#1: My must-buy instant coffee brand when I'm in Korea.
Today we are conquering Hongdae (홍대)! So excited to go look for Yeolbong Jjimdak (열봉찜닭), but it is closed! Alright, will try Andong Jjimdak (안동찜닭) at Myeongdong (명동) then~ So we settled brunch at some random place near Thanks Nature Cafe.
今天的目的地是弘大 (홍대)！其实还蛮期待试一下 YG 艺人 Se7en 所开的 Yeolbong Jjimdak (열봉찜닭)，可是已经倒闭了！有时间的话，就去试一下明洞 (명동) 的 Andong Jjimdak (안동찜닭)。所以决定到 Thanks Nature Cafe 附近的某个餐厅用餐。
Hongdae 홍대
Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Hongik University Station Exit 8 or 9 (line 2)
Thanks Nature Cafe
486 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
1100-2200hrs (daily)
Hongik University Station Exit 9 (line 2)
#2: The sheeps at Thanks Nature Cafe.
#3: Honey and Sugar, looks like they got new sheeps in! It was Anna and Sam when I was here last August.
#4: Chicken Katsu Rice with Cheese, and a side of fried dumplings.
#5: Hongdae. When you are at Hongdae, you have to come to this store! I got sweaters at KRW9,900 (SG$12) and socks at KRW500 (SG$0.65) each!
Next, we went to look for Hello Kitty Cafe, which is also unfortunately closed. It has been reconstructed into BlackPink’s new house for their TV series. What the? We settled at nearby Coffeesmith (커피 스미스) for coffee, before we move on to Stylenanda (Hongdae flagship store). The store and cafe here is so much bigger than Myeongdong’s! And they have a real swimming pool within the cafe! How cool?
接下来是去凯蒂猫咖啡厅，不幸的是，也倒闭了！现在已改为为 BlackPink 综艺节目而量身定做的新家。今天是走什么狗屎运？所以到了附近的 Coffeesmith (커피 스미스) 休息，喝杯咖啡，再继续寻找。接着到弘大的 Stylenanda，这间比明洞的大许多。而且咖啡厅内还有个假泳池来配合主题 》粉红泳池咖啡厅。是不是很酷呢？
#6: BlackPink's new home. Click here to watch the construction process from their variety show, BlackPink House.
Coffeesmith (Hongdae) 커피 스미스 (홍대)
361-2 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
0900-0200hrs (Sun-Thu), 0900-0300hrs (Fri, Sat)
Hongik University Station Exit 9 (line 2)
#7: Coffeesmith.
#8: Look at that range of craft beers!
Stylenanda (Hongdae)
23 Wausan-ro 29da-gil Mapo-gu Seoul
1100-2300hrs (daily)
Hongik University Station Exit 9 (line 2)
#9: Stylenanda.
#10: To the cafe! I'm here just for the cafe, not buying anything, hahahaha!
#11: Stylenanda Pink Pool Cafe.
#12: A fake swimming pool with real water within the cafe!
#13: Some random pink balloon decor.
#14: Chocolate dipped flaky pastry biscuit.
#15: I don't even know what this is.
#16: Dirty Bread - next global food trend, it's everywhere!
We grabbed a quick bite at Lotteria, before we move on to the next destination, Grevin Seoul. It is a famous beewax museum from France, and Seoul is its first Asia venue, after opening at Paris, Montreal and Prague. Over 80 wax figures are presented in this 4-storey exhibition. It is really jawdropping to see how alike these figures are to the real person! Even King Sejong (세종대왕) was included (as King from 1418-1450), who created the Korean alphabet Hangul, which encourages scientific technology advancement and help stabilise and improve prosperity.
去下个目的地前，到了 Lotteria 吃点东西。然后到首尔格雷万蜡像馆（Grevin Seoul）。本蜡像馆来自于法国，而首尔是在巴黎（Paris），蒙特利尔（Montreal）和布拉格（Prague）开幕之后的第一个亚洲场馆。4 层楼的蜡像馆，有超过 80 座蜡像，各个都做得非常逼真，和本人很像！馆内也包括世宗大王 (세종대왕) - 本国国王 1418年 之 1450年。他是韩文字母的创办人。这帮助于鼓励科学技术进步，也帮助稳定和改善国内繁荣。
Grevin Seoul
23 Eulji-ro Euljiro 1(il)-ga Jung-gu Seoul
0930-1900hrs (Sun-Thu), 0930-2100hrs (Fri-Sat)
Admission: KRW18,000
Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 1-1 (line 2)
#17: Grevin Seoul.
#18: Grevin Seoul.
#19: Bruce Lee.
#20: Sejong the Great.
#21: Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein.
#22: Queen Elizabeth.
#23: Donald Trump.
#24: Michael Jordan.
#25: Famous Korean baseball player, Shin Soo Choo.
#26: Tiger Woods.
#27: Famous Korean golfer, Amy Yang.
#28: Marilyn Monroe.
#29: Princess Diana.
#30: Angelina Jolie.
#31: G-Dragon.
#32: Rain.
#33: Michael Jackson.
#34: PSY.
#35: Famous Korean TV host, Yoo Jae Suk.
#36: Lee Minho.
#37: My favourite Korean actress, Park Shin Hye!
After which, we went to catch the sunset at N Seoul Tower (남산서울타워). Take the Oreumi elevator from ground level up to the Namsan Cable Car (남산 케이블카) ticket counter. A round trip will cost KRW8,500. The view at the ground level of N Seoul Tower is good enough, overseeing the whole city. You can also opt to go up to the observatory at KRW10,000. Do not miss out the Hello Kitty Island exhibition at Level 5!
接着到南山首尔塔看日落 (남산서울타워)。乘搭奥瑞米电梯到南山缆车 (남산 케이블카) 发票柜台，来回行程票费是韩币 8,500。在南山首尔塔的地层就能看到非常好的风景。你也能选择到 5 楼的观景台，票费是韩币 10,000。千万不能错过 5 楼的凯蒂猫展览！
Namsan Cable Car 남산 케이블카
83, Sopa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
1000-2300hrs (daily)
Ticket (round trip): KRW8,500
Myeongdong Station Exit 3 (line 4)
#38: To Namsan Cable Car ticket counter.
#39: Oreumi Elevator.
#40: Up, up, up!
N Seoul Tower 남산서울타워
105 Namsangongwon-gil Yongsan-gu Seoul
1000-2300hrs (Mon-Fri, Sun), 1000-0000hrs (Sat)
Observatory: KRW10,000
#41: You will see Locks of Love first, then N Seoul Tower.
#42: Lots of Locks of Love.
#43: The view.
#44: N Seoul Tower.
#45: N Seoul Tower.
#46: Sunset.
After having Lotteria, we were not that hungry and had some bingsu for dinner instead! Sulbing (설빙) is one of the places that serve really good bingsu in many varieties! The bingsu served here is so different from Singapore’s! They look and taste like snow! 😍😍 We had the Mango Apple Cheese Snowflakes. 👍🏻👍🏻 Filled with chunks of mango and cheesecake cubes, with apple ice cream, and drizzle condensed milk over!
先前因在 Lotteria 吃过，到了晚餐时间也没有很饿，所以决定到 Sulbing (설빙) 试韩式刨冰。这里的刨冰口味真的应有尽有！而且和在新加坡卖的韩式刨冰很不一样！这里的看起来和吃起来像雪花，入口即化！😍😍 我们点了芒果苹果乳酪刨冰 - 刨冰上有新鲜芒果块，乳酪蛋糕块，苹果雪糕，淋上甜奶！👍🏻👍🏻
Sulbing (Myeongdong) 설빙 (명동)
20 Myeongdong 10-gil Jung-gu Seoul
1030-2230hrs (daily)
Myeongdong Station Exit 6 (line 4)
#47: Mango Apple Cheese Snowflakes.
#48: They are so fine in texture, it just melts in your mouth!
Expenses for Day 3
Chicken Katsu Rice: KRW6,500 / 2
Fried Dumpling (4pcs): KRW1,500 / 2
Hongdae Street, Sweater: KRW9,900 x2
Hongdae Street, Socks: KRW550 x10
Coffee Smith, Cappuccino: KRW5,000
Grevin Seoul: KRW18,000
Grevin A4 File: KRW1,000 x2
Lotteria, Big Chicken Burger: KRW3,400
Cable Car Ride, 2-way: KRW8,500
N Seoul Tower:
- Postcards KRW1,500 x4
- Cherry Blossom Edition Snow Globe KRW9,500
Sulbing, Apple Mango Cheese Bingsu: KRW10,900 / 2
Manjoo: KRW3,000
Total for Day 3: KRW90,150 = $109.27 Balance forward: $1,655.25 Current Total Expenses: $1,764.52