Korea Trip 2022: Screaming Legs at Namsan and Itaewon
Adjusting to a new time zone takes time. I went to bed at 11:00pm on my first night in Korea and woke up at around 4:00am despite being so physically and mentally drained. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I started preparing for the day ahead.
Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을) | Naver link
Back when I was planning my itinerary for the trip, I knew that I would be staying in Jung-gu, so I browsed through 카카오맵 (KakaoMap) to see what was around. To my surprise, I found a 한옥 (hanok - a type of traditional Korean house) village fairly close by and bookmarked it. Thus, just after 10:00am, I left the Airbnb to walk over to the village, which took less than 10 minutes.
Many hanoks still stand in Korea today. This particular village was established in 1998 after the City of Seoul moved and restored five hanoks that were originally scattered throughout the city. In addition to the hanoks, the village includes several pavilions, a pond, a couple cafes, a performance hall, and the 서울천년타임캡슐 소개 (Seoul Millennium Time Castle), which contains 600 items representing the city and its residents.
After entering the village (admission is free), I climbed into the 천우각 (Cheonugak Pavilion), located just next to a large pond near the main entrance. It had been 13 years since I previously visited the country, and I forgot just how relaxing sitting in a pavilion could be. I also admired the pavilion’s colors and patterns, particularly for its roof.
Next, I toured through the hanoks, which were all built in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Most of them contain items used during their respective periods, from kitchenware and furniture to a sedan chair and incense, giving visitors an idea of the kind of life their ancestors lived. I enjoyed the hanoks’ curved rooftops and the small bright pops of color lent by lanterns hanging from the ceilings. What did strike me were just how high some of the steps are; I nearly tripped once or twice but steadied myself. There was also a traditional wedding being held later, and I got to see the setup for it.
From the hanoks, I headed over to the Seoul Millennium Time Capsule. The capsule is situated inside of a crater, which people climb down via curving ramps. The circular capsule, with messages left by leaders around the world back when it was buried in 1994, is meant to be opened on November 29, 2394, which is Seoul’s 1,000th anniversary. While there isn’t much to look at, it’s hard to not be impressed by the capsule’s scale.
남산서울타워 (Namsan Seoul Tower) | Naver link
The village is located near the base of 남산 (Namsan), a mountain in the heart of Seoul, and it was my goal to climb it to reach the Namsan Seoul Tower, which offers a panoramic view of the city for miles around. I found a back entrance/exit near the back of the village, so I exited through that, figuring that I would eventually reach a path that would take me up the mountain. Sure enough, I crossed a bridge over 삼안대로 (Samandae-ro), entered a tunnel that led me to the 서울특별시중부공원여가센터 (Jungbu Parks & Recreation Center), and - off to its side - found a path, with recurring waypoint signage pointing me in the direction of the tower.
Eventually, I reached a point in the path where the only way to get to the tower was up, and I found before me the first of many flights of stairs. After climbing up two flights, the reality that I haven’t been consistently exercised in a month hit me like a ton of bricks. Throw in the fact that the day’s humidity level was over 80%, and soon I was struggling to hike. Dozens of Seoul residents, long used to hiking, passed by me. At one point, I saw a cable car zip by on its way to the tower, and I wondered why I was subjecting myself to such a seemingly herculean task. I lost count of many flights of stairs I climbed. The only solace came from the fact that the tower, which sometimes came into view, was getting closer and closer. Finally, after over a half hour of climbing stairs, I - breathless and drenched with sweat - reached the top.
After putting in the work of getting to the tower, I wasn’t going to leave without going up it. After paying ₩16,000 ($11.84) for a single-person ticket, I climbed down a flight of stairs at the tower’s base to get to the elevator. Before reaching the elevator, I entered into a large room with a light show being projected onto all the walls. After determining that actual footage from the tower wasn’t being used, I lost interest and proceeded to the elevator, which sent people up in small groups. In the elevator itself, we were asked to watch an animation being played onto the ceiling, which consisted of us being rocketed up into space from Earth over the course of 30 seconds (the time it takes to get to the top). Once at the top, I was treated to a fairly spectacular view of the Seoul cityscape, stretching far and wide. I walked around the tower, soaking in the sights and trying to find my Airbnb. I couldn’t help but appreciate just how much greenery there is in Seoul, which reminded me of Oregon when I visited that city six years ago. Once I had gotten my fill of the views, I climbed down a flight of stairs to the exit elevator, which took 25 seconds to return to Earth (yes, they played a different animation on the ceiling). While I could have gotten food or drinks at the top of the tower, I already knew where I wanted to go next, and I resolved to get back outside as soon as possible.
Once I exited the tower, I found a path that could take me southeast toward my next destination. It was all downhill, and I felt a spring in my step as I headed down the mountain.
이태원 (Itaewon) | Naver link
I hadn’t had anything to eat, and it was already past 1:00pm. I had already bookmarked a couple places to visit in Itaewon, so I walked at a quick pace once I got onto 회나무로 (Hoenamu-ro). Itaewon is well known to be a very popular spot for not only Seoul residents, but also tourists, expats, and U.S. military personnel. I found it to be a very accommodating area for English speakers, as many of the signs for various businesses are in English. I also passed by several embassies, including the ones for the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as Fiji.
My first stop was 빌리언박스 이태원점 (Billionbox Itaewon Branch) | Naver link, a burger chain that’s probably best known for its slogan, “We believe that other burgers are shit”. As soon as I read that, I just knew I had to try it, with the bonus of eating in an air-conditioned eatery. I bought one single slider and a fountain drink, which came out to ₩5,000 ($3.70). Their slider - which looked like a White Castle slider (I never tried it) - smelled a bit sweet, which I attributed to the buns they use. As for the taste, I found the slider to be quite solid. I thought I tasted caramelized onions, but it was probably the sauce they put on top of the cheese and patty. There were chopped raw onions beneath the thin patty; I think they used a smashburger style of cooking. Are other burgers shit? I’d say no, but there’s a confidence to Billionbox that I can’t help but admire. Normally, I would have ordered fries as well, but I had another meal ahead of me that I needed to have room for.
Itaewon has Texas-style BBQ in the form of 매니멀스모크하우스 (Manimal Smoke House) | Naver link, located on the second floor of a building located not far (but uphill) from Billionbox. It was already past 2:00pm when I arrived, and it seemed like I had avoided the lunch rush. I was instantly seated near an open window that offered a decent view of the streets below. After reading through the menu, I ordered a two-meat platter, which comes with three sides. For the meats, I chose the brisket and raspberry glazed spare ribs. For the sides, I went for apple cole slaw, cowboy beans, and jalapeño mac & cheese. They do charge extra for the brisket, ribs, and mac & cheese, but I didn’t mind; my total came out to ₩58,000 ($42.91). The wait took less than 10 minutes, and my jaw dropped upon seeing the platter. In addition to what I ordered, I was also given pickled jalapeños, pickled red onions, pickles, two rolls, and two sauces - Texas sauce (a slightly tangy sauce packing a little heat) and chimichurri sauce. The server recommended that I eat the brisket first, then the ribs. The brisket was excellent; it was incredibly tender and almost melt-in-your-mouth, and it paired very well with both sauces. The ribs were great as well. Though I took my time eating the brisket before I got to the ribs, they held up well, and I decided they didn’t need sauce at all. The cole slaw, cold and acidic, was the best of the sides. The beans had quite some body and a slight tang, while I didn’t like the mac & cheese - I didn’t think the macaroni was cooked all the way, and the cheese seemed to get almost gritty the longer it sat out. I felt very stuffed, and I couldn’t eat the rolls, but I was quite satisfied with my visit.
I had been planning to walk back to my Airbnb, but by the mid-afternoon, my legs felt like putty, and I decided that I was better off taking the bus or a subway - this meant I should get a T-Money Card, which is used for payment for taxis, buses, and the subway. I also remembered that rain was coming over the next few days, and I needed an umbrella. I asked one of the servers at Manimal Smoke House where I could acquite these items, and he directed me to a convenience store just down the road. Minutes later, I stepped into GS25 이태원힐점 (GS25 Itaewonhil Branch) | Naver link. I needed a drink as well as masks (the one I was wearing was just drenched in sweat), so I bought these as well as the umbrella to the counter. I asked for a T-Money Card, and then I had to load the card with cash, so I coughed up ₩10,000 (approximately $7.34) for that. In all, these items cost me about $16.96.
I wasn’t quite ready to leave Itaewon yet, so I decided to explore the area a bit before getting on the subway. I walked along 이태원로 (Itaewon-ro), marveling at all the diverse businesses, including Malaysian, Middle Eastern, and Russian restaurants as well as bi- and trans-friendly establishments. For those who are interested in visiting Korea but feeling a bit inconvenienced by a language barrier, you’d probably feel very comfortable in Itaewon. Just from walking around, I’d say that of all the people I saw, about 40% were non-Koreans, and I heard plenty of non-Korean languages being spoken. I really wanted to see 서울중앙성원 (Seoul Central Mosque), but while I could see the mosque’s minarets, I couldn’t see the actual mosque itself. Though feeling a little discouraged, I was just ready to return to my Airbnb and rest.
The Subway
I climbed down several flights of stairs from the street level to access 이태원역 6호선 (Itaewon Station Line 6) | Naver link. I hadn’t used the subway in a long time, and memories of my experiences with Korea’s subway system came flooding back as I walked through the station. Using my newly acquired T-Money Card, I paid a single-use fare and went to the line that would take me to 약수역 3호선 (Yaksu Station Line 3) | Naver link, where I would then transition to another subway line to take me to 충무로역 3호선 (Chungmu-ro Station Line 3) | Naver link, which was the closest station to my Airbnb. I was very pleased to see that everyone one on the subway was wearing a mask, especially given how crowded the subway system can get. I also appreciated just how efficient and fast the subway ran; by the time I emerged back onto the street level, the whole trip had taken about 15 minutes. I made a beeline for the Airbnb, where a hot shower soon commenced, followed by a good sleep to end my second day in Korea.
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