[Seoul Vacation] Day 04/05: Exploring around the city of Korea - Seoul

The next morning, after a simple breakfast, we were ready to have a full day of activities as well as sightseeing. We met up the guys at Deoksugung Palace, where we caught the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony. Although I could not understand a single command that was being said, the overall ceremony was pretty cool!

After that, we made our way to K-star Road near Apgujeong. It is a special project of Gangnam-gu for foreign tourists who love Korean culture and hallyu stars.

K-Star Road is a 1km strip of sidewalk that starts just outside the Apgujeongrodeo Station Exit #2 in Gangnam, where you can find teddy bear sculptures representing some of the most legendary K-Pop stars including: BTS, EXO, Super Junior, Girl’s Generation, and much more.

Although Apgujeong is a trendy neighborhood in Gangnam known for its high-end shopping and dining options, there is still a small lane that leads to a humble eatery selling Mandu. We had our lunch at Mandujip which serves large Pyeongyang-style stuffed Mandu and this place is actually listed with the Michelin Bib Gourmand. It was so popular that we waited in line for 15 minutes before we were seated.

There is NO English menu, and the menu is simple with only 5 dining items. We ordered a sharing Mandu Jeongol (Mandu Hot Pot), and a plate of Bindaetteok (Mung Bean Pancake) and Gochujeon (Spicy Pepper Pancake).

For the Mandu Jeongol - the basic beef brisket broth is clean and clear, and for those who are accustomed to extremities in flavors may find the initial taste uninspiring- bland even. Most importantly, the dumplings were delicious!

Nothing beats better the perfect complement to the dumpling soup - Bindaetteok and Gochujeon.

We loved their beautiful Bindaeddeok, as there was minimal grease. It was crispy on the outside, while the inside was filled with ground mung beans, morsels of pork, and diced kimchi which were all cooked to perfection..

The Gochujeon is a traditional snack in South Korea, and it is a pan-fried pancake where the batter is made with green chili peppers, fish sauce, onions, and flour.

Mandujip may seem expensive compared to typical dumpling restaurants, but I do recommend this eatery. The handcrafted dumplings have a thicker skin but i could barely taste the flour. They perfectly complement the light and savory broth, providing a fulfilling meal!

If you're looking to try unique cuisine in Apgujeong, I recommend visiting this place for a different experience rather than the typical Mandu-guk (dumpling soup) you can find elsewhere. Here, you can enjoy a clean and distinct flavor as they don't rely on artificial seasonings for taste.

To work off our full stomach, we made our way to CoEx Mall for Starfield Library by foot..

The Starfield CoEx Library in Seoul is one place that should not be missed if you are a bookworm. There is no perfect time to visit this stunning gem of Seoul. A small tip is to visit Starfield on the weekdays to avoid the crowds of tourists and locals.

We took our time to explore the enchanting Starfield Library in the mall, and I found that it was an incredible space with towering bookshelves filled with an extensive collection of books. It is also famous as an Instagram spot!

I loved the aesthetically looking architecture hub that had 13-meter-tall bookshelves! As mentioned, I think it is prudent to mention again that the place is so touristy as many people came to this Instagrammable Starfield Library to take photos, so prepare for huge crowds!

We also took some photos against the Gangnam Style Hand Sculpture. This is a unique landmark of Gangnam. The 2012 mega hit song 'Gangnam Style' by PSY is still alive in Gangnam!

We stopped by Billy Angel Cake Company as they were having a cake festival/promotion for 2024 (up to 30%). The cakes were yummy, and we took a short break at the cafe before heading for our next destination - Insadong for BBQ dinner.

We stopped by a random eatery place and walked in for our dinner without making any reservations in advance, as there were many stores offering the same kind of Korean food. To our surprise, we got a table for 5 but there was a pillar in between the 2 tables that divided S from the rest of us which made him kinda like an outcast lolz

Our last dinner in Seoul was delightful, and the guys headed back to their hotel, while Baby and I explored Annyeong Insadong - a 6-story modern cultural shopping and entertainment complex which is located at Insadong Shopping Street.

I loved the mock-up pavilion at the entrance of Anyoung Insadong where there were statues of LINE Friends characters in hanboks (Korean traditional costumes).

During these few days in Seoul, we have been to MyeongDong, Gangnam and Insadong. The vibes of each area were different, and each area offered something unique which gave us a great memory of Seoul.

While we were leaving Insadong, we received a text message from the guys to have supper together at MyeongDong, so we detoured to meet them instead. We settled at a shop that offered Chimaek (a pairing of Chicken & Beer). 

We shared our travel experiences in Seoul together as we were leaving Seoul the next day! Thanks G for the supper treat, as he showed his appreciation for Baby who planned this trip!    

On the last day in Seoul, we had our breakfast at Beargels Coffee. This eatery place offers delicious bagels, and I enjoyed their matcha very much!

In terms of quality, the products offered in Korea Daiso are better in quality even though they are cheap! The items in Korea are kinda unique as you can’t find the products offered in Daiso in Japan and Singapore.

As our flight was scheduled in the late afternoon at 4pm, we walked back to our hotel to pick up our luggage and headed to the airport for our departure from Korea via an airport limousine bus right outside the hotel which sent us to Incheon Airport in 1.5 hours.

We went for a simple meal at the food court in the airport before heading to the departure hall.

We had our dinner on-board, and I had traditional Korean food - Bibimbap. After a 6+ hour flight and 2 movies later, I was back in hot and humid Singapore. I was glad to be home! We enjoyed Seoul, and are looking forward to the next trip to Seoul again. Perhaps another part of Korea soon? (maybe in a yearly basis). Till we meet again, KOREA!