May Trip to South Korea - 1

안녕하세요, Annyeonghaseyo.

Finally, after fly about 7 hour from LCCT, at 06.20 morning (the sky still dark), we’re arrived at Incheon International Airport. To go to Immigration we need to take train (+/ 3 minutes).  Incheon Airport similar with Tao Yuan International Airport (Taiwan).

After pass Imigration, we had breakfast at first floor. We bring our own food (at Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur we already bought rice), since 2 of us was vegetarian. 

Finish our simple breakfast, we took Subway to go to Seoul.

There were 3 way to go to Seoul :

1. By cabs (and it's expensive). Don't take black cabs, it's the most expensive one.

2. By bus - fare won 10.000

3. By Subway - fare won 3.850 (fare was 4.350 - deduct won 500 when the card refund).

Of course we take subway http://ihpst2012.snu.ac.kr/images/subwaymap_english.jpg.

I already download Seoul Subway Metroid at my Ipad, it’s really help. The program can show the shortest way, estimation time, also the fare. Just find it at android market.

Other benefit ride subway is, there will be no traffic jam, so it won’t mess the schedule.

For information, not all subway at Seoul had elevator, especially the old one, there were only stair, since the subway station already build at +/- year 1990. 

When ride subway, don't forget to buy T-money card (http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/TR/TR_EN_5_4.jsp).

Ride subway with T-Money can get discount, payment for bus, taxi and T-money also can be used at 7-11 or GS-25.

By the way for my own guidance at South Korea I learn some basic Korea languange at http://www.linguanaut.com/english_korean.htm

Learn how to count 1,2,3…etc in Hangul – it’s really help.

Other things must know :

10 – sip (십)

100 – baek (백) : read : bek

1.000 – cheon (천) – read : chon

10.000 – man (만)

Also don't forget to check the weather forecast (for preparation, my first day at noon, it was rainy).

During our holiday, we were stay at Shinchon Hostel, book at www.booking.com.

Address : 90-15 Daehyeon-Dong, Seodaemun-Gu

Web       : www.sc-hostel.com

I book 2 twin room, fare won 60.000 per night for each.

Sinchon Hostel facility inside the room, 32” flat television, basic bathroom (no soap, shampoo or toothpaste), air conditioner, free wifi, no towel inside the room, but it's available, just ask. The room was small and a little bit smelly, bed was hard bed, but it’s ok for me – for me this is the healthy bed.

The kitchen can be used 24 hours (all kitchen tool was available), breakfast was self service, so after using kitchen tools it had to be clean by our self.

The Hostel also provide bread, jam, egg, instant noodle, coffee, and tea.

There were 4 PC can be used, also can play game at dining room (there were big screen television there).

At the web said that was an elevator, but it’s only available start from 2nd floor.

Location was good, near yes apm mall (I didn't visit it), also good place for hangout. Next to hostel there were small restaurant, crowded at night. The hostel using Electric security door at main door, but at each room use common lock door.

All staff was fluently at English and they all were young. The staff can give direction or suggest place to go.

After arrived at last station, before we reach Sinchon Hostel we bought T-Money card.

How I buy T-Money card, here I told you :

Since I didn’t know which machine sold T-Money Card, so I went to Subway office, and ask to the lady officer :

 “Annyeonghaseyo, Yongeo hal jul aseyo?”

“ 안녕하세요, 영어할 줄 아세요?”

“Hai, can you speak English?”

 “Jamkkanmanyo !”

“잠깐만요!”

“Wait for a moment.”

Then she call other officer who can speak English to help me. Even the staff English wasn’t good, but at least I understand and the most important is he understand what I want.

So that how I get my T-Money card. Fare won 2,500 (non refundable), of course it need to reload.

First destination is Korean Folk Village  (KFV) - located at Suwon city.

From Sinchon Hostel to Ehwa Women Univ. Subway (nearest subway) it's only took5 minutes by walk.

Actually to see Korean ancient village (Hanok) no need to go to KFV - Suwon city, at Seoul there were Namsangol Village (locate near Namsan Tower), and Bukchon Village (locate near Cheongdokgung Palace).  But since there were show attraction and KFV area were larger then other Hanok Village at Seoul so I decided to visit there.

I took subway line 1 (blue line) stop at Suwon Station (approx. time +/- 70 minutes), fare Won. 1.950.

Other way to visit Suwon is by train. There were 2 type train:

1. Regular Train (Mugunghwa train), cheapest won. 2.700
2. Super fast (KTX Train), single fare won 5.000

Train schedule, fare can be purchase at  www.korail.com/en/

Train station is at Seoul Sation. T-Money also can be use to pay train fare.

I didn’t know how to reach Suwon by bus, since it need to go to Gangnam first.

Arrived at Suwon station we take exit 4. There were Suwon Bureau and free shuttle bus to Korean Folk Village. Shuttle bus schedule : 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 01.30, 02.30 (green bus). The bus leave on time. Here is the site : http://visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=259324

Don’t forget to ask about Shuttle bus schedule from KFV to Suwon Station.

Other way to go KFV by public bus # 37 or #10-5. Bus stop just next to exit 4, get off in front of KFV. Approx. time 30 minutes.

KFV admission fee  won. 15.000 per person (Hanok Village at Seoul – no admission fee). In front of the gate there were Korean Drama Series Picture “Sungkyungkwan Scandal”, and there were 2 other drama, but I forget, since I only watch Sungkyungkwan Scandal.

There were 2 area here (this is how I classify it).

After enter KFV, pass merchandie store, cross the bridge there were children playground, mini waterfall, museum – for me not too attractive. But it’s really nice to take picture here.

At here my friends went to bathroom. How to ask toilet, here it is :

“죄송에요, 화장실이 어디예요?”

Jwisongeyo, hwajangsil i eodiyeyo?

“Excuse me, where is the toilet ?”

Don’t worry, even they can’t speak English, they will guide to the toilet.

Other side, there were tradittional Hanok, just the same like I saw at Internet. We took photograph with ajuma here. But unfortunately it’s start rainy. We hurry go to merchandise store. It’s rain really hard and there were thunder too. So nothing much to see, what we can do is wait till the rain stop.

One of the merchandise shop – photograph. Sold 1 picture, take photograph with korean traditional costume won 20.000 per person (really expensive, in hangul : 너무 빘아요neomu bissayo) – so we skip it.

After rain for +/- 45 minutes the rain stop, and my friends didn’t want to stay here any longer (I didn’t knew did the show still perform or not, since it’s rainy). And I didn’t try any food or snack here. But one of my friend bought tteokbokki price won 3.000, she said the taste......really really really spicy.

So we went to next destination. Actually we going to visit Hwasseong Fortress (Drama series : Sungkyungkwan Scandal and The Moon That Embrace the Sun took scene here). Here the site : http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264389

But we skip it, since we going to ride train at Hwasseong Fortress and the train didn’t operate if rainy.

So we back to Suwon Station by public bus # 37, take bus in front of 7-11. Beside KFV gate there were Tourism Bureau.

Inside the bus just ask ajeossi to drop us at Suwon Station. There were no bus route inside, just listen carefully for the notification and open eyes widely, Suwon station just beside Suwon Plaza.

Bus stop across with Suwon station, don’t cross the street, but go to down stair in front of bus stop to go to the other side.

Inside Suwon station sold many snack, and for me it’s cheap rather than snack at Seoul. So buy snack here. I bought bread with honey taste, price won 1.500 per pack (inside : 10 bread) at GS 25 and ear ring won 1.000.

Back to Seoul with subway, to Loving Hut - Sinchon (Vegan restaurant).

Take exit 2, just walk straight to Sinchon Church. Loving hut across Sinchon Church, next to Starbuck coffee.

I ordered Jajangmyun (Black noodles) price won 4.500 – tasted good. I like it. Loving hut also sold vegan ice cream, but I didn’t taste it, since I alredy full (what a pitty).

After that we went to sinchon church, not to pray, but we use the toilet hehehe.... there were no toilet at Loving Hut.

It’s already 18.00pm, the street start crowded. We went to Etude shop, we bought many cosmetic. It’s cheap (compare buy Etude cosmetic at my country) and we got 15% discount also face mask sample product (after bargain with store manager). The employee can’t speak English, but I can used China Language here. China at hangul : 중국 “Jung Guk” .

The sky already dark, time already 19.30 pm, we walk to subway station (infront of Etude shop) to next destination : Banpo bridge – Rainbow show. This bridge was one of the most Beautiful Bridge in the world. Take subway to Express Bus Terminal – exit 8-1. Locate Hangang Park.

From subway exit just walk straight to the end of the street (traffic light), then turn right. Just walk till the end of the road. There be a board sign to Banpo Hangang park, then go down stair, just walk inside the tunnel, till second stair then go down, and follow the street.

After that cross the street to the park, there be many people there, probably take 15 minutes by walk. Rainbow fountain only at one side of the bridge.

Actually it can reach by bus, number서초 14 (blue colour), but Hangkang park bus stop is too far, same tired with went there by foot.

In one day Banpo bridge – Rainbow show only 3 times (I went there at weekday). Here the site : http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1011983

Also can cruise there but not from here. There were other place to take cruise across the river, here the site : http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=996343

We get Banpo bridge at 20.50pm (because at subway station we went to Face Shop and It’s skins), so we  can only had 1 show. At 21.00 pm the show begin (for 15 minutes), there were music, but not too loud.

Even I visit Seoul at May, but it’s really cold for me. The temperature 20 degree.

When the Rainbow show begin, there were cruise ship cross the river. At night the ship was beautiful full colour (many light). But city view not too attractive.

I saw other people blog, he watch rainbow show from Building 63. It’s beautiful. But, compare to watch the show beside the river, I choose Hangkang park.

Is this worth to see? Yes, I recommended it.

There is other interest place can visit near Banpo Bridge Apgeujong (Soeul Beverly Hills – Place Korean Artist hangout) and Sinsa Dong (Korea High Class place, European style building). I didn’t had enough time to visit it.

That’s all my 1st day at South Korea (pitty me skip Hwasseong Fortress).

If only I didn’t visit Suwon city (took more then 3 hours for the journey), maybe I can visit many other place at Seoul.

Maybe Museum at Hongdae (like at Heartstring Drama Series, probably ep 12/13), Namsangol Village, Namdaemun (the oldest market at Seoul), watch mural at Ihwa mural village, Shopping at Ehwa. But what I can said, it already happen.

Here my expenditure :

Expenditure :	Won
Incheon - Ehwa Woman Univ	₩            3.850
T-Money Card	₩            2.500
T-Money (reload)	₩          10.000
Sinchon Hostel (for 2 day)	₩          60.000
KFV adm. fee	₩          15.000
Bread	₩            4.500
Loving Hut - dine	₩            4.500
Total	₩        100.350