Seoul Top Recommended Attractions

1. Nami Island
29 dec 2014 Start: 10am - 1pm.

How to get there?
Take the subway to Mangu Station (Gyeongchun line) and change to the ITX to Gapyeong station. From Gapyeong, take a taxi (3000won - 5mins) to the ferry wharf. Buy a ticket at the ferry ticketing booth for (8000won) to nami island. To go back, take the ferry again back to the wharf.

What to do?
Experience the breath-taking scenery where winter sonata was filmed. Take many memorable pictures with friends and family. It's magical :)

Tips:
The ground is cold as it is covered with snow, wear extra socks.
Bring food and drinks in your bag as it is expensive and there isn't many food outlets around the area.

 

2. Petite France
29 dec 2014 Start: 3pm (after nami island)

How to get there?
At the ferry wharf area, there are a few restaurants. Take the shuttle bus (comes in intervals of 1hr) for tourist resort from the "bus stand". Costs 5000won for unlimited rides the whole day. Best timing to take will be 215pm or 315pm bus after your lunch at the ferry wharf. To go back from petite france, you can queue for the shuttle bus or take a cab to the nearest train station (Our cab driver said it was gapyeong so we just followed. Quite expensive but faster).

Ticket entrance: 8000won

What to do?
Take pictures! I haven't been to france so I would not know if this really was a good showcase of that country. The buildings, scenery and little surprises in the houses.

3. Everland
3 Jan 2014 Start: 10am

How to get there?
Take to gangnam station, exit 10, walk 300m forward, to Giordano and take bus 5002 (2000won) and take free shuttle bus (To Everland).

Entrance 25000won for student :D
20% discount coupon (took brochure at my hotel)
Foreigner passport (May have discount also)

What to do?
Animal safari at lost valley, all the theme park rides you can think of! Bring tidbits along in your bag.
Begin at a few animal enclosures on route to lost valley and go for it FIRST (queue is long) and it closes at 4pm! Do not lose your entrance ticket as you need to show it before you take any ride.

4. DMZ Tour (De-militarized Zone)


You will get to see (A little bit of North Korea) and step over into north korea (through the blue meeting room). Learn a little history of the bloodshed through a video and an informative guide who would fill us in along the way. 

How to get there?
I went with my school. So, I think you should arrange with your hotel. There will definitely be brochures. Very strict regulations, need to bring along passport and register beforehand. You CANNOT take pictures whenever you want! Only at certain times when the guide says it's appropriate.

The bridge of no return

5. Olympic Park Ice Skating Rink
How to get there?
Mongchontoseong subway station, Exit 1 and walk.

Price: 3000won (too cheap to remember)
Advice: Get figure skates for more stability (beginners) instead of hockey skates.

6. Bears town ski resort
930am-1pm (Lift timing) (But stayed till 3pm)

How to get there?
Euljiro (1) il-ga exit 3
Free Shuttle bus.
Reservation needed. I asked my hotel reception to help me with that.
The bus leaves at 810am SHARP!! Best to be there by 8pm.

To go back, either catch the 5pm (same) free shuttle bus or walk out of bears town, pass the tunnel, and take a public bus at a bustop outside a restaurant to a subway station (I cant remember the bus number, ask the people at bear's town! I got my directions from one of the employees at the carpark and the ski wear rental guy). Not a good idea to take a cab!

Price:
Total: 189000won for 2 people
Lift - 104000
Ski wear 30 000
Ski rental 38000
Helmet 6000

Seoul Top Recommended Restaurants

1. Korean Traditional Porridge Restaurant

Location: Ewha Women's University Station
- How to get there?
Exit 2, walk straight and turn left on the first junction. It is at a road with a slope downwards.
Price: 8000 - 10 000 won (Unless you want abalone)

Review: If you are sick of the spicy food and kimchi, be good to your stomach with some (bland) porridge. Ok, I like my porridge with a little bit of salty taste so this was quite bland for me. I'm guessing it is bland cause it is healthy! :) So, if your friend is sick; having a sorethroat, and need to get away from the usual Korean food, go to this restaurant! It's a Singaporean secret hangout. Really! I have been there twice and they always had Singaporean customers.
I liked the Ginseng Chicken Porridge & the Beef Mushroom Porridge.



2. Shabu Shabu (Selection: beef, seafood, pork)

MUST TRY!
Location: Myeongdong Station
- How to get there? Good question!
I do not remember the name, I think it was in Korean.
But, this delightful restaurant is directly opposite Hai Di Lao. At Level B1.
It has a cute sign at the side of the road (with shabu shabu pictures)
Price: For 2 - 32 000won ($38)

Review:  Affordable food. With Great Service! The waitresses speak Chinese. They are mostly from China. Our waitress was quite young and she told us her sister is in Singapore. She was VERY friendly and constantly checked up on us if we needed anything or if we are eating well. Her service was the best I had in korea! The portion of meat, as you can see in the picture, is very generous! They have a great tasting sauce dip with a small chunk of wasabi.

Basically, this meal, as our waitress told us, can start with cooking the vegetables, then the meat whenever you prefer, followed by the noodles and lastly, they make a yummy tasting porridge when you finish all your food, that is before your stomach actually explodes with goodness. To top it off, she gave us a pot of dessert tea which helps to aid digestion. Wow, Happy Belly!





3. Chicken Bus

(One of the better Chicken and Beer places)

Location: Anam Station

- How to get there?

If I could say this from memory, it would be to go to exit 2, at the big cross junction, cross the road directly opposite, see Paris Baguette on the left side of the road? walk further in that road and Chicken Bus is around 100m away on your right.

Price: Around 16 000 won for chicken basket, 17 000 won for 3000ml kirin beer.

Review: The chicken was alright. It was pretty floury. The best flavour was (Soy Garlic). Did not like the spicy ones at all. The place gets pretty happening around evening time, I guess if the Koreans like it, it can't be that bad!

4. Shabu Shabu (Beef and Seafood, with a slim chance of pork)

Location: Anam Station

- How to get there?

Exit 2, turn left right after you climb up the stairs of exit 2, you will see a handphone shop on your right, turn right into that first junction, walk along the right side of that ride, in less than 200m you will see this banner and the restaurant is on the 2nd floor.

Price: 13 000won/pax ($15)

Review: Really Good beef shabu! Generally, restaurants around anam area (Korea university) are yummy and cheap. That street is where I walk past everyday to get back to my hostel. Our Korean teachers brought all of us on our first week and it was delicious 

5. Korean BBQ

Location: Chungmuro Station

- How to get there?

See lotte plaza? Directly across the plaza, there are a row of shops. After you cross the road, turn right and walk straight for maybe less than 50metres? there is a small alley on the left with many hidden bbq/seafood restaurants. This one is the first restaurant on the left as you enter the alley. I think my Buddy mentioned that she found this place on trip advisor.

Price: 13 000won/pax ($15)

Review: Good and affordable (As compared to the overhyped HaHa restaurant in hongdae). I liked the beansprouts and the whole taste of it. So, my buddy actually demonstrated how we can eat it the Korean way (or maybe just her way). (Wrapping) Grab a piece of vege for the wrap, a pinch of rice, a cooked garlic, a piece of meat, some sauce, side dish vege, cooked kimchi, a few cooked beansprouts and wrap it. 

6. American Brunch/Steak

Location: Itaewon Station (little angmoh town)

- How to get there?

The information booth at the station will be your best guide as they will give you a map and draw out the directions for you.

Price: >15 000 won/pax

Review: Friendly service and wonderful western food. The omelette had a little indian spice taste to me. But it was very filling and yummy. They served a big cup of complimentary hot/iced coffee which was really sweet. You got to try this!

Bonus:

Now guys, if you are living in an apartment/hostel with a kitchen, you can whip up a cheap and simple meal.

Where to get?: Lotte mart/ Big Supermarket
Ingredients: Sausages, Luncheon Meat, Vegetables, Spaghetti, Tomato Sauce
Cost: Less than SGD $15 for all the ingredients
Meals: 3-4 meals for 2 people

Seoul in Winter

Why go to Korea?

1) For the Food (If you are into Kimchi, Rice Cake, bbq Pork, Beef and Cafes sort of thing)
2) Shopping (Facial, Cosmetics, Lotions, Cheap winter clothing/accessories and decent bugis street style bags)
3) Attractions (Theme Parks, Cafes, Culture, Landmarks/Exploration, Winter sports)
4) Serenity (Spas, Nature, Animals)

Language 

The younger generation of Koreans can speak a little bit of English. In some facial shops/restaurants, the employees are from china, so they can speak mandarin.

Culture (Foreign to Singaporeans)

1. You can eat food in the buses and trains! (Eg. the snacks they sell at the food stalls in the station)
2. Supermarkets, daiso and some outlets charge money for their plastic bags! (Bring your own)
3. Keep right on the escalator

So, lets begin with the Top 3 tips (For Packing) I have for my friends and families who are planning to go to korea in the winter.

1. Pack sufficient sets of innerwear(top and bottom).
2. Forget about needing your sleeveless shirts/jackets or shorts/ berms / slippers (wont even use them, trust me) ~ DO NOT overpack. Chances are the things you think you might wear, you won't even touch them.
3. Definitely need lots of moisturizer for everything; (Lips, face, body, foot, hands - I bought all of them in korea)

*disclaimer: be prepared to experience static everyday due to dry weather!
*Tip: Place a cup of water or wet towel in your room before you sleep to add moisture into the air - so you will not get a sore throat when you wake up.

Overview

7 Dec 2014 - 27 Dec 2014 (3 weeks) - Winter Exchange Programme - Korea University (NTU)
27 Dec 2014 - 6 Jan 2015 (11 Days 10 Nights) - Holiday - Jeju + Seoul

Highlights:

Christmas & New Year 2015

Exchange rate: Using 1SGD : 825WON

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Winter Language Immersion Programme at Korea University (3 weeks)

- Took Korean Air (Direct Flight 6h10m, 23kg luggage) SGD$1.2k (It was on the high side)
- Stayed at CJ International House (Hostel in Korea University)
- Wonderfully planned out itenary by the School




(Korea University, first day orientation tour)

I did/went to (Main Events during the exchange):

1. Make Kimchi at Myeongdong
2. Taekwondo Class
3. Nanta Performance
4. Skii resort and lesson
5. City Tour (Namsan tower & Palace)
6. DMZ Tour (North Korea)
7. Traditional Korean Music

& Korean class every weekday 9am~1pm or 4pm.

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Everyone will have their preferred Travel Itenary.

So instead of bundling places I went everyday, here's a few places you can consider to go and recommended places to go back to back to fully utilize your time.

For this trip, my expenditure was approx. sgd $2200 (excluding hotel, air tickets)



When you touchdown, First few things to do are:

1. EGSim Card (For Android/iPhone)



(Prices of android/iPhone sim card at Incheon Airport)

(For android, 1GB with 40 min call time - 30 000 won)

- Buy at Incheon Airport gs25 (Convenience store)
- Off the shelve and DIY
- Follow instructions carefully on the pamphlet. You will need to go to a website to activate your sim and only during their office hours (stated in card), if you do it after, it will be activated the following day.
- don't worry about the bunch of Korean text messages they will sent to you after activation, i just disregarded them
- For my iPhone, it cost 55000won as I got the most expensive one, 2GB with 80mins call time. (Approx. $66).


2. Transport Card (T-Money)

- Buy off counter at ANY convenience store
- At the airport, it costs 3000won for the card + whatever amount you want to top it up with (eg. 10 000won) = 13 000won

BUT, at convenience stores elsewhere, the card costs 2500 won with different designs.

*You can use it for the trains, buses and taxis.

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For (11D10N), you will need:

1. At least SGD$1.5k to happily spend on Food, Shopping and Travel ($1000 change to won + sgd $500 for backup + Activate credit card for emergency)
2. A selfie stick with button (A norm in Korea and handy to snap wonderful pictures/videos)
3. An extra foldable bag in your luggage for your loots and bulky clothes

*Korea's food and transport costs almost the same as Singapore.

Food

Kimchi, Red, Spicy, Kimchi, No fish, Red, Kimchi (all day, everyday)

The cheapest decent meal i could find was kimchi ramen(Like maggi) which was within korea university's vicinity; 3000won which is around $4. Average meals like bulgogi and simple bowl of ramen costs 5000won and above and that is around $6. Korean BBQ is around 10000-15000won/pax.

*Bring some tomyum maggi over! or kaya spread!

Transport

Just a few reasons why you will not like transport in Korea:
1. Mostly staircases (if you have a luggage)
2. Stations are spoken in Korean, and difficult to hear due to loud train noises
3. (Some) Pushy older generation people who bump into you without saying excuse me (which is very common and my Korean buddy told me she is used to it).

If you are very alert, and don't miss your stops in the train, unlike me, then perhaps you'll save much more money.

When you tap in the gantry, 1050won is deducted straightaway from your card. when you tap out, depending on the place you are going to, it will either be an extra charge of 0 or 100 or more.

If you miss your stop, some train stations are not too forgiving, you have to go back up, tap out, and cross over to the other side by tapping in again(Bye to another 1050won).

But, it is convenient to travel as the subway maps are easy to understand, transferring to another line is idiot-proof (Something like SG). Go out the right Exit no. to your location and it is easy to navigate. It is also clean and has seat warmers during winter.

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