Hi, friends! I hope you are well! Today, let’s explore one of my favourite cities in South Korea — Gyeongju!
I have wonderful memories in Gyeongju thanks to the interesting activities, such as visitting Bulguksa Temple and Taekwondo class with the group tour, One Life Adventures*.
But what made it more exciting was, OMG, there were many nice foods in Gyeongju! 😍 😍 😍
I’m not a big eater, but I love food, especially when travelling. And I believe eating good food when travelling helps you create a wonderful impression of that new place.
By “good food”, I mean not eating supermarket sandwiches, instant noodles, or empty calories throughout the journey. You won’t be able to enjoy the trip!
So, friends, if you’re still saving up for your dream destination now, keep going! It’s ok to wait until you have enough money, so you can travel and fill your tummy with happiness 😊 😊 😊
Okay, I have a confession…
This Korean trip was the only trip when I ate the most instant noodles 😅
I think I had… 5 instant noodles as my lunch on different days when in Korea! It was because I overspent on skincare products, so I tried not to be too overbudget.
Clara, just how much did you spend on skincare??
It was… around 4.5kg of skincare 🤣🤣🤣
I was shocked when I saw the scale at the airport. My luggage had gained weight! No wonder it was so heavy!!
So, if you have South Korea or Japan on your bucket list, I suggest you prepare a big budget—because it’s hard to resist bringing back skincare products and snacks, plus the food is great!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
The Serene Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju
I spent two days in Gyeongju. On the first day, after arriving, we had lunch and gathered again for a visit to the Bulguksa Temple, an evening walking tour, and dinner (free time).
On the second day, we had a Taekwondo class, followed by a Korean language class (optional), and free time to explore the city.
If there was one thing that my new friends and I agreed about, it was that the Bulguksa Temple felt like the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo!
Maybe because the road towards the temple was serene and lush… For some of us who had been to Japan, that moment brought back memories.
However, there’s a big difference. The Bulguksa Temple is located on Tohamsan Mountain, while the Meiji Shrine is in Tokyo, near Harajuku.
At first, since we came a day before Halloween, the trees had gone bald. The area was very quiet, and there weren’t many visitors around.
But luckily, once we reached Bulguksa Temple, there were many visitors! Yaaaay!
CLARA10
Bulguksa Temple is a Buddhist temple built in the Silla kingdom. It’s the No.1 Historic and Scenic Site in South Korea and is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
History says the building was completed in the year 774. Like some heritage sites, Bulguksa Temple underwent reconstruction, expansion, and restoration throughout the years.
As the sun set, the weather slowly became colder. Mmm, what should I have for dinner later? 😊
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Evening City Tour and A Hearty Dinner in Gyeongju
Actually, we were supposed to explore Gyeongju by bicycle. However, due to the APEC Summit 2025, which was also held in Gyeongju, security was tightened.
So, instead of a bike tour, we had a walking tour. I was happy because I was worried if the bike would be too tall for a shawty like me, haha…
When I was in India (also with One Life Adventures), the bike operator had to switch places with me because the adult bike was too tall for me.
In the end, I rode the truck while he cycled with the bike 😆 😆 😆
At first, I didn’t understand why Gyeongju was on the itinerary. And why did they choose this city to hold the APEC Summit 2025?
It turned out that Gyeongju was more than a modern city – it was rich in history, had a traditional Hanok-style neighbourhood, and had many delicious foods!
Here are some fun facts about Gyeongju:
- It was the capital of Silla, an ancient kingdom
- It’s dubbed as “Museum Without Walls” – filled with ancient temples, royal tombs, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- During the APEC 2025 Korea, media arts and light festivals were held in the middle of the city (Gyeongju light show)
- You can see Cheomseongdae Observatory, one of the oldest observatories in Asia
- You can visit Daereungwon Tomb Complex, the royal tombs from the Silla kingdom
- You can visit Tomb of Munmu of Silla: a unique, underwater tomb of King Munmu from the Silla kingdom
- You can visit Yangdong Folk Village and see 100-year-old noble houses
- You can rent hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) and have a photoshoot
- Visit Woljeonggyeo Bridge in the evening for a stunning view
- A MUST visit for foodies: Hwangnidan Street – full of cafes, restaurants, snack stalls, and shops!
- Bored with Korean food? Don’t worry, there are pizzas, Starbucks, McDonald’s and Burger King!
After the evening city tour ended, the group decided to have pizza for dinner as they already had Korean food for lunch.
As for me, since the evening was chilly and I only had ramen for lunch, I wanted to have a warm and hearty Korean meal.
Luckily, not long after we started walking to the pizza place, I saw a restaurant with photos of soup dishes on the banner placed outside. So, I went there myself for dinner.
The meal portion in South Korea is mostly big, minimum for 2 people. However, many restaurants also have single-portion set meals, like this one.
I had sundubu jjigae aka spicy, soft tofu stew. The meal came with refillable side dishes, white rice, and hot/cold water.
Mmm… very nice! Korean set meals always make me happy because they consist of protein and vegetables. When travelling, it’s usually hard to eat balanced meals, especially vegetables and fruits.
But in South Korea, it’s easy to have balanced meals every day – if you want to! However, I feel fruits in Korea are expensive, just like in Japan.
CLARA10
After dinner, I returned to the hostel alone. Did I tell you that South Korea is very safe? I always wandered alone in the evening, with my phone in one hand to follow the map, and nothing bad happened!
On the way back, I passed by Hwangnidan Street and was mesmerised by the alluring cafes, restaurants, and snacks there.
Not only did the foods look tempting, but the exterior and interior designs of the places were also nice. I will definitely return to this street tomorrow!! 🤩 🤩 🤩
We gathered at the meeting point to take our luggage and went to our hostels. Since we were a big group, we had to stay in 3 different hostels.
My hostel in Gyeongju, Blue Boat Hostel, was really comfortable! Luckily, Ruben was kind, he helped me took my luggage upstairs.
The bedroom was very small, but at least the mattress was good and the space was clean. I quickly took a hot shower and slept.
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Taekwondo Class in Gyeongju with One Life Adventures
Peek-a-boo, Happy Halloween Day! It was Halloween and finally, I had a chance to learn taekwondo!
I wondered if it would have similar movements to the ones I did in Bodycombat class, hehe! 😄 🥋 ✨
But first, breakfast! What I liked most about this hostel was that it provided various ingredients for breakfast.
Oh, and the plates were beautiful! I cooked myself a cheese omelette, then added mixed nuts and Nutella bread to my plate…. and finished the breakfast with a glass of cold, fresh milk 😋
After breakfast, we took taxis to the taekwondo place. The excitement peaked when we changed into our taekwondo uniform!
Our instructor, who had won many medals, taught us with patience. We started the lesson with a game as a warm-up, followed by another warm-up, and then learned some basic movements.
This taekwondo lesson taught me humility.
I may have good energy and movements/postures in Bodycombat class, but when it comes to punching or kicking real things, I realised I was weak.
I wish I’d known that even kicking the pad would be painful, haha… 😅 But it’s ok, I had a lot of fun!
We also learned more about each other. For example, our friend, Raj, who was always quiet and shy, had mighty kicks!! Even the instructor praised him! 😮 😮 😮
CLARA10
And who could imagine Laura and Donna, our bubbly friends who always dressed girly, also had powerful kicks?? 👏 👏 👏 #flowerpower
Thank you for the interesting experience, One Life Adventures!
Next, we had a whole day free for ourselves. Some people went for the Korean language crash course, while Amal, Adam, Rita, Raj, and I wanted to try the famous 300-year-old tea house.
Korean tea, here we come~~
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Gyeongju Tea House and Food Galore in Hwangnidan Street with Luigi
We arrived at Gounnim Osineun Gil Tea House, the famous 300-year-old tea house in Gyeongju. Since Rita took a bus, we reached there before her.
This tea house had a traditional design, and the vibe was welcoming, starting from the garden that greeted us at the entrance.
It was around lunchtime and the place was empty; we didn’t even see any waiters. After taking some photos and “Hello?”, an old lady came out and brought us the menu.
There were more than 10 different tea options, some desserts, etc. Each of us ordered a different tea, which was great! This way, we could sample each other’s tea.
I was attracted by the description “around 10 different herbs” herbal tea, which I unfortunately didn’t like… I like Raj’s tea the most, the few-year-old ginseng tea!
By the time we finished our tea, Rita still hadn’t arrived. Alas, when she replied to my text that she had arrived, I didn’t check my phone! We already left the tea house… sorry, Rita!! 🙏
Afterward, we went our separate ways because we had different interests.
Amal went to the bank, Raj wanted to see the royal tombs, while Adam and I wanted to go to “the street with many shops and restaurants”.
We didn’t know that it was Hwangnidan Street, and didn’t know how to get there. We passed by a beautiful area filled with hanok-style houses and restaurants.
Adam caught a lot of attention thanks to his Luigi costume. I thought it was a bit weird because not many people dressed up for Halloween… maybe later at night?
But some people greeted and smiled at Adam. I wish I had brought a red mushroom costume, it would be more fun! 😆 😆 😆
After walking for around 30 minutes, suddenly we saw a familiar-looking alley.
Me: “Adam, that alley looks like the street from yesterday…”
Adam: “Yes, let’s check it out!”
And ta-daa! We arrived at Hwangnidan Street! 🎉 🎉 🎉
The street was buzzing with locals and travelers. Suddenly, a photographer asked us if we could pose for him. It turned out he was a photographer for APEC 2025 Korea!
He wanted us to pose as if we were taking selfies in Hwangnidan Street, so we gave him what he wanted:
Then, we checked out some cute shops. At one of the shops, we finally met some people in Halloween costumes! A ‘zombie’ girl screamed happily when she saw Adam 😆
There were so many foods that I wanted to eat in Hwangnidan Street, but sadly, I was a small eater…
Also, Adam wasn’t feeling well, so he didn’t feel like eating. After walking for some time, we found a Halloween-themed night market in an alley and checked it out.
Suddenly, I saw a restaurant that sold jamgatang aka pork back rib soup. OMG, it had been a long time since I had that! Last time was at Lot 10 food court, but now the Korean stall is no longer there…
So, I went there and happily ate my jamgatang, with its tender meat and nutritious pork bone soup 😍
Meanwhile, Adam had a drink and shared an interesting story about how his mom and dad met. It was a long story, and ended at the same time I finished eating, hehe!
After filling my tummy, we walked together for a while, then went our separate ways because Adam wanted to join the others for a bike ride around the city.
I explored the lively Hwangnidan Street and took many photos. Then I stumbled upon Miffy store and bought something for my sister’s birthday gift.
Oooh, what’s that near Miffy store? It’s hotteok!
Hotteok is a Korean street food, fried pancakes filled with melting brown sugar and cinnamon. During my 14 days trip in South Korea, I only ate hotteok three times – and I regret it!
Yes, it’s fattening, but it’s SO GOOD… Korea’s rice flour is the best, including their hotteok! I only had Twiho hotteok in Hwangnidan Street and the famous mixed nuts hotteok in Busan BIFF Square.
I personally prefer Twiho’s original hotteok because the pancake is very crispy on he outside but soft inside. And the brown sugar smelled so good…
The sensation of the gooey, brown sugar filling melting in the mouth was pure joy. Not forget to mention that the oppa was friendly, he gave me a small cup of sikhye (sweet Korean rice drink) while waiting!
There were still many foods that I wanted to eat, but my stomach was already full to the max. Initially, I wanted to see the light show, but it was still around 1 hour to go.
So, I returned to the hostel, made a cup of tea, and read the news and manga online. Afterwards, I took a shower and had a deep sleep 😌 😌 😌
Ok friends, that’s the end of our Gyeongju trip! I hope you enjoy Bulguksa Temple, the taekwondo class, and Hwangnidan Street.
Have a wonderful week ahead, kamsahamnida~ 🌸 🌸 🌸
CLARA10
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