[FANGIRL ADVENTURES] Moffatts in Manila: The Farewell Tour

Before Kpop, or any of the things that I fangirl about, I was a huge Moffatt fan back in high school. They were the first group that made me realize how much of a fangirl I can be. And the best thing was, I shared the entire experience with my childhood best friends. 

My favorite was Clint, and each of my friends chose one member too. We'd buy song books, watch MTV everyday so we can see their videos, we'd request for their songs, buy their albums, go to their concerts (and beg our parents to buy us tickets!), and I remember printing out tons of Moffatt photos in a whole rim of bond paper (I first got addicted to the internet because of them). It was all pretty crazy, and one of the best moments of my teens.

I was really happy to see them again recently. Now they're all grown up (we all are). Bob is now married, and Clint has a girlfriend and is becoming a dad. He and Bob now have their own group called Endless Summer.  Dave, although he did not attend the concert, turns out to be a yoga master now. And Scott is a solo artist still writing and composing his own songs.

I took lots of photos and videos from their concert here in Manila last February 18 and would like to share some here :) I promise to upload the rest when I have the time.

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Korea: A must-visit destination for coffee lovers

Don’t you just love to sit back and relax while drinking a cup of coffee in a nice, ambient cafe? You can read a good book or two, chat with friends, or even listen to good music while savoring that cup of Americano or Caramel Latte. If you’re like me who can’t get by a day without drinking coffee, then you may want to experience Korea’s infamous coffee culture.

Compared to tea, coffee can be considered a newcomer in the Korean market. Based on historical data, tea has been in Korea since as early as year 661, while Emperor Gojong only introduced coffee in 1896. But unlike many Asian countries where tea is the preferred drink, Koreans are generally coffee lovers. They love it so much that in a recent study (2013), it was said that Koreans consume coffee at an average of 12.2 times per week, which is more than their average consumption of their national dish, Kimchi. 

Coffee consumption has also become a status symbol among Koreans. From being a representation of western culture, which was first consumed by the wealthy and elite, to being a trend or a kind of ‘social glue’ that brings people together, Korea’s coffee culture has indeed evolved rapidly over the years, and there’s no stopping the industry’s growth just yet.

In a 2015 study, it was revealed that Seoul hotels were said to have the world’s most expensive coffee with an average price of KRW 10,000, and Starbucks is said to be the most expensive in Seoul than in any other city in the world at around 4-5 dollars at minimum. But despite the surge in coffee prices, Koreans continue to consume coffee.

Seoul hotels have the most expensive coffee in the world- Hotels.com 2015 Club Sandwich Index

Considered as the third biggest coffee drinker in Asia, Korea is home to around 49,600 cafes as of 2015, 17,000 of which can be found in Seoul. No wonder café-hopping, a term that means to patronize a number of different cafes on a single outing, is becoming a popular activity there. Cafe streets, areas that are lined with coffee shops, have also started to emerge and are becoming more popular in recent years.

I’ve had my own share of café-hopping in Seoul, and I’d have to say the experience is nothing short of amazing. There are about 2-5 cafes in every street, so at times you can literally hop on the coffee shop next door. My most favorite places to satiate my caffeine addiction are Myeongdong, Gangnam, Hongdae and Samcheongdong, and I’ve identified at least 4 types of cafes there according to ownership and style:

(1) Mainstream
(2) Themed
(3) Traditional/Hanok
(4) Celebrity-owned

~~~

Mainstream Cafes

Mainstream Cafes are popular coffee shop chains that have branches all over the world. A good example for this is Starbucks, which has record-breaking achievements in Korea. Currently, Seoul holds the record as the city with the most number of Starbucks branches in the world and Korea is also ranked as the 3rd country with the most number of licensed Starbucks stores at 952 in total as of 3rd quarter of 2016.

Other big players that you can find all over Korea are Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Seattle’s Best Coffee, and Gloria Jean’s, among others.

There are also popular homegrown cafes like Angel-in-us Coffee, Caffe Bene, and Tom N Toms.

If you’re a Hallyu fan, you’ll probably have an idea about how huge the mainstream coffee industry is in Korea. Cafes are a popular meet-up or dating place in Kdramas, and are sometimes also used as filming locations for Kpop music videos. The popularity of some coffee shops is even attributed to their exposure in entertainment shows.

Caffe Bene. Remember the famous foam kiss of Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin) and Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won) in Secret Garden episode 10? It was filmed at Caffe Bene in Seongbuk-gu.☕

Address: 120-2 Dongseo-dong 1(IL)-Ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Dal Komm Coffee. Some of the best scenes of Descendant of the Sun were filmed at Dal Komm Coffee. In fact, the drama featured 3 Dal Komm coffee branches located in Songdo, Bundang, and Yangjae. The scenes above from DOTS episode 13 (double date and fist bump scene) were shot at the Songdo branch.☕

Address: 23-5 Songdo 2(i)-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea

Themed Cafes

If you like drinking coffee with style, then themed cafes might suit your taste. These are coffee shops where everything; be it food, architecture, music, etc., revolves around a central concept, which can pretty much be anything under the sun. This is also the reason why each café offers something unique--because the owner’s creativity, individual taste and passion for coffee are infused in it.

Pet lover? Bookworm? Movie addict? I’m pretty sure there’s a themed café that will appeal to your fancy. The cafes feature a wide variety of subjects- from animals/pets, art, fashion, fruits, food, cartoon characters, foreign countries, and even movies.

I’ve seen quite a few themed cafes when I was in Korea. To name a few, I’ve seen a yarn store with a coffee shop, a café with a full banana concept, a vintage-themed café, and a café with a Lego theme. There’s even a Hello Kitty themed café complete with all the pink stuff!

Hello Kitty Café. This café is one of my favorites! 

I love how girly and cute it is and how great of a hang out place it can be.☕

Address: 364-14, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea

You can check out my review of Hello Kitty Cafe HERE.

Slow Park. This small café-cum-bistro in the quaint and serene neighborhood of Samcheongdong offers a unique setting that combines elegance and warmth, as well as modernity and tradition. This place is becoming a popular venue for magazine shoots and TV interviews with celebrities.☕

Address: 15-2, Samcheon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
You can check out my review of Slow Park HERE.

Traditional/ Hanok-style Cafes

The earliest coffee shops in Korea were called dabang (다방). Nowadays, there are only a few traditional dabangs left in Seoul, but probably a good alternative to this is a Hanok (한옥) Café.

The Hanok is the traditional Korean home, which is known for its beautiful architecture. They are usually characterized by wooden pillars and floors (daecheong maru대청마루 ), clay walls and roofs, and Hanji, a traditional Korean paper which can be found pasted on flat surfaces like doors and windows for their insulating capacity and transparency.

A number of Hanoks were renovated and turned into cafes around Insa-dong and Bukchon Hanok Village. These shops are perfect for those who want a unique Korean coffee experience. They even offer traditional teas, snacks, and Korean rice cakes and desserts such as Bingsu, to complement the ambience. Some also offer alcoholic beverages such as beer and cocktails.

Luden Loquen Space (Café LN). A nice Hanok style café with an elegant traditional ambience in Bukchon that boasts of its Korean Black Raspberry Latte and Glutinous Rice Cake Waffle. ☕

Address: 5, Bukchon-ro 5na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Photo credit: visitkorea.or.kr; kimcheeguesthouse.com

Celebrity Owned Cafes

For Kpop fans and Kdrama lovers, there are also all sorts of celebrity-owned cafes, which reflect the personality of the owners, and often times feature their most prized collections.

Aside from coffee and pastries, most celebrity-owned cafes also sell idol-inspired merchandise like mugs, tumblers, shirts, and even signed posters and albums, which serve as popular souvenirs for fans.

At times, they also have a fan mailbox, where you can leave messages of support to your idol.

Celebrity-owned cafes are a popular hangout place for fangirls as they’re the perfect place to meet and become friends with other fans, as well as get a glimpse of their favorite Korean idols in person. If you’re particularly lucky, you may even catch them hanging out with some of their idol friends. Just make sure to not be too overexcited and not invade their privacy. Picture taking is sometimes not allowed so be sure to ask permission first. If your idol is in a good mood, who knows he/she might even agree to a selfie!^^

Wiki Café. This cute café in Samcheongdong is owned by Super Junior member Lee Sungmin. Being a huge Super Junior fan, I was really ecstatic to visit this café. I was even lucky to have a selfie with Sungmin’s younger brother, Lee Sungjin!☕

Address: 51 Sagan-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
You can check out my review of Wiki Cafe HERE.

Café J Holic. JYJ member, Kim Jae Joong, owns this café. The minimalist feel and modern ambience reflects Jaejoong’s sophisticated style.☕

Address: 3rd & 4th Floor, 8 Myeongdong 6gil, Chung-gu, Seoul or 54-6 Myeongdong 2-ga,
Chung-gu, Seoul

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13 Reasons Why You Should Visit South Korea (and why I DEFINITELY want to go back)

I was 12 when I told myself that there’s no such thing as love at first sight, but I was wrong, because in 2003, I fell in-love at first sight in Korea.

Prior to my visit, my only dream then was to visit Korea to satisfy my addiction for Kdrama and Kpop—buy Kpop merchandise & Korean cosmetics, watch a Kpop concert, and visit filming locations. But after seeing my dream face to face, and realizing that reality was so much better than what I dreamt of, I fell in-love and found a new dream. I want to see and discover more of Korea. I want to share my experience to other people too, especially those who’ve been curious about the country, wondering whether it’s worth the visit or not. 

If you haven’t visited Korea yet, here are 13 reasons why I think you should (and why I DEFINITELY want to go back):

1. Eco-tourism 

– If you’re like me who loves the calming effect of nature, likes to see and take pictures of breathtaking landscapes, or just to do a little walking, trekking, or hiking here and there, then Korea is the place to be. You can visit nature reserves/national parks, arboretums, botanical gardens, eco-trails and other eco-tourism sites. I’m particularly interested in visiting DMZ, the most dangerous nature reserve in the world, which remains practically untouched since 1953, and also look forward to visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site and volcanic island of Jeju.

What’s on my bucketlist (Places I want to visit)?: 

Jeju Island (Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak & Mt. Halla), Seoul Forest, Bukhansan National Park, Seoraksan National Park, Suncheon Bay, Boseong Tea Fields, Jirisan National Park, Garden of the Morning Calm

Seoraksan National Park. Photo Credit: Korea Tourism Organization

2. Hallyu a.k.a Korean Cultural Wave

- Since the 1990s, the popularity of Korean Culture & Entertainment have grown immensely, and this has been greatly attributed to Kdrama (Korean Drama), and Kpop (Korean Pop) Music. Despite the language difference, people all over the world have come to idolize Korean artists. The likes of Super Junior, Bigbang, Girls Generation, Psy, Lee Min Ho, Song Joong Ki, Song Hye Kyo, and Jun Ji Hyun, among others, have all become household names, capturing the hearts of fans from different parts of the world. 

There’s just something unique, and intangible about Kpop and Kdrama that draws people to it. The charming visuals, unique concepts and storylines, or the breathtaking filming sites perhaps? Watch a Kdrama and you would most certainly want to watch them again and again. Listen to a Kpop song, and pretty soon, you’ll be trying to memorize lyrics you may not even know the meaning of. And of course, at the bottom of it all, you’d want to visit Korea so badly to see your favorite idols in the flesh, watch them perform live in a concert and visit all those filming locations of your favorite dramas. Isn’t the power of culture amazing? 

What’s on my bucketlist?: 

Visit the filming sites of my favorite Kdramas--Descendants of the Sun, Moon Lovers: Scarlett Heart Ryeo and Moonlight Drawn by Clouds; Watch a Korean Music Show live; Watch another Kpop concert!^^

Cheonjuho Lake at Pocheon Art Valley, a filming location of Moon Lovers: Scarlett Heart Ryeo

3. Korean Food (Hansik)-

I found Korean cuisine as one of the best I’ve tasted in the world. Before, I had the impression that most Korean dishes are spicy, but when I finally tried them, I found them really flavourful, appealing, healthy and really delicious. There's so much more to it than what meets the eye (or the palate for that matter), because even in their cuisine, Koreans apply the philosophy of balance in terms of colors and ingredients. I also love how each meal in Korea has a lot of banchan (side dishes), which makes the meal more appetizing. 

From street food to local specialties and even desserts, Korean food is really irresistible, so be prepared to get a few extra pounds and stray from your diet when you visit Korea.

What’s on my bucketlist (Food I want to try again): 

Ramyun, Gimbap, Dakgalbi, Bingsu, Bulgogi, Korean Beef Stew, Bibimbap, Jajangmyeon, Tangsuyuk, Japchae, ChiMaek, Bibimyeon, Tteokbokki, Hotteok, Kimchi, Sundubu Jiggae, Samgyeopsal, Bossam, Samgyetang, Haemul Pajeon (this list is making me hungry!)

My favorite dessert, Korean Bingsu!

Bibimbap :)

One of my favorites, Chuncheon Dakgalbi! ^^

4. Tourist Spots

- Boring is a word that doesn’t exist in Korea. There’s just so much to see and do! You can visit Korean Palaces, take a stroll in a traditional village, meditate in a temple, or have an exciting day at a theme park. 

I find Korea also very safe and tourist friendly with lots of tourism centers, downloadable travel apps, and incentives and freebies being offered specifically to foreign visitors. In Seoul, there’s even a helpline specifically set up for tourists.

What’s on my bucketlist?: 

Visit all 100 must-visit sites (HERE), some that I really want to visit are Jongmyo Shrine, Blue House, Moonlight tours at Changdeokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Petite France, Nami Island, Everland, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

My photo with the palace guard at Deoksugung Palace

One of our photos at the Trickeye Museum. It's a fun place to hang out :)

5. Weather & Climate

Korea has moderate weather conditions with four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). My favorite time to visit is Autumn. I love the cool weather during this time of the year. I remember that it all felt so magical and surreal when I first saw all that color, and natural vibrance. It was like going inside a painting with warm hues of red, orange, and yellow, everywhere. 

What’s on my bucketlist: 

I also look forward to seeing cherry blossoms during Spring, and experiencing snow, skiing and having a White Christmas for the first time, during winter in Korea!

My favorite picture of autumn taken at Gyeongbokgung Palace :)

6. Art 

- Hanbok, the colorful traditional Korean clothing, reflects the unique and expressive artistic sense of Koreans. No wonder the Korean art industry has sparked the interest and gained the admiration of many people all over the world. You can see how artistic Koreans are through their fashion, their architecture, theatrical performances, and everyday lives. 

My favorite example for this would be Korean street art. I like how they use art to transform less attractive areas in the community. Try walking around Seoul, and you’ll see attractive murals and amusing structures everywhere.

What’s on my bucketlist: 

Mullae Village; Apgujeong Graffiti Tunnel; Songwol-dong Fairytale Village in Incheon; Heyri Art Valley; Ewha Women’s University; Dongdaemun Design Plaza; I also want to watch non-verbal shows like Nanta and Fanta-Stick

LED Roses at Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Photo credit: VisitSeoul.net

7. People

- Koreans are one of the friendliest people I know. They’re warm, genuinely nice, thoughtful and always respectful, especially to elders. It’s really easy to get along with them, even with the language barrier. One of my fears in visiting Korea before was that nobody would be able to understand me, especially if I'm lost and asking for directions. But I was proven wrong because I've encountered several instances where they would go out of their way to help a total stranger like me.  

What's on my bucketlist:

Meet up with my Korean friends in Seoul; meet any of my favorite Korean artists in person :)

8. Technology

- South Korea is definitely at the forefront of technological advancements as it is hailed as one of the most wired countries in the world, with the fastest broadband internet that has an average connection speed of 25.3 / 26.7megabits (mbps) per second, and fastest mobile internet speed at an average connection speed of 18.2 mbps. I definitely took advantage of this during my previous visits, as I can upload hundreds of photos in my social media accounts in a matter of minutes via Seoul’s free 5G public wi-fi. There’s also no need to worry about connection, especially in Seoul, because there’s free public wifi access everywhere.

What's on my bucketlist:

Try the free mobile phone rental for tourists

9. Cosmetics

- Don’t we all envy flawless and healthy looking Korean Skin? I’m a huge fan of Korean Cosmetics as I find them really good for skin care. Since Korean make-up is more expensive in my country, I usually shop in bulk for a few months’ supply when I’m in Korea. My favorite place to shop is in Myeongdong because they usually give a lot of freebies along with my purchase.

What’s on my bucketlist?: 

Cosmetic shopping spree at my favorite stores--The Face Shop, Etude House, Tony Moly, Innisfree, Nature Republic

Some of my favorite items from Etude House ^^

10. Festivals

- Just like my country, Korea is home to many exciting festivals, some of which really sparked my interest... Ever heard of a Chicken & Beer Festival? How about a Mud, or a Water Gun Festival? If you’d like to try them, better take note of their dates to avoid missing them out. 

What’s on my bucketlist?:

Daegu Chimaek Festival, Boryeong Mud Festival, Seoul Lantern Festival, Andong Mask Dance Festival, Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival, Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival, Boseong Green Tea Festival, Sinchon Water Gun Festival, Goyang Flower Festival

Some photos I took from the Seoul Lantern Festival:

People were making DIY lanterns and writing their wishes on them.

The lanterns were then set afloat along the Cheonggyecheon stream

11. Transportation

- I find travelling in Korea really convenient as you have a wide variety of options (from trains, buses, ferries, cabs, etc.) to choose from. Their transportation system is really efficient, so driving your own car may not be advisable (plus parking can be expensive). You can go anywhere within minutes just by train, which is cheap, fast, and reliable. 

Because of my tight itinerary, I once had to visit a celebrity owned café prior to watching a concert. At first, I thought I would be late because it was rush hour but I made it just in time, all thanks to the super fast and convenient Seoul Subway :)

Also, if you’re a foreigner visiting Korea, and don’t know your way around, fret not because there are a variety of apps that you can use to navigate around.

What’s on my bucketlist? 

Ride the KTX train going to Busan (haha, and yes, it's because of the movie 'Train to Busan'); Try the Han River Cruise; Try the Seoul Bus Tours

My friends and I enjoying our train ride at the ITX (Intercity Train eXpress)- Cheongchun High Speed Train

12. Coffee Culture

- I’m a self-confessed coffee addict, and Korea has tons of really nice cafes. From themed cafes, to Hanok-style cafes, and my favorite, celebrity owned cafes, you’ll definitely be in for a treat and have a hard time deciding which to visit first. In Seoul alone, you can find some 50,000 coffee shops. Now, that’s a lot of café-hopping in my itinerary.

What’s on my bucket list?: 

Kim Jaejoong’s J-holic Café in Myeongdong; Forresta Book Café; Café Healing 616 in Gangnam; Super Junior Kyuhyun's Mom House & Cafe; Hello Kitty Cafe in Jeju; Dal.komm Coffee in Songdo, Yangjae, and Bundang (because of Descendants of the Sun)

Slow Park in Samcheongdong

Hello Kitty Cafe in Hongdae

13. Medical Tourism- 

Korea is becoming a popular place to get essential health treatments. Personally, I like Korea Medical Tourism’s philosophy of taking care of their patients inside and out, improving their over-all health and well-being, and even considering their cultural differences in terms of religion and nationality. With that kind of philosophy, along with world class medical procedures, and top caliber doctors, I believe visiting Korea for medical reasons is worth it. Their costs are also relatively lower, especially as compared to western countries. (For more details on medical tourism in Korea, you can check out the Visit Medical Korea website HERE)

What’s on my bucket list?: 

Templestay; Traditional Korean Medicine Detox Steam; skin care treatments that will help keep my skin looking young and healthy (I think these are very appropriate for people like me who experience constant stress)

Photo credit: http://eng.templestay.com/

I hope my list convinced you to push through with your very own #VisitKorea trip! ^^

Through all these things (and MORE!), I found love in Korea--- love from all the new friends I’ve met, love for photography and travel, love for culture, love for adventures, love in pursuing the things that matter to me, love for living and appreciating life more.

My love affair with Korea opened many doors that I never imagined would be there. I’ve met a lot of new friends not only from my country but also from other parts of the world. I gained a lot of wonderful experiences that would always be a source of inspiration and strength. And for all that, Korea will forever be dear to my heart. I may visit other countries, but it will always be my second home, a place that I would always want to go back to. :)

~~~

This article is my entry for Global Wow Korea. I want to be part of it because it’s another opportunity for me to discover more about the beautiful country that opened so many doors for me. 

In my own little way, I want to give back by helping promote Korea and sharing my experiences to the world, so that others may also be encouraged to explore it.

If you want to know more about Global Wow Korea, you can check out the post below or visit their website HERE.

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy reading my post!

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[SEOUL ATTRACTIONS] 2016 Top 10 Hallyu Hotspots in Seoul

Seoul Metropolitan Government recently conducted an online survey on the top 10 Hallyu Hotspots in the city, and the results are already out. If you're going to Seoul for the first time, these places may be a good starting point and are surely worth the visit, especially if you're a hallyu fan like me.
I was able to visit some of the places among the 10 hotspots and I'd like to share some of the photos I took from way back 2013, and last 2015. I do hope to be able to finally visit all 10 in the future! :)

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Let Korea visit you!

If you've been wanting to visit Korea, or miss Korea badly like me, and want to go there again, then this might be your chance to make that dream come true! Recently, Korea Tourism Organization once again launched an online hashtag event that gives participants a chance to visit Korea. Titled 'Korea visits you!', the event invites foreigners to post photos they've taken in Korea (if they've been there) or images of experiences they wish to have in Korea (if they haven't been there yet) in their SNS accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo).

Here's Korea Tourism Ambassador Song Joong Ki, inviting you to visit Korea! ^^

The step by step guidelines in joining are as follows:

KTO even provided a guideline for copying the URL on your SNS posts, which you can check out HERE.

In posting on your SNS accounts, please don't forget to use the following hashtags and to make your posts PUBLIC so KTO can track them:

After posting on your SNS accounts, please don't forget to register at the event page. Just click on the 'PARTICIPATE' button at the event page HERE:

Then, you're all set to register!

KTO will choose 1 winner for 5 weeks (September 27- October 31, 2016), and each winner will get 2 roundtrip tickets + a hotel voucher for 3 nights and 4 days stay in Korea. Winners will be announced weekly (every Friday) in the event website and will also be notified via email individually. Their trip to Korea will be documented daily and may be used by KTO as video content.

If you intend to join, do take note of this schedule for the sending of entries and announcement of winners for each week:

If you have questions regarding the event, you may contact info@koreavisitsyou.com and they will reply to you within 5 working days.

Please don't forget to read the complete terms and conditions for more details on the online event HERE.

You can also check out these videos to give you some inspiration! I feel happy for these girls, their stories are really touching! I'd cry my heart out if I'd experience this:

Now, I wish everyone (including myself) all the luck! I hope to win this event so I can visit Korea with my sister! ^^

P.S.: Photo Credit: Korea Tourism Organization (I just photoshopped it with a photo I took when I was in Korea. No copyright infringement intended :) )

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