My trip to Korea (suite)
Thursday 12thIt was one of the most important day of my trip : a day tour with my Bae sis C to visit YJ’s spots. And, coincidence, April 12th is also the first anniversary of April Snow’s released in France.
I felt a kind of nostalgia this morning when I remembered how I was excited last year, to be able to watch at last YJ on big screen.
We gave appointment at the lobby of Lotte hotel. As we have exchanged our photos before, it’s easy for us to recognize each other. C is a gracious beautiful lady with warm smile, she made me feel comfortable at the first moment we met.
I think my good fortune still continued because our meeting was a lucky coincidence. Without any planning, we both came to Seoul at the same time for our first trip although her stay’s shorter than me.
She introduced me to her friends, they’re all nice ladies and some have already met YJ several times. After exchanging our gift, we started the tour with another group of Japanese fans.
As it’s a tour organised for Japanese fans, the tour guide spoke only Japanese. Fortunately, my dear C, sitting at my side, nicely and tirelessly translated in English for me what the tour guide said. Thank you C, I never forget your kindness.
The first place to visit was, of course, the hospital where YJ was born. But the tour guide told us that the building we saw actually is not the real ones which was rebuilt.
Second place, the condo where he has an apartment which had fire last year.
The tour guide told us that actress Song Yun Ah, Zhen Yin in Hotelier, lives there too but at a different floor, and it’s just a coincidence they lived in the same condo.
Second place, the condo where he has an apartment which had fire last year.
The tour guide told us that actress Song Yun Ah, Zhen Yin in Hotelier, lives there too but at a different floor, and it’s just a coincidence they lived in the same condo.
Third place, his elementary school where he graduated.
It’s a little surprising for me to hear the word “graduate” after elementary school, in France we only “graduate” when we finish the school with diploma.
It’s a little surprising for me to hear the word “graduate” after elementary school, in France we only “graduate” when we finish the school with diploma.
Fourth place, his junior high-school.
Fifth place, his high-school.
Sixth place, the SF gym.
As YJ was not present, we were allowed to go to the second or third (I don’t remember exactly as we kept talking when we took the elevator) floor where he used to practice his exercise. But JP was there, and when he saw us, he nicely came to say a quick hello to us. When he was going to leave, my intrepid C stopped him and pushed me towards him while saying ‘this lady came all the way from France'. Ha ha so thanks to C, I could shake hands with him, I was very happy, I think without her I never dared to say anything.
Seventh place, Park Bof.
There are so many many beautiful photos of HRH, some I have never seen before. I think that some of you who has read bb’s blog know that this Park Bof was closed now as they will move to Insadong but I’m very glad I could visit it, the first ones !
Eighth place, Gorilla in the Kitchen where we had lunch. Gorilla is a great place, if you sit on the second level, you could see the beautiful Dosan Park.
Do you see this red rectangle ? with C and her friends, we sat there.
I took romaine salad with chicken breast instead of the lunch menu which’s too copious for me, miam it’s delicious.
Do you see this red rectangle ? with C and her friends, we sat there.
I took romaine salad with chicken breast instead of the lunch menu which’s too copious for me, miam it’s delicious.
During the lunch, some ladies, C’s friends told me their encounters with YJ (thanks to C who continued to translate for us). We enjoyed our lunch while talking and talking about YJ, the lunch was even too short for me.
Ninth place : Hair&Beauty Shop Jung Saem Mool
As there’s no place to park the car, it’s a quick stop and I forgot to check for Il Mare restautant - café which is in the opposite of the beauty shop as bb had aviced me. Il Mare café’s the place Yujin returned the Polaris necklace to Min Hyung.
I'm sorry, in her comment, Youngsun just told me that a Korean fan said that the cafe where Yujin returned the Polaris necklace to Min Hyung is not the cafe 'Il Mare', but a cafe named 'Mirage' and located in Suwon, a city near Seoul.
My apologies for this mistake.
Tenth place : where he practiced golf before.
Eleventh place : BOF / Key East Office
Twelfth place : KBS television
Among pictures from dramas produced by KBS television hung on the walls, it’s Winter Sonata that you see the most.
On the way to visit the KBS television which is I think not very far from the National assembly, the driver took a road which was almost parallel with Yunjungno Avenue, yes the famous 7km avenue with more than 1400 cherry trees. It’s this moment that I knew what we saw Wednesday was not the real ones, because Yunjungno Avenue with cherry blossoms was so beautiful. I’m sorry I couldn’t take any picture because the car’s moving.
Thirteenth and last place to visit, Sungkyunkwan University, where he went to study after shooting the drama Have we really love.
The tour guide told us he once studied in this building.
It’s also there that he shot the campus scenes in First Love, where Chanwoo was a law student.
The tour guide told us he once studied in this building.
It’s also there that he shot the campus scenes in First Love, where Chanwoo was a law student.
This is the main entrance.
It was the BYJ day tour. They drove us back to Lotte hotel and I said goodbye to C and her friends. But our day was not finished yet. We still had our dinner&gathering at Gorilla (again) with youngsun, Style and my friend.
I came back to Lotte hotel to take C to my hotel’s lobby where we had appointment with youngsun who came to take us to Gorilla with her car. Style joined us at Gorilla a moment later. It’s the first time for C to meet youngsun and Style.
It was a wonderful dinner, after the gifts's exchange, we talked and talked, and guess about who ? HRH for sure, only HRH. Style told us about her countless encounters with YJ, some’re very funny which made us laugh hard, even my friend who’s not YJ’s fan enjoyed this dinner very much.
We took each one a different meal and this time I didn’t forget to take their photos as youngsun and C kept telling me “don’t forget to take pictures as bb has said”, but please don’t ask me their names because I couldn’t remember it (still have to learn from bb but I have an excuse, it’s my very first time). They are all delicious and some’re rather surprising, for example the black rice. It’s also the first time my friend saw the words “human” and “gorilla” in a menu, she thought it’s a very original idea.
As I saw C buying the only cookie (a kind of energy cereal bar) sold at Gorilla, I bought it too although I didn’t eat it yet, I think I will kinda keep it as a souvenir.
We all secretly hoped that YJ would come for dinner, ha ha I even went to the washroom which’s near his private dinner room many times in case he was there. But maybe because the next day he has a shooting far from Seoul, he didn’t come.
Anyway, I was very happy to have a second gathering & dinner with my Japanese and Korean Bae sisters at YJ’s restaurant (special thanks to my very sweet sister who has organised it). Even if we didn’t see YJ but for me it’s already enough for my first trip to Korea. There are a lot and a lot of wonderful memories to warm my heart for a very long time.
Gorilla late at night, the last images I kept this night in my memory.
Thanks again Youngsun, Style, C and my sweet sister for making my first trip to Korea a memorable trip.
Thanks again Youngsun, Style, C and my sweet sister for making my first trip to Korea a memorable trip.
posted by Toujours_BYJ @ 5/05/2007 09:32:00 PM
11 Comments:
hey, camille!
just managed to catch up on your last post here, 'twas great!! thanks much much for sharing!
hee, i think it's one of the wonderful things to be doing the YJ-spots with fellow fans! and... the good at gorilla's really good huh? to be honest, never thought healthy food could be this delicious!
my dear camille,
so nice to hear about your day full of Yong Joon and the beautiful Bae sisters. Is this a local day tour for the Japanese sisters only? Did you have to reserve ahead in Japan or you can still book after arrival in Seoul? I love to visit his university, so he also shot First Love there? Oh, and that cafe where MinHyung returned the necklace to Yujin, I always wish to go there. Thanks for pointing out all these good places.
I couldn't agree w/ you more, the friendship from the Bae sisters is the most precious part of this Bae journey. I am so happy that you have such a wonderful & memorable trip.
love .... Jaime
Hi bb
Yes, I never thought that healthy food could be that delicious and refined and original too.
Too bad I can't find it here.
And I think I was very lucky for my first trip to Korea, I'm very happy.
Hi Jaime,
I think it's a tour organised for Japanese fans by Japanese agency, C has booked for me, I just came to the hotel, paid to the tour guide then went with her. But you need someone who speaks japanese and english to translate to you because the tour guide only speaks japanese.
Thanks Jaime for your nice words, gathering between Bae sisters is really wonderful because we understand each other our feeling for HRH.
Chère Camille,
Quelle journée fantastique ! Merci de nous la faire partager ! Nos Bae sis sont si gentilles ! Je me rend compte d'une chose: vous mentionnez la barre céréales/énergie. Eh bien, jai rencontré une amie de C il n'y a pas longtemps et C lui avait donné quelques souvenirs pour moi et les Bae sis ici, incluant une de ces barre ! Alors, ça veut dire que, non seulement est-ce une de ces fameuses friandises, mais elle l'a obtenue en votre compagnie ! Ah la,la ;)
I couldn't agree more with Jaime's comment on friendship with Bae sisters being the most precious part of this journey!
Looking forward to agreeing with bb on the food at Gorilla from first hand experience, maybe, one day!
Chère Gosijo
En fait, C les avait déjà achetés une première fois lors du déjeuner alors que j'étais en train de prendre des photos à l'extérieur de Gorilla.
Et le soir après le dîner, quand elle allait en racheter d'autres, comme je l'accompagnais c'est à ce moment-là que j'ai vu ces barres. Elle m'avait dit que c'est très bon alors j'en ai acheté pour goûter. Mais une fois sur le chemin du retour, je me rendais compte que c'est quelque chose de nouveau de chez Gorilla que je n'ai jamais vu avant, alors je n'ose plus l'ouvrir car je voulais les garder comme souvenir. J'ai beaucoup regretté de n'avoir pas acheté un peu plus pour goûter et aussi pour vous offrir, j'envie beaucoup C car aller en Corée pour elle est plus facile que pour moi, la distance n'est pas la même.
Eh en ce qui concerne les plats chez Gorilla, je peux vous garantir que c'est très bon, très frais, assez raffiné et original.
Dear camille,
Thanks for sharing your interesting trip! Can I repost some of your lovely pictures on my blog (can't resist them ..ha ha!).
merci beaucoup!
Love, xiaoyi (p/s: i've linked your blog to mine ^^)
Dear Camille
Thanks for your hard work to post the trip reports despite your serious armache!
Your reports bring back the happy times we shared during your visit to Seoul.
Already 1 month has passed since then!
BTW, a Korean fan left a comment to my translation and said the cafe where Yujin returned the Polaris necklace to Min Hyung is not the cafe 'Il Mare', but a cafe named 'Mirage' and located in Suwon, a city near Seoul.
Honestly, I came to know some BYJ places thru your report!
Thanks for that^^
Take a good care of yourself!
youngsun *^^*
Dear Xiaoyi, welcome to my blog !
I often saw your name on bb's blog but didn't know you have a blog, I just linked your blog to mine.
And please repost the pictures you like, I'm glad you like it.
Dear youngsun
Thank you very much for the info, I just edit my posting to correct it.
About Il Mare, I remember bb's told me that it's the place where Yujin returned the Polaris necklace to Min Hyung but maybe I'm wrong.
I'm thankful to C, without her I would never know these places too.
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