I made a quick trip to Korea to see my favorite POPUP!✈️
AYAKA YAGI
20 hours ago
This time, since my bias ATEEZ made a comeback, I took a quick 2-day, 1-night trip to Seoul centered in Yeongdeungpo where a pop-up (popup event) was being held for the comeback! Because it was a fast trip, my activity area was limited to Yeongdeungpo, Hongdae (Hongik University Station / Hongdae Entrance), and Sinchon only! ※All locations were within the scope of the climate trend card.
◎Itinerary
This quick trip to Korea had me arriving at Gimpo after 10 PM on day 1, and leaving from Incheon around 10 PM on day 2, so I booked a hotel in the same Yeongdeungpo area as the pop-up (popup event) to save time on morning travel on day 2!
◎ Hotel reservation
The pop-up (popup event) was held at Times Square (Times Square Mall, Yeongdeungpo), so I stayed at the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul in the same area.
Since the trip to Korea was decided at the last minute, I booked the hotel about two days beforehand, and because it came with a 50% off coupon for next time (usable for things other than hotels too), I booked the hotel through Creatrip.
The hotel search page was pretty unstable (for some reason, choosing a hotel from the search screen would cause an error and send me back…), it was tricky, and I had to try several times before I could finally make the reservation, I hope they fix this soon…!
The hotel had a plan with check-in after 5:00 PM and check-out at 12:00 PM the next day, so since I arrived late that night I chose that plan!
◎Transportation from Gimpo Airport to the hotel
I took the train from Gimpo Airport, and since it was nighttime the streets were dark (some people might find the walk from the nearest station to the main road scary). Once I reached the main road, though, it didn’t feel dangerous and I made it to the hotel safely.
◎Hotel
I was traveling solo but booked a twin room, so it was nice to have plenty of space. Two bottles of water were provided, and there were a bathrobe and slippers. However, there were almost no toiletries like a toothbrush, so you need to bring your own!
What surprised me was that the bathroom had no door, so I wondered if it would be embarrassing for two people staying together…!
The shower’s temperature and water pressure were fine, but the door didn’t seal well, so the bath mat got quite wet when I stepped out, which was a shame... Please be careful, everyone...!
Breakfast wasn't included, so I bought a salad and kimbap at a nearby convenience store and ate breakfast in my room! Convenience store food is pretty good, so it's great for solo travelers.
There’s a small gym on the fifth floor, and some people were working out! (I just wandered around and went back to my room, haha)
◎Around the hotel
Right next to the hotel there was a Starbucks and a small CU, and a 7‑Eleven was across the street from the hotel. So it was great that I could get something to eat even when I arrived late at night. The area across from the hotel felt like a bar district and was bright and lively, but since it was late I couldn’t find any places I could go into alone. (Next time I’ll explore more, but it didn’t feel like a place for a woman to walk around alone.)
◎pop-up (popup event) & Times Square (Times Square Mall, Yeongdeungpo) tour
In the morning I snagged a same-day reservation for the Times Square (Times Square Mall, Yeongdeungpo) popup (advance reservations sold out in seconds, sob), enjoyed seeing my bias on the screens, and for lunch I ate a bossam set meal at a restaurant inside Times Square (Times Square Mall, Yeongdeungpo)! I always thought bossam was for two or more people, but this place offered a single-person set, so I was really happy to be able to eat bossam alone! The bossam itself was delicious, and the side dishes that came with it were tasty too. Most of all, I appreciated being able to go in alone, and it’s a spot I’d like to visit again if I get the chance.
On the cafe floor there was also a pop-up (popup event) for the dochoonk (Dubai mochi cookie), which is trending in Seoul right now, and for some reason there was no line at all so I was lucky to grab one quickly! It was a bit pricey at 7,500 won each, but since I happened to find it, I bought one. The dochoonk I bought had a thin, soft, chewy outside and a crunchy kadaif-like texture inside, those two textures matched in an indescribable way, and it was incredibly, incredibly delicious!!
There were only tables in the spot for eating this dochonk, no chairs, so I wish there had been somewhere with seats to eat.
Also, when you eat dochon (dochoonk), your mouth gets covered in cocoa powder, so wet wipes are a must! (I noticed the cocoa powder around my mouth in the restroom and it was really embarrassing...)
Times Square (Times Square Mall, Yeongdeungpo) has lots of shops, not just clothing but also places like Olive Young, bookstores, and a movie theater, and I bought a Los Angeles Dodgers cap at MLB as a souvenir for my parents who are Ohtani fans! There were so many designs and they were all cute, I spent more than 30 minutes deciding.
◎ Afternoon to dinner
In the afternoon I went back to the hotel to pick up my checked bag, then moved to a pop-up (popup event) cafe near Sinchon Station, where I enjoyed fan activities like drinking the collaboration drink and taking photos of my plushie! There were lots of ATINY at the cafe, and it was fun to experience what a home-country pop-up is like.
For dinner, we moved to Hongdae (Hongik University Station / Hongdae Entrance), which is on the airport railroad, and headed to a gukbap shop I’d been curious about. (If you try to take a shortcut from the station exit to the shop, be careful, there’s a very steep downhill slope.) The gukbap place had counter seats, so it was easy to go alone! You order and pay on a tablet right in front of you (Japanese available), and Japanese credit cards worked for payment. (There was someone who only had cash, and they called the staff to pay in cash.) The broth had a gentle flavor that I loved, it was delicious, and after a day of traveling it was so soothing and comforting!
◎Incheon Airport to return home
For the return, I'm scheduled to fly back on the Peach flight in the 10 PM hour, so I headed to the airport railroad from Hongdae (Hongik University Station / Hongdae Entrance) Station at 7 PM. It's really handy to be able to get around with the transportation card.
Since I kept spotting Olive Young around the city, I bought the things I wanted at the Olive Young in Incheon Airport, repacked my luggage, then headed to the flight check-in counter!
After checking in, I headed to the gate I was directed to for a baggage check, but maybe because it was late at night the baggage screening gates were gradually being closed. At the entrance of the gate I was told, 'This one is closed now, go to the gate in the opposite direction, and it's pretty far!' so I ended up walking a lot for no reason.
After passing through the security and immigration checks, I picked up my duty-free purchases and, with no time to relax, headed to the Peach flight gate (the Peach gate requires a train transfer, so it surprisingly takes a while). Even after the train transfer, the boarding gate was at the far end, so I had quite a walk, and before I knew it, it was boarding time and I got on the plane without a hitch.
This was a last-minute, whirlwind trip, but we were able to book a hotel close to the pop-up (popup event) venue, so we moved around really efficiently and enjoyed Seoul fully even in a short time!!!
I'm already looking forward to deciding how to use the coupon I got with this trip's hotel booking for my next trip!
