Escape to Seoul Day 4 (Part 2 of 2)

Disclaimer: The following accounts are true. I am not making up stories. And you should not blame me for what you’re about to read. These are purely observations and personal opinions. If you didn’t like it, or got offended by it, I apologize in advance, especially to the people close to the  ones we encountered that night. These accounts are based on pure amusement (in a good way) towards the party/parties involved. We are not to blame for the following accounts – we are merely tourists having fun in a foreign land, you can’t blame us for the actions of certain people around us. kei??

Ready Day 4 Part 1 here

So where was I? Oh yeah, the getting ready part:

After some dinner/junk food, we hailed a cab and went to Hongdae. We decided to go to Club Cocoon for the night.

When we got there, we realized we left out IDs back at the hotel (so foolish of us). So we had to go back again to grab our IDs. True and funny story.

BUT! The night was EPIC.

Club Cocoon is exactly what you see in photos. Check a full review here: http://www.seoulgrid.com/blog/club-cocoon-hongdae/ (this entry helped us a lot, especially finding its location)

(The photos above are from the seoulgrid.com)

At first, Kizia and I were really scared because:

1. we are technically foreigners/tourists,
2. we didn’t know what to do or how to do it (like get lockers, grab a drink etc), and
3. we want to party/dance but it was too crowded.

What we learned/observed:

• People on the dance floor face the DJ and dance, while the people near the DJ are on the stairs facing the people on the floor. So basically we (on the dance floor) looked at them (at the stairs) all night.
• Most guys are on the dance floor, and the women are at the bar
• It’s either: you’ll just feel something grinding your back and when you turn around there’s some guy looking/smiling at you;
• or you’ll just hear someone whispering (shouting actually) at your ear asking for your name.
• Koreans dance crazily. In a good and cute way!
• Koreans dance because they want to, and because they feel like it. They are not afraid or conscious with how they do it. And WE LOVE IT. (Fact: When we got back here in the Philippines, we attended this party and we danced awkwardly – like how we would dance in Korea. And it was fun! We didn’t care! But we didn’t know how to exactly dance ‘normally’ anymore)

So what do I mean by an EPIC NIGHT?

We got hit on three times that night. It was a memorable and fun experience. Let me tell you what happened:

1. Mr. Hoodie and Mr. Nice

Mr. Hoodie was wearing dark grey hoodie jacket with very dark sunglasses. He’s taller than me, I’m assuming he’s around 5’7″? (sorry I’m bad with measurements) His hoodie up, which is weird because dude, come on, you’re in a club. Is the darkness of it not enough to hide your face? Anyway, I know he’s drunk because he smells terrible. With him was Mr. Nice, a bit taller and slimmer than him. He was either wearing a white polo shirt or a white jacket (can’t really remember because he was hitting on Kizia)

We were both dancing and enjoying the new environment when all of a sudden Mr. Hoodie and Mr. Nice started dancing with us, looking at us and smiling. Here’s what happened:

Hoodie: Hi!

Me: Hi!

Hoodie: Where are you from?

Me: From the Philippines!

Hoodie: Nice!

(dance dance dance dance and cutting to the KABOOM moment in 3… 2… 1…)

Hoodie: Do you want to have sex?

Me: What??

Hoodie: Do you want to have sex?

Me: (with my semi-”you disgust me” and “I find this conversation really amusing” face) NO! DO YOU??

Hoodie: Yeah! Don’t you want to have sex?

Me: UHH. NO! (laughs and turns to Kizia)

Me to Kizia: He wants to have sex.

Kizia: WHAT??

Me: Hahahahaha!

She pulls me away from the freaky dude and went to the back of the club. She left Mr. Nice without saying a word. Oh, Mr. Nice was called Mr. Nice because well.. He was nice to her. I forgot bits and pieces of this first encounter please forgive me, it’s been almost a year.

2. Mr. Red

He was wearing red varsity jacket and red cap. And as far as I could remember, he was also wearing black wayfarer. He’s a bit taller than me, almost the same height as Kizia. He’s kind of cute, but not cute cute. I remember him as the guy who looked like Kev Nish of Far East Movement (Just because Kev Nish wears dark eyeglasses every time)

only chubby-er/chubbier and with a bit of pimples.

The conversation we had was longer than Mr. Hoodie but I don’t recall the exact words. Based on what I remember, he speaks really good English. Here’s bit and pieces of our conversation:

Red: (?????)

Me: Sorry?

Red: Oh sorry! I said what’s your name?

Me: Clur!

Red: What?

Me: Clur!

Red: (??? says some name – I guess he was confirming mine)

Me: Uhm yeah sure!

(resumes dancing)

Red: Could you type that out for me? (gives me his phone)

Me: (typing, gives him back his phone) 

Red: Oh right!

Me: And you are…?

Red: (says his Korean name)

Me: What?

(we both laugh)

Red: You can call me by my English name. (Let’s just say he said..) Red.

(resumes dancing; he was trying to dance BEHIND me, but I keep on stepping back so that he will always stay at my right side, Kizia’s at my left)

Red: So where are you from?

Me: From Philippines!

Red: I want to go to the Philippines!

Me: You should!

Red: And you’re staying here…

Me: For vacation.

Red: Until when?

Me: We’re leaving in three days.

Red: Why so soon?

Me: We don’t have any more money! Don opseoyo!

Red: (laughs, he looked cute and sincere when he laughs) You should stay longer!

Me: Give me and my friend money, and then we’ll stay!

Red: Haha! I’ll give you money, so stay!

Me: We need money now! (I laughed at what I said. It’s funny, right?)

Red: Well, I don’t have money NOW…

Me: Well… (shrugs)

(we both laugh at this again)

(resumes dancing)

Red: I may not have money now but… Can I at least buy you and your friend a drink?

Hold it right there, stranger. I was caught off guard. Back here in the Philippines, I don’t get a “can I buy you a drink” offer. I never got a “can I buy you a drink” offer (maybe one big reason is that I don’t party, AT ALL).

So THAT’S HOW IT FEELS LIKE. It’s flattering and crazy at the same time. My mind zoomed past future possibilities of a:

• YES, SURE (Do I want to talk to him for the rest of the night? Will he take us back to the hotel? Will he take advantage of us?) and a
• NO, THANKS (Will he continue talking to me? Is he going to leave us alone? Is he going to ask for my number instead?)

I said “No, thank you. I think we’re good.” And hurriedly faced Kizia to give updates.

I know. I know. “What were you thinking?? You turned down free drinks??” Yeah I know. But with an earlier “Do you want to have sex” question from a stranger, I thought how is this different from a “Can I buy you a drink”? I don’t know Seoul’s nightlife yet. And I am the stranger here. So I guess my ‘NO’ could be spared right?

3. Oppa

So where do I start? Right, how he looks like.

He’s more of Seungri (Big Bang), but his eyes and the sparkles in them are more of Daniel Henney’s. Basta he’s somehow kind of like you know… both.

He comes right behind me and we danced. All night. Just danced.

Oppa: Hi! Do you speak Korean?

Me: No. Aniyo.

Oppa: Where are you from?

Me: From the Philippines.

I really don’t remember what else we talked (because I think we didn’t talk at all) about but we danced. I semi-introduced Kizia but because he really can’t understand that much from all the noise, we just danced. Just danced. Even did a three-way dance (me, Kizia and him).

Dear Kizia, when are we going to do the video about the dance steps??

Oh. And this:

Oppa: You’re my style!

I know what he meant by this (very flattering) but, admit it. This is ridiculously funny and cute at the same time. Oppa is already cute and this made him even cuter. He even asked us if we want to join him and his friends for a soju. But I politely declined. That’s twice in one night.

I think it’s been an hour of dancing already, because my throat became dry and I was thirsty. I asked Kizia if we could go home (and I think she’s already bored haha). I politely turned to Oppa and told him that we’re leaving. He flashed a sad smile and said okay. He shook my hand, bowed and thanked me. ISN’T HE CUTE?????

We were walking up the stairs when suddenly someone grabbed my hand and I almost fell down because of it. I turned and saw Oppa smiling apologetically (so cute).

Oppa: Number?

I swear he looks like this when he asked me:

Me: Oh! I’m so sorry (I really was)! I don’t have a number here! I only have an international number.

Oppa: Okay okay. (smiles sadly… and gave me a bow again)

So that’s about it (for now).

CONCLUSION: EPIC PARTIES in Korea.

Address

서울특별시 마포구 서교통364-26번지

Directions

Starting at Hongik University, cross the street and head left toward the playground (green on the map). Continue down the street on the right side of the playground. Shortly after passing the playground you will see Cocoon on your left hand side.

On our way home, I saw a motel called Good Time Motel. And I remembered Mr. Hoodie. Funny.

Escape to Seoul Day 4 (Part 1 of 2)

Day 4 Itinerary:

• Namsan Tower
• Namdaemun Market
• Myeongdong
• Hongdae

—————————————————

There is no question – we woke up late (AGAIN) on our 4th day. Our plan is to meet Mo, Kizia’s friend, in Namsan Tower. Before heading there, we grabbed lunch at a Korean Restaurant in Jong-ro area.

Almost lost my camera (ssshhh don’t tell BF, it was actually his’) but didn’t– it was in my pocket all along. But the good thing here is that I learned that most Koreans, no matter how scary they look (ajhumma is kind of masungit) are kind enough to help you out and flip our table to look for my supposedly lost camera.

Anyway….

I researched that to get to Namsan Tower, you must take the subway and then ride a bus to Namsan.

As it turns out, I think we got off at the wrong stop or took the wrong exit, because the bus that we’re supposed to take is nowhere to be found. In the end, we just hailed a cab and were dropped off at the cable car center/building/station.

I also learned that you can take the Namsan Ormi Elevator that can easily take you to the cable car station. Take Line 4 to Myeongdong Station and get out of Exit 4 to the memorial plaza of No. 3 Tunnel. Take the glass elevator and enjoy the view!

If you don’t want to take the cable car, you can always walk! Haha. Or take the bus.

From Exit 4 of Seoul Station on Line 1, take the 0014, 402 or 02 buses and get off at Namsan Library stop.

One way ticket is 6,000won. I forgot how much for the round trip tickets but we only took a one-way so we could ‘explore’ another route.

To be honest, this is my first time to ride a cable car. And I am glad my first time was in Korea. The view was spectacular.

It was very scary and exciting at the same time. From the outside, the cable car seems to be moving slow. But when you’re inside, the speed is similar to a bike ride. I bet it’s better if we went there during night-time.

After a few minutes and you get to the top:

Amazing. I love it.

N Seoul Tower was built in 1971 as a broadcasting tower. Tourists have enjoyed the scenery – a full view of Seoul – since 1980 when they extended the observation deck. Now, the tower houses a number of restaurants, cafes, and a wine bar.

You can also visit the Teddy Bear Museum where you’ll learn about Seoul’s development with the help of the cute teddy bears.

Namsan Park is also well-known for the “love locks” as what I’d like to call it, around the area. Couples, friends or family put up locks at the gates to symbolize their undying love or promise to each other.

If you want to put your locks there, search for the lock fences (like the picture above). They tend to take down the fences if they’re overloaded and make it into tree shapes.

Here's me in between the 'lock trees'

But you can put yours in the trees if you want.

With enough pictures, we decided to stroll around and look for Kizia’s friend, Mo. But instead of finding her, we both ended up buying a Namsan Tower Tumblr. I also bought several stickers in the souvenir shop. We looked for Mo while our pockets slowly being emptied. After an hour or so, we decided to go back to Myeongdong to shop (we gave up after, since we couldn’t really find her anywhere)!

We walked downhill towards the bus stop and devoured fresh air.

And we didn’t get lost, which is good news!

What else is there to do in Namsan Park? Check out this funny video from Simon and Martina (eatyourkimchi). 

I will skip the Myeongdong (part 2) story because we just burned our money there. But remember that you’ll never go wrong with Myeongdong (that’s funny).

We grabbed something to eat, freshened up (more of dressed up and got ready to party) and went to Hongdae to see how nightlife is in Seoul. I don’t have pictures but I sure do have stories! Stay tuned!

Seoul Day 3 – Deoksugung Palace

Changing of the guards

Photos by Clur and Kizia

Seoul Day 3 – Changdeokgung palace

(Photos taken by me and Kizia. Photo editing by me)

To show you how much I love this Palace, here are amazing photos for your consumption (so formal!)

Thank God for the awesome weather during our Day 3. Everything’s so picturesque!

(Dear Kizia, I am not a fan of slanted photos but I LOVE what you did here ^)

You can sense that the place has a very dramatic feel about it. I was so affected with the story shared to us by our guide Nana the day before. Maybe that is why I felt so sad and emotional when we returned here.

Escape to Seoul Day 3 (Part 3 of 3)

(Read Day 3 Part 2 here)

After Deoskugung Palace, it’s time for shopping! Day 3 is scheduled for a get-lost-in-Myeongdong trip. It’s Kizia’s turn to educate me in what stores to go to in Myeongdong. We immediately looked for our most researched ones: Every Sing and SPAO.

I love SPAO because Super Junior’s endorsing them. Haha! Look at how cute Heechul is here:

Don’t you just want to find a similar jacket because of that?????

Which I did eventually. I found a dark gray hoodie jacket. Too bad they only have it in Men’s size. But that didn’t stop me from buying one (for BF) and a light gray for me! Close enough! Yay!

After that, we went up to the third floor for Every Sing to look for Kpop merch. (SPAO and Every Sing are in the same building. They’re not hard to find.) We almost jumped and screamed out loud when we found the place.

But we’re on a budgeted shopping spree. Well, I am. Unfortunately, we didn’t find anything that made us go gaga over it.

So we explored Myeongdong instead. We got hungry…

ate corn dogs covered with fries…

and went shopping in Kosney! We were kind of ‘ended our friendship’ back here when we went separate ways and savored the cute stuff in Kosney. I swear. Get ready for an hour or so of cuteness overload!

They have accessories, clothes, shoes, art materials, stationaries, DVDs, magazines, CDs and a lot of stuff. Was tempted to buy a magazine (in Korean) with Jang Geun Suk as the cover and buy a set of You’re Beautiful Drama Series. I thought about them really hard, but I thought 1. I can’t read Hangul yet, and 2. I haven’t seen You’re Beautiful so I wouldn’t know if buying the set would be worth it. I also saw Kim Sam Soon and My Girl sets. Eeeep!

If you’ve got lots of money, and you happen to pass by Kosney, I say GO AND BUY THEM ALL, MY FRIEND.

Of course, I won’t let this wonderful opportunity pass with Jang Geun Suk:

… and because Kizia pushed me to do it. (Blaming it to others eh?)

Well, as you can see, I have a Uniqlo paper bag with me in the above photo. So this is to certify that we also went to Uniqlo that day.

We also passed by Forever 21, and believe it or not, it was Kizia’s first time to go inside one. Early last year (2011), a Forever 21 store opened in Megamall and Kizia hasn’t been in it before we went to Seoul. So to remember the moment:

When we were finally finished roaming around Myeongdong, we grabbed hot drinks and let our feet and legs rest at Cafe Benne (near the entrance to the train station).

It was our first time to see the vibrating thingy that will light up once your order is ready. No more shouting barista!

When we got back home and tried the new Holly’s Coffee near DLSU – Taft, they were also using this disk. And then Coffee Bean started using it. And then Coffee Prince, another café near DLSU is also using a disk. Oh, Seattle’s best in Greenbelt is also using them. Who knows, maybe Starbucks will start using them too.

Going back…

We were supposed to board the train after we had our hot drinks when we learned that there are underground shops in the area that sells clothes, shoes accessories etc. And there is one shop in between the clothing stores that sells DVDs, albums, posters, stickers, stationaries, stuffed toys and OMYGOODNESS KPOP AND KDRAMA MERCH. An underground store that serves semi-fan girls like us.

Aaaand another hour passed by while we searched for goodies and DVDs to take home. We have no proof that the shop existed BUT I am hoping it’s still there since the price is cheaper there compared to other shops “above.” And besides, our hands are already full of shopping bags and our mind’s very much overwhelmed with the rows and stacks of Kdramas and albums.

We were too tired to look for a place to eat dinner and besides, we already splurged a bit that day so we decided to just buy street food! We bought Mandu (again, and they’re still huuuuuge) and grabbed a cup of ramyun/bokki, some bread and chips from the nearby convenience store.

I got the cheese bboki while Kizia got Ramyun. And in Seoul, you can survive by just eating these. Or just buy street food. Or eat along the sidewalks (with the tents and all) – like a carinderia here in the Philippines. I was already full when I reached half of my bread, with my chips untouched.

Happy happy day 3! <3

Escape to Seoul Day 3 (Part 2 of 3)

(Read Day 3 Part 1 here)

We left Changdeokgung and went to our next destination, Jongmyo Ancestral shrine. It was supposedly ‘near’ Changdeokgung because all our research and maps told us that it was right in front of Changdeokgung. So we walked… and walked… and I think we walked towards the wrong side of the palace. We were walking AROUND it. I was thinking the whole time that when we cross the street, we could easily enter the palace. But I think (please correct me if I’m wrong) there is only one entrance available. Boo.

The entrance fee comes with a free tour. But you have to check the schedule first. It’s better to go inside with a guide to learn about the place, than going on your own. Unfortunately we missed the last available tour for the day (by 10-15 minutes). Boo.

Lesson: take into consideration the scale of the map. OR: get a taxi, spare the walk, you’ll get plenty of that inside the palaces.

Or you can walk, and take photos of the neighboring houses around Jongmyo. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the walk. I love the walls of the palace! But I was too preoccupied looking for the entrance I didn’t get to enjoy it that much. Too few photos..

Photo by Kizia

We saw a lot of ajusshi there playing chess, smoking or just sitting down, looking around. It’s a bit scary though because they look like a mob at first glance. Haha!

Jongmyo is a 5-minute walk away from Exit 11 of Jongno 3-ga station subway line 1 or Exit 8 of Jongno 3-ga station subway line 3.

Since we don’t have anything else to there (anymore), we  headed to Deoksugung Palace.

We were walking towards the entrance when we saw this man carving wood at the side walk. His work looks absolutely beautiful.

We arrived at Deoksugung the exact moment of changing of the guards. It takes place three times a day (11 AM, 2 PM, 3:30 PM for about 20 minutes) in front of Daehanmun or the main gate. There were a lot of people watching outside as well. The Royal Guards Changing Ceremony is one of the things tourists look forward to in this side of the city. This experience feels like you traveled back in time and you’re seeing the actual changing of guards several decades ago.

Had to sit down (after that looooong walk) and re-think about our next destination.

Like a scene from a K-drama, waiting for oppa:

I saw this old couple walking around the area, holding hands. And I remembered my parents (not that they’re this old now). Love love <3

If you visit the palace during fall, you can see spring cherry blossoms and yellow ginko leaves. Great place for couples to have a romantic and historical walk.

And of course:

Deoksugung is closed on Mondays. You can reach it through Exit 2 of City Hall Station on Line 1 or Exit 12 of Jongno 3-ga Station on Line 2. The Palace is a good 5 minutes walk from both exits.

 

Escape to Seoul Day 3 (Part 1 of 3)

Day 3 Itinerary:

• Brunch/Lunch
• Chandeokgung Palace
• Jongmyu Ancestral Shrine
• Deoksugung Palace
• Myeongdong!

——————————————-

As usual, we woke up late (because it was really hard to get up – our room was nice and cold and the blankets are so soft and warm) and decided to eat brunch/lunch before going around the city and palaces. We decided to go back to the palaces to take decent pictures and follow our own pace.

We stopped by Mr. Pizza (61 Jong-ro, Insadong) but line’s too long so we decided to try another pizza place.

Pizza More is still in Insadong (if you found Mr. Pizza, you have to get across the street and get lost. You’ll find it sitting quietly between bars, norea-bang and restaurants)

Located in a quiet corner, this place offers the best cheese and corn pizza and sweet corn soup I have ever tasted.  The place is cozy and the food is delicious!

We also ordered pasta, marinara was it? The surprise here is it was a bit spicy. But delicious. But the corn pizza was something new to us, we gobbled it down until it’s finished. Love it.

We decided to walk to our first destination, Changdeokgung Palace, which is nearest to our place. We passed by Insadong to see what we can buy and explore around there when we get back. We saw a couple of young adults doing a street show and there were a lot of people around them. There was even a camera crew filming them – maybe from a broadcasting network?

We passed by the famous Ssamssigil, looked around for a while, grabbed a cup of hot choco for the road and bought a ‘poop’ bread or ‘dung bread.

And headed to our first Palace: Changdeok-gung or Changdeok Palace.

Changdeok-gung or Chandeok-gung Palace literally means “The Palace of Prospering Virtue.” It is often referred to as the East Palace as it is located East of the Grand Palace, Gyeongbuk-gung. It was the second royal villa built after Gyeongbuk-gung Palace.

Yes, we walked from Insadong to here. It’s a bit far, but manageable. We’re avoiding taxis. Haha!

“One such notable difference is the fact that the architecture of Changdeokgung harmonizes beautifully with the surrounding nature without appearing intrusive or destructive in the process.” 

GETTING THERE: Take subway Line 3 to Anguk Station and get out at Exit 3. Changdeokgung Palace is open from 09:15~17:45 (April ~ October) and 09:15~15:45 (November ~ February). In March, visiting hours are from 09:15~16:45. Entry is permitted every 15 and 45 minutes past the hour. The palace is closed Mondays. Entry to the palace is only permitted with a guided tour. Visitors do not have to join the tour on Thursdays. Admission is 3,000 won.

- From Visit Korea

I love this palace because of the way it was built. The buildings and the garden goes well together. Although we didn’t go to the Secret Garden, you can sense that the plants around the area are well-maintained. For me, this is my favorite. It’s very feminine.

We saw a monk (?) on vacation, maybe, going around the palace just like us.

It’s really nice.

I will post a lot of pictures of Changdeokgung after this!

And oh!!! When we’re leaving, we saw some snow at the side of the road. <3

<3 love love!

Seoul Day 2 – Korean Barbecue

This post is about FOOD. And our first authentic Korean Barbecue in Korea with Narae.

To start this off, here is Kizia getting ready for the meal:

Seoul Day 2 (Palaces)

Perfectly preserved details:

Last-minute testing with a borrowed lens hehe.

I had to put this here: I love my hair color!

This one I think is also from Kizia:

The small figures/statues on the rooftop:

All photos taken March 2011 by Kizia and yours truly.

Please forgive our personal photos. It’s just we look so darn pretty there. Haha!

Escape to Seoul Day 2 (Part 2 of 2)

Read Day 2 Part 1 here.

NAMDAEMUN MARKET.

We stopped by Namdaemun Market that afternoon. Nana (so so sweet) offered to help us get cheaper prices from the ajhummas in Namdaemun. But we didn’t buy anything (yet again) because, well, we really don’t feel like buying stuff right there and then. We also felt that we are such a big burden to Nana if we make her do the haggling. And it’s a bit awkward too.

In Namdaemun, it’s better if you know how to speak in Korean because most unnis and ajhummas in Namdaemun doesn’t speak that much Englilsh. The place has a Divisoria feel to it (Divisoria in the Philippines), not the 168 area. The old parts of Divisoria. No, scratch that. It’s like Baclaran! The market place near the Baclaran Church is similar to Namdaemun Market – only it’s bigger and cleaner.

We passed by Ssamziegil along Insadong when Nana dropped us off. It was already on our list so imagine how happy we were when we learned  how near it was to our hotel! After saying our goodbyes to Nana, we walked back to the hotel to rest for a while and freshen up because we have a date in Hongdae with Narae.

HONGDAE WITH NARAE.

Kizia met Narae in a marketing class back in college. She went to the Philippines to study, and went back to Korea right after graduation. When we finalized our trip, Kizia immediately left her a message – the date was set (although it was finalized when we were in Seoul already haha), and with our trusty Seoul Tourist Map, and our ‘how to get in a packed train’ skills we learned in Manila, we braved the snowy/rainy weather to see Narae and set our foot in the famous Hongdae.

OH YAH! IT SNOWED-slash-rained. AND I WAS SO HAPPY. Oh wait, I don’t have a photo. (-_-) Pffft

Narae said that some Koreans love rain, some love snow, but most of them hate the kind of weather we had that night. Snow / rain. It was more of raining than snowing actually. But I still loved it!

The first restaurant that we went to is full so we transferred to another (unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a photo of the place). The dinner was spectacular!

Me and our cook, Narae

Dearest Kizia, please remind me the food we ate that night. All I remembered was the Pork skin. Yum-meh. I will put another blog post about the dinner after this one!

Another great thing about the place is that you can ask for big plastic bags where you can put your stuff in so the smell of the barbecue place won’t stick to them. Narae forgot they were available and only remembered it AFTER our meal.

plastic bags for your bags (and stuff)

Narae also forgot to tell us that tissue papers and napkins are also available (we were looking for napkins all night). It was just right above us!

We badly needed a sweet hot drink after the big dinner. And on our way to the coffee shop, we passed by THE Tukbokki Shop where Mary Stayed Out All Night was filmed! I know this is THE store. Plus Narae confirmed it! Yipee!

The Tukbokki Shop from Mary Stayed Out All Night

Go to and take a picture of one location in your favorite Korean Drama: check.

The boys are so cute. They posed for the camera too when they saw us taking a picture. )

We also passed by this:

Hehehehe. So back to the coffee shop.

We stopped by EDIYA Coffee shop in Hongdae. It’s a small coffee shop, with a few tables and chairs. Fortunately, we found a table despite the crowd.

The brick walls are great, the colors of all elements inside the shop blends well, and it looks really warm from the outside! The store is part-glass so you can see everything from the inside – the shops outside, the people walking by, it’s a nice spot to people-watch! You can also watch falling snow without feeling cold. Ediya Coffee is small, but cozy. It’s a mixture of modern architecture and just plain cuteness. I love the hanging light bulbs by the way. It adds to the modern feel to the place.

That night, we learned about the power of the… STRAW.

THE STRAW

It’s not just A straw. It’s THE straw. Haha! It’s really a stirrer but it’s also a straw. You can drink/sip your coffee or latte from it. It’s really nice. And it’s blue! We were so amazed with this technology (whut) that we were tempted to get more. Haha! We’ve now seen these strawstirrers here in the Philippines, starting with the first branch of Holly’s Coffee along Taft Avenue. Some branches of Jollibee started providing strawstirrers for their customers’ coffee.

Being a non-user, I rely on Kizia for make up tips and whatnots. And Korea is a known haven for cosmetics. It was one of the topics we had during our coffee time. But Narae felt her knowledge with cosmetics were limited. She decided to phone a friend. Thus the picture:

We were already in Hongdae so the urge to party was strong. But Narae’s got work the following day so the partying will have to wait. Haha! We took the subway home and surprisingly, it was still crowded at that time!

Even though it was kind of a short date with her, it was definitely one of the most memorable nights ever in my life. Meeting a new friend in a faraway country and the discovery of the STRAW = EPIC.

Let’s not forget the Sweet Potato Latte! Love love love…

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P.S. We had a little stop over at Family Mart:

Kizia's Starbucks Latte

and my ice cream. I ate all three of them while Kizia was in the bathroom. Sorry, they were delicious. I'll treat you to an ice cream soon na lang .

And another day passed in Seoul.