071229 – Food and Shopping Mission in Myeongdong

After a light breakfast at the hotel and already prepared the shopping list yesterday, we walked for 15 minutes with a lovely weather to Myeongdong with full enthusiasm and hope. Brought along my backpack prepared to store all the goodies bought there. Myeongdong is one of the main shopping areas selling mid to high priced items and featuring some international brand outlets. This area was packed with mainly young people especially weekend, coming here for its latest fashion, coffee bar, foods, cosmetic products and nightlife. It's an interesting place and a definite must-go for crazy shoppers. When shopping in Korea, try to bring your own shopping bag. Korea government is trying to promoting people not to use plastic bags and some shops will charge for every plastic shopping bag used like in Lotte Mart. So far, I have never been charged in Myeongdong.

Lot of varieties of earrings with reasonable price

You will also see stalls selling fake designer goods at the roadside.

One of the famous snacks, mini sausage

Another popular snacks Odaeng, is a type of fish cake that is skewered and soaked in the boiling water until it cooked.

During our shopping mission, we bumped into this 2-storey restaurant call Myeongdong Gyoja with very long queue, one heading upstairs and one heading to the ground floor. With full of curiosity and with the tempting food image of noodles and mandu (dumpling) outside the restaurant, we also got in the line and waited for our turn. This restaurant is opened in 1969 and said to have served one of the tastiest bowls of guksu (chopped noodle soup) in Korea. The kimchi here served as side dishes was also very delicious and the waitress will always drop on your table to refill the kimchi on your plate. There are two Myeongdong Gyoja restaurants in Myeongdong, I have tried both and you won't be disappointed.

We ordered two bowls of kalguksu that was served with pork mandu (dumpling) and topped with minced chicken.

On top of that, we also ordered additional plate of mandu with 10 pieces. Make sure you dip the mandu with slight vinegar sauce and spicy sauce before you eat. This was taught by the patrons sitting next to me.

The restaurant also served other type of guksu which I did not try. There are noodle with COLD soya bean soup called kong-guksu and the other with spicy soup called bibim-guksu. All serving cost 7000won. So it cost me 21000won for 2 persons. It’s a must try when you are in Seoul!!! Ask anyone in Myeongdong and they will be able to guide you to this restaurant.

After a satisfying lunch, we continued with our shopping mission. While wandering in Myeongdong, we bumped a group of activists protesting China for killing those North Korean refugees.

After some damages on my wallet, it’s time we walked back to our hotel while my wife was smiling with joy.