Living the dramas

Two things I’m currently obsessed with are fashion and Korean drama two things you can find in Seoul.

But honestly, I never thought of Seoul as a shopping destination until I got hooked on the popular drama, Boys Over Flowers, since 2009. 

After which, I literally became a “drama groupie” and even flew to Yokohama to witness their two-day fan event. Yes, I am slightly shy to admit that.

The fabulous wardrobe on the series convinced me that Koreans must know a thing or two about fashion. So when my BFF, Zharmagne, invited me to join her and her husband on a five-day trip to Seoul, I simply couldn’t resist. 

I told Zhar I would go with her on the condition that she joined me on the drama tours offered on http://www.Koreahas.com. 

The cast of Princess Hours

I would’ve loved to take all kinds of tours for Winter Sonata, My Lovely Kim San Soon, Coffee Prince and many other dramas, but I didn’t want to torture my friend who is clueless on these, so I limited my choices to two of my ultimate favorites: Boys Over Flowers (BOF) and Princess Hours.We met our BOF tour guide, Sylvie, at our hotel lobby. She mentioned that most Korean drama writers are females who probably want to express how they want men to treat the ladies and give hope to any girl that they could actually win the heart of a prince or the school heartthrob. 

She also gave us a little background on the actors, and how Boys Over Flowers made them superstars overnight, not only in Korea but in neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.Our first stop was Namsan Tower, location of Gu Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di’s first date.  This Seoul landmark is also the third tallest tower in the world. 

It was fun and amusing to follow the footsteps of Gu Jun Pyo during their date, while riding the cable car and getting a cup of coffee from the same vending machine Geum Jan Di used. 

The place was truly beautiful and romantic. In fact, upon getting close to the tower you will see millions of padlocks on the fence declaring love. These locks are symbols of promises made by lovers that they will stay together forever.

The author, about to board the cable car to Namsan Tower where Jun Pyo and Jan Di had their first date.

Other highlights of the tour include the Seoul Art Museum where a special exhibition of Marc Chagall was ongoing, the porridge shop where Jan Di worked, Banpo Bridge, and Hongdae Street, where several little shops carry designs by local designers.The next day, we took the Princess Hours tour.  Although this one was a bit short, we enjoyed the beautiful Samcheonggak, located in one of Seoul’s pristine areas, Seongbuk-dong. 

This Korean resort is popular for its traditional performances and fine dining.  It was here where Chae Kyung chased the Prince down the winding road in the drama. 

Unhyeong Palace is also one of the main shooting locations. Though the smallest of five palaces in Seoul, it was definitely worth seeing. 

Historically, this was the former residence of Heungseon Taewon-kun, father of King Kojong of the Choson Kingdom. 

Unhyeon Palace features structures belonging to the last days of the Chosun Dynasty. It is also called “Palace of the Queen” since preparations for the royal wedding occurred here.

Young lovers Jun Pyo and Jan Di of Boys Over Flowers.

Twice a year they stage a reenactment of the marriage between King Kojong and Queen Myongsong. 

I think it’s great that they chose this location because of its rich history and the similarities the queens went through, just like the lead female in Princess Hours, Chae Kyung.After the tours, I breathed a sigh of relief because I actually worried about Zharmagne who had never seen the dramas.  I was glad that many of the location spots are actually part of Seoul’s city tour.

To show my gratitude, I’m gifting her with DVDs of Winter Sonata and Coffee Prince so maybe she’ll join me again on our next trip to Seoul!