Korea

Timeless summer days in Seoul

In Korea, going to the city means heading North. Following the vast Han River, we drive along the highway up to Seoul. In the city, numbered buildings crowd together to form villages. I don’t even mind the heat because the winding alleyways are lined with leafy trees and airy coffee-shops. Summer days are filled with long talks with new friends that I feel like I’ve known for much longer, and never too many bowls of bingsoo.

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Macaron dessert from Passion 5, in Itaewon.

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A classic bowl of pat-bingsoo.

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Soo Kyung unnie took me a peaceful temple, just a quick taxi ride from the heart of the city.

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Ripe persimmon bingsoo at Coco Bruni.

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Lovely Nulie unnie!

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Cafe General Doctor in Hongdae is an certified clinic and cafe, and also home to some sleepy cats. My friend Sooji and I met up to enjoy a huge bowl of bingsoo–milky ice flakes dusted with misutgaru–and a slice of fluffy cheesecake.

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In Hongdae yet again, I met up with the lovely Jacqui of Something for Sunday. Fell + Cole is a San Francisco-inspired specialty ice cream shop. I had a scoop of Youth Potion No. 6 and Jacqui had a scoop of tequila watermelon ice cream.

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Primo Bacio Baci, also in Hongdae, is famous for creamy pasta served in a bread bowl.

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And finally, my roommate Jinyoung and I went out for Kirin frozen beer!

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I’ve been in Korea for almost three months now. Next week is my birthday!

“It’s dark now and I am very tired. I love you, always. Time is nothing.”
― Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler’s Wife

14 Comments

  • Reply
    Matthew Pike
    August 22, 2013 at 4:07 am

    Frozen beer, now way. Like a yogurt top!

  • Reply
    SARA
    August 22, 2013 at 8:34 am

    great city you have there 🙂

  • Reply
    katie
    August 22, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    I visited Seoul just once for a weekend when I was in high school and we were living in Shanghai. We spent all our time shopping in Itaewon and I remember my mom bargaining over this really beautiful leather jacket. I didn’t remember anything else– your posts give me such a beautiful perspective on Korea and spark my curiosity!

  • Reply
    ninnikuneko
    August 22, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    your pictures are always so beautiful Sewon! cute cat tag :3 and the sweets look so exquisite… especially the ice flakes 🙂

  • Reply
    Krys
    August 22, 2013 at 6:47 pm

    I’ve really enjoyed seeing the snippets of what you’ve been up to this summer on your instagram, and of course on here as well (all the bing soo oh my god, perfect summer treat.) It feels like such a calming experience after finishing your degree and of course makes me more keen about getting over to Korea eventually. Hope you have a pleasant end to the week! xx

  • Reply
    Louise
    August 23, 2013 at 8:57 am

    Oh dear me. This looks like heaven, the bingsoo with the adzuki beans (??) atop looks so incredibly good. In fact, everything looks good. Such sweet, summery pictures. 3 months in Korea? How did you get there?

    Happy birthday in advance, I’m sure you’ll have great day!

  • Reply
    meds
    August 23, 2013 at 10:34 am

    love this update and pictures! tempting me to just read through all your korea-related roams and visit them when I finally fly over 🙂

  • Reply
    north creatures
    August 23, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    i love reading about your travels and taking a look to your photos, they’re so authentic.
    btw, what does bingsoo exactly have? because it looks great!

    x

  • Reply
    Fenne
    August 24, 2013 at 2:24 am

    Beautiful photo’s and it looks like an amazing place.
    Never heard of frozen beer 🙂

  • Reply
    Ceri
    August 24, 2013 at 9:06 am

    Incredible photos as always. Your pictures always tell the most amazing stories. And the ones of food have made me so hungry now. Haha.

  • Reply
    emilie
    August 24, 2013 at 9:07 am

    I say it over again and again… thank you so much for sharing these moments, and letting us discover Korea through your eyes. This is priceless

  • Reply
    Jacqui
    August 25, 2013 at 10:25 am

    If I wasn’t already here, I’d put Korea at the top of my list of places to go based on the way you capture it in photos. Just beautiful, and true. You’re creating a scrapbook that you’re going to adore flipping through in the years to come. So happy that we have had a chance to meet!

  • Reply
    Katrine Ü
    August 27, 2013 at 4:38 pm

    Seoul seems like a very exciting city! Thanks for sharing all these pictures and places with us, Seoul is far, far from here, so it’s so fun to see those kind of places through your blog 😀

  • Reply
    Rina
    August 28, 2013 at 1:44 am

    Sewon, you always have the tastiest looking food photos on your blog. And I get cravings to find such mouthwatering foods. Seoul looks so great, I’m sure you know the city very well, since you have visited there so many times. It would be so cool if you made a Seoul Guide! Like Ebony’s Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide.
    I’m sure you know the best little spots. Happy belated/early birthday!

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