Korean music, part 2 - Eve

Eve is one underrated and almost forgotten Korean rock band.

It was founded back in 1998 by lead vocalist Kim Seheon. According to Wikipedia they were active from 1998 to 2007, though Seheon have released more music afterwards in solo projects and collaborations.

Eve - Whenever you feel (1998)


Eve - Agape (2000)


Eve - Ghost school (2003)


Eve - Adrenaline drive (2006)


Eve/Kim Seheon - - (2009) feat. -
Possible solo project. Don't know song title. Anyone?

Korean music, part 1 - Nell

Ok, so I decided to write a little about what Korean & Japanese music that I like! 

Nell is one of the bands that I think deserve more attention! It's a South Korean band founded in 1999 by Kim Jong-wan (vocals, guitar, keyboard, songwriter, lyric writer), Lee Jae-kyung (guitar), Lee Jung-hoon (bass guitar), and Jung Jae-won (drums). While performing at a club in Hongdae (!) in 2002 they were discovered and signed to a major label. The most recent years they've become well-known in Korea but unfortunately they still seem pretty unknown overseas. 

While in Hongdae I bought two of their albums - Healing Process (2006) & Separation Anxiety (2008). Both very good albums! Most songs are very sad and emotional, and fortunately many of the lyrics are easy to find translated into English! For the moment the band members are in Korean military service, and they will be there until next year (I think). I can barely wait 'til they release another album!

Nell - It's okay (Let's take a walk, 2007)

Nell - Thank you (Walk through me, 2004) - English sub


Nell - Time spent walking through memories (Separation Anxiety, 2008)


Nell - Tokyo (Separation Anxiety, 2008) - English lyrics


Last but not least:
Nell - Promise me (Separation Anxiety, 2008) - live performance

Coffee Prince

Sorry for the lack of updates. I will update more from now on. Promise!

On Saturday (31th of July) we were all really tired. We basically went to Dunkin' Donuts, and then ended up at the other guesthouse playing games at Jonas' new PS3! Nothing more really happened that day since we woke up pretty late. 

Hongdae on a Sunday. There were street performances everywhere. Well... 

We went to the Coffee Prince cafe as featured in The 1st shop of Coffee Prince. Very cool!! It's such a good and sweet drama. 

Some Japanese tourists actually helped us with finding the location of the cafe for us. Really sweet and helpful. They took this photo of us right outside of the cafe. 

Rebecca in front of the cafe. 

Outside the entrance. 

The menu from the drama. Not the real menu that you can order from. 

The "famous" wall painting. 

Yay! 

Photos of some of the actors. 

I've heard there are two Coffee Prince cafes, so be careful to visit the "right" one. 

 Rebecca & I went to Dongdaemun afterwards. Here I'm waiting for the food, obviously very hungry! ^^

At this nice restaurant we ordered some tasty bibimbap. 

 As it was served. Before eating the ingredients should be stirred around well. 

Outside one of many shopping complexes in Dongdaemun. 

And at last - some fun karaoke in late evening. Guess which song they were singing?

30th of July - Seoul!

Finally I got to meet my Korean mom again.

She had cooked food for me!

It was very delicious! I feel very happy to be able to eat the food that my mother made for me. 

In evening we met up with Cecilia & Ringo! We ate some tasty BBQ at a restaurant! 

Cecilia & me waiting for the food. Of course I tried to take a photo of the sidedishes. 

Ringo & Rebecca! 

Heaven...

... and of course bingsu for dessert. 

Later on, around midnight, we met up with our other friends to join the Hongdae Club Day! That means - for one pass (20,000 won) you get access to many of the biggest and best clubs around the area. It was crazy and lots of fun! Unfortunately we didn't take many photos that night, partly because it's prohibited to take photos at many places.

Club... SAAB?!!!

Lee & me! At some random place. 

Oh well, that's all for now. I will update more soon. Promise ;)

From Tokyo to Seoul

Wednesday was our last full day in Tokyo. 

We obviously woke up pretty late. At evening Rebecca & I met up with Tsuyoshi & Hide. We mainly strolled around in a few stores around Takeshita-Dori, and then walked to Shibuya to spend time in game centres & to eat.

The next day we strolled around downtown Ueno before heading to Narita airport to take the flight back to Seoul! 

Me at First Kitchen. 

Rainy Ueno. 

The train to Narita. So exciting!!  ...............

Mmmm, flight dinner. Well, actually - it didn't taste good. And still, I am a huge fan of flight meals. 

The queue at Incheon airport, for the train taking us to another terminal. Yay.... 

Haircut, Noraebang, Myeongdong,

Ok, this will be a big post - in terms of photos. 

First of all. Tomorrow we are all heading to Tokyo, Japan. Definitely very exciting but still I feel a bit sad to leave Seoul. I love it here! But I am happy that we will return here later this month.

Anyway. Yesterday I got a haircut at the Mod's Hair Paris hairdresser here in Hongdae. Or actually Jonas, Adam and me went to get a haircut at the same time! I am very pleased, and the hairdressers were all very professional. Very different from Sweden, and incredibly cheap. A haircut for men cost approximately 13,000 won! Haircut for women cost about 15,000.

Oh well, later that day Yannick, Natto & me went to eat at a Korean BBQ place while the others went to a cat cafe. I think it was similar to samgyeopsal, kinda like bulgogi or galbi - but with pork. Very inexpensive and very tasty.

It's quite difficult to fry the meat while trying to eat at the same time, and you could get help at the restaurants with adjusting the temperature of the table grill. One popular way of eating is to wrap the meat into lettuce leaves together with accompaniements such as kimchi, garlic or Korean chili and/or soybean pastes. Very tasty!

At 8 in the evening we met up with Cecilia and Ringo! Very fun! I havent met Ringo since last year. We went to the Ti-Amo cafe close to our guesthouse, to eat some delicious Bingsu.

Rebecca and I shared this blueberry bingsu. Yummy.

Everyone at the noraebang (Korean for Karaoke)! Impressive room with cool spotlights, and even a keyboard =P.

From the top of the Noraebang building in Hongdae.

Rebecca posing in the entry to the Noraebang building.

Cecilia & Ringo then guided us to an izakaya style bar. We ordered heaps of beer, soju and food and we had such a nice time there! The food was very good and spicy.

When Cecilia & Ringo left to hurry to the last subway of the day, the rest of us went to Family Mart and enjoyed some time outside there (yeah, there are chairs and tables there for people to sit at). I drank this Korean raspberry wine, Bokbunjajoo. Mmmh.

Today

The next day, after Rebecca went to get a haircut, we went to the guesthouse where Jonas & Agnes are staying. We ate breakfast together, and chilled sometime before leaving for Myeongdong once again.

Yannick posing at the guesthouse balcony.

Yannick, Jonas and me walking around in Myeongdong. I actually bought a nice t-shirt at the Åland-store(!), and some Korean keychains.
Later on we noticed these girls walking around. Rebecca took this photo for me. Adorable.

At a restaurant, before heading home (well, except a short visit at Krispy Kreme ^^).