hehehe... ...another good idea...thank you..thank you

Oh on the Chongyangi train station - Very modern and new & also the newly opened Lotte Mart & mall there..It was the main feature of the new Kdrama still showing in Seoul & Malaysia -i.e "Secret Garden" by Hyun Bin & Ha Jiwon

I was surprise seeing similar building while watching the drama yesterday and comparing it wth the picture I took haha

They are still standing and patrolling Myeongdong street. Quite helpful.

AAX sales kust over last mth..probably wait for the nxt sales. RM700 OK dy but during real promo, you can even get ~ RM300 return..

Hello! We'll be going to South Korea in end Feb to early March. After researching, winter in Korea will last till end March so I suppose we still need to prepare winter clothings. With all the info given in this forum, I know where to get them, thanks

Now the part I'm concerned is the transport after arriving Incheon airport. Since arrival time is 915pm Seoul time, most likely we gonna miss the limo bus because the last schedule is at 10pm. If I take AREX train to Gimpo for MRT, it's fruitless since stimix stated it'll be too late anyway. Does that mean the only way to Seoul is by taxi? We're on a budget so having public transport is preferred than taxis

Another thing; we'll be arriving on 27 Feb which is Sunday night. I plan to buy winter jacket, boots from Namdaemum and perhaps Itaewon (for bigger sizing on clothes and boots) on the night itself but I read that the open market is closed on Sundays - is this true???? And Itaewon will not open till late right? So, any other markets or places to get winter stuff at the late hour (11pm-2am) ?

Thanks

This post has been edited by sophistafunk: Dec 18 2010, 03:39 PM

I got my cheap AA return tix for RM337 each including tax + convenience fee + food + luggage (going back only) during the opening sale last August. In my opinion, if you are willing to wait for another AA sale, you can get a better price. RM700 is still alright...

http://www.rozeboomerang.com/2010/08/i-got...outh-korea.html

Skip Itaeweon & insadong. I passed by Itaewon while on Seoul City tour bus. Doesn't interest me.. just a low rising area wth most signs in English.. I dun think it will be cheap there. insadong also just selling antiques, sopuvenirs & food. Not many street vendors & stores. These two areas can be skip.Insadong souvenirs are more expensive than Nandaemun. & I think Namdaemun having more souvenirs stores than the whole Insadong.

I think the limousine bus operating pass Midnite? Not sure & yeah if you miss the 10pm AREX train better take the bus. Otherwise, Just like me..AREX train at 10:45 9non-express type) reaching Gimpo airport ~ 11;30pm & no more MRT. The taxi outside the CLOSED airport (So dark) reluctant to use meter! Negotiated from 45Kwon to 30Kwon. anything <30K won they dunwan to entertain you ..Anyway Ok-lah bcos the total cost using this option AREX + taxi = 3200wX3 + 30Kwon. Taking bus only cheaper my the 3200K wonX3

Direct taxi to Seoul probably cost you 100Kwon!!

Schedule of A'REX after 9pm. (The 9.00pm train is the last express train)
9pm 00, 07, 20, 33, 44
10pm 09, 33, 57
11pm 21, 33, 45

Subway:
On saturday and holiday, the last train from Gimpo is from 10.40pm up to 11.37pm depending on the coach last destination.

On weekdays, the last train from Gimpo is much later from 11.24pm up to 12.41am depending on the coach last destination.


Stimix, unfortunately you arrived on Saturday, that's why you missed the subway train. If it is weekday, you should be able to catch the subway.

This post has been edited by aeiou228: Dec 18 2010, 05:22 PM

I just update the blog on my recent winter clothing buy for Seoul http://www.rozeboomerang.com/2010/12/wardr...tery-seoul.html

From your posted winter clothings


I think it will abit odd wearing that skirt wth the zebra stocking lol . They either wear dark thermal stocking wth tight mini skirt or tight short jean rather that flubby skirt. ..Mostly wear pants nia.. Not too fashioneable there-lah otherwise you will be attracted by thos Ajjussi there.. haha..Lotsa drunk ajussi after working hours hor

Here one of typical subway scene I captured..check the common dressing. Those wth dark stocking wth skirt or pants can be seen too but also odd:



This post has been edited by stimix: Dec 18 2010, 05:56 PM

actually itaewon is a good place to chill and hang out at night..

many of those coffee houses and bars. noticed a gay bar too.

okla maybe its not quite suitable for tourist who's main aim is to visit as many places at once in a limited time..

Yeah good for those wanna nite scene, pubs, bars & western restaurants rather than typical Korean style Pasar Malam & Pagi like Myeong Dong & Namdarmun...For me I voted Namdaemun as the best bcos of the cheap souvebirs & cheap things & food there..Almost all my meals I ate at namdaemun..

2nd for me MyeongDong Also as great as the Day market at Namdaemun but lack of cheap things like Namdaemun..Mostly cosmestics & etc..Not my liking..but for my daughter she luv Myeong Dong.

Lol! I think it's the matter of preference at the end, but I do agree of the idea of "blending in with the crowd" to avoid looking tourist-y. I guess the stripe thing is just a crazy side of me trying to 'scream' apart from the monochrome. I do get some stares when I wore it in Tokyo and Melbourne though, but it looks good in the pics . Thanks for the heads up, will consider toning it down to deeper color

Myeongdong has more established brands compared to namdaemun, which literally has none.

a more loaded girl tourist would prefer myeongdong though... 3 story forever 21..zara...

Yeah that is why nothing interest me in myeongdong bcos I'm not into branded goods & more liking those Petaling street products..Namdaemun served me right compare to the branded i8tems in MyeongDomng haha. Myeondong more on tennagers & to crazy of fashion wears.. Namdaemunm is for unhker/aunties who prefer practical & cheapo goods..haha..I'm in this category..paiseh...

I wonder how much Forever 21 would costs there in Seoul since the founders are South Korean themselves. I guess Namdaemun sounds like a place for stingy-tourist girl like me. LOL!

You can cover the stripe stocking wth normal jean. Very useful when temperature drop below -10C. At this temp long john or either the thermal stocking together wth jean/ pant for sure protect you from shivering cold. From 1st till 4th day there, I dun wear any Long johns just a t-shirt & On 1st till 3rd nite it was OK as temp avg -3 to 6C However my problem when I was at Nami Island when temp on that day dropped to avg -7C.. I really can feel the cold air sipping through my jean abd also the lousy glove that I hv. Although the down jacket is working well protecting my body but not my leg & fingers..The buff doing well protecting mouth, neck & ear.

So on the 5th day, I wear my lomng john, and sweater + wool sock for the 1st time..pheww... now much comfortable...feel warm at -10C and even the strong windchill of -20C on the Morning at hangang park. Only when I started to take out the glove & the buff for picture taking..darn the -20C really killing my fingers & ears..

---

Added on December 18, 2010, 7:02 pmWell, I'm also not really into those things but I did check Uniglo pricing in KL & Korea..NOT MUCH DIFF..just abit cheaper in Korea bcos their currency currently very low.. For eg..The super light weight down jacket- KL =RM299 but in Korea = 99,000won so after converting at 2.85 if u can get this rate in KL, the price in Korea is RM285.. just RM14 cheaper than Korea. If the rate >RM3, forget getting it in Korea liao

For cosmestics, since I went windows shopping to get the free samples, I did check few there..Avg 1 pc of facial mask =3000 won but there are few less popular brand such as missy or Nature replublic (Hopefully I can recall) selling at 1,000 won per pc...I was..wow I though in KL only ~RM1 per pc??

This post has been edited by stimix: Dec 18 2010, 07:02 PM

Noted that. I wonder how cold will it be like in Seoul area. I don't think I have the time to cover places outside Seoul, other than the ski resort.

Here is my basic 4 days itinerary. Pls comment
19 reach seoul at 9.15pm, stroll, sleep
20 stroll seoul, winter gear, stroll, outdoor ice skating
21 full day skiing, sleighing
22 stroll, shopping
23 last minute shopping before 11pm flight
24 reach malaysia at 5.05 am, prepare to go to work

Will my two yrs Nokia N82 be useful during the cold winter? I might need to use my Garmin for it. If not, I guess I've to get maps then.

ok after reading this itaewon is inside my list already with cheonggyecheon stream.
which train station shud i stop at and line what with which exit to get to itaewon,wanna check out the bar and pubs there,experience the night and youth life there

This post has been edited by sfwong1: Dec 18 2010, 07:51 PM

erm..stop at itaewon station lo. haha. anyway, if you are really keen on visiting at night, unless you are wearing like really thick clothes, its best if you take a taxi and then ask him to drive around first, once u reach the subway station.

maybe u can ask him to recommend a pub nearby. even better. if u wanna go club, the hotel that i stayed also got one.



capitol hotel.

if u reli serious about clubbing, check out the clubs around Hongik University.

some links:

http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/2

This post has been edited by zstan: Dec 18 2010, 09:04 PM