Korea Diary | Nom Life (Days 37-39)

The second to last week of the study abroad trip arrived before we knew it. Things always seem to come to an end when it is at it's best. I finally got comfortable with a routine in a foreign place and around my newfound friends, yet we only had mere 14 days left together. When all of us weren't busy with the school aspects of the experience, foods brought us all closer.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Noodle Box sweet potato roll Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Noodle Box sweet potato roll
Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Noodle Box Migoreng

Bestie C and I went out (of campus) for the majority of our lunch breaks during the remainder of our time in Seoul. We didn't have a particular place in mind but found a small restaurant named Noodle Box during a stroll through Edae. They sold a variety of different stir-fried noodle dishes that were served in cardboard take-out style boxes. I ordered the migoreng since I had never tried it before, but cannot attest to the authenticity of what I had. Of the noodles and the spring rolls appetizers we got, I remember much preferring the latter bite.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Lab Time Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Lab Time Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream - making of
Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Lab Time Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Oreo Milk
Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Lab Time Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Tiramisu

Whilst on the hunt for lunch, Bestie C spotted the other liquid nitrogen ice cream shop that she had read about. Since we had more fruity flavors at Solid Works, we opted to try the dairy based versions at Lab Time. Oreo milk ice cream can never be a wrong choice. Tiramisu ice cream was a pleasant surprise. I think it had some cheesiness to it and the melted chocolate syringe made the experience extra exciting.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Yeonhuidong Kalgooksoo store front
Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Yeonhuidong Kalgooksoo store front

After discovering the West Gate area of Yonsei, our group of friends decided to see what else Yeonhui-dong 연희동 had to offer. We stumbled into Yeonhuidong Kalgooksoo 연희동 칼국수 by pure chance. All of us were hungry after a day of classes and I think many of us had to get back to our studies. Somehow our big group walked into the bottom-most floor of this noodle restaurant one night. The servers didn't speak much English but it wasn't an issue because there was 1 and only 1 item that this place served, it's eponymous dish. The only options given were small or big bowls.

In translation, the restaurant name simply meant knife-cut noodles from the Yeonhui neighborhood. But the bowl of noodles was far from plain. It may look like just a boring bowl of noodle soup with only a few strands of julienne carrots, egg, and scallions at first glance. But this was the best bowl of noodles I had. The broth was so flavorful but slightly under seasoned. Their spicy kimchi was seasoned well, crunchy and not too fermented (just the way I like it) so it balanced the broth just right when eaten together. This restaurant even offered a non-spicy white kimchi that tasted just as nice. It seemed like everything that was served matched my tastes exactly! My friends and I probably devoured every last morsel of food on the table that night.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream cakes from the big chains, in NYC at least, are pretty boring. If not all vanilla flavored, then all chocolate. If not either then a combination of the two. If none of the above then part cookies 'n cream and part sheet cake.

We were all amazed by the ice cream cake selection we saw at all the Baskin Robbins. One night when we gathered one of our biggest group together for a dinner outing, the dessert of choice was to share a cake rather than each buy our own little cups. There were about 9 different flavored cubes of ice cream in the cake that we picked and none were the basic options either.

Our cake was safe from the heat since we all chipped away at the blocks right away in the shop. Had we chose to share it in the comforts of our dorm lounge, there was no need to worry about rushing back with a melting cake either. The Baskin Robbins in Korea actually packs the cakes first in the typical cardboard cake boxes and then in another styrofoam container with dry ice. How awesome is that?

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Hyundai Department Store - Magokoro Tonkotsu Ramen

In case you haven't noticed already, I really enjoyed going to the Hyundai Department Store in Sinchon for food. Bestie C and I stumbled upon a Japanese ramen vendor called Magokoro and had to satisfy our ramen craving. Even though ramyeon is very popular in Korea, that is just the instant variety for noodle fare. Nothing really beats the taste and texture of fresh noodles.

At first, I was skeptical of the flavors since most foreign foods we've had in Seoul didn't turn out to be all too authentic. But the tonkotsu ramen from Magokoro was pretty spot on. It wasn't the best Japanese ramen I have ever had but it was a good replacement to fill the missing void.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Edae Albab House Mixed Katsudon

There weren't very many restaurants that my friends or myself visited more than once in Korea. The exception was albab house 알밥 하우스 in Edae. It was convenient and very affordable with decent sized portions. I tended to order the rice bowls and during this particular visit I had the mixed katsudon, which was essentially donkatsu, shrimp tempura, and egg over rice.

Korea Diary | Soaked in the Streets (Day 36)

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014

The closest I remember ever getting to any sort of water fight was at the local park, and that was when I was still in the single digits. There were always kids defending and attacking each other with water balloons. But once the weather got warmer, the water features were always the main attractions at the playground. Kids instinctively raced under the sprinklers the moment they reached the park's entrance. My parents wouldn't let me partake in most of the water soaking since they thoroughly believed "you'll get sick" and "(you) can't be in wet clothes while you play."

Imagine their horror if they knew that was exactly what my friends and I did in Seoul during the Sinchon Water Gun Festival. They would have called me crazy.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 CF filming with Henry Lau Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 by Sprite Korea

The festivities began in the morning with a celebrity sighting. We missed out on seeing Suzy from Miss A the day before but arrived just in time to join the hoards of onlookers and fans to see Henry from Super Junior-M. It was just a brief encounter as the crowds quickly grew and the idol wrapped up his Sprite commercial filming.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 inflatable slide

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 Korean firetruck Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 Korean firetruck

I didn't end up purchasing a water gun of my own. Just the thought of having to deal with it afterward was troublesome. Yet it didn't mean I didn't have a good time. Watching everyone else target unsuspecting strangers and being shot with water myself was fun enough.

The most unexpected part of the whole festival were the firetrucks. When it first rolled up, I thought perhaps it was more of a prop. After the festival goers really began to get heated so did the firemen. How you ask?

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 blasted by fire hose

With their powerful fire extinguishing hoses! Those water features at the playground at the local park were mere babies compared to the immense pressure from the fire hoses. Even when none of us were being targeted directly, the streams and pellets of water were still very painful. The once friendly rivalry amongst strangers disappeared under the professional soakers.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 Live singing

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Bock Sung Gak Chinese Restaurant Club jajangmyeon Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Bock Sung Gak Chinese Restaurant Club tangsooyook

Being blasted with water wouldn't make anyone full. Perhaps full with laughter but not with food. Luckily, we stuffed our bellies at a Chinese restaurant called Bok Sung Gak 복성각 before the madness began.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Waffle University ice cream and waffles
Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Waffle University Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Waffle University making waffles

It was impossible to pass by one of my favorite snacks from the street vendors in Sinchon, waffle ice cream sandwiches.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Boneless chicken delivery

After a much-needed shower and change of clothes, all my friends and I gathered in the lounge to dined on delicious chicken. I think this particular day we ordered soy sauce chicken with rice cakes and cheese flavored fried chicken. I really loved both of them but the fried version was something else. It was weird at first to have cheese powdered coated chicken but it ultimately really grew on me.

Korea Diary | Glimpse of the Future (Day 35, Part 3)

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 DJ area

While heading to our dinner spot, we were greeted by people selling water guns right near the entrance of the subway in Sinchon. Then we spotted so many people on the streets who were soaked from head to toe as we walked closer and closer to the main square. From the looks of it, there was  some sort of big water gun fight that was sponsored by Sprite Korea.

Later on we found out (either through signs nearby or a Facebook event page) that it was the 2nd Annual Sinchon Water Gun Festival that weekend. We missed the appearance of the then hottest idol in Korea that summer, Suzy from Miss A, who filmed her part for a Sprite commercial in the morning.

But fear not, the event was a weekend only affair. Day 35 was only Saturday, so our Sunday plans were unexpectedly set that night.

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Water Gun Festival 2014 graffiti sign

Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Mammoth Grill KBBQ Buffet All-You-Can-Eat Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Mammoth Grill KBBQ Buffet All-You-Can-Eat
Seoul, Korea - Summer Study Abroad 2014 - Sinchon Mammoth Grill KBBQ Buffet All-You-Can-Eat grilling

Mammoth Grill 맘모스 고기부페 was our night's dinner destination. This was another All-You-Can-Eat type KBBQ place that was conveniently located in Sinchon. Just like the previous AYCE meat grilling restaurant we went to, Mammoth was relatively inexpensive. I believe it was around ₩10,000- ₩12,000 per person. I also remember the meats here being a bit better than at Chakhan Pig, especially the thicker cuts of pork belly! Oh what I would do to be able to eat at an inexpensive buffet KBBQ...