places

Day 3 in Korea [National Museum, Ewha Womans University, Hello Kitty Cafe]

Hello dear! My apology if our Korea Travel Diary took some time to finish but we are finally on the last leg.

Our last day in South Korea was full of sight seeing and MORE shopping, of course!

Our first stop was theΒ National Palace Museum of Korea. It took us less than an hour to get there via subway. There were so many students and tourists when we arrived so we opted just to stay outside and took some photos.

National Palace Museum of Korea houses over 40,000 artifacts and royal treasures, from the palaces of theΒ Joseon DynastyΒ and the Korean Empire, of which 14 areΒ National Treasures of South Korea.Β It displays records, state rites, architecture, clothing, royal life, education, culture, paintings and music of the dynasty’s ruling era.Β It also has among its collection the royal seal ofΒ King Gojong of Joseon, which was used for his personal letters to Russian czar and Italian emperor after 1903. It disappeared duringΒ Japanese ruleΒ and was recovered from a US-based Korean collector in 2009.Β source

National Palace Museum at Gyeongbokgung Palace
Bugaksan (Bugak Mountain) behind the palace compound
I had so much fun taking photos with these girls! Feels like I’m their big sister! 😀

After taking some photos, we headed to the subway station and moved on to our next destination – Ewha Womans University Shopping Street.

It was around 12 in the afternoon when we arrived so everyone decided to enjoy a hot bowl of porridge for lunch.

The place is calledΒ Korean Traditional Porridge Restaurant, located a few meters away from the station and right in front of YES aPM mall.

Seafood porridge with different side dishes. This costs around 5000 won. Tasty and satisfying.
After our lunch, we headed toΒ Ewha Womans UniversityΒ to check out its beautiful compound and architecture. It is a private women’s university inΒ Seoul,Β South Korea founded in 1886 by theΒ AmericanΒ Methodist Episcopal Church. It is the world’s largest female educational institute and has been one of the most prestigious universities in the country since its founding in 1886.

The university hasΒ Ewha Campus Complex which is Korea’s largest underground campus. The first level consists of lecture rooms and an eco-park while the lower levels have theΒ library, bookstore, gym, movie theater, cafes, and many more.

Ewha Womans University area is one of the most popular shopping spots in Seoul, South Korea.

You will find tons of fashion outlets of feminine style clothes such as dress, sweater, tops and etc. Prices start from 5000 won ($5) for an item.

You can also find beauty stores from popular brands like Nature Republic, Tony Moly, LabiotteΒ and many more. I have read somewhere that it is cheaper to buy beauty products in Ewha Street than in Myeongdong and I can attest to that. I asked on few products and found out that they may have the same price but you can get more freebies in Ewha.

After a few hours, we stopped by at Cafe Pasiya right beside the university to try out Korean Bing-su, a popular Korean ice dessert. Also, since it’s time for Cloud’s afternoon nap, Hubby allowed me to continue checking the area and spend some me-timeΒ while our son is still sleeping. Thanks Daddy! I know it is too late but please watch out for my Korean Haul post.Β 

At exactly 4 in the afternoon, we were ready to leave the place and proceeded on to our last location – the Hello Kitty Cafe. Β That day, we’ve been using their subway system a lot and we enjoyed how smooth and fast us to get from one place to another. For our last destination, we took off the subway at Hongik University Station Line 2 Exit 9.

We passed by another shopping district called Hongdae, also known as Hongik Univesity Street. It is a street full of youngsters and a great place to find cheap fashion goods. There are also some street performers for live music shows.

Hello Kitty Cafe is something you should definitely not miss when visiting South Korea.

I’m not a Hello Kitty fan but I must admit, this is theΒ cutest cafe I’ve ever been. It screams Hello Kitty from the entrance to the tiniest detail of the place.

From the wallpaper to the couch and the bathroom, everything is Hello Kitty and super cute in pink! Everything is Instagram-worthy!

The Hello Kitty room is something every girl has been dreaming of. So perfect!

Hotdog Set
Hello Kitty Pancake Set
Ham and Cheese Ciabatta Sandwich Set

Prices range from 4000 to 6000 won for a meal. The food tastes great (especially the fresh salad)Β but kinda overpriced maybe it is because of the Hello Kitty signature.

They also have a gift shop filled with, of course, none other than Hello Kitty!

Feast your eyes with these adorable Hello Kitty collectibles! If you are a big fan of HK, visiting this cafe would like a dream come true.

There are two more branches of Hello Kitty Cafe located in Myeongdong and Sinchon. But this one in Hongdae is the biggest among others. You can visitΒ http://www.hellokittycafe.co.kr/en/ for more details.

That’s a wrap everybody! I hope you enjoyed the places we’ve visited as much as my family did. Until next!

You might also like:

Day 1 in Korea: Incheon International Airport, Loisir Hotel, Myeongdong, N Seoul Tower

Day 2 in Korea: Everland Resort

31 Comments on “Day 3 in Korea [National Museum, Ewha Womans University, Hello Kitty Cafe]

  1. Great post! Thanks for sharing so many interesting places of Hongdae. The Hello Kitty Cafe looks so fun and cute. Looks like you had a lot of fun there. Looking forward for your korean haul.

  2. There is Hello Kitty Cafe in BGC but checking your photos, mas maganda yung sa SoKor. If ever we will go to Korea, I will definitely try the Bingsu and porridge. I always see that whenever I watch Kdrama. πŸ™‚

  3. The National Palace Museum of Korea would be amazing to see in person. I would love to go to the Hello Kitty Cafe.

  4. I have never been out of the country! Korea would be the trip of a lifetime, looks like you had an amazing time! The cafe looks like a fun place to visit.

  5. I really wish I can visit Korea one day. Your photos and articles on Korea trip make me strive to work harder. Your husband is really sporting to enjoy Hello Kitty Cafe as well!

  6. It sounds like you had a wonderful time in Korea. I would love to visit the National Palace Museum of Korea. It has so much history to see. The Hello Kitty Cafe would be so much fun to visit. Thanks for sharing your adventures.

  7. Your photos are so beautiful! I would love to visit a Hello Kitty coffeeshop. This must have been such a fun experience!

  8. I’ve always wanted to go to Korea. But with two kids in tow, medyo dinedelay pa namin ang trip overseas. Hope to visit this country soon πŸ™‚

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