Korean grocery buys in Kuala Lumpur: Beverages

Green tea latte & Honey citron tea

I haven't gotten over my Korean fever just yet, so currently I'm still very into products made in Korea ;)

Recently, I went grocery shopping in Aeon and found some Korean beverages that might interest some of you.

I bought a pack of Green tea latte for RM15.90, which contains 15 sachets. I also bought a bottle of Honey citron tea for RM30.90, weighing 1.1kg.

While a green tea latte might sound normal to those who often frequent cafes, I think they honey citron tea is something most would like to try.

It's an Asian twist on lemonade and the plus point is, it is taken by Koreans as a herbal remedy to reduce the common cold!

If you're interested, you can get these products at your local Aeon store :)

The author is excited to have found a new haven to stock up on Korean snacks and beverages!

I will try to keep up with my postings on Korean-related culture in Malaysia, so keep yourself updated by following me on Twitter!

In Between Crossroads

Pic credit: http://beyondthebunker.com

It's been awhile since I last wrote about my life and thoughts and I figured that now is the best time than never to do it. One day when I re-read this post, I hope it will bring back some memories...
 
I'm actually in the midst of waiting for my thesis to be reviewed and to be called for a viva voce. It's something every student dread, but as much as I do dread it, I can't wait for it to be done and over with too.

After I get my thesis done, it's back to the working world again for me. I last left the corporate world 3 years ago when I had a crisis and decided to pursue my master's degree.

Time flies and I'm back here again. Soon, I'll be looking for a job, like many other graduates, and I really hope this time round I will get job, or better still, a career, that suits me.

Writing has always been my passion but I am always afraid that my experience will be a hindrance to my career advancement, therefore I have lowered my expectations this time round on my job scope.

My family members have been questioning what organization do I have in mind when it comes to applying for a job, but in my mind, the organization nor position does not matter. 

As long as I have a chance to learn and climb up the corporate ladder to get to my dream career (and own my dream car and house at it!), I am willing to try out any job scope pertaining to writing or editing.

I hope that when I'm old and retired, my first choice will not be one I will regret. After all, we wouldn't know what lies at the end of the road not taken, right?

At this moment, I still have a long way to go...

Here's the source of my inspiration and strength, JYJ. Hope you don't mind the K-pop twist to my post!



The author is in between crossroads and hopes to make the choice that she will never regret with a path less taken.

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

Korean beverages on the streets of South Korea

Latte drinks at Hello Kitty Cafe

While walking on the streets of Seoul and Busan, I've encountered and tried many different beverages, whether sold in cafes or in convenience stores. In this post I'll document some of the beverages I've managed to try out during my trip back in November.

Caffe Bene's lime & mint drink, hot chocolate & strawberry smoothie

Drinks from cafes can be more attractive in their packaging and wide range of varieties to choose from, but they cost the most. A drink in a cafe can easily cost you from 6000 won to 8000 won (approximately RM18 to RM24) for a regular sized drink. But the ambience of cafes can be so cozy inviting, and proves to be a great pit stop when you are feeling cold while shopping on the streets.

Hollys Coffee's Iced Lemon Tea

Fret not as cold drinks are still served during the chilly autumn season. Since I don't fancy coffee and I'm stuck in a country that loves coffee, I had to resort to smoothies, teas or fruit juices. I did managed to survive without consuming coffee in South Korea (is that a feat?), but I can't really recommend good coffee joints for those of you who are planning to go on a trip there (sorry!).

Angel-in-us Coffee's ready made coffee sold in convenience stores

My travel partner bought an Angel-in-us Coffee's Caramel Macchiato from a convenience store for breakfast, and it was surprisingly cheap yet good. It only costs around 2000 to 3000 won yet it was satisfying good. This is a good alternative to those who want to drink coffee without racking a huge bill at a cafe.

Banana milk and Chocopie for breakfast

Another beverage I would love to introduce is the famous Binggrae banana milk! I had this for breakfast almost every morning since I loved them so much. It's available at most convenience stores at about 1500 won (approximately RM4.50) each, and I will buy them and store them in the refrigerator for my morning breakfast milk drink :)

Strawberry milk and Ottogi slimming cup noodle

They also have the strawberry version of the banana milk, but even though I'm a huge fan of strawberry milk, I still felt more drawn towards the banana milk. Psst... the Ottogi slimming cup noodle in the pic above is a good way to have breakfast to save more money on breakfast sets at cafes while keeping your calories in check since it's only 120kcal per cup!

Blueberry yogurt drink

Another great breakfast drink option is getting a yogurt drink. I got this blueberry yogurt drink at the local convenience store but it didn't taste sweet at all. I guess it's healthier than the sweetened yogurt drinks back home? But it probably isn't for everybody since it wasn't spectacular (according to my tastebuds, that is).

Maeil yogurt drink

If you are looking for a good yogurt drink, I'll recommend you to try Maeil's yogurt drink. It's sort of like Yakult, and it's great for your stomach. I had a bottle of Maeil yogurt drink while looking out to the sea on Haeundae beach.... ;)

Apple flavoured probiotics multifunction yogurt drink

If you are having a little trouble with your bowel movements, do try this apple flavoured probiotics multifunction yogurt drink. It's a great solution that helps you ease your bowels in no time.

Vita 500 drink endorsed by miss A's Suzy

I also had a great encounter with the Vita 500 drink. It's actually a vitamin C drink, I saw the ad on television while in the hotel. While out walking, one of my travel partners complained of a sore throat and wanted a cool drink. We teased her to try Vita 500 since we just saw the cute ad by miss A's Suzy. 

Surprisingly after she drank it she didn't complained much anymore. The sore throat went away the next day miraculously. Then when the same thing happened to me, I immediately looked for Vita 500 and drank a bottle. The next day the sore throat disappeared too! Yeay! :)

Etude House's Pink Pong collagen water

Just because I was in Etude House and was thirsty at that time, I bought a bottle of their Pink Pong collagen water to try. It has a peach flavour although it's like clear water. Not sure whether it does what it's supposed to since I only drank a bottle...

Daily C vitamin water: Skin Glow

A great thirst-quencher is the Daily C vitamin water. They have many variants and I tried the Skin Glow variant which has a slight citrus flavour. It's easy to find and I drank quite a number of different brands' vitamin water to quench my thirst while walking around the streets of Korea.

Pocari Sweat

Another thirst-quencher is Pocari Sweat, the local alternative to 100 Plus or 7Up Revive. It's an isotonic drink that will boost your energy and replenish your lost body fluids.

Brown rice tea drink

If you're looking for a drink with a more Korean 'feel', you can try the brown rice tea drink which is a more pungent drink compared to green tea. It has that burnt smell but it does not leave a bad aftertaste in your mouth. It's also an healthier alternative compared to many other sweetened drinks.

Mojito Lemon & Lime with Mint drink

Last but not least, I did try this great mojito drink which helped to soothe my sore throat before I had my dose of Vita 500. It's a sweet-sour drink with a minty aftertaste, which I think will be a great drink in the summer heat.

That's all for the beverages I had while on the streets of South Korea peeps! I hope you'll have your share of fun in exploring Korean beverages!

The author missed her breakfast drink of banana milk so badly she had to stock up on them from local supermarkets even when back home!

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

South Korea Trip 2013: 8 Days Busan & Seoul Itinerary

To round off my posts on my South Korea trip in November 2013, I'll do a compilation of all my related posts which works as an itinerary guide for those who want to visit both Busan and Seoul within a week.

My self-guided South Korea trip itinerary is as follows, with KTX being the mode of transportation between the two cities.


Day 1: Busan Nampodong, BIFF Square and Gwangbok Street (Busan)

Day 2: Seoul Chungmuro, Namdaemun and Myeongdong

Day 3: Seoul Edae, Hongdae, D-Cube City and Dongdaemun

Day 4: Seoul N Seoul Tower, Namsangol Hanok Village, Garosugil and Go-To Mall

Day 5: Seoul Gyeongbukgung, Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheongdong, Changdeokgung and Insadong

Day 6: Seoul to Busan (KTX and Busan City Night View Tour Bus)

Day 7: Busan Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market, Haeundae Beach and Seomyeon

Day 8: Busan Pusan Int'l University Street, Oncheonjang and Busan Trick Eye Museum

On a side note, here are some of my previous posts that might interest some of you who are curious to learn more about South Korea before you head over there.

Korean beverages on the streets of South Korea

K-pop album haul and Korean souvenirs

Beauty buys from South Korea

Grocery buys from South Korea

I hope my travel itinerary might have given some ideas to those that will be visiting South Korea in the future. 

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions, and I'll be more than willing to share with you whatever knowledge I have! :)

Update: Check out my latest account of my trip to Japan in 2015. Stay tuned for more updates on this trip!

Osaka: Sightseeing, Shopping & Dining Attractions

The author might have missed some places of interest since it was a tight schedule of 4 days in Busan and 4 days in Seoul. Someday she wishes to return and visit many more beautiful places in South Korea.

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

K-pop album haul & Korean souvenirs

K-pop album haul from my trip

Finally it's time to showcase the K-pop albums and souvenirs I managed to cart home from South Korea!

I bought JYJ Kim Jaejoong's WWW album for myself, CNBLUE's Re:BLUE album for my first brother, and G-Dragon's Coup D'etat for my youngest brother. Possibly the lightest and slimmest souvenirs, but yet the most expensive ones!

I bought my albums from the Music Korea outlet in Myeongdong. To get there using the subway, stop at Myeongdong Station, and take Exit 6. You'll see a Nature Republic outlet. Enter the outlet and go up one floor. 

Music Korea is just upstairs and they have an extensive range of K-pop albums, both old and new releases.

Korean souvenirs

I also managed to buy some souvenirs for myself and friends back home. I bought a unique key holder from the gift shop at the Namsan Tower observatory deck. There are also plenty of other unique finds here that are not sold at other shops in Seoul. I managed to get a paper cut-out of a hanbok from the gift shop there too. It's going to be a great memorable souvenir to frame up as a remembrance of my maiden trip.

I also managed to get some fridge magnets in Hongdae (not pictured above), as well as a bookmark and postcards from Insadong.

Insadong is a good place to buy cultural souvenirs, but if you are not heading there then you can find them at Namdaemun or Myeongdong too. Insadong has more authentic souvenirs, but prices can be on the pricey side. For a more upscale souvenir hunting spree, try Ssamziegil. I got my cute postcards there from a small stall vendor :)

That's all for my K-pop album haul and Korean souvenirs. If you have yet to, check out my previous posts on Korean beauty buys and Korean grocery buys!

The author is grateful that she managed to get a copy of Jaejoong's WWW album before it was sold out!

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

Beauty buys from South Korea

Etude House beauty haul

After arriving in Myeongdong, I finally experienced what everyone was talking about Korean make-up or skincare brands. It's everywhere, and you really can't resist walking into these pretty shops all inviting you to come in. If you are looking for Korean cosmetics, Myeongdong is the place to go!

While some promoters are a little pesky (they pull your hand and try to drag you into their store), some are quite friendly and talk nicely, just enticing you to go in and take a look around. Some offer free gifts (samples mostly), but once you enter, you'll most likely not go out without buying something.

Stepping into Etude House was like stepping into a princess' room. Everything was pink, my favourite colour! :D

I managed to get their masks at a 10+10 promo price of 900 won (approximately RM2.70) each, which comes down to 450 won each pack. Which is really cheap! But be wary though, I went to other Etude House outlets out of Myeongdong too, but they do not have the same offer. I bought mine at the outlet opposite SPAO in Myeongdong, so make sure you make a stop there if you're in the vicinity.

I bought many other stuff from Etude House too, considering I'm not much of a person who spends much on beauty products. I'm more of a skincare person, but they have a good range of skincare apart from make-up too.

I also got a leg mask (leg peeling yo!), hand creams, lip gloss, lip balm, a few products from the moistfull series, as well as a cute cupcake lip colour. I probably spent nearly 100,000 won in Etude House, but that's great because nearly everyone back home gets some really lovely face masks and hand creams! :)

Free samples from Etude House (given after purchase)

I really felt my money was well spent although I blew a huge portion of my shopping budget at Etude House. Look at all the free samples I got after my purchase! It's really nice shopping at Etude House because they really want to make their customers happy and they are always willing to give advice on the products!

Clio, Tony Moly and Innisfree skincare haul

I also bought a few products from Clio (2 face packs), Tony Moly (lip balm and snail lip treatment), and Innisfree (olive cleansing tissue and volcanic clay mask).

I really regret not buying those snail masks from Tony Moly since I thought I had bought a lot from Etude House. After giving most away, I am now regretting not buying more...

I felt Clio was more into make-up products, while Tony Moly was more upscale in their range and prices while Innisfree uses more natural ingredients in their products, with a huge chunk originating from Jeju. Etude House meanwhile focuses on pretty packaging.

Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses but hey, life's all about trial and error eight? I hope to find something I like among the huge chunk of stuff I brought back. Hopefully on my next trip I'll be able to explore more Korean make-up and skincare brands!

If you have yet to, do check out my previous post on my Korean grocery buys!

The author never felt attracted to enter beauty or skincare shops in KL, but in South Korea the calling was just too great to resist!

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

Grocery buys from South Korea

Korean groceries

As promised, I'm writing this post to document my grocery buys from my trip to South Korea. I did most of my grocery shopping in Nampodong, Busan since it was my last stop before I fly back home to Kuala Lumpur.

I bought my groceries from a shop nearby my hotel, and I think most of the prices are quite cheap compared to those at convenience stores. I bought some kelp, roasted seaweed to sprinkle on rice, some yukgaejang soup premix, gochujang paste from this neighbourhood grocery store.

I got 2 stone pots (dolsot) and a ramyun pot for 3000 won (approximately RM9) each from a Daiso outlet. I also bought some steel chopsticks and spoons for 500 won (approximately RM1.50) each from a vendor who was clearing his wares in Namdaemun. My cheapest deal by far :)

I also managed to get some icing decorating tubes in different colours from Namdaemun!

Korean snacks

Finally, my snacks haul! I also bought all these from the nearby grocery store, since they have the cheapest prices for Pepero and Market O chocolates.

Peperos were going for 800 won (approximately RM2.40) each and chocolates were between 1500 won to 4000 won. 

Dried seaweed were also going for 500 won (approximately RM1.50) and I shared a box of 40 packs with my travel partners.

Also bought a box of Lotte Chocopie from Daiso which costs 1500 won (approximately RM4.50), much cheaper than in KL! :)

That wraps up my Korean grocery haul and hope to see you soon in my next posts!

Check out more posts on my Korean beauty buys, K-pop album haul and souvenirs, as well as Korean beverages on the streets!

The author has devoured all the snacks within less than a month since returning from South Korea. Time to hunt in the local grocery stores again...

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

South Korea Trip 2013: Day 8 in Busan (Pusan Int'l University Street, Oncheonjang, Busan Trick Eye Museum)

Busy crossroads with more than one zebra crossing is common in South Korea

It's finally my last day in South Korea, and it's a pretty much packed one, what with all the sightseeing and shopping packed into a full day. Since we have yet to explore many of Busan's shopping districts, our first stop of the day is Pusan Int'l University Street.

Big breakfast at Whoever Coffee and Herb

But before we head off on our journey, breakfast is a must. My travel partners and I decided to try breakfast at a cafe nearby our hotel, Whoever Coffee and Herb. Weird name, I must say, but their western breakfast was a huge portion and above average.

My favourite was the garden salad. It came with a huge orange in it, something I've never tried. It was pretty delicious, and I savoured the whole bowl. The breakfast set comes with a coffee, garden salad, soup, and toast for 4500 won (approximately RM13.50) if I recalled correctly. Pretty decent price by me though some might say it's a bit expensive just for breakfast.

Pusan Int'l University entrance gate

After taking the subway from Jungang Station to Pusan Int'l University Station, I arrived at Pusan Int'l University street. The atmosphere here is similar to that of Edae and Hongdae since they cater more towards the youth market.

Shoe shopping at Pusan Int'l University street

I saw plenty of boots on sale here, and thought of buying one home. I didn't buy one in Seoul since luggage space was a problem, apart from mobility getting onto the KTX. Nothing caught my eye, but in general, the clothings and shoes sold here still can't beat those in Seoul. So much for fashion forward me.

Post box looking thing on the street

Anyway, I came across a few of these post box looking things on the street. I'm exactly sure what these are, but it sure does look like some sort of box for mails. If anyone knows what are these, please do share with me! :)

Yoogane's artsy wall deco

We had lunch at a Yoogane outlet located on one of the main roads in Pusan Int'l University area. It looked pretty decent, so we just gave it a go. After entering and seeing some familiar K-drama faces, then I realized that I might have heard of the restaurant's name somewhere...

Yoogane fried kimchi rice and ramen

Anyway, my travel partners and I had 2 portions of ramen and one portion of fried kimchi rice. It's pretty much a one to one ratio per person at Yoogane, but you can always call for more. The helpful staff will help with all the frying work, so you only have to enjoy the meal. I can't remember the prices exactly here, but it's pretty much affordable. It's even cheaper than having a set meal at food courts I think :)

Cute little take away cafe

After lunch, I walked around to do some more shopping. There was a cute little take away cafe along one of the main streets, and I couldn't help but wonder why we didn't have these type of cafes in KL. There are plenty of them in South Korea, but none to be found in Malaysia.... maybe a sign to open one of these in KL? :p

M.A.C. store selling clothing. Now that's a first

There were also plenty of stores in South Korea bearing names of famous brands. I saw a clothing shop with the Twitter logo, and also a M.A.C. store selling clothing. Copyright infringement anyone?

Charlie Brown Cafe at Pusan Int'l University street

And the highlight of my trip here to this street is the Charlie Brown Cafe! I actually stumbled upon this cafe though, since it was located way deep in an enclave which is connected to one of the main streets. Look out for the banner which they set up along the main street!

Charlie Brown Cafe's tiramisu

Of course I had to stop for a tea break over at Charlie Brown Cafe (it's like Hello Kitty Cafe all over again) and I shared a tiramisu. We were still quite full but nothing beats having Charlie staring back at you from the tiramisu :)

Hotel Nong Shim, of the famous Korean noodle brand

We took the subway and stopped at Oncheonjang Station since we wanted to visit the Busan Trick Eye Museum. After a long and tiring walk, we arrived at Hotel Nong Shim (yes, it's the famous Korean noodle brand, but it's definitely legit, not a ripoff) only to be told by the counter staff that the museum has moved to its new location in Nampodong. What?? Looks like they have to step up their up-to-date information more!

Nevertheless, although we felt cheated since we went so far just to be told the museum is just a walk away from our hotel, we just have to cool ourselves down because we wouldn't want to spoil all the fun on our very last day!

Map to Busan Trick Eye Museum in Nampodong (latest location)Pic credit: http://busanhaps.com/events/trick-eye-museum-saturday-nampodong

To get to Busan Trick Eye Museum in Nampodong, look out for the CGV building. If I recall correctly, the best way is to get to BIFF Square and find the Artbox outlet located on the street towards the left of the main entrance. The CGV building should be opposite the Artbox outlet, across the street.

Busan Trick Eye Museum greeting

Once you enter the CGV building, you will see a sign at the lobby to lead you to the lift up to the museum. The first sign you'll see is the Trick Eye Museum greeting board.

Trick Eye Museums in South Korea

If you are not planning to visit Busan, fret not because there are also Trick Eye Museums in Seoul and Jeju as well.

One of the many 3D portraits you can take pictures with

After paying the entrance fee of 7000 won (approximately RM21), we kept our bags in the rental lockers provided before heading into the exhibit room.

The actual entrance fee is 10,000 won for adults, but thanks to the staff at Busan Tower Hill Hotel where I stayed, I got a discount coupon for a cheaper rate. Thank you! :)

Art Toys on display

There was also a little space where you can come and paint these porcelain dolls and take them home as a souvenir. They are called Art Toys and although I didn't have some time to spare, I saw a few couples drawing on the dolls. Great place to spend some quality time with your loved one!

Art Toy

So apparently the fee for the Art Toy is 5000 won (approximately RM15) according to this tiny banner above. Quite affordable for a day's outing instead of going to the cinema. Plus you get to keep the doll and take it home! :)

Seoul Samgyetang for dinner

For the last dinner in Busan, my travel partners and I headed to Seoul Samgyetang, since it was on the walk back from BIFF Square to the hotel. I find that it's ironic that we're having Seoul Samgyetang in Busan. Anyone knows of a Busan Samgyetang outlet?

The samgyetang was just pretty much like our Chinese ginseng chicken back home, just that it was served without salt. Luckily we only ordered one portion to share, though I must say it was a welcome to eat hot food in superbly cold weather. The meal came with rice and ginseng liquor too. We paid around 17000 won (approximately RM51) for it though!

As we were leaving the next morning, we bought all our groceries from a nearby grocery store just opposite the hotel. The shop was named Big Sale or something similar and the proprietor was a friendly ahjussi who nodded at my choice of Bokbunja (6500 won), Peperos (800 won), kelp, and some yukgaejang soup bases.

So that ends my 8 day trip to South Korea and I hope you have enjoyed my recollections of the places I have travelled to. Look out for more mini-bites of my trip (I'll post more on my shopping hauls once I get some time off my busy schedule)!

Read about my experience in Nampodong, BIFF Square and Gwangbok Street (Busan) here!

Read about my experience in Chungmuro, Namdaemun and Myeongdong here!

Read about my experience in Edae, Hongdae, D-Cube City and Dongdaemun here!

Read about my experience in N Seoul Tower, Namsangol Hanok Village, Garosugil and Go-To Mall here!
 
Read about my experience in Gyeongbukgung, Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheongdong, Changdeokgung and Insadong here!
 
Read about my experience in Busan (KTX and Busan City Night View Tour Bus) here!

Read about my experience in Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market, Haeundae Beach and Seomyeon here!

The author is planning another trip to South Korea in the future, and is contemplating the cherry blossom season or the hot summer where the sales are bound to be crazy!

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!