From Gangnam~Konkuk

Got a recording session.at Gangnam...phew...so faaaarrr from.home.

Just finished at 8 and hadn't got my dinner. Just kept on walking..to the nearest subway station...while as always capturing the moments.

Cars lining up.....going home I suppose.

Gee....the wide and relatively clean pedestrian like this is an envy to most Indonesian cities!!!

Arrived at Konkuk Univ.station...and managed to peek into the streets/alleys around the station!

Yeah...I heard that 건대입구 is one of the happening places in Seoul.

So many entertainment spots to be...

But of course...I couldn't stay there, I got to transfer to Line 7...heading back home.

*hmmm...at times I hate transferring at subway stations. 

A Stroll Around Gangnam (part 3)

Still continuing my stroll-along-Gangnam with Mr. Nugroho, to have him around and feel the look of what Seoul has to offer for its visitors.

This is  one of the views I liked that I saw yesterday.

A wedding ceremony in the Bonguensa Temple with its backdrop: one of the few Seoul's skyscrapers.

A perfect blend of modern and traditional Seoul.

Then, we walked along the street where Seoul's Seven Luck Casino was located.

Surely I wouldn't go there.:-) hmmm 

Then..off we went to another area in Jamsil where Lotte Tower is being constructed. 

This Lottte World Tower is to be completed in 2015 with the height of 556 meters!! with 123 floors. Hummm Finally Korea will have a super-tall skyscraper.

Royal Tomb of Joseon Dynasty (part 4)

After a 30-minute walk trying to find where the best spot to see and admire this talked-about and sought-after royal tomb of Joseon Dynasty, I finally managed to find my way of going straight into the up-front lawn right in front of the tomb.....tens of meters away. 

Right, please keep in mind that the royal tomb is not that far off from the city, in fact it IS inside the city, so the serene atmosphere of the tomb itself must be viewed by our own sense of appreciating. *gee..I didn't even know what I'm saying... 

What I mean is that...no matter how hard I tried to sort of admire the beauty of its location, I was--more often than not--distracted by the high-rise building behind it.:-( 

But, what could I do? 

So, I just keep on walking until I found the perfect spot to see the royal tomb from afar.

This is the Tomb of King Jungjong. 

I was then standing in front of the Red Gate. (not yet visible) 

but I wonder if I ever did take a photo of the red gate through which all of the burial rites and its ancestral rites are performed? 

Anyway, it does not matter. Since I was standing from afar..I could barely see the T-shaped shrine (which I visited later on)...and apparently...the green burial mound right at the back of the shrine was not that clearly visible, either. 

Was I contented? nope, not the least. 'Let's see what I could make out out of this panoramic view?'

wow...a nice burial site in the middle of the city, right?

oh, there you are, Red Gate!! See the one on the right side? 

With a sunlight filter mode, I could vividly capture the serenity of this burial site for the Joseon Royal kings.

Gangnam Station (DX Line) - part 2: Is it a PSY-gallery or Subway Station?

BOTH. Yes, at a first glance it is unmistakenly the (in)famous Gangnam.

Gangnam station which means 'south of the river (han river)' is made even more popular by PSY. 

So, I was not that surprised to see how this newly built Gangnam station, especially the one linked to DX line--the newest subway line--in Seoul, was decorated in such a way that it felt more like it was a dedicated venue for PSY in the public space such as this. 

There is this huge picture(?), painting(?); works of art?=definitely; or simply a needed stance of appreciation to PSY?, well, not sure which one, but this surely is seen as a piece of art dedicated to Psy. 

This Gangnam station (DX Line) is so luckily transformed into a gallery of art and a gallery of advertising. the latter seemed to fit into the category. 

But does it mean a bad thing? Nope. On the other hand, the interior design and concept of how the advertising adds up the beauty or charms of the station are something that should be appreciated. I love how the lighting and the angle of where to put the ads were put into consideration.

It's like an art installation on the go. 

Yes, the neon-bulb ads on each pillar at the station only generates more charms than churns.^^ 

and now..back to PSY's gallery at the station. I could assure you (well, at least to myself) that..indeed PSY has helped transformed how the station should be (at least) the mirror to what PSY was referring to in his music video. 

Everyone around the globe was talking about it so much so that the station 'immortalized' his figure in style. 

people come and go and of course...for first timers like myself...would not pass the chance go by unnoticed.

And I happened to be someone who did.

So, care to join us go explore more on this?

Gangnam Station (DX Line) part 1

First time riding the DX line. It's the new subway line operating as a commuter line between Bundang and Gangnam. Even the tagline of its service is "It's only 16 minutes from Bundang to Gangnam"--which is considered as the downtown of Seoul for Bundang area. 

So, the operational service of this new line is an added value for those living in and out of Bundang--when it comes to reaching the Gangnam area.

I just so happened to find out about it when I was going home after taking a Sunday-walk. 

Intrigued by the numerous artistic installation perked on the walls across the station, I started to take as many pictures as possible... 

Since it's relatively new, I had a hunch that this is a bit deserted for a new line this impressive. 

One of the characteristics of this DX line is that it is fully automated. No one operates the train, but the computer. *correct me if I am wrong. Coz this is only based on what I saw on both ends of the trains. It's just glassed-wall through which I could see the whole line and rail-tracks along the way. 

And It's a new color of subway that I have ever been into.

The color of the seats and the central pole into which people would dangle tight when it's crowded....IF there would be one.^^--which I bet there is--considering this is a Gangnam-bound train. 

And the feel of freshly new operated station emanated from its shining silver-like floors, ceilings, and pillars.... 

it's just creepily cool!!!

now let's see the video I managed to take from within.

ouch that's too short...now let me get the longer one:

opps it's even shorter. Oh..gosh..I am afraid I may have deleted the longer version.

Blimey....!!

Garosu-gil (가로수-길): (part 1)

After my Sunday class, I decided to take a walk in Garosu-gil: the Mecca of boutiques, cool cafes, and any other consumerism-driven places. Endless one.^^ 

For Koreans or some expatriates, this has been a famous hang-out for years. But, foreigners or tourists, they only stated to notice this hip place recently, especially after Gangnam style brought attention to this Gangnam area. 

Just about 150 meters away from the exit 8 of Sinsa station (line 3), we would end up in a street....about 1 km long... 

with its undisputed and indispensable features of plastic surgery advertisement in town. It's a tinsel town of its own that makes it an attractive place to be. 

This, actually, looks like any other streets in Seoul where shops and cafes dot most of the spaces. But, if we look into it deeper...we'll find its own cuteness and attractiveness: exclusive to Garosu-gil.

Oh one more thing:

Blacksmith-like cafe is a cool hang out place in Garosu-gil.

 If you wanna have a chance..try it out once...