Solo Traveling In Korea | Interview By Therese So

I recently got invited to talk about my solo travels in Korea by fellow Korea lifestyle b/vlogger Therese So.

I've been online friends with Therese for the longest time, and I always see her Korea posts on Facebook, especially during Seoul Fashion Week where she attends the fashion shows! You can watch more about that in my vlog.

But anyway, about the vlog Therese created, she asked me about my Korea trips which entailed me to dig through my core memories, and go back on the past years. I really, truly miss it.

Usually, interviewers will give you snippets of what they will ask you before the actual interview. An outline that's not strictly followed, of course, just to have a flow in the conversation. You can watch my answers on the full interview on the video below, but I am also sharing my written answers on this blog. I wrote this while prepping for the Zoom meeting few minutes before our set time. 

Hope you'll pick up something from these, and til we get to travel again!

Can you tell us something about yourself and about your Koreana life?

I always joke about this, diba may sinasabi silang mga kinain na ng Sistema ng Kdrama, ako lamon na lamon na hahaha. 

Early part of quarantine I studied Korean language. 

Yung room ko punong puno ng Korea elements mapa Kdrama yan or Kpop. 

Ang namimiss ko talaga na trips ko ay Korea trips, and parang Korea yung isa sa or actually una kong pupuntahan pag natapos lahat to. 

I am a lifestyle blogger diba, so I talk about a lot of things on my website. Dati I started lang with fashion, but when I started to travel more, parang mas enjoy ko to write about my trips. Experience based kasi sha. Parang work sha na hindi. 

What I love most about traveling in general is experiencing the 4 seasons. I first fell in love with Japan when I went there spring of 2015. First time ko sa Korea, wala talaga akong Hallyu exposure. But I still enjoyed it, it was also spring time so we had a lot of cherry blossom sightings. Same year, 2016, I went back to Korea alone and I was already watching Korean dramas. With this "fan girl glasses on", it is as if I'm seeing Korea in a different light!

I saw that you travel to South Korea often, why do you go back always, hindi mo pa ba naubos mga attractions?? Hehe

Actually yan ang usually nababasa ko sa comments section ko hahaha. Pero honestly, wala pa ako sa kalahati ng Korea bucket list ko haha! It keeps on growing! 

First of all, if Kdrama fan ka diba, or even Kpop.. there will always be a new Korean drama location, or new music video location, or even a new world tour for a new album!

Secondly, I also love going to provinces, and ang dami pa talagang spots sa Korea na hindi ko pa napupuntahan. 

What do you usually do when you go to Korea? 

Immersion talaga. I go to provinces or cities outside of Seoul. Usually, I’ll stay in Seoul for a night or 2, tapos non I have to go outside Seoul for let’s say 3-5 days para maenjoy yung sceneries. I also go on my DIY Kdrama or Kpop Tour.

Cool breeze and view of the sea, a memory of exploring Sokcho during winter.

Any memorable experience in Korea. good and bad experience?

Ang hirap sabihing bad the bad experiences coz they always turn out to be memories or learning experiences for me. 

(Then I started listing the not so good things that happened to me during my trips)

Miniso Receipt 

Drunk Ahjussi 

Unexpected Snowfall in Jeju – Wild snow storm, nasira pa gulong ng luggage ko

Good, super dami! Siguro some of my favorites include guesting for Mimi Shop, music festival experience in Gwangju, guest house experiences and small encounters during trip with locals

Nagshare ka na din ng mga experiences mo sa Korea, what are the things people would need to know when going in Korea? share some Dos and Don’ts  

Not manners and etiquette, but maybe practical advice.

Korea is beautiful all year round, BUT do travel in Korea during its different seasons. Diba maganda na sha as is, but imagine it covered with snow or with autumn leaves falling or yun petals ng cherry blossoms as your backdrop! 

Do not be afraid of traveling in Korea on a budget, coz kayang kaya sha. Stay in a guesthouse, use public transpo (taxi is ok too actually if nearby sites lang para kang nag grab), eat in convenience stores or yun small eateries. Street foods are actually more mahal!

Signs of Spring. Took a photo under this full-bloom tree that I spotted inside a university in Daegu

And lastly! How do you plan your Korea trips?

First of all, I base it on the season. I also go through a list on my phone that I've accumulated even with no plans pa of traveling. Ano ba gusto ko makita now, and if maganda ba sya during the season that I am planning to go, etc.

You can watch full interview here.

Special thanks to Therese So for organizing this interview, and to Seoul Heol for hosting our BTS Album Giveaway! 

Cover photo by Therese.