Noryangjin Fish Market, Seoul

I think we got scammed here.

We paid 50,000 won for a king crab, 3 scallops, and a few sea shells for free.  The cooking charges including plain water for drinking, few salad leaves and kimchi, cost us 45,000 won. The steep price for the cooking alone made us question the fairness of the pricing here.

We also purchased a big plate full of ready-fried tempura prawns + baby crabs + squids, at 20,000 won.

We arrived at the market early, a little past 10 am on a Monday morning.  We had seafood for our brunch that day.  Luckily the weather was fine.  We took the train and we have to walk for about 500 meters to the market from the train station.

At the market, all the fresh seafood was sold on the ground level, while the second floor was meant for cooking and serving the seafood. We requested for steamed king crab and baked sea shells. The scallops and sea shells were delicious, so fresh with a hint of sea salt flavor. The king crab was impressive, but I think I prefer snow crab better.  I miss the Sankaku fish market, Otaru, Hokkaido.

Despite these the high cooking price, it was a great place to experience the local lifestyle.  Most of the staff here can speak Chinese, so not much of a language problem for me.  This is where you can really see how the locals enjoy their meal.  There's one table not far from us, 2 middle-aged men were drinking soju and eating fish sashimi, I think 1 of the man is drunk, his face was red and he talked and act like a Korean gangster in Kdrama.  That is an experience worth paying for :) 

Hongdae Street, Seoul

After our visit to Starfield Library, we took the train back to our hotel in Myeongdong to take a rest before exploring another district. Initially, we considered taking an Uber back to Myeongdong, but we could not one, likely due to the rain and heavy traffic. After waiting for nearly half an hour, we canceled our Uber and search for the nearest train station.

To our surprise, the train station was conveniently located just a short distance away from the Uber stand. We only needed to turn to the other side of the building, and there it was. That was our first experience riding the train in Seoul, and it was so easy to navigate with seamless connections.

At 5 pm, we took on another train journey from Myeongdong to Hongdae Street. The ride was quite long, and we had to make a transfer at one of the stations.

Hongdae Street offered a fantastic outdoor shopping experience. Unfortunately, the rain restrict our movement, we could only browse the shops briefly. Nevertheless, I managed to purchase one top and 3 skirts in Hongdae district.

Waiting for train at Myeongdong station.

Walking in the rain at Hongdae Street while eating a hot baked potato.

Our vlog, walking in the rain at Hongdae Street, Seoul.

Starfield Library, COEX Mall, Seoul

Next, we hailed an Uber from Gwangjang Market and headed to the Starfield Library, nestled within COEX Mall in Gangnam-gu. This impressive two-story library with 13-meter bookshelves and at least 3 cafes on the 2nd floor. is a sight to behold. 

We reached there around 12:15pm, and we found the place bustling with activity. Many visitors, like us, were eager to snap photos, but I was surprised to see numerous individuals engrossed in reading and studying. I was so surprised, I thought this library is mainly for a photo op but the Korean ready did reads, studied and utilised this library to the max. It changes my perception of libraries as strictly quiet places. At Starfield Library, people were free to indulge in their preferences—whether taking photos, sipping coffee, having cakes, or engaging in actual reading. I would have loved to study here with friends or partners if I were still a student. 

I am fascinated by this library. We ended up spending approximately three hours at the library. Queuing up for the coffee takes time too. The cafes were thriving, especially on rainy like that day. Who could resist a cup of coffee while reading or, in our case, people-watching? Emmett found 1 book that he is interested in - The Art of War - but it was in the Korean language.  Most of the books are in Korean. 

Starfield Library is a must when you visit Seoul, not when you have to rush thou.

Our snack, while people watching.

Our vlog journey to Starfield Library, our Uber ride from Gwangjang until our train rides back to Myeongdong.