I’m grateful towards my mom every time I reminisce this trip to South Korea, since it was just to attend a concert of a rock band - in which I don’t and can’t fully understand Korean at all. I’ve had my savings reserved for this holy grail, and in return I feel like I’ve thrived a little because I’ve accomplished something that I’ve promised myself.
Like, hey, you’re not too bad after all.
When I was in my foundation year in university I went for Korean language classes, and my teacher brought a whole bunch of native speakers out of nowhere to class for aural practices since they were on exchange for a summer English camp. We went out with a few of them for lunch at a nice udon place, and we’ve gotten closer. Before I left to Korea we’ve planned out so many things to do together, but her uni timetable as wasn’t accommodating so I decided to drop by Gwang Ju, where she’s based in.
I bought the ‘one day pass’ Korean Train Express (KTX) ticket to Gwang Ju for her since I was on a tight travel school schedule as well, leaving with my half assed done assignments one week before due and skipping 2 classes. The trip down to Gwang Ju from Seoul was around 3 hours, and I wasn’t aware that there’s free wifi on board only until I return to Seoul at midnight, this country basically has free wifi everywhere. One day pass was convenient though - not too pricey for a day’s worth of ride with your choice of time, yet two-day pass was too much for my trip. Decisions, decisions, gotta make do with what's in your plate and what you can bring out of your plate without starving yourself.
The state of light and also the 6th largest city in Korea was pretty amazing. The city has the same old hustle and bustle, which makes everything feel so at home just with foreign signboards. Seung-ju drove me around the places and also stuck in a jam, she waited for me at the train station which wasn’t in our initial plan. Left hand drive in Korea makes me feel like I’m still driving back at home, we made an illegal U-turn and we laughed at each other's driving ethics - 'You did the same thing too back when I was in KL!' Well I'm not gonna deny that.
It was spring, and we went to see cherry blossoms. She said if you could catch one flying petal with your bare hands at once, you’ll probably get a significant other very soon, I was slightly culture shocked over that but we were running around the park catching petals for almost an hour.
It was spring, and we went to see cherry blossoms. She said if you could catch one flying petal with your bare hands at once, you’ll probably get a significant other very soon, I was slightly culture shocked over that but we were running around the park catching petals for almost an hour.
5.18 Memorial Park was nearby with blooming flowers around of course, remembering the tragic 10 days massacre as the calamity by an uprising against the government. History strengthens the national identity, which makes the park so tranquil and solemn with stunning sculptures portraying freedom and their struggles of democracy during the event.
Before dropping by Gwang Ju I’ve looked up on some state food, though Seung-ju wasn’t too fond of my choice - Tteok galbi, which is basically Korean style soy sauce Krabby Patty, and she thought that it was nothing too special about it. We decided to go with Jokbal, seasoned and steamed and/or boiled sliced pork trotters, which was totally red light since she was on a herbal medicine course and meat should be out of her diet, she broke her fast because of me (cries). She contemplated really hard when traffic was congested, and we went with it anyway.
This dish is ridiculously dreamy, and it’s Seung-ju’s favourite dish anyway so guilt tripping ain’t happening. We had dinner at a fusion pork trotters restaurant, serving not only the traditional steamed-and-sliced meat but also with a range of other cooking varieties of the dish. The dinner set that we ordered came with two selections - pan fried trotters with really spicy sauce, and salad with pork trotters with a refreshing sweet and sour mustard sauce (still spicy af). We also get unlimited supply of fresh handmade noodles with boiling hot soup on the side, not a functional way to wash down the addictive spiciness from the sauces but the clear soup wasn’t blatant at all, perfect match with the chewy noodles.
The well marinated boiled pork trotters were so sticky and extremely satisfying. Everything on the table was spicy, we regretted a little for pouring all of the mustard sauce into our pork trotters salad. The flavours in a pork trotters salad wrap was like attending an afternoon carnival - scorching hot yet you’ll still want stand under the sun for shows. Wrapping a piece of pork trotters and preferred sliced veg like cucumber, carrot, spring onion, and also jellyfish with a slice of marinated thin radish kimchi. Sweet, sour, spicy, and whole lot of contentment.
After dinner we went to Seolbing, a really large Korean franchised dessert cafe. Bingsu is a popular Korean traditional dessert, shaved ice with glorious and delicate toppings, though ice kacang looks sloppy but it doesn’t lose its game in terms of flavours and aesthetics! We had cheese bingsu, a totally off combination for a dessert when it was recommended by my companion. I was slightly intimidated by the name itself, but it turned out to be the same powdery shaved ice made of milk as the base of the dessert bowl, with cheesecake cubes. I was expecting mozzarella cheese or something out of the way, but cheesecake is a dessert too so dessert on top of another dessert isn't an invalid combination anyway. The generous amount of condensed milk and almond slices all over the dessert take the cake, I couldn't stop scooping the cheesecake cubes and ice.
My Gwang Ju excursion was an endearing experience, but my ignorance and stupidity made my friend worried a lot because I underestimated the weather of South Korea in general. I brought long sleeves, no jackets but thicker plaid shirts and an oversized denim shirt, and I didn’t plan to buy thicker clothes either. When I reached Seoul at 4am I was beyond grateful that she gave me a thicker parka to get through the trip, the walk from Hongdae station back to my lodging was a torture that night.
I met up with a friend in Seoul who was going to the same concert as me for dinner, then we took a cab down to the concert venue though the walking distance was around 5 minutes but the weather was killing us already. My friend was telling me about some cab drivers wouldn’t like short distance driving, yet he was okay with it and engaged in the weather topic with us. She then went to her seat and I went to my designated seat as well for the concert.
NELL was amazing, needless to say. I had another gig the next day at Konkuk University, the campus was huge and beautiful, I had to walk almost 10 minutes into the hall for Lucia & Zitten’s gig. The accessibility to places in Seoul is definitely much easier, the subway basically brings you everywhere.
Cherry blossom festivals were in when I was there the week, so I dropped by the annual Yeoeuido Spring Flower Festival and followed the crowd. The roadside snacks were slightly more interesting than the falling beige petals - roasted chestnut, squid, grilled corn on the cob, and gigantic rice crackers. Teens and lovebirds having picnics by the Han River park with those snacks, and also cup noodles. The weather and temperature were perfect to get out of the house just to sit outside. I went to Naksan Park for a stroll too the next day, looking at murals and also sculptures of this artsy state incorporating with all things traditional, sipping on the 5th or probably 6th bottle of banana milk.
I just wished I wasn’t as stupid and penny-pinching when I travel, going so harsh on myself battling against the fucking weather which I’d lose all 5 rounds out of 5 rounds. I still went out with only my oversized denim shirt though, with the help of lots of hot Americano and Korean ginseng chicken soup at Myeong Dong.
Will be back soon Seoul and Gwang Ju!
