Korea D3 - Seoul Architect

Hi Blog,

Today was my third day in Korea, and our two ladies would be returning to Singapore. HD had some ideas for our day's itinerary in the morning.

We woke up early, but we still considered it late compared to what we had agreed upon. I suppose that is how group travel works; different personalities and characters must be taken into account.

HD wanted us to experience some Korean culture and heritage, which he thought I would enjoy.

I wore the same jacket but a different shirt and jeans, giving the impression that I was wearing the same outfit from yesterday. 🫠🫠🫠

This street is usually packed with people on Sunday mornings, but it appeared to be less crowded today. Maybe because everyone partied last night and could not wake up early.

Unlike previous days, today's sky appears gloomy, as if it is about to rain. It is interesting to be able to see Korea in various sky modes in such a short trip.

Even the train station had fewer passengers in the morning. More observations will be required to confirm my guess.

Sleepy eyes I guess

Happy eyes

Lesser passengers simply calm me down.

It took me some time to understand the train network better. Click here for the official larger image for a closer look.

We had arrived in Gwanghwamun.

After leaving the train station, there was a large statue of King Sejong the Great.

What an amazing sculpture; you can sense the King's leadership and character.

Oooo. A gloomy sky. Looking around, the space here differs from other places. I am wondering if this is a shopping centre or a business.

King Sejong made significant contributions to Korea, such as inventions (some of which are shown below), a phonetic system for Korean writing, new musical instruments, a calendar, and more.

The intricate sculpting skill demonstrated here is both respectful and skilled.

Here were some of his inventions, including the armillary sphere, an ancient astronomical instrument that depicts celestial body motion.

Rain gauge

And Sundial

Actually, I have to admire those who can create such amazing things.

Hand up for King Sejong!

When it comes to intricate sculpture, just take a look at the chair.

Ahead of us was Gyeongbokgung Palace. Viewed from this angle, it resembles a Chinese palace.

Moreover, there are also Chinese words involved. Historically, Korea, Japan, and China were unified under the Goguryeo kingdom. Goguryeo was a powerful ancient Korean state that existed from the 5th century BC to the 7th century AD. At its peak, it controlled a vast territory that included parts of present-day China, North Korea, South Korea, and even parts of Japan. While Goguryeo was not technically "united" with China in the same way modern nations are, it did exert significant influence over certain regions in China.

When we arrived, the march had finished, and everyone was queuing to take a picture with them.

I missed one more ceiling painting, but these two look well-balanced and are not easy to paint.

Walking into the large parade square.

(Credit HD) Thank goodness there were only moderate crowds here.

I would love how there is a mountain in the background of this scene.

I wanted to enter further, but today was quite tight with many itineraries to accomplish.

Honestly, Gyeongbokgung Palace is well-maintained, and it looks very clean and tidy.

A crow enjoyed spending time in this location.

The colours on this drum are rich, with strong red, blue, and yellow set against a black background.

I couldn't help but notice the vibrant scene around me, with many people embracing the beauty of Korean traditional costumes. It added a lively touch to the heritage structure, transforming it into a tapestry of culture and history.

(Credit HD) Honestly, I wanted to rent a costume but... I am too poor for it...

Let's take a group photo together before we go to the next place.

(Credit HD) HD also helped us with group photos outside the palace.

Taking one last look at Gyeongbokgung Palace, I hope to return one day, adorned in a costume.

I found this online and would like to use it for inspiration.

Choose your MBTI and I am INFJ! Hahaha!

The next place was Bukchon Hanok Village.

While walking down the street, I noticed many traditional ancient exterior houses.

More cables web

I have wondered what lies ahead of me and what to expect next.

It looked like we were heading towards another heritage visit.

In this picture, you can observe a blend of ancient and modern houses, similar to Kyoto. I love this combination.

It is a beautiful and unusual scene to witness.

I love to be part of it.

The buildings are all made of bricks.

The traditional Korean house boasts classic windows, an iconic roof, and solid plain white walls atop a brick foundation, all adding to its distinctive and charming appeal.

Some homes maintain the ancient roofing alongside solid cement walls, blending the past with the present.

The distinctive characteristic of the houses in Bukchon is that they were built on a mountain slope.

If I am loaded...

I want a house like this!

From the midsection of the slope, one can observe the intermingling layers of traditional and modern houses. However, it's not an ideal photograph.

With a traditional house, you can create a business out of it like this tea house!

Just look at this! The mix of traditional and modern housing.

Residents here must surely maintain excellent fitness, having to walk up the slope every day.

Yes! I managed to capture the intermingling layers of traditional and modern houses, but it's not quite there yet.

This spot is perfect! Please, Humans, I need some space...

(Credit HD) Let's have a picture here.

Visiting an iconic tourist spot often comes with certain expectations. I need to anticipate crowds. However, it's also common to experience a great contrast between the idealized image and the reality, which affects our experience. Regardless, these places continue to draw visitors due to their historical and cultural significance!

We need to stay quiet when we are outside their houses.

Nevertheless, it is essential to have a group photo here!

(Credit G) To compare, do not you think their door is so small?

(Credit HD) Quick²! Get your camera ready because there is no one behind us! Cheese!

Ah, I found a house whose roof was not laid with cement, and I wondered if this was the type of house they were building in this area... This place used to be home to more well-doing Korean families. I could be wrong, but I was thinking about and comparing the costs of building such houses in the past.

(Credit HD) This house was also a good spot for photos because it is unique, with plants decorating the walls.

I saw this otter keychain and wanted to buy it! Because I was concerned that I would not have enough to spend for the next two days... Now that I think about it, I regret not getting it because it is not a common item in Korea... So adorable.

Oh my! Finally found something to eat at the 7-11 convenience store! I was so happy! The only sandwich that I can eat! Why is this so? I will explain further below.

Because it was the last day for the ladies, they rushed to do their last-minute shopping, and I got these for my mother, to be honest, they are affordable to purchase in Korea (excluding flight ticket price).

Because I did not get and locate that key chain, I guess I will just get this otter...

So these two could be together... To satisfy my psychological health for Completionism, Perfectionism, or Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies (OCT), so that I can feel a rush of dopamine and a sense of accomplishment.

However, in order to keep myself accountable, I will need to do more budgeting and set limits. Actually, I only need one, but my friend wants it, so I will keep them together for a while... at least I got my dopamine rush and sense of accomplishment satisfaction.

(Credit HD) Goodbye, ladies. They had to return to Singapore because our school requires them to be present. G was extremely upset, but she had no choice. So, have a safe trip!

HD did not get enough sleep the night before, so he let me stay in the room and now he has access to the ladies' room, so he wanted to sleep for the afternoon, and I will explore the nearby malls.

Okay, where should I go now? What am I looking for?

I reflected on what drew my attention... From Taiwan to Japan, and now Korea... What am I looking for? Clothing? Depending on the first love strike, that is how I shop for clothing. Food? I am a vegetarian, so my options are limited, and I am too fat to eat anything. Scenery? Which is a yes! But right now, it is just a shopping mall, so what is next? Plants? I can not get plants from overseas, so I am limited to viewing. Items? In some ways, yes. I am more of a toy collector or an anime fan, and when such stores catch my eye, I will undoubtedly enter the anime shop and look through the figures displayed on the glass cabinet as if it were my own collection. So I asked HD, "Is there an anime or toy store nearby?" He does not know anything... I have not seen one in the last few days. Oh well, I will just do some window shopping.

What do you know? 😂 One of the malls had a large anime store called Animate Hongdae! I could not take photos here, so I moved around to check out the merchandise. Even though I did not buy anything, I felt satisfied.

Autumn was approaching. I wondered if I would ever get to see autumn. I witnessed spring in Taiwan, where there were cherry blossoms.

I had no idea I had shopped until the evening when it was time to return as promised with HD for another exploration of Hongdae.

I purchased a Pokemon plushie for C, a teacher's birthday present from my workplace, and a small umbrella for my mother.

Every night in Hongdae, Korean youths basked; on weekends, there would be more people bashing and audiences.

Aside from being confident, you must be able to sing and have a pleasant appearance in order to have people sit here and listen to you.

How nice to be young and handsome, capable of confidently singing in public; plus points for any potential girlfriends to consider.

How I wished he could sing Deli Spice - Chau Chau

Aside from basking, the Hongdae night market offers a variety of foods as well as small gift and fashion shops.

The night here can last quite late.

Ah, another basker, this time a female singer. She was able to draw a large crowd. She even has someone filming her performance. 👍🏼

Another talented basker on guitar, he is good!

The night market is similar to those in Taiwan...

(Credit HD) However, things are much neater here than in Taiwan. Myeongdong also has a night market, though it was a little crowded, but there were plenty of food stalls.

There are many interesting shops, such as vintage shops, that got my interest, but I am on a tight budget... And the karaoke rooms, which you could see from outside, looked fun.

In the end, I only got two smaller otters, which are not as cute as the one I found this afternoon in Bukchon Hanok Village...

When we returned to our Airbnb, I attempted to purchase additional eggs for my supper and tomorrow. I considered buying that egg mayo sandwich, but I could not eat the egg sandwiches sold in CU convenience stores because they were contaminated with meat...

Let me show you... Many egg sandwiches are contaminated with meat... So sad...

Overall Experience: today was fantastic! I had a great time taking photos at the heritage site, and I am glad we did not argue during the trip. The trip went well!

Jeff