My Korean Neighborhood: "Love Thy Neighbor" - Means Buying From Them!

I was on my way home to the Dongdaemun District one mid-morning from my weekend tennis in Daechi-dong in the Gangnam District of Seoul when I passed an ajumeoni (a Korean woman of grandmother age) sitting on the concrete sidewalk where she laid a yellow mat to display her colorful hankies. I was rushing since it was turning cloudy and looked like it was going to rain soon. Her spot was just a few meters away from my apartment building.

There was hardly any pedestrian around, much less a customer for her wares, so I decided to stop and contribute to her sales that morning.

After I greeted her, she looked up and had a surprised look, probably not expecting a prospective customer that quiet morning. I immediately saw the red handkerchieves that my mom would like and asked her for these. I got three for KRW 10,000.

She thanked me and said something in Korea that sounded like she didn't expect a man buying from her.

She had buena mano sale and I got red hankies for my mom (she loves red!) when I fly home to the Philippines.

If the ajumeoni was happy, I was happier for I was able to help a neighbor and already got presents for my mom.🎁

That's what we should do: help our neighbors.😋

I have lived in two districts in Seoul, South Korea: Yongsan-gu and Dongdaemun-gu, and although both districts have different characters, they have hidden alleys and corners that I loved to stroll around to discover the local mom-and-pop stores and family restaurants that serve Korean dishes that are yummier than those served at fancy diners and food courts.

Yes, these alleys are not the ones you'd read in tourist blogs and tourism websites but they host the yummiest soondae-kukbap (read blog here), the yummiest mandu (read blog here), or the yummiest kamja-tang (blog)! 

(I also patronize street vendors whose desserts are much more enjoyable and yummier! Plus, you get to know the vendor and watch him make your dessert that add a personal connection to your Korean experience!)

(A basket of oranges sold for KRW1,000 

at Cheongnyangni Market!)

(Enjoying soondae-kukbap - soondae in a soup with rice - at the soondae restaurant a few meters from my apartment building in Dongdaemun District. I bring my own dessert and soda sometimes as they don't have any.😄)

Instead of heading to a mall's food court or to a restaurant in Myeongdong, I'd rather stay in my neighborhood and patronize these family restaurants. That way, I am able to get to know their specialty dishes and help contribute to the economy of my neighborhood. 

I also buy my fresh fruits, not from the supermarkets, but from the traditional markets where farmers unload their fresh produce where you can them at the cheapest prices.

So, there. "Loving thy neighbor" is helping them by patronizing their family business!😍

Dongdaemun's Secrets: Ancient Rites, Medicinal Herbs & Cheapest Fruits!

Tourists visiting Seoul, Korea, would always think about shopping galore when they think of 'Dongdaemun'. 

There are the all-night shopping, a night market for bags-to-die-for, a huge market full of fabrics, and a toy alley! But ask any local, and he or she would tell you that the Dongdaemun District has a lot of other interesting things to offer other than shopping. 

Well, you can ask any local. Or you can ask me. :-)

                         (Buphwa Temple)

When I first moved into my new neighborhood in the Dongdaemun District, I explored its alleys and markets. That day, I was so surprised at the hidden treasures my new neighborhood offerred its new resident!

I could not believe the various interesting spots just within a kilometer of my apartment building!  Surprised and impressed, I bragged about it!

So, I invited my friends for a tour around Jedi-dong so that they would also enjoy the places, food, and the cheapest fresh fruits this side of Seoul I get to enjoy on a daily basis!

1. Buphwa-sa
On our way to our first stop, Seonnongdan, we first stopped by a most interesting Buddhist temple, Buphwa Temple, whose building walls were decorated with excerpts of the teaching of Buddha. This temple is a few meters upon turning right from Exit 1 of Jegidong Station (Line 1).

          (A most charming interpretation of the 
      Bodhi tree with lights hanging on its 'branches')


At the temple's lobby, a sitting Buddha greets worshippers with an elegant replica of the Bodhi Tree interpreted with wooden thin slabs emanating from the floor and rising towards the ceiling, and hanging from it are lights covered with hanji (Korean traditional paper) that provided illumination, as well as enlightenment perhaps, to everyone seeking peace and guidance.

2. Seonnongdan
A few minutes of fun strolling from the Bupwha Temple (from Exit 1 of Jegidong Station) is Seonnongdan, an ancient site where the kings of the Joseon Dynasty offered prayers to the gods of agriculture since 1475.

(This place of traditional royal ritual dating

as far back as the 15th century is a hidden 

historical gem inside a residential neighborhood. 

Ingrid and Veronica are actually standing on the grounds of Seonnongdan. 

The Museum is below them.)

(Ingrid, Kristine and Gail posing in front of the 600-year old tree!)

(The walls of the house in front of Seonnongdan were painted with Seonnongdan ceremonial scenes)

This museum showcases the history, artifacts, rites, costumes, and scenes of the ancient tradition. On the museum grounds, which is actually above the main museum itself, a tall and imposing tree that has been standing there for 600 years and has welcomed monarchs, commoners, and that day, Philippine tourists as well!

                    (Seonnongdan entrance)


While Seonnongdan is a museum, it becomes a living space because of this tea shop. While we were there, Mr. Kim, a tea master and owner of the shop, treated us to a special tea ceremony, making us enjoy a rare blend of tea from China. He has been in the tea business for decades and has authored books about tea. 

                  (The tea master and guests)

                (Mr. Kim's tea and his books)

         (Huge posters adorn Mr. Kim's tea room)

Like students, we were given free lessons on tea by Mr. Kim, showing us his style of making and pouring tea on his small, dainty teacups.

I usually only had rice tea or green tea in Korea, but that day, the unique tea from a specific area in China tasted strong like a true medicinal tea would. And what was more amazing was the huge slab of jade that served as a tea table where Mr. Kim made tea. The slab had a small drain connected to it so he could wash out the tea right in front of him. He told us the slab of jade cost him a few thousand dollars.

   (Mr. Kim's business card in case you want to visit)

       (Playing with the Korean traditional farm 
             implements inside Seonnongdan)


3. Jeongneungcheon (Jeongneung Stream)

Right after our tea and visit to Seonnongdan, we just meandered around the neighborhood, walked behind a school, and crossed the Jeongneung Stream, a stream that empties into the Cheonggye Stream.

The Jeongneung Stream has fish and ducks as well as bike and hiking trails. 

                   (The tourists by the stream)

4. Seoul Yangnyeong-si Market

This is the biggest herb market in Seoul. You can walk around the alleys enjoy the aromas of dried wood, mountain herbs, and all other medicinal concoctions that waft through the air in this market. On some mornings during my walk, I made sure I included these alleys in my route just to enjoy the aromas and scents these dried wood and herbs provide to passers-by...for free!

This is where you can purchase some medicinal herbs for any ailment, or just for health maintenance.

And since this is really a medicinal market, don't be surprised by the horns or body parts of dead animals that are on display at the shops.

5. Seoul Yangnyeong-si Herb Medicine Museum

A few meters from the main arch of the Yangnyeong-si Market is the newly constructed multi-story museum that houses the history of herb medicine in Korea depicted in intricately made dioramas.

The museum has halls for talks, displays showcasing the herbs and their medicinal values, interactive games, and even an AI robot that greets visitors. Sadly, the robot could only speak hangeul.

(Ingrid and Veronica in front of the Museum)

The whole museum is actually a beautiful hanok-style design inside and out. Almost every corner is a spot perfect for a photograph. A year before, I once roamed this area while it was still under construction. I thought this was going to be some commercial building but I was glad this huge creative and relaxing space turned out to be a major tourist attraction for both local and international tourists! 

On the second floor, there's even an outdoor foot spa for a limited number of, well, pairs of tired feet!

        (Veronica and Ingrid on the second floor's 
              recreation of medicinal shops)

The Museum's main purpose is to showcase the Korean medicinal and herb tradition and history, and the Dongdaemun District didn't spare any expense to create this beautiful museum right in the middle of the medicinal market!

And if you're a student or a fan of traditional medicine, the Museum has a comprehensive display of herbs and their names, just like an encyclopedia.

It also has a small duty-free shop on the ground floor next to the entrance. Here's the Museum's official website:

http://museum.ddm.go.kr/eng/

6. Cheongnyangni Fruit and Vegetable Market

Well, this is my favorite part of my neighborhood! And the reason is yummy, sweet and cheap!

The Cheongnyangni market is where you can find the cheapest and freshest fruits and vegetables north of the Han River.

Aside from fresh produce, it has meat and fish sections, and alleys at the back full of restaurants. The market is really big. So, be prepared to be overwhelmed by the size and the enterprising vendors all around you.

And while walking around the market was fun, we had to stop for lunch, which turned out to be even more enjoyable! The kamja-tang restaurant is one of my yummiest discoveries inside the Cheongnyangni fruit and vegetable market.

Although I was told that kamja means potato, it also means the back of the pig. And this soupy Korean dish, is full of veggies, sprouts, spicy broth, potatoes, and the best part, the cooked, softened part of the pig's back. That part is meaty and just falls off the bone when cooked! And I am now salivating again as I write this! Ha-ha-ha!

When you decide to go to the fruit and vegetable market, don't forget to bring a big bag for your veggies and fruits, and the one with rollers if you're buying a lot more!

            (Gail and her KRW4,000 strawberries)

          (The arch entrance of the herb market 
                  near Exit 2 of Jegidong Station)

It was always fun to tour my friends. I toured them a couple of times before in my former playground, Itaewon, and around Dongdaemun shopping district.

This time, in another part of Seoul, I shared with them my new discoveries.

                             *  *  *  *  *

For an easier walk from Jegidong Station (Line 1), here's the map with numbers to label the spots we visited:

Have fun!

Discovering Dongdaemun After Dark!

The Dongdaemun Shopping District in Seoul is one of the most popular areas to visit. Why? Shopping! Of course!

Although the Myeongdong alleys offer various cosmetic shops, fashion outlets, and a food alley, these are mostly for those who wanted convenience as these are all located in one location.

The Dongdaemun shopping malls, on the other hand, are mostly scattered around the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and are on different buildings. But what Myeongdong does not offer, Dongdaemun does! Shopping till morning!

Yes, while some shops and markets in Dongdaemun are open during daytime, the shopping really comes alive after dark!

               (Therese and friends discovering 
                      Dongdaemun after dark)

So, when my friend Therese, a former Seoulite, came to Korea for a quick visit last week, I told her I’d tour her around Dongdaemun. I had toured friends around Itaewon and at the Dongdaemun bag market at night before. So, this would be another fun night tour!

After their dinner in the nearby Namsan area, Therese, who’s from Oregon, brought along her other friends: Gail from Toronto, Yuna from New York City, Isabel from Paris, Jane from Shanghai, and Mitsuka from Tokyo!

Going to Dongdaemun, we simply boarded the blue bus from the Beotigogae area, where they had dinner, had a short bus ride, and got off at Gwanghuidong Bus Stop, one stop before the Dongdaemun Culture and History Park bus stop.

                    (Waiting for the blue bus!)

Here was our Dongdaemun tour trail:

Gwanghuimun

Said to have been constructed in 1396 during the fifth year of King Taejo, Gwanghuimun is a gate which served as one of the eight gates of the old city. This was destroyed during the Imjin War of the 16^th century. In 1975, restoration of the gate was done.

                    (Gwanghuimun after dark)

Since Gwanghuimun is hidden away on a quiet corner among shops, ordinary tourists to Dongdaemun are usually not able to spot this historical gate. But that night, I made sure Therese and her friends were able to discover this ancient gate.

LED white flowers of Dongdaemun Design Plaza

From Gwanghuimun, we made our way to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). I told them that this site was an old baseball stadium but is now a unique space for designers and artists, where they can sell, market, and exhibit their designs and creations. DDP was designed by the late Zaha Hadid, a world-renowned architect.

          (The ladies at the LED flower garden)

But unfortunately, it was late when we got to DDP. So, we moved around the DDP and discovered the unique, white LED flowers scattered around the landscape.  A few years back, these 20,000 LED white flowers were ‘planted’ at the southeastern corner of DDP, but they have since been re-planted on a different side.

The ladies joined other tourists and visitors posing next to the thousands of white flowers that lighted up the garden landscape behind the DDP.

Dongdaemun Night Shopping!

And as I told them, the shopping came alive after dark! From the outside, you’d see these brightly lit buildings with colorful neon signs and unique names. But inside, it was a controlled chaos of sorts where local and international shoppers swarmed around shops selling clothes and accessories fashionistas would kill for.

These shops are mostly owned and run by the Korean designers themselves, and most floors of the buildings are all populated by these fashion shops.

         (Inside a Dongdaemun shopping mall)

Outside the buildings, we noticed delivery men gathered and hauled huge plastic packages that were probably meant for online customers.

Cheonggye Stream

It was almost midnight when we capped our Dongdaemun night tour with a visit to Cheonggye Stream, which was right next to the shopping district.

We made our way down the stream for more photos. We were surprised that, even though it was late, there were a lot of people walking through the stream to exercise or walk their way home towards the eastern side of the city.

                (Isabel and Therese dropped by 
                      the Cheonggye Stream)

Yes, shopping is not the only night tour Dongdaemun offers. If you’re in Dongdaemun, make sure you don’t limit your visit to the shopping arcades and malls. There’s the Gwanghuimun, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, and the Cheonggye Stream!

Therese and her friends had fun discovering Dongdaemun after dark. You should, too!

Dongdaemun Fabric Market: From Lost Spaniards To My Favorite Arroz Valenciana

In November 2016, as I was walking near the Jegi-dong Station (in the Dongdaemun District of Seoul) on my way home, I spied on two finely dressed foreigners, a man and a woman, who seemed lost. 

From afar, I saw them reading their smartphones and looking up to the buildings around them. It was obvious they were trying to figure out their exact location. So, when I got to them, I asked,"You need help?" 😇

Yes, they told me they did.😓

They were looking for the Dongdaemun fabric market, which was three subway stations away. So, I guided them down to the station and pointed them towards Dongdaemun. They told me they were from Barcelona, Spain (read blog here), and had a meeting in the Jegi-dong area. I assumed they were buyers from a Spanish fashion house trying to source new fabrics for their collection.

Of course, during our encounter, I introduced myself en español and told them I visited their city a year before. They must have been initially surprised that this random 'korean' spoke Spanish.😛

(The buildings of the fabric market on the Jongno side. The encircled spot is the information booth manned by a lady who speaks English)

A few days after that, as I was riding a bus that passed by the Dongdaemun fabric market, I remembered the two Spaniards. 

I wondered whether they found the kind of materials they needed. And since I was heading home to the Philippines in a few weeks' time for the Christmas holidays, I decided to visit the fabric market myself and look for Christmas fabrics for our dinner table!😊

(If you're into retro-fashion, this shop's just for you!)

The Dongdaemun fabric market is huge! With a few buildings having six floors selling fabrics, materials, accessories, and everything you need to make an expensive-looking gown, or a simple pajama, your head might probably spin from the overwhelming display of colors, fabric designs, and of course, crowds of customers!👥

Fortunately for me, I didn't have to jump from one building to another just to find my Christmas fabrics. On the second floor, just after I turned around from an escalator ride, I immediately found a shop selling fabrics with interesting designs! Including Christmas designs!😄

They even have shops where you can have hanbok tailored just for you (read blog here)!😊

Since I already had with me the dimensions of our dinner tables at home, I knew how many meters of the fabrics I needed to buy.

I bought three designs: two designs sold for KRW5,000 per yard, and the other, which was of a thicker fabric, sold for KRW6,000 per yard.👀 

And when I got home to the Philippines, my mom called her local seamstress and asked her to sew the fabrics in time for our Christmas noche buena!👩

(The rolls of Christmas fabric 

shop owner laid for me)

And when Christmas day came, we used two Christmas fabrics for our our noche buena tables (read blog here).😘 

That day, as la arroz valenciana, a Spanish dish, sat on our table, I wondered whether I was meant to stumble upon the two Spaniards the month before - customers who were finding their way to the fabric market, which, in turn, gave me an idea to visit the market and look for Christmas designs for our noche buena table cloth, which eventually added a festive look to our table where our favorite arroz valenciana, a dish that originated in Spain, sat, and ready to be enjoyed (read blog here).😮

              (The fabric market buildings as seen 
               from the Cheonggyecheon side)

By the time the Dongdaemun fabrics were beautifying our table in the Philippines, the two Spaniards I met were probably at home, too, in Barcelona, celebrating their felices pascuas. When we parted that day inside the Jegi-dong Station, they thanked me for the help. I should have thanked them, too, as that encounter gave me an idea.🙌 

So, to those two Spaniards, to the shop owners at the Dongdaemun fabric market, and to everyone...

¡Felices Pascuas y Prospero año nuevo!👪 

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!🙇

          (The other fabric provides a background 
           for the yummy pistachio sans rival)

       (The Christmas fabric with poinsettia design 
             costing KRW5,000 per yard and my 
                      favorite arroz valenciana)

                               *  *  *  *  *

The Dongdaemun fabric market is accessible from Exit 8 of Dongdaemun Station of Line 1 and Line 4 (not to be confused with Dongdaemun Culture and History Park Station).

From Exit 8, follow the sidewalk parallel to the stream. The market is next to JW Marriott Hotel; the market consists of Buildings A, B, C, and D. Yes, it's that overwhelmingly huge!😱  

Have fun shopping!😀

Here's the fabric market's website:

http://www.ddm-mall.com/english/public_html/index.php?module=Board&action=SiteBoard&iBrdNo=3&sMode=SELECT_FORM&bNo=1

Travel Seoul: Dongdaemun's Jeon Tae-Il Bridge

             (The Dongdaemun Gate)

Dongdaemun is considered the fashion shopping capital of Korea. Clothes, bags, fashion accessories and everything else fashionistas would need to complete their look are all found in Dongdaemun.

If you're familiar with the place, there are multi-storey buildings devoted for clothes like Migliore, Doota, and a few more are sprouting up (read blog here), and a huge markets selling bags (read blog here), shoes and everything else that would fill your shopping bags. And they are open from midnight until the next morning! 😍

(Beodeuldari Bridge or Jeon Tae-il Bridge)

                     (Jeon Tae-il's revered statue)

If you have gone around the Dongdaemun shopping area, you must have noticed several small bridges that straddle the Cheonggye Stream.

And if you have crossed one, you must have noticed a half-body statue of an innocent-looking Korean man. 

His name is Jeon Tae-il. And he is the hero industrial workers in Dongdaemun and around Korea are grateful to.

In 1970, he raised awareness about the horrible working conditions of industrial workers in Dongdaemun, and when his efforts were silenced, he set himself on fire and ran the streets of Seoul shouting, "We are not machines! Enforce the labor code!" 

He was just 22 years old. 😭

Twenty-two! 😭

He was very young and yet so brave and heroic, and fought for what he believed was right.

Jeon Tae-il died from his burns. But his crusade continued on and eventually encouraged the workers to unite and fight for their rights.

November 13, 1970 was the day he died. And every year, on this day, many pay tribute Jeon Tae-il in front of his statue with songs, flower offerings and prayers.

So, if you're crossing a small bridge in Dongdaemun and see his statue, try to remember the hero and what he did for others. 

Who knows? Without Jeon Tae-il, Dongdaemun might not be what it is today as industrial workers and their working conditions might not have improved without him raising awareness on their sad plight.

Here's to Jeon Tae-il, a hero.🙏

              (Locator map of Jeon Tae-il's bridge)