Seoul, South Korea: Romantic Namsan Tower, Check in at Petite France from 'My Love from the Star'

Day 1, Asiana Airlines' direct flight from Guangzhou to Seoul is always a red-eye flight. Due to the delay, it was already 6 AM when we arrived in Seoul. Our hotel was booked in Hongdae, so we took the subway directly to Hongdae Station. The seolleongtang (ox bone soup) at this place was pretty good—perfect for chilly weather with a steaming hot bowl of soup. The restaurant was near Hongdae, and the kimchi was self-service, but you had to cut it yourself, which was fun. The dumplings looked like buns. Overall, our first meal in Korea was nice. (P.S. The streets were full of K-drama elements, many familiar scenes.)

Because we didn't sleep well on the plane the night before, we slept until afternoon at the hotel. In the afternoon, we wandered around the neighborhood. October in Seoul was a bit cool with a light drizzle. The leaves were starting to turn yellow, giving it an autumn vibe. Along the way, we saw some high school girls in their uniforms, which felt very K-drama...

We kept strolling until evening when it started raining in Hongdae. There were so many restaurants around Hongdae. We randomly walked into a BBQ place, and the server turned out to be an auntie from Northeast China, very warm and friendly. She told us there were often music performances nearby and suggested we check them out. The BBQ and grilled fish were good, though they grilled everything for us and brought it to the table. The taste was decent. I had thought the streets would be full of tall, long-legged Korean guys, but honestly, our Chinese uncles weren't bad either, haha~

After dinner, we went back to the hotel to sleep. Staying in Hongdae was indeed convenient—everything for eating, drinking, and fun was nearby. I didn't take a full shot of the hotel, just some interior photos.

Day 2, Koreans don't really do breakfast. I searched for a long time but couldn't find any breakfast place. So I had to settle for a brunch. This time in Korea, I had to eat everything I'd seen on TV.

After eating and drinking, it was time for a city walk. Another day of sore legs: Ewha Womans University, Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Folk Museum—taking photos everywhere... (P.S. At Gyeongbokgung, of course I rented a hanbok and kept snapping photos—very photogenic!)

I was utterly exhausted, so I finished the day with a latte. (Seoul is full of coffee shops; coffee culture has truly permeated everyone here. The prices aren't too high either—street-side shops are similar to Starbucks, and a latte here costs about 25 RMB.)

Day 3, early in the morning I bought a few rolls of kimbap from an old lady at a stall near the subway entrance. Very cheap, about 1,200 won (street vendor, cheaper than in stores, and surprisingly tasty—I regretted not buying more). Took a 1-hour subway, a 1.5-hour shuttle bus, and another 30-minute bus to finally reach Petite France. (P.S.: The driver of bus 31-5, nicknamed 'Akina Speed King,' I'll never forget you. Motion sickness sufferers, beware.) As a hardcore K-drama fan, I was thrilled to finally visit the filming location of 'My Love from the Star.' The journey was truly arduous. At that moment, the familiar BGM played in my ears: 'You are my destiny...'

After watching the puppet show, we headed back. There were many snack stalls at the entrance, and next to the bus stop was an unremarkable pizza place. The prices were a bit lower than in downtown Seoul, but the pizza was really delicious—a pleasant surprise from a small shop.

After a short rest, we returned the same way (so exhausting!). I found a highly rated restaurant online to treat ourselves—samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) it was! (One pot with a whole chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. The taste was good, and it came with complimentary chili, garlic, and kimchi. I couldn't finish one pot by myself—the portion was large. For ladies, I'd suggest sharing one pot between two and ordering other dishes. The fried chicken here was also excellent, very crispy. Honestly, every meal in Korea tasted great.)

It seemed I had a vendetta against chicken today—just finished samgyetang and fried chicken, then I spotted many street food stalls. How could I resist? Time to eat... haha~

Day 4, another day of sore legs. Finally saw the legendary Mural Village, walking until my legs shook.

After an enormous effort, I made it to Namsan Tower. Coincidentally, there was an event going on in Korea—lucky me.

Day 5, stumbled into a traditional Korean market and tried marinated shrimp and crab.

After eating, I went to the famous K-drama filming spot—Hangang Park—to see if the Han River monster would show up, haha. (There are plenty of outdoor facilities there, so you can work out, run, or bike—a nice place to relax.)

Day 6, nearing the end, how could I miss a free public performance? Korean oppas performing heartfelt songs (probably not yet debuted). There are really many free performances near Hongdae.

The highlight was definitely this Korean BBQ. A bit pricey, but the taste was fantastic. The 'BBQ Prince' who grilled for us was really skilled—he could open a restaurant back in China. (Korean BBQ is truly delicious, still reminiscing.)

After this meal, our enjoyable trip to Korea came to an end. The end.