Let’s Go to Wando Island - Autumn Getaway Out of Seoul

I always wanted to spend holiday out of seoul, far from city life, and at that time I got a chance to visit wando in autumn.

Wando is one of islands which is located on the south of Korea. I went there by bus and actually it’s very cool that we didn’t need to get on the ferry ship to arrive on the island. This because there is a bridge that connects wando island to the mainland of Korea called “Wando Daegyo”.

I went there with the group of travel which consists of mostly foreigners. And you know how much i spent for this amazing journey?? Only 20.000 won and it already covers our hotel, our trip, and our food as well. And fyi, i spent 2 days one night in wando. It’s amazing, isn’t it?

I heard that I only need to pay for the small amount because the trip itself was also sponsored by the local government. How lucky I am ^^ super lucky because not only had amazing trip but I also didn’t need to spend much money from my pocket hehe. I was really grateful for the chance.

Photo with group tour 

In this blog, I will  tell you several places I went to and what to do when you visit wando^^:

Wando Harbour

Just a regular harbour, with many fishing boats on its edge. I also coincidentally met with Indonesian person who works as a fisherman there. We visit this place first actually because there is Autumn Festival held near Wando Harbour. As you probably know, each region in Korea likes to held the festival, especially when certain season comes. At that time, local people celebrate autumn by having festival. As you can see from the photos, me, my friends, and other local people really enjoy the festival held there.

Wando Tower Observatory 

This 76m-tall tower offers views of Wando Island and sea next to Island. You can also see sunrise and sunset from this tower.

Hotel in Wando for your best staycation: Wando Oneness Resort

I, my friends, and our tour group stayed in  a hotel called "Wando Oneness Resort"  In my personal opinion, this resort is superb. Not only has good service, but also offers you with a beautiful view near the resort. Not to mention, the facilities provided including the outdoor pool. 

Hiking in Wando (Seokmun Park)

 I really enjoy hiking here and there is a really good photo spot on the bridge that is on the hiking trail.

Cycling in Wando

To be honest, I also forget the name of this cycling area.  I really hope I remember the name of this area so you can also visit and experience cycling here :( Because you should know that cycling in Wando is the most fun experience I've ever had in Wando. Not only having fun cycling with my friends, but I also get to see beautiful views, and many photo spots around, especially when you come in autumn, because the autumn flower fields are super pretty.

Gaudo Island and Suspension Bridge

From Gaudo Island, we walked to uninhabited island via a suspension bridge. The view along the coast line is super super nice. But watch out the wind is strong lol >_<, especially when you cross the bridge.

Korean Minhwa Museum

As always, in Korea, visiting museum is really common. That's why, in each region of Korea, you always can visit some interesting museums in order to add your knowledge about Korean culture, history, technology, and etc.  This time, i visit Korean Minhwa Museum, which is a museum for Korean folk art. 

The conclusion is this is really a perfect place for you who want to enjoy the rural life experience. For me, who usually just going around Seoul and  experience city life style, this is really exciting and new experience. So I hope you had a chance to visit and enjoy Wando. See you there :)

Experiencing Eid Al-Fitr in South Korea

Celebrating Eid Al-Fitr with Indonesian Ambassador for South Korea

In 2017, I spent Eid Al-Fitr in South Korea and that would be one of the best memories I had in life. At first, considering that South Korea is not Muslim-majority country like my home country, Indonesia, I thought that the Eid Al-Fitr celebration in South Korea would be very much different form the celebration in Indonesia. However, I felt so grateful that I experiences such a festive and warm celebration of Eid Al-Fitr in South Korea.

The night before Eid Al-Fitr, me and my friends had our last Iftar (dinner) of Ramadhan at one of halal restaurants in Itaewon, near the Seoul Central Mosque. It was one of the best halal meals that I ate during I was living in Korea. Moreover, because there are many muslims ate in that restaurant, the atmosphere reminds me as if I was at home.

The next day, it was finally Eid Al-Fitr. I and my friends first prepared to do our Eid Al-Fitr prayer. At that time, we did the prayer with other Indonesian communities at one of the outdoor fields in Seoul. I grateful that Korean people gave us the freedom to perform our prayer at such an outdoor place like that. I didn’t feel like a minority because they respected us to perform our religion.  

After performed Eid Al-Fitr prayer, me and my friends from Indonesia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, went to Indonesian Embassy in Seoul to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr together with other Indonesian people. At that place, I also had an opportunity to meet with Indonesian Ambassador for South Korea, Mr. Umar Hadi. There were many activities held in Indonesian Embassy to celebrate Eid Mubarak. We ate Indonesian traditional foods which are usually served on Eid Al-Fitr, such as Rendang, Ketupat, Opor Ayam, and other foods. We were also able to see such great performances from various performers, such as Marawis performers, singers, and etc. The best thing is we were able to meet with other Indonesian friends, talked together, and had a great Eid Al-Fitr like in our homeland. 

After several days, I also had Eid Al-Fitr Celebration in my school, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, which is located in Sejong City. The school is well-known for its diversity and I really appreciated my school to let us celebrate Eid Al-Fitr in school, and even supported us by providing the school hall to be used for celebration. In that celebration event, not only muslim friends, but non-muslim friends also came to join us and celebrate together. The school staff and professor also came by to the event. It was really meaningful Eid Al-Fitr Celebration and left a precious memory in my life. 

However, this year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt that Ramadhan and Eid Al-Fitr is quite different. Not only in Indonesia and South Korea, but in many other parts of the world, we all now struggle to fight this pandemic. That’s why I hope all of us can be strong to end this pandemic. I also hope that the spirit of Eid Al-Fitr remains in each of our hearts. Happy Eid Mubarak for all Muslims around the world! 

Simple Korean Dishes To Be Made During Your “Stay At Home”

Staying home all alone where you just sleeping, eating, watching tv, and repeating the same things over and over will probably make you boring. However, there is nothing we can do since now many countries has implemented “lockdown” and “physical distancing” policy to prevent the contagion of COVID-19. Therefore, in order to reduce the boredom, we should make our stay at home more fun and more productive. Out of many great options, my suggestion here is to improve your cooking skill, especially in cooking korean food. There are many kinds of korean food that you can make, but this time i will recommend you these four simple dishes that don’t really need many ingredients or special technique. So, check these out!!

1. Tteokbokki

A very simple korean traditional snack that is made from Korean rice cake or called “tteok” which is cooked/boiled in the tteokbokki sauce that is made from gochujang (korean chili paste), sugar, gochugaru (korean chili pepper), garlic, and water. You can also add other ingredients such as fish cake, green onions, and boiled eggs in order to complement this dish. And the great news is if it’s hard for you to find the ingredients, especially the ingredients to make the tteokbokki sauce, you don’t need to worry anymore because nowadays there are so many instant tteokbokki that is sold online. Based on my experience, here is how to cook instant tteokbokki: put the tteok in the boiled water, put the instant tteokbokki sauce, add other ingredients, stir it, wait till the sauce is thickened, and it’s done! It’s so easy, isn’t it? 

2. Gimbap

Gimbap is made from two words. “Gim” in Korea means seaweed while “bap” means rice. Gimbap itself is a dish that is made from cooked rice which is filled with other ingredients such as tuna, ham, beef, egg, spinach, carrot, cucumber, and etc. (the fillings can be vary depends on your taste). And after that, the rice with those ingredients will be rolled in dried sheets of laver seaweed or “Gim”. It’s like Korean roll sushi and very easy to be made. Make sure that you roll it well so when you cut it later, the ingredients won’t fall apart!

 

3. Bibimbap

Another “bap” or rice menu that i want to introduce here. To be simplify said, bibimbap is a korean traditional mixed-rice contained with rice, egg, meat, and assorted vegetables that is mixed and served in a bowl. In my opinion, making bibimbap is quite simple. First, you just need to prepare the ingredients and cook each ingredients separately. Here are the ingredients that often be used and can be your preference: meat, egg, vegetables such as carrot, spinach, bean sprout, mushroom, cucumber, and etc. Of course the ingredients can be vary, depends on what you prefer to use and the ingredients you had. Then you just need to put the rice and the cooked ingredients in a bowl. After that you just have to mix it with the bibimbap sauce! The point is you have to stir it well, so that the rice, the ingredients, and the sauce can be mixed well.  

 

4. Ramyeon

Last but definitely not least, “Ramyeon” or Korean ramen.  The simplest menu from all menus that I have mentioned above. But i guarantee you the taste will not be that simple, because so far Korean Ramyeon is definitely one of the best noodles i’ve ever tasted. To cook Ramyeon like Korean people, i recommend you to use Korean instant noodle, if i can said the brand, probably shin ramyeon is the best for me. But you can also use other brand as well. And don’t forget to cook the ramyeon in the Korean yellow pot that often you see in the Korean drama.  But if you don’t have the yellow pot, just use the pot that you have in your home. Then cooked the instant noodle in the boiled water, add the seasoning, stir it well,  and it’s done! If you want a cheesy flavor, you can also add cheese on the top of noodle and let it melt. Then i can say enjoy your food!!!

Get to Know Busan, Another Great Destination in South Korea

Recently, the city of Busan is often being talked in the news  and i’m sure that you’ve heard one of those news. This is because this year Busan is hosting a large event, especially for ASEAN citizens. The event was an ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit which was held as a 30th anniversary of relations between ASEAN member countries and Korea. Indonesia is also one of the participants in the event that was held in Busan. Indonesia's President, Joko Widodo, has also left from Indonesia to go to Busan on Saturday, November 23, 2019, to attend a series of events, in which one of its agendas was to discuss ASEAN-South Korea cooperation for the next 30 years.

Apart from that, has it ever crossed your mind to visit Busan if one day you will travel to South Korea? For most people, they generally will prioritize to visit the South Korean Capital, the City of Seoul, when visiting South Korea. However, actually there are many cities in South Korea that are interesting to explore besides Seoul, one of which is Busan. Busan is the second largest city after Seoul and it is a tourist destination that has beautiful natural scenery.

·         How to Get There

First of all, in order to be able to go to Busan City, you need to know in advance what mode of transportation you will use to get there. If you depart from Seoul, there are several modes of public transportation with several price options to choose from.

1. By KTX

KTX which is short for Korea Train Express, is South Korea high-speed train that will take you from Seoul to Busan in only about two and a half hours. Wow, it's really fast, isn't it? Ticket prices can be chosen according to the class you choose. There are 3 choices of class if you use KTX, which are First Class, Economy Class, and Standing/Non-reserved seat. If you want to reserve a ticket to Busan, you can directly reserve the ticket via the korail website (www.letskorail.com).

2. By ITX

ITX is also one of the trains that you can choose to travel from Seoul to Busan. However, traveling with ITX will not be as fast as KTX. But the ticket prices are certainly cheaper when compared to KTX.

3. By Bus

I myself used the bus to go to Busan because the price of taking a bus was relatively cheaper compared to the mode of transportation of the train type. In addition, in my opinion buses in Korea are also very comfortable and also on time. It is different from my experience using a bus in Indonesia, which sometimes require me to wait for the passengers to be fully loaded and sometimes I have to face a pretty long traffic jam on the road.

However, if you intend to make Busan as the first city in South Korea that you visit, then you can also choose a plane that lands at Gimhae International Airport which can be reached in about 1 hour from Busan downtown.

·         Where to Stay

As in Seoul, there are several choices of places to stay if you visit Busan. Starting from hotels, motels, guest houses, or even if you only stay 1 or 2 days maybe you can stay at Jjimjilbang / sauna. My advice in choosing a place to stay is to choose a place that is close to your tourist destination in Busan. When I go to Busan, I choose to stay at a guest house near Haeundae Beach because I only have to walk to go to Haeundae Beach and it will certainly cut my transportation costs.

·         Where to Go in Busan and What to Explore

Based on my experience, there are several tourist attractions in Busan that are interesting to visit while you are there.

1. Beach (Haeundae Beach and Gwangalli Beach)

Busan is a city that famous for its beaches. Therefore, it won’t be complete to go to Busan without visiting the beach. When I was there, I visited 2 beaches, namely Haeundae Beach and Gwangalli Beach. Because I came in summer, during the day I can enjoy the beach by swimming, sunbathing, and playing sand on the beach. In addition, because I came during the summer holidays, so I also met many local people who were on vacation there. The atmosphere of this beach can not only be enjoyed during the day, but you can also enjoy the sunset in the afternoon and at night you can enjoy live music and performance on the beaches. In my opinion, spending the night at beach in Busan has its own experience, especially because you can hear the sound of the waves accompanied by soothing live music. In particular, at Gwangalli Beach, you can also see the beautiful view of the Gwangan Bridge light show at night.

2. Gamcheon Village

Gamcheon Village is a village with colorful houses that has long been an icon of the city of Busan. When Indonesian president, Mr. Joko Widodo, visited Busan City, he also had the opportunity to visit this beautiful village. Gamcheon Village has often been used as a shooting location on Korean TV series and it is also a very “instagrammable” village for those of you who like to take pictures and upload photos on Instagram. In order to enter the Gamcheon Village Area, you don’t need to pay or it is free because actually Gamcheon Village is an original complex of Busan residents. Therefore, you should not disturb the residents when visiting this area. In addition, the Gamcheon village area is quite extensive, so my suggestion is to take the map provided at the entrance of Gamcheon Village. You can use the map for guidance while exploring Gamcheon Village. In the village there are also many souvenirs that are sold to tourists so you can buy souvenirs there. Happy exploring!

3. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is a temple located on the seafront. The experience of visiting this temple has left its own impression for me. Personally, Haedong Yonggungsa temple is the most beautiful Buddhist temple that I have ever seen in South Korea. Its location on the seafront makes this temple has its own charm. The sound of crashing waves combined with the sound of monks from the temple has calmed my heart. At the end, I was mesmerized not only by how big and magnificent this temple building was, but also by the surrounding atmosphere that calm my mind and soul.

4. Oryukdo Skywalk

One of the fun places I visited in Busan was Oryukdo Skywalk. In this place, you can look under the sea from a transparent glass bridge located on a cliff on the beach. It's fun and tense to walk on this bridge. However, you don't need to worry because this glass bridge is very strong and is guaranteed to be safe walking on this bridge. From here, you can enjoy the blue sky, sea views, and the beauty of Busan.

5. Dongbaek Island and Nurimaru APEC House

In this area of ​​Dongbaek Island, there are walking paths that can be used to go around the island. You can also see a statue that resembles a mermaid in this island. The statue is based on the Korean legend, Princess Hwagok. In addition, you can also visit the “Nurimaru APEC House” which is also located around Dongbaek Island. Nurimaru APEC House is a place that was used for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting in 2005.

6. Al Fatah Mosque, Busan

For Muslim visitors like me, you can also visit the mosque in the city of Busan, called the Al-Fatah Mosque. In South Korea, Muslims are a minority and mosques only exist in a few cities. Besides coming to worship at the mosque, you can also experience Halal Food restaurant in the area around the mosque.

·         Where to Eat and What to Eat in Busan

As a city close to the beach, seafood is certainly a food choice when visiting Busan. In order to taste fresh seafood that is directly taken from the sea, then you can visit markets in Busan, one of which is Jagalchi Market. At Jagalchi Market, you can immediately choose the type of fish or other seafood that you want to eat and then your seafood will be directly processed to be the food as displayed in the menu. Furthermore, you can also choose unique food menu like sannakji (live octopus) if you want to try eating like local people.

Another option for culinary hunter other than seafood is definitely street food. If you want to try various street food in Busan, you can visit Gukje Market Street Food. Here you can taste a variety of street food with various price, from gimbap (korean rice rolls), tteokbokki (korean rice cakes), pajeon (korean traditional pancakes), hotteok, and other street food. Another food option when you visit Busan is eomuk (fishcakes). When I visited Busan, I came to  eomuk (fishcakes) cafe, called "goraesa eomuk", located near Haeundae beach. In this cafe there are many variants of fishcakes with various flavors. You can immediately choose the fishcakes you want and pay directly at the cashier. After that you can enjoy the fishcakes you want. Other than fishcakes, there are also other foods such as udon and salad that can be eaten with fishcakes. You can also buy a variety of processed fishcakes that can be brought if you want to eat the fishcakes later.

·         When to Visit Busan (The Best Time in Busan)

Since South Korea is a four-season country, so in my opinion Busan has its own charm or interesting side in each season. I came during summer so I can swim, sunbathe, and enjoy Busan beaches more. Next, if you come in spring, you can enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms that blooms in Busan City. My advice if you come in spring is don't forget to go to the best cherry blossom spots like Oncheoncheon Stream and Daejeo Ecological Park. Meanwhile, if you come in autumn, you can enjoy fallen leaves with various colors that will please your eye. My recommendation to enjoy autumn in Busan is by visiting Juwangsan National Park or Yongdusan Park. Lastly, if you come in winter you can enjoy the winter atmosphere which is certainly warmer than Seoul City because Busan is located in the southern part of Korea. Besides that, you can also enjoy ice skating at Shinsegae Department Store or go to Eden ski Resort to enjoy the sensation of skiing in Busan.

In conclusion, Busan is a city with beautiful scenery, a variety of interesting tourist attractions, and a variety of culinary choices that can be enjoyed. Last but not least, you can experience to hear satoori/ Busan local accent, and mingle with local tourists in Busan City. My experience in Busan itself is an unforgettable experience. If I have the chance to visit Korea again, I will not hesitate to visit Busan for the second time and explore more things there.

How to Go to Pledis Entertainment

Are you a fan of SEVENTEEN, or NU'EST????? Or are you k-pop lovers who like to travel around K-Pop Entertainment Agency????

If your answer is yes, this post will definitely help your fangirling life ^^

This time I want to share about my visit to one of entertainment agencies in South Korea, Pledis Entertainment. But at that time, I didn't meet seventeen or Nu'est members  (I'm not lucky lol).
However, if you lucky, who knows you can meet your favorite idol coincidentally.
And you also can just take photos around or in front of the building, maybe to brag to your friend or to post it in your social media.

The situation around the building is quiet enough and sooo empty lol. And unlike some agencies which provide special cafe for fans, there is no cafe for fans who want to wait at pledis entertainment. But no need to worry, at that time I think I saw pizza restaurant and chicken restaurant near Pledis Entertainment. So maybe you can wait your favorite idols in those restaurants hehe >_<

Pledis Entertainment is actually located between two subway stations, which are Seonjeongneung Station and Samseong Jungang Station. You can either take subway or bus to arrive there.

Here is how you can go there: 

 - If you go by bus, take Green Bus 3412, and get off at "Samseong Jungang Station, Platinum Apartement" bus stop. Go straight around 1 minute or less.  Then after you see KB Bank building, you still go straight a little bit and next one you should turn right when you find Kyochon Restaurant (chicken restaurant). And you will find PLEDIS Entertainment.

 - If you go by subway, get off at Samseong Jungang Station, then go out from exit 1. Go straight around 1 minute or less. Then after you see KB Bank building, you still go straight a little bit and next one you should turn right when you find Kyochon Restaurant (chicken restaurant). And you will find PLEDIS Entertainment.

I found JR advertisement at bus stop. Soooo happy

Birthday ad for my crush wonwoo. 

I found this at bus stop as well. Happiness double >_<

The situation around is quite empty lol

MUST do: taking a pic in front of the building

Bonus : I found this at hapjeong subway station hehe