Winner Announcement

My first giveaway is 

Free Entrance Ticket to Trick Eye Museum 

as announced 2 days ago. 

Kinda short period :p

Only 5 contestant. 

Thanks to: 

1. Kyndra Love

                      Aya Eboni

2. JENNY_JEN_JEN
3. Sushant Thapa

4. Inggrid   

   
   

   Actually kinda disappointed why noone write their full name?  
5. But it's ok anyway... 
6. And now .... then Winner is....... 

Inggrid

Congratulations!!!

^____^

Please provide your full name and email address in the comment below, 

Free Entrance Period: 1/24(Fri) to 2/9(Sun)

After visit, please don't forget share the stories with others.

For another contestant and all readers, hope next time can hold another giveaway with bigger prize.

God bless you all ^_______^

Love, XY

6 Things About HONGDAE

Hongdae, or Hongik University station is one of the most favourite tourist attraction in Seoul. I myself like soooo muchhhhhh Hongdae area. What I love about Hongdae? 

Here we go:

1. Youthful Atmosphere Nightlife

I know I know I'm not young anymore, but living in such a dynamic and lively area make me feel alive again! Hongdae hosts lots of guesthouse, so you will meet many western and English-speaking tourists in Hongdae club. 

Not just club or pub, being an arts university a famous place to check out on the weekends in Hongdae is the gathering of musicians in the small park in Hongdae, it makes a great atmosphere in the evening and the crowd that gathers there can be pretty big. A Korean band ‘10cm’ were frequent players in Hongdae and gained a lot of fame in the area. Live Music in Hongdae Park enables you to meet future K-Pop stars! ^_^

some pub and club in Hongdae

2. Street Snacks

What I love about Seoul is you can never be hungry. Every 5 steps you can find "pojangmachas" (street snacks seller) What kind of snacks? Seems I've been talked much about them. They range from savory to sweet, spicy or not. You can choose freely and they are all yummy. When I'm in Seoul, I often skip lunch and dinner because I always eat street snacks!! LOL =))) I try to remember the names of them so will make me easier to order, but fail!! -___- Finally I just choose one by one or by pointing and ask "Igeo eolmayeyo?" -How much does it cost? And.....remembering some Korean words for numbers are very useful!! 

ilcheon won =1000won

icheon won =2000won

samcheon won =3000won

Let the picture talk how yummy Korean street snacks areeeeee :p

Yummy guarantee!!

3. Saturday Art Market

Wanna get your face drawing or get cartoon picture of yourself? You come to the correct place. Every weekend in Hongdae from the afternoon to early evening you can find a small art market in the park with many stands selling hand made products. It is a great place to pick up a gift or something unique while in Korea.

Hongdae Saturday Art Market

4. Themed Cafe
Korean loves coffee, or maybe just like to hangout in cafe? Hongdae hosts twenty or more themed cafe. They are so uniquely themed and adorable. If you looking for something special to blast your day, hongdae cafe can give you a smile in a rough day.

Bear Cafe

Hello kitty cafe

I went Hello Kitty cafe and spent 4000 won for Chocolate Banana Waffle and Jasmine’s latte costs 4200won. Kinda expensive and still hungry. Haha, well we bought the atmosphere not a drink :p

Nature Cafe

This one is my favorite: Sheep cafe with real sheep!! There are REAL cutie lambs in the coffee shop. You can seat near them.. pat them.. and feed them :)

* Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 486 B1F (서교푸르지오상가 지하 121호) 

      121, B1F Prugio, 486, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea

5. Nanta show
Not interested in Nanta Show? What if 9 of 10 of your friends tell you Nanta show is very funny and a "must watch show"? ^_^ Unfortunately I didn't have time to watch them even their building is kinda near to my guesthouse... But next time if have a chance will surely have a go.

The story is about three chef that prepared meals for a wedding party, then suddenly the Manager put one of his nephew that incapable of cooking in the team. That's when funny thing started :p

Nanta show

6. Trick Eye Museum

This place is a "MUST VISIT" place. Take a funny pictures of yourself and your friend. You will have alot of fun there. Really guys, they are better than Maddame Tussaud!!  You can find another trick eye museum in Busan and Jeju.

Trick eye museum

ps: Why they called Hongdae for Hongik University?
In Korea, university = daehagyo. So Hongik Daehagyo ....we called HONGDAE.... and Ehwa University we called EEDAE :D

Don't miss Hongdae for your trip! One day is not enoughhhhhhhhhhh............hahahaaa

3 MUST Visit Area in Seoul

For those who first travelling to Korea must be confuse about which places near to each other? Here I make 3 MUST Visit Area in Seoul. It definitely will shorten your list and efficient for your trip.

1. Hongdae, Ehwa university, and Sinchon university are near to each other in a walking distance.

The best time to visit them is after lunch until midnight. There is Hongdae free market every Saturday near Hongik university.  You’ll be rewarded with plenty of free music performances (your future K-pop star may be standing right in front you!) and cool hand-crafted arts by the Hongik University students, amid a vibrant indie atmosphere all around.

Look at those cute doll, so unique!!

Directions

Hongik University Station (Subway Line 2), Exit 9.  Go 150m straight, and cross the street. Turn left, and go 500m straight towards the Hongik University entrance. Turn right to arrive at Hongik Children's Park.     Cat's Cafe What will you find there? Hongdae: Lots of themed cafe: Hello Kitty, Snoopy, Coffee Prince, cats and dogs cafe, halloween cafe, and many people sell clothing, earings, necklaces, they are in adorable prices. Also have Nanta show, and trick eye museum. Ehwa and Sinchon : University area...many people sell clothing and accessories with affordable price. And as usual, the streets of Seoul are paved with delicious snacks.

2. Ihwa-dong, Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, and Namdaemun also close each other.

Make sure you know how to walk. I walk from Dongdaemun to Myeongdong, but lost in the way of searching Namdaemun way so use subway then :p

What will you find there?

- Ihwa dong: Hyehwa station (line4) exit 2: 
Turn left into Dongsung-gil street, walk 200m towards Lock museum, and follow the mural. It's a huge public mural projects in Seoul. The murals are renewed every year!!

Hyehwa mural

- Dongdaemun: Hello apm, Migliore, Good morning city, Doosan Tower(doota) provide convenient and modern shopping environment. They sell clothing, watches, skincare, foodcourt, and everything you wish in the shopping center. If you don't know what souvenirs will you bring back, Doota offers alot in 5th floor. I bought some keychain and magnet there. 

Some tips:

1. Look around Doota first and then Migliore. Migliore often has same products as in Doota and you can haggle at Migliore.

2. Hello apm offer the lowest price of them all. But as you know, no two clothing are the same. 

3. Most stores open at AM 10: 30 and close at PM 5.

4. Closing
Doota closes from 11pm Sunday ~ 8pm Monday
Migliore closes on Monday
APM and Good morning City closes on Tuesday
(on closing hours, check out the road market situated in front the complexes)

Hello apm and good morning city in Dongdaemun

- Myeongdong: Myeongdong offers skincare in every step. The face shop located next to Holika holika and etude house is just in the next door. ^^ Wooohooooooo!!!!!!! U can freely choose. And one thing I love about them is they always offer free sample without needed to ask. I lazy to ask sample, but they generously give so much!!!

Myeongdong

- Namdaemun: Well after visiting Dongdaemun and Myeongdong, I go to Namdaemun with not much cash left and low level of shopping appettite, LOL =))) They also sell children's clothing, men, and women's clothing, daily miscellaneous goods, kitchenware and local and imported products. Actually I interested to go to the food street and jokbal street!! They seems yummy!!

3. Gangnam Area

Take subway to Sinsa Station(Line 3)

• Walk to Garosu-gil, the bohemian, tree-lined street with restaurant, cafes, and boutiques. This is a good place to have lunch.
• Apgujeong, known as the " Beverly Hills of Seoul" even has its own Rodeo drive.
• Apgujeong is the leading fashion mecca, formed as a cultural zone with a high propensity for consumption. It creates leading fashion trends, customer friendly shops, foreign brand shops with high-quality goods
• You can visit the famous "de chocolate coffee", and "mango six cafe" here.
• Bongeunsa Temple
• Want to see the contrast between old and new in most extreme? Get on the subway, head to Samseong Station(Line2) and walk to Bongeunsa Temple. Founded in 8th century, the view of the graceful Korean buildings, with the glittering skyscraper of Gangnam looming just beyond them, really leaves an impression. Be sure to visit on Buddha's Birthday, when it hosts a paper lantern exhibit
• End your day at COEX Mall



COEX Mall

•  It is Asia's largest underground shopping mall with an area of about 85,000 square metres
• Along with hundreds of shops, the mall houses two food courts, Megabox (movie theatres),COEX Aquarium, a large bookstore, and the Kimchi Field Museum. It also features a game area which is used to film computer game tournaments.

So we finish with 3 must visit area in Seoul. You never officially in Seoul without touching those 3 area! ^_^

Have fun guys!