GOING OUT
As you take a short stroll to Garosu-gil (treelined street) and get sidewalk-envy in the process (non-Thais, a properly paved pedestrian path is a rare sight for us Thais), you can stop by a 7-Eleven if you feel homesick. This store, however, isn’t exactly the same as the ones here and comes with little quirks that I won’t spoil here.
While Garosu-gil i s li ned with i mpressive-looking stores of big brands gearing towards fashionistas (Guess, Michael Kors, MCM and such), you don’t have to be one to enjoy the area as there are shops with cool concepts and facades to explore and photograph. My favourite is the Gentle Monster’s five-storey store, which also doubles as an exhibition of sorts. It’s decked out in apocalyptic chic complete with crows and a tentacle robot, when all it sells in sun glasses. The cashier is on the top floor. But you probably won’t expect anything less than this for a brand that is known for its outlandish store concept. The Line Friends cafe and store is also worth stopping by for IG moments.
If you really can’t think of anything to buy, hit Art Box, which opens its first Thai branch on the sixth floor of CentralWorld, at the beginning of the street. It’s bound to have something cute that catches your eyes.
In addition to shopping, restaurants and eateries line the street’s many alleys. You can easily spend half day or a whole day here especially if friends and family ask you to buy specific items for them.
Ikseon-dong Hanok Village is further away but can be reached via the the public transport system. Make sure to wear comfy shoes as you explore the myriad of stylish shops, restaurants and cafes set in the old neighbourhood. Make sure to ask if you can take photos at the many Instgrammable spots. I came across a cool coffee shop set in a tra- ditional Korean house and even a The Simpsons-themed bar.
From here, you can walk to Insa-dong to shop for traditional souvenirs and art appreciation at galleries. Walk north to Jagyeongjeon Chamber and Changdeokgung Palace. Bukchon-ro is another neighbourhood with traditional houses, where you can find more cute shops and cafes.