Bits & Pieces - The World & Me: Spring Waltz in Seoul 2012

HALLYU is the in-thing now and popularity of KPOP is spreading rapidly around the whole world!!

With my recent new found interest for KPOP, one of the things that made my last November trip and this trip even more exciting is of course KPOP Hunt. Check out what I managed to capture in Seoul from both trips…..

Part 1

Our first encounter – Hallyu corner in KTO Headquarters

Kwon Sang Woo (权相佑) and Song Seung Heon (宋承宪)

2NE1

Lee Byung Hun (李炳宪)

2PM - Ok Taecyeon (玉泽演)

SNSD

In Seoul, almost all the skincare shops are endorsed by famous Hallyu stars…..

· The Saem by Lee Seung Gi last year and now IU

· Innisfree by Yoona of Girls’ Generation

· The Face Shop by Kim Sung Jong

· It’s Skin by 2PM

· Nature Republic by JYJ and Jang Guen Suk

And the list goes on……Here’s some that I captured.

Jang Geun Suk for Nature Republic

2PM for Look Optical

2PM - Nichkhun (He is really popular!)

Nichkhun for It's Skin

IU ofr the saem

2PM for NEPA

Various stars for various brands

Various stars fro various brands

Son Ga In (BEG)

My favourite KPOP group is 2AM, a 4-guy ballad group. In 2AM, as you might already know, I like Jo Kwon, the leader, best! During my two trips, I managed to chance upon quite a few posters featuring 2AM and Jo Kwon (lucky!!). I even managed to see 2AM’s Seoul Metro CF while on the subway and Jo Kwon’s ALBA Heaven CF when it was first launched in Seoul last year. Lucky!!!

Jo Kwon for Seoul Metro

Jo Kwon for Alba Heaven

Jo Kwon for Alba Heaven

Jo Kwon for Alba Heaven

2AM for Seoul Metro

2AM for KAPPA

Jo Kwon for Seoul Metro

My favorite daily service, Jo Kwon for Seoul Metro

Part 2

How can a trip to Seoul be complete if I leave without owning a KPOP CD of my idol!!

My last trip to Seoul happens to coincide with the release of 2AM 1^st Concert DVD – Saint O’Clock. What luck I have!! Thanks to advice given by Khanh in his blog, I managed to find this shop in Myeongdong subway station which gives good price.

KPOP Shop

KPOP Shop

KPOP Shop

KPOP Shop

Here’s what I bought from both trips, 我的战利品.

Saint o'clock concert DVD

2AM latest mini album

Directions (cr: http://khanhinkorea.tumblr.com)

Take a train to Myeongdong Station which is on the blue line (Line 4). Look for signs directing you to Exit 5 and 6. Once you get pass the gate, stay in the underground station and look straight ahead. You should see shops lining both the right and left hand sides and this is the Myeongdong Underground Mall. The store is on the left hand side of the underground mall.

Part 3

My love for Adam Couple started after watching them on “We Got Married”.

During my last trip, I chanced upon 2 places which were featured in “We Got Married”. The first was별다방미스리 (Byeoldabangmiseuri) in Insadong which I have mentioned in my November 2011 trip blog – where the Sweet Potato couple visited during one of their outings.

Byeoldabangmiseuri

Byeoldabangmiseuri

The second is this street stall in Myeongdong that the Adam Couple patronized during their 1^st Christmas together. I went back to confirm and yes, they are the same uncle and auntie who treated the Adam Couple to their “tornado potato chips”.

Tornado Potato

Same stall

During this trip, I chanced upon the place where Khuntoria couple waited for Adam Couple at Namsan Cable Car Station (which I have earlier mentioned) and this - Jo Kwon as Ok Yeob in All My Love at Trick Eye Museum.

Ok Yeob in Trick Eye Museum

Ok Yeob in Trick Eye Museum

I also went to the Noraebang that 2AM went to.

Karaoke box in Hongdae

2AM

Part 4

When we were planning this trip, we were thinking that if we have time, we can try to checkout the various Entertainment Companies - SM, CUBE, JYPE, etc. However, in the end, we dropped the idea. We decided to just visit Eversing - the shop owned by SM Entertainment that sells merchandises of their artistes. There are 2 branches, one in Apgujeong and the other in Myeongdong. We planned this into our itinerary but not a must-see but we happened to find it.