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| Modern & Traditional |
It's such a joy to visit Seoul - a veritable playground of amazing food, k-pop, beauty and fashion. I've written at length about all the restaurants we frequented during this trip at
Hungry Laws. This time, I was the tour guide for a couple of friends who happen to be first-timers to Seoul. Aside from the meals, they loved the fashion and beauty shopping. I think we strolled down the main drag at Insadong at least 5 times during the course of 3 days! Walking around Myeongdong and visiting the 24/7 shopping centers at Dongdaemun were a given. Having said that, we were able to fit in a little sightseeing as well.
First tourist activity on the checklist - dressing up in traditional Korean dress or "hanbok". This Instagram-friendly activity has just exploded in the last few years. Korean dress is colorful and very forgiving - cinching just below the bust which hides wide waists and hips. Most of the rental companies are North of the River in the Insadong area so you can visit the various palaces and the old-style Korean houses in Bukchon village for photo backdrops.
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| On the grounds of Changdeok Palace |
I selected "One Day Hanbok" and at 9am, it was the busiest place we visited in our entire trip! Tourists were falling over themselves selecting the best outfits (you can only try on 2), accessories and grooming your hair. It was cost-effective fun though - less than US$30 per person for full day rental.
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| Traditional tea shop in Bukchon Village |
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We walked around Changdeokgung Palace, had lunch at Michelin-starred "Yongsusan Biwon" and then walked around the Bukchon village where we stopped at a cafe for drinks. This activity definitely helped us focus on sightseeing as I'm not sure we would have completed the itinerary otherwise.
In contrast, I also got to visit a very new attraction in Seoul - the Coex Starfield Library. Although my visit was fleeting, it was impressive to see the tall bookshelves in this library within the Coex Shopping Mall.
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| Starfield Library |
Finally, we spent a calming couple of hours walking along the old Seoul city walls. We started our visit to the Hyewha area with a gourmet coffee at Hakrim Dabang - one of Seoul's oldest cafes having opened in 1956. "Dabangs" is a traditional term for a coffee shop where folks used to hang out, chat with friends, listen to music or study. This was before coffee shops were ubiquitous with chain coffee shops at every corner. Korea is no stranger to this phenomenon with home-grown chains such as "A Twosome Place", "Paris Baguette", "Tous Les Jours", "Holly Coffee" and "Caffe Bene". "Starbucks" is here as well.
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| Inside Hakrim Dabang |
Hakrim only serves a selection of coffees and a couple of snacks such as its homemade cheesecake. The interior stays true to its vintage roots - faded posters of classical composers line the walls and it only plays classical music. The dark interior is full of cosy corners, perfect for private conversations.
Of course, Hakrim has been made internationally famous by being one of the film locations of the popular k-drama "You From Another Star". The main table which was filmed is "Reservation Only" although we were able to take photos. A visit to Hakrim is a nostalgic throwback to a simpler time - when music was only available on vinyl records and you got your coffee in a ceramic cup and saucer, as opposed to the take-out paper cup.
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| Modern Sculpture touching Namsan Tower |
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| Enjoying the view |
Onwards to the old Seoul fortress walls. First built in the 14th century, the walls mark the boundaries of the old city. After an uphill walk to Naksan Park, we were rewarded with peaceful surroundings and a clear view of downtown Seoul. There were a few locals taking their morning exercise but it seemed we were the only tourists around. Modern interactive sculptures line the route - which made for some fun photos. The surrounding area was all residential - giving us a glimpse of how Seoulites really live, away from the tourist hotspots. I would have liked to have also visited the Ihwa Mural Village but I was over-ruled with more shopping!
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| Fortress Walls |
Although this was my 3rd visit to Seoul, I still feel there is much more that I haven't explored. Plus, I haven't even managed to see the rest of the country yet! Feels like I need a whole month here...
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