Thursday, July 28, 2011

Korea, Seoul - 22072011

My fun-filled Korea trip. Not because I did lots of shopping, but because, everywhere I turn my head, I can see my oppa!

Star Avenue, the less exciting one near to Lotte DFS. I vowed to go to the one located at Lotte World next year!

Nevertheless, I was enamored with his posters. Yes, they are merely posters.


A visit to O'sulloc tea house is almost de rigueur, a popular hangout place for Koreans. They seemed to be very into the coffee and tea drinking culture. Everywhere I walked there bound to be a cafe round the corner of the street.

Don't think that I am just a shopaholic. I also visited Gyeongbokgung Palace, Korea House, Namsangol Hanok Village and the National Museum too.










We had Korean traditional table d’hôte for lunch at the Korea House. I had abalone as my main, and Kevin had Ginseng chicken.



We also visited the local popular coffee joint, Coffee Bene. They are as big as Starbucks in Korea. And I love their honey bread toast. The one I had was the cheese and garlic. It was lip-smacking good!! And I managed to buy the Secret Garden comic books. Read it while I drank coffee.



The National Museum. Not a very big museum, as compared to the ones in Europe.


Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the guard exchange duty ceremony.





And we visited Gogung that is renowned for its Jeonju bibimbap. I love Korean pancakes. Everywhere I go, I bound to order one. Be it seafood, or kimchi, like the one in this picture.


Of course, I visited Myeong-dong, where my hotel was located, strategically opposite Lotte Departmental Store, and the shopping street opposite it. I also went to the Dongdaemun Market to experience the atmosphere of mid-night shopping.

The usual shopping spots -- Ewha Street, Namdaemun Market, Insadong, Gangnam and Itaewon.

Not forgetting the Seoul Tower, and the Teddy Bear Museum located at the Lobby. The shopping ain't that great, but I would say the shopping scene is so much more vibrant than our homeland. Tourists should just go to Korea for some 24-hour shopping and not Singapore. Its a shame that Singapore, a "shopping paradise" is not really a paradise for the shoppers, since most of the shops close at 10pm, except Mustafa. (And I wonder who needs to buy electronic goods at night?)

Whatever brand names that Singapore has, Korea has it too, however, what Korea has, Singapore might not have it.

One more thing, the shopping centers in Korea are at least 8 storeys, some even has up to 11 storeys of boutique, what about Singapore? The newest that we have at Ion, how many storeys?

I bought lots of cosmetic, skin care products, Hyun Bin stuff and also some branded goods.



I will be back again.

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

As the obsession grows...

Leaving for Seoul in a less than 8 hours time. I don't recall being so excited when I travelled to Europe earlier this year.

Mainly because I simply can't wait to check out stores selling Hyun Bin's stuff, the visit to Star Avenue, as G said, "Go to Samsung store and grab their product brochures!"

I can't wait.

Here are some pictures of Hyun Bin featured in High Cut. I love his bad boy look. All gals like bad boys right?




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A Dose of Art - Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Warriors are actually soldier and horse funerary statues or we typically call them Terracotta Warriors and Horses. It is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.

I love the fact that without traveling to Shaanxi, I still get to see the Terracotta Warriors with just a few dollars.





The figures vary in height, according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.









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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

That's how much I love Secret Garden

To look for the quotes from the Internet.
The quotes are pretty touching.



“She drives like a car racer. If she witnesses someone’s purse being snatched, someone she’s never met in her life, she’ll throw fists. She has no money and her body is covered in scars, but she doesn’t want to spend even one second of one minute with people like us. She’s that kind of woman. I’ve never seen a woman as cool as her. That… is my answer.” – Joo Won



“There are things that are thought of as fantasies merely because they’re far away. Starry bodies are like that. Just as it is with people who are too beautiful, they readily disappear – In the books that I’d read to find out what he’s really like, this was a passage that had long settled in my heart. It’s now that I realize it, how beautiful a person he is. And therefore, how far away he is from me. He’ll disappear someday, too, like people do when they’re too beautiful.” – Ra-Im

“Where on earth is a woman who’ll jump at the chance to happily and beautifully cultivate a love that’ll just turn to bubbles? Nowhere in the world is there a woman who will start a love, giving up the ending. That’s why we’ll never work. We have no answer.” – Ra-Im

“The thing about women is, the most common of women can become a queen, and the most rarefied woman can become a maid – according to how she is treated by the person she loves.” – Seul

“Do you like decorating trees? I hate it – I hate making a ruckus on anyone’s birthday but my own. But… I thought that you would like it. You only like things that I hate.” – Joo Won



“Since what age did you become so pretty?” – Joo Won

“I’m thinking of doing everything now, including this stupid act of waiting for someone in front of their house so you should do the same. You have no thoughts of becoming the little mermaid, so that’s why I’ll be come the little mermaid instead. I’ll be right next to you as if I am not there and disappear like foam. So right now, I am the one shamelessly hanging on to you.” – Joo Won



“Are you that weak? Even if the distance seems far, run after him. Even if it feels like he isn’t next to you, grab on to him.” – Seul

“All around the world there are 230 countries, and among those people I can speak 5 languages. Nevertheless, I can’t find the exact word to define our relationship.” – Joo Won

“Open your eyes. You did something strange and stole my heart, you made me drink something strange and stole my body, showed up at someone else’s party and stole even my lips. If it wasn’t for that, there is no reason for you to look so pretty in my eyes.” – Joo Won

“From now on, no matter what you do I’ll still like it, no matter what you do I’ll still forgive you, for the sole reason that you’re alive.” – Ra Im

“There are only two types of girls: the type that you marry and the type that you play around with and then break up with. But you’re somewhere in between.” – Joo Won

“It’s not because I love you, but because I only love you. If I don’t have you, then I won’t have any other choices.” – Joo Won

“Being unable to eat and sleep is the basic thing. Waking up in the middle of the night will become a daily routine. Because the one you love has turned into someone else, you also can’t whine to each other for the fear of being scolded by that person. So, you cry by yourself. But what hurts the most is that person doesn’t actually miss me like the way I do. It’s like that person has forgotten about me and is simply being happy alone. All you want to do is die, but you can’t die either… because you’re scared that you won’t see that person again.” – Seul

“Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. This is a mental illness. It is like looking through the wrong end of a pair of binoculars. It is as if you are living in a fantasy world of a fable. This is an interesting and sad syndrome. I’m sure that I have that syndrome. If it’s not it, then why the heck does my every moment with the ordinary girl feel like a fable?” – Joo Won

”If some man tells you that he’s fallen in love with you at first sight, just punch him. It’s just another way of saying that he wants to go to bed with you.” – Joo Won

“Don’t fall in love with another guy. For the rest of your life, live alone and think of me. This is perhaps the most selfish decision I’ve made in my life.” – Joo Won

“You just hang up the phone whenever you feel like it. When I come to find you, you get angry. When I try to buy you food, you get even angrier. Even worse than that, you hit me. You’re a completely strange woman… but that’s exactly the problem. You’re so strange that I find you, puzzling and amazing.” – Joo Won

“You’re really pretty when you’re mad.” – Joo Won

“Do you need more miracles? There was already a miracle. A woman with no decent family background, no money, no good looks, is someone very special to someone who has everything. Isn’t that a miracle? Be honest. When I was clinging on to you, I know you said “go away, disappear”, but inside you were going KYA!!! Right?” – Joo Won

“We still don’t have a single wedding photo. But we live every day, loving and being loved, living a magical life. Maybe being in love is a lot like swapping souls. May your soul have flowers that bloom, a cool breeze, a shining sun, and… once in a while, a magical rain that falls.” – Ra Im

“I hope you’ll see the things I see. You’ll stand at the window where I stand, and lie down in the bed where I lie down, and read the books I read. If we could be together, even in that way… then that’s enough. Let’s think of it as being together. That’s enough for us to consider ourselves as happy as other lovers.” – Joo Won

Gil Ra Im will always be stuck between two different worlds, when I’m done with you, you’ll disappear like foam on the sea.” – Joo Won

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Impromptu Korea Trip

It's always the work that makes me feel stressed out. And decided to do something bersek. Such as blogging at 2:30am.

Booked a flight to Korea an hour ago, extremely inspired after watching Secret Garden, and fell deeply in love again with Hyun Bin.
Flying off 10 days later, without accomodation (for now).

That's how crazy my life can be. Full of surprises and impromptu. I like my life this way, especially I dread planning.

Earlier this year, while on the flight back from Europe, I was already thinking where is our next holiday destination. However, I was told to go to China/HK for two weeks shortly after due to work.

And for the whole few months after the work trip, I was still thinking...

Revisit Bangkok? Bali? Bintan Banyan Tree?

Whatever it is, Korea never make it to my list. For a few reasons.
First, I hate my food cold. Second, I abhor ikan bilis. Third, what is there to buy from Korea?

Not until I watched Secret Garden for the umpteen time.

For those who watched Secret Garden, how can you not fall for Hyun Bin?

Who should I blame? Blame him. He is the root cause of my implusive holiday. I only started watching Secret Garden late last month.



It is this killer smile that changed my mindset and amend Korea to be under the must-visit country category.





If you ask me why I want to go Korea, really, I don't know what to expect.
May there be lots of shopping to do.

Can't wait for the Dec 2012 trip with G, hopefully we can catch a glimpse of Hyun Bin.

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