Aesthetic The G in Seoul

One good thing about working in a travel agency is that there will always be new freebies depending on the promotions at any time. This time my co-worker and I got the opportunity to try out the Asethetic The G in Seoul for free. I have been in Seoul for a few months but this was my first time going to asethetic shop. I think it is important for women to go for aesthetics once a month as nowadays women are too busy to take care of their skin (being a mother, a worker and a housewife), they deserve to be pampered and the environment is changing too fast and our skin couldn't cope with it.

Aesthetic The G was set up in 2008 and they focus on providing the best facial and body care treatment for their customers. The products they used are from Switzerland, Italy, France and some are locally researched and produced. Appointments have to be made and they don't accept walk-ins. Facials cost between 49,000 won to 99,000 won and body care cost between 59,000won to 180,000won. Body care include treatments for Basic Body, The G Lymph, Special Body and Effective Care while the facials include treatments for The G Hydration Care, The G Trouble Care, The G Whitening Care, The G Tightening Care, Exfoliating, The G Sensitive Care and The G Detox.

When we reached The G, the aesthetician chatted with us regarding the facial treatment we could like to do, checked our skin condition and then recommended the treatment she thought was suitable. My friend in the pictures was recommended by the aesthetician to go for the Brightening Facial in the whitening series and I was recommended to go for the Aqua Facial in the Hydration Care. Upon that, lockers and robes were provided for our personal belongings and warm water with sea salt was given for us to relax our feet.

Next we laid on the bed and they massaged our backs using Lavender oil which emits a flowery smell. My friend did the Brightening Facial and I was given the Aqua Facial treatment. My friend's face is darker than mine and she wanted to go for the whitening series, as for me, my face was dry and the aesthetician mentioned that dry skin usually emits more oil which is frustrating in the summer and hydration is needed.

At first they removed our make-up and cleansed our faces. After that deep cleansing mask was used to clean up our pores and was removed 5 mins later. Scrub was put on our faces next and while waiting, they massaged our shoulder, head and hands. After that, they gently massaged our faces, cleansed and then lotion was put on our faces and again gentle massage again. After that warm mask was used on my face while hot/cold stone scrub was used on my friend's face for about 20 mins. Leg massage was given, using Lavender oil while we were waiting and at this point, I was sleeping. Finally after the leg massage, they removed the masks and then put on cold mask on my face for hydration and a pink brightening mask was put on my friend's face for another 20 mins.



I have done facials several times and I think The G is not that bad for the service and products that were used. It is recommended to go every week but I think maybe once a month, it is worth to pamper myself.

Dramatic Concert

Korean Drama Orchestra Concert

Interested in Korea dramas and OST?  Check out this 'Dramatic' concert organised by Sejong Centre for Performing Arts and enjoy a night with Korean singers like SG Wanna Be and Korean orchestra.  Buy your tickets with Good Morning Tours/Koreahas and you will get 20% off the day tours on Aug 17th and 18th.  Contact us at tour@koreahas.com or call us at 82-2-757-1232.

Thank you!

*Place: Sejong Grand Theatre / Date: Aug 17th (Tue) & 18th (Wed), 2010

*Tickets: VVIP (150,000 won), VIP (120,000 won), R (100,000 won), S (70,000 won), A (30,000 won)

*Special gifts only from Koreahas.com: 100 T-Shirts, 100 bottles of Korean rice wine, 50 signed posters, 100 posters w/o signatures, 30 pamplets and lastly, a chance to take pictures with the singers (30 people).

 *Program: SG Wanna Be (East of Eden), Clazziquai (My Lovely Samsoon - "Be My Love" & "She Is"), Kim Bum Soo (Stairway to Heaven), Lee Soo Young (A Love to Kill), Kim Tae Woo (Aug 18th - IRIS), T-Max (Aug 17th - Boys Over Flowers) and Sweet Sorrow (Bad Couple)

*Casts' Introduction:
1) SG Wannabe - (Members = Kim Yong Jun, Kim Jin Ho & Lee Seok Hun) - Debuted in 2004 with their 1st album, "SG Wanna Be" , the album was an instant hit due to the singers' magnificent vocal abilities and their music is recognised worldwide, receiving numerous music awards since then.

2) Clazziquai - {Members = Kim Sung Hoon, Choi Soo Jin & Chu Hun Gon) - A band that produces music using electronic music, acid jazz and house. Their 1st unofficial album was released in 2001 and their 1st official album, Instant Pig, was released in 2004. Since then they have received numerous music awards for "Best Soundtrack", "Artist of the Year" and "Best Pop".

3) Kim Bum Soo - Debuted in 1999, Kim Bum Soo is a Korean R&B and soul singer who is famous for his smooth vocals. He is recognised for his song, "Bo Go Ship Da - I Miss You" which became the theme song of Korean drama, "Stairway to Heaven" and in 2001, his song, "Hello Goodbye Hello" was ranked in the 51st on the "US Bilboard Hot 100."

4) Lee Soo Young - Debuted in 1999 with the smash hit, "I Believe", she is recognised for her powerful voice and she has released 9 albums, 5 mini albums and sang 6 OSTs. She is considered one of the best singers in Korea, earning a lot of popularity since then.

5) Kim Tae Woo - Debuted as the lead singer in G.O.D which became one of the most popular groups in the 2000s, he only released his own solo album in 2006 and his 2nd album, "T-Virus" in 2009. He often appeared in variety shows including "Happy Together: Friends" with Son Ho Young.

6) T-Max - (Members = Shin Min-Chul, Park Yoon-Wha & Kim Jun) - Their 1st album, "Blooming" was released in 2007 and the public started to recognise this boy band when Kim Jun played a member of F4 in drama, "Boys Over Flowers" and through the soundtrack, "Paradise" in the drama.

Gyeongbok Palace, Seoul

Gyeongbok Palace was the first and largest palace built by the Joseon founder and it was built according to geomantic theory: a plain with a stream immediately to the south and mountains around the other three sides. The main palace halls that were used by the king, were built using the best materials and construction techniques.

 

The main palace halls were used as the residence for the king and a place where state matters were discussed and foreign envoys were received. The main outer gate Gwanghuamun (south wall), throne hall Geunjeong-jeon, council hall Sajeong-jeon and king's residence Gangnyeong-jeon were designed and built along a north-south axis. The locations of these buildings reflect the philosophy of Joseon rulers who wished to establish a framework for governance according to Confucian propriety and virtue.

 

Gyeongbok Palace was at its highest peak during the reign of King Sejong (1418-1450) who established the Hall of Worthies (a royal research institute) and invented Hangeul, the present Korean language and wrote a book, Correct Sounds to Instruct the People, on the principles behind Hanguel alphabet and the proper way to use it and this was added to the UNESCO Memory of World register.

During Japanese invasion between 1592-1598, Gyeongbok Palace was demolished and the site remained empty for 273 years till it was rebuilt and explanded during the reign of King Gojong (1863-1907). At present, the government constantly rebuilds and restores the Gyeongbok Palace to make sure that it remains as a precious cultural legacy of Korea.

Korean-style sauna - Jjimjilbang

Traveling around other countries means exploring its local culture, just like trying the hot springs in Japan, I recommend trying the Korean-style sauna in Korea. It is actually quite fun since you get to sit in saunas in different temperatures or watch TV, sleep, have a manicure or spa if you are feeling tired or you don't have a place to stay for a night.

 

We went to the one beside Yongsan station, called Dragon Spa and there were 5 levels with different activities for men, women or both. At the front desk, after we paid about 12,000won, they gave us each a locker key and a set of clothes to change into. Using our key, we entered the spa and kept our shoes in the shoe lockers labelled with our key number. Then we took the elevator to the 3rd floor which is for ladies only and changed and put our stuff into the lockers. We didn't use the bath and sauna so we went back to the 1st floor to find the resting area. The resting area was quite big and there were massage chairs, sauna rooms, manicure, pedicure, TV and mini grocery store. We bought some eggs and drinks and sat on the floor to eat and watch TV.

 

After resting, we played japanese drum game which was one of my favorite games while I was in Japan and then we went to the top floor to check out the roof garden. From the roof garden, we could see the neighboring buildings and enjoy the sun or a drink from the bar. The concept was nice with relaxing music. After that we went to the restaurant to try the Jjajangmyeong and saw a lot of people having fun at the pool with their children. It was nice to be by the pool especially on a warm day to enjoy some sun. It will be nice to go in winter to try out the saunas available especially there were ones with different temperatures and built with stones or charcoals. For those who are not interested in taking long saunas, there are also game rooms, singing rooms, spa and cafe for your comfort. I would also recommend going on weekdays to avoid crowds and to be able to enjoy a good rest.

Beauiful Jeju Island

Jeju Island is an island with unique geographical surroundings and a unique tradition tracing back to ancient Tamna Tribal State which one cannot find in other places. Towering the heart of Jeju Island is Mt. Halla, an extinct volcano that leads to plentiful forests with its lava landscape, volcanic humps, caves, craters and prairies. Jeju Island also has abundant natural sceneries along the long stretch of silver sandy beach as it is surrounded by sea and with its odd-shaped volcanic rocks, one can see Jeju Island as picturesque scenery.

What should we expect when we are in Jeju? Rocky roads and undeveloped area? I was thinking about that when I was on my way to Jeju Island. I knew about Jeju Island from Korean drama - "Daejanggeum" - there was a part where Janggeum was sent to Jeju Island as a slave and she spent a few years there learning medicine from a doctor and returned to the palace being a royal doctor. At that time, I felt that Jeju Island was an undeveloped island with many traditional houses and customs but it wasn't like that. With our rental car, we set off for lunch and we could see the grey clouds floating above us. On our way, all the road were developed and low-rise apartments and houses. There were also many big hotels like Lotte Hotel, Haevichi and Ramada and casinos which only foreigners could visit. In 10 years' time I believe Jeju Island will be developed into a tourist area so it would be good to visit soon before that happens.

 

For lunch, we went to Herbal Cafe that is famous for its enormous burgers with patties made out of Jeju pork and natural herbs. The shop was filled with lots of local products like soaps, shampoo, aroma oil, natural candy and chocolates. The burger we ordered was enough for 4 people and it was full of local vegetables and the patty tasted delicious with a little herbal flavor. The staff also introduced to us their homemade stress-relief spray which was made out of peppermint oil and he sprayed it on our shoulders that slowly made our shoulders felt warm and relieved with a nice after smell. After a heavy lunch, we moved on to Hallim Park that was filled with caves, Jae-Ann folk village, tropical birds and plants, bonsai garden and Botanical Garden. The best part in Hallim Park was actually the Hyeopjae and Ssangyong caves which were the Korea Natural Monument and formed by the eruption of Mt. Halla. There were over 20 caves in that area connected in a single system, making it the longest lava cave system in the world. After Hallim Park, we moved on to Teddy Bear Museum that hundreds of teddy bears and it was also used as one of the filming located in drama "Goong/Princess Hours". The museum uses the bears to describe its history and world art and it also has Teddy's Forest where you could see bears instead of people in a park. A pity that it was raining heavily and we were not able to enjoy that scene. Nevertheless it was fun taking pictures with teddy bear which was about 3 times my height. For dinner, we went to Juk Rim Seafood Restaurant and enjoyed fresh raw fish, oysters, abalones, octopus and many more. For people who are not keen to see live seafood moving on the dishes, I wouldn't recommend going since it could be expensive and there were too many live ones.

 

Finally we had a chance to look at our accommodation, Haevichi Resort (beside Haevichi Hotel). It was spacious and elegant and our room had a bedroom, a korean-style ondol room, a living room, a bathroom and a kitchen. It was great for friends and families since we could cook in the kitchen and enjoy the sea scenery from our balcony. In the morning, the continental breakfast provided by resort was delicious with lots of bread, juices, vegetables, fruits, western and Korean style breakfast. Let's just say we OVER ATE. After breakfast, we moved to Yeong Tto Falls which would only have waterfall if there was a downpour. Unfortunately for us, by the time we reached there, there was hardly any rain and we only saw the fall without the water. Then, we drove to see Oedolgae (Lonely Rock) which was formed through volcanic eruption and about 20m high and 10m wide. Around the park, we also saw the filming site for drama "Daejanggeum" and many tourists tried to take pictures with Janggeum's statue. Next we moved on to Jeongbang Waterfall (23m high and 10m wide) which is one of the 10 scenic wonders in Jeju Island and it was beautifully set around the mountain area. Of course after all the walking and climbing, we were all ready for lunch. Coming to Jeju Island, I was told to try Jeju pork so there we were, in front of a feast with lots of side dishes and pork. The pork was tender compared to those eaten in Seoul and the meat felt juicier. I also tried the kimchi made by the restaurant and I must admit that it was definitely better than those I found in Seoul. While I was wondering why, my friends told me that people in Jeju Island use sea water to wash salt off the vegetables instead of water and I guess that made the difference in taste and I believe it would taste really good in kimchi stew. Yummy…

 

In the afternoon, we moved on to All-In House which was the main drama site and it was subsequently used in other dramas and as a wedding hall for the locals. It was kind of located on the top of a hill and the walk to the house was scenic listening to the waves beating onto the rocks and walking against the strong wind. Inside we could see the filming locations, the chapel, mini casino and Lee Byeong Hong’s statues which were definitely funny as people were trying to kiss 'him’. Next we moved on to Seongsan Ilchulbong which was a typical volcanic tuff cone about 5000 years ago and we spent about 30 minutes walking up to the top to enjoy Jeju Island scenery. After panting most of my way up, I was rewarded with wonderful view of Jeju and of course trying to walk against the wind. Nevertheless I felt great as it seemed so high before I climb the tuff cone and actually it didn’t take me that long to reach the top. As usual going downhill was easier and it took us about 20 minutes to reach the starting point.

 

 

After that we dragged our tired feet back to our resort to take a break and after shower, we went to Haevichi Hotel to enjoy the dinner buffet. The variety was great from Japanese dishes like sushi and tempura to Chinese dishes like dim sum and Western dishes like pasta and salad. My favorite spot was the dessert since there was a chocolate fondue available and I mainly dipped it with strawberries and the strawberry tarts and cakes were fantastic. After this huge meal, we were lucky enough to have the chance to look at the standard and suite rooms in Haevichi. All rooms were equipped with king-sized bed and we had the chance to look at the suite which was filmed in drama "IRIS" and guess the room rate for the suite…. It cost 4,000,000 won (about US$4000) per night. The suite had a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and one of them had a Jacuzzi inside. Haevichi was built three years ago and the rooms were all facing outside with corridors facing the concourse. It has a bar beside the restaurant and with a singer and a pianist, they provided us beautiful songs like Sad Movies which I started listening to it from high school. With this, we ended the day with beautiful songs in our heads. What a memorable night!

After another big breakfast, we set off to take photos surrounding Haevichi Hotel and the filming scenes of drama “IRIS”. The lighthouse was used in the final episode where the main female character was waiting for her beloved man but the man died in his car watching her from the side. I didn’t expect a tragic ending since I watched that halfway but I was told that the two main male characters died in the end. On the way to the airport we stopped by a café and it was interesting since there was no one taking care of the café and we just had to put the money for what we drink or eat. With all these, I was glad to visit Jeju and I left Jeju Island with good memories filled with delicious food, kind people and beautiful sceneries.