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Korea DAY 2: (Pt. 3) Bukchon Hanok Village Feat. Wonder Cookies, Acorn Caricature + N Seoul Tower at Night

3/14/2025

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Read Part 2 HERE !
​Apparently, a recently introduced tourist curfew would come into effect for Bukchon Hanok Village and the surrounding districts beyond the hours of 10 AM to 5 PM.
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​I had urged my browsing partner to hurry, only to later learn that our area of interest lay with the retail side of the village. Residing just outside the curfew zone, this strip was distinctly more modern than heritage.

​Making our way through the village, our gaze fell upon a Baskin Robbins and Madang collaboration set within a hanok, yet another museum (the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul), an O-Sulloc outpost, and even a Blue Bottle location.
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My eyes shone with wonder as we chanced across hoddeok and bunggeoppang stalls. Neither sparked the same reaction from my browsing partner. Regrettably, the former could not be consumed due its peanut-based filling, while the latter succeeded only in enticing one of us (me).

We opted to browse nearby shops instead, where I surrendered my first bill of Korean won for a mini knitted tote intended for my coworker.
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Rounding the corner of Bukchon-ro 5-gil at Bukchon-ro, we encountered a staggering number of protests. Police buses had lined the length of the street, seemingly positioned in place for the long term.

A few steps away was the storefront of Wonder Cookies, appearing precisely in the configuration shown online by Hanbit Cho.
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​The storefront gave the illusion of an old-fashioned music box with its partially Serif font and robin's egg blue accents. Artificial garden elements were also arranged outside surrounding the seating area. Given the external conditions though, it was far too noisy and chilly to sit comfortably for extended periods of time.
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​Upon pulling open the double doors, we were greeted warmly by the sole member of front line staff. Baking operations had evidently ceased for the day, though one could make out at least two members of staff assisting the pastry chef himself in the back room.

The front of the store housed two areas: a vestibule with baking-related replicas (countertop oven, cookbook, cookies, etc.) on display and a compact seating area with benches and backless chairs. Past this section were the product display shelves, labelled "Pop-Up, "Cookie", and "Order" respectively. It was presumed that "Pop-Up" items were introduced on a rotational basis, while "Cookie" indicated fixed selections.
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​By the time of our mid-afternoon visit, many varieties had already sold out. Amongst the remaining assortment were: Levain, White-Macadamia, Apple Pecan, Red Velvet, Fig Marshmallow, Lotus Marshmallow, Matcha Marshmallow, and Earl Grey Peach. I automatically dismissed the varieties containing fruit preserves, for they were likely to accumulate moisture quickly. Flavours of Red Velvet and S'Mores spinoffs were also largely unappealing to me, leaving me to lean towards Levain and White Chocolate Macadamia - the arguably classic cookies profiles.

Frankly, their fist-sized appearances had deterred my appetite slightly, as I would be sampling them solo. Since the cashier could not guarantee against potential cross-contamination with the peanut-containing doughs, my browsing partner erred on the side of caution. The cookies would largely be reserved for my consumption, while a slice of Basque Cheesecake was shared.
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"Ade" is a persistently prominent drink choice in Korea. Composed of carbonated water and fruit compote or jam, the beverage is served over ice and remarkably popular during the sweltering summer months. For those hailing from cold countries - ahem, us - it would serve as a wonderful late afternoon pick-me-up in place of coffee.

Wonder Cookies' signature Citron Grapefruit Ade and Plum Ade set us back 5,500 KRW and 5,900 KRW respectively. Meanwhile, the cookies rang in at 5,900 KRW each and the Basque Cheesecake at 7,400 KRW. Visually pleasing cafés are hardly budget-friendly, though one could confirm that Korea was charging a hefty markup from North American prices on all items except the Basque cheesecake, which is usually priced between five to seven dollars before tax.
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Our cashier strived to communicate with us in English, taking care to double check our orders to prevent misunderstandings. When it came to entering the Ades into the POS system, I simplified the task by pointing to the menu and reading the Hangul out loud. While expressing allergies wasn't the easiest task, I was glad that being literate in food terminology facilitated the ordering process.
The Citron Grapefruit Ade indeed deserved its title of a signature beverage. Zesty, refreshing, and lightly fizzy, I adored the concoction immensely. My own choice of Plum Ade was horrifically sweet. Albeit pulpy as I like, the sugar content was overbearing, especially when consumed alongside baked treats. 
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​When the staff member had compared the consistency of the Basque Cheesecake to "Excellent Ice Cream", neither of us had a point of reference for the anticipated profile. Yet, with the first forkful, we were graced with an exquisite creaminess - tinged with vanilla and indeed reminiscent of ice cream. Supple and smooth, there wasn't an inch of overdone-ness - the common culprit of failed Basque cheesecakes.
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"If this was chilled, it would really taste like ice cream!" announced my browsing partner with glee.
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​I agreed with enthusiasm, then moved onto the bakery's namesake creation. Each of the gargantuan cookies had been fitted into a paper bag. This was the default packaging for purchases of four cookies or less, as boxes would only be provided for five cookies or more.
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The White Chocolate Macadamia was delicious, albeit a tad sweet. Soft and dense was its centre, while crunchy and satiating its outer two-thirds. I found the ratio of white chocolate to macadamia nut surprisingly, for it's rare to see a higher proportion of nuts - especially expensive ones - to chocolate.
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Two bites later, I transitioned to the Levain. There was no way I'd be able to deplete an entire cookie in one sitting.
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This one boasted plenty of mix-ins, from different-sized chocolate pieces to a bountiful portion of nuts. I found preference in the Levain over the White Chocolate Macadamia, for its depth was delightful and its core less cloying. Both of the cookies would be transferred to a Ziploc for transport, seeing as the portion sizes were far too great for a single person.
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Before departing, I inquired of the presence of bathroom. The cashier nodded and presented a key fob for my use. Located in the internal corridor one level lower, the single stall was accessed using a long, flat digital key (similar to hotel room cards), as opposed to a numbered keypad or physical key. Interestingly, there also appeared to be a small, standalone shower area within the stall.

We then gathered our belongings and propelled ourselves back into the mayhem of political protests.
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​Acorn Caricature came into view just as twilight began to descend upon the city.

The idea of obtaining a caricature hadn't crossed my mind until the Instagram algorithm sent short-form travel videos my way. The concept of Acorn Caricature was novel: Visitors could receive a caricature of themselves in just five minutes starting from 7,000 KRW. Demanding minimal commitment of time and cost, it was quickly added to my agenda without refusal by my browsing partner.
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A two-person caricature required a larger canvas, which set us back 19,000 KRW. The beret-donning illustrator assessed our features with impressive speed, placing sharp strokes on her canvas between glances at our faces. She commenced with yours truly, noting the importance of maintaining my gaze with her as she continued to work. In under three minutes, she moved onto my browsing partner, accurately capturing the attitude and essence.
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Our entire ordeal spanned no more than seven minutes from start to finish. That said, we hadn't arrived to find a queue either. All factors considered, we were extremely pleased with the activity.

The canvas was slipped into a clear cover followed by a paper bag to enable transport. From there, we took to perusing a handful of shops in the vicinity.
Overpriced K-Pop merchandise and flimsy-looking "neckless-es" had clearly been geared towards tourists. Instead of continuing to cover the stretch, I proposed making our way to N Seoul Tower gradually. The ideal situation was to board the cable car during sunset.
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Alas, making any commuting progress during rush hour proved quite the challenge. The base of the cable car station was less than two kilometres away, but at least fifty minutes by transit.
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We resolved to call an Uber Taxi to quicken the process, but ultimately sunset hour due to traffic.
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​In contrast to Kakao Taxi, UberTaxi felt somewhat luxurious with a quilted ceiling inside the vehicle. As Reddit posts had noted, one could settle payment in taxis with cash, domestic credit cards, or T-Money. This issue would be waived altogether if paying directly via the Uber app.
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Heavily tinted windows concealed the progression of sundown outside. When we pulled up to the parking lot of the Namsan Cable Car station, little sunlight remained.
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The scenery was utterly unlike my visit in the morning. Where the earlier hours featured unapologetic UV rays and cloudy mountain views, the evening hours gave way to the flicker of string lights and gently illuminated walkways.
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​Visitor volumes had also increased significantly. The morning had seen exercise enthusiasts and parties of one or two, while nightfall introduced the arrival of couples and friend groups of three or more. The lack of sunlight also meant lowered visibility plus a distinctive chill in the air.
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​A round trip Cable Car ticket set us back a 30,000 KRW in total. Akin to the Gyeongbokgung Palace admission pass, both tickets had been consolidated into one. The choice to combine the tickets was one that favoured sustainability, though not one appreciated by those that enjoy preserving tickets as souvenirs.
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​An overwhelming number of patrons queued for the cable car, so much that the lineup spilled past the waiting area into the stairwell. By the time we made it to the exterior platform, we were amongst the final few to allowed into the cable car. This was hardly advantageous, we soon learned, for being sardined against another being obstructed any and all views of the scene outside. ​For the duration of the ride, I looked forward to nothing more than my personal space being reinstated.
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Before long, we arrived at the base of N Seoul Tower, now lit from below in a magical magenta.
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Consistent were the fixtures I had witnessed earlier in the day: the Pavilion now devoid of musicians, the observation area now bustling with tourists, and the retail plaza bopping with loud tunes. Nighttime rendered a commercial element to the attraction, contrasting against the open-air vibes of daytime.

With the reduction in natural illumination, I would have expected brighter lampposts - if not a greater number of lampposts to combat the hazards resulting from darkness and stone steps. It was truly astounding to me that Korean parents allowed toddlers to waddle and roam around about the ledge of stone stairs. Most North American children would have tripped and fallen down, prompting parents to sue. In sheer contrast was the survival instinct of local children, who seemed to know to turn back before venturing into zones of danger.
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​From the observation deck, the city was aglow with trails of moving vehicles and late night retail complexes. That said, the mountains had diminished into darkness completely. Generally speaking, the view was less formidable than Toronto at night. Extremely glad I had been to catch the breathtaking landscapes of the morning; the uphill trek had been worth it!
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View the full album HERE !
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Having previously screened the area for suitable lock clamping, I led my browsing partner to the lookout desk with three heart silhouettes. Ours would be hooked onto one of the railings, joining the several thousands that had left their mark of devotion in a foreign country.
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Despite the bustle of the environment, restaurants had already began to close just short of 9 PM. Although my browsing partner suggested investing in a secondary admission to visit the top of the tower, I was barely inclined on the basis of unattended hunger.
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​Travelling back to the base of the tower and sourcing sustenance in the city would likely delayed consumption by another hour at minimum. Thus, I resolved to settle my woes with a Toowoomba Beef Burger from the nearby 7-Eleven.
Perpetually never hangry, my browsing declared abstinence from food until our eventual return to the hotel.
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​Of note was the N Seoul Tower gift shop, which offered unique souvenirs ranging from tile magnets depicting the landmark through different seasons to "K-Food" keychains to bear keychains corresponding to days of the year. Our date of visit was, unfortunately, sold out.
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Purchases over fifteen dollars were eligible for tax refunds at the airport, but not in store. This approach was more hassle than the instant tax refunds, as Lotte Mall retailers had issued, as it required retention and meticulous tracking of one's receipts.
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​Before making our way back down, I insisted on visiting the K-Pop store on the B2 level. In contrast to their seemingly grand exterior, the space was, in fact, quite narrow with absolutely no recognizable artists in view. On the upper floor of the plaza was an arcade, in which the infamous coin karaoke booths could be found.
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​Besides these installations (and the bathrooms), there were few other points of interest. All eateries had ceased operations for the day. It was time to head back down.
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​By a stroke of luck, we were the first party to board the cable car on its descent. This enabled us first pick of standing space within the car, though didn't prevent others from squishing close in an attempt to unearth us from our initial positions.
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​Those under the impression that the Namsan Cable Car is a private carriage for one's entire party ought be corrected: the car is used to transport as many passengers as possible from the start to finish. During our time of visit, at least thirty (if not more) passengers were crammed into the space, making it impossible to see out the window unless you managed to secure a space by the window. The trek by foot was comparatively tranquil and much more scenic, not to mention free of charge. In conclusion, the Namsan Cable Car simply wasn't worth its asking price.
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​Our trip back to the hotel would be made by bus. At the shelter, we were joined by a trio of office workers clad in black, likely just wrapping up OT for the day.
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The night bus offered a compelling experience, one that was both unfamiliar yet nostalgic. Its overall configuration reminded me of DAY6's I Loved You MV, specifically the sliding rear door (where Sungjin had dashed out).
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​Back near Seoul Station, we quenched the ice cream bar desires of my browsing partner with a Hershey's Green Tea Choco Bar with mochi filling. We collectively agreed that the bar would be tastier with more ice cream and less mochi.
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​Roasted sweet potatoes were perceived near the cashier, making their way onto my to-try list upon our return from Jeju.
​(Spoiler: We never found them at the right time again.)
​After recapping souvenirs and re-packing our bags for the next day's flight, we fell into fitful slumber once more. The room was still atrociously hot and uncomfortable.
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    Formerly an avid owner of several interest-based portals, Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger presents precisely the elements expected. From experiments in the kitchen to miscellaneous musings, from IGOT7 reflections to developments in transportation infrastructure, it's all consolidated here. Welcome to the raw, unfiltered side of Quirky Aesthetics.



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WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky =  a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things



Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

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