KING’S CROSS CAFE SEOUL: Make your Dream Harry Potter Photos Come True

It’s been a while. I haven’t been writing but I have a few more planned stories to share from my last Seoul trip last May. This one is one of the destinations I was most excited about when I was planning. And when I got there, I was just awestrucked. Suddenly, I was back to 2001, watching my favorite movie series come to life.

Anyway, what am I talking about? The new Harry Potter cafe that opened in Seoul. ISTG when you go to Seoul, you can’t miss this stop if you are a Potterhead. Allow me to take you on a digital tour through this blog to excite you more. Hahaha

Heart-Stopping Excitement

Yes, this is what I literally felt while planning, seeing the cafe in the flesh, and even as I write this blog for all the other Potterheads who will soon be visiting the place. The cafe is a building covered with bricks and the first attraction you will see is the iconic Platform 3/4 wall!

Here’s my poise and no poise photos at Platform 9 3/4.

Yes, Pinoy Potterheads, we don’t need to cross continents anymore to have a photo like this! You just have to pack your costumes and fly to Seoul! Hahaha. I say pack your costumes because this costume is mine. It was a bit embarrassing to do everything in full costume. People were looking at me but came I here for my Potter photoshoot so that’s not gonna stop me. Also, there are costumes you can borrow, but it’s only on the 4th floor dormitory set. You can’t bring them out to other floors too.

King’s Cross Cafe and Hog’s Head

A bit further beside the Platform 3/4 set, you will see the Hog’s Head door entrance. It was closed in the morning that I came. Not really sure if they actually open this because you can enter the pub from inside the cafe. It’s not usually noticed by people who go here since I haven’t seen photos of this in blogs during planning. Don’t forget to take a shot too! 🙂

More Magic Inside

1st Floor King’s Cross Cafe

When you enter the cafe, the first thing you will see is the Ollivander’s wand shop set at the right side. At the left, you will see the counter where you can order their different drinks and pastries. Before you take pictures, you need to order from their counter first. No order, no photos. I took a photo of the menu so you can plan what to buy.

Ollivander’s Set: I was screaming inside when I first saw this. I’m so happy!

King’s Cross Cafe Menu May 2018

You can even order Harry’s birthday cake from HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the one Hagrid gave to Harry! It’s a bit pricey though but if you’re game, why not? Haha

Cakes, drinks, and pastries available at King’s Cross Cafe

My friend and I ordered butterbeer, of course. It tastes different from ones you’re used too in Universal Studios, if you’ve tasted those. A bit more closer to soda.

4th Floor: Dormitory Set

We went up to the 4th floor to take pictures at the Dormitory set. As mentioned, you can use the different house uniforms and those costumes can only be used in this floor. There’s a fireplace set too with red furniture. It has a Gryffindor common room feel. I wore Slytherin robes though. Gotta wear your house colors proudly!

Gryffindor Common Room Set

You will see a lot of Wizarding World in the hallways and themed rooms. I loved that there were owls everywhere. They even made a dementor and Mirror of Erised.

Dementor, Hallway Portraits, Great Hall, Mirror of Erised

Here’s a larger photo of the Great Hall set. This is not everything even if I took in using pano. Very Hogwarts. I approve!

3rd Floor: Banquet Hall

WHAT? There are Secret Rooms?

This is something I missed while I was there because I was busy fangirling. Haha. My friend mentioned it to me because she actually read the instructions. Haha…

THERE ARE THREE SECRET ROOMS IN THE CAFE. I don’t know how to enter them. Maybe they have a time or something. Ask the staff how. Also, if you bring a receipt of your daytime visit back at night, you can have a discount in the pub that opens at night.

How to Get There

943 Kings Cross Harry Potter Café
서울특별시 마포구 서교동 417
417 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Tues – Fri), 9:30am – 10pm (Sat-Sun), Closed on Mondays

1. Take the subway Line 2, Gyeongui-Jungang, AREX. (Green Line)
2. Alight at Hongik University Station.
3. Get out at Exit 9.
4. Use Google Maps to navigate the area. The cafe is in front of Nanta Theatre.

TIP: The cafe is in Hongdae, a popular place for shopping and frequented by university students. There are a lot of themed cafes, clothes and make-up stores in the area. Popular attractions you can visit while you’re here is the Trick-Eye Museum, watch a play at Nanta Theatre, the Coffee Prince cafe (if you’re a k-drama fan), and Running Man Haha’s restaurant (if you’re a k-variety fan). Some Running Man shoot locations are all over the area as well. At night, this area becomes a venue for different street performers. Don’t miss it!

KKDay Tour Review: Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen on a Stormy Day

Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored. I’m just writing from experience. 🙂

Hello!

The weather in the Philippines lately reminded me that I had a long overdue blog post that I wanted to write. It’s been raining everyday, and we’re in between storms, and this was the weather that I experienced during my trip to Taipei. Sad, I know, since we planned the trip on a supposedly good-weather month.

It’s okay though. One thing I learned from this is to appreciate arranged tours more. Since I’m more of a DIY traveler, I usually get to places on my own. However, for this trip, I decided to book a tour instead. I’m very thankful that I did so I’m sharing my experience here.

KKDay tour? I’m telling you to just book it.

You are probably here because you’re looking for a Taipei itinerary. Maybe you are already considering the KKDay tour for this but still looking if it’s worth it or not. Maybe you are a DIY traveller you can commute there and do a tour on your own, but just in case, you still want to check details. Here’s my verdict: YES. JUST BOOK IT.

I first considered this after my sister told me about it. She took a solo tour in Taipei and have gone through different online packages that time. This is the one she bought because it has the stops she wanted to visit. Though my sister has a similar travel style to me (DIYs), she opts to pay premium sometimes for convenience. And this was the reason she booked this.

Ultimately, I followed her advice. I did look into the commuting route for North Taiwan. It’s doable. A little complicated, but doable. However, my problem is, I don’t know Chinese. This never stopped me in Korea though, even if I didn’t know Korean. But I stayed in train routes there so it was still easy. So, against my belief of DIYs, I did book this tour with my friend. Convenience was the main reason.

It’s a good thing we did. During our trip, there was a typhoon in the Philippines, naturally, surrounding countries are also affected. So Taiwan had light-heavy rains and strong winds as well. A lot of the schedules in our DIY itinerary were cancelled or moved. We were trying to do so much on days when the sun was out. This tour ONLY pushed through for me because it was on a bus.

While doing this blog, I checked the prices. We booked on a peak season (November – Autumn), I think, so the price was a bit higher (Php 1,190/ 23.16 USD per head). I checked just now it’s Php 920/ 17.90 USD per head. I read somewhere before that November was the right month to go because of the good weather (but I was unlucky). If you’re going around June -September, you might experience the same weather that I did.

Important Info:

・Meeting Time: 8:45am
・Meeting Point: South Gate 1, Taipei Main Station
・Duration: 9 hrs
・Returning Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
・Returning Point: Taipei Main Station
・Vehicle Type: dependent on the number of travelers 

Here is the map they provide in the page and also in the document they send you when you book. The area is easy to find, but if you will be looking for it inside Taipei Main Station, just remember it’s near McDonalds. (Source: KKDay)

This is the type of bus we rode. Don’t get confused! There are A LOT of KKDay buses. You must remember your bus number and the face of your tour guide. There are like 5 tours a day. (Source: KKDay)

・Same pricing for adults and children.
・Wear comfortable shoes for hiking.
・Actual itinerary is dependent on the on-site traffic condition.
・In the event that the trip lands on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, the Shifen Waterfall visit will be canceled and time spent at other attractions will be extended.

1st Stop: Yehliu Geopark

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: The entrance fee for Yehliu Geopark is not included in the KKDay tour. You have to buy your own ticket. I bought mine on Klook. BTW, the line for the ticket buying is a bit long. I suggest to buy this online. We were able to enter the park first vs our tour-mates who bought on-site, and we had more time to explore.

Here are some photos taken. I wore thermal clothes because it was really cold.

Tip: Use an action cam. Great pictures with the landscapes!

Me and my friends

It’s a sand dollar.. You’ve seen this in Spongebob.

2nd Stop: Shifen Waterfall

The tour guide has the freedom to suggest the order of the tour. Our guide suggested we go to Shifen Waterfall first so we’d have more time to eat and sample food at Shifen Old Street. We were okay with this, of course. There’s a bit of trekking involved, so wear sneakers/rubber shoes. It’s a bit slippery when it rains, so please be extra careful as well.

I’m drinking the lemon jelly. It’s really good!

In the bus, our guide mentioned that there’s a good lemon-jelly drink sold at a concessionaire near the waterfall. Try it. It’s awesome. 😀

Shifen Waterfall

3rd Stop: Shifen Old Street

During the bus ride, the tour guide recommended to try a Chicken BBQ stuffed wings at Shifen Old Street for lunch. He took orders of those who were interested in the bus so we can just claim it at the store when we arrive at the area. It was good, you can try if you like. My friends ordered a 2nd one. One was enough for me since I wanted to try other food in the area.

Chicken BBQ Stuffed Wings (credits to thetravelintern.com)

Anyway, Shifen Old Street.. This is popular for it’s lantern tradition where you can write your wishes on big paper lanterns and send them off to the skies. I did try this for experience, but might not do it anymore at in any location/festival since it’s better for the environment. Note that the lantern costs 150 NTD and it’s not part of the tour package.

I wrote my wishes in Korean. Can you understand it? HAHAHA

4th Stop: Jiufen Old Street

Shifen Old Street (Credits to thediscoverer.com)

Shifen Old Street is popular for being the inspiration for Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away. Who doesn’t know Kaonashi? :p

Anyway, I found out tour batches handle visits here a little different as well. In my sister’s tour, the easier route was not taught by the guide. All of them had to take the stairs going up. But my tour had senior citizens in it so they mentioned that we can take any bus going up and alight at the 7-11 entrance. Our route would be from above back to the parking area below. The people who took the stairs would need to go up, tour the area, and go down to the parking lot again.

Here’s the 7-11 area.. I didn’t take pictures so here’s one from the internet. haha
(Source: chantc.blogspot.com)

I basically ate a lot during the Jiufen stop. It was the longest stop but I wanted more time. Maybe because of the bad weather, I didn’t get to experience much. I don’t have a photo with the tea house from Spirited Away. haha. Anyway, what I like about the tour is that they will give you a food map. You can basically look for the suggested places and food which helps a lot in deciding where to go and what to eat. What’s notable for me is that the mochi here is cheap.

Final Thoughts

I think the itinerary KKDay prepared was condensed and complete. I would have enjoyed more with sunny weather. I didn’t take much photos because it was dark and gloomy. Rest assured, even with the gloomy weather, I can still feel the vibrance of the places I visited. I wish there was more time in Jiufen. Even if it was the longest time. I got lost enjoying my food trip around the street but I haven’t eaten everything I wanted to eat. All in all, this arranged tour was great and convenient!

P.S.

Post-trip, I found this interesting blog by thetravelintern about must-dos and must-eats. I’ve done a few of them. Check out her post! 🙂 https://thetravelintern.com/taipei-day-trip-to-jiufen-shifen/

Also, this blog by misstamchiak because of the photos and stories behind Jiufen. Check it out! https://www.misstamchiak.com/jiu-fen-old-street/

2019 Spring Seoul: Reliving Super Junior’s Magic (MV Shoot Location)

Pilgrimage, it’s a word I’ve rarely heard or used until this year. From what I learned years ago, it’s mostly associated with having a religious journey. I never thought that it’s also the term used in kpop. Hahaha.

I first encountered this recently from the k-drama “Her Private Life”, where Park Min Young’s character owns a fansite for Cha Sian (One) of White Ocean. They go on these “pilgrimages”, where they visit places idols have been and experience what the idols have experienced. This is the hotel episode where they rented the penthouse suite where Cha Sian stayed. This is interesting to me because I have been doing this before I even had a term for it, mostly Running Man or K-Drama locations.

This year, I decided to change things. For my spring trip to Korea, I created a k-pop itinerary, putting in places like idols’ restaurants, cafes, shoot locations, and agencies. Of course, it’s Super Junior heavy since I went there for Kyuhyun’s discharge.

We didn’t get to see him though. I wanted to respect his decision to have a quiet discharge that he posted on SNS 3 days before his release date. Don’t worry, I went on to do other SuJu stuff and visiting this place was one of them.

WELCOME TO GYEONGGI ENGLISH VILLAGE

Inside Change Up Campus: Educational buildings are on the side

Gyeonggi English Village is an immersive educational program where students get to live-in and experience how it is to be in an english-speaking environment. Actually, when we visited, there were a lot of students (more than 3 buses) who were all going home. I guess one batch just finished the program that time. It has a new name now because of change of management, I think. It’s now called CHANGE UP CAMPUS.

Change-up campus entrance

Anyway… Why did I visit this place? It’s not really a popular filming/tourist destination, unlike Petite France or Nami Island. But since I promised myself a K-Pop itinerary, I had to go to an MV filming location, right?

This row of shops and restaurants are found after the entrance. Looks familiar? It’s always a shoot location.

While browsing Super Junior videos, I was checking which ones are done on an outdoor location. Most videos are actually done in studios and indoor which would most likely be impossible to find. Then, I remembered that Magic MV had a nice European feel to it. I was sure I can go there if it’s near Seoul. AND BINGO! That’s how I knew about Gyeonggi English Village.

WHAT’S GOOD?

While researching, I found out the Super Junior actually did a couple of projects here, not just Magic. I noticed Magic first because it was the most recent one. But if you backtrack to 2009, U (Can’t stop thinking bout you girl) was also shot here. It’s funny that these two videos had a very different feel to them but was shot at the same place.

Also, do you remember their variety show, Full House? Yes, it was shot here as well. Who doesn’t remember Donghae’s famous ABC scene?

Full House: Donghae recites ABC during immigration LOL

Here’s another video of the surroundings and I confirmed this is the Full House shoot location too.

The Immigration area: Where Donghae’s ABC scene was filmed.

Enjoy the pictures. I tried to imitate some of the frames. Harharhar

Magic chorus group shot

Copying the group shot hahaha

This is from verse 1

I’m here as well. Looks a bit different without the umbrellas.

Hyukjae’s part

Copying Hyukjae haha

Heechul’s part

Heechul’s part with no car

Yesung ❤

Copying Yesung

Kyukyu’s part

Copying Kyuhyun

Leadernim’s part

Channeling Teukie

Siwon at the fountain

And me at the fountain

Iconic SJ entrance by the arc for the U MV

Channeling SJ :p

At the back of the fountain area is where the chorus of U was shot.

Mandatory tourist photo for U filming location

Surprise! EXO’s Miracle in December was also shot here!

Tourist photo at Miracle in December shoot location

Another surprise! This is the campus for Produce 101 season 1,2 and 48. Though from the posters on
the window, Produce X 101 is currently filming here. It’s sad I wasn’t able to catch a filming day.

HOW TO GO THERE

It’s really easy to go to Gyeonggi English Village as you will start in the Green Line (Circle Line) of Seoul Subway.

[Subway + Bus]
STEP 1: Alight at Hapjeong Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), Exit 1.

STEP 2: Take Bus 2200 (Fare is about 2400 KRW)
(07:00-23:20, every 15 minutes; It takes approx. 45 minutes)
Get off at the English village stop. It’s the 18th stop (but I didn’t know this). Just listen well.

OPERATING HOURS/ ADMISSION FEE

09:30-18:00
* Last admission: 1 hour before closing.

[General admission] Weekdays 3,000 won / Weekends 5,000 won
[musical performance] 10,000 won
[1 day experience] 8,000 won
※ The handicapped and veterans, offered with discounts, are required for ID check.

OTHER DETAILS/TIPS

1. 2-3 hours in this place is enough to cover important scenes. If you want to do activities as well, check their website.
2. I got lucky again because it was a free entrance day. I didn’t pay admission fees. I noticed there are a lot of free entrances if you come to Korea around May 5-10. I think because it’s their spring break so they are encouraging people to travel to educational venues. This happened to me too in 2017, I didn’t pay entrance to Korean Manhwa Museum, Hwaseong Palace, and Jongmyo Shrine.
3. Some old blogs will mention you can ride Bus 200 but when I went to the station, there was no more route like this. Just ride bus 2200 to be safe.
4. English Village is after Hyeri Art Village. It will be easy to spot. Be seated near the driver so you can tell them your stop.
5. I don’t know if this will help, but since I read Hangeul, I downloaded the Kakao Bus app. Here you can actually see real time GPS of where bus 2200 is and seats available. It’s more helpful on the way back.

The stop name is Change Up Campus (체인지업캠퍼스)

REFERENCES I USED

1. https://blog.bnbhero.com/paju-english-village/
2. https://www.gchangeupcampus.or.kr/eng_index.php
3. https://koreandramaland.com/listings/changeup-campus-paju-camp/
4. http://missuety.com/seoul-gyeonggi-english-village/

ShaWoling in Cavite: Sincerely, ShaWols Cafe

It’s been a few months since I’ve rekindled my love for K-Pop. In my college years, I actually got into it a little late. While my friends were into 2NE1, Big Bang, and Super Junior, I actually got into SHINee. They were my only favorite group until recently, since I branched out to Super Junior last year. That incident was also because of SHINee, BTW. They lead me to Super Junior. SHINee and SuJu are both my favorites as I liked the first because of trendy tracks, while I liked SuJu because of all the craziness.

I think what’s good about SHINee is that it’s a relatively smaller group compared to SuJu or EXO, which will take years for everyone to complete their enlistment. SuJu will be ending all enlistments on May 7, 2019, with maknae Kyuhyun rejoining his hyungs. Hooray! I can’t wait for a grand comeback!

Lee Jinki (Credits to owner)

Kim Kibum (Credits to owner)

Choi Minho (Credits to owner)

Anyway, SHINee members have recently started entering the army, with Onew entering last December 2018, Key in March 2019, and Minho just a few days ago. For me, it was smart for these three, since their ages are quite close, to enter the military in close gaps so release dates would be close too. Comebacks might be easier to given this situation. Taemin is not expected to enlist until 2023, so there might be a comeback between, but that’s just my theory.

So, because I miss the members a lot, even if Taemin was in the Philippines a few days ago, I went to a SHINee Cafe in Cavite.

Sincerely Shawols Cafe recently opened in Imus, Cavite. When I found out about it, I was so excited because it was near my city and one ride away via PUV.

Here I am in front of the SHINee themed cafe. It’s so pearlescent blue.

It was a museum-like experience for me. There were a lot of albums and memorabilia that were there. They also sold some merch. Food and drinks were okay. I had to finish them fast because I might spend all my money on merch. Haha

I really enjoyed watching the giant TV in the middle of the setup. It played SHINee videos. Some Super Junior too, in performances they’ve collaborated in.

Here’s a glimpse of the menu. They also sell some Korean snacks there. I had lunch before I came there so I just had snacks. But if you want your taste buds to travel to Korea, they are also offering ramyeon.

Here’s a video I made to document my visit. Hehehe

How to commute: From EDSA, you can ride a DASMA bus. Alight at MCI and walk from there. There’s also an IMUS van in MOA that you can ride. You will also alight at MCI.

In Photos: The 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition

These days, I’m into travelling to chase events, like the Winter Olympics since it was held in Asia. This year is the same. And the event? The 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition held at SM Clark, Pampanga.

Waaaiitt.. Yes, you’ve read it right. The competition this year was held at SM Clark and not SM Mall of Asia (SM MOA). At first I was surprised at this. What’s the reason behind the change of venue? It has been tradition for the past competitions to be held at SM MOA, their flagship mall.

At first, of course, the lazy bum in me is complaining. I was from south Manila so it was more convenient for me to go to SM MOA. Well actually, anyone from Metro Manila would prefer it to be in SM MOA, right? Are they hyping SM Clark? Hahaha

Manila Bay (Photo from http://www.manilatimes.net)

After a little research, I found our that the move was quite reasonable. In full support of the ongoing Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program of the DENR, SM Supermalls moved the venue from SM Mall of Asia to SM Clark. I’ve attended one of these before. The setup is by the bay of MOA, and the fireworks explode above the sea. So it actually makes sense not to do it in Manila since the Manila Bay will be polluted again after 6 weekends of fireworks competition.

My friends and I are seeing the show…

… but not without dinner! 😀

Moving on, the show we were able to watch was the one on March 23, 2019. The countries performing were China (Polaris Fireworks) and Canada (Fireworks Spectaculars).

Here are some photos from the sky. Please enjoy them. I was excited to attend this because it’s my first time testing my new Osmo Pocket for anything. Haha.

The competition and awarding was held the following week, March 30, 2019. My friend who attended the event told me that the winner for this year was China. As someone who watched the performance, it was really different.

Both countries that competed had strengths. The Canada performance was hip and fun as all the music were familiar. Timing and the fireworks used for the songs were cohesive too. For China though, they were well organized. But really, their advantage was scale. Coverage of the fireworks when they explode up in the air was really wide. I think it’s something you would have to experience yourself to understand. Well, Chinese did invent fireworks, so they have 2 millenniums advantage. Hahaha. Just kidding.

I guess this would be one of the events I would be anticipating every year. Though I’m not committing attendance yet (hahaha). It maybe something I would do it cheer myself up or if I want to experience something magical. Until next time. 🙂

My Korean Learning Experience at Learn Korean Ph (Hangeul Gyoshil)

“Is Learn Korean Ph a good school?”, that’s probably one of the first questions I asked while I was canvasing for language schools in Manila. Almost a year after being with them, I can confirm it.

Hangeul Gyoshil Season 19 Intermediate Class 1 & 2

The Beginning

It was May 25, 2018, when I decided to take my hobby seriously from learning Korean words from Running Man and K-Drama, to actually taking a class. I took my search to Facebook and Google to look for language classes in Manila. My dilemmas were: If it fits my schedule, it was too expensive. If it’s affordable, it’s on a weekday – so nope.

I came across Learn Korean Ph (Hangeul Gyoshil) from a friend’s timeline. I was curious about the school and I cannot stress that I really really really wanted to learn, so I messaged her about it. Ultimately, she was able to give me enough information to convince myself to go for it. To try this school.

And this is what I’m doing now. As a way to give back because I’m grateful to be given a chance to study here, I also what those without connections to have the information I was given. Hopefully this will be enough for you to decide to take a step forward and start your Korean-language learning at Hangeul Gyoshil.

What’s in Store for You?

Beginner’s Curriculum

One of the reason’s you may be reading this blog is to find out what’s being taught here. You maybe in the middle of choosing a school. I remember my friend telling me that she was iffy to enroll because there was no curriculum published. What’s covered in Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced?

I think won’t really find any. Just like a regular school, you will just find out the curriculum of a subject when you enroll for the sem or if a senior student gives you pointers. So just to help, here’s an overview of the coverage for Beginner Level:

• Hangeul Alphabet
• Classroom Expressions
• Formal Greetings
• Countries
• Jobs
• Office and Places
• Home Objects
• Basic Verbs
• Numbers
• Telling Time
• Family Structure
• Telling Dates and Setting Appointments

The resource material is really good. It doesn’t start with technical stuff immediately. What I like about it is that the book was made as a reference for immigrants, so a lot of practical stuff and words are taught early.

I also like the teaching style, grammar and vocabulary are taught together. Some schools focus on expanding vocabulary first. Though I think vocabulary is important, I also think that if you teach grammar and vocabulary alongside it, the retention of vocabulary is better. This is because I see the usage/application in the lessons already. For me, this kind of foundation is good.

My friend who is studying at a different school started almost the same time as me, doesn’t know how to write basic sentences yet. At intermediate we’re sometimes asked to write about 24-32 sentences per week. In Advanced Level, the teacher told us we’re going to start writing paragraphs. This friend told me that she will enroll next season to Hangeul Gyoshil.

Friendships Formed

Because I was determined to learn, I started the Beginner’s course alone. My friend who enrolled with me, dropped out after the first class because of her busy weekend schedule. I didn’t want my money to go to waste by quitting because I had no friends in class, so I continued. Companionship would probably be the hardest obstacle in attending classes, not really the lessons. I’ve seen it happen a lot of times. If a friend drops-out, their companions mostly drop-out too.

Our Original Triad: Me, Nikka, and Eunice, friends from Beginners Class

I ask people who are alone in enrolling not to worry. I was a loner for about a month into the Beginner’s program, until we were assigned group works. My groupmates then became my friends in Hangeul Gyoshil. We send pointers, reviewers, and help each other out to understand each lesson we go through. Sometimes, after class, we would watch movies or eat out. On our last day of together at Beginner Level, we ate at a good restaurant to celebrate us finishing the course. I’m lucky to have them because we encouraged each other to work hard and graduate Beginner Level together.

Me and my triadmates.. Actually, we became a quintet before the season ended.

In Intermediate Level, this group is solidified. Our Intermediate Class is the pioneer of the Triad Groupings, something that our teacher came up with. Aside from individual homeworks, we are asked to do group tasks per week to widen vocabulary and grammar. I think in our case, the triad system worked because everyone was serious about learning. It was a great support system for me, especially since I got sick and had so many absences in Intermediate level. I thought I wouldn’t be able to catch-up but I did. I heard that the Triad Groupings will be adapted in Beginner Level as well.

Subject-Matter Classes

This is the fun part. I have no pictures because I was too lazy to take some for activities, and some are special lectures and videos. Basically, this is where we learn about Korean culture. Subject-matter classes vary per season. For example, in Season 17 Beginner, they had a Taekwando session. We didn’t have that, we had a cooking class and a K-Pop Karaoke (Noraebang) session. In Season 19, there was no cooking class, but a cuture weekend, where you can try different Korean foods, products, and have a Hanbok photo-op.

The subject matter lectures talk about history and modern life in Korea. Some of the topics we covered are Clothing, K-Pop, K-Drama, Transport System, Landmarks, Tourist Sites, Government Services, and Health System.

What Changed?

Me doing homework. Huhuhu. We learn to write sentences in Intermediate Level.

This will of course be different for each person. I believe I’m quite hard-working in studying but I have classmates that are even more so. Some of the things I’ve noticed are the following. Note that these are personal improvements:

• I can hear the words better in k-dramas and k-variety shows now.
• I was surprised with myself too, but I can understand dialogues through context clues. While waiting for an episode of Super TV, they released some teasers of the Jeju trip. I understood the conversation in the car even without subtitles.
• You will realize that some subs are not the literal translations. This is okay for me though. Translators have the creative freedom to deliver the messages better in their language.
• I push myself to read fast. This is actually a personal goal. This is not part of Hangeul Gyoshil. In my free time during weekends, I sing k-pop songs in Hangeul to train my eyes to read fast. This also helps with pronunciation.
• Also related to songs, I memorize them in Hangeul as well. It’s part of the my personal training.
• I’ve started translating on my own. Sometimes the song translations found in the internet are weird. I take it a step further and try to understand the songs I like on my own.
• At some point, you will get used to Hangeul alphabet, and you will no longer need to “Romanize” them.
• Also regarding Romanized lyrics found in the internet, you will notice that these are mostly per letter translations. Pronunciation rules are not taken into account. I make my own notes on the lyrics pronunciation as well.
• I do use Korean abroad. I tried speaking with a group my friend and I encountered at a theme park in Bangkok. I have an upcoming trip to Korea soon. I hope I would be able to hold conversations already.

Experience it yourself!

Intermediate Class 2 with our teacher, Hye.

Don’t overthink this and just experience it for yourself! Season 20 of Hangeul Gyoshil is about to start. Our enrollment is on April 7, 2019.

Classes for the season will be from April – July 2019. Fee is Php 700 (500 for activities and 200 for the book). The season usually lasts for 16 weeks, if there are no major holidays and weather disturbances.

For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/learnkoreanph/

If you missed Season 20, that’s okay. You can just follow the Facebook page for future schedules. I hope that if you enroll, you will have as much fun as I did learning Korean. 🙂

This post is dedicated to Nikka, Eunice, Jeanne, Mina, and Hye 선생님.

Experience Europe in Bangkok: Chocolate Ville

It’s been 5 months since I’ve been to Bangkok and I wanted to write more about I’m only finding the energy to to do now. I wasn’t motivated to write the couple of months because I was studying Hangul Intermediate Class and all my extra time goes to homework and memorizing vocabulary. Now, we’re on a 1 month break before I take advanced classes so I’ll do this now. Hahaha

Moving on, I found another must-visit place in Bangkok that I put in my itinerary last October and it is….

CHOCO VILLE

Choco Ville is Bangkok’s biggest theme park restaurant located Kaset-Nawamin Road, Bueng Kum District, Bangkok (at the outskirts of Bangkok).  Yes, it’s actually a BIG restaurant with a “dine in the park” concept. The village is European-themed. I felt like being back to Denmark while I was there. As my friends said in my IG feed, “Lakas maka-Europe!” (It’s a Filipino joke which means it really looks like Europe, even if you’re not there.)

Here are some photos I took from the place. I’m writing some details in the captions. Please enjoy the photos. 🙂 How to go there and tips after the photos.  Hahaha

Before entering the park, you will see a facade of European-style houses and a windmill. Here I am with Mr. Bear and his taxi, part of the facade.

The information office is part of the facade too, but it’s disguised as a villa. Haha. Here’s my friend, Abby, in front of the office.

They even have a vintage gas station at the facade. It looks nice. I love the color.

Upon entering the gates, you will see this Gazebo….

… And this yacht. You can go inside to take a photo here.

Here’s the village clock. It also has a vintage look.

At the center of the conservatory garden, we have this figure. I’m not sure what it is though. Haha

I went to the other side of the bridge so I can capture the architecture of the small shops.

Here’s the conservatory garden again. Now you can see the garden and the bridge.

Here is a one of the bridges in the park. It’s the nearest one from the lighthouse. The lighthouse is the main attraction of the part. You can actually go up and take a nice photo of the park from above. But I hate stairs and hiking so… NO.. Hahaha

There are a lot of cute areas and props to take photos with, just like this bike at Summer Cottage.

Since the area is large, there are a couple of bridges connecting dining areas and attractions together. There’s a man-made stream that flows around the area. The different bridges look nice. If there weren’t so many people, I would take a photo with each one.

This is the building where they keep the wines. You can enter here and buy some.

Here is a close-up of the wine-cellar building.

One of the bridges was actually converted to a dining area. I really find this beautiful. We figured this would be a crowded attraction so we opted to sit at a different area.

Showing you a larger view of the outdoor dining areas. I wasn’t able to take a photo of the fountain near here but there is one. Hahaha

This glass structure has a lot of long tables to accommodate big parties. It kind of reminds me of that glass restaurant I saw in Vienna.

More buildings for aesthetic. I’m not sure if this is a really an Inn. To be honest, I don’t think so.

More outdoor dining areas…

Here is my friend, Abby, who accompanied me to this attraction. Thank so much! We ordered a chicken dish, lasagna, and rice (yes we love rice).

This is the view from our seats. It’s not crowded in our area so it had a nice ambiance as well.

Our last photo of the place. Just a reference for you to see how it looks like at night. Sorry for the grainy photo. Will bring a better camera next time. 🙂

How To Go There

The recommended option from most blogs I’ve read is to take a taxi. There’s no low-cost public transportation available going there. But, the cab option is quite affordable I’ve read that it’s about 250 Baht – 350 Baht depending on where you’re coming from.

What we did is actually to use Grab. The rates were pretty close to the estimates above, but with Grab, it saves us the trouble of explaining where to go. The pin does it for us. haha (I swear this is not a sponsored post). You may think, why not Uber? For those who don’t know, Uber left South East Asia because of the complicated transport rules of countries there (including ours, Philippines) among other reasons. It’s sad, but we have to move on. So, if you’re in a SEA country, you can use Grab instead.

We spent about 250 Baht for the fare and 100 Baht for the toll fee. So the budget for a one way trip is about 350 Baht through Grab. Going home is the same, so prepare about 700 Baht (Php 1,160 / 22 USD). Our starting point was Chatuchak market. Better to go there with 4 people in the group so the fare can be smaller if it’s divided by 4.

Tips:

1. Be there as early as 2:30-3:00pm. Busses of tourists arrive around 4:00pm. I you want a less crowded time to take photos, better be there early.
2. Food budget – Food is a little pricey. We ordered a chicken dish, rice, and lasagna for less than 700 Baht (Php 1,160/ 22 USD). So I guess you can budget 400-500 Baht per person if you want to eat the good dishes.

Address:

Chocolate Ville Bangkok
Kasetnawamin KM. 11 Rd
Kasetnawamin, Bangkok, Thailand
083 – 077 – 3738
Opening Hours: 4 PM – midnight

Here is a map from their website.

References:

Here are the blogs that helped me locate and travel to this place. Don’t forget to them out too! 🙂

https://eatandtreats.blogspot.com/2016/06/chocolate-ville-bangkok-revisiting.html

CHOCOLATE VILLE BANGKOK – Thailand

A Glimpse of Ancient Siam

Whenever I travel abroad, I try to squeeze in unique places to visit. Like a shoot location, a special museum, or an activity you can only do in that place. I look for things that are not too popular but are so underrated that I feel the need tell its story and encourage people to experience it as well. For my Thailand trip last September, this place was Ancient Siam.

Attraction #110 Pavilion of the Enlightened

I only heard about it from a friend who hasn’t been there too. We talked about it in passing a few months ago. Then, I researched to decide if it was worth putting in my itinerary. When I was there, I didn’t expect to enjoy it that much. It was my day 1 activity. In my next days of exploring Bangkok, I felt that no experience tops it. Seriously (except food maybe hahaha). Anyway, what’s Ancient Siam anyway?

Ancient Siam or Ancient City (Thai: Mueang Boran) is a museum park occupying over 200 acres (0.81 km²) in the shape of Thailand. It is dubbed as the world’s largest outdoor museum. The 320-hectare “city” features 116 structures of Thailand’s famous monuments and architectural attractions. The grounds of Ancient Siam correspond roughly to the shape of the kingdom, with the monuments lying at their correct places geographically. Some of the buildings are life-size replicas of existing or former sites, while others are scaled down. The replicas were constructed with the assistance of experts from the National Museum to ensure historical accuracy.

Attraction # 10 The Old Market Town (Removed from original site) – Upon entering Ancient Siam, you have an option to tour using bike or tram. Choose the bike if you want to freely explore. There are also carts that you can drive but payment is separate for that. I don’t know the rate, sorry.

After reading about this place, I decided that I JUST HAVE TO GO THERE. I let go of a lot of modern attractions I originally planned to visit in Bangkok just to manage my time and it was the right decision. My only regret was not following the recommendation I read to allot 1 full day for this. I spent 4 hours in Ancient Siam but was only able to finish touring half of it. I’ll definitely be back to tour the other half.

How to go there

The Recommended Option

The location of this attraction is at Samut Prakarn, at the south east of Bangkok, so it’s a bit far from the usual city landmarks you’ll visit. The cheapest way to get there is to take the BTS train and alight at the nearest station. After that, take a taxi to Ancient Siam. It’s not walking distance from any train station so you really have to take a taxi.

STEP 1: Take the BTS to Samrong Station. Fare depends on where you come from. Check Google Maps for reference on the train fare.
STEP 2: Take a taxi from Samrong Station to Ancient City. Fare is around 120 – 180 Baht (Php 205-305).

This is the option we went with going back to the city in the evening.

What we did (Hahaha)

We were kind of late since I was stuck at the airport for an hour because of the line the Klook booth. Anyway, because we were saving time, we decided to take Grab.

The good thing about grab is that you can easily pin the location. It saves you the effort of explaining where you’ll go. It’s a bit hard to communicate because of the language barrier so Grab made this trip easier for us.

I think the fare was just okay. Not too cheap or expensive considering it was a 45-minute ride from our place. We spent 260 Baht for the fare and 100 Baht for the toll (Php 605 all in). If you’re a group of 3-4 people, I’d recommend this option for convenience.

What’s there

There is a total of 121 stations that you can visit. Honestly, I didn’t really look at the map that much when I was there. Since we were cramming everything in 4 hours, we weren’t able to take pictures in all of the stations. Here are some of the sites we were able to see.

Attraction # 25 The Winhan at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, Ayutthaya

Not sure what attraction this is. Will check an updated map.

Attraction # 86 The Phimai Sanctuarry, Nakhon Ratchasima

Attraction # 9 The Stupa of Phra Maha That, Chalya Surat Thani

Attraction #110 Pavilion of the Enlightened

Just a bridge there. Hahaha

Attraction # 23 Dusit Maha Prasat Palace (The Grand Palace)

Sanphet Prasat Palace, Ayutthaya

Attraction # 7 The Stupa of Phra Maha That, Nakhon Si Thammarat

Attraction # 43 The Garden of God

My suggestion really is to map it out. I didn’t plan my visit so well so I missed important sites. You can check the map of the place and research about it before you visit so you know which sites you’d like to see. Refer to the Wikipedia link below for reference.

The map given would be a little different from this one. Maybe this is an older map. Basically, it explains that they have blue, green, and red attractions. Blue ones are creative designs, green ones are removed from the real site for reconstruction, and red ones are duplicated from the original or recreated based on historical evidence if it’s original structure don’t exist anymore.

Entrance Fee

Entrance fee is 700 Baht (Php 1,176) which includes a choice to tour on bicycle or on tram. You can also avail of the audio recorder guide where you could listen about the history of each attraction. We didn’t really use it when we were there. We preferred reading signage and history per station.

I got the tickets cheaper at Php 804 since I booked this on Klook. That’s a 31% discount.

Special Discount

350 Baht if you have a Thai work permit.

Opening Hours

9:00am – 7:00pm Everyday

Tips

• Be there early. It will take a day to explore without rushing.
• I read that you can actually enjoy lunch at the floating market (#45), but I didn’t get to see it since it was closed in the afternoon.
• Bring water. You’ll be thirsty from all the biking. You can also buy cold water from the concessionaires. It costs 20 Baht.
• I didn’t get to do this but I read that it’s good to make station 72 as your last stop for a great sunset view. The audio guide needs to be returned at 6:00pm so if you want to catch the sunset and stay a little longer, don’t take the audio guide.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Siam

https://www.facebook.com/groups/diytravelphilippines/permalink/1003110629888537/

A Guide to MBC Dramia (Dae Jang Geum Park)

During my trip back to South Korea last February, I was fortunate enough to have my friend Rann with me. She’s one of my k-wave buddies. Since it’s a first time for both of us to travel with a k-wave fan, we decided to go to the ultimate k-drama destination, Dae Jang Geum Park (MBC Dramia). Having this in the itinerary is unusual since it’s not so popular with first-time tourists to Korea. However, if you are a historical k-drama fan, this is a must-go destination.

While I was researching about it, I found out that there were very few resources/blogs written about the place. It’s a bit far from Seoul. We almost cut it off our itinerary because of bad weather, but I’m glad we didn’t. So I’m writing this post to try to excite and encourage people to visit Dae Jang Geum Park. I promise that it won’t disappoint.

Here is a map of Dae Jang Geum Park to show you the scale of this place. If you plan to go here, I recommend to allocate 1 day in your itinerary. Once you’re there, you’ll want to take so much pictures. I swear that 2-3 hours is not enough. (Source: Dae Jang Geup Park Brochure Map)

Dae Jang Geum Park, previously known as MBC Dramia was an outdoor film set owned by MBC. It’s located at Yongin, Gyeonggi-do province. I believe sets of Jewel in the Palace were built here for the 2003 drama. However, the park was only opened to tourists in 2011.

MBC continued to expand this to be a big set for it’s other historical dramas. Popular dramas shot here are Jumong, Moon Embracing the Sun, Dong Yi, Queen Sheondeok, Empress Ki, and more recently 100 Days My Prince. The complex features permanent sets imitating buildings from the Korean Three Kingdoms, Goryeo, and Joseon.

HOW TO GO THERE

1. Take the Seoul Subway (Orange Line / Line 3) and alight at Nambu Bus Terminal Station.
2. Ride a bus to Baekam (백암) and alight at Baekam Bus Terminal. The ticket costs about 4,500 KRW but prepare extra in case the fare increased.
3. Don’t go down once the bus stops. Baekam is not the first stop. Baekam is the third stop after Yang Ji (양지) and Jwa Jeon (좌전). The trip from Seoul to Baekam is 50 minutes. You have to listen well in the recording to know if it’s the right stop. If you’re not sure, sit near the driver and ask if it’s Baekam. I remember I asked the driver, “Ajusshi, Baekam yogi-yo?” (Is this Baekam?), when we traveled. If they say, “Ne”, it means yes. If they say, “Aniyo”, it’s not.
4. Take Bus 105 (photo below). The last stop of this bus is Dae Jang Geum Park. The bus interval is around 50 minutes to 120 minutes. You can look at the monitors in the bus stop to check if a bus is near and how many minutes left until it arrives. If you miss it, you can take a taxi going to Yongin Dae Jang Geum Park. The taxi trip is about 10 to 15 minutes and costs 8,500 KRW. If you’re a big group, just take a taxi.

NOTE: For the #105 Bus, get on at the Hanaro Drugstore (across Baekam Bus Terminal) when you are heading to Dae Jang Geum Park. If you’re going back to Seoul, buy a ticket and get on at the Baekam Bus Terminal.

IMPORTANT! The last bus to Baekam leaves the park at 5:00pm (Winter Season). Ask the staff in the counter if the time is different for Summer Season. I think it closes at 6:00pm.

I used these sources when I was planning: 1) Travel With Karla (https://travelwithkarla.com/2017/05/09/mbc-dramia/) 2) Imagine Your Korea (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=2503965). For this post, I added information from the Dae Jang Geum brochure/map given upon entrance to the park.

Here are some more photos of the sites we’ve visited. Rann and I only had two hours to tour so we handpicked the sites we wanted to see. I’ve included the attraction number on the photos so you can check the location on the map above. My tip is to leave Seoul early, like 7-8am, so you can have a longer time to explore the park.

Also, you can rent hanboks here for 20,000 KRW. We didn’t have time to do this but I will surely be back to remedy this. I realized that pictures will really look better if you have traditional hanboks on.

Upon entering the park, the first attraction you will see is the Jewel in the Palace Set. Kitchen scenes were done here. Below is my photo with some of the character standees. In front of the building, you will see Jang Geum and the captain.

There were also standees of Lee Seung Gi, Suzy, and other artists who did MBC historical dramas but I was only able to take a picture with the Kim Soo Hyun one.

Maybe because it was winter when I went there that the marketplace set was not setup. I’ve seen photos of other tourists where tables and props were displayed. Anyway, this area was also used in Dong Yi, Moon Embracing the Sun, Warrior K, Tale of Arang and the Lord, The King’s Doctor, and Hur Jun, the Original Story. I still have to check but I think this was also in Ruler Master of the Mask.

Update: I also saw this Palace in 100 Days My Prince. Keeping my eye out for historical dramas that film here.

I had two reasons why I wanted to visit this place. The first one was this bridge. I wanted to see this bridge. This scene was really iconic for me when I watched Empress Ki, because I love Ji Chang Wook. Hahahaha

Update: This was also in the first scene of the Episode 1 of 100 Days My Prince, where D.O. of EXO was standing. I already went here when I watched the drama so I was so shocked to see it.

I kind of developed a habit because of this place. Whenever I see prison scenes in historical dramas, I check if this was the set used. Hahahaha

I discovered this scene after I visited Dae Jang Geum Park. I watched Hwayugi (Korean Odyssey) after I went there. Since the sets were still fresh on my mind, I was able to spot that this was the shoot location for episode 2. I also discovered that other networks rent this place to film as well, since TVN produced Hwayugi, not MBC.

The 2nd reason I wanted to go here is to see the Military Drill Hall, a set in Splash Splash Love. Please watch that movie. Kim Seul Gi is such a great actress. I first discovered her in Oh My Ghost. Hahaha. Yes, I’m promoting Splash Splash Love here! 🙂

So there you go! I hope I was able to convince you to visit Dae Jang Geum Park. If you recognize the sets from other dramas, please do tell me. Also, let me know your experience after you visit, okay?

I’ve included other details below for your reference. There’s no restaurant in the area so I suggest you eat a heavy meal. There is a cafe and vendos in the park where you can purchase food and drinks. It’s not in the rules but please refrain from eating while touring the sets.

ADMISSION FEE

• Adults (age over 19): 7,000 KRW
• Middle and High School Students (age 13 – 18): 6,000 KRW
• Children (age 4-12): 5,000 KRW
• Pre-schooler under 4): Free

SPECIAL DISCOUNT

Special discount rate is applied to locals (living in Yongin), group tour (minimum 20 persons), the disabled, senior citizens, and veterans, when supporting documents are presented.

OPENING HOURS

• Summer Season (Mar – Oct): 9:00 – 18:00
• Winter Season (Nov – Feb): 9:00 – 17:00
• The park is open throughout the year.
• Admission is allowed until 1 hour before the closing time.

PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING DURING YOUR VISIT!

• Visitors may be restricted from accessing some of the places in the park, including filming sites, for synchronous recording of sound and picture is often required during filming. Please note that this restriction cannot be a reason to get a refund on the ticket cost.
• Due to the characteristics of the filming sets, wheelchairs and strollers may not be allowed. Please pay particular attention to the safety of children and senior citizens.
• Visitors are restricted from accessing indoor filming sets.
• Pets are not allowed.
• Smoking is not allowed for fire prevention.

Winter 2018 Seoul: 8-Layer Seafood Tower

Just recently, I returned to South Korea with my friends to experience the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. The reason for this is because Winter Olympic events are usually far from my country, like Vancouver and Sochi, so we’re taking advantage of it being near. Anyway, as part of our side-trips, we decided to try the 8-layer seafood tower near Bongcheon station (green line).

Ron, Sid, me, and Rae-Ann at Infinite Grilled Shellfish Restaurant (March 1, 2018)

We found out about this when Ron suggested to come here after he saw this blog post from Happiebb (http://happiebb.com/blog/2015/05/28/nine-layers-of-steamed-shells/). I’d like to thank her for sharing this online, otherwise we wouldn’t have experienced this. The post was dated May 2015, so there were already changes when we went there. Thus, I decided to write my own post as a reference for those interested.

Infinite Grilled Shellfish Restaurant (Credits to Happiebb.com)

The restaurant’s name is 무한조개구이까까 (muhanjogaegu-ikkakka). It means “Infinite Shellfish Grilled” in English. It gained it’s popularity after it was featured in a KBS show called 생생정보통 (Live Info Show), where their 9-layer steamed shells dish (9단조개찜 pronounced as ku-dan-jo-gaej-jim) was shown.

Live Info Show featuring the 9-layer steamed seafood tower. (Credits to Happibb.com)

According to the blog post, the 9-layer seafood tower can feed five to eight people. We were a party of 4 and only ordered the 8-layer one. We were only supposed to buy the 5-layer tower, but we wanted the cheese scallops so we opted for 8 layers instead. It’s important to note that you can’t choose which layers you want to have. The layers are pre-selected. So, if you want to eat a specific layer that’s in the later part of the line-up, you have to buy the package. You can go as low as 3 layers to as high as 9 layers.

So, what’s in the 8-layer tower? Here’s a run-down of what we ate plus pictures!

Layer 1: Cuttlefish, soondae, steamed dumpling

Layer 2: Pen shell (Kidney scallop)

Layer 3: Mixed shell

Layer 4: Oyster

Layer 5: Scallops with Cheese

Layer 6: Clams

Layer 7: Conch and Eggs

Layer 8: Seafood Soup (Note: This is mild spicy. I’m not fond of spicy food but this level of spicy is okay for me).

A tip from us: If you’re a party of 4-6 people, you don’t need to order rice. The seafood tower is enough to make your tummies full.

Some of the prices of the dishes have changed since 2015. Here’s a shot of the 2018 menu:

Menu In English:

무듬조개찜3단 (mudeumjogaejjim sam(3) dan) – 3 Stages of Mussel – KRW 39,000/ USD 37/ PHP 1,905

무듬조개찜4단 (mudeumjogaejjim sa(4) dan) – 4 Stages of Mussel – KRW 49,000/ USD 46/ PHP 2,400

무듬조개찜5단 (mudeumjogaejjim mu(5) dan) – 5 Stages of Mussel – KRW 59,000/ USD 56/ PHP 2,880

무듬조개찜8단 (mudeumjogaejjim pal(8) dan) – 8 Stages of Mussel – KRW 75,000/ USD 71/ PHP 3,660 – In the 2015 post by Happiebb, this was the price for the 9-layer tower.

무듬조개찜5단 (mudeumjogaejjim gu(9) dan) – 9 Stages of Mussel – KRW 88,000/ USD 83/ PHP 4,300

모듬조개찜스페셜8단 (modeumjogaejjim seupesyeol pal(8) dan) – 8 Stages of Mussel Special – KRW 100,000/ USD 94/ PHP 4,880

모듬조개찜스페셜9단 (modeumjogaejjim seupesyeol gu(9) dan) – 9 Stages of Mussel Special – KRW 110,000/ USD 103/ PHP 5,370

*For the special, I think they change one of the layers to prawns. I’m not sure which layer gets replaced.

How to go there:

The restaurant was quite easy to find but some of the landmarks we were looking for in Happiebb’s post were not there anymore. I’ve updated the map and instructions for easier reference.

무한조개까까
924-40, Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea
주소: 서울시 관악구 봉천동 924-40
Tel: +82-2-876-8687
** Only walk-ins. No reservation.
(Mon – Sat) 4pm till late (We left about 11pm when we went there.)
(Sun) 3pm till late