Deoksugung • Ice Skating • City hall (Cheonggyecheon stream) • Gwanghwamun Square • Gyeokbokgung • Itaewon • War Memorial Museum • Coffee Prince 13 students of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) went ‘gap packing’ during the semester break in January 2012. Campus trip to K’ ARTS University, Yonsei University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Soongsil University was an eye opening experience for us in learning the undergraduate student system in South Korea. We also surely would really miss hospitality provided by StayKorea . Last but not least, many thanks to Seoul Red Cat and Julia Tour who ensured our trip went smoothly. 1. AHMAD FAUZI ISHAK 2. AMIZATUL JANNAH MOHAMAD 3. MOHD. FARIS BIN MAIMUN 4. HAZMAN SAPAWI 5. IZZAH ZAHIN ALIMAN 6. JASMINE SULAIMAN 7. MUHAMAD NORIMAN B. MUSTAFA ALLBAKRY 8. NOOR FATIHAH BINTI HARISFAZILLAH 9. NOORSHAZEELE ZAKARIYA 10. NORKHUZAIMAH ZAINAL 11. NUR NABILA ILMA MUSTAFA KAMAL 12. NURSHUHADA BTE SAFRUDDIN 13. RUSNANI YAAKOB 14. SITI NURASHIKIN BT JAPADULIN 15. WAN FATIMATUZAHRA WAN OTHMAN

1.  Deoksugung
 Ice Skating
 City hall (Cheonggyecheon stream)
 Gwanghwamun Square
 Gyeokbokgung
 Itaewon
 War Memorial Museum
 Coffee Prince
Today was the 8th
day of the trip. The
weather was very cold and freezing. All
the group members woke up early and
together we ate breakfast.
After that, we went to Hongik University subway station at 9.30 am. Our first destination was
the Seoul Plaza. On the way there, we dropped by at the Deoksugung.
> Deoksugung is just right across Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink
CHUN
DAY
8

2. > Burrr……….it was sooo cold! Even the rabbit said it..haha~

3. It costs W1000 for skates (shoes and helmet) and access for one hour. I did catch glimpse of an old guy–roughly
70-80 years old–and a small child around 7 years old who skated so gracefully. All in all what great fun! Unni
‘Lovely’ Leila constantly helped pulling us to stand after we kept falling again and again Ouuchh! T_T…

6. After tired playing ice skating and, we stopped by at Tom n Toms
Café for a rest and drank hot coffee.
Afterwards, we visited Cheonggyeecheon. The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project opens up a congested,
overpopulated and polluted neighbourhood north of the Hangang River. It has created a 5.8km landscaped
green pathway that runs alongside the revitalised Cheonggyecheon stream.
The project was applauded by the governments worldwide and becomes a model project for cities around the
world by peeling back pavement that was built to bolster commerce and serve automobile traffic decades ago.

7. > Halian ‘Mr Racoon’ was telling us the story of the famous stream. Oh, the serenity! A walk along this 5.8-km
stream was almost as good as a spa for clearing one's mind or rethinking a deal.

8. > We played tuho (투호) as part of activities staged in front of the
City Hall. Tuho is an old Korean game of skill that involves throwing
arrows (or in this case sticks) into a jar or vase.
After stopping by Changgyecheon, we continued up the main
road to head towardsGwanghwamun Square. The walk was pretty
enjoyable and pleasant with the cold breezing wind from the
mountain passing over us.

9. > We were pleasantly surprised to see that Seoul City Council had attempted to keep modern buildings from
entirely obstructing the view of Gwanghwamun in the distance with the impressive Bugaksan mountain rising
up behind it. Gwanghwamun is the main gate to the splendid and most impressive royal palace Gyeongbok.
Inside Gwanghamun there is a public museum . We learnt the history of two very distinct personalities that have
shaped and influenced the history of Korea and the consciousness of the Korean people. Above the museum
(which is underground) is a square that hosts two epic statues of these Korean men: King Sejong the Great and
Admiral Lee Sun Shin. We heard the names before while watching Korean drama but only after the visit we
appreciated the contributions they have made.

10. > The majestic palace behind us is the Gyeongbok.

11. >
> The story of King Sejong and Admiral Lee Sunshin is a lively historical and cultural space located in the Sejong
Center for the Performing Arts.
From the exhibition we read, King Sejong was the fourth king of Joseon that deeply loved his people. In his own
words, "The common people are the foundation of any country. It is only when this foundation is strong that a
country may be stable and prosperous." The whole purpose for him creating hangul, or the Korean alphabet,
was based around this idea. He created the alphabet because he felt that his people, who were largely iliterate
(due to the difficulty of reading and writing Chinese characters), were unable to communicate their feelings and
thoughts in their own language. He believed that if they could not express to him their wishes and feelings
through the written word, he could not know of their needs properly.

12. At the exhibition museum,
we also experienced the
Battle of Myeongnyang in
4D Hall. Admiral Lee
Sunshin was the
commander who protected
his country during the Imjin
War (Japanese invasion of
Korea). The personal
treasure was his diary that
said “My personal history
that contains all my
precious moments and
feelings”.
His major
achievement was the
protection of his country
during the Japanese
invasion by creation of the
Turtle Ship the main
battleship of the Korean
Navy.
Then we went to Itaewon, home to the Seoul Central Mosque, which
oversees all Islamic mosques in Korea, and ‘Islamic Street,’ an area of
Itaewon that is becoming established as a special region catering
towards those of the Islamic faith.
All of us prayed at that mosque. The mosque is very big and located at
the hill. It is very peace and tranquility at there. The Seoul Central
Mosque is also responsible for the Halal certification of Korean products
for export to Islamic countries.
There are also several shops and reataurants in the vicinity with
headings in Korean and Arabic, and sometimes in English.

14. Not only does the mosque provide a quiet place of prayer, but as an establishment, it also recommends good
Halal restaurants in the nearby area. As a result of these and other conveniences, Islamic Street in Itaewon is
always bustling with Muslim worshippers and tourists, particularly in the afternoon.
Today we went to the Taj Palace Indian Restaurant in Itaewon. It is an all you can eat buffet. We stuffed
ourselves with butter chicken, piping hot garlic naan, tandoori chicken, chana masala, lamb curry, vegetable
curry, raijta, and more. Thewas SO SO good. It is located around 3-minute walk from subway station Itaewon
station, line 6, exit 3. Walk straight, turn right after Dunkin Donuts and walk up the hill (towards the Foreign
Food Mart). Taj Palace will be on your right, on the 2nd floor.

15. > War Memorial Museum

16. >Had a cup of coffee at The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince Café in
Hongdae, Seoul
> Izzah with unni Leila. She works at a tourist information
centre in Seoul

17. Lastly, we went back to our Guesthouse and got rest. Today was very meaningful because of all of us gained
knowledge and knew a brief on Korean History and Lifestyle.