Today is the eve of Seollal (Korean New Year), so I am expecting some places to be closed. There is this huge and pretty cafe near where I stayed and finally I had time to visit it this morning! It is a bakery cafe that does French breads and cakes. I went a little too late, so there wasn’t much choices left, and also many eateries nearby were also closed. Got some mini madeleines, earl grey financier, faluche and some coffee. They weren’t enough to fill me up, but since I am going to Tongin Market next, it doesn’t really mattered.
今天是韩国新年前夕，猜想应该有些地方会提早关。住宿附近有间又大又漂亮的咖啡厅，今早终于有时间光顾看看了！他是间售卖法式面包与糕点的咖啡厅。有一点迟去，加上很多附近的小吃店或餐厅都没开，所以也剩不多可选。买了些迷你 madeleine，格雷伯爵 financier，faluche 和咖啡。没有吃得饱，觉得也没关系，反正下一个地方是通仁市场。
Bread Comma 빵콤마
15 Yanghwa-ro 21-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
0800-0000hrs (daily)
Hongik University Station Exit 3
#1: Bread Comma.
#2: Bread Comma.
#3: Bread Comma.
#4: Bread Comma.
#5: Bread selection.
#6: Bread selection.
#7: Lots of books available for reading!
#8: French pastries.
#9: French pastries.
#10: Decorated with lots of pretty cute decor!
#11: On the basket - [front] Madeleine, 2 for KR800. [Back left] Earl Grey Financier KRW1,800. [Back right] Pandan Custard Faluche KRW1,100. Cappuccino KRW5,300.
Tongin Market is famous for its ancient coin lunchbox, which you can get 10 ancient coins and an empty plastic lunchbox for KRW5,000. With these coins, you can go round participating stalls to buy a small portion of the food items they offer, instead of getting a full portion, so you get to try many different kinds of Korean food. BUT IT WAS CLOSE! It was closed for the holidays, which is expected. Sigh! Proceeding to my next location… Along the way, went to get Isaac Toast again, since I didn’t managed to get any food at Tongin Market. Had the Bulgogi MVP Toast this time round, which has the usual special sauce and egg with corn, and sweet chilli sauce, bulgogi patty, bulgogi sauce, shredded cabbage and cheddar. Their cabbage was so sweet, juicy and yummy! The one used in Singapore tasted so horrible that I just took out the whole bunch of cabbage and threw it away. I think the bulgogi version is better than the pizza version, but both are so so good! Then… Daiso shopping again hahaha…
通仁市场著名与他的铜币便当 - 用韩币5,000换10个古铜币和个空的塑料便当盒。用这些同比到市场内，和有参与便当盒的摊主买小份的食品。到不同摊位买各式各样的食品组成一餐，这样就能试到许多不同的韩式料理。不过，到的时候竟然是关的！因为接近新年期间，所以提早一个星期关闭之新年后。好吧，那就前往下个目的地吧。。铜币便当用餐失败，所以在路途中，又买了份 Isaac Toast。这次点了 Bulgogi MVP 吐司，包括了如常的涂了特制酱的面包，玉米蛋，甜辣椒酱，bulgogi 肉饼，高丽菜丝和切达乳酪。觉得这口味比披萨的好吃，多汁，美味！新加坡的高丽菜煮法好难吃，直接把全部堆掉。接着是。。又到大创狂卖，哈哈哈。。
Tongin Market 통인시장
18 Jahamun-ro 15-gil, Tongin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
1100-1500hrs (Mon-Fri), 1100-1600hrs (Sat-Sun, PH)
Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2
#12: Menu of Isaac Toast.
#13: Bulgogi MVP Sandwich KRW3,200.
The next destination was Seodaemun Prison History Hall, a prison-turned museum that showcases part of the real prison. The prison was turned into a historic site in 1988 and reopened as Seodaemun Prison History Hall in 1998, after Seoul Guchiso (detention camp) moved to Gyeonggi district in 1987. The opening of the prison museum also serves as a symbolic place that represents the struggles Korea faced to gain its independence. After 36years under the Japanese rule, Korea finally came to power and took over the government on 15th August 1945. The prison showcases the war history of Korea and how prisoners were treated in the past. It was definitely an eye-opener as one doesn’t really have a chance to witness how an actual prison looks like.
狂买后，接着是到 Seodaemun 监狱博物馆，真实监狱搬迁后，改为博物馆。1998年开幕，是个代表性的地方，代表着韩国独立后面对的挣扎。日本统治下36年后，韩国终于在1945年8月15日拿回统治权力。博物馆展示韩国战争历史和过去对待囚犯的恶劣手段。真的是令人大开眼界，让人看看监狱的真实样。
Seodaemun Prison History Hall 서대문형무소역사관
251 Tongil-ro, Hyeonjeo-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
0930-1800hrs (Tue-Sun), Closed on Mondays
Admission: KRW3,000
Dongnimmum Station Exit 5
#14: Main entrance.
#15: The prison cells.
#16: The prison warden spot.
#17: Prison warden spot.
#18: Prison cells.
#19: Prison cell.
#20: How to call for emergency help.
#21: Space inside a cell.
#22: The box torture - a torture by putting an individual inside a box stubbed with sharp nails and shaking the box to torture him or her.
#23: Gate to the prison cells.
#24: Though this bench has an extra story to it then to the similar benches in the park.
Wanted to visit COEX Mall next, but was waiting for such a long time at Sinsa-dong for the second bus (transferring bus), and it was so cold, and I was also really hungry! After 30mins, I decided to give up and went to have dinner at Aori Ramen, a ramen chain store opened by Big Bang’s Seungri. The ramen was really good, but a pity with the bad lighting of the store, it was difficult to take some nice food photos. The store is set-up as the traditional ramen store concept with individual booth seating. You are also given a piece of order sheet to order and customise your ramen, and if you will like to add other toppings, sides and/or drinks.
接着原本是想到 COEX 购物商城，不过在新沙洞等巴士，等了好久都没来。又饿，又冷！等了30分钟，最后决定放弃，到 Big Bang 胜利开的日式拉面店，Aori Ramen 用晚餐。拉面不错，好吃，不过店内灯光不足，难拍照。店内是传统日式拉面概念，个人展位。服务生会给你一张点餐纸，可以随意修改拉面配料，像是辣度，汤的浓稠度，等，加料和／或饮料。
*UPDATE*
Aori Ramen has now cut all ties associated with Seungri.
Aori Ramen 아오리의 행방불명
11 Dosan-daero 15-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
1130-2300hrs (daily)
Sinsa Station Exit 8
#25: Aori Ramen.
#26: Seating inside the store.
#27: The menu.
#28: The ordering sheet.
#29: Aori Ramen Lite KRW9,000. Additional Egg at KRW1,000 and Bamboo Shoots at KRW500.
So sad that it is down to the last night in Korea! 😭😭 Since I am in Sinsa-dong, decided to go to Milestone Coffee, which I didn’t had time to go the other time I was at this area; and gosh, it was full house! So decided to go to another cafe located near to where I stayed, a flower themed cafe called Florte Flower Cafe. I am so glad that I decided to come to this cafe! It was so so pretty and the store is filled with all sorts of artificial, fresh and dried flowers, and some plants. It also has a nice backdrop made with hundreds of artificial flowers in shades of white, cream, pink and coral colours. Went for the Strawberry Smoothie which has a nice ‘rose’ on the top of the drink made from strawberry slices. The drink was served with a side of fresh flowers, so pretty to take photos with! It was such a huge cup for its price and it taste so so good! Couldn’t stop drinking it even though the weather was so cold!
时间过得真快，一转眼就到了在韩国的最后一晚！😭😭 既然人已经在新沙洞，决定到之前没时间去的 Milestone Coffee，结果竟然客满！年夕还那么多人！所以决定改去靠近住宿的咖啡厅，是间花为主的咖啡厅，叫 Florte Flower Cafe。果然没选错，整间咖啡厅满满的假花，干花和鲜花！其中一道墙，插满了几百个以白色，奶白色，粉红和粉橘的假花，拍照很漂亮！点了杯草莓奶昔，店员在饮料上用草莓片摆出一个漂亮的玫瑰。饮料和一些鲜花一起送来，好漂亮，很好拍照！奶昔超大杯，所以非常划算，也很好喝！虽然天气很冷，但一喝就停不了！
Milestone Coffee 마일스톤커피
49 Nonhyeon-ro 159-gil, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
1200-2230hrs (Mon-Sat), 1200-2200hrs (Sun)
Sinsa Station Exit 8
Florte Flower Cafe 러빈허
22 Sinchon-ro 6-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
1030-2300hrs (daily)
Hongik University Station Exit 6
#30: Florte Flower Cafe.
#31: A nice backdrop for photo taking!
#32: Lots of pretty cute decor around!
#33: Strawberry Smoothie KRW6,000. Every drink is served with a small pot of fresh flowers, too pretty!
#34: A nice rose formed by strawberry slices!
#35: Love this shot!
Lastly before I head home, went to this cute designer store called ‘Object’ that was nearby, which sells many cute items like stationeries, notebooks, accessories, clothing, bags, phone cases, stickers, souvenirs, wall decor, and so on. Since I had already bought so much stuff in the past 8 days, I ended up just buying some really cute Shin Ramyeon wooden magnet for my friends.
最后回家前，到了附近的一间可爱设计小物店叫 Object，售卖许多可爱的产品像是文具，笔记本，首饰，服装，包包，手机壳，帖子，纪念品，等等。既然在过去的8天里已经买了好多，最后只买了些辛拉面木质磁铁送朋友。
Object 오브젝트
Google Maps: 326-2 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Kakao Map: 13 Wausan-ro 35-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
1200-2200hrs (daily)
#36: Object.
#37: Pretty cute postcards.
#38: Calendar.
#39:
#40: One of my favourite, magnets! Love that Shin Ramyun design! KRW3,500 each.
Finally time to pack my luggage, which is the moment I dread the most. After struggling for 2hrs, finally managed to pack everything into my luggage and into an additional bag. 1am >> time to sleep and get ready for check-out tomorrow (I mean later in the morning)!
终于到了收拾行李的时候，最讨厌！挣扎2小时候，终于勉强把所有东西挤进了行李加手提包。早晨1点才开始睡，多一会儿就要退房了！
Exchange Rate: S$1 = KRW825
Expenses for Day 9
Bread Comma:
- Madeleine (2pcs) KRW800
- Earl Grey Financier KRW1,800
- Pandan Custard Faluche KRW1,100
- Cappuccino KRW5,300
Isaac Toast: Bulgogi MVP Sandwich 불고기 MVP 토스트 KRW3,200
Daiso:
- Chocolate Wafer Biscuit KRW1,000
- Lockable Container (600ml) KRW1,000
- Korea design Notebook KRW1,000
- Cactus Globe KRW2,000
- Mini Glass Jar KRW1,000 x2
Seodaemun Prison: KRW3,000
Aori Ramen:
- Aori Ramen Lite 아오리라멘 Lite KRW9,000
- Ramen Egg 아지타마고 KRW1,000
- Bamboo Shoots 멘마 KRW500
Florte Flower Cafe: Strawberry Smoothie KRW6,000
Object: Shin Ramen Wooden Magnet KRW3,500 x2
Total Expenses for Day 9: KRW45,700 = S$55.40
Previous Expenses: S$2,311.33
Current Total Expenses: S$2,366.73