Seoul Cold Seoul Good

This is the second time I visited Korea and I love it so much that I told the hub that we are going to come back real soon!

I first visited Korea about 15 years ago with my family. Back then, Korea was still known for its fake branded bags sold in the back alleys of Itaewon and when Samsung handphones were unheard of. Today, Korea has made huge strides in development and is one of 4 economic dragons of Asia.

I visited the Korea that I did not visit 15 years ago. One of my to-do list was to visit Nami Island, famed for being the filming site of the popular K-drama, Winter Sonata. Together with a friend, Z, we booked a day tour to the island and petite france. Although the weather was unbearably cold, I loved the atmosphere of the place. There is something romantic about seeing rows and rows of pine trees and woodlands.

You may be fooled by our smiling faces in the photos and wouldn't believe it if I told you that the hub actually asked if we could fly home just after the second night in Seoul. It was that cold. Fortunately, I managed to cajole him to follow me to explore the very quaint Bukom Hanok village in the Samcheong-dong area. These century-old houses are well-conserved and people continue to live there. With all the korean drama I watched, I expected quite a steep climb upslope, but no, it was a really pleasant stroll.

While at Bukom Hanok village, it started snowing so heavily that we had to take shelter at a tea house. The snow continued throughout the day and we had to take multiple stops along the way. But isn't the view so so beautiful? How often do we have the luxury of time in our busy life to stop, have a cup of hot tea in hand and watch snow fall?

Strolling in the old palace grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace...

The palace tour would have been more interesting if we had a guide to show us round the place. Again, like many Asian palaces, the layout and design of the palaces are pretty similar to the Forbidden Palace in Beijing, only smaller and less opulent.

Everyone raved about the beautiful red maple leaves and the vibrant colours of the korean gardens in autumn. Somehow, I prefer the blanket white snowscape of winter. There is a sense of tranquility and calmness in this sub-zero weather.

If you think we didn't do much sightseeing, you are right. First of all, we were only there for about 6 days and the weather was so cold that it is difficult to remain outdoors for long. We spent the rest of the time slurping up tteobokki, ginseng chicken and other korean delicacies. Next up, Seoul delicious! :)