Starfield Library in the COEX Mall in Gangnam, Seoul
On Tuesday, the 17th of October, I left school at 3:30 pm (the MINUTE our contract day is over) to get to the Korean version of the DMV. I needed to exchange my CA driver's license for a Korean one. I had been prepared for this by several colleagues and the secretary for the Head of School. I had all the papers needed that were listed on the website. I had a note in Korean (sent to me by the secretary) to hand to the person in the information office so I could stand in the right line. And when I got there, just at 4:30pm, I was turned away because the foreign drivers licenses are only handed out from 9 am until 3:30 pm (which was NOT mentioned on the website, nor was it in anyone's experience).
So, since I had made the trek to Gangnam for this purpose, I decided not to waste the trip and I became an accidental tourist. COEX mall is about 3 blocks away from the DMV so I walked over there and spent about 4 hours wandering around. I walked 8 miles that day.
The Starfield Library had been on my list of things to see for a long time. But the thing is, it is not even a real library. You can buy books here, but you cannot check them out. It is more of a central entry way into the very large underground mall (the largest one in Asia).
There are many things to do in COEX Mall. There is an Aquarium, a movie theater, a platform for catching the bus to the airport, and a really big convention center. I am a club advisor for the high school MUN (Model United Nations) club at SIS and we are hosting a large conference next month that will be held at COEX so I thought it would be good to check it out ahead of that.
Right in front of the main entrance to the convention center there is this statue that is meant to memorialize the song Oppa Gangnam Style. The song plays on a continuous loop and people jump on a platform (in front of the crossed hands) and dance. Well, some people do that. I don't. But I have seen that guy who wrote the song and made it famous (PSY, or Park Jae-sang). It was the first video on YouTube to get over a billion views (in 2012). It's cheesy and funny and glitzy. In real life, PSY looks at you like you should recognize him. I guess most Koreans probably do know him on site. I am sad to say I had to be told who he was. 😂
I spent about 2 hours in the mall, including time to eat at McDonald's! I had the Jindo Green Onion Cream Croquette Burger, and some fries. The video has a full 30 seconds on that experience. I really wish McDonald's USA would bring some of these international hits to the states. I am sure this burger would be popular in the USA.
Right next to the COEX mall is a 1200 year old Buddhist Temple called Bongeunsa. I spent about an hour wandering around the complex at night but I fully intend to go back in the daylight and enjoy it.
It was built during the Silla period (794 CE) but has been added to, partially destroyed, rebuilt, almost burned down, and restored. I think the story about how a Queen during the Joseon Dynasty increased its importance is pretty compelling. She was determined to reverse a king's order to switch the national religion to Confucianism. She had a big impact on religion and this temple was the center of it all.
I love the contrast between the new, tall buildings in Gangnam and the old, majestic temple structures. And of course, Dancheong! I just cannot get enough of that stuff.
They offer a Temple Stay program where you can spend the night in the temple and learn to pray. I am planning to try to do this with some friends. Apparently this temple is one of the best places to see spring cherry blossoms in Seoul, so maybe that would be a good time to try to stay.
I walked 8.1 miles on Tuesday! I was exhausted by the time I got home. It was also a busy week at school. But on Saturday I met a colleague in the science department and we had lunch together at a Michelin starred restaurant called Woo Lae Oak (in operation since 1946, which means right after WWII). They are famous for a cold buckwheat noodle soup (from Pyeongyang) and tableside grilled bulgogi. We had both! And they were fantastic. But we had to get there at 11:30 (when they open) to get a table by 12:30pm. There was a long line.
The soup is served cold but the beef and the pear are really tasty. The noodles are amazing. I don't think there is anything like this in all of the cuisine I have tried before now. The beef bulgogi was perfectly seasoned. We had a great meal.
Then we went to Insadong together. My colleague needed to find some things for her kids and I was doing some shopping for ceramics. I also had to go to the mobile phone office and switch my Korean phone plan from a pre-paid one to a postpaid one (to get lots more data, which I use a lot more of here to navigate). We parted ways after stopping for one more cup of tea in Old Shin Tea House. This is quickly becoming my favorite place to visit in the city.
I just wish you could smell the cinnamon ginger tea! The treats this time were really tasty.
The mobile phone office is in the neighborhood of Seoul University, so I took a short video of what that neighborhood is like. It reminded me of Las Vegas. And I also took a nighttime photo of Lotte Tower. This is the landmark that appears in my horizon all the time when I am near school. In this photo you can see that the fall colors have arrived!
I spent Sunday working on things at home but there was a big air show at the Air Force base near the school, so I also got treated to the sight and sound of many big fighter jets flying over. The USA sent a B52 fighter (along with several other planes) to fly with the Black Eagles. This airbase is really close to the school so we have been hearing the rehearsal drills all week but today, with beautiful clear skies, the planes were very loud and left intense cloud trails.
No photos or videos of the fighter planes, but this week's video includes about 12 minutes (the last 12) of some of my students playing the violin. We had recitals in the atrium this week. I am constantly amazed by these talented kids!
The first 4 minutes are mostly my COEX adventure.
Here is the link to the video: https://youtu.be/yHOuh2Ltyc0
I hope you have had a wonderful week and that the run up to Halloween and DÃa de los Muertos is full of fun and seasonal delights. I am going to miss Pan de Muertos this year, but the Spanish teachers at my school do a great display of ofrendas! I am sure there will be photo evidence of that soon.
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