Hallyu Fever

Happy Tiger Year!

2010-02-15T01:26:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a Happy Tiger Year and Happy Valentine too..

It's my first post after a while since I'm just back from a long holiday, nearly two months since my last post around Christmas last year so hopefully I'll be able to catch up with latest issue soon.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-17T01:40:00.000-08:00

My posts have been slowing down over the past month, it doesn't mean that I have given up blogging neither I've lost my passion about Korea. It's merely just because I've been very busy lately at work, working back for every single day including weekends. Well, it's Christmas time! It's the busiest time of the year, hopefully after new year I'll manage to update this blog with interesting post about Korea.

Well... Merry Christmas everyone, hope you have a joyous Christmas ever!

My tiny Christmas tree..

Good Morning Panda

2009-11-18T19:08:00.000-08:00

The first Hallyu Star I fell for, Song Hye-kyo, has been appointed as Asia's first panda goodwill ambassador by the Chinese government in June. Song will shed the light on the pandas' hidden world and the threat of their extinction during the documentary, 'Good Morning Panda,' co-produced by South Korea and China. It will be broadcast through EBS TV's Docu Prime Wednesday.

Song, who visited a panda habitat in Sichuan Province after becoming a goodwill envoy, has been working to publicize the need to preserve pandas across Asia while calling for international support for the project.

(source: Korea Times)

Ninja Assassin

2009-11-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

Jeong Ji-hoon or better known as Rain, said that he did over 90 percents of stunts on his new Hollywood movie 'Ninja Assassin' himself. Actually it's his second Hollywood movie after his supporting role in 'Speed Racer' which was a flop.

Ninja Assassin is a ninja movie set in modern world, full of action and graphic violence so it's definitely a movie for fans who love martial arts and action. I am looking forward to seeing this in the cinema but I think I have to wait a bit longer since it won't be showing in my city till next year.

'Bump Bump!'

2009-11-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

BoA has released her 28th single, "Bump Bump!" in Japan on Oct.28, a dance with jaunty rhythm. She plans to hold Christmas concerts in Tokyo Dec.4-5 and in Osaka Dec.8.

Here is BoA with her fresh look, some says her short hair cut just looks like Utada Hikaru's style.

Hallyu Festival in Tokyo

2009-11-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

The craze for Hallyu stars has spread all over Asia and especially in Japan, some Korean stars have huge number of fanatic fans since the success of Winter Sonata which triggered the Korean wave culture in Japan. In recent years, the wild success of Korean dramas driving up the popularity of Korean actors in Japan.

Four Korean drama stars: Lee Byung-hun, Jang Dong-gun, Song Seung-hun and Won bin will take part in a special 'Hallyu' festival in Tokyo in this December. The event, to take place December 17 at Tokyo Dome, will be directed by renowned Japanese writer-producer Yasushi Akimoto. The four actors will give a theatrical performance set to an audiovisual piece by acclaimed Korean director Hur Jin-ho. The top stars will also introduce fans to their latest films and TV dramas and take part in an interview session.

(source: Korea Times)

2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards

2009-10-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) is the new form of KM Music Festival previously organised by two cable channels, Mnet and KM. This year, Mnet Media announced that they are creating a new event that would attract not only Korea's most popular singers, but those from around the world. MAMA will be held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium on Nov.21, 2009. The six-hour event will be aired live on Mnet.

Mnet also enabled foreign fans to vote for their favorite singers and groups through a separate web site. Those who have overseas IPs will only have the chance to vote through this particular web page.

Talented artists will compete in 29 categories divided into five different sections, including singer, genre, music video, grand prizes and others. The nominee for the Best Male Singer are Drunken Tiger, Rain and G-Dragon, among others, while the Best Female Singer category includes Bada, Baek Ji-young, and Son Dam-bi.

Who would you vote? For me, definitely I'd vote for one of my favorite singers, Son Dam-bi!

(Picture courtesy of: Korea Times)

(Source: Korea Times)

White Night

2009-10-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

'White Night' (Baek Ya Haeng) is coming soon to theaters on November 19, a new movie from one of my favorite Hallyu Stars, Son Ye-jin. It's been a while since I watched Ye-jin's last movie Open City last year.

'White Night' is a thriller movie based on a popular Japanese novel by Keigo Higashino. The original novel by Higashino, one of Japan's top mystery writers, centers upon a fateful love story of a man and a woman who committed a murder 14 years ago in self-defense. The story was adapted into a TV drama series in Japan in 2006.

Here is the trailer I found on youtube:

Unfortunately I have to wait a bit longer till the movie released on DVD since no cinema showing Korean movie in this city of Australia.

Custom designer by Shinsegae

2009-10-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

Wanna design your own t-shirt in 3-D? Go to Shinsegae! This week in Shisegae Dept. Store customers can get 3-D computer models of themselves and try out their new look in 3-D. After being measured by a 3-D scanner, customer will be able to customize the shirt they want to buy, choosing colors, collars and cuffs, as well as other details.

Although other brands have offered similar design-it-yourself package using avatars, this is the first in which the avatar is a 3-D model of the customer, the store said. The pilot service, available for free in the Event Hall on the sixth floor, will be limited to shirts, but the store hopes to branch out into more items in the future.

Shinsegae, literally means 'New World', was originally part of Samsung Group and separated in 1990s. The main store in Jung-gu, Seoul is the oldest department store in Korea, opened in 1930 as a branch of Mitsukoshi Department Store of Japan. The Shinsegae also owns the biggest shopping complex in the world Shinsegae Centum City in Busan (registered in the Guinness Book of World Records)

(Shinsegae Centum City map, courtesy of Korea Tourism)

(Source: Korea Herald)

Makgeolli onboard Asiana Airline

2009-10-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

Makgeolli, also known as Takju is a traditional Korean rice wine. This milky white drink may well be the oldest Korean liquor. Makgeolli, the once-overlooked drink, is now gaining popularity in Korea and Japan, and has made its way onto passengers airplanes. Asiana Airines said it will served the thick, white rice wine to all customers for free on all 22 flights linking Korea and Japan.

The in-fllight makgeolli is a specially modified strain made with fermented raw rice. Without odor, it is rich in dietary fiber and decarbonated. A company official said makgeolli is popular because it's healthier than other alcoholic drinks and tastes good. The carrier has decided to serve the rice wine on board to help promote Korean cuisine abroad and boost the consumption of rice. A fad for makgeolli in Japan encouraged the airline to serve it on flights from and to Japan first, nearly 90 percent of Korea's makgeolli exports go to the island country. Asiana will soon serve other Korean side dishes like an assortment of tofu and kimchi, and fired mung bean patties.

(Source: The Chosun Ilbo)

(Makgeolli I bought from Korean Festival last weekend)

As for the growing interest in this milky liquor, many makgeolli makers have added twist by inventing 'makgeolli cocktail', the colorful drink mixed with fresh fruits which hit young and old fans especially women.

All about Kimchi!

2009-10-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

A kimchi lover? I do love kimchi even not as maniac as a friend who eat kimchi as a snack :) If you love kimchi then you should come to Gwangju Kimchi Festival (I wish I could..)

This all-about-kimchi festival will be held in Gwangju from October 23 to November 1. Gwangju has successfully established the image of the home of kimchi. Marking its 16th anniversary, the 2009 Gwangju Kimchi Culture Festival will offers various programs through diversified approaches toward kimchi and providing kimchi making experiences, and holding contest for making kimchi, which will serve as a venue to enjoy and experience Korean kimchi.

If you want to travel to the 'world of kimchi', visit this 'Speaking of Kimchi' page from Gwangju Kimchi Festival web and you'll find all you need to know about kimchi.

(Picture courtesy of Gwangju Kimchi Festival)

Korean Festival

2009-10-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

My most-anticipated event for this October has come! Korean Festival 2009 which run through this weekend (Oct 10-11) at Eastwood Park. Eastwood is home to one of Australia largest Korean communities together with Campsie and Strathfield. It originated in the late 1980s as a Campsie-based event that was part of the Carnivale multicultural festival program, co-ordinated by the NSW Ethnic Commision and now is organised by the Korean Society of Sydney.

I was a bit late today and missed some morning performances like Korean Folk Game and Drum performance, but I still enjoyed the Korean traditional dance while hopping around from one food stall to another. Some others performances like Korean Pop music, Soul & Funk Band, singing and talent contest did entertain the folk and the food stalls satisfied my craving for Korean food like pajeon (seafood pancake), kimchi, tteokbokki and odeng. There were also some stalls selling Korean wines and served free tasting. One stall from Sydney's Korean Tourism was attracted folks with some free brochures and Korean books including travel guide and Korean food book.

I bought some Korean red ginseng product and a bottle of Makgeolli, a Korean traditional wine made from rice which gives it a milky, off-white color and swetness. Makgeolli and Pajeon, what a perfect combination!

(A stall from Korean Tourism office providing free brochures and travel guide books)

(Korean red ginseng products on display)

(Odeng)

(tteokbokki, spicy rice cakes)

(A stall selling some Korean wines)

Some stuffs I brought home: Honeyed Korean Red Ginseng, Red Ginseng jelly and candies, and a bottle of Makegeolli

Chrysanthemum Festival

2009-10-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

Autumn is a season full of natural beauty and one of them is the blooming Chrysanthemum. For those who visiting Korea this fall, you can't miss the beautiful and elegant Chrysanthemum festivals across Korea.

Masan Gogopa Chrysanthemum Festival, first held in 2000, celebrates its eighth year under the theme 'Flower & Island & Sea' from Oct. 24 to Nov.2 at Dotseom (island) Ocean Recreation Park this year, promoting not only the Chrysanthemum but a comprehensive festival that could enjoy the green ocean and islands of Namhae. A total of 5 billion Chrysanthemum will delight the visitors around Dotseom and the downtown of Masan City.

Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival at Iksan Joong-ang (main) Sports Park in Iksan City (North Jeolla Province) welcoming visitors from Oct. 29 to Nov. 8. The flowers will be displayed in the shape of famous characters including famous Korean figures and animation characters. The whole town is in a festival mood decorated with chrysanthemums around Iksan station, traffic station and here and there.

Gochang Chrysanthemum Festival, claimed to be the nation's biggest Chrysanthemum Festival where the organizer will set up a special promotion booth and offers visitors free tea and drinks made by using chrysanthemum cultivated in Gochang. The festival will take place for a whole month from Oct. 22 to Nov. 23.

Chrysanthemum Fragrance Festival at Daechengho Lake in Daejeon city (Dong-gu district) will exhibit more than 100 million Chrysanthemum from Oct. 20 to Nov. 8.

(Source: Korea.net)

A taegeukgi, Korea's National flag made of Chrysanthemums in Daejeon.

(Picture courtesy of : The Chosun Ilbo)

Mickey Mouse iRiver

2009-10-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got home and found an 'unsuccessful delivery' card from DHL express on my mailbox and since I wasn't expecting any parcel from family or friends the first thought was 'wow..might be from Korea?'. Today I picked up my parcel from DHL express and yes, it's a parcel from Korea! It's a Mickey mouse design iRiver MP3 player in sky blue color with 2 GB capacity, an initial prize for blogging about Korea. Thanks KTO and VANK!

My new Mickey mouse MP3 player comes with USB 2.0, ultra fast data transfer with iRiver plus 3 software firmware, built-in Li-ion battery and support music file such as MP3, WMA, and ASF.

Lee Hyori, Son Dambi, Lee So Young, Wonder Girls, Rain.. some drama series' soundtracks.. um ..what else..now I am preparing some of my Korean songs collection to be uploaded to my new MP3 player :)

I L♥ve Korean Food

2009-10-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

The 'I L♥ve Korean Food' promotion just started last weekend. The so-called 'Dine and Win' promotion from Korea Tourism in Sydney offers a chance to win a trip to Korea for two person while you can enjoy the 'special $10 dish' from the participating restaurants across Sydney.

I couldn't wait longer to enjoy the 'special dish' as I reckoned $10 is pretty affordable for a Korean food in this city, so I dropped in Kobow restaurant in the city last weekend. I picked this restaurant since I had never been there before and heard that the ambience is quite unique and they got friendly staff. Well, they indeed are friendly and as it was Chuseok day they gave free complimentary of colorful Songpyeon to enjoy the spirit of Chuseok. One disappointment was I couldn't find the 'special $10' dish on the menu, a short story that I hesitated to ask, I picked bulgogi and kalbitang (short ribs soup) to warm up the wet and chilling evening. After they served the 4 small plates of banchan (side dishes), my bulgogi came in a quite different look with 'plenty of' veggies, not the usual bulgogi I normally had but the taste wasn't a disappointment though. For those who love Korean music, they have LCD TV's playing latest Korean music to livened up the atmosphere.

(My Bulgogi with colorful veggies)

(My hot and yummy kalbitang)

(Banchan: seaweed and potatoes in sweet chili sauce, seasoned soy bean sprout and kimchi)

(Colorful Songpyeon to celebrate Chuseok)

Happy Chuseok!

2009-10-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Chuseok, originally known as 'hangawi', is a major harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Chuseok also means a mass exodus of Koreans heading to their hometown to pay respects to the spirit of one's ancestors and visiting their family back home.

One inseparable thing during holidays, especially Chuseok holidays, is holiday-gift culture. Some would opt for hampers or boxes of meats and ribs for a 'heavy' gift or Korean sweets and cookies for a more delicate one. One of the Koreans' most popular holiday gifts is Ginseng, or red ginseng in a healthy gift set to be exact. Another popular items on shoppers' list are fruit and wine. If you are a wine lover, Chosun ilbo has some tips on choosing the best wine for Chuseok, wine that goes well with your Korean food (focusing on French wine) such as Bordeaux for meat dishes, white wine for fish dishes and sparkling wine for pan-fried food and seafood.

Koreans also enjoy the holiday with big feast at home, and one of the major food prepared and eaten during the Chuseok holiday is songpyeon, a crescent-shaped rice cake which steamed upon pine needles. While the half-moon shaped songpyeon is perhaps the most popular one, it also comes in a variety of colors and shapes depending the region. There are rice cakes in shellfish, dumpling and flower shapes in different areas. Even the thickness of the rice dough varies, as the ones in Gyeongsang and Gangwon areas appear to be thicker. Korea Times has a neat article about songpyeon including the best recipe to make songpyeon with a delicious flavor, chewy texture and the fragrant scent of pine needles.

Well... Happy Chuseok Holiday!..

(Photo courtesy of Chosun Ilbo)

Dancers perform a fan dance at Seoul Station Plaza celebrating Chuseok holiday.

Winter Sonata Anime

2009-09-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Winter Sonata was the second part of the KBS TV drama series Endless Love. This original hit drama was broadcasted in 2002 in Korea, and the 2004 Japanese broadcast triggered the ongoing 'Korean wave' of pop culture in Japan. Winter Sonata has been a major part of the Korean wave both there and throughout Asia.

I am not really into the teary drama though but I did enjoy this drama with the beautiful locations of Nami island. One of my favorite scenes is where the snow falling on Jun-sang and Yu-jin (two main characters) when they held hand while walking down the pine-line road of Nami island. The white snow, redwood trees, nice songs and every bit have perfectly created the favorite romantic scene of the series! This big hit drama made me decided to visit Korea in winter time almost three years ago and eventually visited the beautiful Nami island where many scenes were shot.

Now the anime version has been confirmed to be aired in Japan in mid October with 23 members of the original cast voicing the characters.

Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo pose for photographers during a news conference in Tokyo to promote the anime version of Winter Sonata. (picture from: Japan Today)

The screen shot from Winter Sonata anime official website.

And here is the Winter Sonata Anime MV I found on youtube:

Taste of Nature, Heart of Sharing

2009-09-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

'Taste of Nature, Heart of Sharing' is the theme of 2009 Korean Temple Food Festival which will take place at Bongnyeongsa Temple in Suwon from October 8-10. Korean Temple food is a precious cultural heritage Korea has long nurtured.

The three-day event will be held in a quiet and and serene Buddhist University located in Suwon city, about an hour drive from Seoul. Showcasing a series of exhibitions including a temple food market, tea ceremony, tea talks with monks, temple stay programs (for selected international students only), and 'balwoo-gongyang' (communal Buddhist meal service). Eating is called gongyang in Budhism while balwoo means bowls containing rice and vegetables. In this unique and special way of eating in Korean temples, the meal is eaten in total silence and not a single grain of rice is wasted.

This festival is admission free and visitors can register via www.templefood.org until September 30, to get there go to Gangnam Subway station line 2, exit 3 and take buses 3001 or 3007 or take bus 7, 77-1 or 700 from Suwon station. For more information, visit the 2009 Korean Temple Food Festival website.(source: Korea Herald and Korea Tourism)

For your who interested in temple stay program, you can find the detail information on Korea Tourism web.

The beauty of autumn

2009-09-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

The beauty of Autumn leaves is on the way.. but be patient since it's coming a bit late this year. The Korean Meteorological Administration said that the autumnal tint this year will appear 1-8 days later than usual, which means that the middle regions of the country and Mt. Jirisan will see the colors of autumn leaves from October 20th to November 5th. (source: Korea Tourism)

For you who visiting Korea this autumn and wish to enjoy the warm foliage of reds and yellows may check the timing on Korea Tourism web as well as the best spot's list. The schedule shows the first foliage and peak time on each region. If you are visiting Seoul only and don't have much time to visit the mountains, don't worry.. there are some famous spots to enjoy the beauty of autumn in the city. The Palaces in Seoul including Changdeokgung has its own special walking tour to enjoy the autumn foliage while Hyang-wonjeong pavilion at Gyeongbokgung is a place you shouldn't miss. If you choose to have romantic walks, Deoksugung will open till late to give you the autumn warm when the night is getting cold.

(Picture courtesy of Korea Tourism)

Yeongam County will host F1

2009-09-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

Yeongam County (Yeongam-gun) is a county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea.

FIA, the Formula One racing's governing body has released the calendar for 2010 world championship and the inaugural Korean Grand Prix will take place on Oct 17. The 5.6 kilometer race track along the harbor side will be named The Korean International Circuit and designed by the famous race track designer Hermann Tilke.

Yeongam is surrounded by the beautiful Mt. Wolchul National Park and the Yeongsan River, as a historical site Yeongam has 'Yeogam Wangin Cultural Festival', which was named the 'Best Cultural and Tourism in Korea for year 2008. For full info about beautiful spots like Mt Wolchul National Park, Gurim Traditional Village, Historic site of Dr. Wangin, Doseonguksa and Dogapsa Temple, please visit the official website of Yeongam.

Mascot of Yeongam is inspired by the vitality of the Ume flower, the county flower.

(Picture courtesy of Yeongam-County)

Galbi will hit the Emmy Awards

2009-09-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Galbi literally means 'rib', generally refers to a variety of grilled dishes in Korean cuisine made from marinated short ribs in ganjang-based sauce (dark brown Korean soy sauce). This popular Korean grilled dish will hit Hollywood stars's palate at the Emmy Awards party.

'Calbi, a Los Angeles-based food catering, said Galbi was 'invited' for the Emmy launching party and would serve the Korean cuisine to Hollywood stars who will attend the event. (Source: Korea Times)

Galbi is generally cooked right at customer's tables on grills set in the table. It's typically served with lettuce and some leafy vegetables used to wrap the meat, which is then dipped in ssamjang, a sauce made of fermented bean curd and red pepper paste. Many Korean dishes incorporate with ribs, like Galbitang (clear soup containing pieces of galbi) and Galbi Jjim (steamed beef short ribs). Some restaurants also serve 'pork galbi' and chicken galbi which is a popular specialty of the Chuncheon region.

(uncooked galbi, picture courtesy of : Korea Tourism)

Dine and Win

2009-09-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

October is just around the corner! What's happening in October? For Sydneysiders, October used to be popular for Good Food Month Event and this year it has been replaced by Sydney International Food Festival, but it's still all about good food. A list of foodie events will run the whole month of October, from Night Noodle markets to World Chef Showcase will bring celebration of amazing food scene to the city.

On the top of that, 'I Love Korean Food Festival' - a Korean food promotion from Sydney's Korea Tourism, has been on my top list. Some Sydney's best Korean restaurants in the CBD, Eastwood, Newtown and Strathfield will be offering diners the chance to try some iconic dishes of Korea including Bulgogi (BBQ beef), Galbi (beef ribs), Dolsot bibimbap (mixed rice/vegetables in a stone pot), Japchae (Korean style sweet potato noodle), Haemul Pajeon (seafood pancake) and more.

Aside from enjoying some yummy Korean dishes at the special low cost of $10 diners will have the chance to win a trip to Korea for two persons including return flights from Sydney to Seoul plus three nights hotel accommodation in downtown Seoul. Dining out on the weekend, I considered this as my weekend hobby rather than a desire to win the trip.

For details of participating restaurants please visit the official website: www.ilovekoreanfood.com.au Entry details for the 'Win a Trip to Korea' will be open on the same webpage from 1 October, 2009.

(Picture courtesy of Korea Tourism)

And here is a creative picture representing Korea in World Chef Showcase event:

(Picture courtesy of : Sydney International Food Festival)

Cherry Blossom

2009-09-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

It's spring time down here in Sydney, my favorite season of the year when you can enjoy the beautiful flowers blooming. Last weekend I happened to visit a garden with some varieties of cherry blossoms, it's located in a suburb of Galston, about one and half hours driving from the city. Talking about cherry blossom, there many varieties of cherry blossom and some of them bloom only for couple days in spring time.

In Korea the largest beotkkot (cherry blossom) festival is in Jinhae City where visitors can walk through a tunnel of cherry blossoms trees surrounded by falling white petals. Jinhae Gunhang Festival takes place in Jinhae city around March-April when the cherry blossom are in full bloom. It has been held annually since 1963 and has become a famed tourist attraction in which locals and tourists can enjoy the beautiful sight of cherry blossom as well as participating in cultural events.

Here are some snaps from my cherry blossom viewing, most of those cherry blossoms are different varieties from the ones in Korea, hope I'll make it to Jinhae City someday to see the most famous cherry blossoms in Korea!

(white cherry blossom)

(red or pink?)

(the bee..)

Cookin' Nanta

2009-09-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

I happened to enjoy Cookin' Nanta show in Sydney last year. It was at Korean Sparking Festival at Palm Grove, Darling Harbour-Sydney. The audiences were entertained by a list of performances including Korean musical, Taekwondo demonstrations, hip-hop dances, Korean traditional fashion show and try on traditional Korean costumes (Hanbok) for free. There was also a quite interesting 2.5metre high ‘Korea Sparkling’ robot with video screen on his tummy surrounded by few stunned children.

The most-anticipated and favorite show of the day was Cookin' Nanta, a non verbal performance playing traditional drumming beats with kitchen background and using kitchen appliances such knifes and chopping blocks, portraying kitchen staffs and their manager cooking for a banquet in a funny comedy routines. They started their first performance in October 1997 and made its international debut in 1999 at the Edinburg Fringe Festival then opened a long term performance in Broadway New York in February 2004. Since the show is a totally universal nonverbal performance and presented through music and motions, there is no language barrier, Nanta can be enjoyed by people from all around the world. Nanta has been voted as one of '10 most famous tourist attraction in Seoul' by Korean Tourist Service.

Stalking the performers behind the stage, I was very happy when got the chance to take picture with all of the performers :) Looking forward for this year's Korea Festival in Sydney!

Nanta performance during Korea Sparkling Festival 2008 in Sydney

Daejanggeum Jeongsik

2009-09-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

Daejanggeum Jeongsik is a set menu described as Joseon royal cuisine traditionally prepared for the king and served at royal banquet. It's a new creation at Korea House, a meal course inspired by the hit MBC series 'Jewel in the Palace'. The set menu comprises 15 courses and costs 250,000 won per person.

The course starts with simple appetizers such as 'ejeolpan' (assorted Korean dry snacks), 'gujeolpan' (thin crepes with nine different fillings), water kimchi, king prawns with a pine nut sauce and assorted pan fried vegetables, mushrooms and meat.

The main dishes are divided into eight recipes, including lotus leaf-steamed pork belly, court style casserole, pine mushroom and broiled beef ribs, and braised abalone. The finishing touch is bibimbap with various side dishes. After feasting on the appetzisers and main dishes comes a dessert of fruit and rice cakes.

Daejanggeum Jeongsik set menu.

(Picture courtesy of Korea House)

Korea House itself is a tourist spot for learning Korea's tradition and culture in Seoul, it has been renovated as a cultural complex. For those who would like to learn how to whip up traditional Korean dishes, there is a new program where visitors can learn how to make kimchi, bulgogi and wear hanbok. The program will cost 55,000 won ($45) per person and is slated to be held in the new Chiseon Gwan building.

Korea House is located near exit 3 Chungmuro station, subway line number 4.

(Source: Korea Times and Korea Herald)

Girls' Generation as Digital TV's Ambassador

2009-09-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

Girls' Generation or known in Korea as SNSD (So Nyeo Shi Dae) is a nine-member girl group formed by SM Entertainment and since their first debut in July 2007, they have become one of South Korea's top pop idol group.

The Korea Communication Comission has appointed the girl group as the PR ambassador for its plan to launch digital TV broadcasting in 2013. The comission said Girls' Generation was selected because its lively impression corresponds with the clear image of digital broadcasting and that the group has been loved by a wide spectrum of people from youngsters to the elderly. Member of Girls' Generation were quoted as saying that they will make efforts to publicize digital broadcasting, which will provide high-quality, value-added services for viewers. (source: Korea Times)

Digital Television is the sending and receiving of moving images and sounds by discrete (digital) signals. An innovative type of broadcasting technology that enables a dramatically clearer picture and better sound quality.

SNSD perform at a ceremony to promote digital broadcasting in Seoul

(Picture courtesy of The Chosun Ilbo)

Gochujang

2009-09-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

You may not know the name before but you'd find this reddish paste with rich flavour in most Korean dishes such as used to marinate bulgogi, or mixed in bibimbap or tteokbokki to make the food spicier. So what is Gochujang?

It's a Korean condiment made by adding powdered red chili pepper and glutinous rice powder to soy bean paste. Traditionally it's made through years of fermentation process in large earthen pots outdoor, more often on an elevated stone platform called jangdokdae in the backyard.

Gochujang is also used as a base for making other condiments like Chogochujang and Ssamjang. Chogochujang is a variant mixture of gochujang mainly with vinegar and oter seasoning like sugar and sesame seeds. It's usually used as a sauce for hoedeopbap (steamed rice mixed with raw fish, vegetables and sesame oil). Meantime, ssamjang is a mixture of mainly gochujang and doenjang, with chopped onions and other spicy seasonings, and is popular with sangchissahm, which is a lettuce wrap of marinated, grilled meat with sliced garlic and green chili pepper.

Children making Gochujang at Namsan folk village, Seoul

(Photo courtesy of Korea Times)

Gochujang is rich in proteins and the red pepper famous for its anti-bacterial and anti-cancer effects and the hot taste stimulates the skin to speed up the blood circulation. If you wouldn't bother to make your own then it's quite easy to find ready-to-use Gochujang sold in a jar in Asian supermarket.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Seogwipo Chilshimni Festival

2009-09-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

History:

Seogwipo Chilshinmi originally was the name of the 27 km of land from Seongeup Village to Seogwipo Harbour in Jeju island.

Events:

Jeju Folk performances, street parade, ocean sport activities

When:

17 - 20 September 2009

Where:

Cheonjiyeon Falls Plaza and town - Jeju-do

Transport:

From Jeju International Airport, take bus# 600 to Seogwipo, pass the New Kyungnam Tourist Hotel and get off at the Cheonjiyeon bus stop.

(Picture courtesy of : http://www.70ni.com/)

Nearby Tourist spots: Cheonjiyeon Falls, Jeongbang Falls, Seogwipo submarine tour, Jusangjeollidae (sea cliff at Jungmun-Daepo Coast).

(Source : Visit Korea)

Geumsan Insam Festival

2009-09-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Insam or Ginseng is one of Korean signature products, known as the best health item and originally used as medicines but nowadays you can find many delicacies made with Ginseng like tea and cookie. There are about six or seven types of Ginseng known worldwide and the ones cultivated in Korea called as Goryeo Insam (Ginseng).

Goryeo Ginseng

(Picture courtesy of Visit Korea)

Geumsan, a town of South Chungcheong Province, is home to Goryeo Ginseng and the largest producer of ginseng in Korea. This month, Geumsan is holding the annual 'Geumsan Insam Festival' which will be held from September 18 to 27. The festival, which has been running for 29 years, is held to promote the beneficial affects of Geumsan Ginseng.

The Geumsan Ginseng Pavillion will feature exhibits on everything related to ginseng, including a special fair for the international trade and a hands-on health area featuring folk medicinal remedies. Visitors will be amused by Geumsan traditional folk performances, singing and dance contests, a dramatic production about ginseng and other attractior. There are als some programs for foreign visitors, like singing contest, ginseng herb quiz, ginseng t-shirt painting and oter unique programs.

If you are coming from Seoul, take an express bus for Geumsan for 2 hours and 40 minutes ride and get off at Geumsan Bus Terminal then take 5-minutes walk to the venue.

(Source: Visit Korea)

Bau House, a dog cafe in Seoul

2009-08-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Doggie Lover? Wanna go on a date with your dog? You definitely should try this unique and perfect cafe for dog lovers in Seoul: Bau House, a dog cafe in Hongdae.

Bau House not only allows you to sip your latte while your pooch share the same table with you, they even got their own pooches ready to be your companion, just pick your desired breed, spaniel, maltese, lassies, huskies or other cute puppies. This cafe open from 1.20 pm to 11.30 pm.

Here are picture and map from their website

(Pictures courtesy of Bau House)

Odeng

2009-08-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

This is not a Korean city so don't expect to come across Pojang Macha on the street but if you want a bite of Korean delicacies to eat while catching up with friends in Sydney, try this 'Heaven and Earth Korean restaurant'. It's not a fancy resto though, just a small yet authentic Korean restaurant on Liverpool street just across the World Square complex in Sydney. Last weekend we went there to catch up with an old friend and we picked 'Odeng', it's made of processed fish cake, some of them placed on a long wooden stick and dipped in a hot and spicy soup, while another version cooked in a light soup.

This nice hot odeng soup is a perfect match for Soju

This restaurant also serve some others 'Pojang-macha's style delicacies' like sundae (Korean sausage), mandu (dumpling), kimchi pancake and hot and spicy noodle soup.

Lee Young-ae got married!

2009-08-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

This news may break your heart! Lee Young-ae finally walked down the isle with Mr. Jeong, a Korean-American businessman secretly in the US on Monday, her legal consulting firm said on Tueday. News reports said Mr. Jeong, 54, studied at University of Illinois and is currently engaged in IT-related telecommunication business. Lee, 38, is planning to settle in the US but will continue her activities as an actress in Korea, Dongin said.

(Picture courtesy of Korea Herald)

Those who love Korean drama would definitely know Lee Yong-ae, one of Korean Top acctress who gained popularity for her performance in Korean famous drama 'Jewel in the Palace (Dae Jang Geum)', which drew attention not only from Asia but all over the world.

(Source: Korean Herald)

The Jindo Moses Miracle

2009-08-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

The Jindo Moses Miracle is one of the world's most amazing natural phenomenons happens twice a year in Jindo island, the third largest island in Korea next to Jejudo and Geojodo island. It's nearly the end of February and mid of June, during low tide, a land path of 2.8 kilometers long and 40 meters wide is revealed, connecting the islands of Jindo and Mondo for about an hour before being submerged again. This amazing phenomenon resembles 'The Splitting of the Red Sea' in the Book of Exodus in the old Testament, that's why this event is called "The Miracle of Moses".

A festival called The Yeongdeung Festival is dedicated to celebrate this natural wonder. During the festival, original folk plays of Jindo are performed and would draw tourist from aroound the world into Jindo island.

(Picture courtesy of : Korea Tourism)

For local transportation from Jindo-eop bus terminal, take a bus to Jindo island or Heodong-ri

You can read the full history and the legend behind this amazing natural phenomenon on Visit Korea web. (Source: Visit Korea)

Seoul Open Night

2009-08-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Seoul Open Night is a night festival with a range of cultural events held across Seoul's major districts on August 22. From stage playing musical concert, sightseeing to handicrafts, people will be able to enjoy the various cultural events the city has to offer under the moonlight.

'Culture Pass' is all you need to visit Palaces, Museums, art galleries, concert hals and other facilities without limit and it's available on interpark.com.

At Jeong-dong, the center of the city, people will able to visit Deoksu Palace, Seoul Museum Jeongdong Theather and enjoy a performance by the famous non verbal performace 'Nanta' among other activities.

At Daehangno in northern Seoul, visitors will be able to watch various plays from the afternoon until midnight. Fee showcases and exhibitions by up-and-coming artists will be held and several Korean movies will be screened for free at Maronoe Park.

In the Bukchon district, 60 art galleries, studios and museums will be open until midnight.

Jindo of South Jeolla Province joined hands with Seoul for the events and will perform Jindo Drum in Insa-dong.

Spirits will be high in the Hongdae district of northwestern Seoul, where 40 underground rock bands will hold all-night performances at 1 different clubs.

'Seoulites and tourist will all able to enjoy cultural aspects of the city without worrying about time or money', Kwon Hyuk-so of City Hall said.

(Source: Koreatimes)

Relax yourself at Jjimjilbang

2009-08-22T20:08:00.000-07:00

Got a long tiring day? Relax yourself at Jjimjilbang!

Jjimjilbang literally means 'sauna room' or you can call it Korean sauna. Jjimjilbang normally are large public bathhouse complete with sauna, hot tub, shower room, pool, massage room, and a lot more. Most of them open 24 hours and also have restaurants, wide-screen TV's, noraebang (karaoke room), and napping area where people can sit or lie around sleeping or just relaxing and watching TV.

The speciality of Jjimjilbang is sauna room. There are several different saunas with different themes and benefits, such as rooms made from a certain type of rock known in Korea as 'maekban' are good for rejuvenating skin, amethyst for improving blood circulation, and yellow mud are good for digestive system.

After you sweat your stress out in the hot room, drink a cold glass of 'misutgaru' (ground mixed grains mixed with wather or milk), or 'sikhye' (sweet drink made from fermented rice) and you will be fully-recharged!

(picture courtesy of Korea.net)

The admission fee is considerably inexpensive with less than 10,000 won or about $10, so when you are traveling around Korea why don't you stop by at this uniquely Korean sauna and relax yourself at Jjimjilbang!

(source: Korea.net)

Made in Korea

2009-08-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

Made in Korea? which one or which part?..... :)

It's a picture used to promote Lee Hyori's third album 'It's HYORISH' released on July last year.Yes.. I am one of her big fans!

Lee Hyori or Lee Hyolee is one of 'Korean Divas', fell for her most famous song 'Just ten minutes' in 2003 which was nicknamed as "The Year of Hyori" when she won more then seven including three of the four most prestigious Daesangs (Korean awards for 'Artist of the Year').

In February 2006, she released her second album "Dark Angel" and the first single 'Get Ya' with its raunchy MV has labelled her as a 'Sexy Popstar' since then. In Novemver 2006, she signed a three-year contract with M-Net Entertainment for 2.2 billion Won which made her the highest paid female singer in South Korea.

In 2007 she starred in If in Love.. Like them and one of the sountrack 'Toc Toc Toc' released in digital in March 2007 was the best selling album of the month, the song itself still is categorised as 'sexy R&B'. Despite all the controversy and penalty on the movie due to some advertising gudilines, one of its ballad song has proved that Lee Hyori is not only good on sexy dancing but she also could make you cry with her voice.

Here is her touching song from If in Love.. Like Them:

Maesilju or Bokbunjaju ?

2009-08-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

I am not a heavy drinker but when it comes to my favorite wines, Maesilju and Bokbunjaju , they are just simply irresistible! Talking about Korean wine, there are six varieties of Korean alcoholic drinks:

Yakju, literally means medicinal alcohol, is a refined rice wine made from steamed rice that has gone through several fermentation stages.

Cheongju, literally means clear wine, is a clear rice wine familiar to Japanese sake.

Distilled liquors. Korean distilled liquors include Goryangju made from sorghum, while Okroju made from rice and Munbaeju, a traditional aged distilled liquor made of malted millet, sorghum, wheat, rice and nuruk (fermentation starter). It's believed to be originated from Pyongyang region, with a strength of 40% alcohol and noted for its fragrance.

Soju, a clear and slightly sweet distilled spirit. It's the most popular one and also well-known as Korean liquor. It's made from grain or sweet potatoes and generally inexpensive. Soju from Andong is famous as the the best soju in Korea and priced as much as 20 times more expensive than ordinary soju.

Takju or better known as Makgeolli is a milky, off-white, sweet alcoholic beverage made from rice.

Fruit wine, it's produced by combining fruits or berries with alcohol. The most popular fruit wines are Maesilju (made from maesil or plum), Bokbunjaju (madef from bokbunja or blackraspberry). These two are my favorite ones.

Flower wine, some made from chrysanthemum, peach blossom, acacia and wild rose.

Yagyongju or medical wine made by combining medicinal seeds, herb, and roots with alcohol, such as:

- Insamju, made with ginseng and is the most popular medicinal wine among older people.

- Dosoju, is a popuarl herbal wine and traditionally served on New Year's Day.

- Songsunju, is a soju made with glutinous rice and soft, immature pine cones.

- Jugyeopcheongju, is a traditional liquor made with bamboo leaves.

- Chuseongju, is a traditional wine made from glutinous and non-glutinous rice and herbs.

(Source: Wikipedia)

My Maesilju (Plum wine) from Bohae brewery

This Bokbunjaju is claimed to be the world's best by Bohae brewery company. This enchanting purplish color wine won the silver medal at 2005 Dallas Morning News International Wine Competition.

Shop till you drop in Dongdaemun!

2009-08-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

It was my last night in Seoul when I jumped on the subway then got off at Dongdaemun station and strolling around the huge Dongdaemun Shopping Mall.

Dongdaemun Shopping Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is the largest shopping centre in South Korea. Opened for the first time in June 1905, the market has become one of the most popular markets in Korea especially for clothing and its accesories. With more than 25 shopping malls and 30,000 speciality shops you would find anything you need to dress your head to toe. When you get tired from shopping you would easily find eateries both inside and outside the mall where 'Pojang Macha' stalls lining up along the street and enough to satisfy your craving for Korean food.

The main street divides Dongdaemun Market into two section.

Section 1 is more for retail shops where the atmosphere designated for young people and the facilites such as information desk and money changer make it easy for the tourist. This section open from 10 am till 5 am the next day, you can say that this market is also a night market as well.

Section 2 is more for wholesale and since mostly for wholesaler there are no facilities such as dressing room, the market in this section open about 8 pm till 8 am the next day.

Dongdaemun

Across the shopping complex, you'd find one of Seoul's famous landmarks: Dongdaemun Gate (East Main Gate). Originally called Heunginjimun, this National treasure was built by King Taejo in 1396, renovated by King Danjong in 1453 and its present structure was built by King Gojong in 1896. Although the gate is generally known as Dongdaemun Gate, many people still call it Heunginjimun with the intention of preserving its old heritage. The easiest way to get to Dongdaemun is by subway line no 4 and get off at Dongdaemun station, take exit no 4 and walk for about 5 minutes.

(Source: Korea Tourism)

(Picture courtesy of : Korea Tourism)

Seoul Flea Market

2009-08-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

I always love browsing around in flea market, enjoying the weekend's sunshine while making bargains for something unique and you never know what you might find in a flea market.

During our trip in Seoul, visiting the folk flea market was on our list, I was planning to find some unique souvenir for family and friends like Hahoe mask and kid's Hanbok for nieces but my missus ended up buying a hanbok for herself!

The Seoul Folk Flea Market is a downtown market where and contemporary coexist, souvenirs shops sell unique items like Hanbok apron which transform traditional hanbok into a practical apron, Hahoe masks and hand-made natural soap. On the second floor Boradong, handicrafts from Jeju island and North Gyeongsan Province, traditional alcoholic beverages and other regional specialties are on sale. If you are looking for unique gifts for foreigners or the elderly, this is the the right place to go to.

When you get tired, you can take a break in front of the flea market stage which is open to performances by anyone.

(Source: The Korea Herald)

(Picture courtesy of The Korea Herald)

Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

2009-08-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Samgyetang literally means 'Ginseng Chicken Soup', it's a famous soup traditionally served in summer for its nutrient to protect the body from scorching heat and excessive sweating. It was a chilling winter night in Seoul when I happened to find Samgyetang quite easy in a restaurant near our hotel in Jongno-gu, the staff said that Samgyetang has been a popular Korean food for visitors so that they serve this healthy chicken soup all year round.

Samgyetang may taste plain to some but it's a healthy and nourishing food especially for those who prespire easily and have weak digestive organs. However, people with high body temperature should avoid the dish as it boosts body temperature.

Samgyetang

(picture courtesy of: Korean Tourism Org)

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

- Whole chicken

- Sweet rice (also called glutinous rice or sticky rice)

- Fresh ginseng, medium size

(if use dried ginseng, better to crush the ginseng well)

- Garlic, 3 cloves

- Jujube (Chinese date), 3 (5 gr)

- Green onion

- Salt pepper.

1. Wash the chicken well and remove internal organs.

2. Wash the sweet rice and soak in water for about 2 hours.

Garlic and jujube are used whole, wash ginseng and slice green onion.

3. Stuff the chicken with sweet rice, ginseng, jujube and garlic.

Cross and bind the chicken's legs to keep the stuffings in.

4. Put the chicken in the pot and boiled in water for 45 minutes until the broth appears white

5. Sprinkle salt, pepper and green onion.

(Source: Korea Tourism Org)

I also got the pre-packed Samgyetang to be brought as souvenir for my family, it's quite unique and authentic food souvenir from Korea.

Lotte World and Coex Mall

2009-08-15T03:08:00.000-07:00

Got back to Seoul from Nami-seom, we spent half of our last day in Seoul visiting Lotte World and Coex Mall.

Lotte world is a big complex with one-stop concept so you'd find anything you need from accomodation (hotel), both indoor and outdoor theme park, shopping mall, folk museum, sports facilities and movie theater in one place. The Lotte world indoor theme park is one of the largest indoor amusement parks in the world. If you are a Korean drama lover, you'd notice some spots used for filming 'Stairway to Heaven'.

If you wish to learn about Korean history and tradition then you should visit the Lotte World Folk Museum. A collection of minature and life-sized exhibition along with performance stages for traditional music and dance would amuse you while learning Korean history and culture. The traditional restaurants are located on the market (Jeoja) street on the third floor of Lotte World Shopping Mall, giving visitors the chance to taste Korean traditional dishes.

(Some restaurants inside the traditional market inside Lotte World)

How to get to there? Take subway line 2 to Jamsil station and take exit no 4 (underground plaza). Admisson fee including performance viewing is 24,000 won and 21,000 won after 4 pm.

Off The Lotte World, we jumped on the subway headed to Coex Mall, a huge shopping arcade located beneath Samsung-dong Trade Centre. It's only 3 stops away from Jamsil station (The Lotte World), got off at Samsoeng (Samsung) station and took exit 5 where we walked down to the end of Ocean Walk straight to Coex Aquarium. This Korea's largest aquarium has 40,000 marine wildlife of 650 species. Once again it's also a place used for filming a Korean drama 'One Fine Day' after the first six episodes were filmed at Busan Aquarium.

Coex Aquarium with posters from One Fine Day

Coex Mall off the Samsung station

Nami island

2009-08-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Nami-seom or Nami island is another 'romantic spot' in Korea, located in Chuncheon City this beautiful tiny island attracts 1.5 million visitors on average year. According to wikipedia, its name originated from General Nami, who died at the age of 28 after falsely accused of treason during the reign of King Sejo, the seventh king of Joseon Dynasty of Korea. Also known as 'Naminara Republic' since 2006, it's an imaginary country that has invented its own passport, currency, stamps for promoting its tourism. Naminara Republic is fully equipped with facilities including Tourist Info Centre which provide currency exchange for the tourist.

Famous as the shooting place of 'Winter Sonata', a famous Korean Drama by KBS in 2002, the beautiful forest path of pine trees is a must see spot in this island.

(Some snaps in Naminara Republic)

We opted to get to this island by bus from Dong Seoul Terminal headed to Chuncheon, after one and half hours ride we got off at Gapyeong bus terminal. Staff from our hotel suggested to take taxi from this point to Nami-seom wharf which would cost about 8,000 won, just say "Nami seom ga juseyo" he said, but we decided to take our own adventure riding the local bus from Gapyeong station, it took us only 10 minutes to the wharf where we boarded the ferry for another 10 minutes to the island.

If you'd rather take the train, you can take train from Cheongryang-ri station to Chuncheon and then take taxi from the station to the ferry wharf.

Enjoying the beautiful Naminara Republic for about 2 hours wasn't long enough for us but we had to rush back to Seoul for our last day visit in the city and yet to visit another places on our list.

(Our mode of transport: local bus and ferry)

(Nami seom's map, courtesy of Chuncheon City)

All In House

2009-08-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

Jeju is the best natural shooting place, many famous Korean drama series or movies were filmed in this island, just name it: Jewel in the Palace (Daejanggeum), All In, My Girl, Goong and the list still goes on.

Our trip in Jeju was quite short so we only managed to visit Seopjikoji from All In and the other one was Daejanggeum shooting place. All In Hous e is more like a museum that provide everything about the drama. The All In House opened its door on June 3, 2005 and it's the first drama memorial hall in Korea. The House located in a beautiful shore of Jeju's southern district called Seopjikoji.

(All In House in Seopjikoji)

As for Daejanggeum shooting place, it's hidden in untouched coastal scenery, the beautiful ocean and stunning view of cliffs and surrounding rocks is simply breathtaking, if you are visiting Jeju island, it's one of must see destinations.

(Daejanggeum shooting place)

Tangerine Farm

2009-08-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

Tangerine is Jeju's signature fruit, you will find this mandarin orange sold in every local shops and tourist spots across the island. Visiting the Tangerine farm was one of our itinerary in Jeju. Located not far from the Folk Village, the farm allowed us to look around, pick the tangerine from the trees and taste how sweet the fruit is. We found the tangerines hang on almost every branch made a beautiful background to pose on.

Tangerine farm in Jeju

Jeju tangerine sold at a market

Beside the abundant tangerine you'd also find some cookie product made with tangerine including tangerine-filled chocolate. We did try and buy some orange choco as souvenirs, I reckon this Jeju orange chocolate is a must buy product from Jeju.

If you happened to watch Korean drama series "My Girl", some scenes were set in a beautiful Tangerine farm of Jeju, and it's one of many famous Korean drama series I've watched.

Submarine Tour in Seogwipo

2009-08-10T02:31:00.000-07:00

Still in Jeju island, Seogwipo is a port city located in the southern part and is the second largest city on the island after Jeju city. It's much smaller compared to Jeju city but you would be amazed by the view from both above and under the sea.

Seogwipo port

There are two options to enjoy the underwater scenery, either scuba diving or submarine. Submarine is the easy way and who would go for scuba diving in winter time? We went down to the very end of the harbour to find the submarie tour desk in a building shared with the cruise tour. The 'feeder boat' took us to the submarine docking are, where the crews escorted the passenger one by one to the submarine boat, given times to take picture nobody missed this chance to pose with the submarine and surrounding rocks. Stepping the ladder all the way down the bowel people settle down in small benches facing the glass windows on each side of the boat. The excitement begun when we saw a diver swimming through followed by a huge group of fish. It really was a unique experience enjoying the beauty of coral reef and colourful underwater life. With the minimum lighting we couldn't take good shots but it really was an enjoyable trip we would love to go back.

The beautiful sea of Seogwipo

The underwater view from Submarine

Jeju Folk Village

2009-08-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

Jeju Folk Village is a place where you can see and experience the native's culture of the island as well as species of native trees. Jeju Folk Village has a range of tradtional folk collection from around 1890's, more than 100 traditonal houses and over 8,000 pieces of folk articles are also displayed. The houses on display comprises mountain village, hill-country village, Jeju old administration office, and fishing village including the women diver's house. You can also find the traditional marketplace like restaurant, convinience store, and souvenir shop.

(Jeju Folk Village)

As we joined a local tour, lunch was included so we didn't bother what's on the menu for our lunch. The traditional Korean dishes served on a long table, including the local famous Jeonbokjuk (abalone porridge), fried fish, hotpot and not to mention a range of Banchan (Korean side dishes) including kimchi, fried anchovy, and potato salad. Don't expect for a big portion of abalone porridge considering the price, but I was quite happy with a small bowl of this healthy and yummy soup. Lucky that we mingled very well with a lovely family whose daughter speak English fluently so we didn't get lost in translation. This time I didn't manage to take good pictures so no food pictures to share for this post.

Admission fee is 6,000 won for individual, open from 8:00 to 17:oo in winter, and open a bit longer in summer (18:00). Jeju Folk performance can be enjoyed 3 times a day, but better check the schedule beforehand.

Jeju Love Land

2009-08-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Jeju Love Land or Sex theme park is an adult only theme park, the only park of its kind in Korea, featuring 140 works of arts created by 20 artists from Hongik University in Seoul. Opened for the first time on November 16, 2004 the park has become one of top tourist spots on the island. The park is only 10 minutes from Jeju International Airport, open from 9 am till midnight and costs 7,000 won for admission. I do recomend to visit this park in the evening when the naughty yet humorous sculptures lit up by beautiful lightings. The official website describes the park as 'a place where sexually-oriented art and eroticism meet, breaking the traditional taboos surrounding love, and is a place where visitors can appreciate the natural beauty of love'.

Jejudo (Jeju island)

2009-08-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

Jejudo or Jeju island, formerly called Cheju island, is a volcanic island located in the southern part of South Korea. This relatively small island has many beautiful and unique tourist spots across the island. If you are Korean drama or movie lover you will find many 'romantic spots’ where many popular Korean drama scenes were taken such as All in and the famous Jewel in The Palace (Dae Jang Geum). This island with its fantastic and mysterious spots indeed is a perfect place for honeymoon.

(Night view from Yong Duam Rock)

Here are the spots list from my Christmas holiday in Jeju:

Korean drama shooting places (All in and Dae Jang Geum)
Mysterious road (a road where you can feel optical illusion)
Osulloc tea plantation
Lotte Hotel Garden
Tangerine and mushroom farm.
Seongeup Folk village
Seogwipo sub-marine cruise
Mongolian horse show
Pony horse riding
Hapy Town (Chinese circus)
Dragon Rock (Yong Duam Rock)
Dongbokri woman diver, a village where you can try all kind of fresh seafood.
Love Land (Sex theme park)

I am very happy to rate Jeju island as the most beautiful island in the world! During my 3 days only visit, I had tonnes of stories to be cherished and treasured with hope that I'd make it to this island again someday.

Almost forgot, you definitely should try the sweet tagerine of Jeju when you visit this island!

I couldn't fit all my stories of this island full with beautiful nature in one post so I'l update this post in some separate posts later.

Po Jang Macha

2009-08-07T04:10:00.000-07:00

Seoul - Third installment: Street food

Po Jang Macha or street food vendor was one of my 'must visits' in Seoul. If you watch Korean drama you would see what they called 'Po Jang Macha' featured quite often in the movie when people craving for midnight supper or just for a bottle of Soju (Korean rice wine). These street food vendor is very popular in Korean cities, from party goers to white-collar workers wouldn't hesitate to end their nightlife session inside a plastic tent alongside the streets.

Most of Po Jang Macha serve many kind of snack on sticks for you to enjoy while standing up or to take with you and some vendors also serve seafoods for you who wish to sit and have some drinks as well. The snacks come in affordable price just don't forget to ask the owner beforehand if you can't eat the hot and spicy sauce.

(Po Jang Machas in Myong Dong, Seoul)

Here are the list of some popular Korean snacks:

Beondegi - seasoned steamed or boiled silkworm pupae, it's the most unique one you won't find it sold elsewhere.

Gimbap - rolled steam rice wrapped in seaweed. It looks like temaki sushi (roll sushi) in Japan but taste slightly different. Normally comes in one bite-size, lightly salted, filled with sausage, meat, radish etc . Gimbap served cold accompanied with kimchi as dipping.

Sundae - Korean sausage made with pig's intestines. It's a kind of blood sausage stuffed with various ingredients such as vermicelli, minced pork, green onion and some variant also made with seafood such as ojing-eo sundae (squid sundae).

Tteokbokki - Stir fried rice cake stewed in thick red pepper sauce with some vegetables. The red color tells how hot is the soup.

Mandu - Dumpling stuffed with mince pork or beef and mixed vegetables, comes with kimchi or soy sauce for dipping.

Twibap - Literally means 'popped rice', it's a kind of puffed crispy cookie made from rice or corn.

Gyeongbokgung (경복궁)

2009-08-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Seoul - second installment: Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace literally means 'Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven', is the main and largest palace of the Five Grand Palaces built by Joseon Dynasty. The palace was originally constructed in 1394 by King Taejo, the first king and founder of Joseon Dynasty (source: wikipedia).

Gyeongbokgung Palace is also known as 'Northern Palace' since it's located more toward the north while Changdeokgung known as 'Eastern Palace' and Gyeongheegung as 'Western Palace'. The National Palace Museum of Korea is located south of heungnyemun gate and the National Folk Museum is located east within Hyangwonjeong.

The ticket pass for Gyeongbokgung Palace can also be used at National Palace Museum and National Folk Museum.

The 'must see' attraction at this Palace is 'Changing guard ceremony', but unfortunately we missed this so I didn't have any picture to show, furthermore I didn't manage to shoot proper pictures only got a few pictures of my wife with the couple. Talking about these buddies, we just met for the first time in the morning but ended up hanging around together all day exploring Seoul, squeezing ourselves in the huge crowd at Myong Dong and dropped dead tired on the busy buzzing streets packed with people enjoying the city's illumination of Christmas eve!

This Palace is open from 9.00 - 18.00 during summer and 9.00 - 17.00 during winter, closed every Tuesday. Address: Seoul-si Jongno-gu Sejong-ro 1.

Admission fee is 3,000 won for 19+ and 1,500 won for 7-18 and free for age 6 or under.

For detail information about Gyeogbokgung Palace you can visit the official website here.

Changdeokgung (창덕궁)

2009-08-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

Seoul-first installment:Changdeokgung Palace

As a I mentioned on my previous post, one of my 'must visits' in Seoul was Changdeokgung Palace, at that time I only knew that this Palace is one of the shooting places for the famous series of 'Jewel in the Palace' or 'Dae Jang Geum'.It was my first visit of the day since it's only a stroll walk from my hotel.

Changdeokgung Palace (literally means 'Palace of Prosperous Virtue) is one of Five Grand Palaces in Seoul built by Joseon Dynasty. Located in a large park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, this UNESCO World Heritage site can be reached by subway line 3, get off at Anguk station and take exit 3.

Accompanied by three friends from Japan and a new couple friend from Seoul, we decided to take our own walking tour instead of waiting for the next English guided tour. We explored this beautiflul Palace for about 2 hours before heading to another palace called Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Here are some snaps we took in the Palace:

Here are some useful information about this Palace:

	- Address
	1, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
	- Tel : 82-2-762-8262
	- Admission Fee
	Ages 19~64 : 3000 won Ages 7 ~18 : 1500 won Ages 6 and below, Ages 65 and up : Free Closed: Mondays For full information of this Palace you can clik here

Seoul

2009-08-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Korea Trip - Seoul day 1

After several years dreaming of visiting this Ginseng Country finally we made it in winter 2006. Touching down at Incheon international airport early in the morning on December 24, located 70 km from the city of Seoul, this modern airport has been consecutively rated as the best airport in the world and received the full 5-star ranking by skytrax.

Upon our arrival we made our way to the airport coach service and after one and half our ride we got off at Anguk Dong station and took a stroll walk to Seoul backpackers hotel located at Iksun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The hotel has now reopened as Banana backpackers with a new face-lift. Conviniently located within walking distance to some tourist spots like Insadong and Changdeokgung Palace, the hostel offers affordable rooms with friendly staff, great hospitality, free breakfast and free internet service, which is very important for travelers who needs to find information online.

(Incheon airport-Seoul coach transfer)

The coach was very convinient and the staffs were really helpful, made it easy for us to find the right bus even we don't speak Korean.

(My wife in front of the hostel)

My list for the first day in Seoul was visiting some historical Palaces, there are five Palaces in Seoul:

- Gyeongbokgung.

- Gyeonghuigung.

- Deoksugung.

- Changgyeonggung.

- Changdeokgung.

Unfortunately, we managed to visit only two Palaces: Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung. I will write about these two palaces on separate posts.

For some 'must see' spots in Seoul you can visit the official website here.

What is Hallyu?

2009-08-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hallyu or Korean wave is a term used to refer the increasing popularity of South Korea culture all over the world since around 2000. I still remember the first time I fell for Korean culture was when I watched a popular Korean drama series 'Autumn in My Heart' by Song Hye Kyo back then almost ten years ago. Since then, I become addicted to Korean movies and series as well as K-Pop (Korean Pop music).

Hallyu has been expanding rapidly beyond Asia and Korea has become one of the world's top ten culture exporters. Talking about Hallyu is not only about entertainment industry but also about fashion which known as a trendsetter style icon in the youth-dominated market.

Long story short, I decided to pen down my experiences and sharing my thoughts and anything I come across about Hallyu through this blog.

As for 'Autumn in My Heart', here is the MV I got from Youtube:

Autumn in My Heart, the first installment of Endless Love drama series produced in 2000 by South Korean TV network KBS, starring adorable Song Hye Kyo, Song Seung Heon and Won Bin.