South Korea, Here I Come!

It's the 26th day of August, 2022, and I just had my Graduation Day on the 19th day of the month. I'm feeling hopeless because I couldn't give myself the gift I've been saving on since last year. Should I blame Covid because of this?

Well, everything is actually going back to normal. The Philippines has finally flatten the curve of Covid cases in the country. We are now allowed to travel from one place to another and the borders are now open for foreigners who want to travel inside the country.

"Breaking News: South Korea is now opening its borders for international tourists. Because of this, there will be a Grand Concert at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 25th day of September. Performances from the biggest K-pop groups and bands await. You will also have the chance to meet and greet your Korean idols. Check this link for more details. See you there!"

I read this from the post of a Page I'm following on Facebook which talks everything about South Korea.

I couldn't contain my excitement anymore as I have been waiting for this moment. I immediately clicked the link attached which directed me to the website about the concert. I checked the prices of the tickets and the VIP ticket that will give me the chance to meet and greet my Korean idols is worth $5,000.00. Without any hesitation, I booked and paid for two VIP tickets.

I called my cousin and asked her if she wants to attend a concert with me, and without a second thought, she agreed.

We then processed our visa, booked our plane tickets, and accommodation packed our things, and were ready to fly to my dream country, South Korea.

September 23, 2022:

After almost 4 hours of flight from Manila to Incheon International Airport,

"Annyeonghaseyo, South Korea! Saranghaeyo, Oppa!"

I saw my cousin slightly laughed at me when we finally landed at the airport. It is my first time to travel to this country and I am full of excitement to visit some of the popular tourist destinations here especially the Nami and Jeju Islands.

It was around 4 in the afternoon when we arrived at our chosen luxury hotel, The Westin Chosun Seoul. We paid a total of $1,155 for our 4 days and 3 nights of stay in our deluxe room.

With the money we paid for our accommodation, it was worth it especially that our room has modern furnishings, and this top hotel provides us easy access to famous restaurants, has an onsite bar that serves cocktails and beers, and a panoramic fitness center with a heated swimming pool, and a variety of exercise equipment.

After unpacking our things, my cousin and I decided to rest for an hour.

At around 6 in the evening, we ate dinner at Sushi Cho, which is a fine-dining Japanese restaurant located on the 20th floor of the hotel that gives us a glimpse of the beauty of Seoul.

We ordered Crispy Thai Chicken Wings, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, White Tuna Tataki, Sunomono Salad, and Cheesecake New York-Style for our dessert.

We agreed not to order a lot of food because we'll be having a street-food trip afterward. However, we enjoyed the food we had as they were exquisitely delicious, tasty, and worth their prices.

After an hour, we hopped out of the hotel and headed straight to the Myeongdong Street Food Alley, which is known as the street food paradise for food lovers.

I am thrilled when we finally got to witness the variety of food stalls that offers delightful Korean street foods.

Take all of my money because I am going to try everything! My pocket and stomach are ready for a feast!

I first looked for Tteokbokki as I've been craving for this. It is a stir-fried rice cake usually served in thick, sweet, and spicy sauce. I feel like my tongue was burned after taking the first bite. Then we headed to the second stall and bought 2 servings of Kimbap (Korean Rice Roll), and Twigim (Korean Tempura). My cousin didn't like it but I still enjoyed the Soondae I ordered, which is a Korean Blood Sausage. My stomach has a lot of compartments so I also ordered Mandoo (Korean Dumplings), Odeng (Korean Fishcake), and Dakkochi (Grilled Chicken on a stick). I feel like I'm in a K-drama as I taste all of these tasty foods with the actor's iconic reaction when they get to eat chicken or tasty food.

We walked a few more blocks until we saw a Korean Barbeque Restaurant. At last, we finally got to eat Samgyupsal in no other than Seoul, South Korea.

I feel like I'm the head chef tonight as I am the one grilling the meat at the spot at our table. We also ordered a bottle of Soju as it is the best drink while eating barbeque. We lasted for an hour eating Samgyupsal, and when our stomach felt too heavy already, we grabbed a taxi and went back to our hotel.

It was almost 10 in the evening when we arrived back at Westin Chosun. When we're already on our bed, my cousin uploaded the photos she took on Facebook, while I posted them on my noise.cash account. Afterward, we planned for the things we are going to do tomorrow and the places we want to visit.

This is my entry for the dream vacation where money isn't an issue.

So basically, this is exactly my plan- to travel to South Korea once I graduate from College, and what I want to do the moment I step my feet in South Korea, to taste all of their street foods at Myeongdong. Hahaha!

See you on our 2nd day in Seoul!