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| A week of Korean Subways |
Yep it’s Day 3. The day exhaustion finally caught up with us! We overslept, rolled out of bed like sleepy sloths, and declared it a “chill-but-still-adventurous” kind of day. The plan? Orked’s day out—which meant heading straight to Dongdaemun’s Toy Alley.
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Dongdaemun Market Toy Alley
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| The quest for toys as promised |
Now, this place is a wonderland of tiny humans’ dreams (and maybe some adults too—no judgment here). It’s an entire street dedicated to toys, lunchboxes, and all things kids. Back in 2017, when I last visited Korea, I was single, child-free, and had no reason to even glance at this area. Fast forward to today, and here I am, fully invested in finding the perfect training chopsticks for Orked’s cousins and a lunchbox that screams, “I’m cooler than your average school supply.”
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| Pororo is a big thing here |
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| Barang-barang perhiasan, or barang sekolah dan school lunch boxes banyak jual kat sini termasuk training chopsticks kanak-kanak yang teramat cute sekali! |
We spent over three hours wandering the shops, which honestly felt like five minutes because everything was so fascinating. The toys here are like nothing you’d find at Toys ‘R’ Us. Koreans don’t mess around when it comes to inventing fun—these toys are clever, quirky, and super unique. Orked, of course, managed to negotiate her way into getting a whole bunch of goodies (and yes, my wallet cried).
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| Star sunnies dalam vid clip Apt Apt Rose dan Bruno Mars pun ada hahahah! |
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| Suku dari hasil tangkapan Orked arghhh |
With our bags full of treasures, we made a beeline for Dongdaemun Grilled Fish Market, determined to cross this off our “food bucket list” after missing out yesterday. And oh, it was worth the wait. The setup reminded me of a cozy warung—simple, no-frills, but bursting with flavor and personality. We ordered every kind of grilled fish on the menu and threw in some Gochujang squid for good measure. (Because why stop at just fish?) The flavors were incredible—smoky, lightly charred, and oh-so-refreshing. Plus, the vibe of office workers grabbing lunch gave the place a bustling energy that made the experience even better.
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| Sedaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap! |
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| Cuma sempit betul tempat makan ni. Tak ada kerusi pulak tu duduk dekat top floor dia |
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| Banchan dia memang superb |
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| Sebenarnya kaki dah kebas ni |
Side note: If you’re eating here, make peace with the fact that your clothes will smell like a walking BBQ pit afterward. We had to run back to Starria Hostel for a full outfit change before heading to our next stop: Namsan Tower.
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| KFC area Dongdaemun |
Now, let me tell you—getting to Namsan Tower is like a mini adventure in itself. First, there’s the queue for the cable car, which feels like a rite of passage. Then, you ascend to a view that’s pure autumn magic. The leaves were a vibrant mix of red, orange, and gold, and I was instantly hit with a wave of nostalgia. Everything looked exactly the same as it did in 2017… except for one thing.
Remember that love lock I hung on a tree back then? Yeah, that’s long gone. Buried under a mountain of other locks. (Seriously, it’s like a sea of padlocks now.) Oh well, at least I got to relive the moment by taking a million photos with the view.
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| Panjat tangga lagi nak naik Namsan Cable Car |
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| Peace sign tak habis habis makcik ni |
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| Dekat tangga naik ke Tower |
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| Cantik kan Tower dia. datang petang macam ni best |
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| Billions and Trillions of locks |
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| Berapa won nak jual sekilo ni? hehehe |
Before heading down, we stopped by a mini-mart selling the cutest food souvenirs. Naturally, I grabbed a bunch for family and friends. And then? It was Lotteria time!
Fun fact: The last time I had Lotteria’s shrimp burger was in Japan, back in 2019. (Feels like a lifetime ago.) Let me tell you, biting into that crispy, shrimp-y goodness was pure joy. Malaysia, can we please get a Lotteria? I’m begging you. (Because we were so hungry and gulped the burger, there's no Shrimp burger pics in this post. Sorry!
With my shrimp cravings satisfied, we hit DANDAN Mall, on a mission to find an ABC Mart. Why? Because I’ve been obsessing over the Samba OGs since forever, and what better place to buy them than Korea? Turns out, they were a cool RM100 cheaper here than back home—so, of course, I snagged a pair. (A steal, really. Don’t fight me on this.)
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| Dah kenyang nak pergi DANDAN mall pulak |
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| Deli Manjoo satu round sebelum balik |
Finally, we dragged ourselves back to the hotel, where Orked, once again, convinced me to part with my money for another bottle of her beloved strawberry banana milk. (I’ve lost count at this point—Day 3, bottle 4? 5?)
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Tak beli pun ice cream netflix ni so sedikit regret coz now I'm wondering how good it is?
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| Bukan taknak beli, tapi rambang mata woiii dok beli ice cream lain je |
The day ended with some satisfying laundry therapy, thanks to the hostel’s free washing machines. Nothing like clean clothes to prepare for more adventures ahead. And with that, it was lights out.
Tomorrow? Who knows what’s next, but we’re ready for it! (After a good night’s sleep, of course.)
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