Second-hand hunting - Seoul Trip Day 10
30/5 22:00
I felt very disappointed in myself waking up around 2pm today, but I couldn't fall asleep for ages and then there was annoying construction noises in the morning so I was trying to get my 9 hours for naught. I did eventually leave the room after trying on a million different outfits. I was convinced I wouldn't survive in this flowy off-the shoulder dress I had but everything else looked bad so I ended up in the dress anyway. Spoiler: I did survive! I kept having to tug the underskirt down tho so as not to flash the public all of my behind.
After visiting thrift shops yesterday I decided I wanted to try going to a few more today, so I made a little plan. There was a few more Beautiful Store locations nearby and I discovered a new brand called Vin Prime that sells cheap-ish 'vintage' clothing in Seoul so today was to be basically a repeat of yesterday. I mean, it worked so why not do it again.
I made my way to the first Beautiful Store which was a success, found a cute skirt and paid for it with my usual "I don't know what you're saying but I'm smiling and pointing at my bag and saying thank you in Korean"-thing and decided I did need to eat something because it was 5.30pm and I had only had a glass of banana milk. I found a super empty cafe nearby called Joe's Sandwich something something, I don't actually remember fully, but it was nice and quiet! Or it was, before two old Korean dudes came in and sat down talking semi-loudly for ages. The thing is, I often struggle concentrating if there's music with words or people having conversations I can hear. This happened a few days ago at Holly's Coffee, I was sitting there reading and there was a man and a woman having a conversation in English behind me. It was so hard to tune them out. Luckily it doesn't really bother me if it's in a language I can't understand so I could read all I wanted. One of the only vegetarian things on the menu was a cream cheese bagel, so I got that, but it was surprisingly good for something very white-person plain. Because drinking water from your own water bottle is seen as a no-no I got a lemonade instead so I wouldn't break any unspoken cafe rules. It was blue and incredibly sweet so I kept sipping from just the top bit with the straw so as not to get sugar high immediately.
After my late lunch I wanted to go to the first Vin Prime shop, conveniently nearby in Apgujeong. I sorta planned my transit beforehand at least a little bit so I wouldn't be travelling too far from store to store. I got to Apgujeong after a slight hiccup at the station. I didn't realise it was going to be a popular time for the subway, and so I had to wait for two subways to pass before getting on one that could actually fit me on it and then be squashed against everyone from all sides as people piled in after me. I have never been on such a crowded piece of public transport and I hope to never do so again. I arrived and started super confidently walking, then stopping and realising the street numbers were going in the wrong direction. Like a lot of Korean stores, this location for Vin Prime was not on Google maps in any shape or form and my apps didn't recognise the address so I was going based off a photo and a separate map. Finally I gave up and sat down back at the station and tried to see why I couldn't find this damn shop. Alas, I was a fool once again. I was sure the store was at Apgujeong station because the website had that written in Hangul at the top. As I read the Hangul on the photo (which was very small) turns out the shop is near Apgujeong Rodeo. Which is nearby but a totally different station. Instead of getting back on the hell on wheels/tracks/whatever they are that the subway was at this time I decided to just walk it because it was basically just a bit over a kilometre on one road.
Finally, I found the shop! Usually I count any thrift or shopping trip a success if I come out having found at least one thing I really like. This time was no different! I got a pair of wide legged super cropped trousers that will hopefully serve me well in the heats of Greece. I'm obsessed with cropped trousers because I feel like they make me look taller, or at least don't highlight my short legs. I'm lucky they're very popular in Korean fashion!
I had one more Vin Prime location I wanted to visit and to be honest I knew that if I got home before 8pm I would just feel disappointed in myself for not spending enough time in the outside world, so I headed over on the subway. This time it was less crowded though I did stand on most of my subway trips today. This location was a bust in terms of finds but while heading over to the station I spotted a Taco Bell! I've never been to one but it looked cool. Before stepping in I did a quick "what's vegetarian in Taco Bell" search on Google nearby so I wouldn't be completely blindsided by the menu that was mostly in Korean. I went in wanting a veggie burrito but the Korean menu only showed a meat one and when I asked the worker either didn't understand me or they didn't have a veggie version. I'm not sure, but I don't blame her for the language thing. I got a bean burrito and some Mexican fries because they were obviously vegetarian and I didn't wanna take any risks here.
The meal was yummy and I actually finished it all which was a proud moment. Usually I always leave a bunch of fries or something but not today! I spent some time reading at the Taco Bell (fanfic on my phone this time, no way am I picking up a book with greasy fingers) before heading back to the station. There was a Paris Baguette nearby and I was feeling adventurous so I got a few small cakes (they were like 2,000 won each so a few pounds each).
I had the option of taking the simple route or the quick route home, but I couldn't be arsed with changing subway lines because it's so much walking to transfer and I had been walking a lot. Much to my surprise, even at 9pm the subway was crowded enough that I spent half an hour of a 40 minute journey standing up. There was a couple sitting in front of me that were sleeping cuddled into each other. It was disgustingly cute. The way the subways work here is that once all seats are taken (and the old people seats are always either taken by old people or empty, young people don't go there) the next place to go is for a row of people to stand facing the sitting people on each side, holding onto the little hand-holds hanging from the top of the pole going across the car. Once these spots are taken people file into the middle and then the areas in front of the doors. I've been taking the subway a bunch almost every day and it's always the same! I've yet to see a pregnant lady in the pregnant lady seats, so far it's always old Korean women that do whatever the hell they want and people do not make the mistake of angering them.
There was a guy that passed me in one of the stations as I was transferring lines with a Peppa the Pig t-shirt on as some sort of fashion statement, he could've been in the pages of a fashion magazine with the outfit but seeing Peppa was so jarring. It had been edited somehow with like, fake Gucci print around her? I'm not sure, but good on him honestly, what an icon. In general at least the younger population is so fashion conscious compared to the UK or at least Edinburgh. Young guys pair slacks with casual t-shirts as if it's normal to want to wear fancy trousers on a regular day and it's so cool to see! The thing about the Vin Prime shops is that, a lot of the stock they have looks like stuff I'd find in a charity shop back home for a few pounds, but they're charging closer to 10,000 or 15,000 won for it (so like, 10 quid). I guess it's because it's a different style and isn't really available widely? I feel very inferior fashion and beauty wise here, everyone else looks cool and put together and I haven't even been able to wear make up for the past five days because my eye-rash is acting up. Whenever I feel like I'm just not as cool I try to remind myself that for every girl I look at and wish I had her smooth skin or her hair there's most likely a girl who wants a 'western' nose or double-eyelids. I walked by so many plastic surgery centers in Gangnam today! They even advertise for these at stations and stuff. It's just a bit weird to see, where in the West I think we see plastic surgery as something that only celebrities or extreme people do but here a nose job isn't that big of a deal? At least from what I've seen on Youtube and read online.
I'm feeling more and more comfortable with things and the way they're done and handled, now if I only knew the language more or could speak it with some level of confidence I could see myself being comfortable living here for at least a short period of time, assuming I make some acquaintances. Seoul alone is still a bit sad sometimes. I like the transport system and how cheap things are, and food being available at all hours. I know there's definitely issues with usage of power and human rights, but I know there's people who are trying to change that. South Korea is a changing country and I think if more people start thinking outside of the box it'll change for the better!
Now, after those "tourist thinks she knows better than residents of the country" analyses it's time to stop for tonight. I'm hoping to fall asleep sooner than 4.30am. Fingers crossed. Hopefully heading to Myeongdong tomorrow, got a few souvenirs to pick up, extreme amount of cheap socks to buy and a very pink cafe to visit. I've yet to take my camera anywhere, and I almost took it today but went back into my room before leaving to drop it off anyway. It just feels bulky to carry in a bag, and having it around my neck on public transport makes me feel like a big ol' tourist which isn't fun because I like to at least pretend like I'm one of those foreigners who's living in Korea and has blended in a bit. I want to visit the stream I talked about yesterday again with my camera so I guess if I make a day of it I can survive with the weight of it in my bag.
Oh, it's been so annoying to use Youtube here, because anything that's age-restricted requires me to verify my age? And I can only do that with a Korean phone number but my SIM is internet only so I can't verify it. It's not even like, obviously age-restricted things yesterday I was blocked from a Florence and the Machine music video (for what I'm assuming was like, semi-nudity?) anyway, it's frustrating. I tried ordering food the other night and I couldn't because it needed a phone-confirmation too. I guess these are the things that become a thing once you actually live here but as a tourist you can't really get around them. Oh well.
Thank you for reading this stuff!
Cheers,
Becks
I felt very disappointed in myself waking up around 2pm today, but I couldn't fall asleep for ages and then there was annoying construction noises in the morning so I was trying to get my 9 hours for naught. I did eventually leave the room after trying on a million different outfits. I was convinced I wouldn't survive in this flowy off-the shoulder dress I had but everything else looked bad so I ended up in the dress anyway. Spoiler: I did survive! I kept having to tug the underskirt down tho so as not to flash the public all of my behind.
After visiting thrift shops yesterday I decided I wanted to try going to a few more today, so I made a little plan. There was a few more Beautiful Store locations nearby and I discovered a new brand called Vin Prime that sells cheap-ish 'vintage' clothing in Seoul so today was to be basically a repeat of yesterday. I mean, it worked so why not do it again.
I made my way to the first Beautiful Store which was a success, found a cute skirt and paid for it with my usual "I don't know what you're saying but I'm smiling and pointing at my bag and saying thank you in Korean"-thing and decided I did need to eat something because it was 5.30pm and I had only had a glass of banana milk. I found a super empty cafe nearby called Joe's Sandwich something something, I don't actually remember fully, but it was nice and quiet! Or it was, before two old Korean dudes came in and sat down talking semi-loudly for ages. The thing is, I often struggle concentrating if there's music with words or people having conversations I can hear. This happened a few days ago at Holly's Coffee, I was sitting there reading and there was a man and a woman having a conversation in English behind me. It was so hard to tune them out. Luckily it doesn't really bother me if it's in a language I can't understand so I could read all I wanted. One of the only vegetarian things on the menu was a cream cheese bagel, so I got that, but it was surprisingly good for something very white-person plain. Because drinking water from your own water bottle is seen as a no-no I got a lemonade instead so I wouldn't break any unspoken cafe rules. It was blue and incredibly sweet so I kept sipping from just the top bit with the straw so as not to get sugar high immediately.
After my late lunch I wanted to go to the first Vin Prime shop, conveniently nearby in Apgujeong. I sorta planned my transit beforehand at least a little bit so I wouldn't be travelling too far from store to store. I got to Apgujeong after a slight hiccup at the station. I didn't realise it was going to be a popular time for the subway, and so I had to wait for two subways to pass before getting on one that could actually fit me on it and then be squashed against everyone from all sides as people piled in after me. I have never been on such a crowded piece of public transport and I hope to never do so again. I arrived and started super confidently walking, then stopping and realising the street numbers were going in the wrong direction. Like a lot of Korean stores, this location for Vin Prime was not on Google maps in any shape or form and my apps didn't recognise the address so I was going based off a photo and a separate map. Finally I gave up and sat down back at the station and tried to see why I couldn't find this damn shop. Alas, I was a fool once again. I was sure the store was at Apgujeong station because the website had that written in Hangul at the top. As I read the Hangul on the photo (which was very small) turns out the shop is near Apgujeong Rodeo. Which is nearby but a totally different station. Instead of getting back on the hell on wheels/tracks/whatever they are that the subway was at this time I decided to just walk it because it was basically just a bit over a kilometre on one road.
Finally, I found the shop! Usually I count any thrift or shopping trip a success if I come out having found at least one thing I really like. This time was no different! I got a pair of wide legged super cropped trousers that will hopefully serve me well in the heats of Greece. I'm obsessed with cropped trousers because I feel like they make me look taller, or at least don't highlight my short legs. I'm lucky they're very popular in Korean fashion!
I had one more Vin Prime location I wanted to visit and to be honest I knew that if I got home before 8pm I would just feel disappointed in myself for not spending enough time in the outside world, so I headed over on the subway. This time it was less crowded though I did stand on most of my subway trips today. This location was a bust in terms of finds but while heading over to the station I spotted a Taco Bell! I've never been to one but it looked cool. Before stepping in I did a quick "what's vegetarian in Taco Bell" search on Google nearby so I wouldn't be completely blindsided by the menu that was mostly in Korean. I went in wanting a veggie burrito but the Korean menu only showed a meat one and when I asked the worker either didn't understand me or they didn't have a veggie version. I'm not sure, but I don't blame her for the language thing. I got a bean burrito and some Mexican fries because they were obviously vegetarian and I didn't wanna take any risks here.
The meal was yummy and I actually finished it all which was a proud moment. Usually I always leave a bunch of fries or something but not today! I spent some time reading at the Taco Bell (fanfic on my phone this time, no way am I picking up a book with greasy fingers) before heading back to the station. There was a Paris Baguette nearby and I was feeling adventurous so I got a few small cakes (they were like 2,000 won each so a few pounds each).
I had the option of taking the simple route or the quick route home, but I couldn't be arsed with changing subway lines because it's so much walking to transfer and I had been walking a lot. Much to my surprise, even at 9pm the subway was crowded enough that I spent half an hour of a 40 minute journey standing up. There was a couple sitting in front of me that were sleeping cuddled into each other. It was disgustingly cute. The way the subways work here is that once all seats are taken (and the old people seats are always either taken by old people or empty, young people don't go there) the next place to go is for a row of people to stand facing the sitting people on each side, holding onto the little hand-holds hanging from the top of the pole going across the car. Once these spots are taken people file into the middle and then the areas in front of the doors. I've been taking the subway a bunch almost every day and it's always the same! I've yet to see a pregnant lady in the pregnant lady seats, so far it's always old Korean women that do whatever the hell they want and people do not make the mistake of angering them.
There was a guy that passed me in one of the stations as I was transferring lines with a Peppa the Pig t-shirt on as some sort of fashion statement, he could've been in the pages of a fashion magazine with the outfit but seeing Peppa was so jarring. It had been edited somehow with like, fake Gucci print around her? I'm not sure, but good on him honestly, what an icon. In general at least the younger population is so fashion conscious compared to the UK or at least Edinburgh. Young guys pair slacks with casual t-shirts as if it's normal to want to wear fancy trousers on a regular day and it's so cool to see! The thing about the Vin Prime shops is that, a lot of the stock they have looks like stuff I'd find in a charity shop back home for a few pounds, but they're charging closer to 10,000 or 15,000 won for it (so like, 10 quid). I guess it's because it's a different style and isn't really available widely? I feel very inferior fashion and beauty wise here, everyone else looks cool and put together and I haven't even been able to wear make up for the past five days because my eye-rash is acting up. Whenever I feel like I'm just not as cool I try to remind myself that for every girl I look at and wish I had her smooth skin or her hair there's most likely a girl who wants a 'western' nose or double-eyelids. I walked by so many plastic surgery centers in Gangnam today! They even advertise for these at stations and stuff. It's just a bit weird to see, where in the West I think we see plastic surgery as something that only celebrities or extreme people do but here a nose job isn't that big of a deal? At least from what I've seen on Youtube and read online.
I'm feeling more and more comfortable with things and the way they're done and handled, now if I only knew the language more or could speak it with some level of confidence I could see myself being comfortable living here for at least a short period of time, assuming I make some acquaintances. Seoul alone is still a bit sad sometimes. I like the transport system and how cheap things are, and food being available at all hours. I know there's definitely issues with usage of power and human rights, but I know there's people who are trying to change that. South Korea is a changing country and I think if more people start thinking outside of the box it'll change for the better!
Now, after those "tourist thinks she knows better than residents of the country" analyses it's time to stop for tonight. I'm hoping to fall asleep sooner than 4.30am. Fingers crossed. Hopefully heading to Myeongdong tomorrow, got a few souvenirs to pick up, extreme amount of cheap socks to buy and a very pink cafe to visit. I've yet to take my camera anywhere, and I almost took it today but went back into my room before leaving to drop it off anyway. It just feels bulky to carry in a bag, and having it around my neck on public transport makes me feel like a big ol' tourist which isn't fun because I like to at least pretend like I'm one of those foreigners who's living in Korea and has blended in a bit. I want to visit the stream I talked about yesterday again with my camera so I guess if I make a day of it I can survive with the weight of it in my bag.
Oh, it's been so annoying to use Youtube here, because anything that's age-restricted requires me to verify my age? And I can only do that with a Korean phone number but my SIM is internet only so I can't verify it. It's not even like, obviously age-restricted things yesterday I was blocked from a Florence and the Machine music video (for what I'm assuming was like, semi-nudity?) anyway, it's frustrating. I tried ordering food the other night and I couldn't because it needed a phone-confirmation too. I guess these are the things that become a thing once you actually live here but as a tourist you can't really get around them. Oh well.
Thank you for reading this stuff!
Cheers,
Becks
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