After 4 years, finally, I’m finally revealing the full vlog of my Autumn trip to
Korea. I went there for a job as I had to guide a family private trip with
some slip of healing. This was my second autumn in Korea. I love this season
so much! The seasonal food in autumn was really good, though it is not
really shown in the video. This trip was pretty special because it was after
my mom passed away and my last trip to Korea before the pandemic happened.
I made this series because I finally experienced all four
seasons in Korea. It took a long time to complete the series and got the
time to fully edit the videos. Hopefully, I can do the other four seasons
series for other countries. I’m expecting to complete my experience in Japan
or Australia. Well anyway, a more detailed story of my ‘Touch My S(e)oul’ can
be read down below.
Disclaimer: Since a lot changes after the pandemic, some of the places I’ve
visited in 2019 might no longer be available or not up-to-date. I will write
the full information of the places that are still available up to 2023
(since I visited Korea twice this year) and the ones that I really
recommended only.
I left for Korea a month after I went to Japan. That time, I was really
happy. Even though my family just had lost our beloved mother, I was given
this opportunity to be a guide in Korea. I was very grateful for this
opportunity. (Full experience of my first-ever private tour will be uploaded
separately some time) I flew with Singapore Airlines and finally got to fly
on their refurnished aircraft. On my way to Singapore for transit, I watched
the live-action ‘Lion King’ and I cried while watching the movie. I
remember that ‘Lion King’ was the first animated movie that I watched. My
mom bought the original DVD for me. Even though I’ve known the storyline and
how the story ended, I still feel touched. I can finally understand the
feeling of losing someone we loved. I also felt a bit guilty after my mom
passed away, just like Simba. Thankfully the airplane was quite empty and I
got the back seat, also it was a night flight, so I didn’t mind crying inside
the plane.
As soon as I touched down at Changi Airport, I looked for my next flight’s
gate. It was in the other terminal, so I had to take the sky train for
transfer. As I’ve mentioned before in my Bangkok travel diary, the BOOST
Juice store hasn’t opened in Indonesia. So, after I transferred, I went to
have my Boost juice intake and then I took my transit voucher. But, the
transit voucher is no longer available since the pandemic. I used the voucher
to buy my aunt TWG macarons. At that time, Korea didn’t have any TWG stores
yet and the Korean fat macarons were not a trend. After good cardio by walking around Changi Airport, finally, it’s the time to fly to Incheon.
As soon as the plane took off, I fell asleep.
Early in the morning, around 4AM, I woke up and ready for breakfast.
The sky was so pretty up there. I finished up my omelet and orange juice and
watched some movies to kill the time.
I arrived in Incheon just on time. Oh
how much I missed the smell of Incheon Airport. After the immigration and
picking up my luggage, I took the bus to my aunt’s place. I slept for a
while inside the bus. Then I arrived at my aunt’s place just in time for
lunch. I had my lunch at my Aunt’s eatery and then I went to Myungdong and
went some window shopping and exchanged some dollars for Korean won. Myungdong is no
longer a tourist spot for me, but it’s more like a nearby shopping street. I
almost remember every shop there, though after the pandemic it has changed
a lot.
After finishing my things to do in Myungdong, I went back to my Aunt’s
place and had Kyochon fried chicken for dinner. My niece bought it with her
pocket money. She’s been talking about it since the beginning of the year
and finally, she could keep her promise.
On the last day of October, I went out by myself to explore Seoul city. But
first thing in the morning, I send off my niece to school. I had lunch at my
aunt’s eatery and then helped her out before stepping out to explore Seoul
City.
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| My job of the day, cleaning jjokpa (a.k.a chives) |
I went to the Seochon area to survey my guests’ accommodation around
that neighborhood. Gyeongbok Palace is surrounded by a few Hanok villages, and
one of the most famous villages is Bukchon Hanok Village. Bukchon means
village on the north and there is another Hanok village on the west side of
Gyeongbok, called Seochon. This area was less popular than the other one,
but it was really worth visiting.
After surveying the accommodation, I walked down the alley and then I passed
by Daeoh Bookstore. I’ve been wanting to visit this bookstore for so long,
but I didn’t get the chance to do so. Finally, I got to visit one of the
oldest bookstores in Seoul and it is one of the most famous bookstores in
Korea. Even though it was by chance and I didn’t get to go inside, it was a
really great experience. I bought a postcard that was for sale in front of
the store. It cost 1,000 KRW. The profit from the postcard will be used for the bookstore's maintenance. It turns out that they also have a café that is connected to the
bookstore. Definitely, I will come back to see the inside of this bookstore,
which is featured in IU’s ‘Flower Bookmark’ album.
I was going back to Euljiro-5-ga, where my Aunt lives, but I didn’t use
any maps and kept walking with my intuition only. I came across cute cafes
& restaurants along the way. And then, I got to visit Tongin Market.
This market is quite unique compared to other traditional markets in Seoul.
Tongin market is famous for using old Korean coins for payment (at the Dosirak Cafe only). I just walked past the market to reach the bus stop. But
next time, I’m going to explore the stalls there.
From there, I went to pick up my niece at her school. After that, we went to a café near her school for some break time and I needed some space and time to organize my commentary for commentary. I ordered a sweet potato latte because it’s the season for goguma (sweet potato in Korean). Too bad, now the café has run out of business. It was quite nice though.
I felt so great that I got to spend the first day of November in Korea. On
this day, I went to the Gangnam area to visit the House of BTS Pop-up. For your
information, I am not an ‘ARMY’, which is the BTS fandom name. I went there
to buy some of the merchandise and was just curious about what the pop-up looks
like. Before I went to the pop-up, I made a quick stop at ‘Smoothie King’. I
am obsessed with their smoothies. But too bad, they have closed the outlet
in Gangnam and are only available inside terminals or shopping malls, like Lotte
World Mall, COEX Mall, etc.
I sipped my smoothie while waiting in line. It was a sunny day, but it
was really a good day to be outside. I waited in line for around an hour
and some of the merchandise was sold out while I was waiting.
The pop-up
store is three stories high and quite spacious. After finally got to get
inside, I looked around and saw the merchandise’s real product before paying
and heading upstairs. On the 2nd floor, which is actually the main lobby, there
are some showcases of big BTS dolls and some replicas of the background of
their music videos. There are also some interactive installations and of
course, some TVs that play their music videos continuously. Since I couldn't
really relate to the exhibitions, I only looked around and took some photos
if it was an attractive one. Unlike their fans, who took pictures of
themselves at the installations, I only took around 30 minutes to look
around all of it.
On the rooftop, they displayed a few huge versions of their light sticks, which is my favorite one out of all. It’s just so cute! Too bad, I came here alone, so I couldn’t ask anyone to take a picture for me.
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One of my favorite installations
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| views I had on my way back |
After experiencing a day as an ARMY, I went to meet my cousins. We had dinner at
Hyundai City Outlet Dongdaemun, at a restaurant named Haechoseom (해초섬).
We had a special set of Suyuk (a boiled pork belly), raw fish, and some sort of seaweed, called Segosi Bossam. It was a new combination that I ever tried and it was pretty
okay, even though I don't really like raw fish. But, thank you cousins for the treat!
I dedicated this day to fangirling. I went to Lee Dongwook’s 20th
Debut Anniversary Fan Meeting. I regretted not going to his fan meeting
in Jakarta back in 2018, so when I found out that he held a fan meeting in Korea,
I decided to go. Since I hadn’t bought the ticket, I planned to go to the
venue early. I stopped by Gwangjang Market to have my brunch first. I
had kalguksu, known as a knife-cut noodle soup. Gwangjang Market became
famous for Kalguksu thanks to the Netflix series ‘Street Food Asia’. Even before
the series, I frequently go to the market and have the noodles. But,
I didn’t get the one from the series because I have my go-to stall there
recommended by my aunt and the one featured in the series was so crowded.
After finishing a bowl of hearty warm noodle soup, I went to Kyunghee
University, where the fan meeting was held. The university is located not
too far from the market, so I arrived there in less than 30 minutes. I’ve been
to the university a few times for fangirling purposes. Lol. The first one was
when I watched 2AM’s concert in 2012 and the second time was when I watched
Song Joongki’s 10th Debut Anniversary Fan Meeting. So, I’m quite
familiar with the venue. As soon as arrived at the venue, I went to buy the
ticket. I got a quite good seat, it was on the third row from the stage, on
the aisle, and quite on the center side. Very strategic seat, me likey!
I waited for quite some time until I could enter the venue, but I fully
enjoyed the autumn breeze. I took pictures and daydreamed under the maple
tree. I should have grabbed some drinks and snacks, but I didn’t know where
is the convenience store, so I kind of hungered myself.
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| taken with a disposable camera |
But, all of the
hungriness (?) was gone as the fan meeting started. I will make a complete
experience of my fangirling journey in a separate post, so just wait for it.
Well, I really enjoyed the fan meeting and I was so lucky to get the flower
from Lee Dongwook himself! Maybe this is the “good thing” that I got after
the bad luck I got in Japan before (read the story here). The fan meeting
was very interactive and entertaining. No wonder Yoo Jaesuk acknowledges his
talent in entertaining others. He really has fair skin and is super
handsome in real life! Glad I watched his fan meeting, as the pandemic took over
3 years of my fangirling moment.
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| One of the best moments in 2019 |
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After the show, I went back home and had a Shake Shack for dinner with my
cousin. It was really great to have Shake Shack near my aunt’s apartment.
I really love their fries and the burger is juicy in every bite. But what I
like the most is that their bun is really buttery, but not greasy (well
sometimes, and depends on the branch). Their milkshake is really great. I
kind of miss it now.
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| The Dongdaemun Gate at night that I pass through after the show |
Ever since global warming gets hotter, the autumn season has become shorter than
it’s supposed to be. The leaves have started to fall down. My cousins (whom I
met on day 4 and they are sister and brother) and I went for a day trip to
Namyangju. But first, I started the day by attending Sunday mass at
Myungdong Cathedral. The cathedral is the closest Catholic church to my
aunt’s apartment. I went there on foot through an underground pass and came across these lamp installations with city names on them. Maybe it's because Euljiro is known for selling lamps & other lighting stuff they installed theses.
Then, I headed to the Sookmyung Women’s University area and
met my cousin there. He works at the MRT company and that time was
positioned at the Sookmyung Women’s University station. While waiting for
him to take out the rental car that he booked through Socar, my other cousin
(his sister) and I went into the Taegeukdang Bakery. It is a well-known
bakery in Korea and has been established for a long time. It is not owned by a big
company like Tous Les Jour or Paris Baquette, but they have several branches
throughout the nation. Have I told you that I really love bread? If not,
let me tell you. I really love going to the bakery and I like bread, cake,
and pastry so much. And I found out recently that it runs in the DNA. My
dad’s side really likes bakery stuff. We bought a marble sponge cake and a fresh cream roll cake for our snack inside the car. It was really a great
choice. I really love both of them! The fresh cream roll cake was not too
sweet even though the fresh cream was so thick. Just be careful with the sugar
rush after eating the two pieces of it.
The journey to Namyangju took around 2 hours. There was some traffic at some
points. I guess the others were also going out to see the remaining autumn
trees before the leaves completely fell down. We decided to see the autumn
scenery at Gwangneung Royal Tombs. Yes, you read it right. We went to the
cemetery of King Sejo and Queen Jeonghui. Apparently, this place is listed as
a UNESCO World Heritage.
Unlike regular cemeteries, the Royal Tombs is serene
and romantic. The tombs were quite far from the fence, so they looked small,
but I believe it was quite big. Maybe because it’s where the King and Queen
rest, the place is quiet and gives you a serene feeling. Besides the two
royal tombs, there is a very Korean pavilion and a Hanok house.
It reminds me
of some Saeguk (Korean historical) dramas and at that time the sky was so blue.
The quotes from the drama ‘Goblin’ came up in my mind.
I just realized how come we didn’t have a single picture together. I do have
some photos, but my sister couldn’t really take a good picture. It’s either
the lightning was off, or it’s not straight, or out of focus. But oh well, I
really enjoyed the trip.
From Namyangju, we went to Hongdae to visit my
oldest uncle & aunt at my aunt’s workplace. She works at a Korean BBQ
place in Hongdae. Turns out that the place has been featured in some Korean
dramas. But, I forgot to take a picture of the restaurant. At my aunt’s place, they cook the meat with a hot stone instead of a regular
pan. It’s quite uncomfortable and somehow the meat’s juice went out. Since
it’s a free meal, I couldn’t complain. The dinner was just okay, nothing
special.
From November 4 until 11, I became a guide for a family trip in Seoul and
Jeju. I will make a separate story of the trip later on.
I flew from Jeju Island early in the morning and sent off my guests to the
airport as they flew back to Jakarta in the afternoon. After finishing my duty
as a guide, I went back to my aunt’s place. I took the airport train and
transferred to Hongdae station. While on the transfer I stopped by at a Kimbab
parlor and had my first breakfast. Before I arrived there, my bag’s strap
came off. It was quite sad, but I got a reason to buy a new bag!
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| My super simple breakfast |
I arrived at my aunt’s place at around 10 AM and my cousin told me to come
by to her workplace neighborhood and have lunch together. But since I was
watching ‘She Was Pretty’ before meeting her, I ran late, and in the end, I
had lunch on my own. My cousin has to go back to the office as soon as I
arrive at the meeting point. I had a noodle soup known as Janchi Guksu
for lunch. I was told to not film inside the restaurant, but I managed to
sneak one video of the meal. The shop I went to was owned by Paik Jongwon, one
of the most famous Korean chefs & food & beverage entrepreneurs. The
shop is called Mijeong Guksu 0410 and it is located nearby Insadong.
After lunch, I strolled around Insadong, then passed the walk to the Gyeongbok
Palace, and then I finally arrived at the Kwani store.
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| The one that stays the same, Insadong |
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| Random findings of the day: Anguk Bakery |
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| There is always a demonstration on weekdays at Gwanghwamun. |
Kwani is a Korean bag
brand that was quite popular among Koreans in 2019. I’m not sure for now as fashion trends keep changing. I looked around the flagship store and finally, I got a new bag. I bought a bucket bag, something that I didn’t have at home
and I like the material’s finish.
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| me & ma nu bag ^^ |
After shopping for a new bag, I strolled around the neighborhood and then came
across a random café, named Namu-sairo. The café has a Hanok-style building
and it was quiet and less crowded. Even though this café has received two
Blue Ribbons (it’s like a Michelin guide but a Korean version), at the time I
visited, the café was less busy than usual. If you happen to be around
Gyeongbok Palace and want to sit down at a café, you can visit there. I
ordered a hot latte and sat down after walking for quite a long.
It was quite a long day, but I really enjoyed my time. I headed to meet my
other cousins. This time are both sisters. My sister had a daughter and at that
time, she was carrying her second child. I met my other niece at her aunt’s
CVS. We had dinner together there. I missed out on putting it inside my vlog, so
here is the documentation of our dinner.
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| Korean version of Haagen Dazs ^^ so goood! |
On this day, I met my friend from the Korean language school. We decided to
meet at our school's front gate. I used to attend Korean language school at
Sungkyunkwan University (Seoul campus). Sungkyunkwan itself was a school for
scholars. That is why Sungkyunkwan University became the oldest university
and still has a Confucian influence. There is Myungryundang, a hall that
used to be the place where the scholars studied. Across the hall, there is a 700-year-old ginkgo
tree. While studying there, I visited the tree almost every season, except
spring season. If I get a chance to visit Korea in spring again, I’ll make
sure to pay this grandpa ginkgo tree a visit. But the best season to visit
is in autumn. The foliage is pretty in real life.
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| Sungkyunkwan University Intersection |
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| Myungryundang in autumn |
We paid a short visit to the gingko tree and then we headed to have lunch. We
ate Nakji Bokkeum or known as Stir-fry Baby Octopus. We used to have it
after exams and it brings back the memories we had back then. It was a
hearty meal, especially the fried rice. Every time I eat this kind of dish,
my favorite part is the fried rice. It’s just love. The Koreans love to have fried rice for dessert after eating the main dish. So, you have to try
this hack when you eat this kind of dish. Very recommended!
We passed by Changhwadang, the dumpling restaurant that was featured in the drama 'Hotel Del Luna', which is located near Sungkyunkwan University. We tried the dumplings way before the drama aired and it was really good. Very recommended! This place also holds a great memory.
Just like Koreans, a coffee after lunch is a must. I’ve been wanting to
visit Ikseondong, so we went there for coffee. The weather was not really
good to walk around and take cute photos, but we managed to find a very
interesting new café. The time we visited,
Signature R, just opened for a few
days. The café mixes Korean traditional and modern touches. It was really
my style. The coffee was really nice and even though I couldn’t remember the
taste of their cake, looking at the visuals, it was good. It was my
first time trying British Latte and ever since then, I have fallen in love
with Earl Grey. The moment we entered the café, rain poured heavily. We caught up on the things we’ve been missing for the past 8 months.
After the rain stopped, we went outside and strolled around the area before
parting ways. After parting ways, I went to the Dongdaemun area on foot. I
thought it was quite near since I used to walk from Jonggak station to
Euljiro 5 ga, but turns out it was quite a trip. But, I really enjoyed my
evening walk from Ikseondong to Dongdaemun, including the time I got lost
and had to detour. I passed by Changgyeong Palace which was under renovation at that time and then some alley I didn’t know, and an underpass that I never knew
existed.
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| Ikseondong after the rain |
After walking for an hour or so, I arrived at the Dongdaemun area. I
stopped by at Hyundai City Outlet (again) and bought Auntie Anne’s to fill up my energy before walking back to my aunt’s apartment. Arrived at
home, my sister brought the newly released Yukgyejang Ramyun potato chips. So
good. I love everything related to potatoes.
I didn’t do much stuff on this day, more likely doing some errands. I went
to Shinsaege Department Store and after walking around I found the Korean
Cream Cheese Garlic Bread. I really love garlic bread, so when I saw this
garlic bread originated from Gangneung, I wanted to try it right away. It
was nice, but the portion was too big for me. It should be shared though.
30 minutes after finishing that garlic bread, I ate a late
lunch at Myungdong (again). I couldn’t remember the restaurant's name, but it
was located inside Noon Square. The last time I visited this place, the
restaurant was no longer in business. The only thing that I remembered is the
menu that I ordered was Kimchi Chicken Katsu Rice Bowl. After my late lunch,
I went shopping at Myungdong and then went back home.
I went outside pretty late today. I stepped outside just to meet my
cousin, niece, and seniors. Since only two days left in Korea, I got busy
meeting up with my family. So, most of my agenda on my last days was basically
meeting. The first meeting of the day was meeting my aunt and her daughters
and granddaughter. I went to my sister’s shop and we had a short catchup. My
niece has grown so fast.
I went to the Sinchon area to meet my senior for dinner. We had a home-cook
style Korean food, where they served you with lots the side dishes with a warm
bowl of rice and soup. We ordered Ojingeo Bokkeum (this time is a stir-fry cuttlefish) and grilled fish.
After finished eating, we went to a coin karaoke
and shed off a bit of our calories. Then, we went to Tiger Sugar at Sinchon
station (no longer on business) and met my other senior. At that time brown sugar fresh milk bubble
drinks were so popular. But nowadays, I don’t even order that drink.
I’m spending my time with my friend from high school on this day. She
came to Korea to attend Red Velvet’s concert with her fellow Reveluv (Red
Velvet’s fandom name). We started the day by having a big brunch at Yoogane.
They specialized in Chuncheon-style Stir-fry Chicken. It was so nice to
finally have someone to share a big portion dishes. It was really hard to
not gain weight in Korea. After we ate, we went around Myungdong and then we
moved to Hongdae.
Since it was already dinner time, we ate at Hongdae and we chose
Budaejigae (Army Stew). We do eat a lot today. After finishing a pan of
Budaejigae at Kongbul, we went into the Kakao Friends Store and then we met up with our other
friend from high school at C27 Café. We ordered two types of cheesecake and
then we caught up a bit. I’ve been wanting to try C27’s cheesecake, but I
didn’t have the chance to try it until that day. The interior of the Hongdae
branch is really nice and spacious. Very recommended for a rest stop after
shopping and strolling in Hongdae (but, Hongdae branch is permanently closed). .
Another Sunday, another church at Myungdong Cathedral. My cousin and I had a
hair salon appointment. So, after the mass, we went to the hair salon in
Cheongdam. Yes, that is the Cheongdam you think of. The area is studded
with luxury brands, entertainment agencies, and hair salons. Apparently, the
salon that I visited was owned by a celebrity hairstylist. I heard she
talked about Song Joongki with her staff and I guessed that is when he shot
‘Vincenzo’. It’s just my prediction, okay? Every time I visit this area, I’m
always excited and nervous if, by any chance, I will meet some celebrities.
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| New Retro installation I came across after church |
Before sitting down for 3 hours in the hair salon, we stopped by the
convenience store and had our stomachs filled. I ate a small instant
jjajangmyeon and chocolate milk. Not the best combination, but I don't know
why I chose those two. Well, anyway, after that we are finally ready for a
makeover. Actually, I don’t have any plans to do my hair in Korea this time,
but my aunt insisted on using her deposit in this salon, so we went there. I
permed my hair for the first time and my sister cut and straightened her hair.
It was the longest time I’ve ever spent in a salon. But, I kind of like my
new hair and decided to perm my hair again in Korea sometime.
After the makeover, we went to Galleria Mall. It is a luxury mall in the Gangnam
area. Since we could not afford to go shopping there, we just had a
snack time at the basement food corner. We had coffee and stroopwafel to fill in the time until dinner time. We had a dinner plan with
my aunt, niece, and my aunt’s friend at Mapo-gu. Today we really traveled a
lot. From Jongro-gu to Gangnam-gu to Mapo-gu and back to Jung-gu. I met my
aunt and niece at the station and then we went to the restaurant together.
But, it was raining and I really hate to walk in the rain and I wore white
shoes. Thankfully, the dinner was so good. I’ve never seen a thick pork
belly like that in Indonesia, so I really enjoyed the dinner. The restaurant
serves aged pork belly as well, but what we ate was just an original
thick pork belly.
Another day, another meeting. My schedule of the day is stopping by my
old office where I used to do part-time jobs. But before stopping by there, I
went to the Samsung service center first thing in the morning. I need to repair
my dad’s phone in Korea because in Indonesia it costs a lot.
From there, I’m
heading to my office in Gwanghwamun. But, since I still had some time for
lunchtime, I decided to walk from Euljiro to Gwanghwamun. It was quite a
long distance, but it’s not complicated. I walked past the Cheonggye Stream
and then I arrived at Gwanghwamun. Apparently, at that time, the Seoul Lantern Festival was held at the Cheonggye Stream.
My office is located right behind the Sejong Center building and there are lots of restaurants and café. It was a really nice neighborhood, but not in the wintertime. It’s freezing and very windy. Even at the time I went there, it was not really windy, but as I arrived at Gwanghwamun, the wind became crazy.
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| Update: Gwanghwamun Plaza has been renovated! |
My boss and co-worker took me for lunch at a nearby restaurant. We had
Agu-jjim, a spicy braised monkfish. I liked this dish thanks to my mom. The
food was quite bland, but since I’m not the one who pay for it, so I can’t
complain. I went straight to the bus station to go to Garosu-gil after the quite uncomfortable lunch. It’s not that I’m not comfortable with my co-workers, but it’s that I couldn’t participate in their conversation because I don’t know most of the context.
I went to ALAND in Garosu-gil and bought some skincare there (Update: ALAND
has changed their concept, so they no longer sell skincare in their store
and they mostly sell streetwear and thrift shop). I was going to join my
friend who went to SM café inside the SM Entertainment building, but she
already saw her bias passed by, so we changed our meeting location to my
aunt’s eatery. My aunt prepared beef for our dinner since my friend’s
friends could not eat pork. I didn’t realize how thoughtful and big-hearted
my aunt is until I edited this video. Kamshamida, Komo. Thank you to my
cousin for grilling the beef to perfection.
Finally, this day was my last day in Korea. I took the night flight and will
arrive in Indonesia the next day. So, I still have an almost full day to
spend in this city. I went out quite early and made a short stop at
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). I used to have stopped at Dongdaemun Culture
& History Park station when I went to school or back home. So, DDP holds
a special place in my heart.
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| captured with a Fujifilm disposable camera |
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| captured with Samsung Galaxy Note 9 |
I’ve lost count of how many times I went to
Myungdong during this trip, even on the last day I still went to Myungdong.
I couldn’t remember what did I in Myungdong on the last day, where I
should’ve packed my things. But I went to UNIQLO (at that time Myungdong UNIQLO
was the biggest store in Korea and now they are no longer open there) and
put my old clothes for recycling. I hope it will be useful for the world.
Then I went into Ossuloc to have my hojicha latte intake and bought their
matcha roll cake to bring home. Honestly, I didn’t remember eating the roll
cake after I arrived in Jakarta. Well anyway, after the break time, I went
back and packed my things because I had to meet my Indonesian friend from the
language school in the afternoon. I had a bad feeling while packing, but the clock was ticking, so I had to pack all of those things.
I almost finished packing before leaving to meet my friend. I met her at the Lotte Department Store to have Tokkijung before I left Korea. I really
liked their cream udon menu, but their portion was too big for me. But
nevertheless, I finished the cream udon.
After a short meet-up with fellow
Indonesians, I went back to my aunt’s place and finished packing my things and
my bad feeling turned out to be right. My baggage was overweight! I felt very
uneasy and wanted to throw up. My aunt called and told me to come to her
eatery and have some of her fried chicken. I went there though I’m still
full. I should have said no and continued packing.
I barely packed the baggage and my cousin and niece helped me to take my
things to the airport bus station. I brought 1 40” luggage, 1 cabin luggage,
1 backpack, 1 handbag, 1 paper bag, 1 box of breast milk pump machine, and 1
Ikea bag. Definitely, I’m going to get caught, but I have no choice. This is
the first time I went to Korea by myself. I used to go with someone. The
airport drama had just begun when I checked in. They asked me to cut it to
32kg (SQ still gave a maximum allowance of 32kg in 2019, but after the
pandemic, they only can give economy passengers a 25kg allowance and a premium
economy 30kg) and I had to repack my things and finally got to check-in.
What’s left is my hand-carry stuff. I packed my carry-on luggage as much as
I could, but I got caught at the gate to immigration. The lady told me to
repack my stuff because I bring too much stuff. I really wanted to cry at
that moment. The complete timeline can be seen in my vlog. But really, I
wanted to cry and throw up at that time. The stress was real and I couldn’t
really think straight. I even screamed in my sleep inside the airplane. What
a worse day to end this trip. I’m so embarrassed. The lady beside me, that
I hadn’t even said hi yet, calmed me down. I really wanted to run away. It was
really a crazy night.
I barely slept after the screaming incident, but a new day has come. And the
sky above was so pretty that day. Turns out that I still could digest the
breakfast given. How come after that bizarre day, I still could eat? It was
a real mystery that I couldn’t solve yet.
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| Singapore at 5AM View |
Well, on this day it was filled with flights and as soon as I arrived home, I cried. After this baggage incident, I got very cautious with the
things I packed. I pack as lightly as possible whenever I travel nowadays. It
was such a traumatic event for me. Thankfully, nowadays I pack smartly and
there is no more airport drama.
For sure, South Korea is very pretty in autumn. I really love this season
the most. I’ve been living in a two-season country for 23 years and finally
got to live in a four-season country for eight months. It was one of the
best experiences ever and I’m still grateful for it. I’ll be uploading
another winter wonderland in Korea with my friends soon! Please wait for it.
Thank you for reading this part! Thank you too if you also watch the
vlog as well. I really appreciate every view and visit (though I know that
most of the time, it was myself). I don’t know what 2024 will hold, but I
believe it will be wonderful! I’ll finish this series as soon as possible,
so please look forward! Kamsahamida!
Side notes: ‘Touch My S(e)oul’ is inspired by the K-drama, ‘Touch Your
Heart’ (the literal translation from the Korean language is “reach of
sincerity”), starring Lee Dongwook and Yoo Inna. One of the best
romantic-comedy dramas to watch in 2019. If you haven’t watched it, go watch it!
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