DIY Travel

Jeju Shinyoung Cinema Museum

2009-08-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

Jeju Shinyoung Cinema Museum

2381 Namwon-ri, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si

Tel : 82-64-764-777

Website : www.jejuscm.co.kr

Opening Hours : 8:30am to 7:00pm (Depending on Seasons)

Admission Charges : 6,000 won (Adult)/ 4,000 won (Teenager)/ 3,000won (Child)

Main Entrance of Shinyoung Cinema Museum

"Ice Rain"

Exhibit of all the filming equipment

Image Editing ---> FUN!

"Taeguki"

Jeju Folk Village Museum

2009-08-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

Jeju Folk Village Museum

40-1 Pyoseon-ri, Pyoseonmyun, Namjeju-gun, Jeju Island

Website : http://www.jejufolk.com

Opening Hours : 8:30am to 5:00pm ~ 6:30pm (Depending on Season)

Admission Fees : 6,000 won (Adult)/4,000 won (Teenager)/3,000 won (Child)

Direction : From the Jeju Bus Terminal take the bus to Jeju Folk Village Museum which is an hour and 5 minutes ride in 30 minutes interval.

This is one of the Dae Jang Geum filming site.

At the entrance of Jeju Folk Museum

The weather in Summer is so hot...Let's have an ice-cream to cool us down

Here you may find many scene from the famous Korean Drama Dae Jang Geum

This is how a Typical Korean Traditional House look like in Ancient Times

There is even a real COW in here!!!

Here's the preparation for a Wedding Ceremony

This is a Chess Set in front of a traditional house

Exhibit of Dae Jang Geum Filming Set

Surrounded by "LOVE"

Stairway to Success!!!

Typical house of a Women's Diver

"Chu Chu Train"

Jeju-Do

2009-08-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Take Subway Line 5 and get off at Gimpo Airport. Approximate duration from Myeong-dong, Seoul to Gimpo Airport is about 1 hour.

Both Korean Airline and Asiana Airline offers daily domestic flight from Gimpo Airport to Jeju Airport. It is about an hour flight.

Gimpo Airport

Website : http://gimpo.airport.co.kr/doc/www_eng/index.jsp

Korean Airline

Website : http://www.koreanair.com/

Asiana Airline

Website : http://flyasiana.com/english/

Gimpo Airport waiting for our Asiana Airline Domestic Flight to Jeju-do

On flight of Asiana Airline Domestic Flight

Touch-down in Jeju Airport

Transfer from Aircraft to Jeju Air Terminal

Jeju Airport

Website : http://gimpo.airport.co.kr/doc/jeju_eng/

Jeju Tourist Information

Website : http://english.jeju.go.kr/

Website : http://english.tour2jeju.net/main/index.php

Website : http://www.jejueco.com/

Welcome to Jeju-do!

Our First Meal in Jeju-do...hahaha...Fancy some Cup Noodles too?

Hotel Accommodation in Jeju-Do

Hotelwide

Website : http://www.hotelwide.com/

Motel Accommodation in Jeju-Do

Let'sGoJeju Guesthouse

Email : letsgojeju@hotmail.com

Website : http://www.letsgojeju.com/

Located 20 minutes from airport and 25 minutes from Jungmun with free pickup serivce between 09:00a.m. and 21:00p.m

Yeha Guesthouse

561-17, Samdo 1-dong, Jeju-si,

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province,

South Korea, 690-812

Contact : Heo, Yun Sun

TEL : (064) 724-5506
Website : http://www.yehaguesthouse.com/service/index.html
5 minutes from Jeju Airport by Taxi. Motel is located near to the Jeju Bus Terminal.

Ruby Hotel

2827-7 Yongdam 1-dong, Jeju-si [690-820]

Contact : Song Jin Park

Tel : 82-64-755-5565

5 minutes from Jeju Airport by Taxi. Motel is located near to the Jeju Bus Terminal.

Spa & Sauna "jjimjilbang"

2009-08-23T02:48:00.000-07:00

Haesoopia 해수피아

Unnam-dong, Jung-gu Incheon

Closed in 2008

Haesoopia offers saunas and hot springs using deep-sea water extracted from the rocky ocean floor has a much higher level of essential amino acids like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium that are essential for the human body. Taking a bath in deep-sea water generates osmotic pressure caused by the difference in salt concentration between the body and the seawater, thereby facilitating the elimination of waste products from the body and activating the metabolism and the circulation of blood. It also houses various facilities including mugwort baths, charcoal saunas, jade saunas, open-air hot spring baths and open-air valley baths. The most popular are the open-air hot spring baths and valley baths.

Well do not be sad or disappointed with the closure of Haesoopia, there are abundance of Spa & Sauna facilities in the heart of Seoul and I would personally recommend Dragon Hill Spa. It is a "must go" Spa & Sauna visit if you are truly a die hard fan of jjimjilbang.

Dragon Hill Spa

40-713 Hangang-no 3-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Tel : +82-2-792-0001 (English)
Website : http://www.dragonhillspa.co.kr/
Business Hours: 24 hours / 365 days (open all year round)
Admission Fee
Day rates: 6 years old and above: 10,000won / 5am~8pm
Night rates: 6 years old and above: 12,000won / 8pm~5am

Take Subway Line No.1 to Yongsan Station, and get out of the exit in the direction of Yongsan Station Plaza (Gwangjang). On the right, next to the right of Yongsan Station Plaza is the Yongsan Convention Hall (a wedding hall) and Dragon Hill Spa is just located next to the wedding hall.

Opened in October 2006, Dragon Hill Spa is a seven-stories fully equipped spa and sauna facilities and it is one of the largest and the most luxurious jjimjilbangs in Seoul. Upon entering the facilities your footwear should be stored in the shoes locker located just right after you enter the turn gates.

With your paid entrance to the spa facilities, you’ll receive an electronic locker key, a T-shirt and a pair of shorts to change into including 2 face towels . This key is also used like a debit card inside the spa facilities. Carry the key on your wrist at all times, and you can use it to purchase the services or food and drinks you want by placing your key on the induction machine. All purchases you make on the key should be paid with cash or credit card when you exit the spa.

On the 1st floor, there is a common jjimjilbang area, an outdoor pool with food and drinks corner. jjimjilbang facilities included are the conventional oak wood charcoal oven, the crystal salt room, and the pine tree wood fire sweating room, a hinoki forest bath, a rock icehouse, a yellow earth pyramid meditation room, a natural nephrite experience room, and more. Most jjimjilbang facilities are high in temperature except the cold rock icehouse and the hinoki forest bath, which is at room temperature.

The women’s sauna located on the 2nd floor offers various body scrub and sport massage services and the access to this sauna area is via the 3rd floor women's locker room. The women’s jjimjilbang, massage, and esthetics, and locker room are all housed on the 3rd floor. There is also a private "Woman's Lift" to the entrance of women's locker room. The 4th floor has a fitness center. On the 5th floor is the men’s sauna and locker room. The 6th floor has another men’s sauna and co-ed rooms for napping and resting. The rooftop has a barbeque, a cinema, and a garden.

The women’s sauna includes an outdoor natural rock seawater bath, a functional hot water bath, functional cold water bath, a Goryeo ginseng bath, a full-body water massage bath, a rainbow bath, and an aroma gold hydrometallurgy bath, an emperor’s sitz hip room, and the mud pack room. It also offers the following services :

Body scrub at 20,000 won
Sport Massage including body scrub, cucumber facial treatment, shampoo and rinse of hair at 50,000 won

Yongsan Station Dragon Hill Spa Entrance

Path to Dragon Hill Spa

Main Entrance of Dragon Hill Spa

My Summer Camp with 안재욱 2008

2009-08-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

My Summer Camp with 안재욱 2007

2009-08-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

My Summer Camp with 안재욱 2006

2009-08-18T01:55:00.000-07:00

Memories of My Summer Camp with my idol 안재욱

Our "Family" Portrait

Summer of 2006 in Jeju-do

안재욱 Room Visit

Moments with 안재욱...

Good Morning 재욱 Oppa!

Morning Walk

Nice Breakfast...

Let's do some outdoor sports

Mini Olympic...Field Games

Mini Sea Games ...

I'm all drenched!

Taking a puff...

Enjoying our dinner...

Having Fun!

MBC TV Station, 63 City and Seoul Tower

2009-08-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

Yeouido 여의도 is an inlet island of Seoul where it houses both the Korean Broadcasting System 한국방송 (KBS TV Station) and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation 문화방송 (MBC TV Station) as well as 63 City standing at 249 meters (817 ft) high, it is the 3rd tallest building in South Korea and the 135th tallest building worldwde.

Yeouido can be reached via Subway Line 5, Yeouido Station and it can be explored by foot or bike.

Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation 문화방송 (MBC TV Station)

Here's our visit to my idol's first graduating place...MBC TV Station.

MBC Official Website
http://www.imbc.com/
http://aboutmbc.imbc.com/english/index.html

MBC Drama Page
http://caption.imbc.com/eng/main.aspx

HANWHA 63 City

Yoidodong 60, Youngdungpo-ku, Seoul
Tel: (82) (2) 789-5114
Website : http://www.63.co.kr/63eng/63Main.jsp

Opening Hours and Ticketing Information
http://www.63.co.kr/63eng/IF/IF_main.jsp

Recent years of upgrading and new facelift renovation works has transformed 63 City into yet another great tourist attraction for the family. The new facilities now houses the Seaworld, Sky Art, IMAX and a Wax Museum.

63 Seaworld
http://www.63.co.kr/63eng/SW/SW_main.jsp

63 SkyArt
http://www.63.co.kr/63eng/SA/SA_main.jsp

63 IMAX
http://www.63.co.kr/63eng/IM/IM_main.jsp

63 Wax Museum
http://63waxmuseum.com/

The Seaworld before its renovation

Namsan Tower ---> N-Seoul Tower 서울타워
Yongsan-dong 2 (i)-ga San 1-3, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Website : http://www.nseoultower.net/english/?MenuIDX=92

This is the venue where the famous "Boys Over Flower" 꽃보다 남자 (KBS Official Website : http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/f4/) was been filmed. The first date for Gu Jun Pyo played by Lee Min Ho 이민호 (Official Website : http://www.leeminho.kr/) and Geum Jan Di played by Goo Hye Sun 구혜선 (Official Website : http://kuhyesun.com/).

How to get there?

By Cable Car
At Exit 3 of Myeong-dong Subway Station, Line No. 4, walk toward Pacific Hotel and then walk 10 minutes to the Namsan Cable Car.Running hours: 10:00am~22:30pm
Fees: Adult (Return ticket ￦6,300), Children (Return ticket ￦4,000)

By Circulating Bus
Yellow Namsan Circulating Bus Number 02
Operating hours and intervals : every 5~8 minutes, 08:00 ~ 24:00
Fare : cash 550 won, transportation card 500 won (discounted for transfer)
Bus routes : N Seoul Tower - Namsan Public Library - Namsan walking path B course - Seoul Animation Center - Toegyero 3 ga - Daehan Cinema (Chungmuro Station exit 1) - Toegyero 5 ga - Dongguk Univ. Station (exit 6) - National Theater of Korea - N Seoul Tower

Admission fee (Observatory)
Ages : Children 4-12 ￦3,000/Youth 13-18 ￦5,000/Adult ￦7,000

Hancook Package (Weekday Lunch Special)
Opening hours : 2:00pm to 6:00pm
Ages : Children 4-12 ￦10,000/Youth 13-18 ￦11,500/Adult ￦13,000

The cable car ride...

Seoul Tower before its renovation

First Travelling to Seoul

2009-08-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

My Idol 안재욱

It all started with my "crush" on my idol 안재욱 in the year 1998 after watching "Star in my Heart" 별은 내 가슴에 on the cable TV and ever since I've been scrambling over the internet for websites and news about him and it lead me to his "Forever" Fan Club in year 2001 and thereafter I've been a routine DIY traveller to South Korea...Land of the morning calm...Land of dreams...

안재욱 Official Fan Website

http://www.ahnjaewook.co.kr/main/main.asp

안재욱 Forever Singapore

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=83588813052

In a way, it was my first independent trip with my little daughter without any prior travel knowledge of this place and we never spoke a single word of the korean language. We just went there with an open heart and our little itinery of places that I've found on the web, booked our flight tickets and accommodation and we embarked on our little adventure to find out more about my idol's birth place, his culture, the people and their way of life...

Thereafter, it was like a total addiction to be there every year in different seasons to experience the different sights of Korea...Taste of Spring...Heat of the Summer...Shades of Autumn and Cool Winter...

Seoul is generally a very easy city to navigate with good local infrasture and travellers are offered easy transportation at a low cost. Travelling via their local subway is the always the best choice for those who are travelling on budget and places of interests, shopping and dining are well connected by subway and each subway station is often linked to a series of underground shops...so you'll never be bored but you'll need to keep an eye on how fast you may end up with shopping bags at the end of the station exit!

Seoul Subway Guide

http://www.smrt.co.kr/Eng/index.jsp

Seoul Subway Map
http://www.smrt.co.kr/Train/Subwaymap/Eng/Subwaymap.jsp

Sheraton Walker Hill

21 Gwangjang Dong · Gwangjin Gu · Seoul 143 708 · South Korea
Phone: (82)(2) 465 2222
Website : http://www.wseoul.com/

Our first destination was visiting the much talked about Casino Hotel Sheraton Walker Hill, where the Korean Drama "Hotelier" was being filmed. There were lush greeneries surrounding the hotel and we had the pleasure of taking a good morning walk and rounding off with some drinks over at the "Starlight" Bar which was no longer in existence after years of upgrading, new facelift and renovation programs.

Seoul is often referred to as the mecca of shopper's paradise where one is spoilt with abundances of choices. Groomed as a careful shopper back home but still ran wild in the shopping streets of Seoul. Here's a visit to my idol's shop "a# Alphanumeric" which was also in non existence these days. One may be surprised on how fast the shops changed their ownership in the streets of Myeong-Dong..."Then you see it, Now you don't!". I was told that the rental fees were extremely high and most of the shops are not making much profit hence only those big players are able to maintain their flagship stores on these young and vibrant streets of Myeong-Dong.

Myeong-Dong can be reached by Subway Line4, Myeong-Dong Station, Exit 5 or 6.

a# Alphanumeric

A trip down to Apgujeong another fashion mecca for the up market, where big foreign names cast their brand here. There are also many chic restaurants and many cafes with unique interior designs lining up the "Rodeo Street". This is also the place where famous Korean Celebrities make their frequent visits and If you get lucky, you may even meet one of them!

Apgujeong can be reached by Subway Line 3, Exit 1, walk 10 to 15 minutes in the direction of Hanyang Apt. & Galleria Department Store area or one may like to take a cab from Hyundai Department Taxi-Stand for under 5,000 won.

We were lucky to catch this live performance during the Niigata Fair just outside "The Galleria"

Strolling down the Agujeong streets, you'll see "Once in the Blue Moon", another Korean Drama favorite filming vicinity. Scene can be found in "Beautiful Days"..."Lover's in Paris"..."My Lovely Sam Soon"... It is a very tastefully designed Jazz bar coupled with nice fusion food. Their live performances starts at 7:00pm every night. This place came with a dress code but we were lucky that they were even kind enough to let us in not to mentioned about my underage little daughter! Probably it was because we were tourists or maybe we may have appeared a little "Famished"...hahaha...but it is often in their korean culture to do their best and not turn you away or leave you disappointed! This is a nice place to bring your date or just a night out to relief your stress and relish your Soul!

Once in a Blue Moon
85-1 Cheongdam-Dong Kangnam-Gu Seoul South Korea
Phone: (82)(2) 549-5490
Website : http://www.onceinabluemoon.co.kr/

Round the corner, at the end of the street was where the "Hard Rock Cafe" once stand. This is the place where there was a scene in my Idol's "Star in My Heart" that was being filmed. Just a few days before the Halloween in Year 2001...you can see the pumkins on the table! Unfortunately "Hard Rock Cafe" has ceased operation after their recent moved to Itaewon.

Travel Guide to Seoul

2009-08-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

Before you embark on your little adventure, do make some planning especially for DIY Travellers! Here's some website to read-up and plan your itineries and create your own memories...

Visit Korea
Website : http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/intro.html

South Korea Travel Guide
Website : http://www.lifeinkorea.com/travel2/

Korea Net
Website : http://www.korea.net/

Upon Arrival in Incheon Airport, South Korea

Incheon Airport Guide
Website : http://www.airport.kr/eng/index.jsp

Airport Limousine Guide with Service Route and Ticket Price Information

From Incheon Airport to Seoul City
Website : http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busList.iia?flag=E&fake=1250582653723

The Subway System in Seoul

Seoul Subway Guide
http://www.smrt.co.kr/Eng/index.jsp

Seoul Subway Map
http://www.smrt.co.kr/Train/Subwaymap/Eng/Subwaymap.jsp

Air Tickets and Room Reservation

2009-08-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

Hi Travellers,

If you are a DIY Traveller like me, it is always good to make some price comparison before you make your final ticketing option and room reservation. Always plan ahead so that you'll get a good headstart to an available seat especially during the Public Holidays and School Holidays Peak Season. Look out for promotional rates during the NATAS Fair and sign-up with the airline companies to be notified of any good promotion that may be heading your way.

Here are some of the Air Travel websites where you may find them useful :

Misa Travel
Website : http://www.airfares.com.sg/index.aspx

Price Breaker
Website : http://www.pricebreaker.travel/

Zuji
Website : http://www.zuji.com.sg/

Asia Travels
Website : http://asiatravel.com/singapore.html

Airlines offering Non-Stop direct flight from Singapore to Seoul on a daily basis :

Singapore Airline
Website : http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/index.jsp

Asiana Airline
Website : http://ea.flyasiana.com/Global/EA/en/index

Korean Airline
Website : http://www.koreanair.com/

Airline offering 1-Stop over flight in Hong Kong enroute to Seoul from Singapore on a daily basis :

Cathay Pacific Airline
Website : http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_SG/homepage

Here are some of Room Reservation Guide which may be handy :

AsiaRoom
Website : http://www.asiarooms.com/

Hotelwide
Website : http://www.hotelwide.com/english/main.asp

Incheon Guest House (Near to the Incheon Airport with Free Shutter Service)
Website : http://www.ghincheon.com/e_index.htm

Han Suite Serviced Residences Seoul
Website : http://www.hansuites.com/

Daewoo Motel
Website : http://www.daewoomotel.com/eng/eng_index.asp