Took off from Singapore and arrived in Incheon International Airport on Christmas Day! This time round we stayed in a loft near Seoul Station (omg I miss staying in Hotel Victoria because I miss the smell of the hotel so much and the shopping area around the hotel is just amazing). The location of our loft was perfect because Seoul Station is connected to a few different lines which bring us to many tourist attractions (and the airport itself) in Seoul! And Lotte Mart is just two minutes away from our loft so yay!
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE TOOK THE EXPRESS AIRPORT TRAIN. For the past years we were there, it was still being built so it's relatively new and clean and everything and definitely did not give me motion sickness because I was busy sleeping likka fat cat and the train moved super fast so yay! 8,000won for a ticket so it's so much cheaper as compared to taking an Airport Bus Limousine which cost 15,000won.
Flew with Vietnam Airlines this time round and it was great as our stopover in Ho Chi Minh was only for 45 minutes! And for our flight back to Singapore, we had Sky Priority so checking in luggage was as smooth as whipped cream lul. From Singapore, our four luggage were 20kg heavy but flying back from Seoul, the total luggage weight was 84kg (yes shopping was just kray).
We explored Dongdaemun more this year and went to Lotte Fitin! Honeybread at Angel-in-us Coffee there is nomnomnom like srsly. And there's Gongcha there too so I was super happy (if there's Koi I would've made me so much happier).
Myeongdong... no words can describe Myeongdong. I LOVE BEING THERE! We bought pretty 'Made in Korea' sweaters and pullovers and bags for prices you can't get in Singapore. And the Artbox and other stationery shops there made me go nuts because apparently I'm a stationery freak. I spent quite a lot on stationery because they're all just too cute and pretty! And who goes back from Seoul not buying facial products?! N O B O D Y. Etude House, Nature Republic, InnisFree, Holika Holika, Apieu, Beyond, Faceshop, Missha, Baviphat, Hanskin: we literally got stuff from every shop mentioned because they're having post-Christmas sale like omg right.
Headed to Times Square for the first time too and it's quite huge! The Seoul Countdown party was held there and my sister's biggest crush ever, Jay Park was going to perform there and then but dad said no so heh heh #daddy'sgirls #nogoingtoconcerts #notostayingouttill4ambecausethepartyendsat4amlul
And as per normal the little one went nuts because there was her favourite Kim Woo Bin in the department store and apparently The Heirs was airing during the time we were there so the craze for it was inevitable.
And finally we headed to Deoksugung Palace which was two stations away from where were staying! IT WAS SO FUN VISITING A HISTORICAL KOREAN PALACE AND I WAS SO EGGCITED THAT LITERALLY HOPPPPPPED IN LIKKA BUNNY. And obviously we snapped lots of photos like helloh there's no Korean palace in Singapore heh. We only payed 3,500won for entrance fee for the four of us (yes it's that cheap) and it's definitely worth the time!
Nearby there's an ice-skating rink and I already planned to ice skate with the family. However since it was New Year's day and it's a public holiday, the rink was filled with people! So, no ice-skating :( the fee for ice-skating was only 1,000won with a pair ice-skates and helmet included like HOW CHEAP IS THAT RIGHT? Ugh next time Shahirah next time~ anyhoo if you're planning to head to Seoul during, do try ice-skating there as it's outdoors and it's very Korean-drama-ish heehee
We flew back to Singapore on 4th January feeling happy as we will finally get to see granny who got hospitalised when we touched-down in Seoul however we also feel that there's still so many places to see, so many more things to do there in Seoul. Nevertheless, it's been a blessing to be able to discover more of Korea and spend time with the family. Heehee thank you mum and dad :*