I was really excited for my last Seoul trip (make it seem like I’ve never been Seoul before) but yes, I was looking forward to it more than my past Seoul trips. It was short but I think I made the most out of it. I was actually quite worried about the weather since it was raining everyday when I checked the weather forecast but it seemed like the weather did change for the better the night before I depart. Not that I’m complaining either but I didn’t expect how hot it will turn out either

Grabbed some food for dinner cos I wanted to sleep right away on the plane

And also tried a different cocktail this time round – this was actually not bad!

6 hours later.. landed in Seoul to a very long line of immigration that took an hour. By the time I exited passport control, the luggages were already waiting for me. Found my pickup driver shortly and it was another hour drive to Hongdae where my hotel would be located at. It was too early for check-in and the hotel didn’t have any spare rooms for early check-in so I dropped my luggage and went to find a place for coffee

Time check: 945am. Omg. So early

And thankfully, Offer Coffee was steps away. It wasn’t planned. I just opened Naver Maps and typed coffee and this popped up. Thankfully this place opens at 9am so for those early birds, you got a place to rest. I have to say the sausage roll and this sea salt caramel iced latte was really good. Just a quick bite for breakfast cos I was going to have a heavy lunch later

Then I made my way to the other side of the river to do some shopping but I realised their summer styles are really not for me. So I didn’t buy anything and slowly made my way to Soigné for lunch

You can read more about it here

Went to grab some diffuser after a very, very filling lunch in a very, very hot weather. So I was just randomly walking the streets as I was trying to digest the food. Not a very smart choice I felt

Also Korean aesthetics are just everywhere

Then I got lazy so I decided to grab back to hotel and dial in to my compliance Teams meeting which I dozed off in the very comfortable taxi. lol. The taxi driver suddenly spoke saying there was a jam and I jumped, and there goes my nap. Ha. And in a turn of events, the next hour or so became solving work issues on the go

I ended up sitting at the lobby for the longest time after checking in cos I was worried I would lose connection to the Teams training that was still going in (lol), and since I was just multi tasking at the same time. The recept must be thinking I damn weird (also yes, I got alot of barangs. lol)

Anyway I finally got to go up to my room. Stayed at 9Brick Hotel for the first night cos it was cheaper and also, it was just steps away from Ryse

Well, the walls were not soundproof so I could still hear noises even at night. So be prepared for it. Else, it’s quite a decent room

Anyway the night passed quickly and it was time for check-out. I made my way to Ryse Autograph which was part of my Play & Stay package. The recept told me the rooms were ready for me (already?) so I could go up to my room and I can collect the tickets the next morning at the lobby

I can only say, you pay what it is worth for. Super luxurious, super huge

So I rested for abit before heading out to check out Musinsa where the popup for Blackpink merchandises were cos the friend asked me to help them get the lightsticks

But unfortunately everything was sold out. I clearly underestimated the hype. They do replace the stocks, but that depends on your luck. lol

Anyway I decided to make my way to Yeonnam-dong for my cocktail hunt. To be honest, it’s not that far from Hongdae but it’s not that near also. It can be a good 20-25 minutes walk depending on the location and your speed. But when you are tired and the weather is very hot, it feels like the walk is forever. lol

Bar Jujae (주재) was empty when I visited. Probably cos I went very early, like I was the first and only customer until I left.

This cocktail was made using Korean spirit and I must say it was quite strong. I actually quite liked the complimentary drumstick snacks that were served as bar snacks

And this was dinner. The sausages were quite satisfying

And ending the night with a last drink before I head back to hotel. It had been a long day and I was ready to knock out

I had plans for a haircut next day so I wanted lunch to be somewhere nearby and I found 서관면옥 홍대점 on Naver map with high ratings. It is famous for cold noodles and I guess that would be perfect for the hot weather but… it was drizzling that morning. lol

The place opens at 11am and I was there right on dot

They even had a model of the traditional Buckwheat noodle-making as part of their interior

Anyway the boss was very sweet. He saw I could only reply in English and offered me an English menu without me asking, cos I was going to attempt to translate through Papago

And then came back to offer me hair tie 🙂

So I was totally convinced by their marketing gimmick and ordered their Seogwan Myeongsang which was only limited to 20 sets per day, served during lunch

Pyeongyang Naengmyeong served with Cold Broth, Banchan, Seasonal Dessert KRW18,000

The noodles were quite decent and had a nice chewy texture. The broth on first taste might feel a little bland but you can slowly taste the sweetness and lightness of it, making it all very refreshing. It would really suit the hot weather and this place seemed really popular with locals as well cos a few ahjummas started walking in after I sat down

Then went to grab a coffee nearby since I had time before my hair appointment. I must say there’s just something about Korea’s coffee. This was so delicious

Found this place called Leard Hair that was in Hongdae area and I decided to give it a try

I looked through a few of their stylists and decided to go with @leard_ys. To be honest, I was a little worried how it will turn out since I’ve never tried this place before. It’s really taking a leap of faith here

But thankfully, it turned out really nice 🙂

Was walking around Hongdae and found ZB1 pop-up store by surprise

So I immediately texted the friend – Look what I found!! lol

I had always wanted to try pocha in Seoul but never got the chance so I was determined to make it down this time

And Jongno 3 ga it shall be!

it’s quite a vibrant street with all the street food stalls. You can come by 6-ish else it does get quite crowded after awhile

I settled on a random stall cos the ahjumma was so welcoming and there was an English menu available as well so there’s no fear of communication breakdown. So I started with an omelette and soju

Then proceeded with sundubu which tasted so home-cooked. Though the weather was a little too warm for a hot bowl of soup

And trying their Korean version of eel which tasted a little bit crunchy and chewy to me. I definitely preferred the Japan’s version. But I guessed giving it a try was good enough

The night got interesting cos a young Korean couple decided to make friends with me while communicating all the way using translation app. And then we decided to go for round 2 drinks which they kindly offered to pay for it

At the end of the night, they looked pretty drunk to me. lol

I guessed this is all the fun of solo travelling

Rise & Shine the next day which was also concert day. But first, ticket collection at the hotel lobby

There’s pre-arranged shuttle that will send you to the venue but given how the shuttle was going to depart so early at 12pm, I decided to make my own way there instead. Like seriously the concert only starts at 8pm! Do you know how hot the weather was? lol

Tickets collected! And they gave everyone a lightstick each (FOC!) wow

Decided to go for brunch after I was done with the tickets and checked out Hotel de Ggoodd which was located at Yeonnam-dong

This place kept popping up online on socials so there was quite a queue after that. Thankfully I went early enough to be in the first seating

Honey Bacon Rose Pasta KRW17,000

So this was what they were famous for. It’s a huge plate. To be honest, it was pretty average. lol. You can really skip this

Went for my makeup appointment next at Comma Makeup

cos certain things you can only do in Korea

I asked for a smokey eye look but I don’t think it was very smokey. HA. And I preferred the previous studio I used the last time. Still, I think they made me look really pretty

Then I saw this random restaurant on the way back and I thought the menu looked interesting. So I took a photo of it thinking I might get a chance to visit on this trip. Clearly, there wasn’t any chance. lol

The best thing about Ryse was there was a coffee stand below and it’s by Blue Bottle. So I conveniently grabbed one before heading up to chill and refresh, while getting ready to head out for the concert

There was a direct bus from Hongdae all the way to venue but the bus was so full I missed it several rounds. I was about to take the train instead until some concert-goers jio-ed me to share cab with them.

So finally on the way there! But the traffic was actually quite bad at some point and I was constantly looking at the time

Thankfully we made it to the venue and I still had enough time to buy the concert mechanises. The queue moved pretty fast and they made everyone order through the app so that it’s fuss-free and easier for payment

They call this Blackpink water

Nope, it tasted nothing special. Really just water

But still, I was so excited for the concert to start

Blackpink ❤

They looked really gorgeous. So touched to see all 4 of them together again. The Seoul concert was so good. This was really Blackpink in your area. I would do this again

The concert aftermath was scary. There were just too many people trying to get out of the venue. I managed to find the bus that would take us back to the hotel. And thankfully, you didn’t need to pre-register even if you never take the bus to the venue with them

And cos I helped the friends buy their hot commodity lightsticks back to Singapore, I get to have their photo cards! And aww, just missing Jisoo

You know what’s the funny thing? I went to hunt the photo cards that came with the first generation lightsticks and it was also missing Jisoo! Guess I had no fate with her

Snacking on the free hotel snack that was provided. Sadly I couldn’t find it in the supermarket. Had actually wanted to buy these back home. And it was a pretty long day + night as I spent time looking at all the concert videos I had taken

Brunch at Bears Den Brunch the next day cos I wanted to sleep in a little more. The cafe was quiet and I was the first customer (wow). It’s quite a quaint cosy cafe and they make their own bread everyday at their bakery

Bread with a pile of pumpkin sauce, fries, salad and Iced Black

The bread was good. It was super soft, buttery and fragrant. But I think the sauce was a little overwhelming. So I felt it was a little too much after awhile. The coffee was disappointing so I decided to grab coffee round 2 elsewhere instead

This was clearly a pretty forgettable brunch. lol

Still, was glad for the sun more than the rain

Decided to drop in to one of their photo studios to take some pictures for keepsake. And I left my fan there! OMG – tragic

Walked to the nearby Oats Coffee that was all over socials

Bakes look good! But I was still feeling full from brunch so I guess not

The famous Einspanner coffee which honestly tasted rather normal to me. LOL

And honestly, there were much more cafes in Seoul that also have this drink so I guess you really need not go all the way there. But it was still good to hide from the heat I guess

You know you are old when supermarketing is part of your itinerary. Lol.

Felt like buying everything off the rack when the food looks fresh and good. It’s like part of me really wanted to buy this home and try cooking it. But okay, I restrained myself cos it’s not possible

Entertained cos they had fried chicken in the chilller area. I wonder how this work. Air fry?

Dropped by Hannam-dong next but the weather was so hot and unwelcoming

I wanted to get these from Golden Piece and see what’s the hype is all about. Well, it’s okay lor. It’s very sweet (to me). So I guess trying it once was enough

I wanted to walk around the area but the heat was giving me a headache so I decided to have tea at Osulluc cafe until it was time to move for dinner. I even scraped my plans to go Seosulla-gil road just cos I really wanted to. Just. Hide.

Dinner at Mr Ahn’s Makgeolli bar cos I wanted to visit a makgeolli bar in Seoul. It’s a little more upscale than your neighborhood makgeolli bars but I guess the ambience was pretty nice

They had the makgeolli / chungju pairing that goes with your food. I went ala carte on the food cos the course didn’t look that interesting to me

For the first, they gave me something light and refreshing to start which was pretty easy to drink

Ssam – Mushroom, Kale, Perilla Oil Powder, Smoked Pine Leaves KRW3,000

The ssam was actually pretty good. It was a small bite packed with flavors that you could really savor each and every element when you chew into it. For the second drink, they told me that goes very well with the ssam and they said I had to drink it one big gulp. Lol.

Jeup – Abalone, Apple, Yuja Yoghurt, Pine Nut foam KRW7,000

This dish had a little bit of surprise. I was expecting more abalone but I liked the yoghurt that topped it off. It was a little acidic and refreshing and it didn’t make your small bite feel heavy. Pairing it with a nutty chungju that was quite delicious

Dak Nalgae – Stuffed Chicken Wings, Celery, Mustard Seed, Garlic & Chilli Powder KRW 27,000

This was the star of the meal. The chicken wings were so good the table next to me nodded their head every time they took a bite of it. lol. Execution was done well and I loved the stuffing that came along with it. And of cos they had to pair it with a light beer to have the entire completeness

And ending it off with more drinks

Hwe Muchim – Raw Tuna Belly, Scallop, Grapefruit, Minari, Gochujang &Yuja Sauce, Seaweed KRW33,000

To go with this raw dish. This was really good

Like even though it was just different raw elements on the plate but the tuna belly was decent and a little fatty, scallops were sweet and the freshness of the grapefruit wrapped it off together. This was actually quite delicious

Mr Ahn’s Makgeolli bar is actually quite worth visiting though the price point might not be the cheapest and they had a dining time limit so it felt a bit rushed to finish your food. It’s definitely not a place you can stay for a long time though the drinks were quite interesting

And cos it was my last night, I decided to check out a cocktail bar. Antidote was quite highly rated on Naver so I made my way there

Bartenders were really friendly and could speak English so they tried to engage with you in conversations which I really appreciate. They even had a free pour challenge. Nope – I never tried just cos I too paiseh lol

Bokbunja – Berries, Citrus, Tropical

This was pretty meh. Like you could taste the alcohol and mixers separately and wasn’t really cohesive

Rice – Toasted, Creamy, Nutty

I decided to give them another chance by ordering another drink

I think you can really give this place a miss. You know I really like my cocktails. To stop at 2 – it must be really bad. LOL

But the bartender was really nice. So when he asked how was the drinks, I said ‘oh it’s good’. Can’t bear to break his heart. Ha. So he gave me another cocktail which I wanted to try on the house

I guess if you had enjoyed the service more than the drinks, then you can give this place a visit

It’s a habit of mine to buy a gimbap on my last night so I can enjoy on the flight back home. So I googled on Naver Maps and went to this place which was near my hotel that was highly rated. I was shocked to discover mayo on the gimbap! This doesn’t bode well. lol. So when I finally tried it, lets just say traditional gimbap still taste the best (not so innovative please)

I was too lazy to venture far on my last morning so I decided to coffee nearby at Offer Coffee again. Tried a different coffee this time but I must say the sea salt caramel latte which I tried on the first day still tasted the best

But I also finally got to try salt bread which Koreans are so crazy about. I mean, it’s okay lor. Lol. The pastries here are generally decent la I say

Decided to do a last run to Olive Young and grabbed a coffee on the way back cos I was just so tired. Wow, I’m surprised. There’s actually bad coffee in Seoul. Lol

And with that, it’s on the way to the airport

Which my driver has kindly gotten a salt bread from Offer for me to eat. They really love their salt bread. Lol. I had too many salt breads in one morning but okay, he was very sweet

I wanted to see what was being offered on the way home since I never ate on the flight there

Salad was very healthy

But the beef with the sauce was actually tasty. I was surprised

And they gave me a full glass of wine. Hello, that’s wine, not water you know

And dessert which was a bit too sweet for me

I saw they had decaf coffee on the menu so I decided to give it a try. I must say this iced decaf coffee tasted really decent. Half of me wanted to ask them what brand it was. Lol

When you smell ramen on the plane, it just triggered a wave of ordering. Lol. And ramen on the plane just taste different. With a glass of coke, even better 😀

And this marked the end of my Seoul trip which I had a lot of fun. I can’t wait for my next holiday 🙂