I spent a week in Korea and it was awesome. To sum it up in 4 photos, it’d be these:
On to the recap!
The Critters
I brought four critters with me to drop in Seoul. All four were picked up, and two were successfully checked in! When I do travel drops it’s a different scenario than a comic convention where people are actively tracking my drops, so I temper my expectations on getting confirmed check-ins. In this case, there were also potential language or cultural barriers, so knowing that all four critters had been picked up (and hopefully not thrown out!) was good enough for me! The grey Totoro was left on a bench in Insadong and was gone when I went back later, and the Squid Game red light green light doll was left at the DDP, and was also gone by the time I went back to check on her! No check-ins on those two, so if you or someone you know found them, let me know!
Meanwhile, the blue Totoro was left at Coffee Hanyakbang (an absolute dream of a coffeeshop) and was found and checked in, and BMO was left at Banul Story (an AMAZING yarn shop/crochet and knitting cafe), where it was found, checked in, and is now on display there! All it takes is just one successful check-in, I now get to add a new location to my critterdrop map!
It was also an absolute delight to see how people reacted to the drops if I was around to witness it. When I dropped the grey Totoro on a bench, I saw a group of Korean aunties approach the bench, pick up the Totoro, and then proceed to take selfies with him. After some giggles, they carefully placed him back for other people to find. How sweet is that? And when I left the blue Totoro on a table outside the coffeeshop, as I left I saw some of the employees having an absolute blast taking photos with Totoro together before they sent a photo over to my Instagram as proof of adoption. It’s moments like those that make the drops all worth it to me!
(And a quick reminder that if you want to make a Totoro of your own, I have a FREE pattern here!)
The Scenery
We spent two days visiting Seoraksan National Park and it was absolutely stunning. On the first day we got our asses handed to us on the Ulsanbawi Rock hike, but the payoff was more than worth it.
The second day had rain in the forecast, so day 2 was all about the waterfalls and river views. Our legs were jello from the previous day’s hike anyway, so staying lower to the ground was key that day. We got to see some gorgeous scenery, and our legs and asses stayed intact! Well, for the most part they did.
Seoraksan National Park is easily one of the nicest national parks I’ve ever visited. Trails are well-paved and marked with good signage, with restrooms and first-aid stations dotting the longer trails. There are also plenty of resting points and pullovers to let people pass if you need a breather. The central hub of the park has plenty of places to enjoy some food and drinks so you can sit down and enjoy a meal after a hike. The park is definitely worth a visit if you have time to venture outside of the cities for a bit.
Also, Korean aunties and uncles DO NOT kid around when it comes to hiking. We had a group of retirees completely smoke us on the Ulsanbawi trail, to the point where we’d listen for the sound of their laughter and chatter to gauge how far behind we were. We had several aunties twice our age cheerily give us a thumbs up as they effortlessly bounced past us like spry little forest spirits. Meanwhile we’re redfaced and huffing and puffing our way up the mountain. They’re built of something else and I can only hope to be like them when I’m their age!
The City
Seoul is a bustling city with a rich history, and the result is a vibrant blend of traditional and modern sights. From ancient royal palaces to sleek futuristic architectural plazas, there’s more to Seoul than just kimchi and K-pop! (but definitely lots of that too, ha!)
There’s the ritzy parts of Gangnam:
And there’s the palaces and historic villages. I’m not familiar with the history of the Joseon Dynasty, but from what little I’ve read, it’s some CRAZY Game of Thrones-levels of betrayal, war, rebellions, and murder (SO much murder). Far from a boring history lesson there. There are several palaces that you can visit in Seoul, but I picked Gyeongbokgung Palace for my one visit and it was pretty cool to wander through the palace grounds. The only damper is that it was HOT when we visited, so after a while we were desperately looking for shade or air-conditioning. It’s still fun to imagine all the craziness that happened within those walls. They perform a re-enactment of the changing of the royal guards based on historical records, which was really cool to watch. Shoutout to the one flag-bearer who was NOT having it with his fake mustache slipping off and his flag flying into his face. He was the Superbowl left shark of the show for me. Grumpy flag-bearer aside, I loved seeing a slice of history recreated in front of me, with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal procession. Back in those days, only the privileged few in the palace would have been able to witness such a thing.
In contrast to the ancient royal palaces and villages, there’s the impressive Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). With its curves and awe-inspiring art exhibits, if the palaces are relics of the past, this place is showing us the future. We happened to be there for the final days of the Seoul Light exhibit, where they illuminate the surface of the building with amazing digital art displays at night!
And then there’s all the fun and quirky parts of Seoul in between, from the trendy parts of Seong-su to the bustling center of Myeongdong, or the funky art in the Ihwa Mural Village and the little divey bars in Euljiro. There’s something for everybody here.
We also had a brief brush with fame: we visited the Lotte main store in Myeongdong, and as we walked in there was a HUGE crowd of people waiting around with their cellphones out and security lining the area. I assumed it was going to be some K-pop or K-drama star that I didn’t recognize, but then I asked a girl at a nearby cosmetics shop what was going on. She told me NewJeans was going to show up! One of the few K-pop groups that I listen to! Was I going to join the mobs to get up close with these superstars? Of course not. But I wasn’t going to pass up a chance to witness a K-pop fan frenzy in person, much less for a group that I actually know. A few minutes later the girls showed up somewhere behind a partition, and it was all screams and bulb flashes and crowd shuffles. I managed to get like…a quarter of Hanni’s face? Either way it a fun coincidence, and after watching the chaos I moved on with my day. Years of going to San Diego Comic-Con have prepared me for moments like this, ha!
There was one particularly special visit in Seoul: Banul Story. This place is AMAZING. Can I just live here?? This yarn shop/knit and crochet cafe was beautiful, with the cafe upstairs filled with people working on crochet or knitting projects, or just enjoying a coffee with their laptops. I dropped my little BMO there, where it was found by an employee! I’ve been told it’s now on display there, and I’m so thrilled to know that one of my critters became part of the landscape at this incredible place!
The food
It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t stuff my face everywhere! Korea fed me VERY well, from delectable traditional meals from local restaurants that have been in business for over 100 years, to an exquisite 2-starred Michelin meal at Mingles. I also loved the bar scene in Seoul, where I had expertly crafted cocktails from bars like Zest and Bar Cham, and cheap drinks at some of the coolest little dive bars I’ve ever seen.
The biggest highlight food-wise was when we visited Gwangjang Market and tried the kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) from Gohyang Kalguksu. Made famous from an episode of Netflix’s Street Food: Asia, these noodles were every bit as flawless as they seemed on the show. Bouncy, chewy, they have a texture that can only come from being handmade. The broth was rich and savory in flavor, yet light at the same time, and paired with the noodles made for a hearty and comforting bowl. Cho Yonsoon is essentially running a one-woman show, and all the love and hard work comes through with each bite. It was such a privilege to enjoy this meal, knowing that when the day comes that she retires from her post in the market, the noodles will go with her.
If I had more time I would’ve also visited Jeju Island and Busan, but alas, I’m at the mercy of pesky PTO approvals . Gotta keep my day job to be able to be a hooker on the side, ya know? Thank you, Korea, for all the good times and great food. I’ll be back someday.
