Korean Music by Steven and Megan

A comparison of Korean music stores:

Korean Street Music:

Affordable Delicious Meals with Jasper and Marcus

Shopping in Seoul by Navya, Cat, Noore, and Helen

이대 (Ehwa Umniversity)

This is the area right around Ehwa University and is a very popular shopping area for young people. Part of why it’s popular among university students is because its literally walking distance from other big universities such as Yonsei and Sogang University. The area consists of pretty narows streets with small stores that place there cheaper clothes outsie the entrance of the store to lure you in to the inside of the store. The shopping is comparatively cheaper than most places in Seoul seeing as a lot of shirts are as low as five thousand won and dresses as low ten thousand won. Accessories tend to be even cheaper starting at about a thousand won for earrings and bracelets. However the cheap price also means though that the quality of the clothes is not exactly top notch. However considering the cheap prices the clothes are pretty and cute. The down side is that a lot of stores have similar clothes. So the exact same shirt you see in one store a lot of times is probably also in the store next door. But regardless it’s a fun place to shop and buy cute shirts and casual dresses.

동대믄 (Dongdaemun)

This area is filled with huge indoor shopping centers and is famous for it’s  nighttime shopping. The bigger stores open in the morning too but there won’t be many others until it gets later in day. The shopping is very varied in that the clothes range from a little less than department store prices to closer to Ehwa prices. All the centers are basically set up with differeny types of items on each floor. Each floor also has lots and lots of mini booths which each have a different set of clothes and is each owned by a different vendors. It’s all indoors too which is awesome for the Korean heat.

명동  (Myeongdong )

This area is the most touristy shopping of the three mentioned. It is set up as big streets with really trendy and large stores. They also have lots of mini stands that line the street selling socks, shirts, phone cases etc. like they do in a lot of other places in Korea. The prices here also vary depending on the store. Many people foreign brands can be find here including H&M, Forever 21, and UNIQLO. This is also the area that tends of be the most crowded and loud especially with the makeup store workers that shout in Korean and Japanese  to get all the tourist attention. However it is beautiful at night and fun to walk around.

Fun at the Beach with My Host Family by Zaq

저는 홈스테이가족하고 같지 8월3일에 바닷가에 갔어요. 8월3일부터 8월5일까지에 바닷가에 있었어요. 저는 쉈어요. 그리고 수영도 핬어요. 금요일 오후에 모래하트가 파다를시작핬어요. 몇개사람들 봤어요.
저는 말았어요. “도와수세요?”
한명 동생이 도와줬어요. 동생이름이 황준혁 이에요.  그리고 10살이에요. 저는 동생하고 같이 많이 팠어요. 1시간30분동안 팠어요. 그 다음에 파다를 끝났어요! 동생하고 같이 사진을 찍었어요. 아주 재미있었어요! 기분이 행북핬어요!

My host family and I went to the beach from august 3~5. I relaxed and swam. Friday afternoon I began digging a sand heart. Some people watched me. I said, “Please help?” 😀 one kid helped me. His name was Hwang Junhyeok, and he was 10 years old. We dug a lot together. We dug for an hour and a half. Then we were finished digging! I took a picture with him, it was really fun and made me happy! ^^

Things to Do in Seoul by Donavon

서울에서 어디가 좋아요?

1. 이번:  청계천/Cheonggyecheon

What is the 청계천?

The Cheonggyecheon is a stream flowing from Gwanghwamun to Dongdaemun. It used to be a natural stream, until covered with asphalt. In 2005 it was reverted back into a stream. Now it seems to be a major hangout. You can come here and dip your feet in the cool stream while listening to undiscovered musicians, while enjoying a fantastic lightshow near the glowing waterfall.

2. 일 번: 광화 문/Gwanghwamun

What is 공화 문?

Gwanghwamun is yet another main attraction in Seoul. Here , you have Gwanghwamun Square ,which consists of a statue of king Sejong (the man that created Hangeul). Underneath his statue is an entire underground museum , dedicated to him and a famous general. You will also find Gyeongbokgung Palace here as well. Gwhanghwamum Square will keep you busy with all of it’s museums and statues and palaces you can visit.

3. 삼 번: 한강/Han River

About 한강: This river is the 4th longest river in Korea(한국). Many Koreans love to engage in exercise, bicycling, fishing, and even simply strolling around here with their friends and/or family as the sunset pours over into the night. It is very relaxing and peaceful because you get to hear all the beautiful sounds of nature. You can also go paddling or catch a ride on the ferry, and on certain nights fireworks even being displayed.

4. Random Photos (임의의 사진) of me enjoying the sites of Seoul

Reflections on Meeting My Host Family by Jenna

Upon the first night of meeting with my host family, my host mom prepared 라볶이, 고기, and of course, 반찬. The entire family ate together, and it was my first taste of not only a homemade Korean dinner, but also of Korean mannerisms during a meal. Before we ate, my host sisters said the greeting, “잘먹겠습니다,” and waited patiently for their parents to eat first. As a foreigner, I followed my host sisters and waited. The dinner table was filled with conversation, but with my limited knowledge of Korean, I could barely understand exactly what they were saying. Towards the end of the meal, we said another greeting, “잘먹겄습니다,” and my host mom took out a plate of watermelon. In Korea, they generally eat fruits after dinner.

When I look back on that first night, it was extremely frustrating not being able to join in on the conversations, but the food was simply amazing. I learned a lot about Korean etiquette, and realized the differences and similarities between the Korean and American cultures.

A Review of Restaurants Around Sogang by Sean and Max

Food rated on a scale of 1-10, worst-best

McDonalds (맥도날드)

McDonalds in 한국 uses the 영어 title rather than 한글. The interior, exterior, and menu are also widely the same as in 미국. It seems to be a very popular restaurant with both 한국 사람 and 위국인. This particular McDonalds is right outside Exit 3 of 신촌역, so it is very convenient to get to. You can find meals from 미국 as well as a 한국식 McDonalds hybrid to try!

WHAT WE ATE:

불고기 버거 – 3900원, 6.5

-Crowded, but the line moves surprisingly fast. There are a lot of workers, so the food comes quickly too.

-It is difficult to specify what you want on or off a burger, especially with only beginner 한국어. Most of the time even if you say “토마토 없어요” or “사스 없어요” they will either do nothing or add more. Perhaps all burgers are premaid?

-It is very inexpensive: a 불고기 버거 새트 (meal) was only 3900원! The other choices on the menu were also inexpensive.

-You would be lucky to find seats because it is so crowded. If you do, you will probably have to sit next to strangers. We did, but in 한국 this is not strange.

-We both had the 불고기 버거. They were interesting- covered in a sweet barbecue sauce that didn’t really taste like 불고기 at all. Also, we decided that the meat was too light to be beef-  it had to be pork. Although I gave it a little higher rating, Max gave it a lower rating, so we settled at 6.5.

-On the fries, however, we agreed that they were amazing, we gave them a 9. They were almost identical to 미국 McDonalds fries, however Max thought there was a slight difference. Still, they were cooked and salted just right.

-As a final note, watch out for the trash system. There are several holes where very specific waste products go. If you take too long or do it wrong, people give you disapproving looks…

Overall, McDonalds in 한국 is essentially the same as it is in 미국. It is very clean and has a good atmosphere, and the food is inexpensive with at least acceptable quality. I definitely recommend it just to say that you have eaten there, and perhaps get a wider variety of food than we got.

토마토 김밥 (Tomato Kimbap)

토마토 김밥 is a restaurant chain in 한국 a little higher up than just plain fast food (maybe the 한국 version of 미국’s T.G.I. Friday’s). There is one while walking from 신촌역 to 서강대학교, and students and regulars frequently stop by or sit down to enjoy the air conditioned atmosphere and decent food. They serve a wide variety of foods: 김밥, 줌억밥, noodles (라면, 우던, 냉면), Korean street food, and a wide variety of rice dishes (돈가수, fried rice, 비빔밥).WHAT WE ATE:
돈가수 – 5500원, 8.5

치캔 갇수 – 5500원, 9, 8
불 김밥 – 2500원, 6, 8 for spicy lovers
둔가수 김밥 – 3000원, 9
토마토 김밥 – 1500원, 8
치즈 라면 – 3000원, 8.5
라면 – 2500원, 6
불고기 줌억밥(bulgogi rice ball) – 2000원, 5-Have eaten regular 돈가수 multiple times, thought it was one of the best things that could be eaten near 서강, good size, but 치캔 가수 is better
-치캔 가수 is a little less Korean with a honey mustard sauce added on with the 던갇수 sauce but it makes it so much better
-불 김밥 was not enjoyable because it was way too spicy. Maybe it had a chance if the people eating it actually could tolerate spicy food.
-돈가수 김밥 was fantastic, with just a hint of the pork cutlet that was the missing piece when I ate the 토마토 김밥. It is a bit overpriced though, I could get two 토마토 김밥 for one 돈가수 김밥 with a bit more meat in it
-토마토 김밥 (or vegetable 김밥) was normal, not very filling though…ate four rolls for lunch (maybe 40 pieces of 김밥?) and I barely felt anything. What makes me love 김밥 so much is it’s price…40 pieces of sushi will certainly cost more than $5.50..
-치즈 라면 was “really good” according to Sean, but I doubt it. It’s basically 라면 (what I ate) with a SINGLE slice of cheese added on top and mixed in with the noodle. I thought the 라면 was pretty bad, so I have no idea how a piece of cheese could have saved this add-hot-water meal…and a slice of cheese isn’t worth an extra 500 won!!!
-라면 was cup noodles in a pretty bowl. I thought it would’ve been a little more spectacular, but it was not. It was too hot (I had to take it out of the bowl and let it cool down for a good thirty seconds before eating it) and it was too spicy…it was really irritating to eat, especially since I am a generally fast eater. Not worth it!
-The 불고기 줌억밥 was the biggest disappointment in this restaurant. I saw so many koreans ordering their 줌억밥 and I thought I’d give it a try, since you can’t really go wrong with rice and bulgogi. What I got was a rice ball with a layer of spicy red sesame seeds on the outside and cold beef on the inside. I was pretty upset…my host mother makes fantastic 줌억밥 and 토마토 김밥 failed to emulate her rice ball creation.

All in all, I enjoy eating at 토마토 김밥. The food is pretty good, the air conditioning is nice, and the cashier appreciates your attempts at speaking Korean. But because of the wide variety of dishes, I think this restaurant is a hit or miss; sometimes they craft fantastic food, but other times the food is mediocre or just plain bad. Be sure to check it out!

한솥 (Hansot)

한솥 is a Korean fast food restaurant with two close by locations, one right across the street from the 서강 building and another between 서강대 and 신촌역. The one across the street from the 서강 building is just a small take out place. You wait for your food in a very small but air conditioned room then leave. The farther location is a full restaurant, but seating is actually pretty scarce. Luckily, any time I went I was able to sit down and eat. The food comes in foam trays like a lunch cafeteria, but they also have lids and the food is better.

WHAT WE ATE:

치캔 새트 – 3900원, 9

새우 새트 – 4200원, 8

고기 새트 – 4200원, 8.5

-The food is pretty inexpensive- most meals are under 5000원. You also get your food relatively quickly, faster at the purely take-out location than the sit-down location, however.

-The meals are generally a main dish of 고기, 밥, 김치, and (yellow radish), although there may be other kinds of vegetables with different and more expensive meals. Also, the main 고기 is served on top of several noodles. I mean that seriously; it is not a bed of noodles, but perhaps a dozen noodles. They taste fine, but it is strange that there are so few. Finally, meals come with wooden chopsticks- truly the sign of fast food in 한국.

-Over our trip we have eaten or seen several of the meals at 한솥. We decided that we liked the 치캔 새트  the most- the chicken at 한솥 is delicious. They are chunks of chicken, probably fried, that are perhaps bite sized for a Korean, but for us it took at least two bites. The insides were very juicy and natural, not seeming fake like traditional chicken nuggets in a 미국 school lunch room. We gave the chicken a 9.

-Another time I had a 새우 새트. The 새우 was good, but it was straight like a stick rather than curved the way we see shrimp in 미국. It threw me off for a second, but I got over it. I decided that it was good, but not as good as the pieces of chicken, so I gave it an 8.

-We also had a mixed 고기 새트, which included 치캔,  가수, and some kind of 소고기 patty, like a very thin hamburger. With this meal we were also given a sauce packet, which we used on the 가수 and the 소고기 patty, which made them better. We ultimately gave this meal an 8.5.

-One downside of 한솥 is the lack of free cups. There is a free 물 station, but no cups, so you either have to buy a drink or bring your own water bottle to refill.

한솥 is a very good restaurant for its prices, especially for 대학생 like us. You should absolutely drop by more than once, whether you sit down or take out is up to you!

코코 가수 (CoCo Katsu)

코코 가수 is a restaurant conveniently located across the street of 서강대학교. This Japanese restaurant takes advantage of the fact that Koreans love their 돈가누 by presenting the breaded meat cutlets in two different ways. Rather than making a 돈가누 sauce and pouring it over the pork cutlet, 코코 가수 gives the option of serving pork cutlet with sauce on the side (Japanese 돈가누) or putting it on top of a rice bowl and cooking it with an egg to form a meat egg bowl (일본 돈부리). Many people also come to try the Japanese cold noodle, 냉면’s counterpart.WHAT WE ATE:
돈가누, 6500, 8.5/10
새우 돈가수 , 7000, 9/10

-Korean people make pretty decent 일분식. According to Sean, the 일본 돈가누 beats 한국 돈가누: the crisp, but still moist, taste of 코코 가수’s 가수 is better than the 한국 돈가누 that quickly gets soaked in the sauce poured on top of it. Plus, the presentation of this dish was beautiful; on top of a tray were small dishes (we’re in 한국, after all) but the sauce was neatly in a small bowl and the meat was elevated on a metal disk that made sure the meat wouldn’t get soggy.
-Oh, how I love 돈부리– a blend of onions, eggs, (pork) cutlet, and rice to create a bowl of perfection. And 코코 가수 didn’t mess anything up- the 돈부리 tasted near-perfect. I opted for the two extra 새우 (for only 500원!) but it was mediocre. I would have hoped there was an extra meat option, because the shrimp didn’t really taste like anything. But the slightly sweet aroma of the 돈부리 reminded me of how much I miss non-한국식. Biggest problem-SERVING SIZE TOO SMALL! I finished my meal a good seven to eight minutes before Sean. They should at least try and make the bowl look big.

*Note, Sean naturally eats slowly.In general, I’m pretty surprised that 코코 가수 was decently priced yet still pretty delicious. I was pretty hesitant coming in here, but thanks to Sean I got to enjoy the experience. If you have an hour to spare and you’re right in front of 서강대, you should give this place a try!

The lives of three NSLI-Yans in Seoul by Nelson, Luke, and Kate

This video gives an insider’s view on NSLI-Y students’ daily lives. Follow three students on their daily commute, snacking with friends, studying Korean, visiting cultural sites, and walking the streets of Seoul.

Transportation in Seoul: A Quick Survival Guide by Amanda

At some point in time you will probably have to take public transportation in Korea. Although Korean transportation is inexpensive, it is not free. Most people choose to upload money (돈) onto a T-money card, which they swipe on the bus or in the subway (지하철). When the bus doors open there will be a post with T-money written in large letters. Just swipe your card there. In the subway you have to pass barriers to reach the train cars. Place the card face down on top of the machine and then walk through. Do not crawl under the barricade! If you are about to miss a train refrain from running. You could injure yourself or an innocent bystander. In addition, do not try to stop the subway doors from closing. After you manage to catch a bus or subway car, hold onto the poles or handles to prevent falling. If, by some miracle, you manage to find an empty seat do not sit on the ones separated from the rest. Those seats are only for elderly people who deserve them more. A large amount of the older community wield vicious canes that could potentially kill someone, so use your skills of self- preservation. You may witness Koreans sleeping on the subway. Do not do this! Unless you have developed a special subway sense, you could sleep through your stop. Listen to music or play a game on your phone to prevent falling asleep. Make sure that you mute the volume or use headphones. When receiving a phone call, do not converse loudly. Koreans may think you are rude. Now that you know the basic rules, go forth and ride public transportation to your heart’s content.

Tips for shopping in Ehwa by Clarissa

이화에서쇼핑 해요
너는이화에서bargain for prices. I wanted white wedges and the guy tried selling it to me for 삼만이천원. So I told him 이만팔천원. 그리고 he said ok. At another shop I looked at some 쪼리 and asked the guy 이거얼마에요? He replied 만이원. 저는 쪼리를 밨어요. Then i said 비싸요. 그럼 he said 만원. Since my size 없어요 조는못사요. Of course not every place is open to bargaining but most places where the prices aren’t marked is.
너는캌아달라고말해야해.

Tips on what to say and/or do while shopping:
이거얼마에요? How much is this?
비싸요. Expensive
깎깎주세요.please lower price.
State a price you are willing to pay because sometimes the saler agrees. or a compromise can be made between you and the saler.
And staring at an item like you want it but you are deciding on whether or not to get it, really helps. Don’t be afraid to walk out because sometimes they ask you how much you will pay for the item. If they don’t chase after you, you can always return back to the store/place.