Sights set on 서울 (Seoul)
In a parasocial relationship with a city—and maybe a tattoo artist named Bug.
The other day, someone I work closely with asked me if I would ever consider getting a job in Korea. I was sucking down a box of banana milk and listening to her shit talk a mutual, when she said it, and it felt like I had been caught out. Had I become too obvious in my affinity? And the answer to her question is no, not seriously anyway. Being 4 hours away from my man already makes me feel ill, so I couldn’t fathom doing anything indefinitely, across the globe with a completely flipped timezone. And to love Drew is to know that he’s so firmly rooted in New York state, not even a landslide could move that man. So I take my Korea in doses and downloads, in the form of pop-ups and $50 shipping fees.
Last week, I wanted to sneak into the opening party of the Marge Sherwood pop-up and take you with me, but the opening was delayed, and alas, it was not meant to be. Before it was the Stand Oil pop-up party, and this weekend is the Fwee! It appears my shipping fee can be saved after all.
No offense to these US/European-based brands, cause they’re obviously meeting the consumer where they are, which in the case of the U.S. market, is at least 20 years behind. They sadly don’t hold a flame to what’s happening in South Korea. Once you’ve seen the way they can construct a shop (and in record time), it’s hard to feel wowed or go back to any old shopping experience. Perhaps we’ve let the convenience of online shopping and 2-5 day shipping steal from us more than we thought.
See, if I had it my way, Seoul would be the type of place where you schedule your yearly to-dos. Visit, with one suitcase empty, for your annual skin overhaul, stock up on chic blue light eyewear, get your fill of good 순두부찌개, and Korean designers, overstuff it into said case, and return home.
Giving you a heads up now, this letter is a little different from all my others. It’s part loose travel itinerary for you, part vocab practice for me. I don’t think a lot of people know, but I’ve been teaching myself some Korean (in a totally unconventional, brain-taxing manner), and sometimes I want to climb to the tops of buildings, King-Kong style, and proclaim it.
Anyway, Google Translate is $free.99, use it. Or don’t. It should still make sense. Everything in Korea just made sense. So much sense, that I’m gonna use all 5 of mine to guide you through some things I want to do next time (with you!) Thanks to the power of the internet and also 카카오맵 (tourism bureau of South Korea pls sponsor me), I can show you, in no particular order.
Things I want to taste
Highballs in Hannam-dong (한남동), because there are few things in life that top people watching in the semi-bougie neighborhood with a good cocktail.
Nuduke (the dessert shop extension to Gentle Monster). Everything at these shops are a work of art. What I’d give to get into the minds of the people behind the concept. Go to the 성수 location for more options.
I’d love to eat my way through one of the summer festivals. Like the Cheondeungsan Sweet Potato Festival. Sounds delicious.
Honestly, any snack from a ‘Nice to CU’ convenience store, except not the strangely sweet potato chips. Sorry, I could not get behind those.
The salt bread croissants to end all salt breads from Jayeon Do, the little shop on the corner in 성수, you can smell it a mile away. And there are cute little bear heads made of bread stacked in the corner. Drooling at the thought.
Banana milk + ice cup combo from a local 7-Eleven.
Hailey’s dad took us to this KBBQ spot near him for the pork belly, and it was probably one of my favorite meals. I don’t know if it was because they recognized him, or just plain ole good hospitality, but the 아줌마 serving us was so attentive, I felt like a nourished baby chick under her watchful eye. I also got to try Makgeolli for the first time, and it has since changed my life. Thank you, raw rice wine gods.
Still grieving over not enjoying enough 감자핫도그 (K-dogs), 호떡 (hotteok), or 떡볶이 (teobokki), sorry, I will need to have every third day next time.
Those massive, glorious, globe-like orbs of goodness, also referred to as Shine Muscat grapes. They look like what you’d imagine the perfect grape to be.
Boil me in a vat of budae jjigae (aka army stew), I’m ready to be served.
I didn’t want to do more than 10 in any given section, but an honorary mention for whatever this dish was. GOD BLESS.
Stuff I wanna get all touchy and feely with (both literally and maybe also in the emotional way)
Skincare on my face; Although I just watched this terrifying video where one woman got what I assume was the PDRN injectable (was hugeeeee last year while I was over there), and something went terribly wrong. Some product got into the wrong duct or vein or something, and she’s essentially lost vision in one eye. Soooooo, do your research (she did) before doing anything.
Okay, in general, I need to go to the 성수 (Seongsu) Olive Young that opened up not too long ago. It’s like a million stories high and probably has every possible skincare/makeup product available.
Someone, please tell me where the black girls are getting treatments in Seoul. A diva needs some word-of-mouth recommendations.
Clothes on my body:
I’m still thinking about this red jacket from Noice. Which, unfortunately, I do regret not buying. I can probably find a similar one for cheaper here in the States, but it’s not the same. I need to go back.
Mo-No-Ha was another brand that I loved, but was too expensive. Their winter pieces, in particular, are where I think they shine!
I don’t have parasocial relationships, really. However, the exception is when it comes to the tattoo artists I pick. I swear that we could be friends. And I guess it makes sense when you think about the fact that you’re carrying someone’s art with you forever. Despite all my sleuthing, I couldn’t figure out if my tattoo artist would be a guy or a lady up until I entered the shop, because he just went by ‘Bug’. Anyway, after many years of begging him to travel to NYC to tattoo me, I traveled all the way to 부산 for him, and he was the loveliest.
This bird is me writing my Substack. Also, like 90% of my tattoos are animals. The stinging pain of a glob of gel nail polish curing under the UV light.
Sounds I wanna hear
The baseline of a goooooood hip hop/afrobeats club. I live for clubs in other countries!! I’ve gone to more clubs abroad than in my own state. Talk about meeting people where they’re at, good vibes and all. Paris is currently leading for my favorite club experience, but I think that the right spot in Korea could really change that. They built K-pop off the backs of black people. The least they could do is let me hear it in the club.
The little sing-song chime that can be heard upon a train’s arrival at any stop. Sinsa Station is my favorite.
The song my Kakao T (Korean uber) driver was singing along to and giving me a history lesson on, while on the way to said tattoo appointment. It was the longest drive of my life, but he was so funny.
I don’t think they’re even a group anymore, but GOT7 had been going on random one off reunion tours, so whatever it is I gotta do to see my dream boy Jackson Wang again, I’ll do.
The chatter of Itaewon after dark.
Things I wanna smell
The tulips of Seoul forest, and the sea Canola flower fields on Jeju that I’m told smell sort of like cabbage to some and really pleasant to others.
All the scents from Tamburins again. I feel like my nose has evolved since last time.
Everything BORNTOSTANDOUT (I have dirty rice)!
That one Susie Salmon scent from that perfume brand, Granhand, with the incredible prices.
Warm barley water/tea with all my meals.
Places + People I want to see
I’m trying to write this part without 1001% crashing out, because I manifested so hard last time, that he showed up… days after I left Korea. Which like doesn’t sound like a big deal, but iykyk, he doesn’t show up anywhere for public outings, so this was like a BIG deal, him running into fans randomly and being so damn sweet. Anyways, 사랑해요 정해인. Honorary shoutout to the bachelor to end all bachelors, 공유.
It felt like a lot of the museums I wanted to see were closed during our trip, but we did get to see the Leeum Museum’s Anicka Yi exhibit, which was crazy, cause the theme was evolution/mold but like you couldn’t tell right away, so as you’re exploring more the exhibit began to take on this one scent, and that’s about as tapped into olfaction as I’m trying to get.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). If you’ve watched Crash Landing On You, then you know it’s like the entire plot.
All the visual cafes, which aren’t to be confused with the cafes with good drinks and pastries. A couple on my list are:
Korean grocery stores.
I don’t know if this is a travel guide, a love letter, or just proof that I can’t stop orbiting this place.
I don’t think I’ll ever move to Korea. But I also don’t think I’ll stop returning to it, in my mind or otherwise. I’ll keep showing up with a suitcase half-empty, dreaming in Hangul and packing snacks to bring home for Drew.
Full bellies and full hearts til our next trip.
xx
Read through this entire thing as if I had a trip booked tomorrow