIN KI (i assume they're one of the most expensive artists in SM) therefore strict procedure should be done to ensure the safety and to abide by SM ent's do's and don'ts LMAO. But the 'inspection' that was carried out before the entry...O.O macam immigration! Being one 'rebellious' Kpop-er, i had things up on my sleeve~

Let's just take a look at those B+ pictures i'm presenting....too bad i only had 55mm lens with me hence the unpleasant pics *cringe* i prefer taking vids anyway, most of my friends know i'm more than willing to 'sacrifice' my two fat arms for the sake of good recording. Ohohoho.

An hour (?) before the show started. See how close i was to that freaking high stage? *wails* How in the world those girls in front were much taller than my current 5'6 height (with an assistance from my 5-inch wedges) Puahahaha. 

Yes. The placard that the girl was holding was Yunjae *read the hangul* They were the most glorious OTP in DBSK fandom..hahaha!!! Can u see Changmin over there?  Spot Yunho's head! Hehe. I had no time to check on the setting in my dslr plus the lights were coming out too strong, Yunho kept giving out signals to the staff..LOL

Again i suck BIG time. SORRY.....aww Changmin and his permed hair. These two were such giants i had a hard time looking up before them. The stage was a tad higher than the usual. Lucky enough i was wearing wedges.

Ain't Yunho looks cuteeeeeeeeeeee. Oh, the girl standing beside him was the translator~

I apologize for the lack of pics. I had to put my cam down before the guard caught me red handed!! Some even blended in the crowd in order to catch any fan who was in the midst of 'using cam' I WITNESSED ONE! Poor girl..the show was about to end yet she was still being dragged out by the merciless staff. I wish i could show you the vids, but it's too much of a work. Tee hee~!

DBSK ROCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Selamat Hari Raya/Eid Mubarak!!

ASSALAMUALAIKUM everyone! 

{Monologue before Eid:  i don't think i performed well during Ramadhan so why bother celebrating huhu}

"May the holy month of the revelation of Al-Quran usher upon you peace, happiness and prosperity" Ameen!!!! Yes, a late entry again haha. Now it's like day 10th of Eid Fitr :P

Eid Fitr in Malaysia falls on August 19th, Sunday! Yippie! "Wishing all our muslim friends a very happy and blessed Hari Raya"

.                  .                   .                   .

1) To le parents, thank u for all the gifts, care and joy u have given me. I may lack in certain domestic maintenance such as bad at cooking (but a great 'housekeeper' like Mak always claim me to be), putting/picking up the laundry etc. I'm forever indebted to u. I LOVE YOU!

2) To le aunt (Mak Muk), Pak Cik (le hubby) and family, thank u for all the support and care u have given me! U brought me to places (malls to be exact haha!) Forever indebted to u, as well. LOVE YOU!

3) To le relatives and friends, i thank u all for letting me be in the circle of your life. SMOOCHES! *somehow reminding me of Lion King LOL*

Mi familia!

Selamat Hari Raya 2012

Lack of interest

Biasanya authors yg ada writer's block kan? Ni aku blogger yg xseberapa pun gedik nk block block jugak. Haha.

Sorry

 *gif: Chibi Jaejoong

I have a remaining 2 weeks semester break so i shall cherish those days and update as many as i can ^^;

OH MY GOODNESS

I WON THE 

"AKU ADA KAU ADA" 

BLOG WRITING CONTEST

LONG AWAITED RESULT HAS FINALLY REACHED TO ITS END *weeping* Korea Plaza KL posted the result on Tuesday afternoon hahaha right when I just woke up from my short nap at 2 PM ...dun..dun...dun..

Phoned Mak right away (not before I screamed over the phone like a dying mice first) An hour later , in class, there's a missed call from my close aunt; Mak Muk~heh, news spreads at the speed of light nowadays, eh? HAHA! 

I IZ SO MUCH HAPPY! Thank you Korea Plaza KL! Thank you Air Asia!

2 days one night in Singapore (Kpop related)

Tidbits:

1) Had sudden attack of  Claustrophobia while sitting in the train to Woodlands, Singapore. I choked back my tears as i didn't want to make a fool out of myself. EXCRUCIATING BUMPY RIDE, i was placed at the end of the coach, where the adjoining door was located at. THIS IS WHY ONE SHOULD NEVER BOOK AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE.

2) I have never been on an oversea trip alone hence i went panic quite a few times LOL. Out of pure luck, there was always good-hearted people when i was lost, in need of direction, documents etc. Some even let me sent out a couple of SMS to inform my friends (i ran out of prepaid..each sms cost me rm1) THANK U!!!!!

3) Hooked up with Kak Wawa and Kak Yanie after being 'solo' for 13 long hours...sobs! Kalau xjumpa korg, mati kutu la saya kt sg ni..i had a place to stay thanks to these two! <3

4) Met with Lilybeth whom was my life saviour during the event Y___Y if it wasn't of u, i'd have stranded somewhere foreign and alone..she let me queued with her. And guess what, i was at the 5th row from the front!! Like 2 metres away from the stage! *0*

5) I took the wrong bus from Woodlands station!!!! And missed my freakin train!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Indian driver noticed that gloomy/sweaty look i was having, "Adik, where are u planning to get off? If it's at Woodlands KTM station it think u are in the wrong bus..".........i compelled to myself thinking that the bus would arrive on time. NO!!!!!!!!!!! IT DID NOT! I had to jump out of the bus and crossed the traffic as  the driver told me to if i wanna catch my train haha! *10 min to patch things up, settle my immigration and woosh~! to my train*  AGAIN LUCK WAS ON LEAVE SO I MISSED THE TRAIN...should have been in the waiting area for at least 40 min before departure T__T totally hate the check-point...failed to figure out which floor the immigration was!!! Can't u officers just stop the train from leaving for few short mins?! (Heck no they won't do that LOL just saying) I ran out of breath due to extreme running i felt like dying X______X hoarse voice, sweaty..yucks..

6) Met with a couple Malaysians who also missed on their train haha..! I sensed no hint of fear/panic on their face..totally cool chicks! We were in the bus together till i parted at Bandar Tasik Selatan station. THANKS A BUNCH GUYS! (^^ i still have your photos btw!)

7) Arrived at my university campus safe and sound (app. 10pm) after several hit and miss.

What a trip, eh? Thank goodness i didn't lose my passport and stuff *cringe* 

AKU ADA, KAU ADA??? Blog Contest

This post is a response to KOREA PLAZA KL and Korea Tourism Organization Malaysia.

1. Name two places in the movie <Aku Ada, Kau Ada???> which Tina and Nordin, who constantly clash with each other in Korea:

Nami Island (Pic credit: mymovies2u.netii.net)

Everland Resort 

2. If I have a flight ticket to Korea and I will...plan an 8-days trip to ensure I've made full use of my holiday with flight tickets from KTO! 
Since going for an oversea trip requires me to be mentally, physically and financally prepared, I'm planning on going during autumn~more time to save and to plan my itinerary! 
Plus my univ would have a week semester break..hence it's a perfect time to go to Korea! 

Below are the highlights for my Korea trip: 

• shopping/sightseeing  where to shop, where to go for sightseeing
• culture & historical places experiencing the uniqueness of Korea, learning the history that makes Korea as it is today
• K-Pop/leisure who would miss the chance to visit K-pop stars?? or taking a break at hot sauna or trying on pretty hanbok
• food super excited to get a taste of original korean food!

Which season shall i pick for my Korea trip? :)

Autumn (Pic: Wikipedia, as tagged)

I've always love cool weather so, I think this season would be perfect for me^^

Catching fallen leaves with bare hands..

Taking a stroll across the street watching people passing by

Riding on a bicycle at the park..

Accommodation

Last time, I stayed at Myeongdong, so for a wee bit change of air, I'll opt for Jongno. 
WHY JONGNO?? 
Because->many low to medium-priced accommodations are offered in this district especially for backpackers 
i.e Tea GuestHouse, Jongnowon Guesthouse etc. 
Plus, Jongno is easily accessible by Subway Line 1, 3 or 5. 

• Hanok homestay/guesthouses (Pic credit:  musical-bell.blogspot.com)

This is how hanok looks like. It has ondol floor (underfloor heating which uses direct heat transfer from wood smoke to the underside of a thick masonry floor). What a good way to start my trip~a warm, nice and oh-so-comfy stay!

Above: The exterior view of hanok. Below: The interior view of hanok.

Transportation?

Fret not! Even if i'm still unfamiliar with the routes and stuff, i can get to 1 place to another at ease! Subway, bus, taxi..name it! Info: The subway system is provided in 6 of Korea's major cities: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Daejeon). Thus getting around the country is very easy and cost effective!

To ensure a smooth journey, use T-money card, a rechargeable prepaid card (similar to TouchnGo card in Msia). I can purchase it at any convenience store; price for a card is about 3000won. T-Money card can be used when buying at the convinence store and taxi too! 

Subway station

Example of subway map in Seoul:

Need further assistance? VISIT THESE WEBSITE and PRINT THE MAPS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE:

1. Seoul Metro http://www.seoulmetro.co.kr/eng/
2. Visit Korea  http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/TR/TR_EN_5_1_4.jsp
3. SMRT http://www.smrt.co.kr/program/cyberStation/main2.jsp?lang=e

 Visiting cultural/historical places
The best thing of Jongno is that I could spend a day paying a visit to a number of historical places like Changdeokgung Palace, Unhyeongung Palace which are located around this district! 
FYI I'm such a big fan of Saeguk drama! Hence I won't let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!!

• Changdeokgung Palace (Pic credit: trekearth.com, koreatour.com)

"Aww I wish I'm a princess~" Changdeokgung is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Literal meaning of Changdeokgung is "Palace of Prospering Virtue".

Admission for adult is 3000won. Tours are provided for visitors like Regular Tour (3000won for adult), Huwon Tour aka Secret Garden area (8000won for adult) and Integrated Admission (admission to the Four Palaces: Changdeokgung Palaces including Huwon, Changgyeonggung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine; 10,000won for adult). Direction: from Jongno 3 Station, just go straight along Donhwamun-ro Street for 10min.

• Bukchon Hanok Village (Pic credit: jaehoonj.wordpress.com)

This village is used to be the place where the Royal family and other noble family lived during the Joseon era. 
It is situated on a hill, it is all up and down, and it offers a splendid view of Seoul. 
Many inexpensive activities can be done here i.e dressing up in a traditional hanbok and take pictures,  dining in fabulous restaurants, coffee shops and tea shops. 
Trivia! The village also leads to Chung-ang High School; the filming location for Winter Sonata. 
LOL I'm such an avid fan of Winter Sonata :P 
Direction: Take Subway Line 3 to Anguk Station (Exit 2). Then continue straight for about 300m.

• The War Memorial of Korea (Pic credit: asiatravel365.com)

Admission is free so i can walk wherever i want~^^ *It is closed on every Monday (if Monday is a holiday, it will be closed on the following day).

The museum like memorial provides an insight in to all the different wars that the country has been involved in. There is a large collection of documents and war memorabilia displayed in numerous rooms. Military equipment is displayed in the outdoor exhibition center. Direction: Take Samgakji Station (Line 4 or 6), go to Exit 12. War Memorial is just 5-10 min away from the station. 

• Korea Folk Village (Pic credit: phillipseton.com) 

As I've mentioned before, I'm a 'Sageuk drama freak' thus visiting Korean Folk Village would prevail to me the elements of Korean tradition and culture~!

KFV is a living museum in the province of Gyeonggi in South Korea. 
Admission is pretty expensive; adult 15,000won, youth 12,000won, children 10,000won. 
There are numerous replicas of traditional houses of the different social classes (peasant, landowner, yangban) and the various regions. 
The park also has a traditional street market, restaurants etc. 
*Special performances every day; traditional wedding, string acrobat, farmers' dancing, horses' show. 
Direction: Suwon Station (Line 1), Exit 4. There will be shuttle bus from Folk Village Office in front of Suwon Station to Korean Folk Village. 
Runs 5 times a day. 
Cool! More Won to save later for shopping! :P 

• Ewha Womans University (Pic credit: e-architect.co.uk)

The moment i saw Ewha's pics on google, I was blown away by its 'beauty'! As a university student, it would be great to see one of the prestigious univs in Korea!

A private women's university, is one of the most prestigious universities and the best university for women to get in to! It also has a museum on campus that displays art, clothing, furniture, and ceramics of the 양반 (aristocrats) back in that era of Korea. Direction:  Ewha Womans University Station (Subway Line 2, go to either exits 2 or 3, walk about 5-10min^^

• Cheonggyecheon Stream (pic credit pleasetakemeto.com)

The 8.4 km-long Cheonggyecheon Stream offers many beautiful sights.  I can enjoy the scenery of themed/decorated walls, laser shows, water-fountains etc. 

As the river is very long there are many starting points (via exploringkorea): 

Subway Line 1: City Hall Station, Jonggak Station, Jongno 3-ga Station, Jongno 5-ga Station, Dongdaemun Station, Sinseoldong Station. 

Line 2: Euljiro 1-ga Station, Euljiro 3-ga Station, Euljiro 4-ga Station, Sindang Station, Sangwangsibni Station

Line  3: Jongno 3-ga Station
Line  4: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station
Line 5: Gwanghwamun Station (main starting point; exit towards Cheonggyecheon Stream)

Yahoo! Let's Shop Till I Drop!!

Do you know that 2010-2012 is Visit Korea Year?

 (via Visit Korea) There is a variety of special events and promotions have been put in place to ensure that vacationing in Korea exceeds one's expectations. I can participate in various events such as contest, shopping spree, volunteer work etc! Seems like SO MUCH FUN ^0^

• Myeongdong (Pic credit:flickr.com)

During my last trip, I almost emptied my wallet at Myeongdong alone. 
I went here almost every single day during Korea Grand Sale and almost everything was given discount: make ups, cafes, clothes!

Myeongdong (literally called as Bright Town) is extremely popular among foreign tourists and one of the top places-to-visit in Korea! Forever 21, H&M, Etude House, Nature Republic, Tony Moly, and hundreds more could be found here. It usually gets busy in the evening. All sort of thing is available here; clothes, bags, shoes, make ups, accessories, etc.

• Myeongdong Subway Station

Why subway, you ask? Hey.....Myeongdong subway is the place where Kpop fans spend their money for~! :P 
*after tapping the T-money card at Exit 6, don't go upstairs (yes..it leads to Myeongdong...) instead, walk straight from the exit and roam the area LOL! 
Trust me, so far, Myeongdong subway's price is the BEST when it comes to Kpop-related stuff: 
Light sticks, notebooks, albums, photobooks etc. 
I spent about 40% of my travelling allowance at two of the shops here.

• Duty Free Shops (Pic credit: budgettravelkorea)

I was told by friends that shopping in duty free could save me quite a lot! Plus, if I spend rightly, I could ask for a tax refund! Isn't it awesome?! 

South Korea has more than 600 branches duty-free shops, mostly in advanced hotel and department stores. Be it Lotte Duty Free or Shilla Duty Free (these two are the well known duty free shops). Hallyu Wave stars aka DBSK, Super Junior, Choi Ji Woo, Kim Hyung Joong and more are the 'faces' of these duty free shops^^ Occasionally, duty free shops will offer great great discount!

• Ewha shopping district (Pic credit:  http://xlilsecretx.blogspot.com)

Targetted at youngsters (duh..ME..haha!) Ewha district gets 'extra' busy when the sun goes down..haha.

The streets around the women’s university has become a shopping heaven for women. There are a few big department stores and streets lined with all the latest fashions, shoe shops, nail/hair salons etc. 
Direction: Take line 2 to Ewha Station and go to exit 2 or 3 and head straight. 

• Hongdae Free Market (Pic credit: Andy Kim)

Hongdae Free Market is a little market for handmade goodies 

i.e paintings, clothes, bags, jewellery and others). 

This market runs every Saturday from March to November, 13:00-18:00

Located at Hongik Univ. Most of the vendors are students from Hongik Univ. 

Direction via visitkorea.or.kr: Take subway line 2 to Hongik Univ. Station, and go out exit 9 → Walk ahead onto the wide street on the left →Turn right at the second small intersection → Walk past some shopping centers → When you get to a driveway, turn left→Walk ahead in the direction of Hongik University →Continue to walk ahead and cross the street to the right at the three-way intersection → Walk ahead and go up the uphill road to the right → Hongdae Playground will be on the left-hand side.

• Insadong

I'll be staying in Jongno and Insadong is pretty near to each other; 10 min walking distance! 

Insadong is a big shopping area where one can find mainly Korean - themed items, from souvenirs to clothing, porcelain, art and craft, pictures, books in the shops lining both sides of the street. 
The street is closed to traffic and open to performances on Sundays. 
I've been here once and i love the place. 
One can bargain (if  buy a bunch of stuff together) etc ^^v 

• Ssamziegil (쌈지길)

A unique building! Oh-oh! Must see this!

Ssamziegil (operating hours: 10:00 -20:30) is visited frequently by locals and tourist and one can buy a few unique items for gifts. 
Korean paper, music boxes, caricatures, traditional hair accessories, restaurants, cafes, book shops etc. 
The mall is fairly new which is opened in 2008 and it is designed in the form of a spiral-like stairway; allowing visitors to go between floors without using stairs. 
How to get there: Take the Subway Line 3 to Anguk station. Go to exit 6 and walk straight for about 500 meters.

Hm..What/Where Shall I Hunt For Food/Coffee?

Going to a place to another consumes lotsa energy, so....in order to gain back what I've been missing, I can dine at the plethora of restaurants/coffee shops along the street! As a coffee addict, going to cafe in korea is a MUST! Ah~I'm a Muslim so getting food here is quite hard so I've done my homework~^^

• Itaewon (Pic credit:  http://cikhanie.blogspot.com)

Kebab? Turkish ice cream? Rice? Meat? Chicken? Lamb? 

Direction: Get off at Itaewon station (Subway Line 6). V-POPULAR AMONG MUSLIM TOURISTS. As u can see from the pic above (a mosque), the biggest mosque in Korea. Islam in Korea is growing gradually~it is the main area for foreigners living in Seoul (via wikitravel.com) Itaewon is Seoul's international district, housing a variety of Western-styled venues to eat, drink and be merry. I can find a great deal of Halal restaurants in Itaewon. 

• Hongik Bab (recommended by budgettravel2korea.blogspot.com)

Bibimbap is the main food being served here. (via wikipedia.com) The word "Bibimbap" literally means "mixed meal" or "mixed rice". I have yet to taste bibimbap, so here's my chance! It's served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepperpaste). Drooling already~~ T_T

A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. 

The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating. 

Direction: Get off at Hongik Station (Line 2) and head towards Hongik University. 

The restaurant is around the area (ask people nearby). 

• Chilgabsan칠갑산 (recommended by budgettravel2korea.blogspot.com)

I've always wondering how Korean's food taste like, complete with a traditional surrounding. Chilgabsan is probably one of the best places to sit in! The food is reasonably cheap and it offers a warm surrounding~perfect!

The famous dish here is the Jeongshik or Jungshik (칠갑산 정식) which means Korean full course meal. 
However it usually consists of meat (non-halal) so pick the right menu! 
Direction (via budgettravel2korea): Walk after Anguk Station, Exit 6 towards Insadong. Pass Ssamziegil building and after passing a pharmacy SudoYakguk 수도약국, walk into Insadong-10-gil road. Walk about 20 metres and you will find a signboard on your right acrossan old Korean Traditional House read 인사동 수제비. Walk towards the end of the alley and you will see the bright yellow signboard. Chilgabsan is just next door.

• Street food (Pic credit: google)

"What better way to start my culinary adventure in Korea than by hitting up their local street food!" They are cheap, fulfilling and easy to get! Let's hit the stall, will ya?


Above: Ddeokbokki (sliced chewy rice)

Above: Hue O Ri Gam Ja/Tornado Potato (screw-shaped potato chips)

Above: Hoddeok Japchae (in Insadong)

• Hello Kitty Cafe (Pic credit:  winnieisnotabear, kyutie.com)

Although I'm no fan of pink, but I'm still a girl. I LOVE CUTE THINGS! The entire cafe is decorated with pink and HELLO KITTY~!! Furniture, walls, chairs, and even the food (waffle is shaped into a Hello Kitty!)

Located in Hongdae, finding the cafe ain't easy for a first timer so I Google-ed and found the direction that might help! Thanks to winnieisnotabear.wordpress.com->Direction to H.Kitty cafe: Hongdae subway station exit 9, walk forward (you will pass a street on your left and Paris Baguette). Turn left into the street after Paris Baguette, walk straight (pass by starbucks). Cross the road at the crossing and turn right at the 2nd junction. Walk down looking to your left. A pink cafe is hidden there<3. 

• Starbucks (Pic credit: flickr.com)

Btw, have u heard about the "Korean Starbucks"? Supposedly the cafe is the only one in the world with its sign written in a language other than English! I would love to get my pic taken in front of the cafe! 

Trivia of Hangul Starbucks: 
Insadong is a neighborhood that presents a unique coexisting landscape of both traditional and contemporary Korea. 
Thus, in order to protect and promote the overall atmosphere of the area, most of the logos for the stores at Insadong are written in Korean (Hangul) even if the brands are from foreign origins. 
Wow!! 
Direction via visitkorea.or.kr: From the main gate of  Changdeokgung Palace, just walk to the right for about 5 min until you reach a 5-way intersection. Cross the street and walk a little more to the right and there will be the entrance to Insa-dong. 

Experiencing First-Hand Korean Culture

Early this year, my univ.  held a Korean Heritage and Contemporary Arts. Wasn't i thrilled to be at the exhibition!! Haha! I took pics..and was definitely awed with what were being displayed. Being able to experience this has aroused my desire to be in Korea! 

Tea ceremony 
(Pic credit: explow.com)

I'll be able to 'master' the  etiquette,  getting to know the individual tea ceremony table (hands-on experience of how to brew and drink tea) and so much more. Oh! Tea is my 2nd fav after coffee :P

Craft making

When I'm  leaving Seoul, I don't have to spend all my time shopping at the duty-free stores at the Incheon International Airport. 
The Traditional Culture Center, located near Boarding Gate 40 at the airport, is one place where departing tourists can learn to make traditional crafts for free. 

Trying hanbok 
(Pic credit: buhaykorea.com)

Hanbok: Korean traditional clothing. It might cost me a bomb if i intend on buying one. The only way for a cheapskate money-conscious traveler like me is....trying on the hanbok! I found this on the web->The best spot to try hanbok is in UnHyeongGung (운현궁) a small palacial area between CheongDuk Gung and Gyeongbok Gung. One can try on a hanbok for 2000won and walk around the entire palace! While the other places require one to only stay out in front of the palace or in certain areas. The easiest way to get there is Ahnguk Station (안국역), Exit 4. Just head out straight and you'll see it on the left side.

K-Pop and Leisure...

When one talks about Korea, K-Pop would definitely come out from one's mouth! It can't be helped lah~ As a huge fan of K-Pop, visiting the company where my DBSK spend their time to practice, do some recording etc would fun! How about leisure, then? Well, I can't leave Jimjilbang out of the topic;) noraebang (karaoke) is one thing but i really don't bother singing in public!

• K-Pop Music Shows

If luck is on my side, I would like to attend to any of these music shows:
Mnet Countdown (Thursdays) | KBS Music Bank (Fridays) | MBC Music Core (Saturdays) | SBS Inkigayo (Sundays). 
*How to apply? Go to Visit Korea for further enquiry. 
There are steps and rules that one has to take note^^v

• Cjes Entertainment building

Address: Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Yeoksam-dong, 629-7

How to get there : Yeoksam St. (Line 2) exit 6

• SM Entertainment building

Address : Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Apgujeong-2dong, 521, SM Entertainment

How to get there : Apgujeong St. (Line 3) exit 2, walk about 20 minutes toward Galleria Department Store, the building is next to KIA building.

• Kona Beans (Pic credit as tagged)

Super Junior fans must have heard this newly-opened cafe! Who knows I might have SJ member to serve me my coffe and waffle? ;)))) lucky day, huh? Kyaa~

Direction via polkadotyyann: Take Exit 2, from Apgujeong station. Make a U-turn on your left and follow the path straight all the way till you see a Hyundai Oil Station.  Cross the street towards the petrol station and keep walking until you see “Black Smith” cafe at a small alley junction (which is on your right). Turn right and walk into the alley. You will see Jindo building and  walk down the street for about two more blocks  and you’ll see Kona Bean Cafe~!

• Jimjilbang/sauna house (Pic credit: ihcahieh.com)

How could one be skipping jimjilbang if travelling to Korea..? Jimjilbang is great for one's skin as it helps rejuvenate the body after a tiring day. It's good in removing dead cells too!

I heard some Koreans go there before they go for work o.O it's a no surprise that Koreans have such baby bottom's skin *pardon my hyperbole LOL* 
FYI, recommended jimjilbang by some Malaysian tourists is Silloam Fire Pot Sauna. 
Visit: http://www.silloamsauna.com. Price starts from 8,000won. 
Direction: Seoul Station (Subway Line 1 & 4), Exit 1. Go towards Seobu Station, go past an overpass, and walk across the street. You will see the sauna on the 5th floor of the building to your right. Total walking time is 5 min.

• Everland  (Pic credit: 10mag.com)

Korea's biggest theme park. Just like Malaysia's Berjaya Times Square and Genting Highland..well ours aren't humungous like Everland:P More fun and definitely adrenaline pumping ridesssssssssssss! More info/ticket->http://www.everland.com/web/

Direction via dianateo-dt.blogspot.com:

#1. Take a train to Gangnam Station for Subway Line 2. After that, heading to Exit 6.

#2. Once out from the subway, walking straight for about 3 minutes until you see this shop on your left-hand side. There's where the bus station to Everland located on the right-hand side.

#3. Hop on to the 5002 bus which cost 1800won per single journey and there it goes all the way to Everland until you reach the final stop.

#4. The journey hasn't end here yet as you need to take another shuttle bus in order to reach Everland itself and no worries, this shuttle bus is free.

• Noryangjin Market 노량진 수산시장 (Pic credit: jamielew.com)

One of Korea's largest seafood market. There's variety of fish or sea creatures (as I would call 'em cz they look so abnormal ROFL!) which are worth to look at (well, some are pricey T__T) 

One can also buy fish and bring it upstairs to one of the many restaurants and have it prepared. 
So fresh! 
And a tad cheaper than ordering seafood from a restaurant
Again, as a foreigner, one needs to be assertive and know market price for seating and preparation, but the end result is awesome!
 What a deal! 
Direction: Noryangjin Station (Subway Line 1), Exit 1, walk about 100m over the bridge.  

Annyeong!

(I drew this by myself okay! Wahaha :3)

Travelling is a part of me and it really is an eye opener for someone who's eager to 'venture' culturally via travelling! Hopefully, I'd be able to set my feet on the land of Kimchi as it shows the efforts that i had put into this blog:

• Staying at hanok->in Jongo! 
• Visiting historical places->Changdeokgung Palace | Bukchon Hanok Village | The War Memorial of Korea |  Korea Folk Village | Ewha Womans University | Cheonggyecheon Stream
• Window shopping->Myeongdong | Myeongdong subway  station| Duty Free shops | Ewha shopping street | Hongdae Free Market | Insadong |  Ssamziegil
• Indulging in street food~!!
• Eating Korean food->Itaewon | Hongik Bab | Chilgabsan 
• Going to cool cafes-> Hello Kity cafe | Starbucks | Kona Beans
• Experiencing Korean culture first-hand~
• It's K-Pop time->SM Entertainment | CJes Entertaiment | Music shows
• Trying hanbok, having fun at Everland Resort, spending the entire morning at Noryangjin market~

=>Please make my dream comes true; to be the extremely lucky GRAND WINNER. Thanks to KTO Malaysia for holding the contest!

{Disclaimer: Places that i've mentioned in this blog are from my own preferences so they might differ from yours}