Seoul Vlog: Exploring Hwagok-dong in Gangseo-gu

[@MikeFromKorea]

Here are some links to a couple of the places I visited and the music I used in this video. You can also find them in the video description. Places ===== 아지매순대 (Ajimae Sundae), the restaurant where I ate: naver.me/5HSG2Gef The self-service snack shop where I bought the ice cream: naver.me/502ThkQw ===== Music ===== Graves (Instrumental) by James Spaite audiio.com/james-spaite/riverside/graves-inst-js Friends in the Garden (Instrumental) by Julep House audiio.com/julep-house/traditions/friends-garden-instrumental =====

[@noseefood1943]

I grew up there in the 80s fond memories

[@be_arahan]

Where I was born in 1977. :-) near #4 exit. and my hometown...Someday PLEASE fly to Incheon. I have lived almost 10yrs over in Incheon Old town. There are some thing to sightsee ...

[@MikeFromKorea]

Cool! I do plan to take the camera to Incheon eventually, I've been there several times, but it's been a while.

[@be_arahan]

@@MikeFromKoreaIf you know a bar 'Bottom Line' ... You don't need to visit any more. 😂😂😂😂

[@MikeFromKorea]

@@be_arahan I don't know any bars in Incheon. My idea for an Incheon video is to visit the area where egg bread was first sold the 80s.

[@be_arahan]

@@MikeFromKoreaoh near Inha university. It is also nice place. Incheon is a very small and sometimes unappealing city, but it is also the same as the entrance to Korea, which still retains many old things. There are also many small manufacturers in charge of our country's industry. There will be few such manufacturers or factories in Seoul.

[@강원도사랑]

오늘은 강서구 화곡동을 둘러보셨군요! 다음에 시간이 되시면 강원도 탐방도 부탁드립니다. 강원도도 볼거리가 참 많사옵니다! 좋은 밤 되십시오!

[@howwouldkoreansreallysayth4601]

So refreshing to hear from you since I went to 신월초등학교 near 화곡동 in 1975! Though I was born in Korea, I lived in the States for 30 years. I guess, just like you were born in the US but have been living in Korea about 30 years?? For that reason, somehow, I have a GREAT attachment to your videos. Thank you, Mike! btw, my wife and I have moved back to Korea.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you! And thanks for sharing. I hope settling back into Korea went smoothly for you. I know that every time I visit the States, I feel more like a stranger. I expect it would take a while to adjust if I ever moved back.

[@sandihunter1260]

Loved this one Mike. It's always nice to learn about new areas in Seoul for when I return in the future. I love the music on your videos also.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you!

[@KenmoreMarine]

I spent most of my time lived in Jamsil. When I got a job in near Hwagok-dong, I moved in by myself. I loved most of vibe in Hwagok-dong...but while I lived there, I always felt this area is so sketchy. It was not just old fashioned stereotype of that town. Most of my parents generation used to say about Hwagok-dong was the lowest part of Seoul. In now days it is hard to agree but there is still some of that sketchy vibe exist. In the video, I can see my ex-studio home building lol. Thanks for the video!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Yeah, I can see how it could seem sketchy when you're coming to it from Jamsil.

[@kaienne]

I love the songs in your videos: they make me feel like seeing Seoul through your eyes.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you!

[@Peter-69]

Thanks for making this video. I appreciate your narratives describing the district. My aunt lived in Hwagok-Dong, and I visited quite often back in the early 80s. I have lived in the States since 1985 and visited Korea after 32 years in 2017. I was surprised to see so many changes and, at the time, surprised to see the same old buildings and single homes in my old neighborhood. In 2023, I revisited my old neighborhood in Seoul for a week without accompanying my spouse. I walked around the nearby neighborhoods without setting particular destinations to experience the atmosphere and visited local restaurants to nibble on various foods just for the sake of tasting. Not having to pay the tip was quite a welcoming experience. As some mentioned, it was disappointing not to see the old-style red brick single houses in the sea of uninteresting villas. I plan to visit various cities in Korea that I have never visited before I expire, as my days are numbered. I enjoy watching your videos and appropriate music selection, and your calm narratives are soothing, as living in the States is quite hectic. Your videos satisfy my desire to experience my native land vicariously, and I thank you for that.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you for sharing and for the kind words. Every time I go back to where I was raised, I find less that's familiar. What really gets me is seeing where so many wooded areas have been replaced by neighborhoods of cookie cutter houses or Wal-Mart/Home Depot shopping centers with massive parking lots. The woods where I once spent hours roaming with friends, building forts out of fallen tree branches and fishing in a small lake, are long gone. America continuously sprawls out further and further. Korea reaches toward the sky with ever higher tower apartments and office buildings. The best we can do is, as you said, experience the atmosphere while we can, and accept that it may be different the next time we pass through.

[@라치오-r8n]

I lived Magok for four years, and seldom visited Hwagok. Gangseo-gu is totally separated by Gonghang-daero.

[@MikeFromKorea]

That's interesting. I would guess that all the high-rise apartments in Magok have something to do with it, too. I always get the sense in areas with multiple apartment complexes that there's a "two different" worlds kind of thing going on---al the apartment blocks in one world and the villas in the other.

[@bartandpocca1774]

I lived in Hwagok-dong for three months back in 2015. I often went to the market you show at the beginning of the video, close to the subway stairs. They would sometimes play the most vulgar American music over their sound system. It made me chuckle a little bit because I'm sure no one knew what kind of music they were playing or they would have been horrified. By the way, that same garlic seller is in the same spot he was 9 years ago. My trip home each day from the subway included passing those vendor stalls you mention, then taking a right turn. That right turn not only took me to my small apartment in 2015, but also leads to 봉제산 park and fitness area. I was so hoping that you would make your way to 봉제산, but alas I was disappointed. For me, 봉제산 (bong jesan) was a near magical place that I went to almost everyday. I would walk up the hill for about 10-15 minutes, and then suddenly it seems to have 150 people appear out of no where, all intent on getting in their daily exercise. Walkers, joggers, stretchers, calisthenics, etc, 40 years old and up, giving me all the motivation I could handle.

[@MikeFromKorea]

That has always struck me, as well. Pick any hilltop park around the city and you're bound to find a bunch of older people taking advantage of the facilities there. Back in the 90s, a friend and I used to sometimes head up Namsan just before sunrise to find a bunch of elderly folks were already there. I was really active from my late 30s into my late 40s---hiking, cycling, gym---then got lazy for a while. Seeing all those older people killing it when I was out walking my dogs eventually motivated me (probably more accurate to say shamed me) to get out there again.

[@Mudskipper9876]

You explain Korea well. Neighborhood feel, helpful people, and local eats.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you!

[@samuel006]

I forgot about that dish. I’ll have to keep an eye out this summer.

[@MikeFromKorea]

I usually like to eat it every summer. Can't believe I missed it last year.

[@dewi9235]

Thank you, for the info again🎉 It's very warm..better for a short walk 😂

[@MikeFromKorea]

Gotta get my 10,000 steps in! I got almost 16,000 that day.

[@dewi9235]

Great 👍

[@hre2044]

New Mike video, yay

[@Domichoi_journey]

안녕하세요 오늘도 즐겁게 잘보고 있습니다. 재미있는 영상입니다. ❤🎉

[@MikeFromKorea]

감사하다!

[@renedelac]

I like the music that you play in your podcast thank You

[@SDongil]

3:40 - Okay, this is cool! I started watching, saw the name of the place, and I always like to see if I can figure out the meaning. So, hwagok, maybe it's 火谷, fire valley, right? Can't be volcanic, maybe there's oil & gas back in the day....but no, there were potteries here! So, bingo!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Great catch. I recall reading that the area used to be a source of clay for pottery, but I never would have made that association.

[@SDongil]

@@MikeFromKorea And it's a valley, so you have hillsides where you can build those long kilns. Must've been a sight!

[@johnhutchinson9030]

You’re doing a good job Mike. I really appreciate the videos.

[@MikeFromKorea]

I appreciate that!

[@Dunderkim]

Hope I just stumble on the space where you would be filming to get your signature :)

[@MikeFromKorea]

I'm sure my scribble won't be worth much :-)

[@sbmllove2949]

어머 우리동네네요. 많이 보던 슈퍼다 했더니ㅋㅋ

[@evamalmgren1085]

Thanks Mike! Love your videos. Arriving in Seoul in about a week. Looking forward to your next post of favorite places for inspiration!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you! I hope your trip is a good one.

[@AnirbanDas21989]

great video! I also like your music choices in the videos. It'd be great if you could link the sources.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Will do! The commercial songs I get from Lickd are linked in the descriptions where I use them, as they require it. I'll go back later today to the videos where I use music from Audiio, like this one. But for now, here are the two I used here: audiio.com/james-spaite/riverside/graves-inst-js audiio.com/julep-house/traditions/friends-garden-instrumental

[@goodman72-o6t]

덕분에 화곡동 구경 잘했습니다^^ 더운 여름에는 콩국수가 시원하고 건강에도 좋죠^^ 건강 잘 챙기시고.. 다음 여행지가 벌써 기대됩니다~

[@MikeFromKorea]

감사합니다!

[@cattytanty6238]

I've just watched all your video more than twice. I've just finished watching this video twice as well. I've been learning a lot about Seoul thanks to your videos. I tried Ancho that you like. It was more than I expected. But, I never tried egg bread yet. I tried so hard, but It's not easy to find the vendors that sell the egg breads in Busan. I'm gonna try cheonggukjang as well .sooner or later. And When I go to Seoul, I'd like to go to Sebitseom in person and see how much Seoul has changed than what it used to be . I wonder how much it has changed for the last 20 years since the last time I visit there. I appreciate your videos. I'm looking forward to your next video.

[@MikeFromKorea]

That's awesome. Thank you so much! I wouldn't be surprised if egg bread is still seasonal in Busan. But I'm curious now. I'll dig around and see what I can find out.

[@blackpearl2243]

I am late, Mike ^^ I used to live in Yang Cheon Gu next to Gangseo Gu. very busy up there. now I live in counrty side. look so hot there... watermelons, yang san

[@RayMin-kt4iw]

amazing video, thanks!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Glad you liked it!

[@VernaSelander]

I enjoy your videos!!! Great job and please keep up the good work!! So interesting!!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you!

[@bohyunyoo5855]

ㅎㅎ 안녕하세요~ 마이크님이 콩국수를 맛있게 드시는걸 보니 신기하기도 하고 제 입맛이 돌기도 하네요~ 영상 잘 보았습니다! 더운날씨에 건강 챙기시면서 다니세요!

[@MikeFromKorea]

감사합니다! 건강하세요.

[@ThatsJeanette]

Was this konguksu without meat? We also have had the experience that people where really helping when we where looking lost. We’ve eaten Kalguksu Beoseot Maeuntang in Yeouido and didn’t know how to do it at the beginning. But there were to younger woman (who were working for one of the offices around for sure) they were so nice, explained how to cook and even helped us frieing rice with what was left in the pan. We were so thankful and it was such a great experience because of the woman. We‘ll definitely come back to this restaurant next time because it was so yummy 😋 even thinking of it makes me hungry.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Yes! I've never seen kongguksu with meat. As far as I know, it's a vegan dish. I've seen several videos from travel vloggers who talked about restaurant staff or other customers doing exactly what you describe. I experienced the same thing back in the days when I didn't know what was going on. At several restaurants, someone would bring me a fork instead of chopsticks, or make sure I was aware that what I was ordering was spicy. I guess I look perpetually lost when I'm outside, given how often people still ask if I need help, but people in restaurants can see I know what I'm doing these days. It's been a long time since anyone offered help there.

[@조재윤-t3q]

hahaha pizza school and sweet potato pizza with cheese crust! you are adjusted to korea pretty well I always enjoy your video for english learning and just fun have a good day, sir

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you! There was a time when I had that sweet potato pizza at least once a week. My waistline can't handle it now, though.

[@jennifercorvec2452]

A comprehensive, pleasant video, Mike! I would be interested if you made a future video about Gangnam vs. gangnam and namgang, etc, as I don't know about them at all. And I am very interested in the Real Estate Map you mentioned...is it on your website? I ate at a place years ago in Karak-dong, as it was called then, and I had a huge bowl of mandu guk filled with many ingredients and made by the agumma. What a nice cure it was for the hangover I had!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thanks! I've been thinking of doing a video about the administrative hierarchy and digging a bit into the evolution of the Seoul districts over the years. I haven't thought it through yet, but I expect that's where I'd end up talking about the Gangnam stuff. The real estate website is at www.disco.re.

[@jennifercorvec2452]

@@MikeFromKorea I always want to know the history and evolution of Seoul districts and neighborhoods but info is so limited due to the lack of English articles out there. I hope you can do a video about administrative hierarchy in Seoul and terms like NamHang that describe certain places. Do you know how I can find English readings about any of this? Wikipedia is lacking. Thanks for the real estate link.♥️. Can you tell me where you see years/dates of construction on it? I can read Hangul so I can look for a term in Korean. - I can't see any years among the Korean. I couldn't find any English. I thought it was so great when I saw that you posted the years those villas and buildings were built. I often think of how they said SongPa Gu (where I lived) was generally built for the '88 Olympics and the apartment complex across from my institute was made to house Korean families at that time, so they were called "Family Apat". I don't know if they involved the Olympics more directly or not. SongPa Gu was a rich neighborhood, they told me in 1997, and a place where many people wanted to live. I could never figure out why though, especially if you smelled Garak Market's abattoir, and I found most other areas of Seoul were much more interesting.

[@Ellena-u7p]

I enjoyed a lot. Actually, i had lived in Seoul for 30 years, but l don't really know some of the district. Your nice adventures are so interesting and helpful for me as a leaner.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thank you!

[@steveyates8186]

I could never understand people fading Pizza School. Cheap and delicious.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Agreed!

[@kristah7223]

화곡동 is one of the cheapest areas in Seoul, with condos priced as low as $100K.

[@sometimestoby]

Hi Mike, I just wanted to say hello and thank you for the videos. I discovered your channel a little over a month ago and I've watched most of them since, I think I have 3 or 4 to go to be completely caught up. In one of your videos, I can't remember which, I think you mentioned learning to program, I've been really curious to know if that was or is what you do for work in Korea? The tech scene is something I'm trying to find out more about in Korea, I'm aware of Teheran-ro (again I think you mentioned working near there in one of your videos!) and on one of my trips to SK on the bus to Suwon from Seoul, I went through an area with a lot of office buildings with tech company names on them which seemed to be some kind of tech hub but I couldn't find any information about that at the time. Also what you said in this video about people wanting to practice their English with you has happened to my wife and I on one of our trips, it was a group of teenagers and they didn't say that was what they were doing, but it was obvious, it was a bit of fun for us at the time as we hadn't really talked to anybody since being there. We've also been helped a real lot by strangers in South Korea with things like ordering and catching transport. Another similar thing we've experienced is 'service', where we've ordered a single serve of Tteokbokki and been given an entire order of fried chicken and drinks just as 'service' by the staff. Once while waiting for a bus from Gyeongju back to Seoul a stranger said hello to us, then went into a convenience store and bought two drinks and gave them to us and walked away, there was a bit of a language barrier so all we could do was say gamsahhamnida. Similar things have happened to us a handful of other times too, I'll never really know why other than South Koreans are kind and generous to foreigners. Anyway thank you again, really appreciate your content, looking forward to future videos.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thanks for sharing your story. Yes, I started learning to program in the late 90s, but programming was never my career. It's always just been a hobby. I'm afraid I don't have any insights into the Korean tech scene. And I'm not sure what area you could be referring to on the way to Suwon. For the past few years I've been working remotely for an American non-profit that manages my favorite programming language. I started as a volunteer, then they started paying me. They pay peanuts, as they're a small org getting by on small donations, but it's a passion project for me. I don't program for them, actually. I do a lot of things the programmers aren't interested in---running the KZbin channel, interacting with the community, editing documents, and so on. There was a company here using our language, and a couple of European guys I know ended up coming over here and working for them. They started on Teheran-ro, then moved to a building near Gangnam Station, then to Yeouido, and finally out to the Guro Digital Complex. My friends ended up going back to Europe after four years or so. Unfortunately, that company was a bit chaotic, else they might have stayed longer.

[@Seoulcat2007]

Hey Mike. Do you recall going to a Ricky Martin concert at Seoul Olympic Stadium back in 2000 with a guy named Tracy, Tim (me) and our dates? I'm thinking you are the same guy but I'm not sure. If it's you, you also went to my wedding in 2001. I'm enjoying the videos, especially the history and details of the neighborhoods. Thanks for making these videos!!

[@MikeFromKorea]

Tim! Yes, that's me. Your wedding was particularly memorable because there were two weddings that day. I recall one of our coworkers, Grace, had her wedding at the Yeoksam Cathedral just an hour or so before yours. A little group of us went in expecting it to be over in 10 or 15 minutes, but none of us had been to a Catholic wedding before. We ended up leaving in the middle of it to hurry over to Dongbuichon-dong for your wedding. Do you recall coming to my house for a rooftop barbecue? I remember you being skeptical about the canned baked beans until you tasted them. I don't know how I still remember something that trivial when I've forgotten bigger things, but those were some great beans! It's awesome to hear from you :-)

[@Seoulcat2007]

That's funny. I'm Catholic so I know about the long weddings! Sabi remembers your rooftop party and I have a vague recollection, but I don't remember those beans! The samgyupsal and soju after the concert..our dates showing off their moves at the concert. Those were good times!!

[@MikeFromKorea]

@@Seoulcat2007 Gosh, that was a lifetime ago. The old ULI villa and the villa where my wife and I lived were still standing when last I checked sometime last year. The whole neighborhood still mostly has the same look & feel. Can't say that about most places I've lived in Seoul.

[@chaisepomme4070]

I can’t remember if I ever had kong guksu when I was growing up, but i do remember eating a hot stew that consisted of ground up soy beans with pork (neck, I think). I think the dish was a traditional country style recipe from my grandparent’s rural village. I actually remember seeing the hand operated stone mill (two stone wheels turning horizontally) used to grind the beans. Anyway, the adjective used to describe a nice, flavourful broth is “goo soo”. I can’t for the moment think of the exact English translation, but that is what I was thinking when you spooned up the cold broth. Anyway, I do like it very much when you show us food…any kinds from sweets, snacks, to traditional dishes and banchun. What I really dislike though is sour kimchi. I find the villas very charming. I hope a lot of them survive the New Town developments for some time longer. These types of apartment buildings here where I am are referred to as low rise apartments or the really low ones with three floors without elevators are “walk-ups”. Great video showing another neighborhood where real people live.

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thanks for sharing that. Maybe the dish you're thinking of is Kongbiji jjigae (콩비지 찌개)? www.koreanbapsang.com/kongbiji-jjigae-ground-soybean-stew/

[@chaisepomme4070]

@@MikeFromKorea yes! It was “biji”. I always liked it but found the ground beans covering everything a bit strange. Great memories…

[@unka2007]

it’s a shame that they have removed those 70~80’s style houses built with red bricks or stone-ish thingies? .. ive seen some of them, renovated ones in Seoul, they looked amazing. most of them are now renovated into retail shops :(

[@XarsVariety]

If there's a lot of families in that area, maybe it's typical for the parents to say they're going grocery shopping and stop by the love street haha

[@MikeFromKorea]

Makes sense to me :-)

[@hre2044]

Everyone give this man a like on his video!

[@MikeFromKorea]

I second that!

[@Dublintaxitours]

Great explanation of Gang-.... as River, in Ireland we have thousands of similar Bally../Kil../Clon../...boro/ , and some US cities such as Baltimore are 'Irish' names (Baltimore=Baile(Town)an tighe mhór(of the big houses)). Weather's been great here since we arrived and someone's ticking off their 'foods to try' list to establish what she wants to eat for the next few weeks. We went to a SETEC small business show and tried to avoid 'tourist' heavy places like Jongno-3 /Gwangjang. MAIN problem is the lack of English translations (english is more common in Tokyo) but Papago is my best friend as well as a crash course in self learning phrases.. a bit of a mumbled "%#@#%..AH-SAY-O?" seems to get me a bit of help🤗🤗. Staying near Nambu bus terminal so exploring all the neighbourhood restaurants around... but WILL get to a lot more in the following weeks..

[@MikeFromKorea]

Thanks! Sounds like you're enjoying it so far. I like the area around the Nambu terminal. There were a few restaurants between there and the performing arts center that I visited periodically. I haven't been round that way in quite a while, though. I should head over there for a video. It's difficult for me to grasp what the English situation here is like for a visitor these days. From my perspective, the place is drowning in it compared to how it used to be. And back then, when we did see English, it was often poorly translated. Signs I still recall: a restaurant selling 'Lamb Carcass'; an empty flat proclaiming 'Rent for Room'; a theme park ride warning that 'elderly pregnant with heart condition' should avoid it. I sometimes wish I could see it all with fresh eyes again.

[@Dublintaxitours]

@@MikeFromKorea Thought I'd replied, but anyway, regarding English .. trying to find specific food joints is a 'challenge', using Naver and Papago to narrow down the maze of streets, then using a picture to identify the establishment, and finally using Papago image to read the menu... I'm not advocating that Korea should change languages, and maybe for the percentage of English speakers it's not worth it, but it would make it easier for casual tourists to enjoy food away from the 'tourist areas '..

[@MikeFromKorea]

@@Dublintaxitours I see. I didn't even think about restaurants. I haven't really paid attention to which of them do and don't have English available on their menus.

[@allesinallem3]

마이크님과 서울 산책/구경하는 재미가 있어요. 그동안 영상만 보다가 오늘 처음 댓글 남겨봅니다. 독일에도 팬/구독자가 있다는 걸 알려드리고자...^.^

[@MikeFromKorea]

감사합니다!

[@DokdoTakeshima]

Lived in Hwagok Dong for a short while in the late 90s. It was before Incheon Airport opened. Very noisy and rough. A real Korean neighborhood with most Jutaek, Parasite style apts. So cool!!

[@dennylucy]

Why don't you visit Pyeongtaek? I recommend 안정리

[@MikeFromKorea]

I'll get there eventually. I haven't been there in years, so it will be a good visit, I think.

[@KKrusher]

Looks like there's a strange tint over your video.