Hot Spots
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Such a Beautiful and Peaceful Rail Park in Gangchon!!
They used to have a railway which was called Gyeongchun line and it’s been running for 70 years in Korea. And it has stopped and gone forever with its history. But they’re still running on this railway to keep their memories. That is Gangchon Rail Park and the new life of the line is breathing now again with that bike. Let’s find out what they’re exactly running on this railway.
There are 3 rail bike stations for this line, Gimyujeong, Gyeong-gang and Gapyeong. Each of them has a railway with 7~10 km distance and you can ride a bike or a train. Technically, they’re all bikes that you need to pedal to operate and they’re really fun driving on the railway. You’re supposed to drive through the tunnels, mountains, you can go all through the nature while you drive there.
This is the sign of the gate and it’s very colorful. It looks literally like a park.
It is such an overwhelming nature and it looks like a painting since it’s so beautiful.
These are the 2 seat bikes for couples. It must be like taking a stroll on the railway. They look so happy and peaceful.
When you ride it, you’re also supposed to pass through some tunnels and they provide such beautiful services and events.
They also provide VR rail bike for the first time in the world and it’s the largest in the world according to them. I wonder what it’s like.
This is the map of Gimyujeong’s Rail Park and this is probably the best course that they have.
Here’s some more information about this place if you’re interested in visiting this place.
Address : 1383, Gimyujeong-ro, Sindong-myeon, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
For Inquiries : 033-245-1000
Admission : 30,000 KRW (2 Seaters) / 40,000 KRW (4 Seaters)
Operating Hours : 09:00 ~ 18:00
Homepage (English) and Credit Source : http://www.railpark.co.kr/index.php?lng=e
Travel
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Why So Crazy For Tteokbokki??!! Dukki!!
There’s one thing I still don’t understand about girls in Korea. Do you know Tteokbokki? Tteokbokki is a very popular Korean food made from small sized rice cake stirred with spicy sauce and Korean girls are crazy for this all the time. I still don’t know why. I would say that there’s even a tteokbokki culture in Korea and one tteokbokki franchise which is called Yeopkki Tteokbokki has launched and it’s been super popular among young ladies in Korea. But you know what? It’s not even eatable. Trust me, it is super spicy so you won’t be able to eat it.
But this one was different. It is buffet style so you can choose the ingredients you want, even the sauce for your tteokbokki. So I could eat it at least, ha. My wife is also crazy for tteokbokki and I know she loves Yeopkki Tteokbokki but we made a deal this time that we choose one that I can eat together. So we went to this place that was called Dukki and it was quite a nice tteokbokki place even for me as well.
These are all kinds of tteoks (rice cakes) for tteokbokki. You can choose whatever you want. But you should keep in mind that you’re going to get charged penalty for leftovers and you have 90 minute time limit.
These are the ingredients to add to your tteokbokki.
These are the sauces that makes your tteokbokki’s taste. They also provide Super Hot sauce but of course I passed. We made jajang tteokbokki with the jajang sauce.
They also have some twigims (fried dishes) and I especially loved their twigims. They really suit to our tteokbokki.
Now we’re ready to cook! All you need to do is that you boil the pot when you’re ready.
Ta-da! Sorry we already had some before I took it, ha.
After you finish your tteokbokki, you can make bibimbap as well with your own recipe. I really enjoyed this place.
Please check the information below if you’re interested in the same place that we visited for tteokbokki.
Address : 50, Olympic-ro 70-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
Location : Near exit 5 of Cheongho Station, Line 5
Phone Number : 02-474-2771
Operating Hours : 11:00 ~ 22:30
[Price]
Adult : KRW 8,900
Junior : KRW 7,900
Under 7 : KRW 4,900
Beer (300 cc) : KRW 1,500
Food
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Fun Activities In The Maze!! Dynamic Maze!!
I’ve been looking for fun activities so I can introduce more and one of my colleagues told me about this place. It looks very fun and seems like everyone can enjoy this place. It is called Dynamic Maze and it is like an indoor sport getting through their own set-up maze with some obstacles. And it must be also very challenging, ha. You need to make sure that you put your belongings in the locker before entering.
They have a few centers in Korea but not many. They have one in Seoul, Sokcho in Ganwon and the last one in Jeju. They also have a package with an illusion art museum called Alive Museum and if you buy tickets for both then you’ll get some discounts. And here are some rules that you should be aware. Booking is not allowed so you should queue in line before entering. You should wear socks since you take off your shoes. You should be careful in room structure so no accidents happen. Pants are recommended for activities. And minimum 2 persons.
There is a gate with the sign. They’re showing 2 of them both, Dynamic Museum and Alive Museum on the sign.
This is probably for ticketing and waiting. There should be many people waiting but it was good timing.
I see a big face of an animal and I thought it was the dragon’s face but they call it ‘Haetae’. Haetae is an imaginary beast that looks like a lion with a small horn.
You’re going to have to pass through this to get out. She looks desperate over there, ha.
This one looks very unstable. So you have to get through this swing bridge too. Awesome!
Do you see that sign? It says ‘The Last Gateway’. So you must get through this final bloody fight with the evil spirit here!
Here’s some more information about this place.
Address : B1, Daeil Bld., 12, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Location : Near exit 5 of Jongno Sam-ga Station, line 5
Phone Number : 02-2034-0600
Admission : 12,000 KRW
Operating Hours : 09:00 ~ 20:00
Homepage (English) : http://en.dynamicmaze.com/main/main.php#&slider1=2
Entertainment
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How About Handmade Shoes? Seongsu-dong!!
Seongsu-dong in Seoul has been a famous place for handmade shoes and leather products for such a long time. And if you need to get your shoes repaired then you can visit this area. You can even see the history of this area when you’re on the way to the subway station. Seoul city has also designated Seongsu-dong area as The Street of Handmade Shoes. I was told that they’ve been gathered for handmade shoes since 1970s.
Since they have the history of handmade shoes, they’ve been developing this area as a landmark. It was like a project to them and now they have so many competitive shoe stores in Seongsu-dong. Now they have almost 70% of Korean manufacturers of handmade shoes gathered in this area. It is called Korean Brooklyn since they have remodeled so many warehouses for new facilities such as coffee shops, theme parks, studios and so on.
You can see them displayed on the way to Seongsu Station. I guess they’re very proud of its history. They deserve it.
You can also see some information about shoe makers. ‘Leather and thread alone cannot make shoes’, ‘From a beginner apprentice to a master craftsman’.
Is that even a real shoe? It’s supposed to be for a giant, ha. It is interesting.
It isn’t hard to find a shoe place in this area. They’re almost everywhere in the neighborhood.
This is a sign that they’re holding a street art festival. We could see that they’re trying to hold events as much as possible so lots of youngsters also pay attention. I appreciate their effort.
Below is some more information about this place.
Address : 100, Achasan-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Location : Seongsu Station, line 2
Inquiries : 02-465-7871
Operating Hours : 24 Hours
Homepage (Credit Source) : http://seongsushoes.or.kr/
Shopping
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You Miss Spring Time Already? Cherry Blossoms In Gyeongju!!
When it turns to spring, everyone expects something very cheerful, joyful, warm and bright. And there is something more expected especially in Korea. And that is Cherry Blossoms outing. It is very normal in Korea to go and see cherry blossoms during spring. I didn’t know this but they also have cherry blossoms forecast. Cherry blossoms outing is very popular in Korea.
I got these photos from my colleague. I was told that it’s really famous for cherry blossoms here. It is located in Gyeongju City in Kyeongbuk Province which is really far from Seoul. The distance between Gyeongju and Seoul is 324 km and it takes about 5 hours by car. However, Gyeongju is a very important city historically in Korea and it’s often referred to as ‘the museum without walls’ so many students visit Gyeongju for their school field trip so they learn about the history.
There are so many cherry blossoms on the street. To be honest, I don't see anything special yet in this picture because it looks quite similar to other cherry blossoms.
Wow, there are more cherry blossoms here. I see endless trees on the street. They look very impressive.
Do you see that all of the cherry blossoms are reflecting lights? I thought it was black and white reversal but they are exactly the way it is. They are much more beautiful at night. I didn’t notice that.
There is a man standing in the middle of the street under the cherry blossoms in the darkness with frustration and desperation. He’s the one who gave me these photos. He was just playing alone, haha.
I also got this shot from Kweather website. See? They have Cherry Blossom Forecast. It’s interesting.
Please check the below for more information if you’re interested in this place.
Address : 140-25, Cheomseong-ro, Gyeongju City, Kyeongbuk Province
Inquiries : 054-779-8585
Open Hours : 24 Hours
Admission : Free
Travel
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Do You Need a Korean Appetizer?? Ganjang Gejang!!
This is very much traditional Korean food. I don’t even imagine that people out of Korea would eat this because I believe it’s definitely Korean food. Even in Korea, some people don’t eat this. This is called ‘Gejang’. There are two types of this and one is Ganjang Gejang which is made in soy sauce and the other one is Yangnyeom Gejang which is made in spicy sauce. I prefer Ganjang Gejang much more.
So what is Gejang? Gejang is pickled crabs, simply saying. That means it is marinated crabs either in soy sauce or gochujang. You wouldn’t imagine, right? But you know what? Gejang is known as a rice-eater in Korea. If you have gejang, you’re not going to need any other side dishes only but several bowls of your rice. But according to a poll of tourists to Korea, gejang is difficult to eat because it’s too salty or too spicy. It’s a shame, ha.
Can you now see what gejang is? It is fresh raw crabs marinated. But if you’re not a fan of raw foods then you better skip it.
It’s usually like this when you order Gejang Jeongsik at a restaurant. It is also quite expensive in Korea.
Can you tell what part of the crab this is? It is the back shell and you put your rice in it and mix it so you can taste juicy gejang with its eggs in it. I don’t know how to describe its taste. I would say it’s a stunning taste.
And this is another type of gejang which is called Yangnyeom Gejang. Yangnyeom literally means seasoning or seasoned usually with Korean spicy sauce called gochujang.
Please check the information below if you’re interested in the same place that we visited for Gangjang Gejang.
Address : 48, Achasan-ro 73-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
Location : Near exit 1 of Gwangnaru Station, Line 5
Phone Number : 02-453-2277
Operating Hours : 11:00 ~ 21:00
Homepage : https://sanwool.modoo.at/?link=d68djy5t
[Menu]
Gondre Jeongsik : KRW 9,000
Ganjang Gejang Jeongsik : KRW 29,000
Buchujeon : KRW 10,000
Sanwool King Mandu : KRW 7,000
Food
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Want Something Familiar? Paju English Village!!
English Villages in Korea are usually language education institutions for a language immersion program for students. And one of them located in Paju City is opened to the public and it is also great to come by to get some fresh air. One of my colleagues gave me some pictures of this place and now I’m writing this to introduce you to this place.
This place is called Change-Up Campus in English but they have an official Korean name. It is long and hard to remember so everyone just calls it Paju English Village. This place could be really recommended for young children to learn English because it feels like a different country. And if you’re visiting Korea and missing your peaceful hometown then this place could help. I’m definitely interested in visiting this place soon because I didn’t know that it was free to the public until now.
This is a view from the top place of the whole village. It looks very peaceful and clean surrounded by mountains.
You can park your car in this place which is called Gate 1. I would say driving a car would be much more convenient to get here.
This is the entrance of the campus. It looks foreign already.
Look at the houses here. Wouldn’t it feel like you’re walking down the street in a small town somewhere in Europe?
This is the city hall. So they’re saying it’s a city, ha. It is interesting.
Please check the below for more information if you’re interested in visiting this place.
Address : 40, Eoleumsil-ro, Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju-si, Kyonggi-do
Inquiries : 1588-0554
Open Hours : 09:30 ~ 22:00
Admission : Free
One Day Experience : KRW 8,000
Homepage (English) : https://www.gcampus.or.kr/eng_index.php
Travel
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Are You Sick?? Eat JUK!!
Have you heard of Juk? Juk is a Korean rice porridge and it’s usually considered a dish for people who are sick. So it is a culture here in Korea to suggest juk when you get sick. However, it is likely to be eaten any time nowadays thanks to this juk brand, Bonjuk. I would say Bonjuk is the first leading rice porridge in Korea. You can see this franchise restaurant almost everywhere in Korea.
Bonjuk has been always considered as a tasty and healthy food since the beginning. That’s probably why its business has been getting more popular and bigger all the time. They have so many different menus. And my first choice would be Korean Beef Vegetable Juk. Most of their menus are quite expensive but this one is cheaper and more common so everyone would enjoy it.
We recently had a chance to visit Bonjuk restaurant after a health checkup. And I ordered the Beef Vegetable Juk as usual.
They used to serve only juk menu but now they have Bibimbap menu as well so my wife ordered bibimbap. I don’t recall how to call it, ha.
We didn’t take more pictures so I got these photos from their homepage. They have so many menu and there’s more.
As I said, they have bibimbap menu now so if you don’t feel like eating juk then go for bibimbap instead.
I just found out they have delivery service now. So you can just download the app to go for the delivery service.
Please check the information below if you’re interested in the same place that we visited for Bonjuk.
Address : 1st Floor, Gangdong Bld., 1033, Cheonhodae-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
Location : Near exit 5 of Cheonho Station, Line 5
Phone Number : 02-488-6288
Operating Hours : 08:30 ~ 22:00
Homepage : https://www.bonif.co.kr/ (Credit Source)
Food
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Seafood Shopping(?!), Noryangjin Fishery Market
I looked it up and found out its official English name is Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market. Have you hear of it? This place is one of the biggest places to visit in Seoul and it’s the largest fish market that has a history of more than 90 years in Korea. But if you don’t like the fishy smell then you better avoid it because you’re going to see all kinds of fish and seafood on display when you walk around there.
But if you’re into sushi or raw fish then it is definitely recommend. They’re all fresh and cheap and many of the chefs also visit this place to pick up fish. Besides, you can just eat the raw fish on site when you purchase it and this can be a very interesting experience for visitors. This market is open for 24 hours and shop vendors open fish auctions for wholesale at dawn.
This is the sign of the market and it has 4 different languages. This place actually used to be a very old and dirty place but they look very new after remodeling.
You can see so many different shops in the hallway. I would say you can visit any of it because their services and prices are quite similar.
We chose one and picked up a dish of Modum(All kinds of) raw fish. They served plenty of it. It is cheap and a lot with excellent quality.
Most of them are very generous and kind people. I could meet those people usually outside of Seoul (No offense!) but I really felt the warmth of their heart. They must be really diligent, kind, somehow naive and trustworthy. I don’t think you can find a better place for raw fish than this place at least in Seoul. But if you prefer quiet, cleaner and less trouble place then you better go to more expensive restaurants. But if it’s not, this place is definitely recommended especially to foreigners who want to experience something unique in Korea.
Below is some more information about this place if you’re interested in visiting there.
Address : 674, Nodeul-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
Location : Near exit 2 of Norynagjin Station, line 1
Inquiries : 02-2254-8000
Operating Hours : 24 Hours
Homepage (English) : https://www.susansijang.co.kr/nsis/miw/en/intro
Shopping