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Pepero Sticks Can't Take the Heat
2007-07-09 16:27:00
If you're coming over to teach English in Korea, get ready for Pepero Day, which falls on November 11th. Pepero is virtually the same as Pocky (but don't mention that to your students, as some of them are sensitive towards all things Japan). Anyways, I've been posting about the weather here in Seoul that has been warming up and how to deal with it. I received lots of comments and even suggestions on what one should do to cope with the heat.Speaking of coping with the heat, you know it's hot in Seoul when your Pepero chocolate comes melted, resulting in one large clump of chocolate covered sticks--and that's from a vending machine! These poor packs of Pepero probably felt the wrath of the sticky weather during transport in the back of a truck.Anyways, one of the kids in my Tuesday/Thursday classes, Jenny, always shows up early. She lives five minutes away so she just comes early to hang out. I told Jenny that if she was willing to go to the vending machine on the second floor (w...
More About: Weather , Food , Teaching , Heat , Stick

Transformers the Movie + Corn Ice Cream = Wow
2007-07-07 17:50:00
So in keeping up with the recent humid and hot weather, here's something that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Today is Saturday and we had to work! Yes, I know...working on Saturday sucks, BUT there is a good reason for this. When the Constitution Day holiday falls on the 17th, we'll get the 16th off as well, giving us a four day weekend!Today at school I had 9 students show up for my first class and only ONE student for my last class. I can't imagine showing up for three hours at your English academy on a Saturday, but that's student life in Korea. Oh, might I add that on every other week, most students attend school on Saturdays. So I had kids that came straight from school after leaving school. FUN FUN FUN!After work, we headed to the Megabox to watch Transformers . This blockbuster pulled in almost $28 million on its opening night, on a Tuesday (the biggest Fourth of July opening ever, beating out the $22 million Spiderman 2 made in 2004). It raked in $12.4 million in South Korea on...
More About: Movie , Entertainment , Ice Cream , Corn

Naengmyeon Weather is Back
2007-07-07 15:49:00
It's starting to get hot and humid in Seoul--so hot that my pants stick to my legs when I am walking to work and I'm in a deep sweat by the time I arrive. To solve this problem, I've been rolling my pants up to get some ventilation for my legs (since we're not allowed to wear shorts at work). I don't really care what people think, as long as I can reduce my perspiration levels due to this sticky weather. Hey, didn't you know that farmer rolls on jeans are coming back in style? Heck, anything goes in Korean fashion so I might as well join the club.One of the best ways to stay cool is eating Mul-Naengmyeon (noodles in an icy beef broth) on a hot and muggy afternoon like it was today. I remember my first experience with naengmyeong when I first arrived in Korea. I couldn't believe I was eating noodles served in an icy broth--now it's one of my favorite foods to eat. I've even purchased the make-your-own-naengmyeon-at-home packs from Homever (homemade naengmyeon coming soon). W...
More About: Weather , Reviews , Food , Restaurants , Back

Dubai Duty Free: Sponsored by Tang
2007-07-06 15:38:00
What did you do this past Christmas? If you recall, we spent our Christmas in the United Arab Emirates. Devante's parents are working there so we were lucky enough to visit Dubai and Ras Al-Khaimah. Man, talk about an awesome experience, traveling to the Middle East. It definitely was an experience that we will always remember. We might end up in Dubai or RAK in the future, who knows. Anyways, this post comes about six months too late. I was meaning to post this earlier, so for those interested (which should be all of you, right?) here is our experience at the Dubai Duty Free .Before we continue, here are some of the highlights from our trip:Flying from Seoul to Dubai aboard EmiratesArriving in Dubai: The Burj Al-Arab "7 Star" HotelUp and coming Ras Al-Khaimah (aka RAK)The Hilton Beach Club (swimming in the Persian Gulf)Christmas Brunch at Al Hamra Fort Hotel and Beach ResortFast food in the Middle EastHitting the links at Tower Links Golf ClubWild goats and camels roaming around in...
More About: Travel , Sponsored , Tang

Our Final Trip to TGI Friday's
2007-07-05 15:19:00
Ahh, there's nothing better than eating a western meal at a large American restaurant chain. In South Korea, TGI Friday's, along with Bennigan's, Black Angus, and Outback are the major steak house chains (don't forget the 10% auto-gratuity added to your bill). There is a TGI Friday's in the same building as our work. We've been there about 3-4 times during our time in Seoul. Today would mark our last visit to this TGI Friday's location, notorious for its lack of food consistency! What was in store today? Let's find out!I usually order the Friday's Burger, a monstrous bacon and cheeseburger (Australian beef) served with fries. However, when I tried to order the burger for lunch today, I was told they were all out! I was quite flabbergasted considering the restaurant was empty. So, naturally I chose another dish and ended up with their crispy chicken salad. Devante opted for the fail safe chicken quesadilla. Let's take a look at our lunch today, shall we?Here is my salad--as...
More About: Reviews , Food , Restaurants , Final , Trip

Campus Couples Yet Again...and Mirrors
2007-07-04 16:31:00
To my fellow American readers, Happy 4th of July (and happy birthday to Doug)!Here we go again. If you haven't seen my posts about them already, campus couples are out in full effect now that the weather is heating up. I am still debating as to whether or not Devante and I will try this out, for pictures sake (actually, there is no discussion!). The following photo was a first for me: seeing a couple literally dressed the same from head to toe. Check out their jeans and their Nike shoes (this was taken on the way back from Christina Aguilera):This campus couple shot was taken on the weekend...they were waiting to get on the subway. I wasn't sure if they were sporting the same tshirts until I stood behind them. Low and behold, the shirts were matching! You can see a Mickey Mouse outline with the text, "released in 1935, for the best condition," which means...umm...just what does that mean? Ah, the joys of Korean fashion! :)I mentioned this before, but here we go again. There are mi...
More About: Campus , Couples , Mirrors

Cigarettes and Toothpaste in Korea!
2007-07-02 17:09:00
As I mentioned before, this is one of the busier times when people will be coming to teach English in Korea . Most teachers have their one year contracts coming to a close (including yours truly...don't cry!) Anyways, I've received numerous emails from people asking about the best places to live and things to bring. I will be starting a mini series of "Things to Bring" posts coming soon, so stay tuned for that.In the meantime, how about a post about something different? Possibly one of the weirdest combinations, cigarettes and toothpaste! If you're a smoker and are soon coming to Korea to teach English, you will be entering tobacco heaven. Cigarettes (a.k.a. "cancer sticks" by some) are dirt cheap here--a pack will only set you back 2000w-3000w! ($2-$3USD)! Compared to prices in Canada, where cigarettes are heavily taxed (a pack can cost up $7-8US), this can be a substantial savings for you--yeehaw! These low prices will come in handy when you need that "smoke break" from screamin...
More About: Household , Toothpaste , Paste

Nintendo DS Lite: Bonding with Strangers
2007-07-01 14:36:00
Happy CANADA DAY to everyone back home! Please celebrate on my behalf by: eating bacon, drinking maple syrup/beer, and playing/watching hockey! :) Last year I attended a "Canada Day" party at Devante's house, but it was actually a surprise retirement party for her dad! Man, time flies...Before I arrived in South Korea, I had purchased a Nintendo DS Lite in Canada. So far, I've been addicted to my Nintendo and playing it whenever I have a spare moment. One of the best features of the DS is the wireless feature which enables you to connect with other players who also have a DS. Every since the DS Lite was released in South Korea in the early spring of this year, I've seen the number of DS units grow at an exponential rate (many kids at work have them). Nintendo has sold over 42,000,000 units (yes, 42 million!) worldwide since the DS was introduced in 2004!Sooo...after always spotting people playing their DS Lites on the subway, I decided to start bringing my DS with me so I could a...
More About: Technology , Entertainment , Transportation

Eating Auntie Anne's Pretzels in South Korea
2007-06-30 14:38:00
There are lots of places to buy snacks in Seoul. One thing that hit me by surprise was the large concentration of Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Starbucks, and Coffee Bean locations on every street corner. This is to go along with the plethora of convenience stores and Krispy Kreme locations. One of the largest American pretzel chains, Auntie Anne's is highly popular in Korea and can be found within the food court of many Hyundai Department Stores.Since I love eating food (you probably do too I assume) here are some pictures of my first Auntie Anne's pretzel. Although there are locations in Canada, there were no locations near my home in BC. Regardless, South Korea ns are crazy about Auntie Anne's pretzels just like they are crazy about Krispy Kreme. There are always huge line ups for fresh pretzels! EDIT: Here's a fresh picture of their line ups taken today!For 2000w ($2USD) you can wrap your hands around fresh baked pretzel. I didn't take a picture of the line up because I was...
More About: Shopping , Reviews , Food

My First PC Bang Experience in South Korea!
2007-06-29 16:53:00
If you're not already aware, South Korea is one of the world's hot spots when it comes to playing video games online. You might remember from my earlier post about Starcraft in South Korea . Kids and adults play games such as Sudden Attack (very similar to CounterStrike), MapleStory, and the most popular game of all--Starcraft (or "Star" in Konglish)!Anyways, I had my first PC Bang/Starcraft experience recently. I have always heard that these PC Bangs were notorious for being smoky--those stories are true indeed. After finishing our time in the PC Bang, my clothes smelled like I had just come out of a pub. I went to this PC Bang the same day that I visited the 2007 Seoul Wine Market with Tae, Jay-hook, and Sam-jahng (did I get your guys' names right? I need a keyboard with Hangul, hehe). All three of them are Starcraft veterans and when I mentioned about wanting to experience a PC Bang in Korea, finding one was not difficult at all! They are literally on every street corner in the...
More About: Entertainment , Experience

One Year Blog Anniversary: 378 days later!
2007-06-28 05:49:00
When I first started the idea of blogging about our experiences teaching English in Korea, I had no idea that I would have come this far. The first post on The Daily Kimchi was a minor introduction. In the past year, I have posted 483 posts in 378 days (I started this blog on June 15th, 2006), which works out to roughly 1.28 posts/day, fulfilling my goal of keeping this kimchi coming to you daily. I completely forgot about my one year blog anniversary until I read about Jon Allen's post about Korean blogs that have lasted a year.This blog now averages over 500 unique visitors and just under 1000 page views per day. Currently this blog has surpassed 90,000 visits! Thanks to ZenKimchi and My Korean Kitchen for the influx of visitors. I've had fun interacting with YOU, my loyal readers (some of you are: Sandra, hirocakep, john from daejeon, daeguowl, imoet, estlxlan, g^2, Natasha, Sue, Lily, Catherine June, annamatic, eliza bennet, yen nie, Leo, Ed, Michae...
More About: Internet , Anniversary , Blogging , Blog , Days

Go Green: Shrek 3 The Movie at McDonald's
2007-06-27 16:58:00
Remember about a month ago, back in June when it was Memorial Day in Korea? That day we went and enjoyed Shrek 3 . I thought it was the best movie out of the Shrek series. The addition of Justin "I'm Bringing Sexy Back" Timberlake to the cast as the voice of Artie was awesome. The whine and high pitched squeal of JT's voice was perfect for the role.Anyways, everybody and their grandma (or ajuma) loves Shrek here in South Korea. McDonald's recently had a Shrek 3 campaign (and also introduced BREAKFAST) and the last time I checked, it's still going on. They have some Shrek-themed flurries, sundaes, and milkshakes. What's the secret ingredient for the color green? You guessed it--kiwi!Here's a Shrek combo for ya...notice for 1500w ($1.50US) you can buy a Pork Cutlet burger (does this taste like donkahss?):Kiwi flavored flurry, kiwi-inspired sundae, and a green milkshake. If you eat all three of these at one time your face will turn green:Looky, looky, it's Fiona working at McDona...
More About: Movie , Entertainment , Food , Green

Maximizing Maxim Mocha Gold Coffee
2007-06-25 17:05:00
Coming over to teach English in Korea anytime soon? Around this time of the year, many private hagwons are hiring teachers to replace the ones that will be leaving soon. It's hard to believe that yours truly has been teaching in Seoul for almost a year now. Our contracts are up at the end of next month and we will be heading home. Where will we go next? That is a good question. Right now, we have many options, with Dubai being one of them. I will fill you in the near future.Anyways, one of my first "South Korea" moments that I experienced after arriving was having my first cup of Maxim Mocha Gold coffee, in a tiny paper cup. It's a quick coffee that packs a punch, however some might find there is too much sugar and artificial creamer in the packet. I'm going to show you how to reduce this into the perfect cup of coffee that can be balanced to your liking.First, pinch 1 inch down on the right of the packet so your fingers cover the coffee cup image. Then, cut open the package and ...
More About: Food , Coffee , Teaching

Christina Aguilera: Live in Seoul and Speaking Korean!
2007-06-25 16:12:00
Remember a while back when I first posted about Christina Aguilera coming to Seoul? Well, her concert took place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. We decided to head down to Olympic Park to check out the concert last night! We did not have tickets booked in advanced and were hoping to buy tickets either at the door or from scalpers.Upon arriving to Olympic Park (we got mixed up and first go off Line 2 at the Sports Complex Station) which is located in Jamsil (remember Lotteworld?) we started our walk into the park. However, there was problem--we didn't see a stadium! So we asked a fellow nearby on a scooter if he knew where the stadium was. He told us to wait a moment in Korean (cham-see-mahn-yo) and got his English speaking friend (there was a group of them on scooters) to help us. She told us they were heading to the concert too and that it was just on the other side of the park. We thanked them for their help but 30 seconds later......we hear them pull up beside us, and ask i...
More About: Entertainment , Reviews , Live

Random Pictures of the Day
2007-06-23 18:35:00
I have a folder on my laptop that I fill up with pictures that are blogworthy. Sometimes I get a back log since there are just too many things to write about. When it comes to blogging, you should set goals and such for blah blah blah...in a nutshell, I just blog about what I feel like writing about that day. It keeps things light, easy and fun.Soooo, with that being said...here are a few random pictures that I've accumulated with my weekly trips to bbq dinners or lunches. This photo is taken from the 24 hour bbq place near Omokgyo Station. At one point I was eating there quite frequently so I had a chance to interact with the staff the odd time. It was particularly smoky on this day, so when we placed our jackets down beside us, one of the workers proceeds to stuff them all into a plastic bag! That was a first for us (hey, at least our jackets would be smoke free; I told you these pictures are old!):Family members always bug me about "where are all your recent food pictures?"...so...
More About: Pictures , Random , The D

Presenting: Seoul Best Toilet, December 18, 2003
2007-06-23 16:49:00
After an interesting Saturday, we ended up at Sizzler in Hyehwa for dinner. You might remember how I conquered Sizzler the last time here. Well, today I was going to post pictures of my food for you to enjoy, but this time I opted to keep the camera at bay while I stuffed myself silly.What I will present today is the "Seoul Best Toilet , 2003.12.18" for your viewing pleasure. You can find theses special little gems littered throughout the city--washrooms that have won the prestigious "Seoul Best Toilet" award. This has been the second award-winning restroom I have seen in Seoul, the other being at a park in Mokdong (its standards had dropped after winning the award I must say). How can you tell a "Seoul Best Toilet" winner versus a regular toilet? Well, for starters there is a monstrous plaque plastered to the wall near the restroom doors.After taking that first step into a "Seoul Best Toilet", you tend to reminisce about all the other horrible washrooms you've encountered and embra...
More About: Presenting , December , Resent

The World's Smallest Karaoke Room
2007-06-22 05:56:00
We have another installment of my ongoing "The World's _______" list of things that I've spotted while teaching English in South Korea. This time around this exclusive post comes from an old school arcade that was located in Insadong. Not familiar with my special list of posts? Take a trip down memory lane if you haven't already:The World's Most Expensive Maple SyrupThe World's Worst Goldfish BowlThe World's Most Heavily Defended BorderThe World's Most Expensive MangoRemember the days when hanging out at arcades was the thing to do? Think back to the days of Streetfighter, Mortal Kombat, and miscellaneous shooting games. This place had machines that had old classics such as Bubble Bobble. However, the one thing that caught my eye was a long row of stalls along one wall. Turns out these little stalls are individual "norebangs" for 1 or 2 people. Now this is what you call the World's Smallest Kara oke Room :Check this out...inside, we have a small monitor, a portable fan to keep...
More About: Entertainment

How to Get Free Things in South Korea
2007-06-21 16:26:00
When you're out wandering the streets of Seoul, there is always something to see, especially if you hit up the main attractions that have lots of people. During a recent visit to Insadong (when I took pictures of Lotus Lanterns) I found myself getting lured to every crowded stall or miscellaneous line up. What's one of the best way to get free things in South Korea ?The "monkey see, monkey do" phenomenon sure is fun, don't you agree? Just because there are a lot of people densely crowded around a stall, does that mean you should show up to investigate what's going on? OF COURSE YOU SHOULD! Anyways, our curiosity paid off as Tae and myself were able to score some free frozen yogurt and popcorn (we passed on the helium balloons)!The streets of Insadong are always crowded on the weekends:Waiting in line for "ice cream free" is quite the way to spend your Saturday afternoon:Here's a video of me receiving my ice cream (it tasted like frozen yogurt):What's the best way to cleanse you...
More About: Food , South Korea , Free

Maybe I'll Get Lucky Again!
2007-06-19 17:37:00
The last time I entered a contest online--I won! That was Stephen Fung's USB drive giveaway which arrived late last week. Thanks again, Stephen!This time around, I am going to try my luck again with another contest. John Chow dot Com, a blog that helps you make money is giving away a brand new 24? wide screen LCD monitor (it's an LG, I might add--SOUTH KOREA)! To enter, you just have to write about it. He says the contest is open worldwide and he will ship abroad as well. The contest is sponsored by BlueFur, who wants to let you know that they?re hosting Canada and the rest of the world.Here's a picture of my 512mb USB drive courtesy of Stephen Fung. He was nice enough to blast it off my before his worldwide tour of Asia (thanks again)! To answer your burning question, yes, I did pop the bubble wrap. Next up, bring on my 24" LCD! :)
More About: Internet , Blogging , Lucky , Luck

Frozen Yogurt: Pinkberry in LA, Red Mango in South Korea
2007-06-19 16:25:00
If you are not aware, there currently is red hot frozen yogurt war going on in Los Angeles. There's a frozen yogurt chain called Pinkberry (also known as "Crackberry" to many celebrities, such as the locked up Paris Hilton; the original "Crackberry" is Research in Motion's wireless handheld device, the Blackberry). One blogger suggests it could become the next Starbucks. Some say it's a knock off of the Red Mango frozen yogurt chain in South Korea . I've never tried Pinkberry, but I'd like to compare the taste with Red Mango.There is a Red Mango location about 5 minutes away from us in Mokdong. With the weather heating up, I expect us to be making a few more visits in the near future. Here are a few recent pictures from our trips to Red Mango. I must admit, this frozen yogurt tastes awesome--some of the best I've ever had. It definitely helps cool you down on a humid and hot summer's day.This was from the Mokdong location. We ordered a regular sized frozen yogurt with five top...
More About: Reviews , Food , South Korea

Tony the Tiger in South Korea
2007-06-18 05:31:00
I have to be up early tomorrow to head to Yatap Station (it takes 1.5 hours to get there from Mokdong) to do some filming for the online lessons that our students watch. So I will post something interesting tomorrow for your reading pleasure. I just had to create a lesson plan on what I am going to do for tomorrow. Since I am traveling so far, I also have to wake up to get ready at 7:30am--I usually get up at 10:00am (sleeping in rules, baby)!Anyways, I'll leave you with a picture of my breakfast tomorrow morning. As you can see, they are frosted flakes but they are whole wheat. Whole wheat cereal helps keep Tony the Tiger regular!
More About: Food , Korea , South Korea , Blogging , Teaching

Pictures of Seoul at Night: Down by the Han River
2007-06-17 09:17:00
Lately, the weather has been amazing in Seoul . It has been quite warm and the humidity has also been at a reasonable level. This past weekend, the sky was clear blue and we could actually see Seoul Tower from our officetel since it was not hazy out. I thought this would also make for an excellent opportunity to head down to Yeouido for some pictures at night.About six months ago I picked up a Canon XTi/400D/Kiss Digital X digital SLR camera. I've had a lot of fun playing and experimenting with the camera, but there is still a lot for me to learn. I wanted to test out some long exposures so on Saturday night I made a trip out to Yeouido and setup shop along the banks of the Han River .Here is one of the few shots I managed to take (with a $45 tripod from the camera shops in Namdaemun):A lot of people were lighting off fireworks and these folks just so happened to have some fun right in front of me. Smile, you're on camera!I usually keep a spare battery with me at all times. However,...
More About: Pictures , Night

Campus Couple Saturday: Korean Fashion Tips
2007-06-16 16:55:00
Here we go again with another installment of Campus Couple Saturday. Other blogs that I read in the blogosphere have similar themed posts every week. Want some health tips from a cast member of Battlestar Galactica? Or how about a weekly update of random blogs across the internet?I figured I'd join in on the fun, but this time around it's going to be by posting images of similarly dressed couples in South Korea. What are the current fashion trends right now in Korea? I'm not sure, but you might find out here. It's getting very hot now, so people are starting to wear shorts, tshirts, mini skirts (wait a minute, that's all year round--even in -10 degrees Celsius), tank tops, heels, flip flops,...etc. The second installment of Campus Couple Saturday is about to begin. Are you ready? Let's go!This couple was spotted in Myeongdong, which is a hot place to find couples dressed the same. Just camp in one spot and shoot away! I don't know who's more adorable, the guy or the girl! Ma...
More About: Fashion , Tips , Korean

Taking a Tour of Changdeok Palace
2007-06-15 03:28:00
There are "Five Grand Pala ce s" in Seoul and so far I have visited two of them. The biggest and grandest palace is Gyeongbokgung. The other palace I've checked out is Deoksugung. Today, you're going to see the third palace I've added to my list, Changdeokgung. This palace was registered as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1997.According to the Life in Korea website:"Construction of Changdok Palace (historic site #122) was started in 1405 by King T'aejong, and it was completed in 1412. In 1463, King Sejo expanded the palace and created Biwon (secret) Garden. The Japanese burned all the buildings during 1592. Although rebuilt, many of the buildings have burned and been rebuilt several times. Thirteen of Korea's kings lived here for a total of over 270 years, a longer period than at Gyeongbok Palace. The palace grounds cover over 110 acres. Thirteen of the original buildings remain, with an additional 28 in Biwon Garden."The interesting about Changdeok Palace is that you must be accompani...
More About: Tour , Lace , Taking

How to Find Parking at Costco in Korea
2007-06-14 02:33:00
Here's the best way to find a parking spot at Costco in Korea . Forget dealing with finding a spot on the street (or on the sidewalk) because you won't find any. Wide open spaces are unavailable here for parking lots so they are usually underground or up above.Here's a video of how to find parking at Costco. You drive into individual elevators that take you to the underground parkade. On busy days, this could take you a long time to either leave or enter the premises (let's hope the elevator doesn't get stuck while you're in it, that would suck!):Another interesting tidbit of information, is that most drivers will leave their cell phone numbers on their dash so you can call them to move their double parked cars. Also, some drivers leave their cars in neutral so people who are boxed in can push their car out of the way. The following video is courtesy of Bryan from his blog, Student in Korea--how to properly push a car out of the way:
More About: Shopping , Parking , Find

Flying Cows Consulting: Teaching In Korea Made Easy
2007-06-13 04:05:00
Teaching in South Korea can be an exciting journey, but finding a job can be a daunting task. There are so many opportunities out there it is hard to choose from all of them. One option is to find jobs yourself but that can take some work. What to do? For starters, you can turn to Flying Cows Consulting for help. As one of the loyal readers of my blog, Flying Cows Consulting has ordered up the following review through ReviewMe.Flying Cows Consulting has a tag line that says "Teaching in South Korea...without the Bull!". This tag line is true of their services offered, as their website is up front and to the point. Their website is easy to navigate and is pleasant to the eye.FCC provides excellent content for the first time job-seeker looking for information about teaching and living in South Korea. All the relevant information you are looking for is at your fingertips, including the following topics:Quick Facts for ApplicantsWhy Teach English in South Korea?About South KoreaApplica...
More About: Internet , Reviews , Blogging

Bulgogi Bros: No Relation to the Super Mario Bros.
2007-06-12 16:58:00
A few months ago, a new restaurant opened up next door to our work. In typical Korean tradition, I've noticed that whenever businesses change hands, the entire building is gutted from head to toe and renovated. This was the case for the two-story building next door--it was gutted and revamped into a new restaurant, called Bulgogi Bros. Bulgogi stands for "beef" in Korean, so translated, it's literally the "beef brothers"!South Korea has some of the most expensive beef prices in the world. So when you're out dining, eating beef can be quite pricey for the quantity that you receive. I am always keen on trying out new restaurants. Even though we knew our experience at Bulgogi Bros. would cost higher than average, we went anyways--hey, you gotta live a little, people!Bulgogi Bros. is a couple steps up from your neighborhood bulgogi joint. The interior is nicely decorated and the decor is very modern and chic. Tables are nicely spaced apart, unlike the "I'm a sardine in a can" feelin...
More About: Reviews , Food , Restaurants , Super , Mario

South Koreans Gone Wild!
2007-06-11 15:18:00
The overconsumption of alcohol can do many interesting things to people. It's an easy way to make friends on the subway and help you fall asleep. It can also make you dress up like your favorite comic book character in 30 degree Celsius weather, on a Saturday!Just outside of the 2007 Seoul Wine Market, there was another convention going on. It was some sort of comic book convention and hundreds of people were having some fun dressed up as various comic book/animation characters. Either there wasn't really a convention going on, or they had one too many samples of wine from the Wine Market! I present to you...South Kore ans Gone Wild (not to be confused with Girls Gone Wild)!These girls were playing some sort of game, almost similar to "Simon says":Sailor Moon's South Korean counterparts (they are supposed to be Sailor Moon, right?! Correct me if I'm wrong!):Playing the violin is more enjoyable when you're wearing a light blue wig:Everybody was waiting for the convention to open....
More About: Entertainment

Buying Wine At The 2007 Seoul Wine Market
2007-06-10 16:31:00
There's nothing better than sampling a fine wine. The aromas of the grapes and the subtle flavors that linger on your palate are really shine--when you're tasting a sample from a mini Dixie cup! On Saturday I wound up going to the 2007 Seoul Wine Mark et with some Korean friends. A couple of them were huge wine fanatics, so we met at Yangjae Station (near Gangnam) and took a bus to a convention hall where it was being held. This was an enjoyable day, so let's take a look at what I experienced at this wine market!Welcome...come one, come all. Admission was 10,000w ($10USD), but it included a 10,000w voucher that could be used towards buying wine. So basically they are forcing you to spend money on wine--more on this later!It was a fair busy Saturday afternoon with lots of people at the event, even the kids:The event's last day was Sunday, so if you didn't make it, check out this small clip, just for you:Everybody purchased or brought their own wine glass to sample the plethora of...
More About: Reviews , Buying

Free Hugs in Korea Gone Bad
2007-06-09 16:30:00
You've heard of the Free Hugs Campaign by now right? It is a worldwide phenomenon that is a random act of kindness. People setup in public places holding up a placard that says "Free Hugs". I have to say the Free Hugs Campaign in Kore a is alive and kicking.Anyways, check out the following video of a Free Hugs Korea campaign gone bad. From my knowledge, they are supposed to actually hug you right? Well, while we were in Myeongdong last weekend we spotted some girls holding their signs proudly. So I decided to have some fun and put their Free Hugs gig to the test--by hugging both of them at the same time. Too bad they did not reciprocate, as they seemed a bit embarrassed by the whole situation (probably because there was a camera in their face...hehe). Check it out for yourself (I just got a haircut in the morning):This is a Free Hugs in Korea video on YouTube that has had 1.2 million views...how it is really supposed to work:Have you hugged anyone recently or been given a "free hug"?
More About: N Korea