Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Buam-dong 부암동 and the Best Coffee Shop in Seoul

When looking to have a classy afternoon of coffee and shopping, many Seoulites head to Samcheong-dong (삼청동), an upscale neighbored next to Gyeongbok Palace (경복겅). Filled with boutique clothing stores, independent coffee shops, marvelous little restaurants, and timeless traditional Korean architecture, Samcheong-dong is a great place for a weekend stroll (Anguk Station, exit 3). However, it’s an extremely popular area. On any given weekend afternoon it will be overrun by crowds looking to shop, or tourists hunting for a meal after a walk around the palace.

If you’re looking an equally charming area without the crowds, try heading over to Buam-dong (부암동). Not as developed as Samcheong-dong, Buam-dong is a small neighborhood with a lot of character and a quaint atmosphere not often found in Seoul. It’s located between Inwangsan and Bukhansan, two mountains, offering great views at every turn. It’s also known for an eclectic mix of hidden galleries, classic restaurants, and superb coffee shops, including the famous Sanmootonge (산모퉁이), which is arguably the most beautiful café in Seoul. Buam-dong receives a lot less crowds since you cannot get there directly by subway, but here are simple bus directions!
  1. 1.     Go to Gyeongbokgung Station (line 3), get out at exit 3.
  2. 2.     Go straight about 100 meters to the second bus stop, take green buses #1020 or #7022 and get off at the Buam-dong Community Service Center 부암동민주센터. It’s only 6 stops away and it will be announced in English.
Places to go: 

To get to the first four places on my list, go to your right when you get off the bus and walk straight up the hill for 2 minutes or so until you hit Espresso Club (pictured below on the left). Known for serving up some of the best cups of coffee in Seoul, Espresso Club is also at the base of the road that takes you to most of major destinations on Buam-dong.


Espresso Club is the brick building on the left. You can stop in there for a taste of some of the best coffee from around the world! If you want great views and coffee however, head up to Sanmootonge.

Sanmootonge (산모퉁이) 
1.    According to the internet, this coffee shop was made famous by its appearance on the Korean drama Coffee Prince. However, even if you are like me and have never seen a Korean drama (it’s true), you’ll still be impressed. Located in a lovely brick house with magnificent views of Seoul and what I’ve deemed the Korean “Hollywood Hills”, Sanmootonge has just the right amounts of style, class, and quirk.


The coffee is a bit pricey at 8,000 won but it’s good quality, and of course you are really paying for the seat. Try to go early (before 1 pm) so you don’t have to fight K-drama fan girls or couples taking selfies for a seat on one of the balconies or in front of a window! The gallery downstairs is also worth checking out.  


Directions: Once you hit Espresso Club, turn left and you’ll see a fork in the road. Stay left and keep walking; soon you’ll hit a small bend where you’ll see a white building with a large brown sign for Santoomonge, pointing you uphill. It’s about 10-15 minute walk uphill, but there are great views and architecture along the way. Additional signs along the hill will keep you on track!




Jaha Sonmandu (자하손만두)

This is a famous mandu (만두) or dumpling restaurant. Known for its fantastic tteok mandu guk (떡만두국), or rice cake and dumpling soup, this restaurant also has a beautiful minimalist interior, perfect for dates, birthdays, treating yourself, and other special occasions. While certainly pricier than every day street mandu, regular dishes only cost about 6,000 to 15,000 won; 12,000 won for the tteok mandu guk. As a huge mandu fan, I think it’s well worth the visit!   


Directions: It’s just a little up the street from Espresso Club. Turn left at Espresso Club, then stay right at the fork, going a little up hill. You will see Jaha Sonmandu almost immediately on your right. 

Gyeyolsa Chicken, 계열사 치킨 (formerly “Cheers Chicken”)
Gyeyolsa is one of the most famous chicken restaurants in Seoul and is known for its traditional Korean fried chicken. Traditional Korean fried chicken is distinguished by a very thin crisp shell. The chicken is served on platters with large home fries. There is no English menu, but it’s just the first item on the menu, 후라이드 (which is Hangeul for “fried”). If you’re feeling more adventurous, another popular dish you’ll see many people ordering is the second item on the menu, 골뱅이 국수or snails with noodles! Get here by noon if you want to avoid the lunch rush!  


 Directions: It’s also just a little bit up the street from Espresso Club. Stay to the left at the fork. It’s located down on the lowered sidewalk to your left. 

Changuimun Gate and Seoul Fortress
if after all that eating you’re in need of some exercise, make a right behind Espresso Club and walk straight for just a minute and you will come to the Changumin Gate (the oldest of the fortress gates) Through the gate you’ll find one of the entrances for the Seoul Fortress which you can hike (yes that large fortress you can see from Sanmootonge).


Ivy and Shortcake
If you want to explore another part of the Buam-dong area, make a right at the base of Buam-dong (when you are facing these shops). A few minutes down are some other neighborhood favorites.


One of the first places you’ll see walking down the street is Ivy, a small yellow café with only 3 seats. Apparently it can be rented out at night to small groups for 50,000 won. After Ivy you’ll see Shortcake, which is a popular cupcake shop. While probably more sought out for its cute décor than the cupcakes (I agree with the assessments I’ve read that the cakes are a little dry) Shortcake is still pretty good! In a city with a lack of cupcakes, I don’t get too choosey! The frosting on my Oreo cupcake was quite good. 

Left- Ivy, Right- Shortcake interior and Oreo cupcake!


Keep walking past Shortcake and you’ll come to a rotary intersection. You have to cross the street to get down to the pedestrian intersection. If you go to the right you can get great views of the mountains and visit some other interesting shops.  I didn’t get a chance to go left, but it looked like there were a few interesting things there as well. Really you could spend an afternoon exploring, which I would encourage you to do if you have the time.

August
With limited time, my friend and I decided just to check out nearby August (to the right of the rotary), which is an interesting vintage shop filled with clothes, house ware, and other knick-knacks. The owner was very friendly; she used to live in L.A. and speaks English very well! 


 Pro tips for Buam-dong (and in general):
  1.  Wander down small streets, take long walks, and let yourself get lost. The neighborhoods surrounding Gyeongbok Palace, particularly Samcheong-dong and Buam-dong, are filled with hidden coffee shops and galleries. There are tons of great places and little treasures to discover.
  2. Taxis are cheaper than you’d think. If you start the day checking out Gyeongbok Palace or Samcheong-dong, which I would recommend, a taxi to Buam-dong from there will only cost about 6,000 won. In general, travel between major destinations in central Seoul isn’t too pricey, especially if you are splitting it with friends. Even going all the way from Hongdae to Gangnam is only about 15,000-20,000 won depending on where you are.
  3. Coffee shops are empty before noon. For most Koreans, coffee shops aren’t for morning pick-me-ups, but places to be seen in the afternoon. If you want to avoid crowded coffee shops in Samcheong-dong or Buam-dong, you don’t have to get there too early. Coffee shops start to get really crowded around 3 or 4 o’clock. 

Buam-dong and Blogging for The Arrival Store!

I have been very busy since I started blogging for The Arrival Store, a great expat business which ships hard-to-find household items, and provides cell phones services, for fellow expats moving to and currently living in Korea. I'll provide links to my TAS posts on my personal blog, but I encourage you to also check out The Arrival Store Blog! The blog provides lots of great resources and advice for newcomers, as well as those who have been living in Korea for a while! You can check out my post on Buam-dong, one of the lesser known, but most beautiful neighborhoods in Seoul! I'll be doing a short series on lesser known areas in Seoul.

Here's an introductory interview I did with TAS a few weeks ago about my time in Korea! 


A glimpse of one of my favorite coffee shops in Buam-dong!


ESL Lesson Plan Ideas and Resources

Creating lessons plans every week that will keep you and your students entertained can be a stressful ordeal for any teacher. I myself am still waiting for Pixar to put out an entire school year’s supply of animated shorts, preferable tied to textbook lessons. Until then, whether you’re just in a creative rut, have exhausted all possibilities on Waygook and Busy Teacher, or need a small hoard of lesson materials for a Winter Camp or after school class, here is my ultimate list of places to look for lesson plans, material, inspiration, and time killers.

Lesson Plans
Here are some sites where you can find free lesson plans and materials:

  • Waygook.org- you can find lesson plans and material shared by English teachers from all over South Korea.
  • Busy Teacher- this site has tons of lessons and material divided by topics and age level. Be sure to check out their articles, as well as their lesson plans for great ideas!
  • Genki English- good for the younger set, this English teacher from Japan provides lots of lesson ideas and actually has some pretty good videos on teaching techniques, as well as  lesson and activity demos.
  • http://first-school.ws/- also for the younger set, this site is dedicated to lessons for preschool and kindergarten students
  • ESL Clarissa- you’ll have to dig through the blog a bit to find lesson plans and activities, but I’m always impressed by her creativity. For examples: using Baby Shower games as speaking and listening practice.
  • Barry Fun English- you have to pay a small fee for his materials, but I know plenty of teachers who think his games and materials are worth it. 
  • Film English- similar to the above site, these lessons are a bit more theme based than grammatically based.
  • K12reader.com- these aren’t full lessons but if you need to teach grammar this site has tons of worksheets for drilling basic and intermediate grammar topics, and provides related activity ideas.
Openers, Closers, and Games
  • Improv Games. A great way to get your students to warm up and speak spontaneously. You can find common improv games here and here. A quick Google search for “improv games” will yield tons of results.
  • Summer Camp Games. Traditional camp style games and activities are always good for filling time. They can involve speaking or just be a good way to get kids moving.
  • ESL Games. ESL Gamesbox provides tons of ESL game ideas and free printables for games that require them. It will also point you to some great resources, like this Taboo app for your phone. 
  • Konglish Jokes. If you understand Korean, or can at least get the delivery right, these jokes might get a few chuckles from your students (though not always…)
Technology
  • Google World Wonders and the Google Art Project. You can give students a tour of your hometown or check out major cities with Google Street View.  Having your students help you navigate is a great way to practice giving directions. If you really want to impress however, Google Maps now allows you to go inside thousands of famous landmarks! You can check out a map of all available tours. The Google World Wonders site will give students an even more detailed view of dozens of famous places, like this tour of Versailles for instance. If your students are interested in art, the Google Art Project also gives you access to high quality images of thousands of works. 
  • Sounds. While images are a great way to stir conversation and jog students’ memories, you can also try using sounds effects. You can have your students identify sounds in English or use them to tell a story. You could also use this site to play recordings of different English speaker accents from around the world. There is also the International Dialects of English Archive, which provides an interactive map of the world and samples of non-native English speakers, including South Koreans. Hopefully your students will gain some more confidence when they realize that a perfect “Hollywood accent” isn’t everything, and that English is as adaptable as it is global.
  • Phone apps. Korean students are addicted to their smart phones, literally. Try to use it to your advantage and take screen shots of English games and apps. You can talk about different games, technology vocabulary, and how to use phone applications in English.
Videos
  • Quality videos. When you’ve had enough of low resolution fail and cat videos, YouTube rival Vimeo has a vast selection of quality short films and animations to choose from. You can browse by category or look through the Staff Picks for the best videos. The most superficial of searches on Vimeo led me to this gem, great for a “what happens next?” lesson. I also really like to show tilt shift videos (those films where everything looks super tiny). Vimeo user Keith Loutit has a great series of them called Bathtub.
  • Animation. Most teachers already seem to have a list of go to animations, but if you need more, try sifting through a list of Oscar nominated animated shorts. They tend to cover a range of lesson related themes, but don’t have dialogue so they can be easily adapted to different activities. My favorite find is French Roast, a “don’t judge a book by its cover” story with a poignant twist ending. There is also Short of the Week which posts up and coming shorts and allows you to select films by country, genre, or medium.  
  • Subtitles! If you need subtitles for recent TV shows or movies, you can search for them here. It’s in Korean but you can search for the titles in English. You use the subtitles together with the video file in GOM Player (it’s like the Korean Windows Media Player).
  • TED. TED talks provide great short video lectures on a number of topics, but can be too difficult for students to understand. There a Korean TED site with translations, including a popular lecture from Hyeonseo Lee, who escaped from North Korea. 
Games and Puzzles
  • Online kids magazines. If you’re from America you might remember reading Highlights magazine while sitting around and waiting at the doctor’s office. My elementary school teacher friends tell me this site is an endless source of entertainment for their students. It’s a great kids magazine and their website contains animated stories, games, crafts, science experiments, and a number of other activities to keep young kids occupied.
  • Game Makers. If you need to drill vocabulary with your students, you can create all kinds of word puzzles using the Armored Penguin generator. If you want to review with a Jeopardy board, you can create your own Jeopardy game template easily here!
  • Sporcle. In college I was addicted to Sporcle. It’s a website filled with timed quizzes covering everything from history to television. If you can bring it up on a projector screen, you can try to complete quizzes together as a class. There are lots of word and spelling related quizzes. I myself am a big fan of the geography quizzes. Can your students name all the countries in Asia in English? You can now create your own timed quizzes as well!
  • No prep. The best teachers can always change pace quickly when things don’t go according to plan. In case your computer breaks down or you have extra time, always have a list of no prep games handy! Busy Teacher always has lots of them! 
Reading
  • News. I know some people who use Breaking English News, which provides news stories at different reading levels, for reading material.  If your students read at middle school level, many reputable news outlets also have news sections especially for kids and teens. I like the ones provided by TIME magazine and the New York Times. The NYtimes also has a great “what’s going on in this picture” section.
  • Comics. Many Korean students, from elementary to high school, love reading online comics and graphic novels. If you can get the title of their favorite series, perhaps you can get them to read it in English!
  • Stories. Eslfast has links to hundreds of short stories and conversation ideas.
Grammar Instruction
  • Tense timelines. English has many complicated tenses, so I like showing students these visual tense timelines from Englishpage.com to help them understand sentences. My own Italian professor used similar timelines and I found them extremely helpful in college. In addition to other grammar topics, the site has timelines for all the English tenses, along with great explanations, examples, and related practice.
Best Time Killers
Sometimes you just need to be able to pop open YouTube and hit play for a few minutes…or a whole class. It’s probably no secret to you by now that Koreans love slap stick humor. I have had success with all of these:

  • The minimalist Italian cartoon series La Linea has also given my students a few laughs, and there are dozens of episodes.
  • If you want live action there is always Mr. Bean.
  • If your students are more sophisticated perhaps you could turn to the antics of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, who was well known for his death-defying stunts.
  • One of my favorite blogs, This is Colossal, has videos of all kinds of amazing artworks, installations, and animations. You can blow some minds with videos like ScreenGrab.
  • You’ve probably already noticed that Koreans also love all things cute. Animal Planet has a Too Cute web series. Your students might not be able to follow the English but I’m sure they will love watching adorable animals. Bath Time for Baby Sloths is a favorite of mine.
  • Kids of all ages are usually dazzled by the visuals in the cartoon Adventure Time (the link has all episodes with Korean subtitles; the occasional mild adult humor will probably go over their heads, and they will love the Korean speaking unicorn). Episodes are only 10 minutes each, but there are tons of them.
  • After a lesson on amusement parks I discovered that my students loved watching front seat videos on rides and roller coasters. ThemeParkReview gets you a front seat on rides and roller coasters around the world. I've honestly spent almost an entire class on this!
  • Music videos are always a great option. You’re probably already familiar with Eat Your Kimchi, but if you’re like me and are totally oblivious to what K-Pop your students are listening to these days, you can have students select videos from their K-Pop Music Mondays chart or have students give their Korean Indie Music Playlist a go. My students loved the layout of the site (though I had to avoid explaining DICKS, Discussing Interesting Contemporary Slang, and WTF, Wonderful Treasure Find, etc).

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