Special Event: Happy Seollal and Lunar New Year ^^

Like any other country that celebrates Lunar New Year, the Koreans also celebrate this festive season. However they call it as Seollal. Seollal is one of the most important event for Korean throughout the year along side with Chuseok Day.

For the Seollal celebration, it will take about 3 days and Seollal is an event which  focus more to family. For 2014, its a year of Blue Horse or known as Gaponyeon (갑오 년).During this celebration, Korean will gather with their family, perform ancestral ritual or known as Charye (차례),holding family feast ceremony, perform sebae (세배)  and doing some activities together. The celebration of Seollal is almost the same with mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam but there is one different activity Korean do during this festive season.

What is the differences?? During Lunar New Year, in those countries above, most of them will play folk game including board game, kite, shuttlecock and swing. Korean plays these folk games too. Most of  the board game were similar to mainland China board game like Mahjong, Chinese Chess, and Cards. However in Korea, there is one game call Yutnori. 

Yutnori is a Korean traditional board game where they will playing using Yut stick. This game is very popular among Korean no matter what age they are and Korean love to play this game during Seollal. I never had experience of playing this games though ㅠㅠ, maybe I should try later?? ㅋㅋㅋ For more information about how to play Yutnori, you can visit here.

p/s: Happy Seollal to Koreans and Happy Lunar New Year to all. (Who celebrate it) May this Blue Horse year bring more prosperity and good fortune to everyone!! Owh my boyfriend will play this game too with his friend, I wish I'm there!! ㅠㅠ

Sources:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_New_Year
               http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=941952
               http://samedi.livejournal.com/323312.html
               http://thekoreanway.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/sebae-%EC%84%B8%EB%B0%B0-the-  
               new-years-bow/
               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong
               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiangqi
               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yut
               http://modernseoul.org/2011/11/26/how-to-play-yut-nori-       
              %EC%9C%B7%EB%86%80%EC%9D%B4/
               http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=105442

Photo Sources: vikingukaimas.lt
                        Korea.net

Dating Tips: KOREAN GUY is most romantic guy on EARTH???

As Lunar New Year is around the corner, I've been quite busy these days ㅠㅠ plus my boyfriend got sick! ㅠㅠ I've been worried and wondering what happen to him for past few days?? ㅠㅠ Thank God, he's fully recovered now! ^^ You have no idea how worried I am! I wish I had private jet! LOL!! Ok, ok no need to whining about how much I love him here.ㅋㅋㅋ

Back to my topic! These days since K-Wave is all over the world, there are so many girls out there who look for KOREAN GUY! There are so many blog about KOREAN and inquiry on how to get a KOREAN boyfriend or husband. First of all as I read in one of fellow blogger's Ask a Korean, Korean men are men before they are KOREAN. 

Read it again and make sure to understand what does it means. They are just ordinary men before they were KOREAN! I know lots of you might says "we watched Korean drama and seems KOREAN guy were perfect!" That's just a drama, its from the script!! Do not expect every KOREAN were romantic and perfect just like in the drama! 

In reality, I agreed some were romantic and some were not! These romantic characters is not only stick with KOREAN guy, there are so many guys out there who were romantic but they were not KOREAN. Its just the person characters not the nationality itself. Apart from that, how to describe the romantic gesture?? Does it mean for hugging and kissing all the time?? or could it be, popping up with special event? shower you with gifts?? 

Those are just the examples, and everyone have their own ways for being romantic isn't it?? For me what is important, when you were in relationship is regardless of his nationality, its the feeling of both of you have for each other. I know its necessary to learn each other culture especially when you were in inter relationship however learn it from reality not from media or drama.

p/s: For those who in relationship with KOREAN, do not expect much, just accept them for who they are.. ^^ Cherish for all happy moment together and trust is important. ^^ㅋㅋㅋ I know he's hot now, since his new drama getting wide attention! I like him too! LOL, owh my boyfriend will get jealous reading this. ㅋㅋㅋ Anyway, my dear boyfriend, your smile is way out better than Kim Soo Hyun smile!ㅋㅋㅋ 

Sources: http://askakorean.blogspot.com/
Photo credit: sumandu.wordpress.com





   

Culture: How to address KOREAN??

In any part of the world, most of people didn't care much about age differences.However in Korea, age is really significant from one to another as its actually showing your rank in Korean society. Even if you were older one year, in Korean hierarchy you gain more RESPECT.

Personally for me, age is just a number but when I'm in Korea I do call some of my Korean friends according to their social rank. Some says it's fine since I'm not Korean but I just address them that way because they know that I write about Korea and have some knowledge about it. ㅋㅋㅋ

I guess these days most of you were familiar with Oppa right? Perhaps this is the effect of Gangnam Style?? ㅋㅋㅋ. When you can call someone oppa (오빠)?? Oppa can be address only by a female to an older guy, even if he's just one year apart. For same sex, male, they call older guy as Hyung (형). Oppa and Hyung technically meaning brother, but for boyfriend and girlfriend, normally girlfriend will call their boyfriend as Oppa (guy older than her).

In my case, its different!ㅋㅋㅋ Since my boyfriend is younger than me I cannot address him as Oppa.ㅠㅠ Instead we used another term for each other.ㅋㅋ ^^  Definitely he can't address me as Noona (누나), because I'm his girlfriend! If you ask any girl, will they feel piss off if their love one address her as "sister", the answer is YESㅋㅋㅋ. For a girl who older than him, he will address them as Noona. While for me, I will address my Korean girl friends as Unni (언니). (Older than me)

What about if  same age then??? For same age, normally they just address each other as chingu (친구).While  for someone who younger than them, they will address him or her as dongseng (동생). In university, normally they will call their senior as sunbaenim ( 선배님) and for junior they will address them as hobae(후배). 

Apart from those, Korean will address their friend's parent, co-worker's parent as ommunim (어머님) and abunim (아버님). If you noticed in Korean drama, whenever Korean passing by a very old person, they will address them as haraboji (할아버지) which mean grandfather, halmoni (할머니) grandmother, ajumma  (아줌마) and ajushhi (아저씨) even if they were strangers. This is because they were taught to respect others since they were young. :)

                                  APPELLATION  IN KOREAN

                                                   

                         Oppa =     Brother (address by Female to Male)

                         Hyung =    Brother (address by Male to Male)

                         Noona =   Sister (address by Male to Female)

                         Unni =       Sister (address by Female to Female)

                         Dongseng =   Little brother or little sister

                         Chingu =        Friend

                         Omunim =      Mother

                         Abunim =       Father

                         Haraboji =     Grandfather

                         Halmoni =      Grandmother

                         Ajumma  =     Mid age women 

                         Ajushhi =        Mid age man 

                         Sunbaenim =   Senior

                         Hubae =          Junior 

p/s: Never address a Korean by their name because it will make them feel uncomfortable and it shows       

impolite. 

Sources: My Friends

Photo Credit: weheartit.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Winter Tour : Winter Festival & Event 2013/2014

Some of my Korean friends really hate winter seasons. For them if they could, they wanna escape from the cold! I've never experience it so I wonder how was it?? ^^ Since I was there on last autumn, and its nearly winter, the weather is quite cold! The lowest temperature when I was there is 3 Celsius. For this temperature I catch cold! If  negative, Hahhah! Perhaps I need to wear 10 layers?? lol

Anyway, on my previous winter entries I have list down some activities you can do during winter in South Korea. Here are some winter festivals or events that you can join in until the end of winter,which is early March 2014. Check this out!!!

p/s: If I get a chance to visit Korea during winter, this activity is on my wish list!! ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

sources: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?nCategoryID=1&SearchType=&keyword=&gotoPage=1&cid=1877155&cCode=&nCategoryID=&searchType=&searchKeyword=

Photo Credit: Demotix.com
                       Amusingplanet.com
                       Korea Tourism Organization

Guesthouse : Jongno-gu

About 12 years ago, I got to know about South Korea through one of their greatest drama "Winter Sonata". It's just a drama but it captured my heart! After watching it, I told myself  that one day I will visit South Korea and enjoy those beautiful scenery. 

Years passing by but I haven't get a chance to visit until my cousin a.k.a my childhood best friend asking me this "lets having vacation together!" I ask her where to?? She said "how about Korea???" (She's into K-pop)!ㅋㅋㅋ I told her OK, I will let you know later. :D Then I saw there is flight ticket promotion at Air Asia to Korea! I immediately call her after I check the price! Her reaction was!!! "Are you serious???? Actually I was joking with you".ㅋㅋㅋ 

I still try my best to convinced her, and finally she agreed and look for another 2 companions. When we got the tickets we were very excited! We waiting about almost a year before boarding, I kept busy looking for guesthouse, and with a help from a friend, we managed to book a guesthouse at Jongno-gu area. 

This guesthouse is different from any other ordinary guesthouse because its traditional guesthouse. I guess you guys read about it on my previous entry, hanok. My friend told me "since you coming here from far why don't you experience something different and cannot get at your home country." I agreed and make it as  reservation for our lodging while we in Seoul. ^^

The name of our lodging is Bukchon Guest House. This guesthouse located at Bukchon Hanok Village. Bukchon guesthouse have 3 different houses but its near to each other. ^^  For 5 days we stayed at Bukchon House 3 or known as Joongang Guesthouse. We stayed at Triple A room. For our next 3 days we stayed at Bukchon House 1 for Triple room. 

This area were safe even when we walking late at night. The nearest subway station to this guesthouse is Angguk Station (LINE 3). For those who ever watching Winter Sonata, the school in that drama were located around Bukchon Hanok Village too! ^^ We went there at night since during day we were too busy with our itinerary! I did snap a picture but its not good enough.ㅠㅠ 

Bukchon guesthouse also provide some traditional activities for foreigners with certain amount of charges. The environment around this guesthouse were clean and quiet. Good place to stay especially for those who wanna experience Korean Traditional House lodging. ^^ For more information and reservation, you may refer it here.

Can't reveal our room as it quite messy ㅋㅋㅋ >_<

Looks nice?? When we first reached ㅋㅋ

Our picture with the owner ^^

p/s: The guesthouse owner and staffs were friendly! Do not hesitate to talk to them. ^^ Some attractions near to Jongno-gu is Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insa-dong, Cheongwadae (Blue House) and row of shops within Gahoe-dong, Jae-dong, Samcheong-dong, Gye-dong and Wonseo-dong.  

Sources:  http://www.bukchon72.com/

               http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=561382
               http://www.airasia.com/my/en/home.page

Guesthouse: Incheon

Normally international tourists will be landed at Incheon airport if they come to South Korea. What if they landed at middle of the night and there is no bus or subway to go to Seoul?? Should they sleep at airport?? If traveling alone, I guess that's not a big problem especially for a guy, but if a girl or with kids, sleeping at airport is not a good suggestion I think!

I experienced this when my first trip to Korea on 2012. We arrived at Incheon at 10:30 p.m and after the immigration processing and so on its nearly 12:00 a.m.?? So there is no more bus and subway to Seoul! At that time we didn't make any reservation plus having a small argument??? I let those two girls to find a solution. We bumped with another 2 Malaysian girls and they were also didn't make any reservation at all. ㅋㅋ

They tried to search the room and making some calls. The funny things is all of us don't know how to use the public telephone in the airport!ㅋㅋㅋ. Struggling to make a phone call! Then one of us use our smartphone as we don't have any other choice. ㅋㅋㅋ Luckily the owner of the guesthouse were awake and agreed to fetch us at airport! ^^ The guesthouse name is Lazy Bird Guesthouse.  

A guy came fetched us, seeing him; at first we thought he's just a staff of the guesthouse because he looks young ㅋㅋㅋ! Then when he introduce himself, we was like @_@!! Owh he's the owner!! ㅋㅋㅋ He help us organized our bag and room. That night, I talked to those two girls (my trip companion) and we agreed to compromised. ^^ 

The next day, owner of the guesthouse sent us to the airport and we took airport bus to Seoul. After about 8 days in Seoul. We back again at Incheon. Since we had a good time in Lazy Bird Guesthouse, we decided to stay one more night there before our departure. During day we went to the beach near Incheon, Eurwangi Beach and when we back at the guesthouse we enjoyed trying hanbok for free! At night I enjoy uploading hundreds of pictures within few seconds! ㅋㅋㅋ. For more information about the guesthouse, refer here.

Guesthouse Signboard

Living Room

Computers

Dining Room

Guesthouse owner and us ^^

p/s: For Muslim travelers, yes guesthouse owner have dogs but don't worry they explained to us that their dogs only stay outside, at their own space. So no need to worry! ^^

Sources: http://www.lazybirdguesthouse.com/

Winter Tour : Romantic Place to be with Your Love O_o

Still left few months before spring come again in South Korea! Wee ^^ Anyone plan to go to Korea for this winter or upcoming winter?? As I mentioned two years ago, Korea is a Winter Wonderland, a paradise for people who loves winter sports! What about people who didn't know how to skiing, ice skating or snow boarding then??  What should they do??

For couple who didn't like winter sports much, they can heading somewhere and have a pleasant time together. ^^ There is a place called The Garden of Morning Calm. This garden were located at Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. ^^ 

Garden of Morning calm were inspired by an Indian poet, Sir Tagore who describe Korea as "The Land of Morning Calm" during Joseon Dynasty. This garden is one of the oldest private Korean gardens. It's open 365 days per year and there is fees charging. For more information you can refer it here. Lets' pictures speak more! ^^

p/s: I haven't been to this place yet ㅠㅠ What a lovely garden! One of my Korean friend went there few days ago with her bf. Owhh I envy her!!ㅋㅋ  ^^*

Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264212

Photo Credit: Kim Ye Ji

Heritage: Korean Tradition for New Year

2013 is over, and here come 2014. Owhh NO!! My age??! Korean age??!! ㅠㅠ  However people don't think I'm too old ㅋㅋㅋ. Anyone wanna try to guess how old I am? ㅋㅋㅋ. Anyway, have any of you know about Korean Tradition during New Year Eve?? I guess you guys were aware right, that Korean celebrate two celebration for New year. One is according to Lunar Calendar, which is Seollal and another one is based on Gregorian Calendar which is 1st January like in any other countries.

Like in any other countries, some Korean will celebrate new year eve with firework too but there is NO official firework or large scale firework! Instead they celebrate it with something else. The event call 보신각 (Bosingak). Bosingak is actually a large bell name. This bell pavilion located at Jongno. This bell was originally constructed in 1396. However due to fire and war, it was destroyed so many times and re-designated on 1895 by Emperor Gojong. 

During Joseon period, this bell were located in the center of castle. Bosingak was hit as an announcement of the opening 4 gates around Seoul. It was also used as fire alarm. These days this bell only rang at midnight on  New Year Eve for 33 times. The purpose of these are as a prayer for good fortunes, health, prosperity and etc overall South Korea. 

Massive numbers of Korean who live around Seoul will attend the ceremony every year, and it also been aired live in TV. You can reach to this place via subway.  LINE 1, Get off at Jonggak Station (종각 역)
Besides, as new year starts, normally Korean will heading to mountain or sea to watch first sun rise for the year and wish their prayer.. 

                       

Bosingak New Year 2014

   

First 2014 Sun Rise

p/s: Happy New Year 2014! Wishing this year will bring more joys, happiness and love for everyone! For those who plan to visit South Korea, have a safe and fun trip!!! I am thinking a date to visit Korea, meeting my bf soon! ^^
YTNnews blocked the videos even though I put credit on them, but you still can watch it by clicking on watch on Youtube. :)

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosingak
               My Korean friends
Photo credit: wonderfulpackage,com
                     10mag.com
Video Credited: YTNnews 24