Beauty shop: Etude House

I mentioned in an earlier post that Korea is the aesthetic capital of the world. Continuing along, I wanted to post a blog about beauty shops out here.

There are a lot of beauty shops in Korea, but I wanted to blog about a particular one: Etude House. At first this store may seem too pink and too girly to go into, but there are a couple of things in there worth checking out.

Korea hasn't really grasped the idea of deodorant yet. However, it's not a stinky country. They are super concerned about hygiene, so I honestly have no idea how they hide body odor. Unfortunately, B.O and pit stains aren't things everyone can hide. For that reason, Etude house sells deodorants. I've seen spray deodorants here and there, but I feel like the idea of it is still pretty rare in Korea. I also mentioned in a previous blog post to pack deodorant before coming out here. I haven't tried this product yet, so I can't tell you if it works well or not. But I can tell you that it sold me solely based on the packaging. It's so cute!

This might come off as a bit gross, but I do not wash my hair everyday. If I did, I might become bald. The hard water in Korea also doesn't help. For that reason, dry shampoo is my good friend. America is all about the dry shampoo and even has sections in the shampoo aisle dedicated to it. I can't just use baby powder on my black hair, so lucky for me, Etude House sells dry shampoo. It's a new product even for Etude House, but I know it has gotten some great reviews from the residents here. I have no idea why they would be behind on these products, but I'm glad they're getting the hang of it.

Etude House also sells a wide range of cosmetics including, but not limited to nail, acne, body, and foot care products. It's located all throughout Korea. You can't miss the all-pink and dollhouse style entrances!

Baseball games in Korea

There might not be any American football in Korea, but there sure is a soccer and baseball culture. Although I have never been to a baseball game back in the states, I'm pretty sure I'm safe to say that baseball games in Korea are very different.

Currently, there are eight professional baseball teams in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). Each team is owned by a major tycoon of Korea- Samsung, LG, Kia, Hanwha, Doosan, Lotte, Nexen, and SK- and has their own cheerleading team.

The crowd in these games is very enthusiastic and just listening to them cheering their favorite team alone is pure entertainment. It seems like each player has his own chant, usually a famous song with the words changed to his name. I'm pretty sure I heard a chant to "Mary had a little lamb" and even "Pomp and Circumstance." And instead of vuvuzelas, the crowd has these blow up sticks that they beat together.

Even though you can drink alcohol at American baseball games, there are no restrictions whatsoever in Korea. Beer is sold everywhere- outside and inside the stadium. They even have young part-time workers (probably university students) who run up and down the stadium wearing a keg on their backs and selling draft beer. It wouldn't be Korea without soju, of course. Instead of peanuts and pretzels, vendors walk around with pizza and fried chicken ready for you to eat. If you go to the back of the stadium, you can see families who bring their own grill and are having a barbecue. I don't even think they pay attention to the game!

I've only been to the baseball stadium in Seoul, but I know the teams travel to other cities like Daejeon and Busan. The stadium in Seoul is located at Sports Complex station on the green line (#2). You can buy tickets at the game, but if you don't get there early enough, it might be hard to find any. Don't ever get fooled by the hustlers standing in front of the ticket booths. They'll tell you that they are sold out and will try to sell it to you for three times the price. If you want to be safe, buy tickets on Ticketlink. Other than the private booths and table seating, the costly seats are still only 15,000WON.

Restaurant: Mad for Garlic

I've been blogging a lot on restaurants lately, but that's seriously what I've been doing with my free time. Since it's been rainy on and off in Korea, the best way to spend time was indoors. So instead of laying around in bed all day (also not a bad idea), I decided to venture out to different restaurants in Korea.

This time, I checked out Mad for Garlic. I have been meaning to go to this restaurant since last year, but never really found time for it. Well, I finally got to go for my one year anniversary with my boyfriend and it was one of the best non-Korean dinners I have had in Korea.

Just like the name suggests, this Italian restaurant is all about garlic. Every single dish has garlic in it, even the desserts. They even have an appetizer named Dracula Killer because of the amount of it contains. I love garlic, so this was perfect for me. Someone once told me it was too garlic-y for their taste, but it suited my palate well.

I wish I had more pictures of all the food we ate because we actually ordered four different dishes. Unfortunately, hunger got the best of us and we ended up cleaning up the dish before we even thought about pictures. The picture above is their garlic bread tower. It's served to you upright with some roasted garlic seasoning on top, but the server mixes it all in and flattens it out so it's easier for you to eat. This bread is no Texas Toast garlic bread, but it was fresh and tasty.

We also ordered the Gorgonzola pizza with honey sauce on the side. Who knew honey (sprinkled with garlic) and Gorgonzola would be like a match made in heaven? Along with the pizza, we also got the crab and lobster cream pasta. I forgot about my diet and indulged myself in this gluttony. For dessert, we had the garlic cheesecake. The name does not sound very appetizing, but you could barely taste the garlic in it and it tasted great with the blueberry sauce drizzled around it.

I wish I had a clearer picture of this restaurant. The lighting is very dim, so my camera could only handle so much clarity. The restaurant had a very Tuscan dungeon feel to it with its grey brick walls with wine glasses hanging on some wrought iron.

The price can get a little wild, especially if you order from their steak menu, but pretty decent for the quality and the amount of food you order. Is it a good place for a first date? Maybe, if you don't mind tasting garlic for the next couple of hours. Mad for Garlic has 17 locations throughout Seoul and one location in Singapore.

Top 5 must-see Korean movies

1. Ahjuhssi (The Man from Nowhere): This movie is about a man with a mysterious past trying to save a girl from a drug and organ trafficking mob. The reason why this movie is even on my list of must-see is not only because it stars Won Bin (so handsome), but because it puts a spotlight on some ongoing issues in today's world: child slavery, black market for organs, drug trafficking, and even the issue of underground mobs still existent today. I'm not too sure if all these are really common in South Korea, but it is something we hear about in the world news.
Warning: Viewers beware, there is a lot of blood in this movie. The fighting scenes are really well done and really cool to watch, but there is a little more blood splatter than what one would expect.

2. Dogani (Silenced/ The Crucible): This movie is the most recent out of the list and probably the most life changing also. This movie had such an impact on Korea that it even changed a few laws. Dogani is based on a true story about a group of deaf/mute students being sexually and physically harassed by the faculty of the school. What brought the most reaction out of me about this movie was how powerful bribes can be in today's society. It's pretty common to hear about bribery that goes on in higher places, but the fact that it kept these students from getting justice made me very angry. This movie made such a huge impact that Korea re-visited this "forgotten" case and even changed the law on sexual harassment for minors and the disabled.
Warning: This movie was hard to watch since it does try to put a spotlight on sexual harassment on little kids. There isn't anything too explicit, but just the thought of it can make you want to just turn the movie off.

3. Old Boy: This movie is a classic in Korean film history. It's pretty risque for a movie, but really well written. Old Boy is about a man who is kidnapped and locked away in a room for fifteen years. I can't tell you why, because that's what the movie is about. The movie follows the main character as he tries to find who was responsible for his imprisonment in five days. I heard rumors that there might be a remake of this in America with Will Smith. However, it has been nothing but a rumor.
Warning: There is some violence in the movie, but more cursing if anything. There is, however, a crazy twisted ending to the movie.

4. Chingoo (Friends): Another classic edition in Korean films, this movie follows four friends who grow up together. Think about it like the Now and Then (classic girly movie starring Rosie O'Donnell) of Korea, except with all dudes and violence. It really makes you rethink your past and wish you had a group of friends that went through thick and thin with you.
Warning: There is a coming of age theme in this movie. Because it's a story of four guys, you can pretty much predict what they might show when a boy comes of age.

5. Tae Guk Gi (The Brotherhood of War): The stars of this movie are actually in a couple of movies previously mentioned. This movie is about two brothers during the Korean War. It depicts the reality of what Koreans went through when the civil war broke out.
Warning: This movie is a total tearjerker. I cried like a baby watching this, so keep a box of tissues nearby if you cry during movies. There is some blood, but nothing we haven't seen before.

Bonus: 71 Into the Fire: This movie stars Big Bang's TOP. People used to bash on his acting when he starred in some TV drama series, but earned his credits once this movie was released. 71 Into the Fire is based on a true story about 71 students left alone to defend one of the most crucial bases for South Korea during the Korean War.
Warning: Also a tearjerker.

There are so many other great Korean movies. This list could go on and on, however, the movies I mentioned above are some of the most memorable to me whether it was culturally, historically, or even just for the great looking cast.

Check out these movies also: Mama, My Sassy Girl, I Saw the Devil, JSA

IFC mall in Seoul

I've been to my share of malls throughout my lifetime in the states, so why stop because I'm in a foreign country? I'm a true believer of retail therapy and if there's anyone out there like me, I hope this post will somehow have an impact on you.

IFC (International Finance Center) mall just opened up in Yeouido, Seoul about two weeks ago. I'm not too sure how to exactly describe shopping malls in Korea, but I can definitely say IFC mall is the closest to an American mall, minus the kiosks. I say closest to American malls because malls back at home are about 2 or 3 stories high on average, while all the big malls I've been into in Korea are all stacked about 7 to 8 stories high.

One interesting fact about this mall is that it cost around $2.2Billion (USD) to build it. It's about 430,000 square feet and three levels deep underground.

 

The first level of the mall is pretty much all food and a movie theater. This floor is packed with big restaurants ranging from Mexican food to Asian fusion, and it even had a separate food court.

 

This mall also has Korea's first Hollister store. Koreans are currently into the Abercrombie & Fitch trend that I was into back in high school. It's even gotten to the point where people are selling counterfeit A&F and Hollister clothing. Recently, there was a scandal about the Hollister models making racist remarks and taking mocking photos of themselves with chinky eyes and peace signs. It even got to the point where Koreans were saying they were going to boycott the store. However, that was NOT the case when I went this past weekend. The line in this picture doesn't do justice to the actual line that wrapped around this huge store. 

IFC also has the second Banana Republic store in Korea, the first located in Busan. It seems like I'm raving about all these American stores, but I'm actually not a fan of them, especially in Korea. Not only are they overpriced, but the selections are really limited from style to size. 

I thought I was just going to the mall to see if it was blog-worthy, but I ended up spending some money on couple of pieces of clothing. I couldn't help it. It made me feel 150% better, especially now since I've been trying to deal with student debt, relationships, and getting ready to head back home. 

I haven't been much of a heavy spender in Korea since I found Ewha University. However, it was nice to be able to get some items from stores I know are not available in America. 

 The mall is located in Yeouido (Lines 5 and 9) and is connected to the train station. Just follow it to exit 3 and you'll see signs leading you to the mall.

Restaurant: Castle Praha

This is yet another restaurant edition to my blog. I know I'm in Korea and should be trying all the different kinds of "exotic" foods Korea has to offer, but sometimes I just need my time away from all the Kimchi and barbeque. 

Castle Praha has one of the most unique architectural designs when it comes to restaurants in Korea. From the outside of the Hongdae location, you wouldn't even think they served food in there. It looks like a castle from the medieval times where one would expect to see a museum or a haunted house inside. The name Praha is actually how Koreans pronounce the city of Prague. Hence, the style of architecture.

Actually, the interior is kind of like a museum/haunted house. It has 5 stories with dim lighting and the interior is a mixture of cement walls and dark, old wooden floors. Even the ceiling is decorated with what seems like insignias.

The restaurant brews their own Czech style beer and pride themselves on it. They have four different kinds and out of the two that I tried, they tasted great. I wish I could tell you an exact description of their beer, but unfortunately I am no connoisseur. I just got over the fact that not all beer taste the same. Sad, I know, but I do know food! Their ever so large menu consists of salads, sausages, pizzas, and "house specials" (Czech dishes).

My friends and I ended up ordering the chicken salad, calamari, and margherita pizza.  It doesn't sound so Czech, but nevertheless the food was not disappointing.

 

I did mention earlier that the restaurant also reminded me of a haunted house. Ladies beware. The ladies bathroom was actually on the bottom floor from where we were seated and right at the entrance is a life size clown doll staring creepily at you. I wish I took a picture of it. Unfortunately, a camera is not something I think of to take to the bathroom and I was not going to go back down by myself again later to do it. 

Castle Praha has a couple of other locations including Itaewon and Garosugil in Sinsa. I'm pretty sure the exterior of the restaurant does not look like the one in Hongdae, but the menu is still the same. 

Stressful things to keep in mind while in Korea

This post is not to scare anyone away from coming to live in Korea. It's more like a reminder/advice about things to take care of before making the trip across the world. I wish I knew about this before I came out so things could have worked out smoother.

1. Bank accounts: 

The good thing about banks nowadays is that most of them work internationally and you can even check your balance on their website. It's even easy to wire money back home as long as you know your account, routing number, and the address of your bank.

The part that is stressful is that it's difficult to keep up with changes of the bank, especially if yours is a local one. Sometimes they add random fees you didn't know about and other times they make mistakes with your money. Throughout the last year and some months I've been out in Korea, my bank (Wells Fargo) has undergone a ton of changes. Not only did I come out here when the bank was actually Wachovia, but my "free" student checking account changed to not being so free anymore. I knew what was going on throughout the whole process, but it was hard to keep up with everything while I was in Korea. I didn't even know I was regularly being charged $7 every month. On top of that, there was no one to mail me my new card while I was out here.

If you have family members that can help you out with this, great. For those whose case is not that simple, always check the changes your bank is going through so they don't catch you by surprise. 

2. Bills:

If you're like me and heavily in debt from school, most likely you'll be paying the same bill for who knows how long. Unfortunately, it's a huge hassle if you miss a payment or you're trying to defer it in Korea. Because loan companies work differently than banks, there's no 24 hour service phone number you can call. You have to wait until an inconvenient time in Korea to try to talk to someone in America.

If you have any bills that you'll be paying like me, make sure you figure out an automated bill paying plan. For school loans, try to even defer it for a couple of months, since it will take you some time to get paid and start saving out here. Try to figure everything out before coming out because it adds unwanted stress.

3. Future plans: 

So now that your time is over in Korea, what are you going to do? Do you have a job you can go back to? Do you have to move back into your parents' house? Do you even have money to go out with all the friends you haven't seen while you were out here?

These are few of the things that constantly cross my mind as the end of my contract is nearing. Going back to school isn't the easiest thing. You may have to take tests (GRE, GMAT, etc) and then you have to apply for schools. It's definitely possible to do it out here, but I have seen many friends stressing out over this, and even delaying their plans. You can take the GRE in Korea, but from my understanding, it only comes around once a year. If you know you're going back to school, try to take your test before coming out here. A lot of people have the mindset that they can study for the year they're out in Korea, but it's really easy to get lost out here. You start forgetting about your test with this new experience you're about to face.

While you're here, make sure you have some kind of savings plan. It's super easy to blow all your money off. Do some calculations and set a realistic goal of how much you actually plan to save. Also, make sure you go to the bank on payday to make sure you send that money home before you blow it all. A little budgeting will go a long way.


I wish I could say I am the most responsible person. Unfortunately, I'm not. But I do know for a fact that I'm a common case. It's super easy to lose sight of your goals when you meet new friends and experience a whole different culture. You start feeling rich with all the money you're making, while barely working at all. But if you take the time to arrange and plan your finances and keep an eye on your plan, you'll have a much more worthwhile experience.