Korea-Seoul

YOUNG

KOREAALTERNATIVE TRAVEL TO SEOUL.

November 2012

Scott Greer

9 Neighbourhoods. The areas you need to know and why and more.

3 EASY TO LEARN AND REMEMBER. Tips to make your travel little more easier.

4 HOTELS. Where to stay and which rooms to book.

11 24 HOURS. Best places to go see art and fashion trend.

10 URBAN LIFE. Cafes, restaurants and nightclubs to feel beats from deep inside and joy.

3 ESSENTIAL INFO. Facts, useful addresses, weather.

Zach Johnson

Contents

8 Norebang the Night Away.

10 Madonna Dance Gangnam Style with Psy at Madison Square Garden.

Street Art LeeHwa village

ChungGyeCheonModern public recreation in downtown, Seoul. Its popular among city residents and tourists.You can put your feet into water during summer.

ApgujeongRodeo Street is the leading fashion mecca, formed as a cultural zone.

Night ClubFeel the beat, meet new people andhave fun.

Essential Info.Facts, useful addresses, weather

TOURIST OFFICEKTO Buildingenglish.visitkorea.or.kr

Hello.안녕하세요

An-nyoung-ha-sae-yo.

Taste good.맛 있습니다.

Mat-it-sseoup-mi-da.

When?언제?

On-Jhae?

Excuse me.실례합니다

Sille-hab-mi-da

Can I have water?물 좀 주세요.

Mul-jom-joo-sae-yo.

Can I use your phone?헨드폰을 빌릴수 있을까요?

Handphone-eul-billilsu-iteul-.ggayo?

My name is...재 이름은...입니다

Jae-e-reum-eun...ip-mi-da.

I am tired.피곤합니다.

Pigon-hab-mi-da.

Who?누구세요?

Nugu-sae-yo?

Can I ask you something?물어 볼 것이 있습니다.

Mulo-bol-geut-e-it-sseup-mi-da

Did you eat?밥 먹었어요?

Bab-mok-ot-o-yo?

What time is it?몇시 입니까?

Meotssi-ip-mi-gga?

How can I get here?여기 어떻게 갑니까?

Yeogi-o-tteok-e-gab-mi-gga?

Where?어디?

O-di?

I think I am sick.저 아픈거 같아요.

jeo-a-ppeun-go-gat-a-yo.

Can you help me?도와 주세요.

Dowa-joo-sae-yo.

No.아니요.

Ani-yo.

I am sorry.미안합니다.

Mi-an-hab-mi-da.

How much is it?얼마 입니까?

Oulma-ib-mi-gga?

Yes.네.

Nae.

It is too spicy.너무 매워요.

Neo-mu-me-wo-yo.

Thank you.감사합니다.

Gamssa-hab-mi-da.

I love it.너무 좋아요.

Neomu-joa-yo.

Pretty.이쁘다.

E-ppeu-da.

It is helpful and useful to know simple basic Korean while you travel Seoul and outside of Seoul.

METROTrain run from 5:30am to 12 am every day.

Subway fares slightly differ by age. (See below for Seoul Subway Fares.) All fares are exchanged for transportation cards, which are required for passing through the security gates. Single Journey Transportations Cards are most suitable for one-time, one-way trips, while Multiple Journey Transportation Cards are most suitable for long-term visitors/residents who make multiple journeys.

Lastly, many subway stations provide conve-nience facilities like multi-purpose self-storage locker systems and phone-charging stations, as well as a wide variety of attractions including shopping, exhibitions and performances.

For more info,www.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/TR/TR_EN_5_1_4.jsp

TRANSPORTCar HireHertzTel: 82-2-3443-8000

Metrowww.seoulmetro.co.kr

TaxiInternational TaxiTel: 82-2-1644-2255

EVENTSSeoul Design Festivalwww.designfestival.co.kr

Seoul Fashion Weekwww.seoulfashionweek.org

TIPS: Easy to learn and remember.

transportation

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HOTELTRADITION OR MODERN?You easly can find hotel that are in tradition or in modern design. Relax while your travel and experience you never had before.

Rakkojae is a traditional Korean-style guesthouse offering Korean food, Korean folk music and Korean folk dance. Visitors can experience the tasteful life of a nobleman of old Korea.

The tiled roves, pavilions, ponds and jar stand as well as pine trees and bamboo plants harmonize well with the Korean-style house.

www.rkj.co.kr82-2-742-3410

RAK-GO-JAE

Located on a hill in Bukchon Hanok Village, Chiwoonjung overlooks a sea of elegant hanok roofs. Through extensive renovations, a few “regular” Korean hanok homes were converted into this captivat-ing boutique hotel. Air conditioners were mounted on the ceiling, while ondol (the traditional Korean underfloor heating system) was installed on the main floor.

www.chiwoonjung.com82-02-765-7400

CHI WOON JUNG

O Dong Jae is located 5 minutes away from the Yeosu Expo site. This hanok-style hotel has 32 guest units, and can accommodate 134 people. The units include 17 standard units, 9 numarus (units with a balcony), 3 ex-tended units, 2 superior units , and 1 stand-alone unit. Rooms offer traditional or western style bedding,

odjhotel.co.kr82-61-660-1000

HOTEL O DONG JAE

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Stay in downtown Seoul at Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel. Unwind in one of the 679 guest rooms or 30 suites featuring marble bathrooms.

This Seoul hotel offers a choice of eight restaurants serving international cuisine. Gather with friends over a hearty Italian meal at Il Ponte or relax with classic Cantonese dishes at Taipan.

www.hotels.com/Seoul82-02-753-7788

Featuring a chic, retro-futuristic design by studio GAIA, the W is arguably the sexiest hotel in town. The exteriour is all polka-dotted blue glass and there’s something very pop art about the lobby and living room. Choose a Cool Corner Room for circular king-sized beds and great city views.

www.starwoodhotels.com82-02-465-2222

The Plaza reopens as Korea’s luxury boutique ho-tel in 2010. The newly renovated hotel will feature aesthetic interior designs, impeccable personal-ized customer service.

Ideally located in the heart of downtown Seoul, The Plaza is the premier choice for even the most discerning business travelers who pursue both style and convenience.

www.hoteltheplaza.com82-02-755-8897

MILLENIUM HILTON SEOUL HOTEL

W HOTEL - SEOUL

SEOUL PLAZA HOTEL

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BUKCHONHAN-OK VILLAGE.Surrounded by Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, Bukchon Hanok Village is home to hundreds of traditional houses called ‘hanok’ that date back to the Joseon Dynasty.

The name, ‘Bukchon,’ which literally translates to ‘northern village,’ came about as the neighbor-hoods that the village covers lie to the north of the two significant Seoul landmarks, Cheonggye-cheon Stream and Jongno.

Today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants and tea hous-es, providing an opportunity to experience, learn and immerse in Korean traditional culture.

In a poll of nearly 2,000 foreign visitors, con-ducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in November 2011, stated that exploring the nar-row streets of Bukchon as their fourth favorite activity in Seoul.

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FIRST TIME TO “NOREBANG”.Personal story of Scotts’ experience in Norebang (Karaoke) when he travel Korea, Seoul.

Norebang the Night Away.

First update is that on I believe May 17th the english teachers went to a Norabang!! This is the much enhanced version of the portable, rentable, $20 karaoke machine from the US.

I realized it has been a little while since my last note so I wanted to send an update as to what is going on.

First update is that on I believe May 17th the english teachers went to a Norabang!! This is the much enhanced version of the portable, rentable, $20 karaoke machine from the US. These rooms are very nice with comfortable couches, snacks on the tables, and drinks available for your purchase. Our first trip to the Norabang came after seeing the new Indiana Jones movie (it was okay). There were 11 of us (friends from school and friends of friends from school) so we grabbed some pizza and then headed to the bong (Korean for room). It costs about $20-25 per hour to rent the bong so we initially stayed for an hour but they must have loved the singing so much that they extended us to 2 hours for no extra cost. We sang a lot of the traditional karaoke style songs like Piano Man, Bad Medicine, Sound of Music....yeah, somehow that one got in there, some Snoop Dog, and a little Eye of the Tiger to provide a very brief list. I tried not to take it personally but the controller of the song list “accidently” pulled the plug on 2 of my songs. They were just denied the opportunity for something! It was a great time and our voices were shot by the end of the day!

Our second trip came on Friday, June 6th. This trip to the Norabang held an even more significant meaning as this was my first time going to an Indian resturant. I have Chicken Takkia (I think that is what it was called) and for the first time ever Curry! The name itself would have been enough to scare me off prior to this experience but it was offered, I tasted, and I liked it. Now, that is not to say I would like all types of Curry but I ate it and would definitely eat it again. To enhance the experience they were playing Bollywood videos in the background for our enjoyment. Some were pretty comi-cal. After we were done we went to the Norabang and had another great time but our singing must not have been as good as we only got one hour. Again, classical songs ruled the Norabang floor like Sweet Caroline, Take Me Home Country Road, Wake Me Up Before you Go-Go (which somehow I got roped into singing), Puff the Magic Dragon, a little Spice Girls and we ended the night with Dream On by Aerosmith. One of the funniest things is the video they have playing in the background while you are singing. Example being while we were singing Puff there were women breaking up with their boy-friends, crying, running off, etc. Puff is supposed to be a happy song!!! We all had a great time and I do believe it helps to bring the entire group closer together.

Journal

Scott went to Norebang (Karaoke) first time when he went to Seoul.

For more stories:http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-358167-uijongbu-open-water-time-norabang-singing-june-continue-day

Top Right: You eas-ily can find Norebang (Karaoke) when you walk on Seoul street. They openduring day but if you want extra joyment, go during night time.

Bottom Right: Scott and his frind, John was sing-ing “Sound of Music” on small stage.

MUSIC: K-Pop

GangNam StylePsy

AbracadabraBrown Eyed Girls

GeeGirls Generation

2 PMHands Up

“GangNam Style” is very popular in Korea and in all over the world. Its more fun if you sing and do horse dance with your friends. Dress fancy and dance cheesy.

Music is in mid-tempo which you can sing with your friends. Recommend to sing when you want perfect girls night.

Both male and female likes this music. Easy to sing and follow. Make sure you add extra cuteness when you sing because it is a key point of this music.

2 pm is the most hotest male group in Korea. The song “hands up” totally good music to sing to dance with friends. The song is about drink and have party all night.

Scott Greer

Musics that are good to sing in Karaoke.

Some K-pop is very easy and very fun to sing. Most of K-pop is popu-lar with music but aso because of dances.

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Neighbourhoods

Myeongdong (명동) is one of the primary shop-ping districts in Seoul. The two main drags meet in the center of the block with one beginning from Myeongdong Subway Station (Seoul Subway Line No. 4) and the other from Lotte Department Store at Euljiro.

Many brand name shops and department stores line the streets and alleys. Common products for sale include clothes, shoes, and accessories. Un-like Namdaemun or Dongdaemun, many designer brands are sold in Myeongdong.

In addition, several major department stores include Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Depart-ment Store, Myeongdong Migliore, Noon Square and M Plaza. The department stores carry many premium labels and other fashionable goods at reasonable prices.

Myeongdong also has family restaurants, fast food, plus Korean, Western and Japanese dining options. Many restaurants in Myeongdong specialize in pork cutlet (donkas) and kalguksu (thick noodles). Other businesses include hair salons, banks and theaters.

Hongdae (the abbreviation of Hongik University) has become a symbol of unique cultural identity among Korea’s youth. The area is home to an eclectic mix of cafés and clubs that have served as breeding grounds for many of Korea’s growing subcultures. At the very center of Hongdae beats the heart of the club culture.

Young people from all over the city congregate at the clubs on weekends to drink, dance, and listen to a variety of music ranging from techno to R&B, hip hop and acid jazz. Claiming independence from so-called commercial capitalism, indie bands and underground.

Apgujeong Rodeo Street is the leading fashion mecca, formed as a cultural zone with a high propensity for consumption. It creates leading fashion trends, customer friendly shops, foreign brand shops with high-quality goods, reasonably priced hip hop fashion shops, and accessory shops. There are many cafes with unique interior designs, as well as many Korean, Thai and Japanese restaurants. Beauty clinics are clustered on the streets and due to this atmosphere,

Rodeo Street attracts many youngsters. Apgujeong Rodeo Street is emerging as a new cultural space as well. Along with the opening of Multi-Plex Cine-City, more theaters such as Cineplus, and Nanta Theater (non-verbal performances) have moved into the area, and it is now a full-blown cultural zone for youngsters. If you get lucky, you may meet famous Korean celebritie.

MYEONG-DONG

AP-GU-JEONG

“TOP 4 MUST GO” PLACES FOR YOUNGER GENERATION.The areas you need to know and why and more.

HONG-DAE

Itaewon is a unique place in Seoul where one can meet people of diverse nationalities and cultures. There is a popular joke saying that international residents may not know Seoul, but they know Itaewon. Seoul even designated Itaewon as its first ‘Special Tourism District,’ to highlight it as a destination for internationals to enjoy a diversity of culture, shopping, and entertainment experiences.

Itaewon typically refers to the street full of stores, restaurants, and stalls over 1.4 kilometers between Itaewon 1-dong and Hannam 2-dong in the east. Fashion shops specialize in various imported clothes, leather goods, fur goods, handbags, shoes, and antique furniture.

Another one of Itaewon’s many draws is its diverse food culture, which features cuisine from around world. Restaurants right behind Hamilton Hotel form a type of exhibition hall for interna-tional foods from Korea, New York, London, India, Thailand, China, Greece, Pakistan, Italy, France, Mexico, Australia, and more.

E-TAE-WON

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URBAN LIFESTREET SHOW,MUSEUM, CAFE, BAR AND NIGHTCLUBS.Walk around and see cute stuff and have fun while you are in Seoul.

IHWA ART STREET

TEDDY BEAR MUSEUM

CLUB ELLUIGANGNAM

HELLO KITTY CAFE

In 2006, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism brought its “Art in City” project to the neighborhood. Dozens of art-ists partnered with local residents to paint about 60 murals, signs and other art installations on walls, underneath bridges and on staircases. Most of the other murals and other instal-lations aren’t prominently placed.Part of the fun of spelunk-ing around Ihwa-dong is to see what you happen upon. Enjoy this charming village!

The Teddy Bear Museum in Seoul is housed in N Seoul Tower, a symbol of Seoul and an ideal spot for viewing Seoul’s cityscape. The Teddy Bear Museum N Seoul Tower shows exhibits that chronicle the history of Seoul from past to present through the use of teddy bears. It is an amusing and innovative way for visitors to see how Seoul has changed and developed over time both as the capital of Korea and as an international city. Teddy bears are posed in scenes recreating historic events as well as various aspects of Seoul life.

If you’re looking for a classy venue, top-class sound system and music, often featuring world fa-mous DJ’s, find your way to Ellui. Don’t be fooled by the modest entrance, this is a massive multi-level club. Inside, there are three main sections where music is played. The VIP white room plays lounge style house music, the DJ’s in the black room spin funky to hard electro full of bass.

The 54-year-old invited Korean pop star PSY to perform his smash single during her concert at New York City’s Madison Square Garden Nov. 13. After mimicking the dance’s signature choreography, Madonna and PSY then danced to her 2000 hit “Music” in front of nearly 20,000 audience members.

Earlier that evening, the pop icon said she had a “surprise” in store for the audience. Madonna later told the crowd that PSY, 34, had flown “all the way from Frankfurt, Germany” just to join her on stage.

The night wasn’t all fun and games, however, as Madonna also helped raise money for victims of Hurricane Sandy. While performing her 1984 classic “Like a Virgin,” the singer asked fans to donate funds for relief efforts.

When Madonna did the same fundraising the night prior, she raked in an impressive $3,000. “I went down to Rockaway Beach yesterday with my children, and we saw what was going on there, we saw the destruction,” the mother of four said. “It was really sad, but we also saw amazing acts of humanity. People sharing with other people, people working hard, cleaning houses, handing out food, blankets, giving love.”

www.usmagazine.com

If you love pink and cats here’s Hello Kitty Cafe, Hong Dae to visit. The cafe’s interior was surprisingly fancy and gives customers the feeling that they are visiting another world. Located in Seoul’s Hongdae Area, a center of urban arts and indie music, and near Hongik University, one of the nation’s top fine arts colleges, the Hello Kitty Cafe shares the street with night clubs, bars, restaurants, and other cafes. A pink building and giant pink bow adorning the front make this cafe hard to miss, even from far away.

Top and right: “Penguins as my neighborhood”. Done by acrylic and patel.

Bottom: Entrance.

Right: Interior deisgn.

Left: Coffee or tea decorated with Hello Kitty.

Left: Teddy bears are wearing Korean traditional clothes and bound as welcoming audience.

Right: Teddy bears are shopping and buy suviniour from Louis Vuiton.

Left: DJ performing high quality music and often there are B-boys on stage.

Top: Dancing on the stage.

Right: You can meet many foreigns in Gangnam nightclubs.

-News by Zach Johnson

Madonna Dances “Gangnam Style” with Psy at Madi-son Square Garden.

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GYEONGBOK PALACE

24 HoursSPECIAL TRIP JUST IN ONE DAY WITH FRIENDS.Watch historical palace, become fashionista and be part of art.

Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also com-monly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neigh-boring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace).

The premises were destroyed by fire during the Imjinwaeran War (Japanese Invasion, 1592-1598). However, all of the palace’s 7,700 rooms were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondae-wongun during the reign of King Gojong (1852-1919).

Remarkably, the most representative edifices of the Joseon Dynasty, Woldae and the sculptures of Geunjeongjeon (The Royal Audience Chamber) represent past sculpture of contemporary art.

Doota is a fashion mall full of trendy fashion items. THere are 540 stores throughout the 8 story building including designer shops, select shops, luxury brand stores, cafes, and restaurants. Doota procides unique, high quality products at reasonable prices under the motto of “Fast & First” and offers a one-stop shopping experience.

They give away coupon books, which can be used at shops popular among foreign shoppers, and souvenir gift kits. With the concept of Fast and First, Doota sells chic and unique clothing at reasonable prices. There are famous Korean designers’ second brand shops.

As the name explains it, the museum consist of paintings and artworks where there is “some trick” to it. More than often this means that the 2-D paintings seem to have a 3 dimensional effect by use of shadows and depending on your point of view. The most fun part about this is that you yourself can be part of the painting too, creating hilarious outcomes.

The won is the currency of South Korea. A somewhat more general defini-tion in economics is that a currency is a system of money (monetary units) in common use, especially in a nation.Under this definition, British pounds, U.S. dollars, and European euros are different

types of currency, or currencies. The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transac-tions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates.

1000 Won (Cheon Won) 10000 Won (Man Won)

500 Won (O-Baek Won)

50 Won (O-Sip Won)

100 Won (Baek Won)

10 Won (Sip Won)

5000 Won (O-Cheon Won) 50000 Won (O-Man Won)

Left: Gate of Gyeong-bokgung.

Bottom: Cultural deco-ration done by painting. Also, main colors that has symbols in Korea.

Top left: Fashion trend for fall.

Top right: There is hundred different styles in Doota mall.

Rights: You can enjoy being part of a 2D art work as you pose and allowed to take pictures as many as you want.

TRICK ART MUSEUM

CURRENCY

DOOTA MALL

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