#Namsan Mountain

[disasterbunn]

[lifeoffinguin]

Es hat geschneit ⛄️

[bratzkoo]

Merging Arrangments | wonwoo pt. 1

Author: bratzkoo Pairing: chaebol heir! wonwoo x chaebol heiress!/ nurse! reader Genre: angst, fluff, eventual smut Rating: PG-15 to NC-17 Word count: 4k~ Warnings/note: for my Anna, my beautiful nurse. Happy birthday!

Everything marked with [M] have mature scenes and should not be read by minors.

summary: Jeon Wonwoo's been smitten with you for years, as the two of you enter an arranged marriage, he hopes you'll feel the same.

Arrange marriage! au

taglist (hit me up if you wanna be added): @escoupseu , @yanabaaaaaaarysheva , @spnyin , @sousydive , @gyuguys , @gyubakeries , @tokitosun , @gaslysainz , @armycarat2612

requests are open, but you can just say hi! | masterlist

The Grand Hyatt Seoul stood majestically against the backdrop of Namsan Mountain, its glass facade reflecting the late afternoon sun. Today, the luxurious hotel buzzed with an energy beyond its usual five-star opulence. It was playing host to the wedding of the year—the union of Jeon Group and Kit Medical Group through their heirs, Jeon Wonwoo and Y/N Kit.

In the grand ballroom, staff members scurried about like well-dressed ants, making last-minute adjustments to flower arrangements and place settings. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over tables draped in silk, each centerpiece a small fortune of exotic blooms. The air hummed with anticipation and barely concealed gossip.

"I heard it was arranged just two months ago," a waiter whispered to his colleague as they adjusted the champagne flutes at the head table.

The other waiter nodded knowingly. "Chaebol marriages," he replied with a hint of cynicism. "Always about business, never about love."

"Shh!" hissed a nearby supervisor. "Less talking, more working. The guests will be arriving soon."

Outside, a fleet of black luxury cars began to arrive, disgorging a who's who of Korean high society. Cameras flashed as celebrities, business tycoons, and politicians made their way into the hotel, their designer outfits and dazzling jewelry a clear display of wealth and status.

---

In a luxurious suite upstairs, Y/N Kit sat before a gilded mirror, her reflection a picture of bridal perfection—and internal turmoil. Her raven hair was swept up in an intricate updo, adorned with tiny diamond-encrusted pins that caught the light with every slight movement. The wedding dress, a custom Vera Wang creation, hugged her figure before flowing out in a cascade of delicate lace and silk. Yet, her eyes, usually bright and determined, now held a hint of uncertainty, a stark contrast to the flawless makeup that adorned her face.

"Miss Y/N, you look absolutely stunning," her makeup artist gushed, stepping back to admire her work. "Like a princess from a fairy tale."

Y/N managed a weak smile, the effort evident. "Thank you," she murmured, her gaze fixed on her reflection, as if trying to recognize the woman staring back at her.

As the artist packed up her supplies, Y/N's mind drifted to two months ago, the day that had set this all in motion...

Y/N had just finished a grueling shift at the hospital, her scrubs rumpled and her hair in a messy ponytail. She'd been looking forward to a quiet evening at home, maybe catching up on some medical journals. Instead, she found her parents waiting in the living room, their faces a mix of excitement and stern determination."An arranged marriage?" Y/N had exclaimed, staring at her parents in disbelief. The words felt foreign on her tongue, like something out of a historical drama rather than her real life. "But I barely know Jeon Wonwoo!"

Her father's eyes had been steely, unyielding. "This union will secure the future of both our companies. It's your duty, Y/N. The merger with Jeon Group will allow us to expand our medical services, to help more people."

"But my nursing career—" Y/N had started, her voice trailing off as she saw the dismissive look in her mother's eyes.

"You can do charity work as a chaebol wife," her mother had interjected smoothly, reaching out to pat Y/N's hand. "It's time you left this nurse phase behind. Think of all the good you can do with the resources of both families at your disposal."

Y/N had felt the walls closing in, her carefully laid plans crumbling around her. "Don't I get a say in this?" she had asked, hating how small her voice sounded.

Her father's expression had softened slightly. "Sometimes, Y/N, we must put aside our personal desires for the greater good. This is one of those times."

A knock at the door jolted Y/N back to the present. She blinked rapidly, banishing the memory and the tears that threatened to form. The door opened to reveal her parents, her father resplendent in a bespoke tuxedo, her mother glittering with diamonds that probably cost more than most people's houses.

"Oh, darling," her mother cooed, gliding into the room with practiced grace. "You look perfect. Like a true Kit heiress."

Her father nodded approvingly, his eyes sweeping over Y/N with a businessman's attention to detail. "Remember, Y/N," he said, his voice gentle but firm, "smile for the cameras. This wedding is about more than just you and Wonwoo. It's about the future of both our families, and the thousands of people who rely on our companies."

Y/N felt her chest tighten at his words, the weight of expectation settling on her shoulders like a heavy cloak. She managed a nod, not trusting her voice to remain steady if she spoke.

As her parents left, murmuring about greeting guests, Y/N allowed herself a moment of vulnerability. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself. The quiet was short-lived, however, as the door burst open again, admitting her best friends, Alexys and Ela.

"Wow, unnie!" Ela exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration. "You look like a princess from a manhwa!"

Alexys whistled low, circling Y/N with an exaggerated appraising look. "A very expensive princess. I think your veil costs more than my apartment. Actually, probably more than my entire apartment building."

Despite herself, Y/N felt a laugh bubble up. "Alexys, behave!" she admonished, but there was no heat in her words.

"What?" Alexys grinned, striking a pose that was likely meant to be model-esque but came off more comical. "I'm just saying, if you need someone to carry that train, I volunteer as tribute. I could use a workout, and that dress looks heavy enough to count as weightlifting."

As they laughed, Y/N felt some of her tension ease. These were her people, the ones who knew her as just Y/N, not the Kit heiress or the future Mrs. Jeon. But as quickly as it had come, the moment of levity passed, and doubt crept back in, darkening her expression.

"I don't know if I can do this," Y/N confessed quietly, sinking onto a nearby chaise lounge. "It's all happening so fast. Two months ago, I was focused on my nursing career, on making a difference. And now..."

Ela sat beside her, squeezing her hand supportively. "You're the strongest person I know, Y/N. You'll get through this, and you'll find a way to make a difference, no matter what."

Alexys nodded, her face uncharacteristically serious as she knelt in front of Y/N. "And we'll be right here with you, every step of the way. Although," she added, a mischievous glint returning to her eye, "if you want to make a run for it, I've got a getaway car and a foolproof plan involving two wigs, a llama, and a hot air balloon."

Despite herself, Y/N giggled, the absurd image lightening her mood. "I think I'll pass on the llama plan. But thank you, both of you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably be a lot more stressed and a lot less entertained," Alexys quipped, standing up and smoothing out her bridesmaid dress. "Now, let's get you married, shall we? I've got a bet going with one of the groomsmen on whether I can catch the bouquet while doing a backflip."

As they prepared to leave the room, Y/N took one last look in the mirror. The woman looking back at her was a bride, yes, but she was also still Y/N. With her friends by her side, maybe she could face whatever came next.

---

In another suite, Jeon Wonwoo adjusted his bowtie for the thousandth time, his normally steady hands betraying his nerves. The sleek lines of his custom-tailored tuxedo accentuated his tall, lean frame, but it was his eyes that drew attention—dark, intelligent, and currently filled with a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

"You'll wear it out if you keep fiddling," Mingyu, his best friend and best man, commented from where he lounged on a nearby chair. Despite his relaxed posture, Mingyu cut an impressive figure in his own tuxedo, his easy smile a stark contrast to Wonwoo's tense expression.

Wonwoo sighed, dropping his hands and turning to face his friend. "I just want everything to be perfect. This day... it means more than anyone realizes."

Mingyu's expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes. "You've been in love with her for years, haven't you? Y/N, I mean."

Wonwoo's silence was answer enough. His mind drifted to a charity gala five years ago, the first time he had truly seen Y/N Kit...

The ballroom had been crowded, full of Seoul's elite in expensive gowns and tuxedos. Wonwoo, then a university student being groomed to take over Jeon Group, had been making the rounds with his father, shaking hands and making small talk. That's when he had spotted her—Y/N Kit, still in high school, her eyes alight with passion as she spoke to a group of doctors.

"I want to be a nurse," she had been saying, her voice clear and determined. "Not just to follow in my family's footsteps, but to make a real difference. To be there for people when they're at their most vulnerable, to help them heal."

Wonwoo had found himself drawing closer, captivated by her enthusiasm, her compassion, her determination. In a room full of people discussing profit margins and market shares, she had been a breath of fresh air, talking about saving lives and making a difference.

That was the moment Wonwoo had fallen in love, though it had taken him some time to realize it.

"She doesn't know," Wonwoo said quietly, coming back to the present. "About my feelings, I mean. How could she? We've barely interacted outside of formal events."

Mingyu stood, clapping a hand on Wonwoo's shoulder. "Maybe this is your chance to show her, then. You're not just the Jeon heir, Wonwoo. You're a good man, with a lot to offer. Let her see that side of you."

A sharp knock interrupted them, causing both men to straighten instinctively. Wonwoo's parents entered, his father's eyes immediately zeroing in on Wonwoo's slightly askew bowtie.

"Fix that," he said brusquely, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The merger papers will be signed right after the ceremony. Everything must be perfect. The future of Jeon Group depends on this union."

Wonwoo nodded stiffly, adjusting his bowtie with practiced ease. "Yes, father. I understand the importance of today."

His mother, softer but no less focused on appearances, stepped forward to smooth an invisible wrinkle from his lapel. "You look handsome, Wonwoo-ya. Y/N Kit is a lucky girl."

As his parents left, likely to check on some other aspect of the wedding preparations, Mingyu let out a low whistle. "And I thought my parents were intense. Is it always like this?"

Wonwoo managed a weak smile, a hint of his usual dry humor showing through. "Welcome to the chaebol life, Mingyu-ya. All glamour and no pressure, right?"

Mingyu chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, if anyone can handle it, it's you. Just remember, behind all this..." he gestured vaguely at the opulent room and their formal attire, "you're still Wonwoo. The guy who stays up too late reading, who can't function without his morning coffee, and who once tried to adopt every stray cat in the neighborhood."

Wonwoo felt some of his tension ease at Mingyu's words. "Thanks, Mingyu. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably be a lot more stressed and a lot less handsome," Mingyu quipped, echoing Wonwoo's earlier smile. "Now, let's get you married, shall we? I've got a best man speech to deliver, and I promise only minimal embarrassment."

As they prepared to leave the room, Wonwoo took one last look in the mirror. The man looking back at him was the Jeon heir, yes, but he was also still Wonwoo. With his best friend by his side and hope in his heart, maybe he could make this arranged marriage into something real.

---

The wedding ceremony was a blur of camera flashes and murmured vows. The hotel's grand ballroom had been transformed into a floral wonderland, with thousands of white roses and lilies creating an enchanted atmosphere. Soft classical music played as guests took their seats, a mix of Korea's business elite, celebrities, and politicians all eager to witness the union of two powerful families.

A hush fell over the crowd as the wedding march began. All eyes turned to the back of the room, where Y/N appeared, a vision in white. She walked down the aisle with measured steps, her arm linked with her father's. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, her expression a carefully composed mask of bridal serenity.

In the front row, Alexys gave Y/N a subtle thumbs up, while Ela dabbed at her eyes with a delicate handkerchief. A few rows back, Choi Seung-cheol watched, his hands clenched tightly in his lap, his heart breaking with each step Y/N took towards another man.

At the altar, Wonwoo's breath caught as he saw Y/N. She was breathtakingly beautiful, the embodiment of grace and elegance. But it was the flash of vulnerability in her eyes, visible only for a moment as she took her place beside him, that made his heart ache. He wanted nothing more than to take her hand and tell her everything would be alright, that they could face this new chapter together.

The officiant began the ceremony, his words about love and commitment ringing with a hint of irony given the arranged nature of the marriage. As they exchanged rings, Y/N's hand trembled slightly. Wonwoo gave her fingers a gentle, reassuring squeeze. For a moment, their eyes met, and something passed between them—a flicker of understanding, perhaps even a spark of connection.

"I, Jeon Wonwoo, take you, Y/N Kit, to be my lawfully wedded wife," Wonwoo said, his voice steady and clear, infused with a warmth that surprised even him.

"I, Y/N Kit, take you, Jeon Wonwoo, to be my lawfully wedded husband," Y/N replied, her voice softer but no less resolute.

Then the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, and the moment was gone, swept away in a tide of applause and camera flashes.

---

The reception was a whirlwind of congratulations, speeches, and thinly veiled business discussions. Y/N and Wonwoo moved through it all in a daze, playing their parts perfectly—the blushing bride and the proud groom, the perfect chaebol couple.

During their first dance, Wonwoo leaned in close, the scent of Y/N's perfume filling his senses. "Are you okay?" he murmured, genuine concern in his voice.

Y/N plastered on a smile for the cameras, her eyes scanning the room even as she replied. "I'm fine," she said, her voice barely audible over the swelling music. "This is what's expected of us, isn't it? To play our parts."

Before Wonwoo could respond, to tell her that it didn't have to be just an act, the dance ended and they were once again swept into the crowd of well-wishers and business associates.

As Y/N made her rounds, graciously accepting congratulations and deflecting questions about future heirs with practiced ease, she found herself face to face with Seung-cheol. For a moment, neither spoke, the air between them thick with unspoken words and missed opportunities.

"You look beautiful," Seung-cheol finally said, his voice rough with emotion. He looked dashing in his suit, a far cry from the casual attire she was used to seeing him in at the hospital.

"Seung-cheol, I—" Y/N began, not sure what she wanted to say but feeling the need to say something.

"Congratulations," he cut her off, unable to meet her eyes. "I hope you'll be very happy." The words sounded hollow, a social nicety that did nothing to bridge the chasm that had opened between them.

He walked away before Y/N could respond, leaving her staring after him, a mix of regret and longing on her face. For a moment, she allowed herself to imagine a different world, one where she had followed her heart instead of her duty. But the moment passed, reality reasserting itself in the form of another well-wisher approaching to offer congratulations.

From across the room, Wonwoo watched the interaction between Y/N and Seung-cheol, his heart sinking. The look on Y/N's face as she watched Seung-cheol walk away spoke volumes. Wonwoo turned away, trying to quell the surge of jealousy and disappointment, only to nearly collide with Alexys.

"Whoa there, Mr. Chaebol," she said, steadying herself with a hand on his arm. "No need to sweep me off my feet. Save that for your bride." Her eyes twinkled with mischief, a stark contrast to the formal atmosphere around them.

Wonwoo blinked, taken aback by her casual tone. In his world of rigid formality, Alexys was like a breath of fresh air. "I'm sorry, I—"

Alexys waved him off. "No worries. I'm Alexys, by the way. Y/N's friend and designated baby girl." She leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice. "Between you and me, I think this party could use a little livening up. What do you say we spike the punch? I've got a flask of soju in my purse."

Despite himself, Wonwoo found a smile tugging at his lips. "I don't think that would be appropriate," he said, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Alexys sighed dramatically. "You're right, of course. Guess I'll have to settle for embarrassing Y/N with my dance moves instead. Fair warning: I've been practicing my 'Gangnam Style'. It's not pretty, but it's enthusiastic."

As she sashayed away, hips swaying exaggeratedly, Wonwoo felt some of his tension ease. If these were Y/N's friends, maybe there was hope for them yet. Maybe, just maybe, he could find a place in this vibrant, genuine world so different from the one he'd grown up in.

The rest of the reception passed in a blur of faces and formalities. Mingyu gave a heartfelt best man speech, carefully skirting around any mention of his own secret marriage while still managing to both embarrass and honor Wonwoo. 

"I've known Wonwoo since we were kids," Mingyu said, his voice carrying across the hushed ballroom. "And I can say without a doubt that he's the most loyal, caring, and intelligent person I know. Y/N," he turned to address the bride directly, "you're not just gaining a husband today. You're gaining a partner who will stand by you, support your dreams, and probably bore you with random historical facts."

A ripple of laughter went through the crowd, and Wonwoo felt a surge of gratitude for his friend. Beside him, he felt Y/N relax slightly, a small, genuine smile playing on her lips.

As the evening wore on, business associates cornered both sets of parents, eager to discuss the implications of this new alliance. Talks of mergers, stock prices, and market expansions filled the air, a constant reminder of the true nature of this union.

Ela and Mingyu exchanged secret glances across the room, their own hidden marriage a sharp contrast to the spectacle around them. At one point, they managed to steal a moment together near the dessert table.

"How are you holding up?" Ela asked, her voice low.

Mingyu sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's harder than I thought, watching my best friend go through this. Knowing what we have..." he trailed off, his eyes conveying what he couldn't say aloud.

Ela squeezed his hand briefly. "I know. But we have to trust that they'll find their way, just like we did."

Their moment was interrupted by Alexys, who appeared with a plate piled high with desserts. "Don't mind me," she said, noticing their startled expressions. "Just here for the cake. Carry on with your secret rendezvous."

Ela rolled her eyes fondly. "Very subtle, Alexys."

"Subtlety is overrated," Alexys replied around a mouthful of cake. "Unlike this dessert. Seriously, you two should try this before the chaebol vultures descend and devour everything."

Finally, as the evening wound down, Y/N and Wonwoo found themselves alone for a moment on a balcony overlooking the Seoul skyline. The city stretched out before them, a glittering tapestry of lights and possibilities.

"It's beautiful," Y/N murmured, gazing out at the city lights. For a moment, she allowed herself to drop the perfect bride facade, her shoulders sagging slightly with exhaustion.

Wonwoo looked at her, illuminated by the soft glow of the lanterns. The fatigue evident in the line of her shoulders, the wistfulness in her eyes as she looked out at the city – it all made her seem more real, more human than the porcelain doll she'd appeared as all day. "Yes, it is," he agreed softly, though his eyes never left her face.

Y/N turned to him, and for a moment, the masks slipped away entirely. They were just two people, thrust into an impossible situation, trying to make the best of it. The vulnerability in Y/N's eyes matched the uncertainty Wonwoo felt.

"Wonwoo, I—" Y/N began, her voice hesitant.

"Y/N, dear!" her mother's voice cut through the moment like a knife. "It's time to leave for your honeymoon. The car is waiting."

The spell broken, Y/N and Wonwoo shared a rueful look before making their way back inside. They said their goodbyes, accepted final congratulations, and made their way to the waiting car.

As they settled into the backseat of the luxury vehicle, a heavy silence fell between them. The partition between them and the driver offered a semblance of privacy, but neither seemed to know what to say now that they were truly alone.

From the steps of the hotel, Seung-cheol watched the car pull away, his heart heavy. He'd come to the wedding hoping for... what? A last-minute confession? A dramatic objection? Now, watching the taillights disappear into the Seoul traffic, he felt the finality of the situation settle over him like a weight.

Ela and Mingyu stood together, their hands brushing but not quite holding in deference to the watchful eyes around them. Their own secret weighed on them as they watched their friends drive off into an uncertain future.

Alexys stood with her arm around Ela, for once without a quip. "They'll be okay, right?" she asked, her usual bravado absent.

Ela leaned into her friend's embrace. "I hope so," she said softly. "I really hope so."

The parents watched with satisfaction, already planning their next moves. Mergers to finalize, press releases to craft, the future of their empires to secure.

As the car merged into the Seoul traffic, Y/N and Wonwoo sat side by side, not touching, each lost in their own thoughts. The future stretched out before them, uncertain and daunting. The weight of expectations, of duty, of their own conflicted feelings – it all seemed overwhelming in the quiet of the car.

But as the city lights blurred past the windows, something shifted. Almost imperceptibly, Y/N's hand moved closer to Wonwoo's on the leather seat between them. And after a moment's hesitation, he took it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

They didn't look at each other. They didn't speak. But in that small gesture lay the tiniest seed of hope for Wonwoo – a hope that maybe, just maybe, they could face this uncertain future together. That perhaps, in time, duty could become desire, and an arranged marriage could become something real.

As the car wound its way through the streets of Seoul, taking them towards their honeymoon and the beginning of their life together, that small point of contact between them seemed to hold all the possibility in the world.

[lurkingshan]

Woke up thinking about Ji Hyun telling Jae Won that he always dreamed of going on a date to Namsan Tower because that’s what all the couples in dramas do.

If you’re not familiar, Namsan Tower (N Seoul Tower) is on Nam Mountain in the center of Seoul and has gorgeous views of the whole city. The fence around the observation tower is a popular place for couples to place locks symbolizing their eternal love, very similar to Pont Neuf in Paris.

Namsan Tower and the “Love Lock Bridge” have been featured in many, many kdramas.

It’s a location used most heavily in romances - a place for confessions, for tragic missed opportunities, and for newly dating couples to solidify their commitment. Whenever you see Namsan Tower on your screen, you know something important is about to go down.

So now I’m just thinking about Ji Hyun as a lonely, isolated queer kid in the country watching all these dramas, dreaming of moving to Seoul one day, meeting a boy, and finally getting to do what all the het couples do.

And it says so much that he already confessed this desire to Jae Won. It’s sweet, a little naive, a lot romantic - Ji Hyun wants to dive right in and start living out his fantasies of being in love. And despite Jae Won carrying a lot of burdens right now, and the hesitation you can feel from him even as he continues to pursue this relationship, you can tell that some part of him wants to give that to Ji Hyun.

[atinytokki]

Mechanosis

Chapter 1: 구름 (cloud)

구름

cloud

The future looked different through a cracked glass pane. Only two people in the entirety of Gyeongseong Station knew there was a crack on the inside pane of the seven metre clock face that adorned the iconic tower, and Hongjoong was one of them.

He spent most nights alone with a view of the city far below, twinkling lights almost seeming magical through the blanket of haze that coated everything east of Incheon. And most nights, he knew better than to dream.

The past, too, had a strange new colour streaked across it, and the filter of glass clock face windows, like thin hanji mulberry paper, revealed things Hongjoong hadn��t seen five years ago. Things he couldn’t have known.

Accompanied by the constant whirring and clicking of gears, he watched rain trail down the glass with his single working eye, following a drop and tracing it with his finger until it slid off the clock face and out of view.

He had put his tinkering away an hour ago, but too many things were keeping him awake. The constant thoughts, plans, and anxiety. The rain. San’s coughing.

The pair of them worked sunrise to sunset in the Namsan metal factory every day, retreating for the night to their secret hideaway in the clock tower, and these late hours were the only moments he could steal for himself.

If Hongjoong turned to look out the eastern facing windows in the tower, he’d see the factory there; carved into the side of the mountain and constantly belching a steady stream of smoke into the surrounding forest.

It was good money— as good as pay could be these days— but it was also the culprit of San’s cough. Both of them knew it.

For now, it was mercifully raining. In a matter of weeks, it would be snowing. And when the snows came, their days would be difficult again. San always grew sicker when winter arrived.

Five years ago, Hongjoong would’ve looked forward to the snow, and the way it gathered on bare tree branches outside in his courtyard in perfect little snow walls that stood upright until he ran a mittened hand across their surface and knocked them down. Now, the snow should be a gift— freedom from the curse of ash that had befallen Hanseong— but all it did was signal the upcoming darkness and the increased chance of death.

He closed his eyes, the burned right one with more difficulty, and inhaled deeply before his thoughts could spiral, pulling his legs close to his chest. The bottom edges of each pant leg of his baji were fraying, so he picked at them mindlessly and waited for exhaustion to set in.

A mumble sounded from the direction of the sleeping mats, set in the middle of the uppermost terrace with the best view below to catch any intruder who should attempt to sneak up the stairs.

San’s sleep-talking no doubt.

“Come to bed.”

Hongjoong turned his head to the left to see him. So, the younger man was coherent after all.

He was sitting up with the blanket draped over him, hair ruffled from tossing and turning.

Hongjoong hesitated and it brought a childish pout to San’s face.

“Please? I want to snuggle.”

Watching him bat his eyelashes, Hongjoong would never have guessed San had spent nearly all of his nineteen years growing up on the streets, wondering where the next meal would come from and inventing creative ways to get by on his own.

Even around a complete stranger, his softness and innocence had always remained.

Hongjoong remembered the day he met him, on a rainy night at Mount Inwang when he opened his single eye to see the ceiling of a shrine room.

A shaman had appeared above him weeks before and softly explained that he was the sole survivor of the fire, that he had been brought to the temple in secret to hide from the new authorities, that his eye was bandaged but would likely not heal, and that he was free to go where he pleased or remain in Suseongdong Valley if he wished.

The news had been beyond devastating. His entire life had burned down around him and he had no desire to go on. He had lost everything.

The shaman’s kindness never wavered, even when he would not rise from his mat on the floor to thank her. Others came and went, their shadows moving across the floor, turning like the sun through each long and lonely day. Sometimes the surrounding sleeping mats filled with other patients, more and more growing sickly as the chill of winter moved through the mountain peaks.

“I’ve brought you supper,” a voice broke into his spiralling thoughts that evening at the moment when the smell of samgyetang reached him. “You have a neighbour for tonight, his name is San.” It was one of the monks informing Hongjoong, as if he would care, and though he didn’t turn his head to see, the noise of a boy being guided to the mat next to his went on for a few minutes after.

Some time went by in silence. How much time, Hongjoong didn’t know, but night had fallen at least an hour ago and after dozing, he was hungry, despite himself.

Turning his head all the way to the right so he could see through his left eye, he was met with the shocked face of his neighbour, cheeks full of Hongjoong’s food.

“O-Oh!” The boy choked out, hurriedly swallowing and placing the bowl back on the floor. “I didn’t realise you were awake. Your eye bandage…”

When Hongjoong didn’t reply, the boy— San— shamelessly picked up the food again before hesitating.

“You weren’t planning on eating this, right?”

Taken aback, Hongjoong blinked a few times before shaking his head in agreement. It didn’t matter if his stomach was grumbling now, he had lost his chance.

“It’s good!” The boy exclaimed through another bite as he spooned the last vegetables into his mouth, much louder than he should be considering the late hour and the other sleeping patients. “Even though it’s cold.”

With that, he flashed a dimpled smile, downed the last of the broth and set the bowl back on the floor before standing from his bed and heading for the exit.

“Wh—” Hoarse from disuse, Hongjoong’s voice didn’t reach the patient, so he sat up and called more loudly, head spinning from the sudden adjustment, and tried to recall the name, “San? San!”

The mountain, who he met in the valley.

Surprised, the boy turned, bright eyes landing on Hongjoong’s form, and cocked his head to the side like a cat. “That’s me. What is it?”

“You…” Hongjoong sighed and cleared his throat, and San moved closer to hear what he had to say. “You’re leaving already? Are you even sick or did just you come for the food?”

At this observation, San smirked and gave a half shrug before continuing on his way.

Hongjoong didn’t see him again until two days later.

Again, the boy was given the sleeping mat next to his, and again he waited until Hongjoong drifted to sleep to eat both his own meal and the food designated for Hongjoong as if it belonged to him.

“Come on, you should eat some of this,” San tutted at him, the sound of him clicking his tongue just barely audible over the wind that whipped through Suseongdong. It was the seventh night now that he had appeared and helped himself to the shamans’ cooking, occasionally starting conversations that rarely went anywhere, as if determined to heal Hongjoong with his words even while he took his food every evening. “Look at you, you’re wasting away. Why do you refuse to eat? Do you think it will bring back whatever it is you lost?”

Biting his lip anxiously, Hongjoong merely shook his head.

He was still in mourning. And he had no appetite.

A growling stomach gave him away and, frustrated, he couldn’t stop a tear from escaping.

San noticed and placed down the bowl, regarding him seriously with no trace of his usual teasing.

“Would you like a hug?”

Sighing through his nose and squeezing his eye shut, Hongjoong tried to say no, but San was too fast and it only took a moment for him to be encased in his arms, squeezed gently but reassuringly, and then released again so the other boy could finish his kimchi.

It felt… nice.

And it was the sign he needed that life would go on, whether he wanted it to at the moment or not.

The season continued on, with snows blowing in from the west, and the mysterious boy continued his occasional visits.

Hongjoong always let him eat the second bowl or dip into to his banchan, because he knew San’s hunger must be severe for him to take food from another. He needed it more than Hongjoong did, when he could survive off of luncheon and this single meal was likely the only one of the day— or week— for San.

And, as expected, San always cleaned the plate.

The day he didn’t, Hongjoong knew something was wrong.

“You’re sick this time, aren’t you?” He whispered.

He didn’t lay on his back anymore, facing the patterned ceiling and letting tears wind down the sides of his cheeks. Instead, he faced San’s bed, watching him closely with his left eye.

San frowned from where he sat by Hongjoong’s mat, cross-legged.

“I do get sick, but this—”

Interrupted by his own cough, the harsh fit went on for a moment before he nodded, fully laying on his mat this time, turned in Hongjoong’s direction.

“This is worse than usual. I think it’s that factory they’re building next to my hideout.”

“Wh-What?” Hongjoong was surprised to hear those words. A factory so close to the city was strange, when most large mills were located in the countryside.

Unless…

“It’s this new steam-powered factory,” San explained slowly in his rasp, as if it was obvious and Hongjoong should’ve known despite not leaving the shrine in weeks. “They’re popping up all over Hanseong, burning ore to heat water and run the steam through this… machinery. That’s what they call it.”

Hongjoong’s head was reeling. It was as if the world had changed overnight. In a matter of weeks, things he had only seen on paper by candlelight existed. And they were multiplying.

“How?”

“A Mr. Shin is responsible, Minister of Technological Advancement he calls himself,” San sniffed in derision, not appearing to like the man, or at least what he knew of him. “The very night he was appointed, he had the plans set in motion, workers conscripted, and new authorities established. It’s all his design.”

“No, it isn’t.”

The words escaped Hongjoong so quickly, even he was surprised.

But it was true.

He had been there when the concept of steam-powered machinery was dreamt up in a crowded kitchen while the smoke trailed up to the sky on a starry summer’s night years ago. He knew whose design it was first scribbled on corners of worn parchment, ink staining the clothes and hands of the one who made it.

San was staring at him like he’d grown a second head, and patiently waiting for the right moment to ask a question he must have been meaning to ask for a long time.

“What’s your name?”

“Huh?”

“Your name,” San whispered urgently. “What is it? Who are you?”

He seemed sincere, and the cavernous pit of loneliness inside made Hongjoong yearn for companionship, but his name was all he had left now.

Could he really give it up so easily?

“I—” Hongjoong’s mouth ran dry. He simply needed to know San’s intentions first.

“I’ve decided I like you,” San supplied soon enough. “You’re kindhearted, and I want to keep you.”

Hongjoong furrowed his brows. “But I haven’t done anything.”

“Exactly,” San smiled sweetly but with some sadness under those innocent dimples. “You let me take without question. Most others would’ve accused me of stealing.”

So San had interpreted his indifference as kindness.

“You don’t want me,” Hongjoong shook his head, trying his best to sound sure of himself. “I have nothing else to give you.”

He knew he was about to give up the last thing he did have, he could feel himself losing the inner battle.

“I just want your name for now,” San assured him softly. “And then let me give you something for a change.”

He said it was just a name, but the truth was that it was so much more. What he had experienced and what San was experiencing were both tied up in that identity and to give it away would not help San. In fact, it may condemn him.

Eyes watering embarrassingly, the half-blinded boy squirmed in place before giving up.

“I’m Kim Hongjoong. I’m fifteen years old. I’m here because the Ministry of Technological Advancement set a fire two months ago that killed my parents and burned my eye. I know it was them because it was my family who created those designs— the ones for the machines— and now that the Ministry murdered the creators and stole the research, they perverted it. In a way, due to my inability to stop them, I am the one responsible for your sickness, San.” He paused to let the truth sink in.

Hongjoong could scarcely believe it himself, but this was the new world he’d woken up to.

“Are you sure you still want me?”

___

San had not hesitated even a moment, and from that day on, the two were brothers.

A tower was under construction at Gyeongseong Station, and quickly adorned with a massive clock face, run on the interlocking mechanism conceptualised by Hongjoong’s own mother and based on the tiny test models Hongjoong’s father had constructed himself.

It was San’s hiding place when he didn’t trek up the mountain to receive medicine at the shrine. He had always been a poor orphan for as long as he could remember, but the cost of living was unbearable now, and so he taught himself how to escape the notice of the station guards, and then taught Hongjoong in turn.

They lived there together now, five years later, and worked at the nearby factory begrudgingly, knowing there were very few options to get by, no matter how much former education Hongjoong had. Machinery was the way of the world now, and if they didn’t offer themselves up to be cogs in the machine, they’d end up playing that role one way or another.

Hongjoong had his habits, San admitted, such as getting in trouble at the factory for working too slowly and staying up late at night to tinker with the strange metal pieces he sourced from who knows where, but he was already dear to San. San’s heart had made the decision for him.

And he was never more sure of his decision than during times like these, when he lay coughing until blood came up in crimson specks on his handkerchief, and the pain in his chest kept him from sleeping.

Hongjoong acquiesced to San’s pleas for cuddles, and pulled the younger boy close with the hopes of lulling him to sleep. Instead, both lay awake for a while longer, unable to escape from the crossroads they knew they were approaching the sicker San became.

“The factory hurts you,” Hongjoong sighed into San’s hair.

San didn’t answer. Tears pricked at his eyes, watering from the force of his cough and partially from the frustration.

“I don’t want you to work there anymore,” Hongjoong told him softly. He’d said as much many times before, but both of them knew there was no turning away from the factory. Not in these times.

Again, San remained silent, shaking his head resolutely but remaining securely tucked in between Hongjoong’s arms.

“Please, San,” Hongjoong whined. San had never heard him beg like this before. “You’re scaring me.”

“Hyung, you—” a coughing fit interrupted him, and the force of his cough jolted them both. Hongjoong clung on anyway. “You know I can’t quit. It’s good money.”

“But you can find somewhere better to work,” Hongjoong insisted immediately, voice dripping with desperation. No matter how many times he thought it through, the situation was unbearable. “And if the money’s so good, I can pick up extra shifts instead since I won’t be busy nursing you back to health every winter.”

But it ended the way it always did. Ultimately, San persevered as he always had.

“No.” It came out harsher than he intended it to. “I’m going and there’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.”

Hongjoong went quiet for just long enough that San could tell he was angry.

“I’m sorry,” He whispered, rubbing Hongjoong’s arm appreciatively. “Please, hyung, I really am. I love you.”

“Don’t say that.”

Hongjoong’s voice was softly admonishing.

A pout found San’s face again. “Why not?”

He used the words all the time, relishing in the opportunity to direct them at someone after all those years alone.

The silence stretched on between them and San tilted his head up to see tears in his hyung’s eye.

“You love too easily,” he finally answered, so quietly that San almost missed it.

He bristled at the accusation, regardless of how gently it had been delivered.

“But I mean it, Hongjoong,” San insisted, shifting to encourage the older boy to look at him. He spoke with as much conviction as he could despite the stabs of pain in his throat with every word he said. “I love you and I’m not leaving you. So you can’t leave me either.”

Hongjoong didn’t respond, but San knew he had heard him from the way he squeezed his eye shut. The right one was still covered in bandages. Whether he ever took them off to inspect the burned eye or not, San didn’t know.

San had seen from the beginning that Hongjoong didn’t think himself worthy of a second chance at family.

But family was the one thing San never had yet truly wanted. He needed to do everything in his power to secure a family for himself, one he truly loved regardless of their flaws.

“Did someone leave you behind?” He found himself conjecturing aloud. “Is that why…”

San’s words trailed off but his question hung in the air.

Hongjoong knew what he meant to ask.

Is that why you’re like this?

Another silence settled over them, not uncomfortable this time. San had tried and failed to wheedle the details out many times, but he understood the defences Hongjoong kept around his story.

He had the same walls around his own, no matter how talkative he could be about other things.

Finally, Hongjoong opened his mouth, closed it again, and then acquiesced and released a small key to the past.

“I had a brother.”

San stared at him for a moment, directly into his eye, before asking for clarification.

“Had?”

“He got out before the fire.”

San could feel Hongjoong’s shrug as it shifted their position on the floor mat. “I think my parents knew what was coming— there were whispers. They gave him the key to some of their designs and got him out of the country. I never saw him again. And it was all for naught, because the Ministry of Technological Advancement got hold of the plans anyway.”

Stunned, San worked through the information inside his own head for a moment.

“You think he’s alive?”

“I don’t know,” Hongjoong whispered. “I hope so… but he’s never returned for me. Perhaps he thinks I died in the fire, too.”

Suddenly it all made sense to San and he needed to gulp back tears at the memory it sparked inside him. He understood the fear of abandonment. He knew abandonment all too well.

“Leaving me before I leave you won’t make things any better,” San reminded him fiercely. They both knew that whether he said so or not, Hongjoong had grown attached.

That was what San was counting on.

“And besides, I’m not leaving you anyway.”

___

The wind that rustled bamboo leaves was colder than it had been last week.

Seonghwa could see the stalks swaying in the breeze from his table, and hurried to close the window and warm himself with some soybean jochi stew.

Most days, he got what he came to Ahopsan forest for; peace, quiet, and stillness.

But today the wind blew his wooden shutters open again and again, until he fetched his dopo and went outside to reinforce the latch.

The shadows on the surrounding forest floor came and went with the flickering light as it filtered through the canopy. Two layers of clouds blew quickly overhead, large puffy cumulus clouds with dark grey undersides, indicating a growing storm, and the wispy remnants of smog from Busan’s factories encroaching on his territory.

Its shape was always changing, morphing with every twist and turn as it was pushed onwards, pushed like the rest of Joseon when progress drove people away from their lives.

People like Seonghwa.

He had run as far as he was able, and still the smoke of the city chased him and interrupted his peace.

It wouldn’t be long before he needed to flee yet again.

Washing the dishes with a close watch on the sky, Seonghwa almost didn’t notice the footsteps leading up to his door.

Jolted from his reverie, he instinctively grabbed the crossbow by the entryway before bracing himself against the door, peeking through a gap in the paper cover to see who was calling in such a remote place at an hour like this.

“Hyung, it’s me,” Yeosang’s voice resonated deeply but with a light tone to it, and Seonghwa released his weapon and opened the door, shoulders still tense.

The two need not exchange words, and together they ventured into the main room and settled on the floor. Seonghwa poured his guest some tea and merely stared at his own, too anxious about the report he was waiting for to actually drink any.

“Will he get us out?”

Finally he couldn’t keep his anticipation inside anymore.

Yeosang snorted into his tea before composing himself and lowering the cup. “Seonghwa, I haven’t even spoken to him yet.”

“Right, right,” Seonghwa trailed off, wiping sweaty hands on his baji. “But you observed him these past few days?”

Yeosang rooted around in his bag for a moment before procuring a paper. “I drew this sketch when he visited the apothecary shop earlier in the week.”

Seonghwa took it promptly with both hands and gave the drawing a careful once over.

Jeong Yunho.

His cheekbones and nose were wide and striking, his mouth naturally rested in a smile, and his eyes were kind even if his face seemed tense. The clothes Yeosang had drawn him in were undoubtedly that of the yangban.

He was the son of Joseon’s foremost steam engine railway entrepreneur, and just so happened to do detective work.

Ever since he and Seonghwa had left their posts with the government, it was Yeosang’s job while he worked undercover in Hanseong to connect powerful people like Yunho to causes that weren’t exactly supported by the Ministry of Technological Advancement.

Seonghwa’s escape from Joseon was one of them.

The Jeong family were known supporters of the Ministry’s new order, but Yeosang was confident this Yunho would willingly help them if approached anyway.

“And there’s something else important,” Yeosang pulled his attention away from the illustration and related his latest report. “He came in again yesterday and brought another man with him. I recognised him from the festivals I’ve been tailing Yunho at. He’s one of the Jeong family servants— or, he was. He walks with Yunho-ssi now… as an equal.”

Seonghwa sat back slowly, deep in thought.

This was unprecedented.

That a rich nobleman would allow his servant the dress and status of a fellow noble wasn’t only unheard of, it was laughable. It was fantasy.

But if this Yunho diverged so sharply from his family’s views on servitude, there was a high chance he diverged from their views on the Ministry as well.

And that was the kind of person Seonghwa needed.

“How soon can you approach him?”

Yeosang went for another sip of tea while he thought things through.

“It wouldn’t be wise to arrange a meeting. He’s watched very closely by his father and the Ministry. Those moments in the apothecary shop are the only ones I have.”

“You must speak with him, Yeosang. If the smog has reached the forest, the machines won’t be far behind. We have to get out before they hunt us down.”

He knew he sounded desperate, but Seonghwa couldn’t help himself. If he relaxed, even for a moment, he could find himself trapped under the Ministry’s again, run over by the very steam-powered train engines he had planned and met with manufacturers for.

Biting his lip and avoiding Seonghwa’s eyes, Yeosang carefully voiced his reservations.

“Hyung, I don’t know.”

Seonghwa couldn’t help but frown. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

This was a matter of life and death, after all.

“I don’t think I should come with you,” Yeosang sighed, tension in his forehead and worry in his eyes. “There’s still work to be done here, others to help escape.”

The regret in his voice tugged at Seonghwa’s heartstrings.

He wasn’t attached, he told himself. No, he wasn’t bound to Yeosang despite fleeing the Ministry together and he wasn’t lonely in his tiny cabin while he waited for a boat ride away from this country.

But no matter how much he repeated it to himself, he knew in his heart that he couldn’t leave if Yeosang was staying.

“Oh.”

Suddenly his mouth was dry.

“Well, what do you think you’ll do here?”

An easy smile grew on Yeosang’s face, and Seonghwa found himself releasing his breath at the sight of it.

“I already see what’s happening throughout Hanseong from the apothecary shop,” he pointed out, chattering away like he only did when it was a subject he cared about immensely. “And it would be an excellent outpost to hide and then transport others who may be hunted by the new authorities for labor violations or association with the underground.”

“You’re saying… you want to become part of the underground yourself?” Seonghwa followed the logic to its natural conclusion.

Ever since the Ministry of Technological Advancement had absorbed the other main offices at the palace and instituted strict rules and insufferable working conditions, an underground network of rebellious citizens had quietly begun to form.

Seonghwa had heard whispers of them once or twice, but as far as he knew had never been involved with them.

They were a shadowy group with eyes everywhere, so it was difficult to know whether he’d encountered their members or not.

“Well,” Yeosang scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I don’t intend to join a revolution, but times are hard. So many people are barred from escaping. If I can make a difference in saving lives and making one less machine operate, I’ll gladly do so.”

Seonghwa found his eyes to be welling up and glanced away.

It wasn’t that he was sad to be sent away alone. It wasn’t even that he might be separating from a colleague he’d known since their university days. It was his pride in Yeosang, that he’d found a perfect way to serve a cause that was important to him, honestly to them both.

“Are you alright, hyung?” Yeosang sounded surprised, so Seonghwa wiped his eyes quickly and shot him a reassuring smile.

“Just happy for you,” the older admitted, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “You should consider joining me one day when it’s your turn to escape the Ministry. Any suspicious activity will put a sure target on your back, and you don’t want to end up in a factory.”

Seonghwa didn’t mean it lightly.

For years he had studied obliviously, thrilled to be a part of the technology team helping to bring Joseon to the future with better, more efficient steam-powered devices.

Until one day when he had witnessed the horror of the factories himself, had seen what his creations, untethered, could do to people.

Seonghwa bit back the memory and tasted blood on his tongue.

During his reminiscing, his colleague had packed his things and fetched his shoes.

“Yeosang, won’t you stay?” Seonghwa got to his feet suddenly, chiding himself mentally for being a bad host. “A storm is rolling in, I can bring your sleeping mats out—”

But the younger man simply shook his head with a smile and stepped outside, breathing in the slightly citrusy aroma of bamboo in late fall. It was as fresh as it had been the day he found this little hideaway and ushered Seonghwa into it.

“I hope one of these days you consider putting your skills to use,” Yeosang teased on the way out, his tone light but his words serious. “The people could use a Mechanist.”

___

A/N: Welcome to Mechanosis!! It was born from a prompt in 2022's platonic fic fest on ao3 and I'm planning on expanding and finishing it, so if you like the late Joseon period/steampunk pirate vibes or are intrigued by the story thus far, please do stick around and let me know what you think :) I may be slow to update considering my many other works and crazy schedule but hearing from readers always helps with motivation so don't forget to leave some in the comments/reblogs! 

Summary | Masterlist | Next →

[korealog]

(1) Like a Daydream (ENG/DE) — Friday, 26.07.24

(ENG)

Wow, if you haven't written a blog entry for a few days, you immediately realise how much you have to keep up to date in order to write everything as well as possible. So let's move on to my Friday. I had arranged to meet a friend in Itaewon (a district of Seoul) at 2.30 pm. To avoid wasting my time until then, I had decided to explore the N-Seoul Tower (or Namsan Tower). It was actually more tiring than I thought, but I really wanted to walk & not take the cable car. Just before I reached the top, it started pouring with rain. But that didn't deter me from my plan. On the contrary, the rain was a great way to cool off during my walk to the top. I then treated myself to an iced coffee and enjoyed the marvellous view. As quickly as the rain had come, it was gone again & I was able to continue my tour. Up here on the Namsan (that's the name of the mountain) you can find countless love locks or locks from people all around the world. I also hung my lock up here. Afterwards, I strolled along the platforms for quite a while. The view was breathtakingly beautiful & I fell a little more in love with this country. After enjoying the view, it was already time to make my way back to Itaewon. Even the way down was enough of a sight. Flowers, bushes and trees everywhere, providing shade in the heat. Once I arrived at the bottom, I took the bus & then walked a short distance. Most of the houses in Itaewon are a bit older, there are hardly any high-rise buildings here, just tiny alleyways and the charm of Korea. Before I met up with Yonghwa, I stopped off at a small café for a strawberry latte. We then set off together at 2.30 pm. By chance, we ended up in one of the more hidden cafés. A little dog greeted us at the entrance and the interior was super cosy, with fairy lights and plants, as well as a screen playing music videos. We must have spent almost 3 hours here & talked about lots of things. As we are both rather introverted people, there were also moments of silence, but that was also completely okay. At some point it got a bit cold because of the air conditioning and we headed off to get something to eat. Yonghwa showed me some meat (actually offal) that day. Sounds daunting at first, but I tried it & most of it was actually really tasty! At around 8.30pm we went in search of a small bar to have a drink. We found what we were looking for in the far corner of a house entrance. The bar was super small, but very nice. They picked up on the sea theme everywhere & you almost felt like you were in an aquarium. At around 23:00 we slowly but surely made our way towards the metro & said our goodbyes! When I got home, I just freshened up and fell into bed. I also didn't want to get up quite so late on Saturday to get everything done that I had planned.

To be continued...

(DE)

Wow, hat man mal ein paar Tage keinen Blogeintrag geschrieben, merkt man direkt wie sehr man doch hinterher sein muss, um alles so gut es geht wiederzugeben. Kommen wir also zu meinem Freitag. 14:30 Uhr hatte ich mich mit einer Freundin in Itaewon (einem Stadtteil von Seoul) verabredet. Um bis dahin nicht sinnlos meine Zeit zu vergeuden, hatte ich beschlossen den N-Seoul Tower (oder auch Namsan Tower) zu erkunden. Das war tatsächlich anstrengender als gedacht, aber ich wollte unbedingt laufen & nicht die Seilbahn nehmen. Kurz bevor ich oben angekommen war, fing es an wie aus Eimern zu schütten. Das hat mich aber nicht von meinem Plan abbringen lassen. Im Gegenteil, der Regen war eine gute Abkühlung während meiner Tour nach oben. Ich habe mir dann erstmal einen Eiskaffee gegönnt & die traumhafte Aussicht genossen. So schnell wie der Regen gekommen war, war er auch wieder weg & ich konnte meine Tour fortsetzen. Hier oben auf dem Namsan (so heißt der Berg) findet man unzählige Liebesschlösser oder Schlösser von Menschen von überall her. Auch ich habe mein Schloss hier oben aufgehängt. Danach bin ich eine ganze Weile auf den Plattformen entlang geschlendert. Die Aussicht war atemberaubend schön & ich habe wieder ein Stück mehr in dieses Land verliebt. Nachdem ich die Aussicht genossen hatte, wurde es auch schon wieder Zeit mich auf den Weg Richtung Itaewon zu machen. Selbst der Weg nach unten, war schon Sehenswürdigkeit genug. Überall Blumen, Sträucher & Bäume, die einem bei der Hitze Schatten spenden. Unten angekommen habe ich den Bus genommen & bin dann noch ein kleines Stück gelaufen. In Itaewon sind die meisten Häuser etwas älter, hier findet man kaum Hochhäuser, sondern kleinste Gassen und den Charme von Korea. Bevor ich mich mit Yonghwa getroffen hatte, bin nochmal in ein kleines Cafe abgebogen um dort einen Erdbeer-Latte zu trinken. Ab 14:30 Uhr sind wir dann gemeinsam losgezogen. Durch Zufall sind wir in einem der versteckteren Cafés gelandet. Ein kleiner Hund hat uns am Eingang begrüßt und der Innenraum war super gemütlich gestaltet, mit Lichterketten & Pflanzen, sowie eine Leinwand, an der Musikvideos abgespielt wurden. Hier haben wir bestimmt fast 3 Stunden verbracht & uns über vieles unterhalten. Da wir beide eher introvertierte Menschen sind, gab es auch mal Momente der Stille, aber auch das war völlig okay. Irgendwann wurde uns dann doch etwas kalt wegen der Klimaanlage & wir haben uns auf den Weg gemacht um etwas zu essen. Yonghwa hat mir an dem Tag Fleisch (tatsächlich Innereien) gezeigt. Klingt erstmal abschreckend, aber ich habe es probiert & das meiste war tatsächlich echt lecker! Gegen 20:30 Uhr haben wir uns dann noch auf die Suche nach einer kleinen Bar gemacht, um noch etwas zu trinken. In einem Hauseingang, in der hintersten Ecke, sind wir dann fündig geworden. Die Bar war super klein, aber sehr schön. Überall haben sie das Thema Meer aufgegriffen & man hat sich fast wie in einem Aquarium gefühlt. Gegen 23:00 haben wir uns dann langsam aber sicher in Richtung Metro begeben & uns verabschiedet! Zuhause angekommen habe ich mich nur noch frisch gemacht & bin ins Bett gefallen. Außerdem wollte ich am Samstag nicht ganz so spät aufstehen um alles zu schaffen, was ich mir vorgenommen hatte.

Fortsetzung folgt…

[eomcheong-keun-megi]

ayo since youve been to seoul, can u recommend anywhere to visit? i went last year and im going again in a few months but besides myeongdong and the typical touristy places i didnt have time to go anywhere else

yooooh so in 2023 I was working twice in Seoul -

one time as a sound tech for a artist friend of mine who had their solo exhibit in Gyeongbokgung in the north of the city

and half a year later as a sound artist with a artist collective exhibiting and performing in Munjeong-dong in the southern outskirts of Seoul.

I entirely fuck with nature and tried to visit as many gardens, public parks, botanical gardens and mountain parks as I could. You cannot go wrong with any of those.

Aside from that I was really interested in art and artistic crafts - thanks to some korean friends who sent me instagram accounts of local galleries and events.

I was lucky to find some places showing sound and experimental art in Euljiro-Dong. This is a place that is RAPIDLY changing. The district is special because of its huge spectrum of artistic and technical manual craftsmanship. In the 6 months between my two visits an entire street block had been demolished and replaced by high rise buildings. The city changes crazy fast!

I also LOVE the Cheonggyecheon River stream - the ancient former city border used to have a multileveled highway constructed above it but since 20 years now flows over 10 km trough Seouls City center as a renatured river ecosystem.

Following the stream is a super lovely way to explore the city and also pass the famous textile and fabric district of Dongdaemun.

If you are interested in anything fashion or textile related, this is the place to be and you could honestly get lost in the universe of one of the building complexes.

I experienced the Itaewon district as one of the most diverse places I have ever been to - where else in the world can u find a central mosque down the street of the so called "homohill" of the gay- and transbars, the Nigerian community next to the Vietnamese Community and an elementary school in the middle of the most vibrant night life full of neon crosses and kebab stores in the HEART of Seoul.

I also recommend trying out any Jjimjilbang / Sauna you can find if you can go with a local. It is the most chill experience when someone first shows u around and then u can basically add 5 years to your life.

The Hongdae 24 H Sauna(the one skz filmed at) is actually super accessible to foreigners and a good place if its your first time at a jjimjilbang.

Every time I went to Korea I came back healthier and I am chronically ill - the saunas and nutrition was just on point and affordable.

Lastly, I recommend the Seoul National Museum. It's free entry and you legit can spend an ENTIRE DAY in that spaceship of a building. Many amazing topics and exhibits so explore also just a fun place. There r some stray cats living in the park in front of the complex and I recommend them too.

skz is actually not super represented in public. only by chance I saw a skz hilfiger ad billboard in Itaewon and a Lotte Duty Free ad at an airport. I saw way more bts, nct and many girl groups represented in public.

I did go up to Namsan Tower because I am insufferable and wanted to check out how gay it would be to kidnap your best bro up there for surprise dinner and take photos with a giant heart statue on a platform that is entirely dedicated for couples and has a specific proposal spot. yea.

It's getting long, so anyway, I recommend following your special interest and hanging out with people who live there.

have fun and eat a lot of good food!

[kyndaris]

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Our first proper day in Seoul had us running through the city using my highly advanced map-reading skills because Google Maps could not show even simple routes in and around the city except via public transport. This was due to the censorship laws of South Korea preventing the storage of map data on foreign server devices. As a consequence, Google cannot legally provide any real time navigation. Or so Google and Reddit tell me. Instead, locals rely on Naver and Kakao, but which do not always have English translations and thus tourists such as bleachpanda and myself are left fending for ourselves.

Still, after enjoying a ham and cheese 'Dagel' for breakfast at a local cafe, bleachpanda and I set out to Namsam Seoul Tower (or N Seoul Tower for short). Along the way, we stopped at the Namdaemun Market. There, we inspected the stalls to see what was on offer. Although we were both tempted to purchase souvenirs at this very first stop on our journey, we both resisted the urge.

We had, after all, not even properly seen the city!

Instead, bleachpanda and I purchased some egg tarts and a warm drink to drive away the wintry chill. While bleachpanda guzzled down her mocha, I was left disappointed by my 'choco latte,' which turned out to essentially be chocolate milk.

From Namdaemun Markets, we hiked towards Namsan Mountain, visiting a local 7-Eleven along the way to see if they shared any similarities to their counterparts in Japan or Australia (spoiler alert: they shared much more with their Asian cousins in Taiwan and Japan than those found out in the West).

Once at the start of the hiking trail up to Namsan, bleachpanda blanched at the prospect of climbing up to the tower. But with some gentle coaxing from me, she acquiesced. And so, we clambered up the mountain.

Bleachpanda, being the less fit of the two of us, required numerous stops to catch her breath. But these rests were also opportunities for us to take pictures of the scenery - capturing the early moments of spring peaking through as the snow began to melt.

By the way, did I mention there were love locks all around N Seoul Tower? Because that was a thing. As well as at the base of the mountain having a statue dedicated to the Comfort Women from the Second World War.

Still, it was aggravating to wait for her but it was the cross I had to bear as her travelling companion. Especially as we were nearing the tower and she vanished for nigh on eighty-four years because she ducked into a store to buy a fridge magnet.

At the tower, I purchased our entry tickets up and away we soared to the observation deck with a group of American tourists. Once at the observation deck, the entirety of Seoul was spread out before us. I used this chance to take copious amounts of pictures from this bird's eye view of the city:

Bleachpanda and I even bought a few souvenirs, including postcards. While I sent mine to a good friend (here known as redoubt on the internet), as he has a penchant of posting postcards to me when travelling overseas, bleachpanda sent one to her sister and another to her future self.

Once we had drunk our fill at the tower, we took the cable car back down to civilisation (bleachpanda's request) before heading to Deoksugung Palace. As I navigated our party towards our destination we refuelled at a Dunkin' Donuts before continuing onward.

Unfortunately, once we arrived at Deoksugung Palace, it was closed (this was due to the fact this palace is closed on Mondays. Why? I'm not sure. We would revisit it later). Disappointed, bleachpanda and I trekked instead to Gyeongbokgung Palace where we managed to catch a changing of the royal guard. During the performance, an explanation was provided regarding the process and of the outfits worn by the performers, which were based on 15th century Joseon dynasty clothing.

Fun fact, Gyeongbokgung was the main royal palace of the Joseon palace and was built in 1395. Additionally, everywhere we looked, there were people dressed in hanboks because they allowed free entry!

Alas, bleachpanda and I were dressed in our thick entry gear. And so, we had to buy tickets to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. I also grabbed an audio gudie to provide some commentary of the historic site we were visiting, although I had to trade in my driver licence.

As we made our way through the Palace, I learned how the Palace served as the heart of the Joseon dynasty before it was razed to the ground when Japan invaded Korea back in 1592. This was later rebuilt in 1867. Within were several precincts and the living quarters for concubines and the royal family. Of interest to me was how there were separate palaces for the King and the Queen.

I also learned how during the Japanese occupation in the early 20th century, Gyeongbokgung was used for their own headquarters, with the Government-General Building being built after the Palace was levelled. After the conclusion of the Second World War, however, much of Gyeongbokgung has been restored.

After we had wandered through to all the major sites, bleachpanda and I exited out near the National Folk Museum of Korea. Eager to have my driver licence returned, we headed back to the entrance and exchanged the audio guide for my Australian identity document.

From the palace, we then headed to Bukchon Hanok village and finally nabbed a late lunch of pork cutlet - elsewise I might have keeled over. After we were both full, we took a gander around Bukchon, stopping by Bukchon Yukgyeong to snap an iconic view of the city of the buildings there and the city of Seoul splayed out before us.

Once we had snagged the picture, bleachpanda and I headed back to our hotel after a long day out in the city of Seoul. We stopped briefly at Jogyesa Buddhist temple before purchasing a few souvenirs and snacks.

So ended our first proper day in Seoul! Join me for the next few weeks as I regale you, dear reader, of our further adventures! For tomorrow is when we head into the DMZ (the last letter pronounced as Zed for all you Americans out there).

Looking back on our journey though, I'm a little sad I couldn't snag myself a hot CEO boyfriend after he hit me with his car. Still, there's always next time!

[dinossaurz]

@monthly-challenge 2024 | Long walks

Pairing:

Ateez!Hyungline; Fem!Reader

Genre:

Fluffy

Summary:

What would Ateez hyung line members would do when you call him to a late night walk?

Warning:

Anxiety attack in some

WC: no idea aaa

A/N: I had no idea to what to write on it, so it just sucks aaaa

Hongjoong

"You're fine, babe?" You could hear your boyfriend asking you, voice full of caring.

He knew you too well, and you didn't know if you thought it as the sweetest thing or if you hated him for it.

You were passing to a anxiety attack. Your body was all tense, sitting by the window, observing the snow falling. It passed midnight, and you're just full awake just as you were by the morning. Your body trembling, just turning to Hongjoong and tried to smile.

"Come here." He said, fully opening his arms just for you. Hiding your face in his chest, trying to concentrate in your scent, just to forget a little about your trembling body. He tightens his arms around your waist, caressing your back.

"Wanna go to a walk?" He asked, knowing you all too well. At least, you're not going outside alone.

He hates when you do that by yourself.

[...]

After he puts you inside a hoodie that belongs to him, he take your hand connection your fingers together and then you both outside the streets, under the snow, feeling the cold water washing your pain in snow.

Seonghwa

He's with his arms tangled in your waist by your back. You could feel his warm chest even if you're with more than three layers of clothing.

You're both looking at Seoul view on the top of a mountain. His chin resting on your shoulder, as his arms rested peacefully on your waist while you caress his bare hand.

You and Seonghwa always go to a walk by the night. Even if it's too cold for any human being to be outside. You feel that your bestfriend warmth was just all you needed.

"Y/N?" He called you in a whisper, lifting his chin away from your shoulder, just to look at your side profile. He now stands by your side, holding your hand tightly.

"I have this friend... that's in love with his bestfriend, but he have no idea of how to tell her that."

You turned yourself to him, frowning your eyebrows in confusion, he opens a little smile to you.

"Is that about Hongjoong? I thought he was feared of woman." You said, turning a little to look at Namsan Tower, shining in a bright blue light.

"He is. That's because I'm asking you, and not to him. He has no idea how to deal with women." He said, holding his laugh.

"So it's not about him?" He nodded, confusing you even more.

You knew none of the Ateez's boy would ask for Seonghwa's help when they had you.

You widened your eyes, looking back at him.

"You're talking about you!" You almost screamed, he puts his hand on your mouth, laughing at your reaction. You slap his hand away, looking at him with even more confusion.

"You like ME, Park Seonghwa?" You said out loud, making him chuckle at your red cheeks.

"What if I like? Hm?" He said, in an accusing way.

"So I... I... I'll kiss you." You said lowly, leaving him no time to say something and just kissed his lips calmly.

Seonghwa had no reaction at first, but then cupped your cheek with his right hand, his left one holding your waist.

When you both laughed lightly, pressing your foreheads together.

"I like you, Y/N."

"I like you too, Park Seonghwa. Way too much."

Yunho

"Yun, what you think about that?" You asked, out of nowhere.

"Hum?" He asked you, silently.

He was holding your hand while you both walked on the cold streets. He was looking at you with hearty eyes, what made your own heart melt.

"You staying for the night, you know? A girls night, but a... couple night. Nothing else then skincare and talking bullshit. Just the two of us." You asked, looking at him with starry eyes, just like Puss in Boots eyes.

He laughed at your cuteness, thanking to the universe that you're already his girlfriend.

You were still looking at him, waiting for a answer.

"Okay, baby. We'll have the girls night of your dreams."

"Oh, so let's go to somewhere to shop the things to do it."

"You don't have it?"

"I have, jagi. But not for you. Your skin is different from mine, you know?"

He kissed your forehead, laughing again for the same reason: your cuteness.

"Okay, then. Let's go buy our things."

Yeosang

"Jagi!" You heard the low tone of your boyfriend's voice calling behind yourself.

You looked back in surprise. You're supposed to walk alone, to feel some kind of life in your body.

"Are you okay?" He asked when stopped by your side, touching your hair with his fingers.

You nodded, looking at him, but avoiding his eyes.

"Are you sure?" Those words made you look down, rubbing your neck.

"Nope." You said, lowly, holding his hand and playing with his fingers with both your hands.

"Can we walk a little?" You asked as he nodded and whispered everything to my girl.

[...]

Long before you start to walk, you feel your cheeks burning thinking about his words.

"Do you really like me?" You asked, looking elsewhere than your boyfriend.

"Of course I do, Y/N. Why you're asking?"

"I don't know." You stopped your feet, waiting for him to do the same.

He pass his arm on your shoulder, laying his hand by your cold shoulder. It was cold outside, and you were just with a soft and oversized t-shirt.

He took off his hoodie, revealing one more blouse under it, and put his even more oversized hoodie on you, making you feel just little feeling his scent too strong in the hoodie. You smiled a little.

"You know... I care and love you enough to borrow you my favorite hoodie." He laughed in that cute way only him does, making you look at him with heart shaped eyes.

"Yeosang?"

He looks at you, smiling a little, pushing you to a tight hug, making you close your eyes, hoping it isn't a dream.

"I love you so, so, so much, Kang Yeosang."

[straylog]

Weekly Idol, Idol Radio, MUPLY & Dingo

Weekly Idol

181114 » Weekly Idol Ep381 (Stray Kids)  190403 » Weekly Idol Ep401 (Stray Kids)  191009 » Weekly Idol Ep428 (Stray Kids)  200101 » Weekly Idol Ep440 (Chan, Lee Know, Hyunjin, Han)  200907 » Weekly Idol Surprise Live With Stray Kids  200916 » Weekly Idol Ep477 (Stray Kids)  210826 » Weekly Idol Ep526 (Stray Kids)  211222 » Weekly Idol K-Champ Awards (Hyunjin)  211222 » Weekly Idol K-Champ Awards Group Performance  220317 » Weekly Idol Ep553 (MC Seungmin) 220318 » Weekly Idol Ep554 (Stray Kids) Teaser  220323 » Weekly Idol Ep554 (Stray Kids)  220326 » Weekly Idol Maniac 220326 » Weekly Idol Call Me Baby  220818 » Weekly Idol Ep 575 (MC Changbin)  221013 » Weekly Idol Ep 583 (Stray Kids) 

Idol Radio

181031 » IDOL RADIO ep#30 Hallo! (Stray Kids)  181109 » IDOL RADIO ep#39 (Hyunjin)  181112 » IDOL RADIO ep#42 (Seungmin)  190112 » IDOL RADIO ep#101 (Hyunjin)  190202 » IDOL RADIO ep#122 (Hyunjin)  190209 » IDOL RADIO ep#129 (Hyunjin & Lee Know)  190309 » IDOL RADIO ep#157 (Hyunjin)  190328 » IDOL RADIO ep#177 (Stray Kids)  190420 » IDOL RADIO ep#199 (Hyunjin)  190620 » IDOL RADIO ep#261 (Stray Kids)  190629 » IDOL RADIO ep#269 (Hyunjin)  190911 » IDOL RADIO ep#373 (Stray Kids)  200326 » IDOL RADIO ep#541 Stay With Me (Stray Kids)  200330 » IDOL RADIO ep#544 (Stray Kids) (Voice Only)  200618 » IDOL RADIO ep#625 Go Live (Stray Kids)  200625 » IDOL RADIO ep#625 Behind The Scenes 

MUPLY

190408 » MIROH Dance Prank 190409 » MIROH Dance Prank Reaction 191021 » MIROH -> Boxer -> Double Knot 191025 » MIROH -> Boxer -> Double Knot Behind 191120 » Jamie Broke Into JYP’s Room (feat. SKZ) 191217 » MUPLY Ep.1 Unveiling B Side 191220 » MUPLY Pick#1 Unreleased Cut 191224 » MUPLY Ep. 2 Stray Kids Stray 191227 » MUPLY Pick #2 Daily Vlog 191227 » MUPLY Pick #3 Felix ASMR 191228 » MUPLY Gone Days Special 191231 » MUPLY Ep. 3 Real Money 200103 » MUPLY Pick #4 Eat Well Play Well 200107 » MUPLY Gone Days Special Behind 200401 » Illegal Chart Manipulation Prank 200622 » God’s Menu -> TOP -> Easy 200716 » Hello Stranger (SKZ Version) 200916 » Back Door Teaser 200917 » Back Door Dance Performance 200925 » Back Door MV Shooting Behind 

Dingo Music/K-drama

180508 » Stray Kids In 10 Seconds  180806 » 100 Seconds JYP Dances 180818 » Dingo Music My Pace Mafia Dance  180823 » What If You Are A JYP Trainee?  181028 » Stray Kids are Back at Dingo Studios  181028 » I am YOU Halloween Version 181028 » I am YOU Teaser  181110 » Late Halloween Party  181115 » Stray Kids’ Dingo Chatroom  181119 » The Future Diary Teaser  181112 » I am YOU Dance 181114 » A Collection Of Cute Moments 181222 » Teased By Elementary School Kids 181226 » Shedding Tears at Namsan Mountain  190112 » The Future Diary Ep.5  190119 » The Future Diary Ep.6  190323 » Dingo Behind feat. Stray Kids 190325 » Why Hyungs Love I.N 190328 » Big MIROH Party 190403 » A Video Full Of Aegyo 190415 » Dingo School Teaser 190417 » Dingo School Praising SKZ’s Beauty 190419 » Dingo School Shy After Reading Fan Comments 190422 » Dingo School 1 190426 » Dingo School 2 190428 » Dingo School 3 190720 » Mukbang: Visiting A Famous Restaurant 190721 » Dingo buys food well Ep1 190727 » Dingo Buys Food Well Ep2 191224 » Supporting Tomorrow: Physical Education 191231 » Supporting Tomorrow: Counseling Center 200108 » Supporting Tomorrow: Fanmeet 241224 » Dingo’s Good Job Today (Seungmin, I.N) 

[sevoir]

i was a kid but i wasn't clueless (someone who loves you wouldn't do this)

home is a ritzy, white-glove building in the heart of seoul. the im's own two floors at the top. their apartment has fourteen rooms, including five bedrooms with private bathrooms, a maid's quarters, a ballroom-sized living room, and two lounges with wet bars. floor-to-ceiling windows by the living room look over the namsan mountain, and in the dining room, the view of the hangang river is breathtaking.

seryung's stepfather bought the penthouse as a first anniversary gift to seryung's mother. a concrete effort in constructing a family. seryung noticed. and while she may no longer be so generous with her trust in her mother's husbands, she's excited nonetheless to have dinner with everyone. her mother promised they would only be away on business for a few weeks, but seryung knows better. she hurries to the elevator, knowing this is the last family dinner they'll have in a while. maybe months, maybe years. a lifetime of saying goodbye doesn't makes it easier.

(kkt) i'm late!!! hold down the fort? i'm on my way up mom just canceled dinner. they went up to their room. why? what happened?? she saw the gg post. how? she saw me looking at it on my phone. sorry. no of course its not your fault. i'm sorry food's not cold yet. :) i'll be back. wait for me!! i just have to get something.

something is ten shots of whatever wherever, her tongue down the throat of whoever. she kisses the boy on her arm and the boy at the bar and the boy by the exit, hoping they'll make her feel better, but she can't get rid of the sick feeling in her stomach. her heart feels heavy and she keeps feeling like she's sinking. seryung walks around all night feeling like she has cinderblocks tied to her ankles, and finally, she slips and stumbles out and she feels—she feels—

as she tries to find the word for it, she tries to get a cigarette from her purse. it falls to the wet ground. she bends over to pick it up but her head hurts and her heart hurts and the world is spinning and she's going to be sick. seryung ends up sitting on the ground, practically dry heaving as she struggles to take the next breath, and the next, and the next. she figures it out. she feels like shit.

not a minute later, a familiar black car rolls up to the curb and stops in front of her. it looks so sorely out of place in all that squalor that she almost laughs. the door opens, expensive leather shoes touch the ground. she doesn't have to look up to know who it is. he holds his hand out to her. it doesn't really feel like a choice, so she takes it. then she's sitting inside the family car and they're driving far far away and she doesn't have to ask, but she does, "how did you know where i was?"

he levels her with a stare, like he trusts her to know the answer. it's a responsibility no one ever gives her. it's so heavy, it anchors her to the present, makes her want to sober up quicker. she should be angry that her stepfather has tacked p.i.'s on every member of the family, that everyone wants her to think this is fine and normal. but he's looking at her like he trusts her—to know, to understand, to be an adult—and she doesn't want to let him down.

they're home sooner than she hopes. the enormous apartment is empty. she doesn't have to ask to know her mother has already left for the airport. her brother is probably asleep—he must have known she wasn't coming back so soon.

her stepfather sits beside her at the dinner table. a maid comes over seconds later with two glasses of juice and two plates of cake.

"your mother told me what happened."

seryung tastes salt on her cake. she wipes at her eyes and smears mascara across her face. she sniffles, swallows. "don't worry. it's not true," she says, harsher than she intended, but she immediately feels how weightless her words are.

she can feel him nod, considering her for a second. she sighs. "those are serious accusations," he says, "i could—"

"no, it's just a stupid gossip thing. no one believes it," she cuts him off, but even she doesn't believe herself. seryung looks up at him, watching him eat cake with her. he's not her father. but he left home specifically to find her, to bring her back, like he knew she needed a reminder that she was loved.

he's not her father. he put in the effort, reached out to her.

seryung wipes at tears that have already dried. she tries to take another slice of cake from her plate only to realize all of it is gone. he notices and pushes his plate towards her. she shakes her head, feels herself choke. seryung swallows hard and does her best to down the juice in front of her. "i'm sorry if i caused any trouble for you," she says, a bit more sober.

she thinks he smiles at her. he looks at his watch. "i have to leave now. we have a plane to catch." he's looking at her the way he did in the car. she doesn't know what to do with all of his trust.

seryung nods, as understanding as she can. "have a safe trip," she says, "and— and... tell mom it's not true. but i'm sorry anyway. i didn't—" she exhales a heavy sigh, presses her fingers to throbbing temples, "i didn't mean to make her embarrassed of me again or... i— i know why it was so easy to believe."

he nods once as he gets up, then she's watching him walk away. he's not her father. the space he leaves behind doesn't feel so empty.

[wise-journey]

Seoul: A Thrilling Journey

Welcome to Seoul, a city that effortlessly blends ancient traditions with modern marvels, offering visitors a captivating and immersive experience. Bursting with vibrant culture, mouthwatering gastronomic delights, and abundant activities, Seoul is a destination that promises to ignite your sense of adventure and leave you yearning for more.

Culture: Unveiling the Rich Tapestry of Seoul

Immerse yourself in the captivating culture of Seoul, where every street corner reveals a story waiting to be told. Start your exploration by delving into the city's historical treasures, such as the magnificent Gyeongbokgung Palace. As you wander through its grand courtyards and beautifully preserved buildings, you'll be transported back in time to the Joseon Dynasty. For a taste of modern Korean culture, head to the bustling neighborhood of Gangnam, where futuristic architecture, high-end fashion, and K-pop beats collide. Dive deeper into the local art scene by visiting the eccentric Hongdae district, where young artists showcase their talents in colorful street performances and trendy galleries.

Gastronomy: A Culinary Odyssey through Seoul's Flavors

Prepare your taste buds for a gastronomic adventure like no other. Seoul is a food lover's paradise, offering a diverse range of flavors that will leave you craving more. Start your culinary journey in the vibrant and bustling streets of Myeongdong, famous for its delectable street food. Sample local favorites such as tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and hotteok (sweet pancakes) while soaking in the lively atmosphere. For an authentic Korean dining experience, venture into traditional markets like Gwangjang Market or Namdaemun Market, where you can indulge in delicious bibimbap, kimchi, and freshly caught seafood. Don't forget to visit the famous Noryangjin Fish Market, where you can handpick your seafood and have it cooked right before your eyes.

Activities: Unleashing Your Adventurous Spirit in Seoul

Seoul offers a myriad of activities that cater to every adventurous soul. Start your day with a hike up the iconic Namsan Mountain, which offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Once you reach the top, visit N Seoul Tower, an iconic landmark that not only offers stunning vistas but also houses exhibitions and restaurants. For a taste of tradition, immerse yourself in a traditional Korean tea ceremony at one of the city's many teahouses. You can also explore the ancient village of Bukchon Hanok, where you can rent a hanbok (traditional Korean attire) and stroll through the charming alleyways adorned with traditional houses.

Transport: Navigating the City with Ease

Getting to Seoul is a breeze, with the city being served by two major international airports - Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport. From there, you can easily access the city center via efficient public transportation options, including the subway and buses. When it comes to getting around Seoul, the comprehensive subway network is your best friend. With signs in English and a user-friendly system, it's the perfect way to explore the city at your own pace. Taxis are also readily available, and professional drivers ensure a comfortable journey.

Where to Stay: Finding Your Home Away from Home

Seoul offers a range of accommodation options for every traveler's budget and preference. From luxurious hotels in the heart of Gangnam to cozy guesthouses in traditional neighborhoods, there's something for everyone. For a truly authentic experience, consider staying in a hanok guesthouse, where you can sleep on traditional heated floors and immerse yourself in the local culture. Alternatively, modern boutique hotels in areas like Myeongdong and Insadong offer a blend of comfort and convenience, with easy access to attractions and shopping districts.

Nightlife: Experiencing Seoul's Vibrant Nightscape

As the sun sets, Seoul truly comes alive with its vibrant nightlife scene. Make your way to Itaewon, known for its international flair and diverse mix of bars and clubs. Here, you can dance the night away to the latest beats or enjoy live music performances. For those seeking a more laid-back evening, head to Hongdae, where you can find cozy cafes, indie music clubs, and trendy bars. Don't miss the opportunity to experience the unique Korean concept of "booking clubs," where you can enjoy private rooms with friends and indulge in karaoke.

Shopping: Retail Therapy in Seoul

Seoul is a shopper's paradise, renowned for its fashion-forward trends, skincare products, and traditional crafts. Visit the bustling streets of Myeongdong, where you'll find a plethora of international and local brands offering the latest fashion and beauty products. For a blend of tradition and contemporary design, explore Insadong, a neighborhood renowned for its beautiful hanbok stores, antique shops, and traditional tea houses. Discover unique souvenirs and handmade crafts at the lively Gwangjang Market or peruse the high-end boutiques in the affluent district of Apgujeong.

Money Matters and Tips for Travelers

Seoul's currency is the South Korean won (KRW). Credit cards are widely accepted, but it's always a good idea to carry some cash, especially when visiting smaller establishments or street vendors. ATMs are readily available throughout the city, and major international banks can be found near popular tourist areas. Remember to dress modestly when visiting traditional sites, and always remove your shoes before entering temples or traditional Korean houses. Learning a few basic Korean phrases will go a long way in connecting with locals and showing respect for their culture. Seoul is a mesmerizing destination that will captivate your senses and leave an indelible mark on your heart. Its blend of ancient traditions, mouthwatering cuisine, and thrilling activities make it a city that beckons adventurers from around the world. Whether you're wandering through palaces, indulging in street food, or dancing the night away in its vibrant neighborhoods, Seoul promises an exhilarating journey that will ignite your passion for travel. So pack your bags, embrace the spirit of adventure, and get ready to uncover the wonders of Seoul, South Korea. Read the full article

[dickens-like-the-author]

The Beauty That Is Seoul Korea

That capital city of South Korea is Seoul and this beautiful city attracts many visitors. It is the largest city in South Korea and abounds with culture and unforgettable residents. The safety provided in this large city is a large reason so many are enticed to travel here. When vacationers travel to large foreign cities, they are often victims of theft and violence and this often causes travelers to resist visiting large cities. In Seoul, these types of crimes are almost nonexistent. If you have experienced having a lost US passport, visit an internet site specializing in passport information to find out how to get a replacement as a passport is required for international travel.

Internet websites specializing in passport acquisition have simplified the passport process and made it very convenient as they even make passport renewal expedited service accessible. They are as close as your home computer and a reputable website is totally secure.

Gyeongbok Palace or, as it is also known, the Palace of Shining Happiness is one of the most visited attractions in this beautiful city. The beauty and uniqueness of this site is unforgettable from the beautiful mountain vistas to the lily laden pounds that populate the grounds. The Secret Garden, Biwon to the natives, presents a Korean garden at its best and was created for royalty to utilize.

In any large city, museums and religious establishments provide great insight into the people of the region, both ancient and modern, and Seoul is no exception. The Natural Museum of Korea presents over 150,000 Korean artifacts. The Seoul Museum of Art and Ilmin Museum of Art attract many art lovers. Jongmyo is the sight of the most revered Confucian shrines in the world but other Buddhist temples located here are Hwagvesa and Bongeunsa.

If you seek relaxation and reflection during your vacation, the numerous natural parks located in Seoul will facilitate a picnic or any other activity that is passive and relaxing. Long days exploring a new city can wear you out and a chance to relax can be a welcome event. Namsan Park where wild animals enjoy the pine tree clusters and the Yangjae Citizen's Forest are within the city limits and provide great picnic opportunities. Another beautiful location is Boramae Park which contains a large lake surrounded by willow trees and benches for the perfect opportunity to reflect on you day of sightseeing.

From a very young age, residents of South Korea learn to appreciate the performing arts and the Sejong Centre for Performing Arts provide the visitor with the opportunity to experience the giftedness of these people. The presentation of non-verbal performances is unique and the traveler should not miss the opportunity to experience a performance. The Seoul Art Center and the LG Arts Center are some other facilities where the arts can be enjoyed.

[campaign-for-hugs]

South Korea: Traveling by Car

There are two major differences when traveling by car instead of by bus or train in South Korea. First the ability to stop willy-nilly wherever the heck you desire and it is your responsibility to pay for gas and toll fees. Because gas prices in South Korea are charged by the liter (a quart), we were invited on a road trip to Gyeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do. Gyeongju is famous for its artifacts, ruins and relics from the Shilla Dynasty, 57 BC to 935 AD. In addition to the Shilla Dynasty the surrounding mountains and valleys hold a plethora of antiquity. The Gyeongju National Parks have hundreds of hiking trails leading to Buddhist carvings, shrines, stone pagodas and temples. Amazing sights to observe are the large green mounds housing tombs rolling across the cityscape called tumuli.

Starting from Paju city in the northwestern corner of South Korea the drive would take five and a half hours to get to Gyeongju on one tank of gas. Our departing time was five o'clock in the morning traveling down highway 23 into the outskirts of Seoul connecting to highway 100. Highway 100 loops the entire city and has several tollbooths attached charging 1,000 won to enter each segment. Once on the highway we would drive until it met up with expressway 1, paying another toll of 1,000 won and continuing our adventure south. Two hours and fifteen minutes later we pulled off at a roadside rest stop to use the bathroom, grab a cup of java, some snacks and fill up the car. 92,000 won later we pulled back out onto the expressway continuing the journey south.

As the sun rose over the horizon line the car zigged through the rural countryside zagging back across the small mountain towns. An ever-stagnant landscape of farmland with plows, rice machinery and farm houses piling up at the edge of the expressway. A scene of both poverty and wealth stretching out as far as the eye could see.

Just shy of three hours later we reached the outskirts of Gyeongju pausing at the tollbooth decorated with traditional Shilla Dynasty roofing to pay the ticket fee of 15,900 won. The reason this toll fee was incredibly larger than the previous ones was distance covered between tollbooths. After a day and a half of tourist activities covering Anapji Pond, Bulguk-sa temple, the Gyeongju National Museum, a hike on Namsan Mountain to Chilbulam hermitage, visiting Seokguram Grotto, and a stroll through Tumuli Park to get a glimpse of the far east's oldest observatory: Cheonmachong.

[pootlovatofficial]

South Korea Tourism

To arrange a good and memorable trip to South Korea, it is advised to read travel guides about this beautiful country, and then contact a local travel professional who may help you organize this tour in the most effective way for reasonable money.

South Korea has a lot of natural places to be observed and historical landmarks to enjoy. The country plays an important role in the protection of the heritage of world culture and natural attractions. Apart from that, it is considered a hospitable place for foreigners and a perspective tourism destination.

In the south-east of the country, one will find Bulguksa monastery and the Seokguram cave temple adjacent to it. Another noteworthy place is Temple Jongmyo, located in Seoul, where memorial tablets of the monarchs of the Joseon Dynasty are stored.

Seorak Mountain is a part of the Diamond Mountains, which is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world. Hallasan mountain is the extinct volcano. Both picturesque places are loved by numerous international visitors. The city of Gyeongju is known for its Tumuli Park, Onyn Five Tombs, Chhomsonde Observatory, the tomb of General Kim Yu Sin, and Mount Namsan with the ruins of pagodas and monasteries. Gyeongju National Museum and the resort on Lake Pomun offer wonderful recreational opportunities.

Ganghwa Island in Korea is known for its historical monuments and beautiful nature. Among the main attractions of the island one should name an altar built by Tangun, the legendary founder of the nation, the fortress walls, the ancient furnace for the production of celadon built in the 13th century, and Chondynsa monastery. The beaches of the eastern coast of Korea are known for weak currents and are considered the best in Korea.

Korea will surely capture your imagination with plenty of Buddhist monasteries and temples, palaces, exquisite statues, which have ancient and rich history. Seoul is perhaps the main place for tourists, with its National Museum, the Institute of Korean classical music named Sejong Cultural Center, Hoam Center for the Arts, Namsan Tower, and Korea House. In the capital of Korea one can visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, known as The Palace of Radiant Happiness, and one of the five palaces in Seoul. The main palace was built by the founder of Joseon dynasty, King Lee Sung-Te, when the state capital was transferred to Seoul. On the palace grounds, there is the National Folk Museum with a rich exposition, which introduces you to the history, culture and traditions of Korea.

No less interesting is Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul, which consists of the king's residence and Secret Garden. Built in 1405, it is the only palace that has preserved the architectural style of the Joseon Dynasty. Secret Garden is a place for entertainment of the ruling dynasty: the nature has harmoniously created its 300-year-old trees, the pond and the pavilion.

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5 Must-Visit Places in Seoul for South Korean Adventure

Seoul, the buzzing heart of South Korea, is where ancient traditions meet cutting-edge modernity. From awe-inspiring palaces to bustling food streets, this city has something for everyone. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a foodie, or a shopaholic, these five must-visit places in Seoul will leave you with memories to cherish forever.

1. Bukchon Hanok Village: A Journey Back in Time

Imagine stepping into a postcard of Korea’s past. Bukchon Hanok Village, perched between Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace, is a charming neighborhood with 600-year-old hanok (traditional Korean houses). Its narrow alleys transport you to the Joseon Dynasty, while the views from the hilltop showcase a beautiful contrast between Seoul’s rich history and its urban skyline. Take a stroll, capture picturesque moments, and immerse yourself in Korea’s cultural heritage—it’s an experience you won’t forget.

2. Gyeongbokgung Palace: Where History Comes Alive

No visit to Seoul is complete without exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace, the grandest of Seoul’s Five Royal Palaces. Built in 1395, this majestic landmark boasts intricate traditional Korean architecture and breathtaking roof designs. Don’t miss the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate—it’s a vibrant display of Korean history and tradition. To elevate your experience, rent a hanbok (traditional Korean attire) and wander the palace grounds, feeling like royalty yourself.

3. Myeongdong Shopping District: Shop Till You Drop

Calling all shopaholics! Myeongdong is Seoul’s ultimate shopping destination, bursting with cosmetics stores, international fashion brands, and vibrant street food stalls. Whether you’re hunting for the latest skincare products or indulging in local treats like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and hotteok (sweet pancakes), Myeongdong has it all. After a shopping spree, consider catching a lively show at the nearby Nanta Theatre, known for its hilarious, non-verbal performances. This spot is a must-visit for anyone booking South Korea holiday packages from Dubai.

4. Mount Namsan and N Seoul Tower: Stunning Views Await

For the best panoramic views of Seoul, head to Mount Namsan and the iconic N Seoul Tower. Take a scenic cable car ride up the mountain, where the observatory deck offers jaw-dropping views of the cityscape. Don’t forget to visit the famous “Locks of Love” area, where couples leave padlocks as symbols of their affection. Whether you’re here for romance or just breathtaking sights, this spot won’t disappoint. It’s a highlight for those seeking South Korea holiday packages that combine culture and nature.

5. Seoul’s Food Streets: A Culinary Adventure

Food lovers, rejoice! Seoul’s lively food streets, like Gwangjang Market and Mangwon Market, are paradise for your taste buds. Dive into local delicacies like soondae (Korean blood sausage), kimbap (seaweed rice rolls), and bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes). The sizzling pans, vibrant stalls, and mouth-watering aromas create an electric atmosphere that’s simply irresistible. Be prepared to savor every bite and embrace the city’s culinary soul.

Plan Your Seoul Adventure Today 

Seoul isn’t just a city—it’s an experience that stays with you long after you’ve left. Whether you’re exploring centuries-old palaces, indulging in street food, or taking in stunning views from a mountaintop, these five destinations promise to make your trip unforgettable. So pack your bags, charge your camera, and get ready to fall in love with the vibrant spirit of Seoul! Book your journey with the best South Korea holiday packages from Dubai for an effortless and memorable vacation.