I was obsessed with the view from our hotel window. Now that I’m back home, my view is the shitty church across the street and whatever derelicts deign to slither past my house all the livelong day.
Anyway! We woke up to more rain on our not-wedding day, but Margie said that this was good because it’s “good luck” if it rains on your wedding day. Supposedly. Allegedly. Apparently. So she says.
Did I wake up with nerves? Eh, not really. I woke up like FUCK YEAH I’M STILL IN KOREA LESSSSGO!!!”
We let Chooch get some more sleep and set out to visit various convenience stores in search of more of the vegetarian-friendly samgak kimbap. Also, just a heads up: I am currently knocking back some of our souvenir, mmm, beverages. So, I might get sloppy on here at some point because SOJU. MAKGEOLLI. DOWN. THE. HATCHEOLLI.
But let’s be serious, no one comes here for the New Yorker-levels of editing.
I feel like Henry for sure bickered on this morning stroll because HE IS NEVER LISTENING TO ME. But yes, let’s get married, babe. I said, I SAID LET’S GET MARRIED, BABE.
Meanwhile, Henry was yammering on about the donuts he saw on our walk and I was like, “Were they kwabaegi?”
“I DON’T KNOW, THEY WERE DONUTS.”
“But were they the Korean ones? Like chapssal?”
“I DON’T KNOW, THEY WERE DONUTS.”
I was right on both counts :)
Then I had to help Henry understand how to order them, and it was the guy in the picture down there that handled the transaction!
And they were gooooooood. You guys, Korean donuts. Get you some. Sheesh. Sheesh. Sheesh. Sheesh sheesh.
I don’t know if there was a reason I took this but I can tell you that I was just snapping shots willy-nilly because when I’m in Korea, I don’t want to forget how anything looks. It’s magical. It’s my kingdom.
Oh wait! Never mind. I just zoomed in and I see that this was Jongno Sam-ga subway which was our favorite one on our first visit and luckily, we got to utilize this line a lot on this trip. So now I can tell you that this was after we went back to the hotel, collected Chooch, and set off to look for a sweatshirt or something for Chooch because I couldn’t take being in public with him while he was wearing t-shirts in 50 degree weather, but OK.
We were planning on heading to Uniqlo – I couldn’t remember, and had to ask Chooch who just smugly told me because it’s on his list of THINGS I WANTED TO DO IN KOREA BUT THEN DIDN’T BECAUSE I HAVE THE WORST PARENTS – and now it’s all coming back to me: We were going to explore the Jongno station underground shops because they have a shit ton of street clothing on the cheap, but while we were there, Chooch suggested going to Uniqlo instead and now even more is coming back to me because an argument ensued between those two because YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME SOONER, WE NEEDED TO TAKE SOME OTHER LINE, IT IS TOO FAR AWAY, WE DO NOT HAVE TIME THIS MORNING but this argument took place after we already excited the Jongo line because Henry originally thought we could walk there, etc. I clearly blocked this all out because: boring.
So then we were just roaming around and I was like, “Let’s go down this alley” and it ended up taking us to the prime section of Ikseondong which is an area that’s always on my list when we’re in Korea but somehow we never go there?!?! This was totally unplanned but so serendipitous.
This is one of those areas of Seoul where every cafe and restaurant has a waiting list after a certain point, so being there in the morning was a blessing.
Especially when we accidentally stumbled upon this famous salt bread bakery – Jayeondo Sogumbbang. You guys. I can’t even explain this phenomenon but in EVERY INFLUENCER’S VLOG about Seoul, they will hype these salt breads, right? Apparently, the line gets absurdly unwieldy and do you know Henry? He is not one to stand in line for food. Not even bread-food. So when I saw that only one other couple was in line, I gave him a loving shove and told him “SECURE THE SALT BREAD OR ELSE.”
Apparently, you can only order it in bags of 4 for 12,000 won which, at the rate it was when we were there, works out to around $10? The people in line in front of Henry opted out, only wanting to get two. Henry said he considered asking them if they wanted to split a bag with us but YO – these idiot salt breads were so good, that when we finally dug into our bags about 15 minutes later, we were ready to maim each other for the fourth one.
I wish we could go back in time and convince that couple to BUY THE BAG.
Ikseondong is definitely my new favorite area of Seoul. And this was just our inaugural walk-through. I think we ended up going back two more times? And the second time was later that night!
Cheese Industry! We just popped in to ogle the goods, didn’t buy anything (this time, anyway).
Ikesondong spills out into Insadong, in case you care. I know, so many dongs.
We found a quiet, unpopulated area off to the side to try our recently procured salt bread for the first time. Somehow, live got turned off on my phone so I can’t fix this unfocused photo of the centerpiece, but you get the idea.
First of all, they’re made to order. So once you pay at the kiosk, you get into a second line to pick up your bag(s). They are light, moist, soft, but the BOTTOM IS WHERE IT’S AT. It’s a layer of buttery, salty, flaky crust.
I was shook. My world was rocked.
Henry? Sold.
His succinct review? “AWESOME.”
He has been on the prowl for a comparable recipe so he can try his hand at them.
But breadlovers beware: not all salt breads are created equal. The ones we had at this IG-popular bakery was hands down TOPS. I think the worst one we had was at Paris Croissant at Incheon Airport the day we left.
Henry literally just piped in that it was the best thing he ate in Korea. (At least on this trip.)
I…might agree?! So simple, but holy shit, so satisfying and addicting.
I wish I could have brought a box of bags of them home with us. I wish I could send you one (REWARD FOR READING THIS GARBAGE DUMP) so you could understand. We tried hyping them to Janna and Henry’s mom last weekend and they were like. “Wow. OK. Bread.”
FML, I am salivating at the memory of this manna from heaven.
This was the precursor to something amazing.
You will never believe it.
Mr. I Never Get Cold actually found a jacket that he wanted!!!
It was at a basement vintage shop in Insadong. We were looking at something hanging up at the street-level entrance, but the sweet halmeoni that worked there came to the bottom of the steps and jovially summoned us downward. I LOVED HER.
I LOVED THIS WHOLE TRIP.
AND SHE WAS PART OF IT.
SHE IS NOW A CORE MEMORY OF KOREA.
Anyway, she fussed over Chooch like you would not believe. She squeezed my arm and called me “omma” and said we were a cute family and he finally settled on this jacket ($100 but yo, it’s fucking cool!), thank god because I wasn’t leaving there unless someone bought something, I effing loved her so much.
Yes, I am pretty drunk right now and I love everyone but especially her!!
We had to start heading back to the hotel at this point to get our paperwork and head back to our dreaded (j/k) apppointment at the US Embassy.
We almost always took the steps. I appreciated that they have a calorie count on each step!
The view as we emerged from the Seodaemun subway exit in front of our hotel every day. <3
More bonus shots from our hotel window lol.
In comparison to the one from the morning, you can see that the clouds were beginning to break, and could that be some…blue sky?? Right before our potential marriage was sealed?!
TO BE CONTINUED. Lol, I mean, not much suspense, everyone already knows we’re married now, I guess.