Viewing entries in
KWOW - Season 3
1. Stir-fried Ricecakes - 떡볶이 (tteokbokki)
2. Blood Sausage - 순대 (soondae)
3. Korean Carp Bread - bungeoppang (붕어빵)
4. Kimbap - 김밥
5. Fried Kimbap - 김밥 튀김 (kimbap twigim)
6. Long-coned Ice Cream. Enjoy even during chilly winter days!
6b. Ice Cream Saxophone
7. Chicken skewers - 닭꼬치 (dakkotchi)
8. Steamed Silkworm Larvae - 번데기 (beondegi)
9. Old-Fashioned Sugar Candy - 뽑기 (ppopgi)
9b. Woman waiting for customers at her ppopgi stand.
10. Dragon’s beard candy - 꿀타래 (kkultarae)
11. Fishcake-wrapped Sausage
12. Bacon-wrapped sausage
13. French Fry Corndog
14. Egg Bread - 계란빵 (gyeran bbang)
14b. Before the egg bread gets baked. Yolk swimming on the surface.
15. Walnut Dessert - 호두과자 (hodoo gwaja)
16. Cotton Candy - 솜사탕 (somsatang)
17. Fruit (i.e. strawberries) - 과일 (gwail)
18. Fresh Pomegranate Juice - 석류 주스 (sungryu juseu)
19. Meat Unlimited
20. Korean-style Tacos - 타코 (taco)
21. Eomuk (어묵) - aka: odeng
22. Sweet Potatoes - 고구마 (goguma)
23. Smiley Face Fries - 스마일 감자 (seumail gamja)
24. Dumplings - 만두 (mandoo)
25. Sweet Korean Pancake - 호떡 (hotteok)
26. Twister Potatoes - 회오리감자 (hwaeori gamja)
27. Corn - 옥수수 (oksusu)
28. Dried Seafood (Squid & Octopus) - 건어물 (geoneomul)
29. Gingko - 은행 (eunhaeng)
30. Chestnut - 밤 (bahm)
31. Traditional Korean Cookies
For the walking tour of the street foods in Myeongdong, watch KWOW episode 142.
9pm on a snowy Saturday night. I'm surrounded by love motels. They're been re-branded as "design hotels" and are not half as sketchy as you may assume. That is not to say every "design hotel" is 100% safe for solo female tourists to stay in. Do your research beforehand. Check out photos and reviews online. I decided to stay at Hotel Pop near Insadong. I called to make a reservation, but was told there will be spare rooms if I come around 9pm.
Little did I know there were three Hotel Pops. What were the differences? Were they the same but expanded into three buildings due to the success of the first establishment? Or copycats? Later I learned each Hotel Pop had a different owner.
I passed by Hotel Pop 3 first. Photos of their hotel rooms were displayed on the street. Each room had an unique theme and came with a TV, free Wi-Fi, iPod dock, etc. Sounded promising. Before making any decisions I walked to the other Hotel Pops to see their room menu.
It's common for "design hotels" to have mop-like curtains for their parking entrance. They serve as privacy screens for their customers.
Hotel Pop 2 also had some fun-themed rooms. I was tempted to stay in the Black Castle room, however headed over to Hotel Pop 1 to see what they had to offer.
A big TV. Two computers. Perfect unbroken Wi-Fi. Air-conditioning. Hot tub. 24-hour room service. All this for 80,000 won for a night? Not too bad. I've stayed in boring and dusty hotel rooms for the same price before.
The tub and shower were separate. The toilet had its own separate partition as well.
Considering that many individuals continue to use "design hotels" as love motels, I didn't see or hear anything naughty. My room was quiet and dark; it was the most restful sleep I've had in Korea. Who knew you could clock in some serious beauty sleep at a love motel?
There were other love motels, however the Hotel Pop threesome were the most welcoming as they displayed photos of their rooms outside. Unless you're in an emergency situation, I don't recommend staying at a love motel that doesn't show their photos.
Next time I visit Seoul, I'll be trying out another "design hotel." If I could stay at Hotel Pop for my entire trip, it'd be a beauty sleep dream come true.
Street lined with love motels. Excuse me, I mean design hotels.
Hotel Pop 1
Address: 186,Nakwon-dong,Jongru-gu, Jongro (Insadong, Seoul, South Korea)
Directions: Exit 1 at Jongno 3-ga Station. Walk straight then turn right at Supyo-ro. Turn right again after passing the hair salon. Walk straight and Hotel Pop will be on your right.