Korea Winter Itinerary 2016 / 2017 Day 9

Day 9
Stay: Holiday Inn Express Seoul Euljiro
Nearest Subway: Euljiro-3-ga Station Line 2 Exit 1
09:20 | Depart from Airbnb

18:30 | Myeongdong

As we had planned to walk to take the KTX, we dragged our luggages and walked all the way straight from our apartment to Busan Station. One reason why we did not take the subway was because we might need to carry our luggages up and down the stairs at the subway (if no lift spotted) and we also might need to drag our luggages along the platform, which we thought is troublesome and also a waste of time. Since the way to Busan Station from our Airbnb was just a one straight road and the walking distance was acceptable, we don't mind to walk. Along the street we saw a lot of local restaurants and odeng stalls. I was quite surprised to see a nicely suited office man walked out from his car and stood by the roadside eating odeng this early morning. Not sure if this is a norm or I happened to see an odd one here.. A nice grey colour hotel (The B.S Hotel) caught our attention which Mic and I decided to give this a try if we come to Busan again.

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KTX TO SEOUL

Cost: 59,800 won / way
Time: 11:00

When I exchanged for the train ticket last night, the lady at the ticketing counter told me to reach the station 15mins before the train's departure time. Being kiasi, we reached the station 1 hour earlier because we were not sure the exact place to take the train and we also wanted to tabao Samjin Eomuk to eat on the train.

In the end, we figured out that the ticketing counters, Samjin Eomuk (and other food & souvenirs stores) and the entrance to the boarding gate were all located on the second floor and nearby each other. It was not as complicated as we thought.

SAMJIN EOMUK 삼진어묵

Website: http://www.samjinfood.com (in Korean only)

6 types of croquette: cheese, curry, potato, sweet potato, shrimp and pepper

We bought 4 assorted types of croquette

Yes! We bought these much of Samjin Eomuk because they were so yummy! The best in my opinion would be the cheese croquette. I wanted to buy some fishcakes back to SIN but their expiry were very short, like within 1-2 weeks, so I had to give that a miss.

We sat right in front of the boarding gate and waited for the board to "blink" our train number. Once entered the boarding gate, took the escalator down and you will see the train tracks. Actually we went down to the train tracks earlier but because it was stuffy and no seats provided, we went up to the waiting area again and sat on the seats provided outside the boarding gate. The staff at the boarding gate will randomly checked the passengers' luggages or bags. On the train track, you will see the train car number painted on the floor, so just board there and you will be in the correct car. Nobody checks our train ticket when we entered the boarding gate or the train. The train staff only checked our tickets once the train already moved out from the station.

It was a comfortable 2 hours and 40 mins journey to Seoul. Occasionally, the train staff will push a pushcart to sell food and drinks. You are also allowed to bring and eat your own food. Though eating and drinking is allowed on train, the train was very clean and still looks very new.

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BACK TO SEOUL

We reached Seoul Station and pulled our luggages towards the metro platform to take subway to our next hotel, Holiday Inn Express Seoul Euljiro. It was conveniently located at Exit 1 of Euljiro-3-ga Station of Line 2 and Line 3. Hotel is just a walking distance to Myeongdong and Cheonggyecheon stream and connected via subway lines to the places we planned to go for the next 5 days.

We rested a while and set off to N Seoul Tower (also known as Namsan Tower) to catch the sunset! From our hotel, we walked pass the crowded Myeongdong area (and tried our BEST to avoid going into the shops) to take the cable car to Namsan. I don't know why I only jotted down the direction to go to the cable car from Exit 3. It is better to follow Exit 4 because you get to take the elevator up to the cable car instead of walking. We took elevator down later on because it's free~ 😄

Church with lotsa LED roses located on the way from our hotel to Myeongdong

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N SEOUL TOWER (NAMSAN TOWER)

Nearest Station: Myeongdong Station Line 4 Exit 4

Direction 1: (recommended)

From Exit 4, walk straight to big intersection.

Turn Left to Toegye-ro 14-gil and walk straight along the main road.

You will see Namsan Oreumi (Orumi) Elevator.

Take the elevator up and you will see the cable car station.

Take the cable car up to Namsan Tower.

Direction 2: (we took this route up and walked endlessly and breathlessly because it's an upslope!)
From Myeongdong Station Exit 3, follow the road on the right side of Pacific Hotel.
Walk straight along the street about 10-15mins.
You will see the small sign of cable car station.
Take the cable car up to Namsan Tower.

Namsan Oruemi (Orumi) Elevator

Operating Hours: 09:00 - 23:00 (Opens 365 days)
Admission: Free
Note: Closed every Monday 09:00 to 14:00 for inspection or during strong wind or heavy rain

Namsan Cable Car

Operating Hours: 10:00 - 23:00 (Opens 365 days)
Admission:
8,500 won round trip (adult)
6,000 won per trip (adult)

Website: http://www.cablecar.co.kr (Korean, Eng, Jap, Chinese)

Tips: Please refer to website to check maintenance date of the cable car

Namsan Tower Observatory

Operating Hours: (Opens 365 days)

10:00 - 23:00 (Mon-Fri & Sun)

10:00 - 24:00 (Sat)

Admission: 10,000 (adult)

Website: http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/eng/
Tips: Discounts coupons available on T-money card packaging or this website

(source: google map)

Pacific Hotel Myeongdong. Take the road on the right side.

Signboard to Namsan Cable Car

View from Cable Car

While walking up to the cable car, Mic kept searching for the "suspected house" where Lee Min-ho stayed in the drama Legend of the Blue Sea. When we reached a Y junction, he said, "I remember this road! That's where the police blocked the road at the drama, you remember? It's something like this. The house must be nearby..".. When we walked further up, then he said, "I know it must be somewhere here liao.. the houses here looks almost the same as his house." Then when we were inside the cable car going up Namsan, he said, "Sure somewhere there.. the view is like this wan...". I faint lo.. He was telling me he doesn't like Lee Min-ho but why is he so excited to find that house ar? 😑

Sunset View from Namsan Tower

N Seoul Tower

World First OLED Tunnel

Snacks Mic bought at Namsan Tower - fried squid on top & Sprite at the bottom of cup 7,900 won
This store managed to trick the "big kid" to try their food with LED lights deco at the side.

Love locks with N Seoul Tower

View from Namsan Orumi Elevator

Mic and I did not go up to the observatory. We walked around the area and took our time watching city view from Namsan. It was very crowded especially at the love lock area and the famous heart shape seats, and it got colder by the evening so we quickly went down after watching the sunset. Surprisingly more and more people were seen coming up to Namsan, probably to catch the night view of Seoul from Namsan tower. We went down via the Namsan Orumi Elevator and walked all the way to Myeongdong.

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(source: Google map)
Myeongdong Map

GIMGANE (김家네 - 명동2호점)

Nearest Station: Myeongdong Station Line 4 Exit 5
Operating Hours: 09:00 - 21:00
Website: http://www.gimgane.co.kr

Gimgane (김家네) was 1 of my must eat list to try jajangmyeon, mandu and gimbap. They have multiple stores across Korea and the location I had for this place was nearby Euljiro-1-ga station Exit 5 or 6 at Myeongdong. The easiest way to identify this place was the chinese word 家 in the middle of the shop's name. We chanced upon another Gimgane restaurant once we entered Myeongdong because I saw the word 家 and I did a quick check and confirmed this is also another Gimgane store. This was nearer to Myeongdong exit 5, somewhere nearby Isaac Toast.

Spicy Stir Fried Squid and Pork with Rice

Jajangmyeon 6,000 won
Very huge portion and this was wayyyyyy nicer than the 1 I had in Busan

Spicy soft tofu stew 6,500 won
This is best! I was craving for this so we had another 1 on our last day in Seoul

Fried Mandus
Mic insisted the menu showed only 4 pieces but they served 6 pieces.

(source: Gimgane website)
The front of the store looks like this

We could not finished all our food because the jajangmyeon portion was too big. A lot of locals (or maybe people working in Myeongdong) were seen tabao food from Gimgane. We did not try their gimbap (which I regretted now) because we ordered too much food and Mic was not keen to eat gimbap as his main meal.

After our dinner, we walked around Myeongdong. Did not take any photos here because we were busy shopping and all the beauty shops looks just the same everywhere in Korea.

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