Sloppy Chic

On our 4th day in Seoul on our own, we started to get around in Seoul on buses and Subway. A friend in Korea told us that it is essential to get a T-Money card (for buses, subway, paid phone) first before anything else.

So, once we saw a GS25 (like 7-11), we hopped in to get a T-Money card, it is for sale at 2500 Won with zero credit. Of course, you can reload it there and then or do it at the subway station.

Firstly, walk to the nearest Subway station to you and look for a machine like this. The nearest subway to our Myung Dong Hotel Biz is Euijiro 3(sam)-ga. Ga is like …road.

The machine to reload your T-Money card. 

OH ENGLISH!

You can select the language here but it is actually quite unnecessary.

Then place your T-Money card on the slot.

For the locals, they actually have various  styles for this card. Some comes in a form of a small handphone strap which you can just attach it to your phone, and some are only the size of a memory stick. Totally cool!

Now, select the amount to reload. For a span of 4 days, we used up 20,000 Won each on T-Money card alone.

New amount will be shown on the screen and you are done!

Now, check where you are going.

The map is a little confusing as everything is in Korean, except for some names of the places you will see Chinese or English name.  So, make sure you see the signs and which level to go correctly.

The largest subway station I was at had 3 or 4 interchange! Which also means 3 or 4 levels of stairs to climb!!!

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After our final photoshoot, which was on the 2nd day, our tour with the bridal group was supposed to end already. But of course, all the way we went Korea, we decided to linger in Seoul for another 4 more days on our own.

The majority was leaving on the 3rd day already, so we were brought to a place that sells only Ginseng chicken for dinner.

Warm chicken soup for the hungry and cold stomach!

The rice was stuffed in the chicken, and oh boy it was good! It’s a shame that the taste of ginseng was not that strong, so I took it as the normal herbal chicken soup.

After the dinner, we had about an hour to tour Myeong Dong before heading back to the hotel.

Hello Kitty store.

The street was still busy as late as 10.20pm!

So many cosmetics and skincare shop, it’s a shopping heaven. T_T

Even their 7-11 (which Family Mart being the major chainstores there), sell quite a variety of nice food, including a air-tight ready to eat sausage. Yummy!

After checking out from the hotel we stayed for 2 nights, we found our way to the hotel we booked and paid online.

It’s quite a hidden place though, even taxi could not find it.

So, we decided to get down from the taxi and find our own way.

It’s very hidden among the small shop lots in the back alley.

Finally!  Our Myung Dong Hotel Biz!

I must admit it looked quite dodgy from the outlook.

But look! Neat and clean bed, and everything is provided.

TV, computer with Internet, water dispenser, even hair gel and moisturizer!

And the toilet is well equipped too, except for the fact that the toilet bowl is not the high tech one.

I definitely have no complaints for the price that we paid for about RM200/night.

After putting our things down, time to roam Myeong Dong!

We had lunch in a hidden food court, I wonder why is it so hidden too.

Shared a YukGyeJang (Shredded spicy beef) for 5000 Won.

One thing great about Korea is, free water is provided in ALL restaurants. And no dodgy 10% + 5% tax!

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On the second day of photoshoot, our destination was Nami Island. It is quite a far place as it was about a 2.5 hours bus ride from Seoul + another 10 min boat ride.

As if I wasn’t being tired enough, I had to wake up as early as 0430 in the morning for makeup and hair because I drew the first group lot!  Sure as hell I was worn out.

It was drizzling on the whole morning. I had to wear raincoat to protect my gown and makeup.

I was suffering hell in the long journey of bus in this suffocating gown.

When we reached the Island, those who were not dressed had to WALK to destination, it was about 15 min walk in rain on muddy ground. I was in the van

For touch-ups and resting area, all of us were a Mongolian tent, it’s quite cool though

Of all the gowns, I actually like this yellow one the best!

My Korean costume, but I didn’t really like it.

After the photoshoot of about 1.5 hour, we didn’t continue to shoot on our own like the day before because I was freezing to death in the wet gown.

So we decided just to go for lunch.

Our lunch place.

It’s a cozy small restaurant. I heard that it is a culture that Korean restaurants’ settings are always a 2×2 square tables. I have not seen any round tables in the restaurants through out my stay there.

We ordered the rice which required special gloves to shake it to mix it well.

You have to shake vigorously.

There you get! The egg was raw before the shake, but everything will be done by the time you are done shaking.

The scenery was like a dream!

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After the photoshoot in the day, we were brought to one of the most happening places in Korea for some shopping - Dongdaemun.
The only place where the malls open after 5pm and only close at 5am the next morning.

Hello shopping malls!

The place gets more and more crowded as the night falls.

And the night street has so many stalls! Food stalls, apparels, and accessories!

The street food! Most of the food stalls sell spicy rice cake, fish cake, sausages  and all sorts of snacks.

Awesome meatmalls and sausages! I love the porky pork there Each of them was 3000 Korean Won, both of them cost about RM20.

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