top of page
Search
May 13, 20165 min read

#FELinSEOUL Day 1: Arrived in Seoul


I arrived in Seoul at 0600hrs, after a 6hrs flight via Asiana Airlines. The plane was filled with 95% Koreans and they are really chatty I swear!

After arriving at Incheon International Airport, I took the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) train to Seoul Station, a 40mins ride. At Seoul Station, you can purchase your prepaid SIM card (if you will like to have one) at the AREX Travel Centre located at B2, supported by EG SIM. EG SIM is the only and number one prepaid SIM card in Korea, charging at one of the lowest rates. There are four plans available to choose from and each plan is valid for use of 30 days from day of activation. I got the 1GB SIM card for KRW30,000 (top-up of KRW5,000 for nano SIM card). The person will help to activate and change the card for you.

EG SIM

Opening hrs: 0800hrs to 2100hrs.

Address: AREX Travel Centre, Seoul Train Station B2, 405 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Subway: Seoul Station (line 1, 4, A, GJ).

To board public transport in Seoul, you will need a T-money Card (just like Singapore's EZ-link Card). After getting your SIM Card, take the escalator up to Level 1 and you can get a no value T-money Card from GS25, a convenience store. From there, you can top-up value into the card at any top-up machines located within train stations.

From Seoul Station, it is about 15mins travelling time to my accommodation located near Dongguk University Station. I checked in to my accommodation at about 0900hrs. After some freshing up, I headed out to explore my first destination - Cafe Majo and Sady!

Café Majo & Sady is a two-storey Kakao Talk-themed store and café. Majo and Sady are characters from a popular Korean comics and their main store is located at Apujeong Rodeo region. Popular dishes include the brunch set that includes Majo-shaped and Sady-shaped pancakes, and the Berry Pancake. I had the brunch set and a latte. The brunch set is HUGE and comes with a pair of Majo and Sady-shaped pancakes, soup, salad, sausage, and served with cream, ketchup and maple syrup. Everything were so delicious! The soup has so much ingredients in it that I wished there was more soup instead! It's like a cream soup with chunks of potato, bacon bits, cheddar and croutons. The latte is served in a takeaway cup which has so many cute Majo and Sady-related doodles on it!

CAFÉ MAJO AND SADY

Opening hrs: 1000hrs to 2300hrs.

Address: 172 Gwanghuidong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Subway: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (line 2 exit 3, line 4 exit 4).

#1: Arrived at Cafe Majo and Sady!

#2: Cafe Majo and Sady.

#3: Get greeted by Majo and Sady statues at the doorstep!

#4: Cute plushies by the window seats.

#5: Merchandise area.

#6: Level 1 - Cafe and Store. Level 2 - Cafe, Private Sitting Area and Washroom.

#7: Cute mascot showing you the way to Level 2!

#8: At Level 2!

#9: More sitting area.

#10: Enclosed sitting area.

#11: Level 2 featuring giant Majo plushie.

#12: Level 2 featuring giant Sady plushie.

#13: Lots of Sady keyrings hanging on the tree!

#14: Cute menu boards.

#15: Majo and Sady cookies.

#16: Brunch Set.​

​#17: Latte.

#18: Check out the cute doodles on the cup!

From Cafe Majo and Sady, it is walking distance to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is the newest and the most iconic landmark of the Korea design industry, a major urban development landmark in Seoul. Located in the middle of Dongdaemun, DDP is a blend of traditional buildings, relics and cutting-edge modern multicultural facilities. It houses a fashion design information centre, seminar rooms, lecture hall, multi-purpose convention hall and a number of exhibition halls. It is like Singapore's Suntec Convention Centre.

DONGDAEMUN DESIGN PLAZA

Opening hrs: [Design Lab] 1000hrs to 2100hrs (Mon to Fri), 1000hrs to 2200hrs (Sat, Sun, PH); [Art Hall] 1000hrs to 2100hrs (daily); [Museum] 1000hrs to 1900hrs (Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun), 1000hrs to 2100hrs (Wed, Fri).

Address: 281 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Subway: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (line 2 exit 1).

#19: You can spot pretty flowers everywhere in Seoul! In Singapore, you only can get this at the Flower Dome of Gardens by the Bay.

#20: Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

#21: Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

#22: Korean flags soaring up high.

I gave Dongdaemun Market a miss as I was really really tired from the plane ride, didn't managed to sleep well. I headed back to Seoul Station where Culture Station Seoul 284 (better known as Old Seoul Station) and Lotte Mart are located. Old Seoul Station was built by the Japanese South Manchuria Railway Corporation as Japan wanted to use this place as a gate way of entering the downtown of Seoul and foothold of invading China. The building was designed by Tsukamoto Yasushi, a professor of the University of Tokyo, and construction finishes three years after in 1925. After Korea regained its independence from the Japanese colonial rule, the station was renamed to ‘Seoul Station’ from ‘Gyeongseong Station’. After Korea Train Express was introduced in 2004, a new station was built and the old station closes down for reconstruction and is now served as a culture complex for cultural performances, exhibitions, seminars, meetings and events.

CULTURE STATION SEOUL 284 (OLD SEOUL STATION)

Address: 1 Tongil-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Subway: Seoul Station (line 1 exit 1).

#23: Culture Station Seoul 284 (Old Seoul Station).

#23: Mega huge vending machine!

Lotte Mart is one of the leading discount store chains in Korea that offers high quality goods – groceries, clothing, electronics, toys, cosmetics and more – at the lowest prices. It is like Australia’s Kmart. The Seoul Station branch is located within the subway building, just directly behind Culture Station Seoul 284 (Old Seoul Station). Lotte Mart provides tax refund for tourists with a minimum purchase of KRW30,000 and it can be done through the tax refund counter located at level 1.

LOTTE MART

Opening hrs: 1000hrs to 0000hrs.

Address: 426 Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Subway: Seoul Station (line 1 exit 1).

After doing my groceries at Lotte Mart, I headed straight back to my accommodation, load the things into the fridge and went to bed immediately! It was about 4+ in the afternoon? My host's cat was really cute and she came to sleep with me on my bed :D

I woke up at about 8+ in the night and started typing this post. And so gonna get back to sleep after I am done with this post!

Expenses for Pre-travel:

Airfare - SGD799 (Asiana Airlines Economy)

Accommodation - SGD321 (airbnb)

Travel Insurance - SGD29 (50% discount)

Expenses for the Day:

AREX from Airport to Seoul Station - KRW8,000

Prepaid SIM Card - KRW30,000 + KRW5,000 (nano SIM card)

T-money Card - KRW2,500

T-money Card top-up - KRW30,000

Cafe Majo and Sady - Brunch Set KRW9.500; Latte KRW4,500

Grocery Shopping - KRW41,400

Sub-total: KRW130,900 = SGD155.65

Current total: SGD1,304.65

bottom of page