Crank That Seoul-ja Boy!

Last week I ventured out of China for the first time since moving here two months ago to visit Seoul, South Korea: a place where American rap music is more popular than, well, just about anywhere in America it would seem. One of the hallmarks of Seoul (or at least what little I saw of it) was that every storefront seemed to be blaring its own mix of American hip hop through bluetooth speakers mounted above their front door. I’m not just talking about cafes or clothing shops either; walking down a street lined with jewelers and banks, I was treated to Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Gates, and even the new Schoolboy Q! And definitely not the clean, edited versions either, but some hard, full-on gangsta shit.

I was only in Seoul for two days and was sick with a bad cold for both of them. Still, I had a blast and can’t wait to get back when I’m healthy. A few highlights:

Hao Guest House

 I stayed at the Hao Guest House in Hongdae (a hipsterish neighborhood known for urban art, a great indie music scene, and many affordable yet trendy places to eat and drink). Guest houses in Hongdae are sprinkled everywhere. They are mostly considered a step above a hostel and a step below a hotel, and the Hao House is one of the highest rated in the city. I had my own room, and private bathroom, as well as a free breakfast and a few other amenities for the equivalent of $42/night.

My room at the Hao Guest House

Thanks Nature Cafe

One of the more talked about cafes in Hongdae is the Thanks Nature Cafe, mainly for its two mascots: a pair of sheep that live at the urban cafe. I stopped in for a green tea latte and for the complimentary petting allowed for paying customers and was not disappointed.

Thanks Nature Cafe

Dinner/Drinks

Despite feeling under the weather, I made myself go out Monday night to find some authentic Korean food. While out walking, I stumbled across a restaurant I had read about online while researching my surroundings and decided to check it out. Namul Meongneun Gom translates as the Veggie Eating Bear and is known for its seasonal menu that highlights local ingredients. I ordered the bibimbap, a warm bowl of rice and veggies with several small dishes of kimchi, tofu, and more veggies to add to it, and was not disappointed.

Bibimbap at the Veggie Eating Bear

Before calling it a night, I hunted down the Magpie Brewing Company: Seoul’s very own craft brewery with locations in Hongdae, Itaewon, and Jeju. Magpie serves several American-style IPAs, but I decided to go with their Porter, which was robust and tasty, and their seasonal Ghost, a Gose-style beer, that ranks as one of the best craft beers I’ve tasted.

I sat at the bar and made small talk with the attractive Ukranian bartender and a Korean hipster that spoke fluent English with no accent. They were extolling the virtues of Dire Straits and I felt like I could be at just about any craft beer pub in the States.

Hongdae at night

Insadong

Tuesday morning I woke up and checked out of the Guest House and set out for Insadong, a neighborhood of narrow streets filled with art galleries, shops, and tea houses. After a little browsing, I decided to find lunch. I had done some research beforehand and picked Sanchon – a Buddhist Temple inspired vegetarian restaurant that’s owned and operated by a former Buddhist monk. The decor is made up to look like a temple with statues and winding paths full of plants and flowers everywhere, although mixed with those were framed copies of a New York Times review from 1986 praising the restaurant. They must have been very proud of that article as it was everywhere, including on the flip side of the menu!

For lunch, they offered a 16-course tasting menu for roughly $30 US. My first few courses consisted of a bowl of seasonal porridge with an assortment of appetizers:

Courses 1-4

Next up was a vegetable pancake and a salad:

Courses 5-6

The main course consisted of potatoes and other root vegetables, kimchi, various mushrooms and beans, and seven bowls of wild herbs and vegetables, each mixed with its own sauce and seasoning:

Courses 7-14

And for dessert, seasonal pine tea and a sticky rice pastry:

Courses 15-16

All told, the food and experience were wonderful and I’d definitely like to revisit Sanchon, hopefully for dinner, if I make it back to Seoul.

Changdeokgung

Built from 1405-1412, Changdeokgung is one of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. After lunch, I made my way out to the large park that it is nestled in and proceeded to spend my afternoon exploring the buildings that remain. (Many were destroyed the Japanese occupation of 1910-1945.)

Injeongjeon Hall 

Beautiful architecture combined with open courtyards and ornate gardens made it feel like I was miles away from the bustling city that was in reality only a couple blocks away. The palace and its buildings were designed to blend into the scenery and so nothing feels out of place when you walk through the grounds. Among the buildings that survived are the main gate, the throne hall where new kings were coronated, and the king’s main meeting room.

Donhwamun Gate

After an afternoon spent imagining life in 1400’s Korea, I was quickly brought back to the fast-paced Seoul of today as soon as I exited the gates. I had an hour to kill before heading back to the airport and decided to duck into a cafe to enjoy a couple of local Max Cream beers. The cafe was of course blasting American hip hop, but this time I was happy to be treated to some good old school jams. I sipped my beer while listening to KRS-One, Eric B and Rakim, and Grand Puba and mulled over my impressions of Seoul. Again, I admittedly saw a very small part of it, but what I did see I definitely fell in love with and can’t wait to get back and spend more time exploring different parts of the city.