After leaving Ewha Womans University, I headed straight for Apgujeong. Stepping out of Apgujeong Station, I was completely bewildered—where was any sense of bustling city life? It was quiet and deserted; aside from a Hyundai Department Store across the street and a roadside chestnut vendor, there wasn’t another business in sight… So, I decided to walk over to a nearby Samgyetang restaurant for a meal. The set menu was truly generous, complete with side dishes (unfortunately, all kimchi, which I’m not fond of) and a pot of rice wine. Using a Dianping coupon even got me a complimentary drink… The server spoke excellent Chinese, clearly a remnant from the days when Chinese tourists were plentiful, though now they’re nowhere to be seen. The diners here are mostly local Koreans working nearby.
Samgyetang is indeed a highly nourishing dish. Made with a young chicken, the meat is stewed until incredibly tender, falling right off the bone at the touch of chopsticks. The chicken’s cavity is stuffed full of glutinous rice, along with nutritious ingredients like jujubes, chestnuts, goji berries, and ginseng. The soup has a slight herbal note, but as you sip it, you feel warmth spreading through your entire body—it’s actually quite delicious. This also marked the first time in two days that I’d found a meal that felt welcoming to a solo diner…
After eating my fill, I discovered that the real bustling area was actually on the adjacent Rodeo Street. It would have been better to exit directly from Apgujeong Rodeo Station, since the walk between the two stations doesn’t offer much to see.
Right next to the subway station is the famous Galleria Department Store, known for its luxury brands. It’s divided into an East Wing and a West Wing, each with a completely distinct style.
Heading toward Cheongdam-dong brings you to the Cheongdam Fashion Street. Along the way, you’ll pass K Museum of Contemporary Art, art galleries, various clothing boutiques, and brand stores like SONY and LG.
On this luxury fashion street, each major brand occupies its own standalone building. These structures are individually designed by the brands themselves, featuring many masterpieces by renowned architects, serving as the ultimate expression of each brand’s identity. There’s really nothing quite like it in Shanghai yet. Oh, and nearby is SK Entertainment, a company famous for producing numerous celebrities.
House of Dior, designed by Christian de Portzamparc
LOUIS QUATORZE, designed by MVRDV
Givenchy, designed by Piuarch
Finally, I had afternoon tea at the café in 10 Corso Como. Their aesthetic really is consistent worldwide~~~ The service was top-notch, and I finally got to enjoy a delicious molten chocolate cake—warm chocolate paired with vanilla ice cream was pure bliss.
Photos in this post taken with a SONY A5100 + 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, post-processed in Lightroom.
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