2NE1 Releases Latest Single 'Missing You'

2NE1 is back with their latest installment of what I hope will be the last of teasers to their new album. This round they released a ballad about past love, titled Missing You.

It's really refreshing to hear them sing wholeheartedly to a simple piano accompaniment since they mostly do dance numbers where the beats sometimes eclipses their vocals.

As YG's wife reportedly cried after hearing the lyrics, I could only understand after reading the English translations. It's heartbreaking yes, but I guess not everyone could understand unless they have been through a break-up.

If you have to watch the music video for 'Missing You', check it out below! You wouldn't want to miss out on CL's special appearance ;)



The author is still patiently waiting for 2NE1's comeback. It feels like forever since their release of 'I Love You', the supposedly song for their comeback. Now looking forward to their next concert in Malaysia!

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South Korea Trip 2013: Day 2 in Seoul (Chungmuro, Namdaemun & Myeongdong)

Seoul Station, my first stop after arriving from Busan via KTX

My second day in South Korea started by taking a taxi to Busan Station from the hotel. As I had previously booked my KTX ticket online before arriving in South Korea, all I needed to do was present the printed voucher to exchange for the actual train ticket. 

To book your tickets online, here's the link to Korail's English website.

Taking the KTX set me back around RM350 for a return ticket, but the price will vary depending on whether you take up the KR Pass or when you stop at designated stops along the way to Seoul.

View of Seoul city from Seoul Station

After a 300km/h ride on the KTX which took 2 hour and 30 minutes, I arrived at Seoul Station. Since it was around noon, I stopped for lunch at the food court which is connected to the Lotte Outlets next door. Food court prices are about the same of that in Lotte Departmental Store in Busan.

Chungmuro subway station

Next from Seoul Station, I took the subway to Chungmuro Station. I previously purchased my T-money chain in Busan the night before from GS25, one of the local convenience stores. 

Hello Kitty T-money chain

I bought a Hello Kitty one, so I paid slightly more for it, 8000 won (approximately RM24). Normal cards are way cheaper, probably around 3000 won (RM9). Take note that T-money cards are accepted in Seoul and Busan subway stations, so if you're travelling to these 2 places it's best you get this card.

I also had the card charged with 10,000 won (approximately RM30). Everytime you enter a turnstile at a subway station and swipe your card, you'll be charged 1050 won (approximately RM3.15). If you purchase a ticket at every stop, it will cost you 1100 won (approximately RM3.30). So it is more savings in the long run!

Chungmuro Residence (it's a tall and thin building)

After exiting from Chungmuro Station, I got lost finding Chungmuro Residence and had to get help from the local policemen as well as 7-11 store staff. After much walking, I found the hotel and realised that I had gotten out from the other end of the subway station. For those who intend to stay at Chungmuro Residence in the future, please take Exit 8 when you get off at Chungmuro Station.

2 single beds in the room

I booked the room at around RM280 per night for triple sharing via Agoda. The beds were quite clean but I loved the loft bed more although it's actually for kids. I'm kid-sized by the way :)

The super cozy loft bed

The ceiling's pretty low and I had to crawl on my knees but I had my own space up there and it was fun!

Clean toilet

The toilets were clean but my only grouse was there were no toiletries provided. Make sure to bring your own shampoo and body wash, as well as toothbrush and toothpaste if you're planning on staying here. If you don't mind paying a little extra, there's a little convenience store down at the lobby where you can get these toiletries.

The little kitchenette near the entrance of the room

The little kitchenette is great for those planning to cook their own meals. There is also a huge fridge, so you can buy fresh ingredients and drinks without worrying about how to store everything in it. A huge plus is a washing machine, which I didn't get to use. The instruction is all in Korean though, so you'll need some help to operate it.

The only table in the room with monitor screen as TV

Since the room is half of that of the room I stayed in Busan, I naturally felt that it was a bit cramped since I was sharing it with 2 other travel partners. The TV was a miniscule monitor, but most likely you'll not use it much like I did. Sightseeing and shopping in Seoul will probably take up more time and the room is just a sleeping place, so it's still bearable.

Namdaemun Market

Next up I took the subway to Hoehyeon Station, since I am going to Namdaemun Market. Take Exit 5 and you'll reach at the entrance of the marketplace.

Korean braised pork knuckles on sale

As it's a traditional market, expect to see a lot of ahjummas browsing around for good deals here. Food is abundant here, as well as household wares, Korean ginseng, socks, K-pop goods, and children's clothing.

The Face Shop 50% Sale

Some of the great hauls from Namdaemun include 500 won (approximately RM1.50) spoons and chopsticks which I got from a man selling on a makeshift stall in the middle of the road, 2000 won (approximately RM6) Korean stainless steel rice bowls, and 5000 won (approximately RM15) for pack of ten The Face Shop masks.

I walked from Namdaemun Market to Myeongdong, since these two shopping districts were within 10 minutes walking distance from each other. If you're taking the subway, you can get there by taking Exit 6 at Eljiro 1-ga Station, or Exit 6 at Myeongdong Station.

Shinsegae Departmental Store, where the rich shop

While walking to Myeongdong from Namdaemun Market, I passed by Shinsegae Departmental Store, where the rich wives do their shopping. I saw through the windows that there was a VIP lounge where the ladies were chit chatting while waiting for their drivers to pick them up.

Myeongdong, where the youth shop

If Namdaemun is where the ahjumma shops, then Myeongdong is where the ahgassi shops. Cosmetic stores are along every alley you go. And the promoters here are more aggressive here. Make sure if you're planning to buy cosmetics, come to Myeongdong since they'll most probably give you a free gift to entice you to enter their shop, and more after you make a purchase.

Apart from cosmetic stores, you can get more of the clothing brands Korean youths wear. There is SPAO, one of the most celebrity endorsed brands I've encountered. Since SM artists endorse SPAO, it is fitting that you can take pictures with their posters in-store. Look out for designated photo zones. And best of all, Everysing is located at the top floor of the SPAO building! SMTown fans, don't miss this place out!

Dinner at Gimgane next to SISTAR

I had dinner at Gimgane, where the food was simple but delicious. It's really more to quick and simple food such as ramyun, odeng, tteokbukki and udon, food youths love. The prices here are quite reasonable, ranging from 5000 won to 8000 won per dish (approximately RM15 to RM24).

That sums up my first day in Seoul and I hope you had fun reading my post!

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

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

The author is still infatuated over all things Korean and thinks she left part of her soul back in Seoul... time to plan for the next trip!

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

South Korea Trip 2013: Day 1 in Busan (Nampodong, BIFF Square, Gwangbok Street)

Lotte Dept Store at Nampodong

My dream holiday to South Korea finally came true! When AirAsia first launched their new route to Busan in April earlier this year, I chanced upon the cheap airfares and managed to book a return ticket for approximately RM800!

After months of researching on the internet and tedious planning (since I'm on a self-guided tour) on my maiden visit to South Korea, I was ready to experience the country that I've only been to see on my television and through K-pop songs I loved to listen.

Busan Tower Hill Hotel

I booked a 4 night stay at Busan Tower Hill Hotel in Jungang through Agoda, for approximately RM300 per night. My stay was split into 2 parts, the first night in Busan, then another 4 nights in Seoul, and another 3 nights in Busan before heading home to Kuala Lumpur. They have a luggage storage service too, so that's another brownie point from me, since I left my luggage with them before leaving for Seoul via KTX.

Cozy beds and warm ambience in hotel room

I loved the service provided in Busan Tower Hill Hotel. The beds were cozy and comfortable, and all necessary amenities including toiletries were provided. Counter staff were polite and friendly, and very helpful too!

Clean bathroom and toiletries are provided

I loved that they were generous with their body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Not many hotels provide such huge bottles of toiletries. The best of the toilet was the warm bidet! Never fear of sitting on a cold toilet seat during autumn or winter again!

Gwangbok Underground Shopping entrance just outside the hotel

After checking into the hotel at 4.30pm, I had a stroll around the surrounding area. Since it's autumn, the sun sets around 5.30pm and by around 6pm it's already completely dark. With nothing much to do, I had a walk looking for dinner. Jungang Station is the nearest subway station to Busan Tower Hill Hotel, take exit 1 since it's the nearest. 

Next, I found Gwangbok Underground Shopping Center just a short walk out the hotel. It's somewhere where Lotte Departmental Store is in sight, to be precise.

One thing great about Korea is there are many entrances to their underground shopping centers or subways, so just go down any entrance you encounter because you'll eventually end up in the same place no matter where you enter from.

Nampo Underground Shopping entrance

Nampo Underground Shopping Center is linked to Gwangbok Underground Shopping Center, if you walk along following the signs, you'll end up here from where Lotte Departmental Store is. If you exit from Nampo Underground Shopping Center, you'll find yourself closer to BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market.

Buzzer given when you order food or drinks

I had my first dinner at Lotte Departmental Store since it was Sunday and not many shops around the hotel were open. I had a great first experience with the buzzer! It will buzz when your order is ready. Then you proceed to collect your order at the designated counter. 

Jeonju Bibimbap at Lotte Dept Store food court

The Jeonju Bibimbap (approx 7000 won; RM21) I had was quite similar to the bibimbap that I've tasted in KL, so there's nothing to shout about. What I loved was every other meal I had in Korea came with free refillable drinking water, so that's savings in terms of drinks. Their meals are usually around 7000 won, which means it's a budget of RM20 every meal, (thank goodness food in Malaysia is cheap!) but of course it's a huge portion each round with many side dishes (kimchi!).

BIFF Square entrance opposite Jagalchi Market

Next up after dinner I went to BIFF Square to get a glimpse of night market life. There was a particular hotteok stall that was popular and has a long queue. 

Look out for this hotteok stall with a long queue somewhere outside the Eight Seconds store

The hot hotteok (1000 won; RM3) was delicious and was a perfect snack in the cold weather. 

Hotteok, the perfect hot snack in the cold weather

I also tried the spicy grilled chicken (2000 won; RM6) on a long stick, but unfortunately I was too busy eating to take pictures!

Entrance to Yongdusan Park (Busan Tower) along Gwangbok Street

Next I had a stroll back to the hotel from BIFF Square through Gwangbok Street. This street is quite nicely done up and I find myself thinking that I was in some European country. Many branded stores, both international and local, lined this street.

Hollys Coffee next to Teenie Weenie on Gwangbok Street

There seems to be no shortage of coffee chains on Gwangbok Street too. Hollys Coffee, Coffine Gurunaru, Tom N Toms Coffee, and Caffe Bene are among the coffee shops you can opt to stop for a hot drink here.

Caffe Bene along Gwangbok Street

I stopped at Caffe Bene for a drink before heading back to the hotel. It's endorsed by Crayon Pop in very Christmassy red uniforms, which is sure to put you in the Xmas mood. Next up for Day 2 is the KTX ride to Seoul!

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! 

Update: Check out my latest account of my trip to Japan in 2015 here. Stay tuned for more updates on this trip!
 
The author was thrilled to be able to step on the grounds of the Land of the Morning Calm. Busan was a pretty much laid back town and next up is the adventurous shopping experience in Seoul! Look out for the next post!

Do follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!

miss A Is All 'Hush'ed Up

miss A is back with their latest album and single titled Hush! With an even sexier concept this autumn, the girls certainly will captivate more fanboys (and fangirls like me too!).

The most intriguing part of their latest album is that their title track is not produced or written by their boss, JYP. Instead, E-Tribe, who was behind the success of SNSD's Gee and Lee Hyori's U Go Girl. Which also means this is a break of tradition, since they have always promoted using JYP songs. Let's see how they fare this round, shall we?

I was actually in South Korea when the album was released, and managed to track down a local K-pop music store nearby my hotel in Busan. It was a mistake on my part not to buy it on the first day of its release as it was sold out the next day!

Check out the music video for 'Hush' below!



The author is back from her 9-day trip to Seoul and Busan and is currently sorting over thousand pictures to post up on this blog. Look out for more updates!

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Big Bad Wolf Books Warehouse Sale 2013

Before I leave for South Korea and come back with lots of stuff and pictures to post on my blog, I'm gonna post about the upcoming annual Big Bad Wolf Books Warehouse Sale 2013 in December first!

For those not in the know yet, the warehouse sale will be held at MIECC, The Mines from 6 to 15 December 2013 and the best thing this time round is that they will be open for 230 hours straight. That means 24 hours book shopping! Whee!! Super cool for K-drama freaks like me who hate missing my drama episodes for book shopping!

As always, make sure you have lots of time to spare before you go in, since you'll spend lots of time poring over books to buy (there's 3 million books to choose from!), and bring some recyclable bags, trolleys and water too!

For more info, hit up their website here!

They will also have contests in anticipation of their warehouse sale, so if you are keen to win preview passes to get in the venue ahead of others, make sure you follow them on Facebook or Twitter!

The author is freaking out that she'll overspend her budget this year, no thanks to her South Korea trip and Big Bad Wolf Books Warehouse Sale!

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Kim Jaejoong pre-releases 'Sunny Day' and 'Butterfly' singles

I just can't wait for Jaejoong to release his latest album WWW, so I'll just post about his 2 pre-released singles Sunny Day and Butterfly to let off some steam!

First off, 'Sunny Day' was the typical ballad that I'd expect Jaejoong to sing. It's something like those songs for drama OSTs, so sad yet beautiful. A collaboration track with Noel's Lee Sang Gon, the song pulls your heartstrings at right places, and their vocal delivery makes it all the more emotional.

Check out the audio clip for 'Sunny Day' below! 

Meanwhile 'Butterfly' is a pop rock song, a genre which I think Jaejoong had more fun singing than ballads. It's a fun song filled with electric guitar riffs, and I can picture him singing this song during his solo concert.

Check out the audio clip for 'Butterfly' below!

The album 'WWW' will be released on 29 October, and it's already topping charts in pre-orders. Looking forward to listen to all the new tracks soon!

The author hopes to get a copy of WWW when she lands in South Korea in 2 weeks' time!

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IU and Her 'Red Shoes'

IU is back with her latest album, Modern Times. It seems that she is blossoming into a pretty and sexy young lady with her latest album. Somehow I think she does it in style, sort of in a classy way instead of trashy.

The album has been on loop on my playlist for 2 weeks now, and I still can't get enough of it. Maybe it's just my tendency towards jazz and 1920's music, Great Gatsby style, but I digress.

Nevertheless, IU made a mark on K-pop this season with her out of ordinary music choice. Given that the K-pop is overflooded with similar-sounding songs, as if made out of the same cookie cutter moulds, IU's 'Modern Times' album is a breath of fresh air. Never mind that the album is named 'Modern Times' although it might sound more like 'Old Times' to some people.

The title track, The Red Shoes, is a jazz number that'll get you dancing in no time. With its catchy beat and IU's soulful interpretation, this has to be one of the best tracks on the album.

Catch the music video for 'The Red Shoes' below if you have yet to. Look out for some famous faces!

Some of my other favourites on this album are Between The Lips, Modern Times, and Gloomy Clock (featuring SHINee's Jonghyun).

Great comeback from IU this round. I'm already anticipating her next project and transformation. Can't wait for her next acting project too since she did very well in the concluded drama You're The Best Lee Soon Shin!.

The author hopes that IU will be promoting more of her songs on music shows even after 'The Red Shoes' as most of the songs on the album are really good!

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Ko Hyang: Korean Country Delights

Ko Hyang's Yukgaejang is simply delicious!

Yet another food review before my upcoming trip to South Korea in November. This time round I tried Ko Hyang, a quaint little store located at the LG floor of The Gardens Mall. 

My choice of dish is Yukgaejang, a spicy beef stew with vegetables. Served with a bowl of rice (with beans in it) and 3 banchans (bean sprouts, anchovies and kimchi), the meal was quite satisfying and affordably priced (it was around RM18.90 I think). My mom tried the Dol Sot Bibimbap, while my brother had the Chicken BBQ. 

While the Dol Sot Bibimbap was similar to what we've tried at most places, my Yukgaejang was flavourful and not too spicy. I kept drinking till my spoon reached the bottom of the bowl. Even my mom couldn't resist from stealing a few spoonfuls of the delicious soup. And mind you, she was already quite full at that point!

The Chicken BBQ was the most surprising winner of all the 3 dishes we ordered. The chicken was succulent and juicy, and so fragrant that when the chef started cooking it, we could smell it right away!

Definitely stop by for a taste of Korean country delights (their tagline obviously does not lie!) when you're around the vicinity. Do be warned though, they have few tables only and most of the time they are full at meal times. But staff are quick and we were seated within less than 5 minutes even when the store is full.

Can't wait to try their Bulgogi Bokem next round. Hit up their website for more info!

Update: I managed to try their Bulgogi Bokem last week when I was in the vicinity. The meat was very succulent and tasty! It was so good that I finished it till the last piece although I was practically full halfway through the meal :)

The author is ecstatic to try authentic Korean food in South Korea. If you have any great food suggestions, do drop a comment below. Thanks!

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Viki For DiGi: K-drama Fans Rejoice!

DiGi has recently partnered with Viki to bring English subtitled K-dramas to their Malaysian subscribers. Whee!! This could not have been a happier announcement for me since I'm a loyal subscriber of DiGi (and a K-drama queen at that too)!

Nonetheless, according to the webpage, the app is only available for Android users... Fret not if you don't have one... just buy or borrow one (just don't steal, okay?)!

As I have a Blackberry phone on a DiGi line, I was afraid that I could not download the app, but I'll just divulge the secret how I did it. Curious already? Read on....

Well, instead of downloading the app on my Blackberry, I did it on my Android tablet! (Hahaha.... it's tragic I know) 

But I still managed to download the app after tapping on the download button on the webpage, which then prompts me to enter my phone number since it couldn't detect my phone number. Next, a message was sent to my phone, and from there I entered the code in the message to the webpage on my tablet.

And, tadaa!! The app was successfully downloaded into my tablet! I registered my account with my email and I was good to go. Started watching 'My Princess' starring Song Seung Hun and Kim Tae Hee already. Hehehe...

Another heads up on this app, it is free for all DiGi subscribers but the promotion is only from 1st July 2013 till 30th June 2014 (so milk it as much as you can!).

Lastly, here's the all important link to get the free Viki app! Enjoy your K-dramas!

The author is ecstatic to get free access to Viki from DiGi since she loves watching K-dramas. Well, DiGi is 'always the smarter choice', ain't it?

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Shopaholic Me: Nothing Feels Better Than Getting A Good Bargain

Mid Valley Megamall: Great location for KL & PJ folks

Ever the shopaholic, I took the chance to go on a shopping spree at Mid Valley during Malaysia Day. Not too bad it seems although I thought the mall would be too crowded on a public holiday, maybe most have opted to go on a holiday outstation.

First off, since I'm a stickler for all things discounted and at a bargain price, I made a stop at Uniqlo. They do sometimes have great in-store offers on public holidays, so it's best you check them out during that time. I usually stop by their stores twice a month or so, most of the times they have a good rotation of the goods on offer.

Uniqlo's Heattech series

 Looks like they didn't have much on offer that interest me since I'm just shopping around for their Heattech series for my trip to South Korea. I managed to buy a camisole and socks from this series at RM39.90 each, not so satisfying but I saw the fur-lined jacket which I bought sometime ago selling at RM129.90 today. Bought it at RM79.90 back then (RM50 worth of savings!), so it consoled me a quite bit!

Then I went over to Factory Outlet Store (F.O.S.) which is another great store for bargain hunters. Not only do they stock affordable clothes of great quality, look around and sometimes you'll find some great treasures! Branded clothes at discounted prices! Now who wouldn't want that?

H&M leggings, got mine in blue instead of white

Today I went over to look at their leggings, and guess what? Forever 21 and H&M leggings at RM45 for 3 pieces! Ka-ching!! It's a bit frustrating sometimes when you can't find your size after going through piles of clothes, so when I finally found 2 of my size, one black Forever 21 and a blue patterned H&M legging, I was super satisfied. It's RM20 for a piece, but RM32 for 2 pieces. Still a great bargain nevertheless!

I went to pay and saw Levi's jeans priced at RM100 for 2 pieces!! Next time I'll be back, if there's still stock that is. Hehehe.... 

Anyway, I went to pay and upon giving my membership card (that's my IC by the way), my total was only RM22.40 instead of RM32. Say what? Apparently members get a 30% discount of all items just for today (I knew there was something calling me to shop today!).

Next on, I had dinner with my family at The Garden's food court, Food Garden, which is just next to Borders and Sushi Zanmai. The queues at Sushi Zanmai can get scarily long sometimes, similarly is Hokkaido Ichiba, just a stone's throw away on the same floor.

Dolsot Bibimbap in Food Garden. Pic credit: Cleffairy.com

Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't go to Food Garden just because I'm on a bargain hunting spree. I'm actually here for one of the best Dolsot Bibimbap I've had so far. I'm probably biased since I know the generous Korean ahjumma and ahjussi who operated the stall (she has since handed it over to foreign workers who have retained her recipe well). They once gave me a huge extra plate of kimchi when I ordered 2 sets of bibimbap, which comes with an equally awesome bubbling hot kimchi jjigae!

After that huge meal which costs me RM20 per set, I needed to burn the calories away. What else besides more shopping? I went over to Aeon and bought some sushi on 20% discount for my brothers, then headed to the last stop for the day, Cotton On!

Cotton On is probably overpriced at times, but like Uniqlo, you'll just have to give them some time to rotate their items which goes on sale. Today I went in with a mission to buy just shoes. Good ol' Rubi shoes. I bought 2 pairs for SGD30 back in November last year, and now I'm back for more!

Rubi flats for me! (cue Wonder Girls' 'Nu Shoes' song)

They have 2 variants, but I find the fabric ones tend to be more comfortable and less stiff. I picked 2 peep-toe sandals for RM60 (cheaper than in Singapore) and went off with that. I personally feel that among all the Cotton On shops which I visit often (Sungei Wang, Pavillion, Mid Valley), the one with the most items on sale is the Sungei Wang outlet. Check out their huge selection of sale stock if you're around the vicinity!

I hope I'll be able to hold in my buying impulse as my trip to South Korea is nearing closer. I'm really looking forward to bargain-hunting in Seoul and Busan, as well as cafe-hopping! Do look out for my posts in November!

The author is ecstatic to be able to visit South Korea, home to K-pop and the shopping mecca for all things cute!

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