AUTUMN 2024 IN SEOUL Day 4 - GOSAME... GOSAME MUCHO

Strolling at Ewha Women's University

Sobs, it’s already Day 4, and it feels like time is slipping away faster than I can catch my breath (and my steps)! We left Starria a little later than planned because—get this—my leg cramped, and getting out of bed felt like scaling another Namsan. Reality check: I’m way too old for these high-energy escapades. Backpacking days? A distant memory. Now, everything hurts, especially my legs and thighs, all thanks to that torturous climb to Namsan yesterday. Honestly, why didn’t we just call a Grab or cab? Past-me would judge current-me so hard right now.

Today was supposed to be a laid-back, chill-chill day. We’ve been here before, so it was more of a nostalgic stroll with a side mission – makeup and skincare shopping. Ewha was first on the list, and I’m happy to report that it hasn’t changed much since my last visit. The same youthful, student vibes were intact. We took some obligatory photos (because, duh) and wandered around, marveling at how everything was pretty much the same.

Then came the Olive Young spree. They’re literally everywhere in this area! Of course, I had to go full “Mom’s personal shopper mode” and grabbed everything she meticulously listed. It’s a Mom Thing, right? Shopping for her is more satisfying than shopping for myself sometimes.

Lunch Time – GOSAME!

Oh my gosh, we’ve been hyped about Gosame since before this trip even started. This cozy spot is famous for its halal grilled fish and squid, beef bulgogi, and soondubu jjigae. As expected, it was swarming with Malaysians and Indonesians—clearly the word about its halal menu and delicious, local-Korean-with-a-dash-of-homey flavors is out.

 Pro tip: All the mains come with rice! No need to order extra unless you’re super hungry. Also, don’t forget to check their break hours; they close for a bit in the afternoon, and trust me, you don’t want to stand there waiting.

The food? Beyond scrumptious. It felt like a warm hug, except the hug was grilled, spicy, and utterly satisfying. My Malaysian soul was so happy.

After stuffing ourselves, we headed to Lotte Mart at Zettaplex. Think of it as Mydin, but on steroids. This is THE IT place for souvenir shopping, especially if you want bulk deals. Pro tip: avoid weekends unless you enjoy being caught in a sea of tourists and locals. (Spoiler: I don’t.) It was chaos, but productive chaos. I snagged Market O Brownies, candies, and sweets (halal and vegan-approved, of course), but I also fell into the trap of being too overwhelmed to buy more. Back in Malaysia, I was kicking myself for not hoarding enough snacks.

The trek back to Starria was a workout, especially since we were hauling all that shopping and dealing with a completely unhelpful 6-year-old. My excitement, though, was bubbling over because—drumroll—my twin sister is arriving tomorrow night! She’s joining us for the rest of the trip, which means double the fun, double the chaos.

As I lay here, exhausted and a bit achey, I can’t believe we’ve been here for 5 days already. Time in Seoul moves at a different speed—too fast to soak it all in. Eight days aren’t enough. Honestly, I need at least three weeks. Maybe I should just move here? Hmm...

Goodnight from Day 4, where my heart (and my feet) are full but my craving for Seoul life isn’t even close to being satisfied.

AUTUMN 2024 IN SEOUL Day 3 - Dongdaemun’s Toys Galore & Namsan Tower Nostalgia

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.

Dongdaemun Market Toy Alley 

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.”

Pororo is a big thing here

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).

Star sunnies dalam vid clip Apt Apt Rose dan Bruno Mars pun ada hahahah!

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.

Sedaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!

Cuma sempit betul tempat makan ni. Tak ada kerusi pulak tu duduk dekat top floor dia

Banchan dia memang superb

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.

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.

Panjat tangga lagi nak naik Namsan Cable Car

Peace sign tak habis habis makcik ni

Dekat tangga naik ke Tower

Cantik kan Tower dia. datang petang macam ni best

Billions and Trillions of locks

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.)

Dah kenyang nak pergi DANDAN mall pulak

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?)

Tak beli pun ice cream netflix ni so sedikit regret coz now I'm wondering how good it is?

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.)

AUTUMN 2024 IN SEOUL Day 2 - Hanbok Heaven and Bingsu Bliss

Quick photo before we head for breakfast. This was just nearby our hotel area

So, Day 2, we kicked it off with a plan for some simple bread at the halal restaurant Mari Meokja. But then—oh, the smell! It pulled us in like a magnet, and instead of bread, we ended up with a meehoon soup—and yes, the bread was still included. Because why not? And that sambal kicap pedas… adoimak. It was a comforting reminder of home, a little early for my tastebuds to be homesick, but I embraced it.

Mee Hoon Sup daging for breakfast. Jangan main main eh..

Almost all pelanggannya orang Malaysia kita.. termasuklah dua ketui kelaparan ni

After that glorious, carb-filled start, we hopped on the train to Gyeongbokgung Palace, ready for our full-on royal treatment. It was time for Hanbok Heaven—renting a traditional Korean hanbok and living my best royal life. We rented ours from DAEHAN HANBOK, which I highly recommend for its variety (they have so many options!). I picked a purple hanbok skirt with a black bolero. Orked, was looking all kinds of adorable in a pink number that made her look like she stepped out of an epic Joseon Dynasty K-Drama.

She picked the hanbok herself.. what do you think?

like the hotel guy said, "She looks Korean"

And then—cue the camera roll—we took, like, a thousand photos. Because why wouldn’t you? Everyone else was doing it, and let’s be real, there’s no such thing as too many pictures when you're rocking a Hanbok.

alaaa tomeyy tomeyy

Dah pakai hanbok ni boleh masuk palace for FREE

this space look aesthetic so we quickly snap one
 

Mami and Orked

Nampak macam Daebiii Mamaaaaa

After playing dress-up for an hour (with no shame, whatsoever), we needed food, because all that posing works up an appetite. We decided to try Iftar, a famous halal spot in the area. To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed. The food was overly sweet for my taste, and the service? Well, let’s just say the wait felt like an eternity. But hey, at least I got to eat halal beef in Seoul—small victories! I feel like this place might have been hyped up a bit too much on TikTok, but you win some, you lose some.

Looks can be deceiving

Next, we wandered around Bukchon Village, where I felt like I was climbing a mountain with every step (my legs were definitely questioning my life choices by the time we reached the top). To reward ourselves for the uphill battle, we stopped for dessert at SAMCHEONG BINGSU.

We jalan kaki banyak tau. Sehari 25k steps

Sunny but cold

Orked blend in like belacan dan cili padi kat Korea ni hahaha

Again in Bukchon Hanok Village, nothing changed since 2017

Samcheong Bingsu, sedap terpelanting sudu. Bingsu dia so light fluffy airy and tak cair cair 

Let me tell you—bingsu in Korea is a whole other level of goodness. Y’all, I’m actually a bingsu addict, but nothing compares to the real deal in Korea. The ice was so soft it practically melted in my mouth, and it stayed cold forever. I’m talking about the most refreshing dessert experience of my life. Malaysia’s bingsu is a fast-melting tease compared to this glorious creation. I can’t even explain it, but it was so different from what we get back home. I felt honored to have bingsu in the country where it all began! If I could bottle that moment and take it home, I would.

We walked it off after dessert, but my stomach wasn’t exactly on the same page. It had ideas of its own, and I wasn’t feeling so hot. This led to a change of plans, and we had to skip Dongdaemun Market’s grilled fish (sad face). Instead, we headed back to Myeongdong for some comfort food: kebabs and lamb skewers. A quick, tasty fix before heading back to the hotel.

Dah settle semua kami pun gerak balik

Pastu kita asik beli snacks dia yang sedap ni je bila da sampai kat Myeondong station. macam bahulu ada inti red bean, cream cheese, coklat, custard etc. Deli Manjoo tapi dalam gambar ni lain punya.

Finally, a note on Orked and her obsession with strawberry / banana milk. This is her third bottle in two days. I’m not even mad at her; I’m just wondering if I need to set up a milk subscription service for her. I think she might be part strawberry banana at this point. I think this situation might need a mommy-intervention soon!

Another busy day done and dusted. Time to sleep and recharge for tomorrow’s adventures!