I LOVE KOREA!!! Being there felt like being right smack in the middle of a Korean drama. The weather was a little cold when we were there but nothing some heat tech can't fix. The people weren't the nicest also (죄송합니다) but I can overlook that with minimal interaction or at least a few good ones. The best part: the COSMETIC SHOPPING. Come on girls, y'all can relate -- what happens when you see Pony, Club Clio, Too Cool for School, Innisfree, Laneige, Etude House (and more) in a row?? You frikkin' spend at least 30 minutes in every shop swiping products off the shelf into your basket and you leave the shop with 예뻐 paper bags after asking for the tax refunds. If this isn't heaven, I don't know what is (maybe soju, soju, soju and Korean BBQ?). 

Ok hold up, it was a sailing trip. A SAILING TRIP. We were invited and fully sponsored by the organisers to participate in the Yinsunsin Cup Regatta at Tongyeong City. I truly believe it is the government's attempt to liven the town near Busan with this yearly regatta participated by sailors from all around Korea, Russia, Italy, USA, Britain and Singapore. It was also held from Week 13 to 14 of school, so we missed half of the last week (most rigorous) of school and half of study week (to be tourists in Seoul, oops) for this -- really wingin' it man yolo. 

The regatta was shorter than what we were used to and the race course was way longer than we expected (we motored out for 1.5h before getting there for 2 races a day can you believe that...). The area outside of the marina was a channel for big ships and tankers that's why we had to go so far out. Nonetheless, I learnt a lot in those 3 short days of racing despite being a fifth year. 

We had to put on a show during the opening ceremony OUT AT SEA with all boats circling the VIP boat lol we were so unprepared I feel embarrassed just thinking about it hahahaha. But some boats were really going all out ^

Haeyang-a :')

IT WAS BLOODY COLD. The weather forecast reported the days to be an average of 10℃ but with winds going at 15 knots it felt like 3℃ jeez louiz!!! We were sufficiently warm thanks to all the layers we packed on but feeling hot and cold intermittently during the race when adrenaline is pumping was quite unpleasant. My fingers were also painfully swollen every night when we got back to the hotel because my gloves (1 layer) are half-fingered. Peeing was also a HUGE problem because we obviously couldn't get into the freezing water to pee so we had to pee in the cabin's toilet BUT the waves were huge which made us dizzy after relieving ourselves. By the second day I decided to just hold my pee and ran to the toilet every time we docked after the day's races.

Just some of the seafood that we ate (we didn't know what we were eating but the ahjumma was trying very hard to explain to us in Korean lol)

We don't want to be stuffing ourselves with seafood before racing so we settled for hotdogs and ramyeon at the convenient store every morning. Each of us was given SGD10 per meal so by the end of the 3 days we could splurge on a good seafood (again) dinner. 

The bento sets that the organisers gave us for lunch on board

With some of the volunteers and our buddy

With the ahjussi that went all out to help us (ie climbed the mast) fix our boat (ok maybe it was his job but still he was nice)

With one of the ministers of Tongyeong City

We took a bus to Seoul after 4 days at Tongyeong City. We were so done with the seafood man we needed some army stew and cheesy fried chicken. Finally -- city lights and traffic sounds!!! But the cold still plagued us.

Vic spent the 4 days we had in Seoul with us I've missed her annoying face

My first time in the jjimjilbang (lol we were the only ones with the funny towel-hats but in Korean dramas they do this all the time idgi)

caaaaakeeeeee from O'sulloc (they have the best green tea spread also imo)

an accurate depiction of our friendship est. 2013 kekeke

ugh kids

we walked (albeit breathlessly) up Namsan Seoul Tower for this view (too bad for the fog)

aaaaanndddd IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

lol @ the cake what is this meant to be (also my friends thought I was turning 24..... ... ... do they really want me to age that fast?? ?? ??)

Bernice trying to fake some autumn leaves swirling around me 

pretty :')

this was a picture taken illegally off someone's top floor window in Bukchon Hanok Village

me when I'm eating and I see more food

because it was my birthday, I dragged everyone into every bakery to get a slice of cake each time hehehehe

me when I see cake

hottdeok -- fried buns filled with burning caramel and nuts BEST IN WINTER!!! but be careful don't scald yourself

미안해 but plain soju rly does not taste good... (think pure vodka)

we missed starry night back home but we had our own ;)

the famous Ewha Women's University

if you happen to see these egg toasts on the streets, wait and walk further down you'll find them at a cheaper price (they are good!!)

the BEST ginseng porridge 

One of my biggest regrets leaving Seoul is not having eaten the famous foot-long ice-cream :( We walked past them a gazillion times because they are everywhere but we were always too full to buy them ughzxzxzx. Ok and I have to admit, I really like Seoul also because everyone is so good-looking!! Even if they're not the best-looking, they put in effort to look suave. Stand in the underground train you'll get what I mean. Aesthetics 💯