After an underwhelming night out in Gangnam, we woke up to our pre-planned agenda for the final day of our stay: a dim sum breakfast at Tim Ho Wan, catching the LCK finals for my gamer partner, exploring Lotte World Tower, visiting Starfield Library, and concluding our Seoul adventure with a final dinner. Tim Ho Wan was a must-visit for me, holding cherished memories from its Michelin-starred status in Hong Kong’s street food scene. However, the experience in Seoul differed – no lines, an iPad menu setup, and, to my surprise, a slightly sweeter flavor profile. While the food was undeniably good, it didn’t quite match the extraordinary taste I remembered, perhaps a result of changed taste buds or a subtle shift towards sweeter flavors compared to the Hong Kong counterpart.
After our dim sum breakfast at Tim Ho Wan, we made our way to the Starfield Library in COEX Mall, Seoul. Imagine a massive library with towering shelves filled with books. The library is simply beautiful– a wonderful visit, even for someone like me who doesn’t read much. The two escalators in the middle and the tall bookshelves create a cool, modern scene. While we didn’t get into any books, we did capture some fantastic photos to remember the experience.
We took the metro to reach the LCK finals, only to find ourselves in an area surrounded by various stadiums. Confused about which direction to go, we followed the sounds of people coming from different stadiums. Seeing others in LCK outfits near one of the stadiums, we thought it was the right spot and went to buy a ticket, almost ending up with baseball tickets by mistake.We were then pointed in the direction where it was, and once we approached it was full of peiple outside. The problem was we didn’t have a ticket. We were eager to buy one and ready to do so once the ticket sales opened. However, they started selling at 3 pm on the day we were returning from Jeju, precisely when our flight was scheduled from there to Seoul. Upon landing, we discovered the tickets were already sold out. Despite hoping to purchase something at the door or from people selling tickets at inflated prices, we had no luck. Dissapointed, we wandered around the area, observing the crowd, stands, and people dressed as characters from the games. It was enjoyable to witness, but the inability to join in left us feeling really disappointed.
So, here’s what we ended up doing: we returned to the baseball stadium for a game. Fortunately, there were still a few tickets available on the opposing team’s side, despite the home team’s seat were sold out. The funny part was that it happened to be an LG match. Just for fun, I joked, “Oh, LG’s in the game. Are they competing against Samsung?” To our susprise, that was precicely the case! Turned out to be quite a important match. It was amusing to witness how everyone was deeply engaged and took the game seriously. Watching the cheerleaders and embracing the atmosphere at the massive baseball stadium was enjoyable – my first time experiencing a baseball game. The overall vibe was fantastic, as I mentioned, but let’s be honest, baseball itself was a bit on the boring side. We stayed for a while and decided to leave; partly because the game was taking longer, and I had more sights to explore in Seoul on my last day in Korea. Consequently, we finished our large beers and header out for more adventures in the city.
Lotte World Tower:
Our next stop was Lotte World Tower, the sixth tallest skyscraper at 555 meters (1,821 feet), offering breathtaking panoramic views of Seoul and beyond from its observation deck. The journey to the top was an experience in itself. The line was quite lengthy, but as we approached the elevator, we passed through cleverly designed art installations, making the wait more interesting. Although there were multiple elevators, we still had to wait as people were gradually let in. Inside the elevator, it was fascinating to witness how quickly it ascended. The walls displayed videos showcasing Korea in a unique way that’s hard to describe.
Upon reaching the top, we were instantly treated to a stunning 360-degree view of Seoul and beyond, thanks to the excellent visibility that day. The panoramic view allowed us to observe various neighborhoods, enjoying a panoramic view of the entire city with a complete 360-degree perspective. Additionally, Lotte World Park, situated nearby, was clearly visible. The experience was enhanced by glass floors where you could walk and capture photos. While many people found this somewhat frightening, I personally found it rather amusing.
Our final stop involved a visit to the restaurant for a glass of wine at a bar table with an incredible view – truly captivating. The wine tasted especially good after all the soju. It’s important to note that the restaurant is distinct from the cafe at the observation deck; it is located on a different floor and is much more elegant. While the food and drinks at this restaurant are undoubtedly pricey, as anticipated, we opted for just enjoying wine since the food menu didn’t offer anything we were craving. Additionally, we had already planned to have dinner in Gangnam later on.
Gangnam Sculpture
As it was already getting dark, we took the metro in the direction of the hotel. However, there was one must-do on our list before leaving Gangnam – we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a photo with the famous Gangnam Style sculpture. So, that became our last stop before heading back to the hotel to prepare for our farewell dinner.
Wandering around the area between the tall, illuminated buildings as night fell felt magical. After some walking, we decided to take a taxi back to the hotel, even though the walk wasn’t particularly long. After a very long day, and with it being our last day, we were quite tired. Packing was on the agenda, given our early morning flight the next day. Besides, I wanted to dress up a bit for our final meal in Gangnam.
If you’ve read my previous post, you might recall that we weren’t thrilled with the nightlife in Gangnam, so we didn’t plan for anything special. Additionally, it being a Sunday and with our early flight the next day (leaving the hotel at 8 a.m.), we planned to enjoy a nice dinner at a restaurant without going out for more nightlife.
In the next post, I’ll share our final evening in Gangnam and South Korea, highlighting how this experience reshaped our view of Gangnam and influenced a change in our plans for the evening.
Anyah Mroz 