FACT: I used to be a k-pop hater back then, aside from the fact that I didn’t understand their language, I also didn’t like their clothing style.

But 2017 is a game-changing year for me, I was mending a broken heart, learned to travel alone, left a stable job (without any plans), enrolled myself in a Korean school, failed several times in an English exam (for nurses), suffered from depression, met new friends, gained weight, no money – I was lost for quite sometime. But my Korean classmates urged me to listen to some kpop songs and I WAS HOOKED instantly. Especially when I heard “I Need U” by BTS. From that moment up until today, that was one of the few things I don’t regret in my 2017. 

And the world today is just like me, hooked and shookt by KPOP. We all have different lives, different race, different timezone, but Kpop songs speak a thousand different languages all over the world. We are united. 

So if you love KPOP like me, these are must-see places in Korea:

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1. Entertainments

– these are the few of the entertainments I visited during my stay in Korea, some people can wait outside, leave letters and gifts, or if you’re lucky enough, you can see them walking out of the building. 

📌 BigHit Entertainment

📍 Seoul Gangnam-gu, 5 30-gil, Hakdong-ro, Floor Yangjin Plaza 5F, South Korea

🚇 Hakdong Station, Exit 3

📌 JYP Entertainment

📍 41 Apgujeong-ro 79-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

🚇 Cheongdam Station, Exit 9

📌 SM Entertainment

📍 106-16 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

🚇 Cheongdam Station, Exit 9

📌 FNC Entertainment

📍 111 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 

🚇 Cheongdam Station, Exit 9

📌 YG Entertainment

📍 397-5 Hapjeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

🚇 Hapjeong Station, Exit 8

2. Broadcast Stations

– I just visited the broadcasting stations but I never tried watching live, so that’s my goal for my upcoming trips

📌 MBC Music Core

🚇 Digital Media City Station, Exit 9

📌 MNET M!Countdown

🚇 Digital Media City Station, Exit 2

📌 SBS Inkigayo

🚇 Gayang Station, Exit 10 

📌 KBS Music Bank

🚇 National Assembly Station, Exit 4, 3-min walk

3. SMTown

– this is a 6-story building made for SM artists, so if you love EXO, NCT, Red Velvet, Super Junior and many more, you probably need to visit this!

📍 513, Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

🚇 Samseong Station, Exit 5 or 6

🕒 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM

4. K-Star Road

– enjoy taking a walk with the art toy statues of your favorite idols

📍 서울특별시 강남구 청담동 일대 | Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

🚇 Apgujeong Rodeo Station , Exit 2

– FULL STORY about K-Star Road in this LINK!!!

5. Subway

– even the subway stations in Korea are filled with posters and advertisements of your favorite idols. Imagine waking up and going to work or school and the first thing you see is your idol greeting you as you walk towards the train, isn’t that beautiful? HAHA

(in Hongik University Station, there’s a machine that lets you customize your T-Money! Hello Jimin!)

6. Hongdae

– this is one of my favorite spots in Seoul, every Friday or Saturday, people go here to watch some busking and I really love it especially when they dance! plus there’s a lot of cuties here too! 🙂

7. Myeongdong

– this is the home of Kpop merch and everything-related. In Myeongdong subway station, you can buy all kinds of albums, merchandise, etc for a reasonable price. And when you go to Myeongdong, you can see and hear the music of your fave kpop artists plus it got lots of Kpop merch and Music Korea too is located just at the top of the big Nature Republic.

 

 

8. Lotte Young Plaza

– this is another SM pop up store in Lotte Young Plaza near Myeongdong

🚇 Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station, Exit 7 or 8

🕒 11:30 AM – 09:30 PM

 

9. Ehwa

– this was taken when I visited Ktown4u located in El Cube

🚇 Ehwa Women’s Universitiy Station, Exit 2

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These are few of the main reasons why I like visiting their country, their music industry is really different in where I was born. I already saw EXO once, but I’m still hoping that I get to see BTS too and other great artists as well. Timing is everything, as they say.

Much love,