I am going to start shinning the spotlight on Korean musicians who I feel deserve some attention. Therefore, the first musician I would like to highlight is a pianist named Yiruma. Many of his songs are world famous and I really love listening to them when I am relaxing. When I was at my university I heard one of his songs and I recognized it. It seemed familiar and for some unknown reason it comforted me. It was later that I think I made the connection as to the reason why. I am pretty sure that one of my really old childhood music carousels played his song and that I had heard it while growing up. Then I learned that he was a Korean pianist and it just felt like fate. By this time I already was fond of South Korea, as well as their music, so it was fate I stumbled across a comforting, familiar sound. I often listen to his music when I want to relax, feel hopeful, and when I have things to think about. His skills as a pianist are next level, and in addition he sings in some of his songs. I think that two of his most famous songs are "Kiss the Rain" and "River Flows in You." He is a great musician who has dedicated nearly his whole life to studying piano. I hope that by sharing some information about him anyone who read my posts will give him chance. It won't be a waste of time I promise, even if you aren't big on classical music. I think since he is such a spectacular pianist he at least deserves the chance to win you over before you say it isn't your style of music. His website in English can be found here. Click here for his YouTube channel.
Some other song favorites of mine include:
It's Your Day
May Be
All Myself to You
Spring Rain
The Sunbeams...They Scatter
그 끝에는 내가 잊을까?
Dream
사랑하기를 (Beloved)
Sky
Journey
Love Me
나의 마음속엔 강이 흐른다
Here is a YouTube video from his channel of one of his best known songs: River Flows in You
This is going to be a shorter and simple post. I wanted to say that I stayed here for two nights on my recent visit to Seoul. All in all it was worth the price, which was very affordable. I just needed somewhere to sleep, shower, and store my things. So this place was perfect. I stayed in the 6 person bunk-room with other travelers. Everyone staying at the hostel seemed friendly and nice, it was a welcoming atmosphere. The host also was friendly and helpful and also spoke decent English, which made booking very easy. The location of the hostel is also optimal. While the fact that it is down a dark alley feels a bit shady at first, the fact that it is in central Hongdae makes it an ideal place to stay. It is right in the middle of the night and club life of Hongdae. The location and the fact that there is no curfew makes this place the perfect place to stay if you intend on clubbing on your next visit to Seoul My one and only issue with this place was the security. The main door to the street did not have a lock or passcode. Usually this is fine, because the door to the hostel itself would...but they didn't. Now, I felt comfortable staying there because the people were kind and welcoming. They felt trustworthy. However, the fact that the door to the street, to the hostel, and to the bedroom were unlocked at all times and that quite literally anyone could have walked in...made be just the slightest bit uneasy. I would stay there again if need be, since as I said the benefits certainly outweigh the one oversight, but I think it would be better with at least a simple security code. I am sure the lack of one is to make it easier for guests in the case they forget the code, but I think safety is a bit more important than convenience.
I still think the place is worth the stay if you want a cheap place in Hongdae to crash, so check out their website here.
Okay, so first I am going to just let it out and say... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
BEST ABSOLUTE PERFECT FOREVER AND EVER....They never disappoint.
I saw BAP in concert for the first time! Listening to a group on YouTube or following their albums can never compare to what it is like to see them in person. The atmosphere is bursting with excitement and anticipation that is incomparable. Not to mention, they are so much more handsome in real life than through video...There is something about seeing them in person that makes them real. No longer are the group members just some random object of your admiration nor something to distract yourself with when you are bored, they are real living human beings with lives and talent and it makes them so much more admirable than at the beginning. They work so hard for their concerts and album releases and I think the fact that they can still be so carefree and playful while on stage performing makes me like the group more.
Since BAP is my favorite group, and has been since I was introduced to Kpop in 2013-2014, I had always wanted to see them perform. Unfortunately living in the USA doesn't yield many opportunities to see Kpop concerts, and when the chance did arise once it was during my final exam period at my university and I could not attend. Then when I came to Korea I saw they had a concert, but I just had this feeling it would never be manageable to go even though I wanted to so badly. It was only after talking to my long time friend and fellow BAP admirer that she informed me that if I wasted such a golden opportunity that she would kill me once she arrived in Korea to teach a few months from now. It was the push that I needed. I planned for many hours, found and convinced someone to attend with me, fought my way to buy tickets (very hard if you are a foreigner trying to pay on a site that is all in Korean...), made the nearly 4 hour bus trip to Seoul, stayed in a hostel, and made it on the Saturday of the concert.
The SEOUL BOOM concert was actually a series of three concerts throughout the weekend, each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. I only could make it to the Saturday one, but that was enough for me. Just to be able to be in the same building as them and see them in person was enough. Upon arriving at the Samsung Blue Concert Hall there were many things happening, and of course I had no clue what they were...I managed to find my way into a line to enter and to purchase concert merchandise. Even though I am a huge fan of BAP I never had the chance to own anything of theirs except for the albums, so I took this chance to represent. I bought myself a concert t-shirt, banner, and after the concert went back for photo cards as well. I could've spent my whole paycheck there...and bought jewelry and posters and so much more, but I had to reign myself in.
My Haul
I was in Standing B
Since the theme of the concert was 'Party Baby" there was a DJ to hype up the crowd prior to BAP taking the stage. Then before I knew it BAP took the stage for a two hour long performance accompanied by an encore and after-party encore. Photos and videos were strictly forbidden during the concert period, more so then I have ever seen before. There were people watching in the balcony and if they so much as saw your phone screen then pushed through the standing crowd and pulled you straight out. That being so, I was not able to take any photos or videos. I would have loved to, just for the proof that I was in the same room as them. I had even packed my selfie stick for that exact purpose. However, I think the fact that I wasn't glued to videotaping the whole concert enabled me to further enjoy and experience it instead. So, in the end I guess I am grateful for that.
BAP performed a wide array of their music, including solo's by several of the members. DaeHyun and Youngjae's solos were of course spectacular and well fit to their voices. Zelo's solo was a surprise to me, as it was sung in English. I loved it. Even though he was a bit difficult to understand, it wasn't because he was pronouncing it poorly as much as it was simply his accent. I think he did a wonderful job and I commend him for being courageous enough to sing in English. JongUp's solo also went well, and I enjoyed his singing and dance. He may not be a lead vocal, but his voice is very nice also.
There is a video on YouTube for Zelo's performance that another fan was able to capture. If you are interested click here for a link to that video.
Due to Bang Yong-guk's recent anxiety issues I believe he was purposely reserved during the concert. He still performed well and seemed to be enjoying himself, but at a distance. He did not walk out from the main stage, and sang less than the others. I do not hold this against him though, I think it is perfectly acceptable that he ease back into performing, and that he takes his time to be comfortable.
For a smaller concert hall I also really enjoyed the venue. I liked the stage and the fact that most of the fans could be in close proximity to the group. I also liked the many light displays and confetti that rained down around me. The fan light sticks also worked in conjunction to provide a very exciting and uplifting atmosphere in the concert hall.
Now I have to obsess for a moment and just say...I am SO happy I could see DaeHyun in real life. He is and always will be my first Kpop bias and yes, he really is as handsome as he looks in their music videos... *swoons* The fact that I was close to the stage and I could actually look into his eyes and see him sing to me is an experience that I will never forget. I certainly will never regret that moment. His cute and genuine smile also leaves me so twitterpated that I get all bubbly inside. Gosh is he ever handsome...
I had expected an encore, and was thrilled when it happened. I certainly didn't want the concert to end. I hadn't expected a second encore after-party though. I was surprised when they returned to the stage, as many fans had already left the concert hall. I had only stayed because I'd wanted to get some close up photos of the stage. The group came back out with lots of energy, sang and danced in quite the party style. They ran around the stage, fooling around with each other. Squirt guns were used on the fans and they splashed full water bottles all over each other which looked like lots of fun...I wish I could've joined them...ahhh. During the moment of their return to stage suddenly phones were whipped out of everyone's pockets and they were recording. I don't know if it was some sort of unspoken rule that the second encore was okay to be recorded or not, but no one stopped them. So, naturally I followed suit and documented what little I could for future memory. Not all of the video is the best, since there are other fans arms and whatnot in my shots, but I got to tape the members and their proximity to me which is more than enough to make me happy.
That being said, here is my video of the last moments of the concert. Don't they look like they are having a blast?
Since I finally have their merchandise and have seen them in concert I have decided I want to be an official member of their fan cafe...so that is the next hurdle I have to tackle...Figuring out how to sign up for it on a Korean website.
For my next trip, I went to the beautiful city of Busan for the Holi Hai festival that was held at Haeundae Beach. The trip was regrettably a short one, so I will definitely have to visit Busan again. It was a successful trip though. I arrived late Saturday afternoon and found myself at the Jalgachi Fish market around dinner time. This is the largest fish market in Korea, and was also the first one I have visited. It certainly is a different atmosphere than anything I could have done at home. I love fish, and I have fished since I was young, but never have I seen so many different kinds of seafood. There was some seafood that was, in my opinion, quite colossal in size. I want to try so much of it. The market is indoors, where you sit down at a booth of your choosing (there are so many) and then choose your very much alive fish. Then you can watch the fish be taken out of the tank, filleted, prepared, and cooked in front of you. One thing you must be sure of is to watch where you step, this is because the water in the tanks should be flowing to keep the fish healthy. So, the water is always flowing into, and out of, the tanks and onto the floor. If you step too close to the tanks to get a look, you'll want to make sure you don't accidentally soak your sneakers. For this trip we decided to choose octopus as the dish for the evening.
During my first visit to Korea someone had pushed me to try moving octopus, and while I did try one tiny little chunk (and I mean TINY) it wasn't for me. I couldn't get past the fact that it was still squirming around on my plate. I had said I would never eat it again. That was until I found myself in Korea's largest fish market, and my friend ordered one. It was the first time she was able to try it. So I watched as the man pulled up an octopus, took a big knife and cut it into pieces, put it on a plate, and charged my friend 10,000 Won. Meanwhile, the octopus was moving around on our plate, its tentacles moving around as if they were looking for an escape route, unaware they were already dead. So I decided that if I am going to live in a different country I should start by doing it properly and to do that I had to get over being squeamish. The result...octopus isn't that bad. Honestly it doesn't even really have a taste. It is just really rubbery and chewy. When you put it into your mouth it still is moving, but as long as you chew instantly you cannot feel it move (except for moments when a sucker gets attached to your teeth). I split it with my friend, eating a good portion of it. We walked around the fish market for awhile, slowly traversing each aisle and looking at all the ocean fish. I swear I have never seen such large lobsters elsewhere as those I saw at Jalgachi.
After roaming around we left the fish market and hit the streets in search of other foods that piqued our curiosity. Fortunately for us not far away was a night market filled with street vendors and food. Since I have a sweet tooth, the items that I tried mostly were in the junk category. First I tried some candy glazed strawberries. They were really delicious. The outside was like hard candy, but the inside was a warm and juicy strawberry. Later on I tried one of the waffles that are so common on the street, with some apple glaze and whipped cream in the center. After sampling those, along with Indian style ice cream as well, we found ourselves at an all you can eat samgyeopsal restaurant. We pigged out. More than the food though, I realized how dehydrated I was and the three of us ended up going through three containers of water. I think that the waiters were surprised.
The following morning my friend and I went to the 2017 annual Holi Hai Festival on Busan's Haeundae Beach. Even without the festival Haeundae Beach is an extraordinary beauty. It was nice to smell the sea, honestly it felt like home to me again. I miss the water, hearing the waves, and the annoying sand. The gulls were flying all along the beach, diving into the water near shore feeding on something. They were noticeably different from the gulls at home, smaller and slimmer. I also loved the way that the buildings and homes lined the cliff along one end of the beach. It was a spectacular view.
Moving on the to festival...Holi Hai is actually an Indian based festival and is not related to Korean culture. Therefore, since it is a foreign festival that is held in Korea, there were many many many foreigners present. It was probably the largest amount of foreigners that I have seen since my national orientation in Daegu. Everyone was dressed in white and preparing for the color explosion that was going to happen when the festival began. I had always wanted to participate in some type of color event, so I was really looking forward to this one. When the festival was counting down there was Indian music playing and Indian people dancing on and around the stage. Finally there was a countdown and this is when it became exciting. When the countdown was complete the sky erupted with color powder until I was completely speckled in various hues of yellow, green, blue, purple, red, and even pink. Some other people attending the event were kind enough to share their color powder with us, and so I was given a packet of pink. While I was in the midst of trying to decide how to best cover myself in the hot pink powder, one of the Indian people nearby saw me thinking and decided he would help me. He approached me, took my powder, dumped in into his palm, and proceeded to completely paint my entire face pink. It was funny. I had so many people pass me and they must have decided I wasn't colorful enough. Many people smeared their colors on my cheeks and forehead as they passed. It was an exciting and lively event that I wouldn't trade. I am glad that I took the time to go. Even without registration I had a blast, became my own personal rainbow, and had the opportunity to become walking foreign street art as I took the subway for an hour back to where I was staying.
In regards to Naju Image Theme Park, I would first like to recommend properly researching the transportation to and from the park prior to visiting. During my visit, my friend and I simply took a taxi from the northern region of Naju straight to the park. I do not recommend this. The theme park is much further than I had originally assumed so it cost us 27,000 W to be driven there. It was only when writing this post that I realized that there is a 180-1 bus that can be taken from Naju station to the Gongsan bus stop and that a taxi can be taken from there to the park for a much cheaper price.
EDIT: I visited the park for a second time and found more reliable transportation. From Naju bus terminal take bus 105 directly to the theme park. The bus ride is about 50 minutes from the station, and leaves Naju bus terminal at: 7:15/9:20/11:25/13:05/14:45/16:45/18:25/20:35. The same bus will pick you up from the across the street from the park at: 7:10/8:35/10:45/12:50/14:30/16:10/18:05/ and 19:40. Round trip on the bus costs about 3,000 Won. The 105 bus is yellow in color and smaller than the 160, 196, or 999 buses that come to the terminal since it is an inner-city bus.
When we went to leave the park there also were no taxis at the site and we were somewhat stuck there. We had no phone service and were unable to call a taxi on our own. Luckily enough we were fortunate to find a young couple our age and asked for their help. We asked if they could call a taxi for us, but they happened to be going in the same direction as us and were kind enough to give us a ride. I was so thankful to the both of them for being kind enough to help us. I will always be grateful to the both of them and regret not getting their contact info. Thank You Wonderful People!!
The Naju Image Theme Park was built as a film set for movie and drama filming, so it is quite far into the countryside. When I arrived I was surprised because there were no other buildings around except for a few dairy farms. The film set was impressive. The first entrance visitors walk through is the main wooden entrance gate. Beyond that there are photos and hand prints of many of the famous actors and actresses that have filmed at the site.
Main entrance with drawbridge
After this visitors will reach the drawbridge and larger entrance to the outer town. The outer ring of this historical set is where the commoners would live. This is where the simple wooden houses with wooden shingle roofing were located. There was a stream that ran through the outer town and livestock pens where goats were kept. Chickens ran about the area along with some very tough looking roosters that clearly owned the roost. A single miniature horse also occupied the area by the main gate and welcomed visitors. I liked this set because you could actually enter some of the buildings and look around. They were empty and bare since there is no current filming happening at the location, but it still was interesting to look around. It was this lower town that held most of the shops as well, including the one food place where we had lunch, a pottery souvenir shop, and rooms that had musical instruments and costume props in them. I really felt like I had stepped into a drama at this theme park. I have not seen any of the dramas that were filmed here, but I am excited to watch them in the near future and curious if I will recognize the scenes as places that I have been before.
Mini Horse Welcomes You
Typical Housing in the Outer Town
Main Entrance
After passing through the outer town there was another large gate that lead to the inner town. This is where noblemen and scholars would typically live and work. The houses here are also made of wood, but are more upscale and sturdily built than those in the lower town. These houses often had an outer deck or gathering area accompanying the house itself and were suitable for higher classes.
Past the inner town was the main attraction, the palace. Since this is a set the palace is smaller than some actual ones that I have visited, but it was still very interesting. The main area of the palace was close to a large square in shape with large lookout posts at the front entrance. The main throne room was to the left upon entering, as well as the houses and rooms for the royalty living there. If you continued straight into the palace there was more housing and a shrine for prayer. There also was a constellation map on a large stone near the shrine. Out the back side of the palace there was a path up the mountain which led to a very nice lookout area, allowing you to see the entire palace from above. Here are some of my best shots of the palace itself. Since we arrived fairly early in the day there were not that many people at the palace, so I was able to get some great photos without people cluttering them.
This is the main palace throne room (there were several throne rooms located in the palace itself as well as below it for scenes)
One of the Palace Walkways
Overlooking the entire palace from above!
The Palace Shrine
EDIT: The photos above you may recognize if you are a Korean drama fan. It was here that scenes for both the dramas Scarlet Heart and Goblin were filmed. It was here that in Scarlet Heart the 4th prince (played by Lee Joon-gi) performed the rain ritual which would change his status. It is also here in the drama Goblin where Kim Shin (the Goblin) is betrayed by the jealous prince and the palace scenes were taken. If you are a fan of either drama, these may be places you want to visit, photograph, and reenact some scenes.
The fancy pond and area where the queen would have lived
The same pond in the summer time!
This last photo ... I would like to live here. It was so beautiful in a traditional way. I would like to live in a place this beautiful, but with some modern amenities of course...
Beneath the main throne room of the palace there were many different sets for various scenes set up. I liked these as well because it was fairly interactive and there were a lot more places that you could put yourself in the scene then in most places. There were some places that were off limits, but less than I would have expected.
Some of the historical dramas that have been set here include: Jumong, Kingdom of Wind, and Isan.
- Jumong is set in the kingdom of Goguryeo and is about the life of the kingdom's founder - Jumong. The drama aired in 2006-2007 and has 81 episodes.
- Kingdom of Wind is set in the three kingdoms period, which aired in 2008 with a total of 38 episodes.
- Isan is aired in 2007. This drama has a total of 77 episodes and is about the life of King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon dynasty.
From the looks of it...I have three very long dramas to add to my watch list...
Overall I had a lot of fun at this theme park and I definitely would recommend it to others. The park also offers other activities such as horseback riding, archery, pottery making, and trying on costumes. Since I went in the winter these options were not available yet, but I still found enough to entertain me for several hours. Naju Image Theme Park Address Jeollanam-do Naju-si Gongsan-myeon Singok-ri San 2 전라남도 나주시 공산면 덕음로 450 (공산면)
On March 10th, 2017 South Korean President Park Geun-hye was impeached and removed from office following charges and accusations of corruption and consorting with a friend regarding government matters. The situation involving the South Korean President was something that I was aware of and following, but I was not very well informed. Since I was in the USA when the issue first arose the only things I knew about this political issue was what I read online and saw on the news. Knowing that the news may not always be accurate, I often would ask my Korean friends what was happening. I heard a lot of the same information: the president was accused of corruption, embezzlement, and consorting with a personal friend on government matters. When I arrived in Seoul in February I was aware of the protests that were often occurring near Gyeongbokgung Palace and had seen photos my friends had taken of them, but I had yet to personally experience anything in connection with these events. It was when I woke up on the 10th of March that I learned the decision had been made to impeach President Park. Since I am not Korean I really do not have a strong opinion one way or another, I just know that if the people I care about are happy about this decision, then I am happy for them. This event made me reflect on a few things though.
The first thought that occurred to me is that it is sad that things ended up this way. As Park Geun-hye was South Korea's first woman president, I can only imagine how high the expectations people had for her were, not to mention how historical of an event it was when she was elected into office. Since she was a noteworthy president in this context, it is a shame that her term ended in such conflict. Not only this, but for all women presidential candidates, having a term end in this way leads to judgmental outcomes and unwanted stereotypes. It sets up a basis for comparison that is not optimal for future female candidates around the world. I feel like in a time where women rights are such a common topic for discussion, this type of outcome happened at the wrong time.
On a second note, I found it somewhat surprising how strong the outcry for her impeachment was over the charges she was accused of. Coming from the USA, where the newly elected President Trump has brought fourth countless controversy and mixed opinions, not to mention accusations of actions much worse than those President Park was accused of, I find it inspiring that the South Korean people were able to act in the way they did and accomplish what they wanted. I know that like Trump, President Park had mixed support, but the fact that the Korean people were able to do something shows the power of the people. I feel this is something lots of American citizens have given up on, believing their voices will not be heard, but rather silenced by those who have more power. I like the idea of the power behind a unified idea, it is something to always remember. Being unified in something can be powerful, for better and worse. The main importance is that people unify for the right, and hopefully safe, non-endangering reasons.
That being said, I think I am really fortunate to be in South Korea and that I am able to witness these types of events from a foreign perspective. I am also fortunate to be able to observe these events in a safe environment. In Naju, where I currently live, I did not see much regarding the president. There were no protests that I was aware of and I never heard anyone mention the topic. However, on the evening of the 11th of March my friend and I stumbled into an event at a nearby park. After sitting down, a very kind Korean lady provided us with warm mats to sit on, food, and cup-lights that had words on them. There was a drum group dressed in traditional clothing performing, various speakers and even dance performers. We were unsure what the event was for, but I had a hunch that it may be connected to the recent political events. It was when I had heard the president's name spoken several times by different speakers, combined with chants of "Long Live the Republic of Korea" (In Korean obviously) that I was certain we were at a political event. It was a small public event, calm and collective, focused on discussing the current political situation and celebrating the recent events. I stuck around until my hands were too cold to bear it any longer, eventually taking my leave in return for warm hands. However, I think I was lucky to have been able to witness a local event like this in my city.
Park Geun-hye Resigns!
A corrupt regime punished. (very rough translation...)
Due to the length of the last post I decided to split the information
about my visit to Mokpo into two blogs based on the area where I was. Yudalsan
Mountain is located in Mokpo as well, but is in a different region of the city.
Yudalsan is considered a small mountain, at a height of only 228 meters. Since
this is the first mountain I have hiked, it did not seem small to me. If you
want an amazing leg workout, this is the place. Hike to the summit of this
mountain and you will have accomplished thousands of stair steps. I am out of
shape, so by the time I finished the hike my legs were shaking so much it felt
like they were vibrating. I physically could not stand still they were shaking
so strongly, but it was totally worth it. I can almost guarantee that there is
no better place to get a panoramic view of the entire city of Mokpo.
Every time we reached a break in the stairs my friend and I would take
a break and enjoy the view. Each time I would think, wow this view is amazing! and I would take a photo of the city
and my surroundings. Then, as I reached higher and higher points on the
mountain I realized, Wow! The view is
even better here! In many places there were pagodas or temples to stop and
see, as well as other markings, cannons, statues and other photogenic spots.
When
we reached the first high point we realized that we had to back track and take
a different trail before we could reach the highest point of the mountain. I am
glad we went to this lower peak first though, because it was there that I was
able to notice the carvings in the side of the mountain. They were religious
carvings, one of them obviously of Buddha. Seeing this excited me since the
sight really hit home for me that I was in a different country and that there
were different religions practiced here. It was a cultural moment that I was
glad I was able to experience. It made me feel fortunate for this travel opportunity.
So many times I have wished that I could share these types of moments with my
small, secluded hometown. I think that if my hometown was more cultured, it
would be a better place and the people would be much more understanding of one
another and the world. The carvings also were colored, which helped them stand
out even more against the bare gray rock of the mountainside. While we were
moving to the second path leading to the higher peak we were able to get very
close to these carvings, so I gazed up at them in awe. The second path was much
steeper, so you had to watch where you were going fairly closely. The stairway
was narrow at parts and the steps, carved from the mountain itself, changed in
size and shape often. The mountain also jutted out into the stairwell in some
areas, so you had to make sure you didn’t run into a wall of rock.
Finally we reached the highest
point of the mountain at 228m. I was feeling really proud of myself, and
accomplished. The view was as stunning as it could have gotten. Here I was
given another surprise though, I heard this sound that I was unfamiliar with. That
is when I realized that someone was praying and chanting at the mountain’s
peak. I had a very brief jolt of culture shock here, but I loved it. It laid
out such a stunning, peaceful and memorable scene before me. At the peak I was
able to see the entire city of Mokpo below me, as well as its large harbor and the
many islands in the distance and along the shore. Since Mokpo is an open port
city I saw many large ships pass through. This made me miss Northern Michigan,
Lake Superior, and the ships that call that area home. Since I grew up in a
state and in an area where there is an abundance of water, being able to see
the shoreline again brought me peace. The smell of the sea and the sight of a
large body of water in general, was refreshing. Since it was later in the
afternoon, the sun high in the sky, the sunshine beamed off the water, creating
bright, blinding light that made the water shimmer.
From the highest peak
The friend that I hiked the mountain with was also a foreigner, and
from the USA as well. As we hiked I had many people stop and ask me things,
most of them older couples. They would ask me where I was from, how long I had
been in the country, my age, and why I was here to name a few questions. This
happened to me two or three times while we were hiking. We both noticed though
that no one ever asked my friend those questions, even though we were nearly
from the same place (she was from the state beside mine). The main reason
being, I stood out. I am very fair skinned and have thin, golden blonde hair.
Meanwhile my friend, while not Korean, is of Asian descent. No one seemed too
interested in her, and it was something that we joked about. The only thing
that happened to her constantly was the assumption that she was from China, and
when she corrected people and said that she was from the USA many people showed
disbelief. I think at least many of the older generations have this belief that
Americans are all blonde and white, since that is what they see the most in
media maybe? I do not think that older generations realize the cultural variety
that makes up the USA. When older people saw my friend speaking in English with
me, I saw many surprised faces. I suppose this makes sense in a way, since
South Korea most likely has many Chinese tourists.
The precarious stariway
One of the places we rested
A sign with English!
View of the highest peak
Admiral Yi Sunsin
Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I hope some of
my photos make up for any lack in description I may have given. The mountain
truly does give a breathtaking view of the area around Mokpo City and I would
highly recommend it to any traveler. I have provided the address below, but if
you want to visit there by taxi usually just saying “Yudalsan” is usually enough
for the driver to understand where you want to go. The Mokpo City bus tour also
makes a stop here for tourists. I would recommend this tour. I didn’t take it,
but I saw it many times throughout the day stopping at many of the same places
we went. I believe it is about 5,000 won for the tour, which is a great price
even when you are just considering transportation. The taxi I took wasn’t that
expensive, but the bus tour is cheaper and is an all-day event which can take
you to many of the most popular tourist attractions in Mokpo.
Yudalsan Mountain
45, Nojeokbong-gil, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
전라남도목포시노적봉길 45 (측후동)
For the English version of the Mokpo City Website click here.
Since the theme of the concert was 'Party Baby" there was a DJ to hype up the crowd prior to BAP taking the stage. Then before I knew it BAP took the stage for a two hour long performance accompanied by an encore and after-party encore. Photos and videos were strictly forbidden during the concert period, more so then I have ever seen before. There were people watching in the balcony and if they so much as saw your phone screen then pushed through the standing crowd and pulled you straight out. That being so, I was not able to take any photos or videos. I would have loved to, just for the proof that I was in the same room as them. I had even packed my selfie stick for that exact purpose. However, I think the fact that I wasn't glued to videotaping the whole concert enabled me to further enjoy and experience it instead. So, in the end I guess I am grateful for that.
For a smaller concert hall I also really enjoyed the venue. I liked the stage and the fact that most of the fans could be in close proximity to the group. I also liked the many light displays and confetti that rained down around me. The fan light sticks also worked in conjunction to provide a very exciting and uplifting atmosphere in the concert hall.
After roaming around we left the fish market and hit the streets in search of other foods that piqued our curiosity. Fortunately for us not far away was a night market filled with street vendors and food. Since I have a sweet tooth, the items that I tried mostly were in the junk category. First I tried some candy glazed strawberries. They were really delicious. The outside was like hard candy, but the inside was a warm and juicy strawberry. Later on I tried one of the waffles that are so common on the street, with some apple glaze and whipped cream in the center. After sampling those, along with Indian style ice cream as well, we found ourselves at an all you can eat samgyeopsal restaurant. We pigged out. More than the food though, I realized how dehydrated I was and the three of us ended up going through three containers of water. I think that the waiters were surprised. 
Due to the length of the last post I decided to split the information
about my visit to Mokpo into two blogs based on the area where I was. Yudalsan
Mountain is located in Mokpo as well, but is in a different region of the city.
Yudalsan is considered a small mountain, at a height of only 228 meters. Since
this is the first mountain I have hiked, it did not seem small to me. If you
want an amazing leg workout, this is the place. Hike to the summit of this
mountain and you will have accomplished thousands of stair steps. I am out of
shape, so by the time I finished the hike my legs were shaking so much it felt
like they were vibrating. I physically could not stand still they were shaking
so strongly, but it was totally worth it. I can almost guarantee that there is
no better place to get a panoramic view of the entire city of Mokpo.
