PatPingSu (팥핑수) at Dunkin Donuts

The PatPingSu (팥핑수) is disgusting at Dunkin Donuts. They pile cereal on top of the red beans with sliced baby tomatoes and kiwis. The ice is only half frozen so eating this is basically eating soggy cereal in a bowl of water.

HaeUnDae for World Cup

Take Line 2 to HaeUnDae (해운대) and follow the signs to the beach exit. The game I attended was Korea vs. Uruguay that started at 11pm. I arrived at the beach at 8pm and it was raining the whole night. Because of a grand opening of a new mall there were live performances and a fashion show right on the beach!

For the game, they gave away free thundersticks (the air sticks you bang together for noise) and had 2 huge screens.

The sad part was, we had to sit down for the whole game. It gets pretty windy and chilly near the ocean so bring a jacket.

You can also watch the games in Asiad Stadium.

I preferred the atmosphere of Seoul, so I recommend going to City Hall in Seoul to watch the games.

Cold Noodles (냉면) and Chicken soup (쌈계탕)

Originally eaten in the winter time, this cold noodles dish, aka Naeng Myeon (냉면), is nice to have when you want to cool down in the summertime. This particular dish came from a famous restaurant in the Donghae area of Goseong. They are well known for this particular dish, and although I really don't prefer to eat it, it was really delicious!

Another dish that is commonly eaten in the summertime is Chicken soup (쌈계탕). A whole chicken is boiled with rice inside and served hot. In Korea, it is custom to eat hot things in the summer and cool things in the winter so your body doesn't have to work hard adjusting to the changing temperatures. SO DELICIOUS!!

A Really Good Snack: Tot (또뜨) Cake

It is soft when you bite into it, and there is nothing hiding inside. It has a nutty and buttery flavor, and it is sooooo delicious! Basically, every Lotte manufactured snack food has been so delicious. Try it!



This is the size:

The Four Seasons of Korea

I will update in the future with a picture after the monsoon season. So far, my favorite season in Korea is the Fall. It is so beautiful.

Monsoon Season

Today is the first day of July.



We are in the middle of monsoon season, which I've been told, is the last week of June and the first week of July. It starts from the southern tip of Korea and lasts 2 weeks here in Goseong, afterwards it moves up the peninsula. So far, it has only rained last Saturday, the 26th of June, when Korea played Uruguay and USA played Ghana. Perhaps the skies were already weeping because they knew the outcome of the games. Well, this week there has been no rain, just cloudy and humid. I have been waiting for the rain and preparing, but it hasn't come. Maybe this year Korea is in a drought.

My apartment has been a sauna even with the fan running and windows open. Everything is damp. The only thing I can do for now is put bowls of salt everywhere to absorb all the moisture.

Seoul for the World Cup

Korea vs. Greece --- 2:0

대~한민국!!!

Everybody is gathered at City Hall in Seoul dressed in red. The weather is cloudy with scattered showers, but it hasn't stopped the crowds of millions from gathering. It is 3:30pm when I arrive at City Hall station (Seoul Subway map) and underground it is already crazy. People are everywhere, running in all directions. I head to exit 6 which takes you directly to City Hall. There are people selling Devil horns, clappers, shirts, tattoos, banners, and many other items for cheap! Horns were 2 for 4,000 won. By 4:00pm, the field in front of City Hall was totally filled with people. The game didn't start until 8:00pm. By 7:00pm you couldn't even move. To go to the bathroom, I had to push through what seemed like thousands of people before reaching the steps to the subway. The wait for the bathroom took so long popping a squat right in the middle of the subway station seemed like the only sane option.

I went to Seoul watch the first match: Korea vs. Greece. The atmosphere is the best part of going to a crowded venue. Everyone was cheering and chanting and singing for Korea. There were free hand clappers being handed out to all the early arrivals.

The World Cup happens every 4 years; this year it is being held in Johannesburg, South Africa. In South Korea, there are 2 main places to go to watch Korea play in the World Cup:

1. The CoEx Mall(http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/215) is the official destination for the Red Devils team, located on subway line 2, Samseong Station, use exits 5 & 6 to get to the entrance to COEX Mall.

2. City Hall, subway line 1 and subway line 2 intersect here. They had a stage with famous singers and performers as well as an MC during the game pumping the crowds up. I had a great time at City Hall and recommend going early to get a good spot close to the screens. There are 2 screens on either side of the stage, as well as a screen high up on the building (as you can see in the first picture up top).

The crowds went insanely wild everytime a goal was scored. There were fireworks all throughout.

Cheer on the Red Devils! http://www.reddevil.or.kr

Here is a video on a popular cheer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNj0o19MNeI