Retail Therapy, Lifelong Learning and a Fish and Chips Homage

Posted on December 20, 2013 by garyhayessouthkorea

Before a spot of lifelong learning I headed to Dongseoul and Technomart in search of a deal on new photo gear (see previous post). It proved an interesting experience; multiple camera stores populated floors 3-6 and advertised the usual Nikon, Canon, Olympus and of course Samsung.

After days of Internet research I’d settled on the Olympus PEN EPL-5 for a number of reasons; price, specification, portability and the range of available lenses. All reviews were positive at 4 and 5 stars and the standard kit was a steal. The system is micro 4/3 and mirror-less; for the average person that means small, light-weight and a 14-42 lenses operates like a 28-85 DSLR lens. Olympus also produce a 40-150 zoom, which for those with limited arithmetic skills means a 28-300mm range from a very compact system. Techno-lecture over and back to retail therapy.

Of the 100 or so stores at Technomart, eight had huge Olympus signs and a few point and shoots on the stands; none of them sold the camera. Each retailer in turn advised me that no stores in South Korea stock my chosen system and I should consider the other options. Of course this bullshit left me mildly unimpressed so for each in turn I pulled out my G-Market print-outs showing the said items at Yongsan iPark Mall. Yet again they insisted this was just a ploy to get me into the IPark stores. I advised each retailer that the lack of customers reflected their limited customer service skills and disingenuous behaviour!

I had time to stop off at Nandemun where there are a number of camera shops opposite Sungnyemun Gate. I was on my way to a conference nearby. Well what a difference, of the 12 or so retailers only two sold my system but everyone was polite and helpful and not one tried to fob me off with alternative purchases. I pulled out my Yongsan print-outs and the first store matched the lowest price whilst the second store was 100,000 Won cheaper. One problem they did not have my chosen black kit just the white version. The retailers mother and sisters went to work firing multiple phone calls around Seoul. After delaying me with coffee and noodles they advised me if I could wait 15 minutes the silver items would arrive by courier and they would cover the transport costs. I agreed and the transaction was duly completed, another day of shite and sugar in SK!

After my conference had satisfied another chunk of lifelong learning I headed to my accommodation in Hongdae; the Fortune Hostel. After a long chat with the severely disillusioned fellow Englishman who was acting manager, I realised my own foibles about SK were shared by others. He had arrived in SKL full of optimism with an intention to settle here after years of travelling but his irritation meant after just 6 months he was heading home to blighty. Whilst my culture shock has subsided into realism, his was cemented in contempt. He describes Koreans as “delusional and disengenuous; as corrupt, badly mannered and holding a misplaced superiority complex that shuts them off from fully engaging with the outside world.” Whilst I understand his viewpoint it is somewhat exaggerated and does not mirror my own.

I settled in my draughty room and devoured the camera manual before taking a nap; the precursor of my search for top fish and chips. I’d done some digging “Baby Guineas” sister of the faux Irish pub in Itaewon and “Burger B“, a craft beer establishment seemed to hold the greatest attraction. As it happens Baby G was next door so that’s where I headed. The food was excellent the atmosphere tres faux gaelic and uninspiring. The only “irishness” it possessed was a green pain job. No Irish music and only Guineas itself, its clientele mainly groups of Korean women who drank pints and got loud too quickly. As this point some of my former observations were confirmed. They buy meals to share, this means burgers or fish and chips not like nachos or finger food. More often than not the food is left to go cold and whilst this may help a diet plan it seems such a waste. Cold burger, cold F & C, they’re heathens!

I’d also discovered that Hongdae has a thriving craft beer community and so of course I had to sample this for myself. Generally speaking this boom began with Castle Praha, my first stop, which opened in 2003 and now has a number of branches in Seoul.

The house beers include a ruddy, sweet Granat lager, gently bitter pilsner and a dark, malty dunkel. Depending on the branch, other beers on tap include a fragrant imported Czech Jezek pilsner and a light, chamomile-infused weizen. Extra street cred comes from the Czech Embassy, which holds events at the Czech cultural center on the third floor of the Hongdae flagship. Brewmaster Kim Heesang began studying in 2007 under the tutelage of his Czech predecessor, Zdenek Fousek.

Hongdae’s Castle Praha (main location), Castle Praha Building, 395-19 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu (마포구 서교동 395-19 캐슬프라하 빌딩); +82 (2) 334 2121
Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-3 a.m.; Sunday and holidays 11:30 a.m.-midnight

Next was The Queens Head a newcomer to the bohemian Hongdae neighbourhood since its May 2010 opening. Brewmaster Jang Chun-shik has been churning out craft beer since 2004 in Suwon, about 30 kilometers south of Seoul. The Queens Head serves up the standard three German-style brews, but the cream of the crop is the weizen, a sweet, smooth beer with a bright, golden hue.

The Queens is located at 407-16 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu (마포구 서교동 407-16); +82 (70) 8954-6324

My third stop was actually Burger B though obviously for the beer not the food. Styled like a Hoxton Bistro the place and the staff are very welcoming. There is a resident Bedlington Terrier who also is a major attraction. The p[lace was packed so I sat at the bar (there’s room for 8 people) sampling the Indian IPA and the Dark beer, both were excellent. The bar serves up a sample menu of 6 beers for 15K which I intended to let FOBY sample when he arrived on Saturday. Alongside me sat a Korean/Geman girl and a Korean/American guy who nibbled on beef nachos whilst necking a consistent supply of IPA.

Burger B Hongdae (홍대본점), 363-28 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
서울특별시 마포구 서교동 363-28
(070) 8870-9220

Returning to Fortune for the first night it was apparent the location was not suitable for anyone wanting a good nights sleep or to mix with considerate neighbours. On waking the draughty window ensured I had a stiff neck and shoulders.

I set out to grab some snaps of Hongdae, early morning and to get to grip with my new equipment. I had excellent first impressions, fast focussing (even in poor light), easy handling and relatively discreet for street photography. I had to meet FOBY at Seoul station so late morning I headed South East.

The station area was overcrowded and noisy; the God Lovers were out to save their souls, well it is Christmas. I hate the yearly begging ritual they engage in; why not help a neighbour or the poor souls who inhabit the station environs, for Gods sake there are enough of them! Some craftsmen were setting up a crooked stage for a concert with no regard for health and safety in respect of themselves or the poor sods who who use the slanty stage. On the last day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a plaster cast in A & E. After meeting FOBY we headed back to Hongdae in 7 mins aboard the Airport Express, this is a Seoul best kept secret as it was virtually empty, the cost teh same as the normal metro. We devoured some Gusto Taco’s before strolling up and across Hongdae towards the South and more attractive side of the area.

At Hapjeong station a new development (Mecenatpolis) includes a shopping mall and high class apartments. Today their was a mass “Jive” performance in the central atrium area. The shopping is far from exclusive and offers the usual chains Uniglo, Muji and food outlets such as Caffe Pascucci.

The evening saw us take dinner at Burger B. We tried the Mega Burger and the Fish & Chips which were both excellent washed down with the “Beer Sampler”, top drawer as well. We then took a beer at Praha before heading back to Susie Q’s next door to Burger B. Susie Q is both a track by Creedence Clearwater Revival and a bar in Hongdae, Seoul. The bar is exclusively vinyl and the disk spinner open to requests from patrons. there’s no craft beer but the Korean bottled dark beer is excellent. Thanks to the RED PEN OF DOOM blog for this review of susie Q. Stopping off at Baby G for a final beer concluded an excellent evening, I love the fact that the waiters are called “Baby Sitters”, so patronising, so Korean!

Sunday morning we headed to Yongsan for camera batteries and nowt much else before heading home after a spicy sausage stew lunch (Budae Jjigae).

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Misinformaton Gangnam Style and a Relaxed Sunday in Hongdae

Posted on June 17, 2013 by garyhayessouthkorea

This weekend I was due to attend a KOTESOL conference in Seoul but knew I had the best part of Saturday to do some pottering around. On arriving at Ganganam Express Terminal around 8:10 am I took a detour to Samseong Station. My intention was to have a slow breakfast and read the digital news from the UK and particularly MCFC. Arriving here (adjacent to the Co-ex Mall) it was strange as everything appeared closed. I headed east disappointed by the ovecast weather and traipsed up the hill towards the Kring Kumho Gallery. I had also ascertained from the Visit Korea website that the Gallery did not open until 10 hence my slow breckie plan, on arrival I noticed that Kring Kumho was now adorned by a Prugio (the construction company) sign. As there was only a sushi restaurant open in the vicinity and no indication that the building was actually in functional use I took some snaps and returned to the subway. If indeed, as it seems, the Kring Kumho is no more, it would be nice if Visit Seoul took the opportunity to update their website! Bah Korea!

Co-ex itself was apparently being re-modelled and as shopping is quite low on my weekends priority list I had to find my coffee spot. It was now 09:15 am and there were fledgling signs of life. I stopped to snap a memorial to South Korea’s $1 billion of overseas trade and another to the 2010 G20 Summit which was held at Co-ex. Skirting co-ex the Radisson was having major surgery and the Hyundai Department store provided a lavender clad forecourt and a spidery Luis Vuitton window display. I was heading in the direction of Seolleung and the Royal Tombs, I’d visited in winter but it hadn’t been a particularly pleasurable day and so a return seemed a good idea. I spotted a none-chain coffee shop with a smiling welcoming vendor at the door. “Coffee sir, a muffin on the house!”, how could I refuse both this hospitality and the chance to re-charge the iPhone? The Colombian coffee was exceptional and the cinnamon muffin delicious, we chatted about education and my dislike for the big coffee chains, I then settled for my Pellagrini fix!

Fifty minutes flew by and the steady trickle of customers and our pleasant exchanges fueled my desire for a Blueberry Smoothie. As were the coffee and muffin it was exceptional and after the disappointment of the Kring Kumho none-event my spirits were uplifted.

The Royal Tombs were a further 10 minutes to the west of here and surprisingly busy. They are set in a well maintained landscaped park which locals make full use of to get their power walking fix and escape from the Gangnam maelstrom. It’s possible to view 2 of the tombs pretty close-up but access to the third is completely denied. The first tomb Seonjeongneung refers to Seolleung, the tomb of King Seongjong (the 9th king of the Joseon Dynasty); unfortunately the visitor is only afforded a side view which is a little irritating. Some intelligent bod at the Tourism Office should be able to work out that if they built a walkway along the rear of the tombs then the visitor would firstly have a fantastic viewpoint from the tombs across the city and secondly the tombs would still be awarded reverence and protection. It’s a bit like only having access to one side of the Pyramids. Anyway I cheated by accessing the rear of the second (Queen Jeonghyeon, the second wife of King Seongjong ) tomb from a hill behind and got to sample a great view of both the tomb and Gangnam beyond. The third tomb Jeongneung, the tomb of King Jungjong (a son of the two) is completely inaccessible and its ornate carved statues can only be viewed from afar. This lovely landscaped park is situated in the heart of Seoul and forms a dense forest of pine treas, making it an ideal place for the public to enjoy a stroll and also escape the excessive heat of the Korean Summer..

Address: 133-2, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
How to get here : 5 minutes’ walk from Exit 8, Seolleung Station, Subway Line 2

As it was now around lunchtime I headed to Banana Backpackers to check-in, shower and prepare for my KOTESOL conference. Unfortunately the shower preempted a nap and I awoke at 4pm an hour after the conference started!

I therefore made haste to Seoul station as I was meeting FOBY at 5:00 pm FOBY time which is 5:20 pm Englishy time. Leaving the subway firstly I was accosted by very loud purveyors of Dunkin Donuts at 10,000 won a pop and observed some roof maintenance which paid no regard to any Health and Safety Executive rule book. I decided to pop into the old Seoul Station 284 which is now a gallery, the forecourt outside is awash with vagrants either sleeping or slurping on their Makeoli. The Exhibition of contemporary installation, paintings, and digital photography was of mixed quality but some exhibits were at aesthetically pleasing unlike my previous two visits. Exiting I took a left over the bridge crossing the tracks passing more of the worlds unloved and a delivery area where hundreds of wheeled cages provided an interesting overhead photo. The back of the old station again provided a home to a cluster of unkempt souls whose sleep was fueled by excessive amounts of the traditional rice liquor.

I crossed over the very busy and dangerous dual carriageway climbing the hill to Sohn Kee-chung Memorial Park. The forgotten man is remembered in this Guardian article. He, a Korean athlete, won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a member of the Japanese delegation. He was forced to compete under their badge. The athlete is also famous for this quote.

“The young can now run in an independent country. They needn’t worry about anything. They can run and run. Who would stop them?” The park provides peaceful respite as it sits in the midst of Dongja-dong clinging to the side of the hill. Sohn Kee-chung is commemorated by having a Memorial Exhibition Hall and two statues one a huge bust and the other showing him in full flow.

I wandered back towards the station to meet FOBY and then we took the subway to Nosapyeong before strolling to Itaewon 2-dong. Our destination was the Magpie Brewery. We sampled two beers as the third was out of stock. The Pale Ale described as crisp, citrusy and golden with a slightly bitter finish (4.8% abv), which was a pretty fair description and the Porter, whose CV is a warm, dark beer with chocolate and espresso undertones (4.8% abv). Again it was hard to argue. We followed this with a wholesome and delicious Thai fill at Taste of Thailand Sukhumvit where we also met HM, MH and JU before returning to craft brew land and The Booth. What I realised is I could easily afford to set up my own shin dig around here, small venues, cheap and affordable decor and bar staff with charisma 🙂 which along with playlists could be the USP! We returned to Jongno, popped into Lovestar and then to BB after a great evening.

Sunday started with a walk for coffee down by the Cheongyecheon and a the deposit of an electronic message pertaining to education at the Seoul Plaza Ear. From here we headed to Hongdae for what I expected to be the flea market.

“Every Sunday Hongdae is full of people browsing at the weekly flea market looking for a bargain among the selection of unique crafts, paintings, and second-hand goods. Even if you’re not planning on spending any money, the flea market is the perfect place to mill around and soak in the unconventional style that has become known as the essence of Hongdae..”

Despite the tourist blurb above it wasn’t happening so we took in some graffiti and headed to Sangsangmadang for a coffee on the terrace. The eleven-story Sangsangmadang building houses a cinema, live performance hall, art gallery, and studio. On the first floor there is an art square, which displays and sells crafts and accessories handmade by designers. On the second floor is an art gallery displaying artwork by Korea’s contemporary artists, and work by Korea’s young artists is available for sale on the third floor, offering a glimpse into today’s young society in Korea. In the basement cinema, independent films from Korea and abroad are shown, and the underground live performance hall features various performances such as music, dance and theatre. Shockingly the terrace is not open to the punter just for the staff to suck on their 20 coffin nails a day, so we headed south towards the aA Design Museum. IT was a great place to have Sunday lunch Calzone and vino rouge, the lush greenery around the terrace providing protection from the midday sun. Heaven! This southern part of Hongdae would be a great place to live, a more laid back aura and an excellent choice of eateries. The aA hosts classic Scandi designs, Bauhaus inspired architecture,and a juxtaposition of vintage and contemporary designs. Designer furniture complements 19th-century French doors and antique London lamp-posts.