Anyong Haseyo ^^
I still remember the day I fell in LOVE with K-Pop. I watched my very first K-Drama, Winter Sonata in the 2000s, I do not remember the exact year. I still remember the girls were crazy about F4 (Taiwanese Boyband) and the Drama-Meteor Garden , including me. In a blink of eyes, I was hooked. I still remember that I was daydreaming about Bae Yong Joon for three days straight. Fuzzy feelings, smiling for no reason. I think he was the most HANDSOME guy on this planet. Hahahahhaha...only for that time. I took a Medical Leave to finish the whole box of the CD. At that time, I was doing my part time job at the Skybridge Twin Tower, KLCC. Who cares about KLCC? hahahhaha.. I only want to finish watching the whole drama.
(Source: Google)
After the evolution of Kpop industry, I have successfully graduated from the university and got a pretty decent job. Well, I must say that is a huge motivation to travel to South Korea or any part of the world. For your information, I have been to South Korea for three times!!!! and still counting. Maybe I will go to Jeju-do this time.
My First visit in 2010
It was exciting, I just started working in Labuan and everything happened so quickly. AirAsia just launched its new route to Seoul and the rest is history. The airfare ticket was cheap, it was only about RM700++. I was blessed to meet with two couch surfers who were kind enough to let us stay in their house in Gyeongju and Seoul.
For my first visit, it is more like an introduction to the place. Maybe I watched too much of Korean series and dramas, everything was very familiar hahahaha.. I was staying in the Namsan Guest House, in the Myeongdong area which is nearby to the N -Seoul Tower.
The highlight of this trip was the trip to Gyeongju. Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BC – 935 AD), which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula at its height between the 7th and 9th centuries, for close to one thousand years. Later Silla was a prosperous and wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gyeongju was the fourth largest city in the world. A vast number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period remain in the city. Gyeongju is often referred to as "the museum without walls". Among such historical treasures, Seokguram grotto, Bulguksa temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas and Yangdong Folk Village are designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The many major historical sites have helped Gyeongju become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea.
While in Gyeongju Min Ju and her husband never tired of giving us information about Gyeongju. If anyone of you have watched the historical drama 'Queen Seon Deok' you will be able to understand the history really well. The fact that once upon a time before the Joseon Dynasty existed, we only have one KOREA as a kingdom. It was amazing to know that under Silla Dynasty, the empire was able to unite all the continents as ONE KOREA.
I went to to visit the Bulguksa temple, Tumuli Park and the tomb around the city. You can visibly see all the tomb around the town because it was so BIG.
Bulguksa Temple
Tumuli Park. The royal TOMB looks like this. I cant my my own picture... so this is the picture from google.
I forgot the mention that my trip to Gyeongju was FREE OF CHARGE, courtesy of Korean Tourism Organization. If you are lucky, you can a lot of promotional coupons in the website.
In Seoul, I went to few places like Gyeongbuk Palace, Itaewon, Insadong, Everland and also the Han River Cruise.
Gyeongbuk Palace
In Itaewon, I get to meet with Ms Olivia the Radio announcer for Arirang radio. So, I get to choose a song to be dedicated to anyone. So I choose one from the boyband, SS501.
Han River Cruise
Everland
Couch surf friend in Seoul.
At last the visit to Ms Hwangbo restaurant. She is one of the character in the We Got Married season 1. I really love her strong personality. We didnt get to see her in person but maybe next time!!! ^^
Aja aja fighting!!
안녕히 계세요!!!