The Shopping and Eating in Seoul

I thought I had enough of travelling.

When I scrolled down my blog.. it may well have become a travelling blog!

Geez.. but what to do, I just came back from South Korea and I have to blog it again.

It was a team building trip with Walton, took 5 days and we had some memorable times!
So I've split the report into different categories.

Here's the shopping bit..

Korea is supposedly a haven for shoppers.. what do I have to say?





Like Singapore tourists can't miss Orchard Road.



Tourists in Seoul can't miss DongDaeMun.


Long stretch of road.. nothing but shops..
ready to eat up your money! Ready?





but apparently, DongDaeMun is not the only place to go. It may be the most famous and most trendy.

But is is also the most over priced. And that's a big no no for me. I must buy things of good value.

You're supposed to bargain here...
but minding my horrible Korean and they're horrible English. Not a good match.


We also went to this place whose name I forgot totally..

But wherever I go.. I see cosmetic shops!!.. apparently there are hundreds and hundreds of cosmetic brands in Korea.. i wonder if many they OEM one. then re-brand only. Chey..





















My colleagues ..Here's YY, me and Dora!




























And below, here's Myong Dong.. We skipped visiting some boring president blue house and village houses to come here instead...Also for shopping.. What else would Singaporeans do anyway? shop lor!! I think the tour guide damn confused liao! Seems like this group not interested to see Korea at all.. we just wanted to shop everywhere we go!




















In Myongdong, the best buy I had was a pair of purple, assymetric havaianas slippers for 10 bucks. Cheap hor? We were pleasantly surprised.


Shopping areas in Seouls are aplenty, they are all massive junction with many individual shops who are each trendsetters in their own right. Interesting walk.

But seriously speaking, I don't really like shopping in Korea unless it's for cosmetic and beauty products.


Which is exactly what I splurged my money on. I went to FaceShop, Skinfood, Tony Moly and spent almost 500 bucks but I think I have stocked up enough powders, masks, sunblocks, eye shadows and nail polish for the next 1 year!

Tadaaaaa.................

even if there's a nuclear war next time and I am locked in my house for a year, I can still look pretty everyday! Yay!

For clothes and bags/shoes.. Cheap ones that you can find are made in China. Therefore they possess horrible quality and they would probably be cheaper if you had gone to Shen zhen to buy it in the first place.

Korean own products are of much better quality.. but it's freaking expensive.

US$100 for a pair of Korean made shoes.... with some brand you've never heard of?

Would you buy?? Pretty unique designs I must say, but I can personally live with the pretty $30 bux Charles and Keith I can find in Singapore.

With US$100, I'd go to SAKS and buy a pair of Stuart Weitzman on sale or an Aldo pair full priced. Geez.. Korean stuff areoverpriced... I understand labour ain't cheap there. But I wont pay that much for a pair of "unheard of brand", Korean shoes.


Same goes with their supposedly pret-a-porter and haute couture fashion. A bit too fanciful sometimes.. ala Korean drama... but some are worth considering if you have extra cash. Still.. I really missed the factory outlets in States, where I can get a pair of sexy Kenneth Cole heels for US$29.99, BCBG dress for US $39.99 and Kate Spade bag for under US$200. Ain't that great shopping?

Maybe if you're into underground labels or niche styles, you can come here.
If you like glamour and believe paying for good quality brand, I think you'd like the US factory outlets. They're amazing.

Korea can't beat US for shopping. Sorry. Not for me at least.

But at least they sure can beat U.S in terms of eating!


You will get fat in Korea!!!

Here's the Seoul Makan Guide by SillyCelly!

Ja jyang myun! Or the Korean version of ZaJiang Mian!

I am a big fan! I don't know about you but eversince I have been watching the numerous Korean dramas, I love Jajyang Myun!! so far, can't find a good one in Singapore.

But the instant one they sell in Cold Storage ain't so bad!

Topoki!!!! Rice Cake or nian gao in Chinese.

My korean friends took me to this street which only sells topoki! They told me that the tourists would never about this place because it's a very local place where the locals go and the tour guides get no commission. The topoki here is cooked in one big hot pot, mixed with noodles, egg and many other stuff too! Yummm!! Topoki is in my top 5 definitely! Must try!

This is in an area called SHIN DAN DONG! Or something like that. Very close liao.

Here is the very Topoki street! That's all they sell there. Topoki!

Very crowded like Joo Chiat. while eating them, don't forget to order your sohju (rice wine)..

Sohju is a BIG must try!!! Especially the more expensive one with ginseng in it!

Drank in shots, smooth and neat, not much bloatedness but geez.. gets you drunk in a jiffy!!! Saves time! And the best part if.. it's so freaking cheap.. Like 2-4 bucks a bottle. And that should be enough to get you pretty happy.

Samgyaetang! Or Ginseng chicken soup!

Put some sohju in it before you slurp the soup up.

Best eaten during winter.

With the Ginseng in it, the guys will have the modjo to start romping up like rabbits afterwards, to keep warm too I suppose.

Oh, anything that can make a lady happy, definitely made it to my top 5!

We had some Japanese breakfast at the Renaissane Hotel we stayed at. Not exactly Korean but mang.. the Japanese food here is better than the one in Singapore!

DongDaemun street snacks? I am sure you've heard of them?

This one in my hand can't be more sinful. Battered and deep fried sausage with cut french fries sticking all over it like a porcupine. Looked interesting enough for me to buy.

After the novelty wear off... it wasn't that nice anymore.

It was oily and I immediately felt fat.

Duck Steam boat!!

Rather unheard of heh?? But it was interesting !! The soup was good and the condiments that came with it were refreshing.

I like it anyway, different and yet satisfying! Almost made it top 5..

Chicken Fried rice! Hmm.. fry it yourself and pay the same price hahaha..

Well, a bit like a big pot of centralised, pepper-lunch meal.

You gotta make sure everyone likes your concoction. Maybe that's why I wasn't allowed to cook.

Not happy. Didn't make it to my top 5.

Me and Mrs Kim! She and Mr kim are old family friends, really lovely!

Korean BBQ!!!!!! Of course!!! You can't have miss it. though I am tryong very hard to become a vegetarian. Korean BBQ would be one of the best reason to un-become one once in a while.

Their pork is especially good, if you eat pork. else, the beef ain't so bad either.

The Koreans eat their BBQed meat with a cut of garlic and fresh lettuce.

because the lettuce is always fresh and raw, that's why they only use organic vegetables, they can't afford to be eating pesticides raw, right? If got pesticides in the non-organic veggie, at least cook it first yo!

Anyway, reallyy good feast..and you see the chimney in the middle? Supposed to suck up the smell. But no use lah.. Still so so so so smelly afterwards. I think it's a typical Korean smell.. one sniff and everyone around you will know.. "You went to eat bulgogi har???"

Definitely in top 5!

hmm.. Bibimbap!! Pretty famous and they even serve it in almost every Korean Airlines flight.

Steamed rice which you're supposed to mix with many many different types of ingredients and condiments, including the smelly kimchi.

Well, after the novelty wears off, all the fun in the mixing and stirring, this dish is not my cup of tea. Some people may like, but not me. Oh did I mention? I can't stand Kimchi, I really can't. Unless fried with rice or made into soup. or more of, I can't stand eating cold food. But mind you, Koreans eat lots of cold food too, especially their tau geh soup.. cold cold one and damn plain.. like water plus taugeh.. so weird.

However, bibimbap didnt make it to my top 5. Dunno why it's so famous. It's ike Rojak rice. The taste also very rojak lah.

8 Colour palate. Apparently some traditional chi chi Korean food. Not my type either. It's a DIY spring roll where you can choose your own fillings and dip into the two different types of sauce.

I don't like chi chi anyway. Nope.

The chi chi food comes with this really silly Korean traditional dance show.

I probably would like the show if I were 50 yrs old and bored to death.

Someone who's so used to drolling over Britney's sexy hip grinds and J Timberlake's popping and locking.. I think the traditional dance was a big yawn, so sorry. I am not cultured hor? Well, I am bloody hell not yoghurt..

OKK Let's round up the score..

THE TOP 5 MUST TRY food in South Korea...(duh.. gotta be South right? not sure North Korea got even enough food to serve tourists)

Ok.. here they are........

#5 - Korean BBQ!!!

Bulgogi etc etc! (it's pushed to #5.. cause you need to take a shower all over again after you eat it. else you smell like ..very oily bakwa.. euww!)

#4 - Ja jyang Myun!! - If you watch Korean drama, you'd understand.

# 3- SamGyaeTang!! - One for the ladies!

#2- Topoki!!!!!!!! -

and the number one delicacy.........

#1- the one and only!!

Soh ju!!!!!

I brought like 4 bottles back and I still have one more in my fridge for very very special occasion!!

I know I know.. Sohju is not exactly food but damn.. you gotta at least try the one with ginseng lah..Without Sohju.. none of the dishes above would be complete!

Signing out, I'd like to sleep now and think of Topoki and sohju! Anhyong Haseyo!!