Mission Day Sixteen: Going Gangnam Style

Today we went to the Gangnam District of Seoul to get us some culture. To get there we took the Lightblue line (No.4) and Orange subway line (No.3). Then we arrived at Apgujeong Station that placed us in the district of Gangnam.

First thing we wanted to visit in Gangnam is it's Gangnam Tourism Center, and to get there we took exit No. 3 and walked towards it in the direction of the Hyundai Department store. The Tourism Center is located next to it.

But before we went there, we payed the Starbucks across the street a visit. There we had some snacks and drinks to energize us up for our long cultural walking day trip...

After our snackin' drink pitstop, it was back on the road towards the Gangnam Tourism Centre which was just across the street from Starbucks.

At the Gangnam Tourism Center you can go to it's first floor. On your way up there are photo's on the wall from K-Drama to K-Pop Celebrities... 

As you can see there is a Photo Frame of some of the cast members of the K-Drama Gentlemen's Dignity, and it was a moment to take a picture of it with Lilia besides it (^__^)

Getting on the first floor you get into the Digital Experience Zone of the world of K-Pop. This area is actually a new way to promote the K-pop artist. Here we got an explanation of one of the members of the Tourism Center...

Here they told us that there will be a new way to promote famous K-pop artists and other artists. They want to use cards like the transportation cards we used to travel by bus and the subway train. On these cards they put data that you scan and upload to your phone to read or watch it's video contents...

At the moment you can only use a Samsung phone to scan there cards. By scanning one of these cards you be getting a menu screen on your phone. There you can select an item that you want to know more about or watch an exclusive video that can only be viewed through these cards...

It is said that they are going to implement these cards around the end of this year. These cards will also be used as a transportation and payment cards. It's the same as the T-money card they now use. The cards with Kpop stars will be unique and its special made for fans of K-Pop in South Korea, but also for the kpop fans all over the world.  So if you go to Korea somewhere next year and you are a big K-pop fan, we recommend you to get a cards like this. It's very useful and it's also a good souvenir to bring back from Korea.

A Staff member of the Tourism center that informed us about the Digital Experience Zone. Next to the Digital Experience Zone was the K-Drama set zone. There they had put up a set from the drama Gentlemen's Dignity.

After finishing filming of the final episode of Gentlemen's Diginity they actually brought the original set here. This is a set of a livingroom with it's couch, and Lilia had to try it out right away... 

(Lilia: "Hmmmm... this is so nice...<3)

Kurisu also took a try on the couch and finds it also nice and peaceful. It was awesome that they placed the set here at the tourism center. 

Next to the K-Drama set of Gentlemen's Dignity was the souvenir zone. Here you can buy all Hallyu Star stuff like CD's, T-shirts, keychains and more...

Then we went to the next zone, the Hallyu Star Memorabilia Exhibit booth...

Hallyu Star Memorabilia Exhibit Booth where Lilia took a picture with EXO dudez. Then it was off to the final zone, the Hallyu Stare Experience Zone...

(Lilia in an action shot with some members of Super Junior)

In the room at the back of the 1st floor there was a Hallyu Star Experience Zone. THere you can try out some costumes and accessories to get in character of one of the popular idols. While being in costume you take pictures on stage sets that are from famous K-pop Music video's...

There were many sets where you can take some action photo's with an outfit you want to try out to make you look like an K-Pop idol...

You can dress up by using costumes or using make up and props to look like a K-pop star. There is a make up section in this area where you can dress up...

(I'm putting up some shades, and going to do something kinda awesome...)

As you can see Kurisu is all dressed up as some famous Korean Guy who does a dance and sings something about the Gangnam Style... XD

Here's Lilia getting ready for some action shots at the Experience Zone...

We had a great tour and explanation of the members of the Tourism Center. Here's another picture with one of them... Thanks for a fun and amazing time at the Tourism Center...

When we had checked out all the area's of the first floor, we went back downstairs to explore the area there some more...

Then after gathering some guides we went off to our next location in Gangnam, it's Dosan Park. This park was build in 1973 to commemorate the achievement and legacy of a famous independence activist. There we took a relaxing walk and took some pictures before we went off to our next location... 

After Dosan Park we went walking to the Hallyu Star Avenue. This avenue is about 1km long and starts from the Galleria building at Gangnam. 

While walking we found a very big Johnny Walker store, that sells a lots of different sets of it's whiskey's Blue Lable. Here's Kurisu talking a walk with Johnny Walker in the streets of Gangnam...

During our walk we run into the SM Entertainment Artist Training center construction site. There they had put up a large billboard of Shinee's latest album "Everybody"...

Finally we came at the part of the avenue where we saw the entertainment buildings of JYP Entertainement and Cube Entertainment. These agencies represents some of the most famous K-pop artists and bands...

Lilia at JYP and CUBE Entertainment buildings in Gangnam.

Then we took a lil break at Cube's cafe with some drinks...

When we finished up our drinks we went off to the Bongeunsa Temple area. Last year we also explored this area because it was very beautiful and interesting, and is still is...

Then it was off to Gangnam Station, and to get there we had to take the subway line 2 at COEX Mall.

Arriving at Gangnam Station, we took exit 11 where we found a long street full of cafe´s, restaurants and stores. It was all lightened up with Leds, Neon lights and large Video screens. It was really crowded but fun to walk on these streets towards Kyobo Tower...

While walking towards our next destination we also checked out some shops, cafe's and restaurants in Gangnam. Then we took a Break at McDonalds with supersized french fries and some Burgers...

Then it was off to another Running Man location we want to check out. This location was used of their Kyobo Bookstore Mission runs. It was the Kyobo Bookstore at the basement of Kyobo TOwer. There we have recognized some spots in the stores where they filmed Running Man.

With our visit at Kyobo Tower we´ve ended our Gangnam Style run @ the district of Gangnam in Seoul...

This was a pretty long day for us, so now we doing the Gangnam Style dance and heading off to bed for our next mission day in Seoul... See you with our next blog and a very Goodnight...

CL & LC