[REVIEW] Visit Korea VIP Invitation Tour Day 2: A Visit to Super Junior Sungmin’s Wiki Café

If you’ve read my past posts, you’ll know that I’m crazy over cafes. For me, there’s unique joy in discovering an interesting new place to hang out, where you can listen to music or read a good book or chat with friends while drinking your favorite coffee, frappe or tea. That’s why I’m so glad this tour allowed me to visit several cafes in Seoul, and luckily, our next destination is one place crossed out in my Korea bucket list.

Now, one of the reasons why I (along with my sister) became a huge Hallyu fangirl is Kpop group Super Junior (the real Kings of Hallyu in my opinion :)). If you’re a fan too, you’d probably know the cafes owned by the members’ families, and how they are a popular destination for fangirls wanting to give gifts and letters to their idols, or even meeting the members themselves and their families in person. Hence, I was so excited when I learned that part of our itinerary is to visit Wiki Café (위키카페), which is owned by Super Junior Lee Sungmin’s mom.

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[REVIEW] Visit Korea VIP Invitation Tour Day 2: Delightful Brunch and more at Samcheongdong Slow Park

Yay! I’m finally back with my Visit Korea VIP Members Invitation Tour Reviews. We're now at Day 2. If you want to know other places we visited during this trip, you can check out the following related blog posts:

Visit Korea VIP Member Invitation Tour

Kondae Common Ground

Dore Dore Cafe (Common Ground)

Hello Kitty Cafe

Trick Eye Museum

Nature Kitchen

Visit Korea VIP Invitation Tour Day 2:

It was a cold and sunny autumn morning, and we’re all set to have breakfast at Samcheongdong (sam means "three"; cheong "clean or good"; and dong means "neighborhood"), a small neighborhood in Jongno-gu district. This place is near Insadong, Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), Gyeongbokgung, and Changdeokgung Palace. I’ve never been there before, but I’ve heard of its peaceful atmosphere and streets lined with museums, craft and antique shops, restaurants and cafes. I thought it should be an exciting morning because I really love discovering new places, especially cafes in Seoul, and our destination that morning seemed like a pretty good addition to my collection.

On our way there, our guide already asked us for our orders and we were given 3 choices: waffle set, French toast set, and sandwich set. I chose the waffle set, because coincidentally, I’m crazy over waffles and pancakes, and all things sweet for breakfast.

It took us around 20 minutes to get to Samcheongdong from Centermark Hotel, and I instantly loved the quaint, stylish and serene atmosphere that greeted me. The neighborhood looked kind of laid back, and the streets were lined with yellow trees. The architectural designs of most of the buildings, which are either cafes, restaurants, museums, or craft shops, are quite unique and unlike any of the usual structure of the houses in Seoul. They exhibit modernity infused with traditional Korean architecture, which over-all creates a trendy yet homey and comfortable environment. Street art is also prevalent in the area, and if only we had the luxury of time, it would have been nice to take a good stroll and explore the quiet and nostalgic Samcheongdong even more.

A panoramic view of an area in Samcheongdong

We parked beside a 5-story building with a small café-cum-bistro at the ground floor named ‘Slow Park’ (슬로우파크), which is famous for serving brunch all day, and is just across ‘Slow Garden’. The place looks very stylish, kind of like an American lodge with marble walls, unvarnished wooden floors, wooden ceiling, mixed wooden furniture, and some plants and flowerpots to accentuate some areas. There are also a lot of interesting antique pieces inside, which adds a vintage feel to the classic, homey ambience. No wonder this place is becoming a popular venue for magazine shoots and TV interviews with celebrities (You can check out their instagram account for all the magazine features). It offers a unique setting that combines elegance and warmth, as well as modernity and tradition.

The signage outside the cafe is quite small, so better keep an eye for it :)

Since our trip was in November, I think that's the reason why there were a lot of Poinsettias around

I tried to translate this: 아름다운 ㄱ대들의 쉼터 and its says 'Shelter of beautiful teenagers' :) 

Took a selfie by the veranda because I just love the colors of autumn in the background

Group photo with the Japanese Team! ^^

                           
Here’s my detailed review of Slow Park in Samcheongdong:

Food: 10 

The food here is really delicious, and they have huge servings too. I like that they make sure their food is healthy as well.

When we finally got our orders, we were so delighted to see them that we started taking pictures right away. They all look so scrumptious, and I like how well they styled the food too. The waffle set I ordered came with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and salad. The waffle was perfect with a slight crisp to it. The salad is also a mixture of sweet and sour flavours. I think this is because some of the confectionary sugar on my waffle must have mixed with the salad dressing, and it is a good combination. It was altogether a delightful breakfast for us all, a good start for an activity-filled day for us tour participants.

My waffle set^^ Looks really yummy right? 

Sandwich set with with fries (not sure what the filling of the sandwich is)

Waffle and sandwich sets

Aside from brunch sets and waffles, Slow Park also offer pasta, pizza, salad and steak, so you can pretty much eat here any time of the day, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They also offer a wide assortment of drinks from coffee, tea, ade, juices, fruit shakes, beer and soft drinks, and different kinds of baked goodies like croissants, bread buns, etc. Their menu is in English too :)

There's a whole variety of baked goodies to choose from^^

Ambience: 10 

I just love this place. I think this reminds me of ‘Café by the Ruins’ in Baguio here in the Philippines. I love how comfortable, relaxing and warm the ambience is while also being very stylish. It’s also a huge place that can accommodate around 50-80 guests. And I think it’s conducive to creative thinking too, so it’s a great place to hang out, especially for writers, artists and students.

Jas eonni went in first and smiled at me as she was about to enter :)

This is what the entrance looks like from inside. This ahjussi was about to leave when I took this photo.

This cafe has a veranda but they covered the sides with plastic to prevent rain from coming in and avoid inconvenience

The furnitures aren't matched, but hey they all still look great together. I think they add character to this place.

Panorama shot of the interior

The counter where we get our orders

wow, can you feel the Christmas vibe?

Another thing I like about this place is that it has interesting furniture and antique pieces

Wow, this fireplace is way older than my great, great, great grand parents :)

Look at everyone busily taking pictures :)

We were the first ones to arrive so we had more time to chat and eat

I was wondering if those acorn photos are only there to add to the Christmas feel...

This is the main dining hall, which is the closest to the counter and comes after the veranda

This ones at the back portion of the cafe

Interesting art pieces and signages were hung as wall decors

There are plants and flowers all over the cafe, which gives the interior color and sparkle

Value for money: 10 

I’m giving this place a 10 because you definitely get your money’s worth with Good Food + Good Ambience. Prices start at KRW 2,000 to about KRW 15,000. Their detailed price range is as follows:

• Drinks: KRW 2,000-6,000 (Php 80-Php 240)
• Waffles: KRW 7,000- 12,500 (Php280- Php500)
• Pasta: KRW 13,000-14,000 (Php 520- Php 560)
• Pizza: KRW 13,000-15,000 (Php 520- Php 600)
• Salad: KRW 10,000 (Php 400)
• Brunch sets: KRW 12,000 (Php 480)

Here's their menu for the complete price list :)

Here's their menu for the complete price list :)

Accessibility: 9

This place isn’t hard to find, but the signage outside is quite small so there’s a tendency to miss it.

If you see this building, then you're in the right place.

The entrance to Slow Park is near the road and at the right side of the building

Service: 9

Although I didn’t have a lot of interaction with the staff, I find them pretty nice and accommodating. They serve really fast too.

Will I go back to this place? : Definitely :)

PROS:

- Good food, great ambience, affordable prices

CONS:

- I really can’t find any :)

Other important details about Slow Park:

Operating Hours: 8:00am-12:00 midnight


How to get there?

via Subway

• From Anguk station (Subway Line 3, Exit 1), walk opposite the direction of Insadong until you reach the main street near Seoul Selection Bookshop. Turn right to that street and walk straight for 10-15 minutes. Across the entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace and near The National Folk Museum of Korea, you'll find Samcheongdong-ro ( ro means 'street'). Walk straight ahead and at the left side of the street, you’ll find Slow Park.
• From Gyeongbokgung Subway Station (Line 3), take exit 5 and then walk along the entrance of Gyeongbokgung. Turn left into the adjacent road next to Gyeongbokgung and walk straight for about 10-15 minutes until you reach Samcheongdong-ro . Walk along that street and you'll find Slow Park.

If you're bringing your car, valet parking is available at 2,000 won for 2 hours.

Address:
Slow Park (슬로우파크)
15-2, Samcheon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
(서울시 종로구 삼청동 15-2번지 슬로우파크)
Phone number: 02-739-8797

For inquiries, you may check out the following sites:

Blog: http://blog.naver.com/slowpark8797

Instagram Account: http://instagram.com/samchungdong_slowpark

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slow-Garden/178934788832475

Google: https://g.co/kgs/R1x7if

~~~

Many thanks again to Korea Tourism Organization for making this trip, the Visit Korea VIP Member Invitation Tour, possible. You can check out the KTO official website and follow their accounts on Facebook and Twitter for the details on tour sites and packages, as well as helpful tips on travelling to Korea.

For Filipinos, follow Korea Tourism Organization Manila at Facebook, Twitter, and KakaoTalk (@ktomanila) for the latest updates on Korea tourism, events, tour packages and promos. :)

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[REVIEW] Visit Korea VIP Invitation Tour Day 1: Kondae Common Ground 커먼 그라운드

Hello! It’s been a very busy first month of the year for me, so I only have time to blog on weekends now. Actually, I kind of miss travelling, and I hope to be able to do so again soon… ^^

Anyway, my Visit Korea VIP Member Invitation Tour blog series continues with a review of the world’s biggest and Korea’s first pop-up container shopping mall, Common Ground in Kondae.

After going to Nature Kitchen 자연별곡 for lunch, having a fun afternoon at Trick Eye Museum and Ice Gallery, and coffee at Hello Kitty Café 헬로키티 카페 in Hongdae, we travelled for an hour to reach Kondae, the name of the area surrounding Konkuk University Station (Seoul Subway Line 2, 7). It was quite a long ride, so most of us slept at the bus. 

I read about Kondae before going on the trip and I was so excited to actually be there. But now I realized I’ve actually been there before, during my first trip in Seoul, to visit Super Junior Yesung’s Mouse Rabbit Café. I love the youthful vibe there, as well as all the shops selling lots of cute stuff. At that time, I was hoping to explore more of the area but we only had an hour to stay then because we had to catch a concert. It’s good that I actually made it back. Next time though I’ll allot more time especially for shopping and hanging out at the cafes.

Common Ground is a large blue building made by pilling up 200 shipping containers, each with their individual number codes, in Gwangjin district at Kondae by the Kolon Industries FnC fashion company just early last year (April 2015). The structure was then converted into a pop-up shopping mall. I found their concept really unique, and well, kind of earth-friendly. They have around 70 stores filled with a lot of good finds, from accessories, clothes, caps, shoes, cellphone cases, cosmetics, and a whole lot more! The brands there aren’t the usual ones that you’ll find at the mall, since I heard that they want to support new small, and medium-sized company brands.

My panoramic shot of the entrance of Common Ground

Aside from the main mall area, Common Ground is also consists of the Street Market, Food Truck Market, the Market Hall, a central square called Market Ground, and a top deck (3rd floor) called Terrace Market.

Regularly, they hold various exhibitions, performances, and weekend flea markets as additional attractions for visitors. When we were there, they have the 1000 penguins exhibition, which is a collaboration project between Kolon Sport and Common Ground. We weren’t able to see the adorable penguins though.

If you get hungry, you can check out Common Ground's food trucks which offer various gastronomic treats (I really wanted to try Kimchi Bus!). We were actually supposed to try them for dinner but it was raining then, so we just had a tour of the mall. There’s also a wide roster of trendy restaurants and cafes that you can try inside the mall and at the Market Terrace. I actually like the elegant ambience and view from the terrace.

Common Ground's Food trucks on a rainy night

Photo ops by the bridge. Say Kimchiiii! Photo Credit: Jeanne Therese Kurniawan

Common Ground's Kolon Bridge

Kolon Bridge during day time (credits: commonground.co.kr)

View from the bridge

I think the Market Terrace is good for date nights or Friday Night Outs :)

Here’s my detailed review of Kondae Common Ground (커먼 그라운드):

Ambience: 9 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

- I like the modern feel of the place, and considering the materials they used in building it, I find it very distinctive and I admire the ingenuity behind it. Although it is not the first container mall/pop up shopping mall in the world, it’s the first of its kind in Korea (and they say, it's the world's biggest).

I also like the little touches of inspiration and art that one can find in certain areas in the mall.

When we were there, there aren't so much people around so it's quiet, probably because it was night time already and it was raining too.

Value for money: 8 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

I wasn’t able to buy anything, but I was able to do a little window shopping.^^ The prices are quite reasonable for me, I think a bit cheaper than mall prices, which is probably because the brands there are not mainstream brands. Of course, if you convert them to Philippine Peso, they get a little bit expensive because of the difference in conversion rates :)
All items are quite stylish too, I think this is also because their target market is the youth. 

Warner Bros. watch for KRW 50,000 (Php2,000); perfume for KRW 7,000/12,000 (Php 280/ Php 480)

(SALE) Customizable Caps for KRW 21,000/ KRW 31,000 (Php 840/ Php 1,240)

Bargain clothes for KRW 19,800 (Php 792)

Accessibility: 10 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

They cover a huge area, more like an entire compound, and the structural design is quite unique so it’s hard to miss.

Will I go back to this place? : Yes.

- I’ll probably try shopping for clothes, as I find their styles really fashionable. I also think that aside from shopping, it's a cool place to hang out as there are a lot of things to see, and since they constantly come up with things to attract visitors in the area.

Other important details about Common Ground (커먼 그라운드)  :

Operating Hours: 
11:00am-10:00pm

How to get there?

[SUBWAY]

Get off at line 2 or 7 at Konkuk University exit 6. Walk straight about 2 blocks and you can find it on your left.

Address: 13-28 Jayang 4(sa)-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Contact number: +82-2-467-2747

Nearby Attractions: Dalbongi Hanu 달봉이 한우, Ttukseom/Yeoido Park Snow Slope 뚝섬여의도 눈썰매장, Ttukseom Flea Market 뚝섬 아름다운나눔장터, PoBar 포바

For inquiries and more details, you may check out the following sites:

Website: http://www.common-ground.co.kr

Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/commonground.1st

~~~

If you want to know the rest of our itinerary for this trip, you can check out my first blog post about the Visit Korea VIP Member Invitation Tour.

Many thanks again to Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) for making this trip possible. You can check out the KTO official website and follow their accounts on Facebook and Twitter for details on tour sites and packages, as well as helpful tips in travelling to Korea.

For Filipinos, follow Korea Tourism Organization Manila at Facebook, Twitter, and KakaoTalk (@ktomanila) for the latest updates on Korea tourism, events, tour packages and promos. :)

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