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This Spotlight is sponsored by Korea Tourism Organization Malaysia.
Ahhh, South Korea… we miss you sooooo much! T__T
Image via @kto_malaysia (Instagram)
With the current situation, it’s been a while since we’ve been able to travel overseas, and South Korea is definitely one of the countries that we miss the most.
It is a country that provides endless attractions for all visiting tourists to enjoy. From Hallyu and famous landmarks to fashion and lots of yummy food, South Korea turns your imagination to reality. Diverse, vibrant, creative, and intriguing, it’s undoubtedly one of the top travel destinations for Malaysians!
While we can’t go cuti-cuti in South Korea just yet, we can still reminisce about how awesome going on holiday there is, and about all the exciting things we rindu doing there.
Jom, let’s take a walk down memory lane with these top three things we miss the most about South Korea:
1. Feasting on all the delicious street food, mmmm!
Located at the heart of Seoul city, Namdaemun Market is home to backstreets such as Kalguksu Alley and Galchijorim Alley, which are filled with restaurants that serve delicious traditional food.
Image via @visitseoul_official (Instagram)
No trip to South Korea is complete without food, food, and MORE food! Of course, we always make sure to get our fill of KBBQ, kimchi jiggae (kimchi stew), japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), bibimbap (mixed rice with toppings), and other iconic Korean dishes at restaurants.
But what we super miss more than anything else is all the glorious street food, omggg getting hungry just thinking about it!
There’s nothing quite like strolling along the streets of Myeong-dong or through a market as you sample all the food on offer — tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes), mandu (dumplings), kimbap (rice rolls), odeng (fish cake), gyeranppang (egg bread), bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastries), and soooo much more. Take us back!
2. Dressing up in hanbok and visiting popular attractions
There are various hanbok rental places where you can rent gorgeous, saeguk-worthy hanboks, complete with accessories and an accompanying hairdo. Then, head over to traditional spots like Jeonju Hanok Village to take Insta-worthy photos.
Image via Gowri Chitra
Visiting popular attractions around South Korea is already such a wonderful experience, but doing it while dressed up in hanbok just makes it extra special, kan? Whether it’s Jeonju Hanok Village or Gyeongbokgung Palace, donning a gorgeous hanbok always elevated the experience and made us feel like royalty while exploring interesting Korean sites.
Plus, we used to end up with lots of Insta-worthy photos to post online too, hehe! Kesian our feeds, no cantik Korea photos for so long dy, huhu.
3. Living out all our Hallyu (Korean wave) fantasies by attending our favourite K-pop idols’ concerts, recreating iconic scenes at K-drama filming locations, and more, wheeeee! 😀
One of the most iconic scenes in hit K-drama ‘Goblin’ was filmed at Jumunjin Breakwater. If you watched the drama, you definitely know which scene was filmed here, hehe 😉
Image via @annyeongaisyasya (Instagram)
Man, K-fans definitely super miss doing these things 🙁 Being able to watch your favourite idols perform right in front of you or seeing where your favourite K-dramas were filmed are like the ultimate fan experiences.
Remember how awesome going to Jumunjin is, guys? Located in the northeastern Gangneung City, K-fans flock to this town ’cause it’s home to two super popular spots — Jumunjin Beach and Jumunjin Breakwater.
The BTS Bus Stop at Jumunjin Beach is an absolute must-visit for ARMYs! <3
Image via @imminus_loh (Instagram)
The former is where the famous BTS Bus Stop is located, at which photos from the group’s You Never Walk Alone album were taken and scenes from their Spring Day music video were filmed. As for the latter, it’s where a super iconic scene from the hit K-drama Goblin was filmed!
Ahhh, such fond memories of trying to imitate BTS’ poses and recreate the scene of Eun-tak and Kim Shin meeting for the first time. <3
Man, we seriously can’t wait for the day when we’re able to travel to South Korea again!
Lotte World Seoul
Image via @fazzytravel (Instagram)
Knowing how much everyone misses going to South Korea, Korea Tourism Organization Malaysia (KTO Malaysia) recently hosted a fun K-uiz show, in which Malaysians got to test their knowledge on Korean travel and cultural facts
Image via KTO Malaysia (Provided to SAYS)
The online preliminary rounds took place from 19 May to 4 July, while the semi-finals and finals recently concluded on 18 September. Throughout the competition, K-lovers battled it out to see who would come out on top by having the most knowledge about everything Korean.
The best part? The grand prize winner won a trip to South Korea* to participate in ‘Quiz on Korea’ there, wahhhhh, so best! 😀
*Due to COVID-19, the trip to Korea will only be carried out when international travel is permitted. This also depends on when the K-uiz show in Korea will commence. In the event where overseas travel is not permissible at the time of the travel date, the winner will receive a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as the Grand Prize instead.
Watch the highlights video below to see what went down during the contest:
Through this event, Malaysians who love South Korea were able to rediscover the country all over again <3
Though we aren’t able to visit South Korea just yet, The K-uiz Show was definitely a fun way for Malaysians to virtually experience the places they love and miss. Be it K-wave, K-place, K-food, K-spirit, or K-style, the participants were able to delve into their interests as they answered the quiz questions and chatted with fellow enthusiasts.
Thank you, KTO Malaysia, for giving Malaysians a way to “travel” while still staying safe at home. 🙂
To learn more about South Korea and stay updated on all of KTO Malaysia’s latest offerings, follow them on Facebook and Instagram
Check out what we did on our previous trips to South Korea as inspo to plan for when we can travel again:
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Image via SAYS
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