Talking Personal: South Korea Travel Diary

If you guys didn't already know, although I'm pretty sure considering I've talked about it way too often, I went off an exchange trip to Korea! It was absolutely insane and every bit worth it. I loved almost every single moment I was there and I learnt so much more about myself.

I filmed three videos addressing a few areas about the exchange I wanted to share with you guys. I talk about (1) Places (2) Food and (3) Exchange Experience. There are a couple of video clips of the place and plenty of photos.

Travel Diary

Spotlight

Restaurants

Myeongdong Kyoja
Homemade noodles and steamed dumplings
29 Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Directions: Myeongdong Station (Line 1), Exit 4.

YooGaNae Ddak Galbi
Stir fry chicken and cabbage
Chain restaurant - various locations
Suggestion: Hongdae - Hongik Uni Station (Line 2). Exit 9.

Solbing 
Shaved ice dessert
Chain restaurant - various locations
Suggestion: Myeondong Statio (Line 1). Exit 4.

Suji's Deli
New York Deli
2nd Floor, 134 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Directions: Noksapyeong (Line 6). Exit 3.

Primo Baccio Bacci
Italian Restaurant
816-3, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Directions: Gangnam Station (Line 2). Exit 7.

Shopping
Gangman // Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping Centre
Gangnam Station - Line 2
Express Bus Terminal Station - Line 3, 7 or 9.

Ewha Woman's University // Hongdae Street Shops
Ewha Woman's University - Line 2. Exit 2 or 3. Walk straight 5 minutes.
Hongdae (Hongik Uni) - Line 2. Exit 9.

Bars/Clubs
Ellui Seoul
129 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
TIP: Keep an eye out for Free Entrance offered on Facebook

Club Syndrome 
578-1 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
TIP: Head upstairs for Hip Hop if Dance/EDM isn't your thing. (Also don't jump into the pool)

NB2 (Noise Basement)
361-10 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
TIP: Go on weekdays to avoid suffocating crowds - Wednesdays are great!

Persian Land
Hongik University (Line 2). Exit 9.
This is in an obscure place but it's highlighted by a round yellow sign before walking down stairs.
TIP: $2 tequila shots.

Where Do You Guys Want To Travel To?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Auto-Buy Authors

Hosted By: The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish, where we list our top ten according to a topic of the week. Check out future topics here.

Top Ten Authors I Would Auto-Buy From

The first four are basically all of my favourite authors and no matter what I will manage to buy their latest books. 

1. Kate Morton

I'm pretty sure Morton is the first Adult novelist I decided to follow loyally and cannot fault her work. Ever since discovering her I've bought her new releases following that. I'm super excited for her latest work, coming out this year! 

Read: Every single book she's released. It's so hard for me to choose a favourite, although The Shifting Fog has left an impressive impact.

2. Giorgio Faletti

Sadly, Faletti passed away last year but I only found out this year. I was shocked and devastated that one of my favourite authors wouldn't be releasing any more novels. It's funny how he actually never wrote in English, but that his novels were translated. He is an amazing crime/thriller writer and I've loved his work. 

Read: I Am God

3. Philippa Gregory

Gregory is a controversial character in the historical fiction field, at least from what I've heard. However, I am in love with her portrayal of historical periods, especially the Tudor era and more recently the War of the Roses. I've nearly completed the latter series, and will slowly make my way through the Tudor series. 

Read: The White Queen

4. Catherynne M. Valente 

Valente is a newer addition to my favourites list. She writes beautifully and her stories are magical. I auto-buy based on her continuing series including Fairyland and Leningrad Diptych, but I've started to delve into her other works as well. 

Read: Deathless

The next four are authors who've published novels I've really liked and wouldn't mind reading their newer pieces whenever the time comes. 

5. Abigail Haas
I've loved all that I've read from Haas and I'm keeping a close eye on her next release.
Read: Dangerous Girls

6. Michelle Hodkin
Pretty much the same as Abigail Haas, Hodkin is an author I hope comes out with something soon so I can buy it!
Read: The Mara Dyer Trilogy

7. Tim Winton

I support Winton mostly because he's an Australian author. However, I haven't read his latest work yet, despite owning it - oops. 

8. John Green

I buy Green on the basis that I've read almost all his works (that are worth reading), and because he is such a prominent figure in YA.
Read: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Who Do You Automatically Buy From?

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Bout of Books 14.0 TBR

Bout of Books is an annual, low pressure read-a-thon created by Amanda @ On A Book Bender.

Everyday there are different challenges and giveaways hosted on different book blogs to check out as well. 

Sign Up Post Here. 

Dates: August 17th - 23rd 

TBR List

I'm trying not to be over-ambitious, keeping my TBR list to just four books. Hopefully I can manage to finish them all, considering three aren't that very long and the fourth being something I can take over to the next week if I don't manage to finish it. 

Black Cairn Point by Claire McFall

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Picnic At Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay 

The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory 

       

Keep an eye out for updates along the way as well as see if I manage to finish the read-a-thon!

Will You Be Taking Part?

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Top 5 Shows Taking Over My Life

I'm the worst at keeping up with series, I'm not going to lie. I feel like my perseverance has been invested into reading so much that watching shows take the back seat. However, now that Netflix is at the tip of my fingers I've managed to fall back into binge watching TV Shows.

Currently Watching

1. House of Cards

I am amazed at how invested I became as soon as I started this series. I kept hearing how great it is, and was super excited to see that it was available on Netflix so I gave it a shot. I love the suspense, controversy and scandalous aspects of politics portrayed in House of Cards. The power struggle is so intense and engaging, and it surprises how much I support Frank, the anti-hero. My favourite part is how unique the storyline is told, with Frank talking directly to the audience as a method of inner dialogue.

2. The 100

The 100 is based on a book series and the amount of people who have told me the series is way better than the actual books is surprising. I love how dark and gritty this is. It doesn't spare on the gruesome and creepiness. One hundred teens being sent to a post-apocalyptic Earth to test its survival can and does get out of hand. I'm not up to date just yet, but it is very addictive so I'll get there.

3. Oz

If you haven't heard of this don't worry, it's actually a 90s show. Oz is set in a male prison focused on trying to rehabilitate the prisoners but with such a diverse range of characters things don't always go as planned. I'm watching this because of my recent interest in crime and policing etc., (hence my major I guess). It's definitely aimed at a more mature audience and I'm taking my time with this series because it's not something I can really binge watch what with the content.

4. Daria 

Daria was a childhood series that is full of satire and sarcasm, which funnily enough I appreciate more now than I did back when I was 7 or 8. The main character Daria embodies the most realistic teenager and addresses all these issues you get whilst going through High School - even if it is a little exaggerated. No seriously. Just watch it.

5. Suits

Season 6 has just started and I feel like everyone is hooked on this series. I'm at the end of season 5, so I'm super excited to be up to date. 

What Are You Currently Watching?

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The Taming of the Queen - Philippa Gregory

Title: The Taming of The Queen
Author: Philippa Gregory
Publication Date: UK/AUS/NZ: 13th August, 2015 | USA/CAN: 25th August, 2015
Add to Goodreads | Buy from The BookDepository

Kateryn Parr comes to court promising to marry King Henry VIII despite knowing the dangers. She's sixth in line and the deaths of the previous Queens makes her uneasy. Except Henry showers her with love, trusting her with his children and his Kingdom.

She unites the family and joins in advising the King. Yet, as she pushes for religious reforms, Kateryn begins to gain enemies and soon her beliefs and actions grab Henry's suspicious attention. Those against her label her a heretic, but her concerns mount as it seems that Henry is beginning to plot a punishment against her.

Will she be able to survive against a man who ordered the death of his own wives?

Review

Out of Henry VIII's six wives, I have rarely heard anything about his last wife Kateryn Par. That, coupled with Philippa Gregory releasing a new novel based in the Tudor era, grabbed my interest very quickly.

I appreciate The Taming of the Queen for providing not only a story to the name Kateryn Par, but also an insight into the context of the time. A lot of the time it is quite obvious Gregory's novels are mostly fictionalised, but in this one most of the novel came across very believable and almost realistic. I was fascinated with the portrayal of Kateryn and her role as Queen and at one point Regent to the country. Gregory writes her as an intelligent and influential female, which is very empowering, especially during that period. I also loved that Gregory focused on the fact that Kateryn was able to translate and publish two prayer books, first as an anonymous and eventually under her own name. It is an inspiring act that really conveys how powerful women can be even in a patriarchal world.

There's also a large aspect of religion in this novel. At this point King Henry VIII has split from Rome and the Catholic Church, and the debate between reverting to the old religious ways or striving for reformation crops up a lot. Gregory places Kateryn at the centre of this conflict, which gives her a role and first hand experience for the readers. However, I'm not too sure how historically accurate it is. The dispute is actually quite interesting and I kept reading on, even though I had always thought religion in a book would bore me. I think coming from a religious educated background it's intriguing to see the practices in Mass originate from the Tudor period.

I did think there were some really dry and uninteresting moments, that I skimmed pretty easily. There was also a part I really did not like and absolutely did not believe would have happened in real life. I read it very uneasily and regretfully. It made sense when tied to Henry's personality, but at the same time I just couldn't stomach it.

The Taming of the Queen definitely did not become my favourite read from Gregory but it was very well written, engaging and fascinating. I was intrigued enough to start my own research of Kateryn and I really liked her character in the novel. It's a thick but fast read, and if you're a fan of Gregory or history definitely give it a shot!

"I believe that to be a free woman is to be both passionate and intelligent."

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