Korea D-1 – BigHit Entertainment Building, K-Star Road & Gangnam Street, Myeongdong
- Isabella Ayu
- Apr 29, 2018
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 4, 2018
Finally, I will share the details when I was in South Korea starting with this post. *YEAYY* . It takes almost a month for me to share this to you, sorry guys.
Thankfully we got night flight so we have enough sleep and arrived in South Korea in the morning. Since we're using Singapore Airlines we must transit in Changi Airport. We departed for Soekarno Hatta Airport around 9 PM WIB and arrived at Changi Airport an hour later. Then we hurried to transfer from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 using Skytrain since we only have one hour transit. Lucky us we’re not late, since all the passenger already queuing in front the gate. Maybe you know that Changi Airport is REALLY BIG, but they have good navigation so we don’t get lost at the Airport.
Tips:
It’s better for you to choose the flight that will arrived at South Korea in the morning. So you’ll have enough time for your 1st day trip.
It’s better not to bring heavy/big luggage to the cabin if you only have short time when transit. Because you might be run to chase your flight :D
We depart from Changi Airport around 12AM. Not long after take off, we got our first meal. I think this is my best meal for during my South Korea trip using Singapore Airlines. I don’t know should I called this a dinner or breakfast since we got the meal around 12AM and I have chosen a full meal not shame. Here’s my meal.
Finally we arrived at South Korea after a long flight (approx. 7 hours). *YEAYY* . We have a great time sleep, thanks to Singapore Airlines. This is my first experienced when we arrived at South Korea. You’ll hard to find shower on the public toilet. So make sure you bring wet tissue wherever you go. After that we had to immigration and we found long queue there. But they have many immigration officers so it did’t take too long. While I was waiting at the immigration, I realize that South Korea become one of the most popular destination since so many people at the immigration in the morning (I’ll tell you letter on the next post).
After we exit the immigration and claimed our baggage, we exchanged our KTX ticket and also waiting for Airport Limousine Bus. You could check the details from the previous post South Korea Spring Trip 2018 What to Do Upon Arrival .
First Accommodation – Studio in Chungmoro
I took us about an hour from the airport to Chungmoro. After that we searched our apartment using gmaps for 20 minutes. We were forgot to check the instruction from the owner. So if you’ll stay at studio using Airbnb make sure you read carefully the instruction from the owner. They always give the instruction to the guest. Actually it’s only 10 minutes from the bus stop or 5 minutes from St. Chungmoro *lesson learned*.
Finally we met the owner. Actually the check-in is at 3PM, but we asked the owner if we can put our luggage before the check-in time and he said okay. Fortunately the previous guest check-out early in the morning, so his friend helped us to put our luggage earlier before check-in time. The room is in total mess, since the owner didn’t have time to clean the room. Be we didn’t mind, since we had rest about an hour to change the clothes & prepared to go out. And also we can use the free Pocket WiFi from the owner :D
Tips:
You could ask the owner or receptionist (for you who will stay at the hotels), if you could put your luggage if you arrived earlier before check-in time. So you could go around Seoul without bring your luggage.
First Lunch in South Korea
Since we didn’t get breakfast, we got our first lunch near the studio. We ate at Mapo Dumplings. We choose to eat at Mapo Dumplings because many people having lunch there. We order gimbap and seafood hotpot since the weather a little bit windy, but unfortunately we didn’t order the dumplings since they didn’t have it with chicken or seafood *you know what I mean*. I looked at other guest and most of them order the dumplings, I think that’s their special menu *as you guess from the restaurant name*. After that I took a photo in front of 7Eleven across the restaurant. WHY?!! Because it’s look like the one in BTS Love Yourself video *LOL*
BigHit Entertainment Building
Then we planned to go to Gangnam area for the 1st day and we agreed to BigHit Entertainment first. We took metro from St. Chungmoro. Since we’re newbie using Metro, we had funny experience. So we had to go to St. Hak-dong Exit 3, but we confused to read the navigation between line and exit. We thought we were on the wrong line so we decided to exit from the station. We asked the baker in front of the gate and she said that we’re on the right direction so we had to check-in again *bye bye money* :D
Tips:
Yellow marks is for the exit gate, so don’t follow the yellow mark if you don’t want to exit from the station. The line color on KakaoMetro have the same color with the Metro, you’ll see the color line inside the Metro. So if you find different color between the Metro and KakaoMetro then you’re take the wrong Metro.
After we exit from St. Hak-dong, I walked a bit since I could not find Yangjin Plaza (I only found buildings near with Hangeul and both of us can’t read Hangeul). I just walked with my feelings since I have checked before using google earth. I met two teenagers who looks like ARMY and asked about BigHit building. And they didn’t understand, so I just walked with my strong feeling again. Not long after that I FOUND IT!!! *YEAYY* *I'm so blessed to follow my inner guts*.
The building is not far from the exit gate, so make sure you’re on the right exit gate. Go straight from Exit 3, after first intersection turn right. Go straight after that and turn left again after first intersection. It's so simple, right? It’s only 5 minutes from there. I didn’t find many fans here, I just found three oppas with nice suites smoking in front of Yangjin Plaza, and they said :
Oppa : ‘Are you BTS fans?’
Me : ‘Yes’
Oppa : ‘Where are you from?’
Me : ‘Indonesia’
After the short conversation they entered the building (I forgot to take the pictures of them). Then I take pictures in front of the building. Thanks a lot to my friend, Indar <3 You could not find fans signatures around the building since they already announced not to left any signature in front of the buildings. Then I met again with the teenagers. I was right that they’re ARMY. They’re junior high school students in South Korea (I also forgot to take a picture with them). Not long after that we’re going to K-Star Road. One check to my bucketlist :D
K-Star Road
We’re going to St. Apgujeong Rodeo Exit 3 to K-star Road. We welcomed by Gangnamdol. Make sure you’re going to Gangnamdol Haus first to get the brochure. It helps you to find the right spot & they give alternative route while you’re in Gangnam (I regret not going here first).
Of course I’ll go to BTS Gangnamdol here. It’s quite far from the exit gate. Fortunately I don’t see many ARMY who want to take pictures there, only 2 groups of people. So I have many times to take pictures here XD
After that we take so many pictures around Gangnam street because the street is beautifull with many big branded shops such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, MCM, Prada, Burberry, and many more. I also regret not to visit SM Ent., JYP Ent. Or FNC Ent. building while they’re on the same location with K-Star Road. That’s why I suggest you to take the brochure first at Gangnamdol Haus. I also make suggestion for the best route while you’re in Gangnam on the previous post South Korea Spring Trip 2018 What to Do Upon Arrival.
Then we stroll at the back street of Gangnam doll Hause because we see many dead leaves in yellow color *feels autumn*. So many apartments around here and we found park where’s many ahjumma & ahjussi walk here.
It's better for you to follow the direction to Hangang Park *we din't notice that*. If you find the wood stairs you're on the right direction to Hangang Park.
After that we back again to our apartment to get rest and prepare for dinner at Myeongdong.
First Dinner in South Korea
We decided to have dinner at Yoogane in Myeongdong. We’re curious if this one is better that the one in Jakarta. And of coure it’s a better!! We ordered chicken Galbi with Chukkumi Octopus. And it’s so YUMMY!! We didn't regret to have dinner here :)
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