Seoul is ooo DELICIOUS [KOREAN CUISINE]

Korean Cuisine ~ Korean cuisine originated from prehistoric traditions in the Korean peninsula evolving through a complex interaction of environmental, political, and cultural trends.

Korean cuisine is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi is served often, sometimes at every meal. Commonly used ingredients include sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and gochujang (fermented red chili paste).

Ingredients and dishes vary by province. Many regional dishes have become national, and dishes that were once regional have proliferated in different variations across the country. The Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of the unique regional specialties together for the royal family. Meals are regulated by Korean cultural etiquette.

Full Set of Korean Cuisine

Seoul is ooo HISTORIC [ROYAL TOMB OF JOSEON DYNASTY]

Royal Tomb of Joseon Dynasty ~ The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty refers to the 40 tombs of members of the Korean Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). These tombs are scattered in over 18 locations across South Korea. They were built to honour and respect the ancestors and their achievements, and assert their royal authority. The tombs have been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009.

Seoul is ooo ELECTRIFYING [SEOUL CITY HALL]

Seoul City Hall ~ Seoul City Hall is a governmental building for the Seoul Metropolitan Government in South Korea, in charge of the administrative affairs of Seoul. It is located in Taepyeongno, Jung-gu, and the heart of Seoul. It's located next to City Hall Station (Seoul) on Seoul Subway Line 1. In front of the city hall is Seoul Plaza. The building was first built by the Governor-General of Korea in 1926. After liberation in 1945, it served as the city's local government. The city hall was expanded 6 times. The main building was designated a registered cultural property of the Republic of Korea. The North building was built in 1962 and the new building in 1986. Both were demolished in 2006 to make way for a new city hall construction.

A large digital clock for the building was installed in 1975, and replaced with an analogue counterpart when Lee Myung-bak was mayor of Seoul.

There was a competition for a new city hall. The jury awarded the prize to Yoo Kerl of iArcon February 18, 2008. Yoo said, "Major keywords for designing the new building are traditions, citizens, future. I analyzed low-rise horizontal elements, courageousness and shades of leaves in our traditional architectural characteristics, and I applied these to the design so I can recall comfortable feelings of old things.”

Seoul is ooo HAPPY!!! [EVERLAND]

 

Everland ~Everland is South Korea's largest theme park. With 8.6 million visitors, Everland ranked tenth in the world for amusement park attendance in 2007. Along with its main attractions, Everland also includes a zoo and a water park known as Caribbean Bay. Everland is operated by Samsung Everland, which is a subsidiary of the Samsung Group.

The name of the park is of note, as the name "Everland" is English. In Korean, the name is approximated as "Ebeoraendeu" - in other words, there is no authentic Korean name for the park. This park was formerly called "Jayeon Nongwon" which roughly means "Natural Farm". Its former English name was "Farmland".

Seoul is ooo CALM [Hwajinpo Beach]

Hwajinpo Beach...

Hwajinpo Beach ~ For those who loves to watch Korean movies. Did you remember “Autumn in my Heart” drama series acted by Sung Seung Hoon, Song Hye Kyo and Won Bin. Did you peeps remember, when Eun Suh died on Jung Suh’s shoulder while his piggybacked her along the beach? Well, this is the beach. The deep blue ocean of Hwajinpo Beach invites an endless trail of visitors to the area where you can also find other attractions such as the magnificent Hwajinpoho Lagoon, historical summer villas and a refreshing pine tree forest. 

Hwajinpo Beach is originally known for its beautiful 1.7-km long shoreline, preserved with shallow yet clean water and fine sand. The spectacular view of sunset is another reason many visit this place. 

If you move inland from the beach you will find Hwajinpoho Lagoon. This is one of the most beautiful lagoons you will find in Korea, with its graceful scenery, surrounded by a forest of pine trees and a field of sweet briers. The lagoon presents a renewed sense of appreciation for nature. The name Hwajinpo, in fact, originated from the numerous sweet briers blooming in the region. 

If you head down south a bit from the beach, you will also find a few villas in the midst of the woods. They once belonged to historical figures such as North Korean dictator Kim Il-Seong and Korea's first president Yi Seung-Man. Some of these historical villas have been restored to attract many visitors.