Posts

Showing posts from September, 2013

Here's an interesting read

KoreaBANG has a translated article responding to Korea ranking 108 globally in gender equality. The writer is disputing the claim. It seems this is a hot topic of recent, I've read several articles now criticizing the belief of discrimination against women in Korea. I'm keeping out whether I agree or disagree, both sides make good points. I will say from my experience, as a college student in Seoul, girlfriends tend to expect a lot out of their boyfriends and can be quite aggressive. In my opinion, some of them crossed the realistic line. Anyway, I haven't had the chance to read the 381pg report and am unlikely to. But a scroll through the comment section on the post is definitely worth the while.

The hiking trip: Seoul Fortress Wall (한양도성)

Image
I am going to take a break for this week from Gyeongju photos for what was truly one of the most memorable experiences of my stay in Seoul. The Seoul Fortress hike was hosted not by ISA, but the Konkuk international office. It was a chance for foreign students and their Korean friends to enjoy a trip together. They even provided us with food and water... a 김밥 kimbap, a mandarin and a power bar. The view from the top Which I should have taken as a warning sign. I was misled into thinking the trip was a 'walk' along the fortress wall. I have never climbed so many stairs in my life, my legs hurt for days after. Ultimately, I will say it was worth it. The view is beautiful and the history behind the wall is fascinating too. Beyond that, it was just a really fun bonding experience. For these photos I'm going to share little stories I remember from the day.

Style: Tae Gong-sil of Master's Sun (주군의 태양)

Image
As I've already mentioned, my latest drama obsession is Master's Sun. The basic story follows a young woman who can see ghosts (Tae Gong-sil) and a CEO with a mysterious past (Joo Joong-won). The two meet, learn to trust each other, and of course fall in love. The drama is currently airing with great success and is a product of the Hong Sisters (The Greatest Love, You're Beautiful, My Girl, etc.). The main cast includes 공효진 Gong Hyo-jin, 소지섭 So Ji-sub, and 서인국 Seo In-guk. Tae Gong-sil and Joo Joong-won Tae Gong-sil (Gong Hyo-jin) has a very relaxed style in this drama. She tends to wear a lot of basics and has a love of layering. I decided to play around with some of her looks from the drama to create my own versions.

경주 Gyeongju Excursion: 불국사 (Bulguksa Temple)

Image
Continuing with the photos from our one-day excursion to Gyeongju, the second stop was Bulguksa Temple. Bulguksa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Seokguram is actually part of Bulguksa and the two were added to the list simultaneously. Click to view part one and photos from Seokguram Grotto 석굴암 In addition to being a World Heritage site, Bulguksa is home to many National Treasures. The temple was originally built in 528 during the Silla Dynasty, but did not get its current name until 774. Over the course of time the temple has undergone several reconstructions, the most recent having started in 1973. To read more about the history of Bulguksa see here or here . Now to the photos from our trip to 불국사 Bulguksa! ^^

Studying abroad can change you?

Image
Ahhhh~ I've wanted to write this post for a while now. Before you leave those that have lived/studied abroad will tell you it will change you. If you are like me, you nod and agree... filled with doubt. At 정방폭포 (Jeongbang Falls) during our 제주 (Jeju) trip My one professor told me I would come back a different person. The very idea at the time seemed, quite frankly, ridiculous. How can four months change me to that degree? The interesting thing is, he wasn't wrong. It's can be an experience that not only changes how you view the world, but also yourself. For this post, I'm going to focus more on personal changes. World view changes sounds a bit more academic, no? ^^;; (although I can do a post on it...)

경주 Gyeongju Excursion: 석굴암 (Seokguram Grotto)

Image
It's taken me a long time to upload photos, eh? I think at first it was hard for me to look at them. I miss Korea and my friends a lot...getting back on topic... Today's is the first post of my photos from our second larger ISA excursion to 경주 Gyeongju. The first was to the DMZ and I'm not quite sure whether those will go up on this blog. Our second trip took us to Gyeongju located 4hrs (by bus) from Seoul in 경상북도 Gyeongsangbuk-do province. The drive there was pretty nice in a chartered bus, it was nice to see a bit of the countryside. Sometimes when you're in a large city, such as Seoul, you forget that there is more outside of the city. Walking to Seokguram  경주 was the capital of the Silla Dynasty and boasts many historic locations, some of which are now UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you are a history fan like me, this is a must-go! (here's a link to Gyeongju's guide website ) Also be sure to try the famous 경주빵 (Gyeongju bread). It's packed with