Hellooooo! It's been a year since I went for my exchange program to Korea for 6-month and I can't reiterate how much I miss everything about Korea. I recall the first day I touched down Korea, the weather was perfect, breezy 28deg, felt rather chilly and zero humidity. It was so tiring lugging my 30kg luggage along those uneven slopes to get to my hostel but those were the best carefree days of my life I'd do anything to relive them again.
Anyway, I'd like to share 7 not-so-mainstream reasons why I love Korea and why you should visit Korea at least once in your life!
1. K-wave/K-Pop; You might get to meet your ultimate bias!
Most people think that K wave is just all about Kpop. If you love Kpop, please be yolo for once and chase your dreams. I'm not asking you to pay thousands of dollars just to attend all the concerts your idol performs, or collect all their albums and collectibles. But if you do go to Korea, you may be lucky enough to attend one of their events (hopefully for free) and catch a glimpse of them? Maybe you'll find yourself silly to do so some donkey years down the road by well, at least you were happy then.
I admit I was an ex-kpop fan and loved 2pm. I managed to fulfill my bucket list by taking a picture with my ultimate bias, Taecyeon who happens to be a masters student at my exchange school :')
I ran amidst the winter chills to the cafe he was at immediately after my friend saw him and heart thumps, it was so worth it heheh so handsome in real life *melts*
2. Shopping!
Korea is a haven for shopping! Many may associate shopping in Korea to be pricey, but not at all. You just have to know where to shop at. Famous places like Dongdaemun/Myeongdae are super pricey cos it's mainly targeted at the tourist. Let me introduce you to the best of the best of the best everrrrr - Express Bus Terminal (it's the name of the subway station too)! It's an underground shopping, a super long stretch where clothes found are the cheapest here. Other people may recommend Edae (ehwa women uni) as another popular shopping destination but trust me, you can get everything you find edae here, except even cheaper. Starting price for an item i.e. dress/skirt/top etc is 5000won (equiv S$6!!). Don't say I bojio :)
3. Provides you a legit excuse to be a vainpot
Y'know how in Singapore, whenever you dress slightly nicer and your friends ask you, "You going out today ah?". I cannot dress nicely whenever I want to for myself isit?!? I hate it when people ask cos it's as if I must have a reason to dress up. Not the case in Korea, people judge you if you go out looking like crap. Ok not really, but you'll feel the peer pressure seeing everyone well dressed there and want to look good as well. Not to forget how cosmetic/skincare is super affordable in Korea! Every 100m or less you walk you'll see a beauty store hahahha. You can easily get a lippie/eyebrow pencil at S$3, bbcream for S$10 and they're from the branded stores i.e. Innisfree, Nature Republic etc.
It's a chance for you to experiment different looks and not get judged. Check out some bright lippie I was so obssessed with back then :')
Personally I became so much vainer when I was there, learned to trim my eyebrows and started using all shades of lip products (fastest way to enhance your makeup look) and people kept commenting on how much more radiant I look ever since I got back. But not anymore ever since school took its toll on me once again and I got lazy to dress myself up cos no one really bother in SG anyway ):
4. You get to unleash the kiasu auntie/uncle in you. Freebies everywhere!
It's popular marketing tactic that the beauty stores use to encourage new purchase by giving free samples. Especially when you walk along the popular shopping street at Myeongdong, salesperson literally lead you into their stores with freebies like masks. I have collected such a huge stash of free samples that I don't have to worry about getting travel sized toiletries for a long time ahead hahha.
Kiasu tip: always throw the freebie in your bag once you enter the store with the freebie they put in the basket for you, some may collect it back from you if you leave the store empty handed HAHAHA
5. Seasons are changing and waves are crashing~
Personally I think Autumn is my favourite season cos the weather is amazing and the trees turn brown, soooooo pretty! But winter and snow is awesome too, even though Korea's winter can be abit too harsh hmm
Awkward pose somehow but imagine strolling along the autumn trees wooooooo
6. Live your adventures
Korea is a place to do many extreme sports. Bungee jump if you've the guts, or if not paragliding is super fun too. You get to jump off this cliff and disappear into the horizon. HAHA okay not really, just enjoy flying mid air and experience some heart plunge as you go further down woohoo. One of my personal best experience in Korea!
You can also hike if you're sporty enough (or not)! If I did it so can you :) This is me standing at the highest peak of Seoul, Bukhansan. I can't be any prouder to have checked this of my bucket list too!
7. Eat eat eat eat eat to live. FOODDDDDDD!
I can't really even name any food I don't like in Korea, I love how everything there is so spicy and hmmm so good. Koreans also believe that the redder the food, the better it is. This explains why most soup/stew e.g. kimchi soup, army stew are all so reddish hahaha.
If I have to narrow down to my favourite food in Korea, it'd be samgyupsal (bbq pork belly) and fried chicken!! I can't single any cos both are my absolute favourite! I've tried many fried chicken chains in Korea and all are amazing (my favourite is kyochon, you may order delivery!). Sad to say I can't find similar in Singapore, but I'm excited to know that KFC have recently launched a Korean inspired Yang Yeum (spicy sweet sauce) chicken!
BATTLE OF THE KFC WINGS
Freshly breaded in-store with a special batter, these juicy wings are cooked to crispy perfection and coated in your choice of two bold flavours – choose between the Japanese-inspired tangy yet savoury Umadare and the Korean-inspired sweet and spicy Yang Yeum. Who will be crowned king of the wings? You decide.
Pick a side and be part of KFC’s greatest wing-off. Hashtag #kfcoishii to support Umadare or #kfcmashisoyo to support Yang Yeum on Instagram!
I vote for #kfcmashisoyo. What about you?
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