Foodie Friday: Jal Meokkesseumnida in South Korea

I was thinking since I did a food post for my Japan Trip (Itadakimasu in Japan), why don't I do the same thing for my South Korea trip too? Fyi, "Jal Meokkesseumnida" means "Bon Appetit" in Korean language but this is refer before having a meal whereas for after having a meal, the correct phrase is "jal meogeosseumnida".

Frankly speaking, I am not a big fan of Korean foods. I had Japanese cuisines more than Korean cuisines cause it's not my liking. Guess I had Korean cuisines less than 5 times, and one of it was a treat by Nath Singing Coconut. When I was about to go South Korea, I was indeed slightly that I might starve myself but when in one's country, we should at least try to attempt their food, right?

Now, let's enjoy the food I had when I went Seoul & Jeju Island of South Korea back in 2 years ago. Some were authentic Korean cuisines, some were not:

#1: Seong Kee

Some sort of flat but long noodles cooked with soya sauce and filled with lots of chicken, veggies and huge potatoes. It tastes a bit spicy but we absolutely like this and we had two huge plates of this. Thanks to Kyung Hee (my Korean friend which we met during our Europe trip) for introduced this. I'm not sure the exact location of this shop but it's located in Myeongdong.

#2: Hot & spicy stir fried rice cakes

One of the Korean most popular authentic snacks. I did tried once when my housemate cooked for me before, but nothing beat the best when you try it yourself in South Korea. You can find find this almost anywhere in Seoul and it served the best while it still hot. You can mix it with some crispy fried seafood snacks and for sure, you wanna have another bowl again. We had this in Dongdaemun.

#3: Bibimbap we had in Nami Island

#4: Bibimbap in Jeju Island

#5: Korean pancake from Nami Island too

#6: Shanghai Chicken Burger

McD is somehow become my staple diet everytime I on a trip. I won't had it everyday but at least once, for every of my trip. Now, I'm in the process of compiling all my McD's photos I had and wait for that post.

#7: Holly's Coffee in Namdaemun

Literally, there are thousands of coffee shops in Seoul. So if you are coffee lover, you don't have to worry for your coffee crave. Therefore, forget about Starbucks or even Coffee Bean and why don't try other kind of coffee shops that we can't find in Malaysia. Holly's Coffee is one of them and looking for more, check out Kaki Berangan's blog on Coffee Shops Edition (in Malay version). 

#8: Lotteria Shrimp Burger

Lotteria is a chain of fast food restaurant that founded in Japan but more well-known in South Korea and their Shrimp Burger is one of the highly recommended burger that you should try.

#9: Energy drink in orange flavour and different kind of onigiri

I had both of these almost everyday cause walking a lot, therefore need the energy drink whereas for the onigiri, gosh! How could I ever forget the most delicious and flavourable I ever had? Plus, it comes with many kind of flavour and absolutely cheap too. No harm on my wallet.  

#10: Corn Mayo Sandwich and Starbucks Chocolate Mocha 

Bought from Family Mart, Jeju Island as my breakfast. Simply delicious and great way to start my day.

#11: Budae Jjigae

A thick soup that mixed with modern ingredients such as instant ramen noodles, sliced sausages, canned ham, spam, sliced of American cheese, garlic, onion, kimchi together with traditional spicy soup flavoured with red chilli paste. Again, this was introduced by Kyung Hee too and I am craving for this right now. Absolutely perfect to my liking - spicy foods is what I am looking for. This shop is located in Myeongdong too but I can't recognise the exact location.

#12: Cold Stone Creamery ice-cream

A dessert moment after done with my final shopping in Myeongdong. This American-based ice-cream parlor chain only available in some countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. Therefore if you have the chance to stumble upon this, do try it. 

Well, Korean foods weren't bad afterall? But still, Korean foods in Malaysia is still out of my list. Sorry for those who are Korean foods lovers!

8 Days of Seoul & Jeju Island, South Korea Itinerary (2011)

For this 8 days of Seoul & Jeju Island trip, it took me more than 4 months to come out with total of 4 pages of itinerary including the estimated budget for accommodation, meals, transportation and admission fee throughout the trip. My friends didn't assign me to in charge of handling and drafting the itinerary and programme but I just love the feelings of doing so. At that moment, I still remembered I was more motivated to search for all the information regarding Seoul & Jeju Island trip instead of focusing on my professional accounting papers where I did research until 3 o'clock in the morning.

This South Korea's pamphlet, tourist guide, tourist map were not from South Korea but were actually I brought all of them to South Korea with me. I prefer to read these instead of boring Lonely Planet. It's too dull for me. Most of these I took for free from Matta Fair which I went August last year (click here) and not forgetting, thanks to my close friend for pass the info above once he returned from his South Korea trip.

UPDATED:

As I found out my Seoul & Jeju Island's itinerary has been misused and transmitted without my permission, hence I am NO LONGER able to share my itinerary. Hope you guys will understand this. But anyway, most of information such as direction, admission, opening hours and more are being share here. If you still have any doubts and queries, you are welcome to email me. And because most of you don't have the time to read through all my blog, hence I had simplified all my South Korea travelogue for you guys in this post.

Here is my complete itinerary throughout the 8 days in Seoul & Jeju Island of South Korea:

Day 1 (8 September 2011)

First Footsteps In Seoul 

T-Money card - 2,500 won deposit and it's non-refundable. You can purchase at any convenience stores; such as 7-Eleven, Family Mart or any subway stations. This card is very useful especially for the travellers and foreigners to pay transportation fares on public buses and subways around Seoul and Gyeonggi area and helps to prevent from all the long queue and hassle.

Accommodation in Seoul: Namsan Guest House 

Out from the airport, heading to the gate 5B to wait for the airport limousine bus to arrive. The bus number we're taking is 6015 and we'll get off at the last station, Sejong. Namsan Guest House is divided into 3 different guest houses -1,2 and 3 and we prefer to stay in Namsan 2 and 3. This guesthouse is highly recommended especially for its excellent and great location.

Day 2 (9 September 2011) 

MyeongDong, Seoul's Shopping Haven

How to get to Myeong-Dong: Subway line 4, Myeong-Dong Station, Exit 8

Dongdaemun, 24 Hours Shopping of Seoul 

How to get to Dongdaemun: Subway Line 1 or 4, Dongdaemun Station 

Namdaemun, My Favourite Souvenirs Market

How to get to Naedaemun: Hoehyeon Station, Subway Line 4 – Exit 5, 6 or 7 (You can get off either one of these exit to the market)

Cheonggyecheon Stream

How to get to Cheonggyecheon Stream: It is just located at the center of Dongdaemun area, therefore take subway Line 1 or 4 to Dongdaemun Station and exit 1. 

Day 3 (10 September 2011)

How To Get To Everland Resort?

Overview of Everland Resort & 5 Different Theme Areas


Gangnam Station, The Stopby Station


Day 4 (11 September 2011)

Nami Island, The Winter Sonata Island

How To Get To Nami Island (By Subway & Cabs)
Start from Myeongdong Station, Subway Line 4 and we have to interchange the following stations:

1. Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, Subway Line 4
2. Gunja Station, Subway Line 5
3. Sangbong Station, Subway Line 7
4. Gapyeong Station, Subway Line Gyeongchun.
5. Upon arrive at Gapyeong Station, can opt either to take bus or taxi. But the local recommended taxi cause it cost less than 3,000 won for a trip. You can walk if you want but I warn you, it is so far away.

The admission fee for Nami Island is 8,000 won which included 5,000 won for entrance fee and 3,000 won for round trip ferry. 

MyeongDong After Dark


Day 5 (12 September 2011)

Gyeongbokgung Palace

How to get to Gyeongbokgung Palace: Gyeongbokgung Station, Subway Line 3 - Exit 5

Admission Fee: 3,000 won per person but because the time we visited here, it was Thanksgiving day in South Korea and it's free admission. This is where my friends and I got to experience wearing hanbok for free.

 
Insadong Street

How to get to Insadong Street:  
1. Anguk Station, Subway Line 3 - Exit 6; or
2. Jonggak Station, Subway Line 1 - Exit 3; or  
3. Jongno 3 (sam)-ga Station, Subway Line 1,3 or 5 - Exit 1

Lotte World

How To Get To The Lotte World: Jamsil Station on Line 2 or 8 - Exit 3

Day 6 (13 September 2011)

Arrived Jeju Island

All flights to Jeju Island depart from Gimpo International Airport. Because our flight was in early morning and the train and subway hadn't operated yet, we had to take the shuttle service from our guest house that costs 30,000 won for a trip and it can fits up to 4 pax and the journey took less than half an hour.

List of Airlines To Jeju Island From Seoul 

We flew with Air Busan and Eastar Jet for our trip to Jeju Island. If you want to know more information about airlines to Jeju Island from Seoul, you can check out here. 

Accommodation in Jeju: Jeju Hiking Inn 

How To Get To Jeju Hiking Inn: Take limousine bus from Jeju International Airport (Line 600) and get off at Seogwipo Bus Stop which located opposite of Sunbeach Hotel. Walk ahead in the direction of Cheonjiyeon Falls and it's on the right hand-side. The journey from airport by bus took 1 hour and 10 minutes and the fare is 5,000 won. Not recommended to stay in this inn.

Cheonjiyeon Falls, The God's Pond

Situated just 10-15 minutes away from our lodging in Jeju Island. The admission fee for Cheonjiyeon Falls is 2,000 won for adult and 1,000 won for children. If for group of 10 or more, you might get discount.

Teddy Bear Museum

Admission fee for adult is 7,000 won whereas for children, senior and disabled person is 5,000 won per person. We took taxi ride that cost us more than 10,000 won (approx. RM30) from our lodging cause there's no any sign of the bus coming.

Day 7 (14 September 2011)

We hired a local driver around Jeju Island which he charged us for 120,000 won for 9 hours drive. We also need to pay for his lunch as well.

Seopjikoji & Seongsan Ilchulbong

The admission fee for Seongsan Ilchulbong is 2,000 won for the adult where as for children and youth is 1,000 won.

Seongeup Folk Village & Yongduam


Jeju Love Land

The admission fee for Jeju Love Land is 9,000 won and this park is strictly for adult from 18 years old and above to enter.

Day 8 (15 September 2011)
- Last Day In South Korea & See You Someday

Extra Features

• 2011 Seoul & Jeju Island, South Korea (Sneak Peek)
• It's My Haul From South Korea 
• Travel Expenses

UPDATED:
If you plan to hire a local tour guide/driver in Jeju Island, here is the detail and contact: 

Mr Won - Email: maarooii@yahoo.co.kr

He charged 120,000 won for 9 hours drive and this included petrol and parking fee. 

Before I completely ended my South Korea posts, hereby I would like to thanks to Tommy Ooi (a luxe traveller which I met online) for the advise given and he even willing to share his whole South Korea's itinerary with me and Siti Nurbaya for helping me and answering all my doubts and enquiries towards my South Korea trip. Thanks so much to both of you. Not forgetting to Biqque for your informative South Korea posts which I did referred to when preparing the above itinerary. So, that's conclude the end of my South Korea travelogue. An-nyoung-hee-ga-seyo!!!

NOTE: I have tons of travelogue in pending status - Singapore, Jakarta & Bandung, Phuket, Brunei, Philippines, Ho Chi Minh, Bali, Hong Kong & Macau and the latest one Melbourne, Australia. Deng!

Travel Expenses of Seoul & Jeju Island, South Korea (2011)

Everytime when I went travel, I will definitely pen down all the expenses that I incurred. It might sounds ridiculous like my friend said, "Already spend, then just forget about how much did you spend." She was right, but this habit had been existed within myself since I was in secondary school up to now, even I was not travelling. I means I did recorded all the money I spend during my normal daily routine too. Maybe because of that, I was being advised by my parents to study for accounting course.



For all my past travel, I did recorded in a small little notepad and this lil notepad had travelled as much as I did. Lucky notepad, right? Just at that period, I am so lazy to share out all my past travel expenses. Somehow, for this South Korea trip, I seems to be more interested and more hardworking too to share it out with you all.



Without talking any further, here is the full details of my travel expenses that I had spend throughout the 8 days trip around Seoul and Jeju Island of South Korea.

(The rate as at the time I changed; RM2.85: 1,000 won)

NOTE:

1. Baggage allowance for flight to Seoul was 15 kg (RM30), flight from Seoul was 20 kg (RM50) and a set of meals (RM10).
2. Stayed in Namsan Guest 1 for first 2 nights and Namsan Guest 2 for the rest of 3 nights.
3. Stayed for 2 nights 
4. Included airport tranfer via Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport to/from guest house.
5. Airport shuttle bus to inn and taxi ride to attractions.
6. Rate for 8 hours per day. Not yet included lunch which requested by the driver.
7. Normal admission fee is 35,000 won but because the day we went was Seoul's Thanksgiving Day, so consider we were so damn lucky.
8. The price of the card itself.
9. Can't held myself from shopping and bought souvenirs for my family and friends. Haven't check out my travel haul? Click here for more.

Perhaps, on my next visit, I should spend less especially on my souvenirs. Don't you think so? Seriously, it's hard to resist myself from keep shopping and buying.