The Magical World

This is a high-pressure post. How do I begin to explain Hongdae? There are so many layers. Hongdae colored my first impression of Korea; upon landing I had been in my apartment no longer than 30 minutes before shuttled off to Hongdae. It’s only appropriate that six months later I draft this post at a well-respected café in Hongdae while sipping on a pour-over (black, might I add!)

Hongdae is the term for the area surrounding Hongik University, a prestigious fine arts university in Korea. It is known for its eclectic and artsy vibe, vivid night life, urban music scene, boutique shopping, cafés galore, and all sorts of oddities. If you want to see something uniquely Korean or maybe something just strange, Hongdae is a good bet.

I’m talking about the Mageolli Man, a nocturnal dude with an animated face who pushes a cart full of mageolli through the park and on the streets. The gigantic, furry and possibly dead dog that accompanies the cotton candy vendor. The sad and dirty Garfield who wanders from one depressing street curb to the next. The Trick Eye Museum dedicated to amusing optical illusions.

Hongik University station exit 9 is the infamous meeting place in Hongdae. So popular, sometimes you have to wait in line to exit the subway. Luckily Hongdae is expansive enough for everyone to disperse above ground. I personally prefer the less neon, more hipster area near exit 8. Here I wander the backstreets, bumping into the cutest boutiques and independent coffee shops.

The park is another widely known meeting place. With no open container laws, it’s an easy place to enjoy convenience mart maekju (beer) or soju (Korean rice liquor so cheap I don’t understand why they even bother charging for it.) On the weekends, the park holds an arts flea market where you can pick up a range of crafts, jewelry, trinkets, and second-hand goods. Random bands and street performers sometimes use the park as a venue as well. And the park is even home to the illusive silent disco, where participants jam along to music only audible through synced headphones with balloons tied on for a bobbing effect. I have yet to experience this but I sure hope I do!

Within my first week in Korea I took an informal tour of Hongdae that served as a great orientation to such an exciting and confusing area. Bethany and I never met up with that dude again but we learned a handful of secrets…I’m not gonna pretend I wasn’t jotting a few notes. Our guide showed us a promotional ice bar with complimentary beer and how to send free postcards from the tourist kiosk (unfortunately these were both short-term promotions and oddly enough I rarely see postcards for sale in Seoul.) He took us down a street with Super Mario characters on every lamppost, pointed out notable themed cafés, and familiarized us with the array of street food options.

The most epic of nights take place in Hongdae. You’ll find a diversity of restaurants, Korean and foreign. Swanky cocktail and wine bars. Homier bars…the unlimited peanuts or popcorn win me over every time. Pubs big and loud. Mageolli bars...though it’s the pajeon I’m a sucker for. A selection of clubs, all types of music. Cocktails in a bag (think Capri-Suns for adults.) Noraebangs (karaoke rooms) and sheesha (hookah.) I even know a rare craft brewery. And if there wasn’t already enough to occupy yourself, nights are a lively time to shop as well. It can all add up, but Hongdae is generally cheaper than other concentrations of nightlife. I’m not a night owl but the thought of a 2am last call seems comically early these days. When emerging from one of these venues in Hongdae you just might find yourself greeting the sunrise.

Mokdong has been a great home the past six and a half months, for many reasons. If I were ever to live anyplace else in Seoul, I would need to ensure easy access to Hongdae. Cool neighborhoods are scattered all over the city, but Hongdae is the biggest concentration. And in the after-subway hours, a cab ride home is affordable. Over six months of exploring and I still wander down an unchartered street and bump into something new, every single visit I make. Any spare afternoon I can ensure I will be entertained by an adventure through Hongdae.

Garfield, always so sad...

Symbolic of all things random and eclectic that Hongdae has to offer

First encounter with the Mageolli Man

One of countless Hongdae streets at night

A friend's installation art project at the old abandoned Hongdae elementary school

A favorite vegan spot in Hongdae

Gym

When I finally settled into my Korean lifestyle I got back to being active. This included running at my park and a fair bit of hiking. But when the weather turned chilly I knew I would be less inclined to brave the cold. So I joined my local gym. Not only was it a couple minutes walk from my apartment, it was incredibly cheap. I bargained a three-month membership down to 120,000₩ (~$108) which I conspicuously paid for in cash. I’m not the first waygookin to join up but they were extremely enthusiastic to have me.

I already had every intention of joining, but one of their “selling points” to me was the free personal training. I think there are about seven employees/trainers who float around and assist patrons with weight lifting. My first couple of days I received a lot of attention. They insisted on stretching me and cracking my back. One of the trainers then showed me some upper body exercises. She might have thought that I’d never worked out before (or ever done anything remotely physical) because she provided me with dinky hand weights to bench press. I later sneakily exchanged them for weights about six times heavier. They let me do my own thing now, for the best.

The trainers are really friendly and I have come to adore them. Mostly. The owner of the gym, Seo Moon Seok, is a former bodybuilder. His English name is Diesel (really?) Maybe that gives you an idea of what kind of guy he is. Trophies and posters of himself in his prime litter the gym. He thinks he’s prettyyy cool, though in his booty spandex shorts I beg to differ. Two of the female trainers are also former body builders. They don’t look as ripped as their posters on the wall but part of body building is drastically dropping weight right before a competition (healthy…?)

The gym is not luxurious like another establishment down the road. In fact it’s pretty basic and could use some updating. But location and price are unbeatable. And it has everything I need: free weights and machines, “running machines” and elipticals, jump ropes and mats, lockers and showers. I know the stuttering treadmills to avoid…isn’t that all that really matters?

In case you were wondering, going to the gym still takes a bit of motivation in Korea. But there are always interesting experiences and interactions to be had, including but not limited to a hilarious Korean playlist occasionally mixed in with 90s American pop. Or the fat-shaking machines and upside-down spine stretchers. A couple months ago I met a Korean who lived in Arlington/Alexandria for a year! We became chingus but lately his job at Samsung has inhibited our friendship...you know I’m loyal to my Apple products. I kid I kid. While a job at Samsung is a prestigious position to land, it is incredibly demanding. To have lunch I literally had to take an 80-minute subway ride to see him (Samsung sure has a beautiful building and elaborate food court, though!)

Last week a stern, old ajeoshi yelled angry Korean things at me that I couldn’t understand. It required another patron to translate but essentially he didn’t like that I was wearing my outside gym shoes inside and could I please buy another pair (well, if I really must get some new Nike kicks…) You think someone might have told me this sometime in my first three months of working out. The illusion of cleanliness…oh a blog post for another time.

Since I joined three months ago four of my coworkers have also signed up. My coworkers are affectionately known as “Allie’s chingus” and according to them I’m pretty intense. A reputation I don’t mind having. It’s not the nicest or most organized gym but I’ve brought them a bit of business. My three-month membership has technically ‘expired’ yet I don’t think anyone knows or cares that I’m still working out…

Update: They actually have been keeping track of my membership...and the dumb foreigner card doesn't seem to work. To renew or not to renew? With spring hiking season on the horizon maybe I'll get back to my running and Bikram routine.

Diesel and one of the trainers

Muscles muscles muscles

Where the magic happens

This one really works my...?

Maybe You Should Sit...(In a Café)

This may come as a bit of a surprise, but sometimes life takes an unexpected turn…I got married!

Oh am I ever JUST KIDDING. Korea is home to a lot of eccentricities, among them a wedding dress café. Though it’s become popular with foreigners, Korean girls (and their boyfriends!) visit this café to try on wedding gowns and take endless pictures. This would probably send most American bachelors running for the hills, but Korean boyfriends didn’t (seem to) mind playing photographer. The really good sports even wore tuxedos! The cost of the experience depended on how fancy a dress you selected and for an hour you could take as many pictures as your memory card allowed. In the spirit of doing as many non-American activities as possible, this café was not to be missed.

Tea is much more traditional to Korean culture, but the modern hot beverage is unmistakably coffee. On the busiest of streets, not only will you have the choice between every Korean coffee chain, in some places you can even decide whether to patronize the Paris Baguette on the left or right side of the road. There have got to be at least thirty major coffee chains, but on smaller streets you can find tons of cozy independent shops…and me! The city even touts café showcases for heaven's sake. The number of caffeine-addicted people required to keep all these cafes afloat is a testament to how big Seoul is.

Korea just has a unique café culture. What’s better than to mix my love of coffee and animals? Dog and cat cafés are prevalent. And in an urban setting where dog ownership is pretty limited to small dogs, interaction with big dogs is greatly welcomed. For just an overpriced cup of coffee, you can spend however long you like playing with dogs of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and temperaments. You might even get so lucky as to have a Golden Retriever carry your bill to the register. I’ve been to better smelling cafés but it’s more than worth the experience.

Oh and that’s not all. One day we even made the barnyard café round. First to a sheep café which unfortunately was not as interactive as we had hoped. But the afternoon was salvaged at another dog café with a resident pig! Unappealing, say you? Don’t even get Bekah started…pigs are smarter and cleaner than dogs…

And of course the board game and the puzzle cafés. For an economical hourly rate you can play virtually every board game ever created. The only question is…will I kick your butt in the Simpson’s or Star Wars version of Clue?

The themed café possibilities are endless here. Where’s the creativity, America? The Hello Kitty Café is a hit for people who enjoy feeling like they are sitting inside a pink Easter egg. Or the Charlie Brown café for those who prefer their waffles shaped like Snoopy’s head. I’m a big fan of cafes with awkwardly translated names. For example, “Coffee in Dong”…You can never be sure but I believe they were going for “Neighborhood Coffee Shop.” (Coincidentally, dong also means “east” AND is similar to the Korean word for “poop.”)

If coffee isn’t your thing, perhaps I can interest you in a potato party?

Honorable Mentions: book café, airplane café, cheese café, cake-decorating café, palace café.

Round 3

I finished my second term. Halfway through my contract. At times I never thought I’d see the day. But time never stops so I will avoid saying “I can’t believe it’s already…” In all my experience, time has never not moved forward.

Overall, teaching is going well. Work is work…sometimes challenging, sometimes boring, sometimes lots of fun. English grammar can get a bit dull but the students are always entertaining. Mostly, I love living in Seoul and having hours and money that allow me to experience it.

Open classes for parent observation bled right into preparing final student comments and entering final grades into the system. Before I knew it I was burning toaster oven cookies to give to my students on the last day of classes. (Talk about punishment: get kids excited for chocolate chip cookies and then let them taste a toaster oven tragedy. Okay, they weren’t that bad but really…when will I learn that I can’t just substitute any mis-measured ingredient I feel like and expect a perfect cookie?)

It was a busy term and I had to rush through a few books in the last week of classes. Of course the students didn’t get anything out of that, but what was more important was that the books were ‘finished.’ This is how the mothers of Mokdong are appeased. One of the joys of working in private education.

The new term began as quickly as the old term ended. I was ready for some fresh kids (and they were probably ready for a fresh teacher.) A few classes will be missed and a few will definitely NOT be. I love all the kids I’ve taught but I haven’t always enjoyed being their teacher. There’s an astronomically large difference between playing with kids and being responsible for holding their attention spans long enough to teach them something.

The new term has already been eventful. I’ve made three kids cry in four days. What a ratio…that’s what I call good teaching. Alright, let me defend myself. School policy is now giving a daily spelling test…including to several classes who only graduated kindergarten last week. The tests proved a little too stressful for two students. How heartbreaking is that?

As for the third kid, well, maybe I’m a little to blame. I know this guy well as I’ve already been his teacher for three months. When he began to pull his usual shenanigans before class had even started I sent him into the hallway. He was angry and refused to return to class when invited back. And embarrassed because when I explained to his classmates why he was sitting in the hall, he could overhear from the hallway. When the president of the school finds your student crying in the hallway, it doesn’t look too good on you. The three of us had a little powwow in the hallway and made amends. I genuinely feel bad about the way things panned out. I hurt his pride, which only exacerbated his sensitivity to being demoted. However, it was helpful to be directly informed of his circumstances and ADHD issues. The kind of thing you wish happened with every student before a term begins. Oh and how could I forget the most important reason of them all! Since his mom introduces many new students to WILS, it’s of the utmost importance to stay on her good side. Essentially I have to kiss this kid’s butt. Private education yay!

Also exciting this week…a few familiar little faces I thought I had said goodbye to enrolled at WILS. What a great surprise for all of us! They aren’t in my class but I got the best little hugs at break time! They do need to learn how to keep calm and play it cool, though…

And a last highlight, I have a class comprised of my favorite students from three previous classes. This class is da bomb. Great to see these guys again…yet so disconcerting to see them all together!

Anyways, this could potentially be my favorite term yet…I’ll let you know if I end up eating my words. I’m teaching one less class, so a little less money but a little more sanity. My schedule is fairly intense Mon-Wed but by Thursday I can nearly taste the weekend. There’s the college schedule I know and love!

Fun times with EFL 9 girls.

"I love you, teacher! Goodbye!" Rose knows she's funny...

Thank you EU3 for being a fun and disciplined class.

If all classes were as awesome as you, I'd consider teaching in the longer run...

Spelling tests are hard!

I like to encourage creative behavior but there are limited ways of spelling "eraser"

A Whirlwind Weekend in Seoul

How do you spend two days in Seoul? There really is no one way. Six months in and I haven’t come close to seeing it all myself (I’m starting to wonder if it’s even possible.) I often go out to explore places my chingus have never been or occasionally even heard of. Assisted by the subway app and Google Maps, I played tour guide for a couple relatives in town for the weekend. Getting to show off my city reminds me how much I love it.

A wonderful surprise dropped from the sky with my warm-hearted cousins: a suitcase filled exclusively with American goodies. I thought maybe I’d be so lucky to receive a little peanut butter and oatmeal, but this was an entirely different level. I’m equipped to open the Trader Joe’s flagship store.

After a delectable Saturday breakfast from the 38^th floor Sheraton with an expansive view of Seoul, we loaded the T-money cards and burrowed underneath the city’s surface. Riding the subway is sometimes akin to being a gopher: down one hole and out another. If it weren’t for the map I’d have no idea where I was. First stop: Gyeongbokgung Palace of the Joseon Dynasty, the main palace in the city. On the way we also passed the heavily-guarded American embassy.

A stroll through Insadong followed, an area with traditional restaurants and tea shops but not without tourist shops and street food vendors. It was my first tourist destination and I’ve come to think of it as a rite of passage for Seoul tourists. In the area we rested at a Starbucks (or 스타 벅스 as this sign says) for a quick refreshment; the comfort of the familiar should not be immediately dismissed. We peaked at a nearby pagoda (National Treasure #2, to be exact) and wandered over to Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, the main temple in the city. People worshiped inside, as they often seem to do. We crossed over the Cheonggyecheon urban stream, a peaceful place to stroll set apart from the chaotic city above. It was once a polluted stream that was transformed into a highway but has since been reverted into a clean, urban stream. If we hadn’t done enough walking already, we gophered over to Hongdae for a little walking tour before ending up back at the Sheraton for happy hour and dinner.

Once a few highlights were hit, there was a lot more flexibility on the second day of the tour. Over another perfect breakfast we decided the first stop was Gangnam. Everyone wants a little piece of Gangnam these days, thanks to PSY. Gangnam literally translates to ‘south of the river’ but when people want to see Gangnam they mean they want to see the richest, flashiest area of the city. As we walked along the main boulevard, you would never know that we were in Korea. The majority of the signs are in English and an astounding number of restaurants and stores are foreign chains (McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, Smoothie King, Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, California Pizza Kitchen…) as well as major Korean chains (coffee shops and cosmetic stores galore.) The number of stores in this city is yet another testament to how big and populated Seoul is.

I love new experiences and lunch was a great one for me. We dined at the Top Cloud restaurant on the 33^rd floor of the Jongno Tower. The building has a unique shape providing views other buildings can’t offer. Both the food and cityscape were lovely (although I had been quite pampered in the Sheraton as it was!)

For another new experience, we visited the Myeongdong Cathedral. Right in the heart of things, I was surprised to find this large yet hidden church. Were it not by request of my tourists I might have spent my entire year never knowing it was there. Remarkably, only a block over from this haven begins one of the biggest shopping areas in the city. Myeongdong receives 1.5 million visitors on an average day. There are alleyways with clothing, shoe, cosmetic shops, big name stores like Forever XXI and H&M, street food vendors, protestors, and always crowds of people to bump up against. There is a word for ‘excuse me’ but it is not used as frequently as we do in the States. A little bumping is to be expected and nothing to apologize for. It can be a bit of unwelcome culture shock at first but my tourists faired well.

If you’ve been (un)fortunate to participate on one of my tours or be my travel companion, you have a sense for the amount of walking I like to do. Needless to say, I had sufficiently worn everyone out. Time for another sunset over wine, cheese, and good company from the club level.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

The American Embassy

National Treasure no. 2

Jogyesa Temple

Cheonggyecheon stream

A snippet of Gangnam

The easygoing tourists!

Jongno Tower

From the 33rd floor

Satisfied.

Myeongdong Cathedral

Ah, the view from breakfast overlooking Mokdong

The Sheraton Sindorim has such a warm place in my heart (and stomach)