Because some places deserve a second (or more) chance – 10.26.15

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I am the least you could call a shopaholic but I have always loved walking around markets just to see random stuff that are interesting, and to a certain extent, watch people – sellers, buyers (and lurkers like me) interact. In Seoul, I just knew I had to go back to Hongdae Playground’s Hope Market and Seoul’s busy shopping-slash-food strip Myeongdong. (And when in Hongdae as usual, it was no surprise that included side trips to whichever strips which at that time led me to discover this interesting free hang-out spot called Seogyo Art Space).

Guess who was again too early for a market (as in Gaya Market in Kota Kinabalu). Excited maybe?

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We meet again this famous spot where they shot scenes for Mary Stayed Out All Night

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And again this location shoot for the same Korean drama

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Read about this place in Korea where they offer solo karaoke. It’s hidden somewhere here but  just forgot the name of the place

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Missing “E”

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Am no cocktail fan but that jumbo cocktail intrigued me huh

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Random find, this art space!

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I thought there would be some kind of entrance but this ‘reception’ was crewless

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That inverted Y made this all sexy

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Digressive. Interesting. 

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Yet another interesting festival

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If I only had more time, I could have stayed here longer

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And just sit anywhere.

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Find the hidden pseudo-humans

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And now I was back in hope

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There was still less people but at least booths were already set up

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Ain’t those dolls cute? ^ ^ (deserving of cute emoticons too!)
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And now people were just blocking my view

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Zoomed out

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I wanted to get one but just too pricey for me

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Spelling “spelling”

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Because I will never get tired of this kind of dirty

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And this play spot

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Seahorse anyone

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With some purposive shopping in me, went back to Myeongdong to get some affordable cosmetic finds and score some street food.

This dog was some kind of superstar

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Some ‘healthy’ stall

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Don’t remember this having too much fruit stalls when I was here a year ago

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And we are back with the familiar stuff

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Pig feet?

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Giant balls of what

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This was what I tried

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Familiar fish cakes!

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There you are, Myeongdong Cathedral. Somewhere nearby is location shoot of another Korean drama “You’re Beautiful”

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Some notes: 

Hongdae Playground hosts two markets on weekends – one on Saturday called Free Market while one on Sunday is called Hope. Am not sure whether there are regular stall owners who join but prepare to be amazed at variety of items which I believe most are handcrafted and not as easy to find in other more commercial areas in the city. Most a bit pricey to my taste though but if you’re after unique, this could be some place to go

Myeongdong is more of the known places to go to – tourists and locals alike – and hence could get really crowded. A shop (mostly cosmetics) could be in almost every corner but some with stores bigger than others. Prepare for some eager staff calling you in to check their items and handling you baskets with freebies on them. (They don’t ask for it but in my case, I was nice to give it back to them in case I entered and didn’t buy anything :D)

If tired from sight of shoppers and vendors, there are cafes in the area. Read online too that there are cat cafes in the area.