K-Mondays: Reminiscing My Trip to South Korea 2011

It has been almost two years since my visit to South Korea and I'm still hung up about it. I have planned since then that I would come back and visit some of the places that we didn't have the chance (or willpower) to go to, that winter in 2011. It was so cold then, and it was my first time to experience winter since my home country is a tropical country and my second home country is basically a desert. The basis of our itinerary was my eagerness to revisit moments from my favorite K-dramas and so we went to shooting locations of those K-dramas. We went to Full House, 63 Building, Nami Island, and 1st Shop of Coffee Prince.

Second Floor of Full House.

Come inside my home.

Gallery at the top of 63 Building.

63 Building. Look at that traffic.

Frozen Fountain at Nami Island.

The iconic trees.

Statue of the Winter Sonata main leads.

At Coffee Prince shop.

After doing my research and finding out which places are near and worthy of visiting based on our desires such as shopping and sight-seeing, I patched up a schedule which was not followed accordingly (well, just a bit).

Myeongdong. See the cosmetics shops?

Our first meal in Seoul. Right after leaving our stuff from the hotel. (It wasn't time for check-in yet) Look at me holding a cider.

SPAO! Right above is Every Sing, a must go for SM Town fans. (Still in Myeongdong)

The hotel we stayed at in Insa-dong.

Our meal in 63 Building. Bibimbap with soup and banchan (side dish).

Me all happy eating small Bungeoppang (Korean Taiyaki).

Buying our midnight snack just after eating Noche Buena at a BBQ shop (with soju & beer of course).

Our ruined Christmas cake for Christmas eve! (From Paris Baguette)

On Christmas day, we went to Lotte World! (Yep, we rode that)

A girl Santa inside Lotte World ready for Christmas.

Jamsil, where Lotte World is located. And Kang Gary's hometown. hahaha

We also went to COEX Mall in Gangnam! Bought stuff for my Instax mini and books.

An apparently popular restaurant that we just happen to eat in because we were so hungry and it's Christmas.

Oohh look at that smoke.

Gwang Jang Market in Seoul. While waiting for a tour in Jongmyo Shrine, we ate here.

Pig everythings.

Ttukbeokki and boiled pork somethings (feet I think).

I guess this is Bindaetteok.

After visiting Jongmyo Shrine we went to Gyeongbokgung and had to wait again for the English tour so we went to Coco Bruni (coffee shop).

In Gyeongbokgung.

Deoksugung Royal Guard Changing Ceremony.

This is the yummiest meal that we had in Korea. Kalbi-jjim, Doenjang-jjigae, Jang uh gui (grilled eel), and some glorious banchan & rice with beans.

We visited almost all the palaces in Seoul except Changdeokgung. I still wasn't a fan of historical Korean dramas then but I still found their palaces amazing. However, after visiting Gyeongbokgung (the largest one), we gave up and didn't get to visit Changdeokgung anymore. Why is it important to me now? It is the palace wherein my favorite historical K-dramas took place, during Joseon era. Yet another reason for me to go back there. Moving on..

Friendly bear statues in the bear museum at Namsan Tower.

The love locks in Namsan Tower. And a jealous single woman.

N Seoul Tower/Namsan Tower.

It has been my desire to eat at these places at night. And we did!

What we ate there. Octopus & Clam soup. We were somewhat ripped-off at this place since we paid a LOT than we had expected. (Let's just say that the bill was larger than that Korean restaurant wherein we ate the glorious food in gold dishes)

Kimbap, made in front of me, and satisfied my midnight hungriness. 

Morning barbecue, abundant banchan, and kalbi tang at a restaurant near our hotel.

The last place that we went to: Myeongdong. We went there first and we went there (again) last. Just to complete our shopping.

It has been great reminiscing these moments in 2013, now that my life has gone a complete 360 degree turn from how my life is back then. I was privileged and so blessed to have experienced those last 2011. I hope that my memories will make me more strong and strive hard in order for me to go back there again, and live the life.