Meeting a friend in Seoul & visiting Korean entertainment companies
Went to Seoul again yesterday, but this time to meet up with a friend that’s working there. We knew each other from studying at Korea University last year and our undying love for kpop.
We met up in Myeongdong.
I love that place, plus I knew I could get a bag for 10,000 won. That was the first thing I bought when I came out the exit. It helps so much to have your hands free in Korea.
I waited maybe 10 minutes if that because she showed up early too. We walked around, I needed to go to the bank. Then, we went across the street for EXO’s pop-up store. Ok it’s SM’s pop up store, but almost everything was EXO.
Let me say this. SM Entertainment knows how to market. Anything you can think of has EXO’s name spread across it. It’s amazing how packed it was with school girls spending their last won to get something that their oppa (older brother but in this case a guy that’s older than them) wore. Even a rubik’s cube and outfits they wore during promotions! Craziness.
They sell bags to make it seem like you are holding hands with them. Crazy right?
After that we went back into the main part of Myeongdong and K. decided that she needed to buy more cds. She already has a ton, but what can a few more do? I myself was pretty good, last year I bought cds from the same place and had to shove them tetris style in my carry-on just to go home. So I didn’t buy any yesterday. Now to say I won’t buy any in the coming months…I don’t know. ^^;
Afterwards, we went to Art Box. All kind of stationaries and candies. You name it, you can do damage in there also. I bought an umbrella, because well I didn’t have one and you kinda need one here in Korea.
Sorry forgot to take pics since I was focusing on finding out the price of an umbrella. hehe ^^;
Finally we were done shopping there and went to eat. I love K. so much, she bought lunch. For two people 14,000 won and was stuffed. We had dalkgalbi (chicken meat?),rice, and cheese all mixed together. It was awesome.
And again sorry, no food pic, was hungry and we just attacked it.
We went to everysing which is like the pop up store for the most part, but with more of SM other artists too as well as artists from other companies.
Apgujeong
We went to SM, Cube, JYP, and of course JYP donuts. Ok it’s not JYP donuts, it’s dunkin donuts but I can take a few steps and enter JYP. Plus fans wait there to see artists come out. So it shall forever be JYP donuts to me. I didn’t go into Cube Cafe this time, maybe when it’s cooler and I want one of their cafe mochas. SM is remodeling their main building so artists have to go to the other one. But since they are in America for KCON no fans were out there. YES! Nobody trying to bump into me. I swear…ok that’s another post.
They already were a Global Training Center for their artists…Maybe some international people can join that are non-Asian?
Then we went down the subway (that was not there last year) to CO-EX mall. You can tell it’s new and fancy. They had this section with 2PM. You could donate money and take pictures with cutouts of them. It was all kind of stuff as you’ll see below.
Finally CO-EX mall! Hyundai department store has the bottom floor filled of gourmet goodies. I swear I thought I died and went to heaven. Fresh baked goods and homemade candies everywhere. I was like “OMG…” You can choose from all kind of breads. They had cupcakes, cakes, cookies, chocolates just made, fresh candies. Even had a wine store to pick something out to go along with your purchase if you wanted it. They even had an Auntie Anne’s. I could live in that one section. Smelling everything being made was amazing. It’ll be imprinted in my mind forever. I’ll have to get better pictures next time.
But we were going to the 9th floor. I think. I know we went over 8 floors. Anyways, to go look at some lush products. All their stuff is homemade and you can smell it before getting to it. Mad expensive though. Then, we went back down to Heaven. Lovely place.
American goods?
K. remembered she had to buy candy for her class later that day. There’s this store that sells some American goods, like normal sized cans of soda (Dr. Pepper, Sprite, and etc), tomato soup, lay’s potato chips (plain and sour cream & onion), kool-aid, peanut butter and other random things.
Calling it a day
Next thing I know it was almost 5pm and we decided to call it a day, plus I knew I had a long trip back home. So we separated at the subway station. It was a great trip though. Nothing like being in Seoul, but I was glad that at least on the way home people start disappearing off the subway to get off leaving very little in the end and I can always get a seat. ^_^
Now to get ready for the week. Weekends are so short.