Day 18: Gangnam Style

It’s our last day in Korea so we thought we would go out in style, Gangnam Style!

We didn’t bother getting up until 9am and decided to get brunch in Gangnam but only after checking in for our flight the next day. We took the subway from our hotel, beside Myeongdong to Gangnam; we had to change lines as Gangnam is on the other side of the Hangang river.

We arrived around 11am and exited at the Gangnam Style stage; apparently people gather here and do the dance but the stage was empty and we didn’t fancy going it alone!



The first stop was The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Company; it seems like Starbucks is a replica of it! We had a very large coffee and chicken sandwich whilst trying to decide what to do. Gangnam really is a high-end shopping district with expensive residential properties, lots of restaurants and businesses. We decided to visit the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then head back to Itaewon for a final few drinks followed by Myeongdong for some street food.

The tombs didn’t look too far away on the map so we decided to walk. It was starting to get really hot and humid and we had to walk up and down hills; no-one told us Gangnam was so hilly. It took almost 40 minute to get there and of course, tombs are obviously built on hills! The Joseon Dynasty, which lasted 519 years, embraced Confucianism. Respec and worship for ancestors were considered very important, and the tombs of successive kings and queens were looked after with great care. Here, King Seongjong (9th Ruler), Queen Jeonghyeon (the 9th Rulers third consort) and King Jungjong (11th Ruler) are entombed. Under King Seongjong, Joseon enjoyed peace and prosperity as great advances were made in politics, economy and culture. Queen Jeonghyeon was promoted from a concubine following the first queen dying prematurely without children and the second being deposed. King Jungjong was the second son of King Seongjong; he succeeded the throne following a coup to dethrone his elder half-brother.




We walked around the grounds, which were surrounded by modern skyscrapers, for about an hour before heading to the nearest subway to go back to Gangnam. There is an underground market at a number of different stations but the one at Gangnam is gigantic; its almost as big as Princes Street in Edinburgh! I did a bit of shopping before leaving to go to Itaewon. We arrived just before 5pm and just in time for happy hour; Iain also went into the bank where his card was eaten and we got that back too. We went back to JR`s as it was near to the bank and cheap and cheerful; I was a bit fed up of beer so went for vodka coke instead, along with a fried chicken sharer plate.

We stayed for a few hours before heading back to Myeongdong to do some more shopping and try some street food. First course, a BBQ corn on the cob. Second Course, a BBQ lobster tail with cheese and spicy sauce. Third course, pork belly yaki noodles. Iain also had egg bread which was a sweet bread with an egg in the middle and I had a huge tub of watermelon for dessert! 




















We were pretty much stuffed after that so headed back to the hotel to pack and figure out our plans for the next day!

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