This is our second time attending the Jazz and the City which is held at KT Art Hall near Kwanghwamun. Tickets are only 1000 won ($1) and different bands perform each day. Today, it was a group called Honey Circle and they were awesome. The band consisted of a saxophonist, a keyboardist, a guitarist, a bass guitarist, and a drummer. (Bass guitarist was the cutest!) But besides their look, the music was amazing and so was their stage manner. I became a total fan after today!
We took a group photo with the band after the show. I was so nervous here~
But it's kinda hard to tell who the band member is... Can you find the 5 of them?
I love Thai food but this was the first time visiting a Thai Restaurant since I moved to Seoul. I guess I got too carried away with the Korean food and been neglecting other cuisines. So anyway, I had high expectations for this place but Buddha's Belly did not disappoint me. I was nicely surprised by its modern interior and some people called this place a New Yorkish Thai restaurant in Itaewon. It has pretty good reviews and I definitely liked the food. The staff were friendly and spoke English, which was a nice change.
Spring Roll- (orchid not edible ^^)
Papaya Salad
Green Curry (one of my favorites)
I don't know what this one is called...
Pad Thai
Do you think my pictures are too dark? I don't like to use flash because it flushes out the color of the food but I don't know how to improve my food shots... any tip anyone?
I love this drama and so does most of the Koreans right now. It recorded 36% in rating which topped all of the dramas airing right now. This drama is about Eun-Jae, a good but poor girl who marries Kyobin who basically tricks her into marriage. Then he cheats on her with her best friend Eri and they both scheme to kill Eun-Jae by drowning her. But Eun-Jae is saved and later gets adopted into a rich family and she reappears as a different character, rich, beautiful, and sophisticated Sohee. She tricks everyone into believing that she's not Eun-Jae but Sohee and carries out her carefully planned revenge to her ex-husband and her best friend. Revenge is so sweet especially when it's done right! I think this drama gives a vicarious pleasure for all the women who's been cheated by their boyfriend or husband!
Samchong-dong is the new trendy place to shop & dine. I was nicely surprised to find such trendy stores, coffee shops & restaurants near Insa-dong. Well, if you come to Samchong-dong, you HAVE to go to the Beans Bins to try their waffle. It's so good! We ordered the green tea waffle and it came with a scoop of green tea ice cream and whipped cream on the side. It was unbelievably good... we finished it in a minute. OK, there were four of us attacking it but all of us just could not stop eating it! We should've ordered more but we just had full dinner and the waffle was kinda on the expensive side... 12,000 won or about $10 so we couldn't really afford to eat one by ourselves. I'm still shocked by the fact that dessert is more expensive than meal here. But I would still go back to this place. I'm already craving it~ Picture from outside This was hanging on the ceiling and I thought it was really pretty~ I don't know if you can see the menu but everything is so expensive. 12000won ($10) is the average price for a waffle here.
Green tea waffle with a scoop of green tea and whipped cream. Oh yeah, there's also slices of banana underneath the ice cream. Nice touch~ Yum yum!!
My favorite songs for January... Both are sad love songs about that dreaded & painful break up... Maybe it's the season for break up since most of the new songs this month are sad love songs.
김경록 of V.O.S. ft. Baby-J (Jewelry) 이젠 남이야 "We're now strangers"
A song about a couple breaking up and the painful regret about the failed relationship. Once the relationship ends, the person that you once loved so much becomes a stranger or even worse than a stranger, sometimes. Break ups are so hard to do & So sad... T.T
차라리 만나지 말걸 그랬나봐.. 이게 뭐야.. 결국 이렇게 될거면서.. 이젠 우리 그만 헤어지자..
우리 사랑 하지 말았어야 해 우리 우리 우리 사랑 하지 말았어야 돼 우리 그만 여기서 끝내자
우리 사랑해선 안 됐어야 해 우리 우리 우리 사랑 하지 말았어야 돼 우리 서로 반대로만 살자
우리 이젠 남이야 남보다 더 못한 사이야 서로가 상처만 주고 눈물만 흘리고 미움만 커지고 끝내
사랑같은 거 안해 그까짓 사랑 이제 싫어 다신 마주치지 마 내 얘기 하지 마 우린 남이니까
술에 취한 널 내가 기다릴 필요 없고 피곤해 하는 널 받아줄 일 없고 생일때마다 네게 서운해 할 일 없고 아무것도 너에게 난 바랄 일이 없어 근데 참 이상하지?? 네가 왜 걱정되지?? 나없인 아무 것도 못하는데.. 정말로 괜찮은지.. 네가 없인 변치 않지..
우리 이젠 남이야 남보다 더 못한 사이야 서로가 상처만 주고 눈물만 흘리고 미움만 커지고 끝내
Bobby Kim ★ 사랑...그 놈 "Love that awful thing" Another song about how lonely and painful LOVE is and how easy love comes and goes...but sure enough it always comes again...사랑은 또 온다...
늘 혼자 사랑하고 혼자 이별하고늘 혼자 추억하고 혼자 무너지고 사랑이란 놈 그 놈 앞에서 언제나 난 늘 빈털털일뿐 늘 혼자 외면하고 혼자 후회하고 늘 휘청거리면서 아닌 척을 하고 사랑이란 놈 그 놈 앞에서 언제나 난 늘 웃음거릴뿐 사랑해 널 사랑해 불러도 대답 없는 멜로디 가슴이 멍들고 맘에 문은 멀어도 다시 또 발길은 그 자리로 사랑해 또 사랑해 제 멋대로 왔다가 자기 맘대로 떠나간다 왔을때 처럼 아무말도 없이 떠나간다
늘 기억땜에 살고 추억에 울어도 늘 너를 잊었다고 거짓말을 해도 숨을 삼키듯 맘을 삼키고 그저 웃으며 손을 흔든다 사랑해 널 사랑해 목이 메여 불러도 너는 듣지 못할 그 한마디 고개 떨구며 사랑 앞에 난 또 서있다 사랑해 널 사랑해 제 멋대로 왔다가 자기 마음대로 떠나가고 왔을때 처럼 아무말도 없이 떠나가도 모른척 해도 날 잊는대도 사랑은 다시 또 온다 그래 아직 내 가슴은 믿는다 사랑 사랑은 다시 또 온다
This is suppose to be a blog about my adventures in Seoul including shopping, sightseeing, and eating but it just turned into Kelly's eating adventure. I seem to only eat and not do anything else... I shop sometimes but I think I definitely do eating more than any other activity. I'm always hungry and it's gotten worse since I got to Korea. It's just that there are endless list of famous restaurants and dishes and for the sake of my blog, I have to try new food and restaurants~ OK, it's my excuse trying to justify all the eating but there are really good Korean food here and CHEAP!
This restaurant that I visited recently near KU is famous for its jajang-udon and Mandoo soup. Most of its dishes are about $3 with all you can eat rice and banchan (side dishes).
See! Jajang udon is only 3000 won or $2.50! All you can eat banchan! They had kimchi, kaktugi (radish kimchi) and takuan I had the ox bone soup with kimchi mandoo, or is it kimchi mandoo ox bone soup? I don't know but I think you get the picture, right? The soup was so rich in flavor and I loved the egg & nori flakes on top!
This needs no explanation. It's samgyupsal (pork belly), favorite meat for all Koreans. I guarantee it! Just look at my pics and it's pretty much self explanatory. Yum~ I think I eat this at least 2-3 times a month. I know it's fattening but how can I resist this juicy meat? I eat 2 servings (or at least try to eat only 2 servings). I know some people who eat 10 servings by themselves but not me... I have self control!
I love pojangmacha and wanted to try one near our house. This is just few minutes away by cab in Bomun Market. Pojangmacha food is the best!
The first dish that we ordered was spicy 주꾸미 (tako, type of octopus) that you cook on the table on a hot stone. It was really spicy but I loved the mochi (the white circular pieces that you see above) that was nicely browned on the stone and chewy but tasty 주꾸미 legs that were well seasoned with kochujang sauce. It was 10000won, like most of the pojangmacha food, but well worth it.
A close up of the 주꾸미 or the octopus leg. Yummy~
Although it sounds gross, I love 닭똥집 or chicken gizzard. This dish is prepared differently depending on the restaurant and personally I don't really care how it's prepared. I like it yakitori style, spicy or just simply seasoned with salt and pepper. This restaurant seasoned the intestine with salt and pepper and I loved its simplicity that accentuated its natural flavor and chewiness. I also liked the vegetables that came with it, such as onions, green peppers and garlic. It definitely helped us soothe our burning taste buds from the spicy 주꾸미 (octopus).
Oh my god, when we thought spicy octopus was hot, 골뱅이 무침 (seasoned escargot) topped it off! We had to eat the somen noodles to ease the burning from the sauce and asked for few more refills of the somen noodles. This dish apparently can be moderated in its spiciness so we asked for normal spiciness but this is where we made the MISTAKE. When Koreans ask you how hot, you answer not spicy! This will still be spicy for the most of us, even those of you who think they can handle spicy food. We should've definitely asked for not hot! I still feel the burning sensation in my mouth. Nonetheless, spiciness is addicting and we still ended up finishing up the dish while letting steam off of our tongues!
I bet you will never find this in the States... rotisserie chicken truck in the middle of a street! I love this truck! I see this truck everyday in front of my bus stop. The smell is just torturously good and it's only 6000 won, which is like 5 bucks for the whole chicken. I always have to try to resist my temptation to buy it when I'm waiting for my bus. I wanted to start on my diet which meant no fried food but the smell is just too painfully good~ You have to smell it to know what i mean. I love street foods in Korea and this has to be one of my favorites. Yum-yum!!! And these street foods make it impossible for anyone to be on a diet!
This hole-in-the-wall restaurant is called Kwang hwa mun jip or Kwanghwamun House. It only serves kimchi chige, keranmari (tamagoyaki or egg roll) & spicy pork. Don't be fooled by its shabby appearance because this place is famous! It's located near many foreign embassies and you'll find both local Koreans & foreigners alike lined up to eat here.
This is serving for 2, cooked right on your table. They have it premade so as soon as you sit, they bring this out even before you order since everyone who comes here eats kimchi chige. It's 10000won but it was more than enough for the 3 of us.
Keranmari or egg roll was really fluffy and perfectly seasoned. I hate egg rolls that are too salty or sweet but this one was just perfect. The color, texture, taste, and smell... I tried to replicate this at home but it's really hard to make it this fluffy.
If you go to Korea University, you have to stop by at Napa. Ok, it's not the California winery you probably thought of but seriously this is what Korea University students call this pajun, makgulli joint. It's actually short for Nagune Pajun, taking the first syllable of each word. Korea University is known for its drinking especially makgulli. It was my first time trying this white, milky-colored, tangy drink but it's really smooth and before I knew it I drank 2 bottles! Of course knowing me, I didn't feel anything but a small buzz, but it really is a good drink that complements your food. Everyone that comes to Napa orders Makgulli with seafood pajun and deep fried stuffed peppers. You see the size of the pepper? And the pajun was also stuffed with seafood that is at least an inch thick! The best pajun ever!!!! It's only 8000won ($6.15) each. Can you beat this price? I don't think so! I love Korea!
Apparently there are a lot of makgulli brands out there but this one, Seoul Makgulli is most popular amongst the young Koreans. I definitely prefer this brand. It's 3000 won or ($2). And it definitely tastes better when you drink it out of this stainless bowl.
Pajun or chijimi (Japanese people call this chijimi) was huge and thick! I loved all the squid legs that were in there along with pa (green onion). The crust was perfectly crispy and the inside was cooked just right. I'm salivating as I'm writing this. It was THAT good and only for 8000won!
When I first saw the pepper tempura, I thought 'man those are some huge peppers!' I was nicely surprised to find after my first bite that it was actually stuffed pepper, stuffed with some kind of meat (I'm assuming pork because beef would be too expensive to use) and once again very crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. This one also only cost 8000 won. This has to be the signature dish here. Highly highly recommended!
This is one of my favorite restaurants near Korea University. When I look for a place to eat lunch near school, it has to meet few criteria. It has to be 1) less than 2-minute walk 2) cost less than 3500 won ($2.70) and 3) refillable. Since it's been like 20 degrees everyday, I only seem to crave hot spicy soup and I found a place that met all my tough criteria. As you can see from the picture above, this noodle house is known for its 바지락 (clam) soup base. I had the 얼큰이 (ulkuni, or spicy) which basically is kimchi noodle soup with mandoo, clams, bean sprouts and of course, kimchi. In a cold weather and also if you have a hang over, this is the perfect soup for you. But the biggest reason why I like this place has to be owner lady who remembers everyone. (She remembered that I still had my cold) She is so nice, she even offers rice if we want to add rice in the soup and yes, soup is refillable.
I went to my first live jazz cafe in Daehangno called 천년동안도 (Chun Nyun Dong An Do, which can be translated as 'For Thousand Years.') Daehangno in Seoul is a college town area, with many options of entertainment. It is especially known for its live music cafes, theaters, comedy shows and wine & coffee shops. You'll find many young Koreans (including myself ^_^) hanging around here. Lots of things to see, eat & drink!!
As for the jazz cafe 천년동안도 that we visited, it was very cramped with tables and chairs all facing the stage. You definitely feel like they overstuffed that place with too many tables. We got to sit at the very front which was nice but I had a pillar in front of me that blocked the view of the drummer. He did some cool tricks with his drum sticks but missed most of it from the blocked view. :( oh well. As for the menu, drinks were very expensive. I had to pay 12,000 Won ($15) for my cosmo and 9500 Won ($11) for my Hoegaarden, oh also 8500 Won ($10) for the performance. It got pretty pricey but I really enjoyed it. Hopefully I get to visit more live jazz cafes...
What do you do for your New Year's? Celebrate with your friends & family? Make a new year resolution? Well, for many Koreans, they visit their favorite tent fortuneteller! These tents are all over Seoul and they do tarot card reading, palm/face readings, and also saju, which is your fate determined by the date and time of your birth. You can also have specific reading done, such as your love fortune, marriage fortune, job fortune, and your study abroad fortune (whatever that means!). Anyway, it's an ala carte of fortune telling and if you are into this kind of stuff, it's pretty entertaining. As for me, I got my love reading done with tarot cards, and I think she was pretty on it for the most part. We'll see if I really do meet someone new between March and June of this year...
I am so excited that I'm finally starting my own blog! I did start a small food blog on Myspace before but since I don't do Myspace anymore, I figured I would resort to something more mainstream like blogger. Let's see how long this lasts... I hope it won't end up as one of my short-lived flings. It took me so long to find a cute background and this is what I got. I don't love it 100% but it'll do for now. I'm just realizing how difficult it is to be creative again. *sigh*
It's my first blog and my first return to Korea in 20 years. This is year 2 of my life in Seoul and the lauching of my blog, Eat Play & Love. Hopefully I can update it frequently with more great food, entertainment, and travel.
Thanks for visiting my site. Just so that I know who to thank, leave me comments! I'm still a baby blogger so I would appreciate any feedback from you.
This is our second time attending the Jazz and the City which is held at KT Art Hall near Kwanghwamun. Tickets are only 1000 won ($1) and different bands perform each day. Today, it was a group called Honey Circle and they were awesome. The band consisted of a saxophonist, a keyboardist, a guitarist, a bass guitarist, and a drummer. (Bass guitarist was the cutest!) But besides their look, the music was amazing and so was their stage manner. I became a total fan after today!
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