What to see in South Korea: Library inside a mall, drug stores for beauty finds
SEOUL, South Korea — It is not a surprise that South Korea is a famous destination for many travelers. Apart from K-pop and K-dramas, the "Land of the Morning Calm" has several wonderful surprises for its many visitors, often the kind that are awe-inspiring especially with their technological innovations and promise of convenience and modern comfort.
Philstar.com lists down a few of these inspiring features as part of its coverage of the Samsung Unpacked, held for the first time in Seoul at the end of last month.
1. Mall inside a library
Art installations or pocket gardens are typical features in many malls. In the Starfield COEX Mall in Gangnam, however, a library is an eye-catcher as it is situated perfectly in the center of the mall that connects it to another mall, a convention center and a five-star hotel.
The Starfield Library has been a favorite photo souvenir for those who have been to the Gangnam area because of its almost floor-to-ceiling book shelves, reminiscent of the one where Belle from the animated movie "Beauty and the Beast" was seen in.
The library provides a free space for those who would like to read books or take a rest from window shopping. It also has a coffee shop for anyone's caffeine fix.
2. Gangnam Style sculpture
One of Psy's indelible contributions to K-pop was his 2012 smash hit novelty song "Gangnam Style." It introduced to the world what K-pop could look and sound like with its viral dance steps.
Psy's unforgettable contribution to K-pop is given a tribute with the "Gangnam Style" sculpture installed outside the Starfield COEX mall.
Travelers can post for pictures or dance along to the tune while making a video clip of it.
3. Ubiquitous store for beauty finds
There's no better testament to the dedication of South Koreans to their beauty routine and regimen than the ubiquitous Olive Young stores, especially around Seoul.
Basically, Olive Young is like the convenience store for beauty products found all over South Korea.
They're not open 24/7 but the fact that these are stores that are solely dedicated for beauty cult favorites such as MediHeal, Anessa, Beauty of Joseon, etc. makes them quite a welcome site for many beauty junkies.
The best thing in most of these stores, they immediately give a tax refund once you meet a certain amount of purchase. Isn't it amazing?
4. Exciting fast food and coffee shops
Admit it: there's the urge to discover what a popular fast food chain offers in a certain country. For many travelers, it is a must to try out the different selections of fast food chains, and South Korea has its fair share of popular fast food chains.
McDonald's in South Korea, for instance, has seasonal beverage offerings and (gasp), Chicken Mozarella burger.
Like many stores in South Korea, swiping the card is the way to go. It is most convenient as most would just order from the kiosk and pick up their orders from the counter.
An important reminder for travelers, it is a "clean as you go" policy in South Korea, meaning, you have to pick up your own trash and dispose them to the garbage bin. There will be no staff lurking around waiting for you to finish so he/she could clean the table.
Since it is summer now in Korea, stores now offer summer flavored Bingsu (shaved iced desserts). One of the more popular chains is the A Twosome Place, which offers a bowlful of Bingsus that feature mango and other summer flavors.
5. Exciting convenience stores
Like fast food, visiting convenience stores especially in South Korea is quite a thrill.
There are three popular chains of convenience stores in South Korea, namely, GS25, CU and 7-Eleven.
All your favorite banana-flavored milk, Gimbap (rice roll), Ramen, cottage cheese strings and other favorite snacks can be had at any of these stores. If you've decided to buy a T-card, it is even better since you can pay for your purchases using it.
The T-card is reloadable. You can buy it once you've landed in Incheon airport beginning at 3,000 Korean won or around P127. Once you've bought it, load it up.
Prices for Gimbap and banana-flavored milk start at 1,200 Korean won or P50.
Bonus: Umbrella for pedestrians
Small details matter, and the large umbrellas that hang by the pedestrian side give off the feeling of consideration for commuters or pedestrians. Many streets in South Korea have these large umbrellas installed especially since it can be humid or it can rain any time.
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Editor's note: The tour to South Korea was hosted by Samsung to promote tourism in the area. At no stage does the host organization have a say on the stories generated from the coverage, interviews conducted, publication date and story treatment. Content is produced solely by Philstar.com following editorial guidelines.
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