Was wonderful: filled with Olive Young cosmetics stops for me, stationary stores for Christian’s pencil interests, keyboard stir for Christian to tap away, optometrist for me, doctor’s office because Dae’s uvula was huge, amusement park (Lotte world) for Olin and family.
Observations: 80% of cars are Kia or Hyundai. No garbages anywhere so we had to hold on to our garbage for long stretches. You order at all the coffee places and some restaurants at kiosks. Kiosks everywhere. The word “deep” was in so many random places. Coffees would be called “deep” lattes. Olin’s meal at Isaac toast was “deep cheese potato bacon sandwich”. Kids rent school uniforms and walk around Lotte world amusement park in them. Girls’ makeup look very distinct: white face, thin strip of brown liquid upper eyelid eyeliner, light pink blush pretty much up to the eye, very high on cheek where sometimes it looked like a red rimmed eye, red or pink lip stain with blurred brown borders, minimal lashes. Girls had these cushion compacts everywhere. I got one from Laneige brand. Haha. Two things I want to try that I didn’t get a chance to were einspanner coffee and mugwort coffee. Have no idea what either is but saw or heard about them.
Our Airbnb was in the Hongdae area. Very nice, all cement, very vertical and townhouse like. A little far from metro stop (15 minutes walk) but a nice quiet neighborhood.
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| Airplane meal on the way home - I wanted to capture the nice greens they provided to make wraps |
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| Pencil ✏️ haha |
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| Traditional royalty wear (Joseon period of 1300s?) At the airport |
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| Photo booths everywhere! Little stores which were unmanned. Some had props. About $4 per strip, very fun! |
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| Erasers |
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| My cushion compact. “Cushion compact” and “pudding pots” are really in right now |
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| Famous library at the Coex Starfield mall |
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| Seongsu area for great street shopping. Point of view was a nice stationary store |
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| Customized Nike sweatshirts at Hongdae Nike! |
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| These letterman’s jackets were very in style |
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| Inflamed uvula |
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| Nike |
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| Delicious xlb place - one man show in a tiny shop. Dan dan noodles and xlb were so good |
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| Xlb storefront |
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| These marshmallow desserts were so good and sold by the cutest older Korean couple in a Hongdae store |
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| Water ride at indoor portion of Lotte world |
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| Lunch at Lotte world! Chicken nuggets on top of chips and a drink. |
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| Gyro drop. Kids and dae did this one, I sat this one out. Knew it wouldn’t sit well even with my half Dramamine! |
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| 2018 and 2025 |
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| Salt bread place which was very popular in Hongdae |
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| Delicious Korean bbq |
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| My Olive Young list was hilariously out of control |
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| Designing their shirts! |
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| Kimbap snack! |
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| Arcade - they won this dragon :) |
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| Korean War Museum and memorial |
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| Love these red bean fish |
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| Keyboard testing at “Funkeys” |
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| Subway |
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| Fwee store - pudding pots |
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| Haul #1 |
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| Isaac toast for breakfast. Was next to oozy coffee which was so good especially the peanut latte |
