Travelblog Korea: The 2013 Buzz Korea Awards!

This is what I like about the Korea Tourism Organization. They know how to show their appreciation to those of us who help in their campaign to promote Seoul and Korea to the world.

                     ('Fradia' with my Hannam-dong neighborhood 
                  in the background across the Han River)

                                   (Early buzzers)

The 2013 Buzz Korea Awards is the first time buzz KOREA gathered the international bloggers and members (at least those who could make it to Seoul) together in one place to celebrate another year and to award members whose videos, blogs and K-spots garnered the most votes. The winners got a free tour of selected Korean tourist spots while on a six-day, free-accommodation visit to Korea.

                             (Psy welcoming everyone)

In 2011, I received a runner-up prize for my blog, The Occidental Tourist, which I wrote in the summer of that year. Over the years, I won a prize or two for this or for that. Early this year, I won an iPad Mini!  

(The head of the Korea Tourism Organizaton's team handling buzz KOREA)

(The host of the awards, Ricky Kim)

(Dal Shabet)

So, tonight, amidst the fun and excitement of the awards ceremony held at Fradia, a floating restaurant and event place near Jamwon-dong in the Seocho District of Seoul, Dal Shabet and ZE:A, two of the more popular K-pop bands these days, performed exclusively for the buzz KOREA members. 

                                (Dal Shabet greeting the audience)

The awards night was hosted by Ricky Kim, who also helped give away special prizes like music CDs, a ZE:A jacket, an expensive-looking red backpack, and Yuna Kim's tiara and earrings, which she wore during a figure skating competition.

                             (ZE:A greeting their fans in the crowd)

And everyone went home with a bag full of skin care products. This was mine. Ha-ha-ha!

Thanks again, buzz KOREA, for the gifts. Until next year!

Here are the upbeat performances of Dal-Shabet and ZE:A. ZE:A also sang this ballad.

Here are a few photos of the winners. Congratulations to them!

The Banpo Park: Friends, Families, Fun, Food and Fountains!

I wonder why they call it autumn when I still perspire after walking to the bus stop in Hannam-dong from my home this week. The bus drivers no longer turn on the airconditioner in the bus and the breeze coming from an open window is not enough to cool me off. To me, it's still summer until I say so, which means, until the day I am forced to wear long pants during weekends. Ha-ha-ha!

              (Performers with their audience at Banpo Park)

I remember a couple of years ago, when everything was turning yellow, I was the only one wearing shorts in the bus as I made my way to Namsan to take photographs of the Gingko trees. Everyone else in the bus was wearing jackets and scarves, while I was wearing shorts and a Cheshire Cat grin. Who do you think was dressed for the wrong season? Ha-ha-ha!

               (Our spot under a tree with our pizza, soda 
                       and...well, most of our food is gone!)

So, before the temperatures really get cold at night, it's still a good idea to spend an afternoon or early evening around the Banpo Park with friends and family to relax, chat and watch the Banpo Fountain Bridge...wearing shorts! Ha-ha-ha!

And that's what we exactly did. 

My friends and I gathered one early evening at the Banpo Park, bringing fried chicken, drinks and pizza! We all had to eat first and enjoy the chat before it became dark when the colorful fountains of the Banpo Bridge were turned on.

And we were not alone, of course. There were a lot of people strolling, performing, biking or just sitting by the Han River bank awaiting the start of the fountains' performance. And although they didn't have pizza (like we did!), they all seemed to be enjoying the evening and their company as well. Others also were having their dinner by the river bank after calling for some food delivery service. These delivery guys were distributing flyers of the food menu and contact numbers should anyone start to get hungry while watching the fountain show. 

                (The very popular Banpo Fountain Bridge)

So, if you and your friends are heading there one of these cool evenings, do make sure you have pizza, fried chicken and soda with you. And if you're sensitive to the cold breezes, maybe a blanket will come in handy. But call the Korea Tourism Organization's hotline (02-1330) first to find out the exact time the fountains of the Banpo Fountain Bridge are turned on as the time varies between weeknights and weekends.

And while you're there, just remember all the 'F's of the night and you'll surely enjoy!  

Friends. Families, Fun. Food. Fountains. 

And Fizza?

Thanks To buzz KOREA and Shilla Duty-Free Shop For My Korea Tumbler!

This is what I love about buzzKorea!  They know how to show their appreciation to the fans, to the followers and to the bloggers like me who help promote Seoul and the whole of South Korea to the world!

So, who wants a tumbler decorated with images of Korea? I do, of course!

So, one early evening, I made my way to the Dongkuk University Station of Line 3 to get to the Shilla Duty-Free Shop. Since the closest exits to the Shilla Hotel are under renovation, I got out of Exit 4, where a Shilla Duty-Free shuttle bus was waiting. How convenient!  In case you miss the earlier shuttle bus, another one comes along every few minutes. And don’t forget to fasten your seatbelt, as the driver would advise everyone on the bus.

And when I arrived at the Shilla Duty-Free Shop, I made my way to the Basement 1 and looked for the Customer Service Desk and waited for my turn.

It was so easy! I just presented my printed voucher, which indicated my passport number; I also brought my passport for verification. After that, the lady gave me my gift!  For those living in Korea, you can use your alien card instead of your passport.

So, thanks to buzz Korea and Shilla Duty-Free Shop! I can now have warm coffee using my new Korea tumbler!

And if you want one, too, do click this link to get your gift voucher:

http://www.ibuzzkorea.com/eng/event/thankyougift/

I Know Where To Get My Patbingsu Fix! Do You?

I used to think Paris Croissant in Hannam-dong served the best patbingsu. Last summer, I dropped by this cafe and enjoyed a huge bowl full of ice shavings, sweetened tteok and sweet red beans. But when I went up there on the second floor one Saturday afternoon to order one, I was disappointed. The image of the patbingsu sitting on my table was so different from the giant patbingsu photograph on their wall. The photograph was flowing with red beans. Mine was, well, I had to search into the ice shavings for the red beans. I complained and decided I won't return to Paris Croissant again for a patbingsu.

Luckily, there's another cafe that serves a better version of patbingsu in the neighborhood, Coffine Gurunaru! Their patbingsu is much more interesting: a scoop of sweetened red beans, two slices of sweet green melon, slices of sweet tteok, chips of almond and a flavored powder, all on a bowl of milky ice shavings. Although it's pricey, it's worth crossing to the other side of Hannam-dong! And they have strong wi-fi and seats with a view!

Actually, this summer delight in Korea can be quite heavy; a meal unto itself. That's why some people share it. But for me, if it's yummy, I'd rather have it for myself. Ha-ha-ha!

Squid Pro Quo: Ojing-eo Dinner For A Gangnam Evening

Before the monsoon rains ruined another trip south of the river, I hurried to meet up with my friend James, whom I hadn't seen in a year. The last time we met up was last year when another friend Soo-Jin and I drove down to meet him at Gangnam to enjoy a chat over dinner at  Bae Yong-Joon's restaurant.

This time, we decided to just venture around the block near the Gangnam Station, where, even during a week night,  was still full of people. If you visit this area on a weekend, you would find pedestrians and vehicles competing for space at the back alleys. And most restaurants, cafes and bars would be packed. Gangnam was already very popular even before Psy sang about it. Before, you could only see a lot of locals here. Now, with that hit video, international tourists have added this place to their itinerary.

But tonight, with cloudy skies hovering above the Gangnam skyline, I didn't see any tourist. Only office people and groups of friends flocking to the back alleys to have dinner or a drink. I asked James to pick a restaurant as this was his territory. He works in one of those tall buildings and during lunch, he would just pick one of those hundreds of dining places within a walking distance.

As my good friend suggested, we finally ended up on a restaurant that served ojing-eo bokkeum, or the spicy stir-fried squid dish. 'Ojing-eo' means squid and 'bokkeum' refers to any dish that's stir-fried. And what a dish it was! Paired with another huge plate of calamari and our funny stories, this dinner couldn't have been more enjoyable!

Before we finished off the squid, veggies and spicy sauce off the huge hot plate, the Korea ajumma added two cupfuls of rice and thinly sliced kim or edible seaweed, which she mixed with the remaining ojing-eo bokkeum. The whole hot plate then transformed into another picture of red, spicy rice with squid and veggies, and looking like another dish unto itself. By this time, although I felt a little bit full, not from our exchange of stories, anecdotes and jokes, but from everything else on our table, the image of a hot plate filled with meticulously mixed rice with the red pepper paste flavored with the taste of stir-fried squid and veggies was very tempting that we just had to continue. Eating. And chatting. Ha-ha-ha!

After dinner, we needed to wash off the spiciness of our ojing-eo bokkeum dinner with coffee and more stories. And we weren't surprised that most cafes nearby were also full of people as I thought, just like us, these crowds also wanted to spend a fun evening in Gangnam. 

Thanks, James, for the dinner! Until the next time in Gangnam!