Out for a run

This morning I went for a run along Cheonggyecheon, the stream near my hotel. I passed several other runners along the way, which made me feel at ease exercising there. I usually wave when I meet other runners, but today hardly anyone waved back. Still, it was refreshing running alongside the cool stream and greenery.

On the elevator ride back to my room, I saw some familiar faces from the hotel. I haven’t started any conversations yet, but I hope to change that on Monday—that’s 추석 (Chuseok), Korean Thanksgiving. The hotel should be hosting a party for anyone wanting to join the holidays.

Gyeongbokgung (경복궁)

After a shower, I set out for Gyeongbokgung, the largest palace in Seoul. The original buildings were destroyed during Japanese rule, but most have since been rebuilt. If you wear traditional Korean clothing (Hanbok), you get free entrance. Because of this, you see plenty of people dressed up, usually groups of girls in elegant dresses, and the occasional father or boyfriend reluctantly tagging along.

I joined a free English guided tour. Since I’d been here before, much of the information wasn’t new, but I did discover something I hadn’t seen last time: a beautifully restored library filled with books. I lingered there for a while, reading about Korean paintings, and reminded myself to avoid repeating the exact same highlights I’d already visited.

The tour attendant was enthusiastically explaining the significance of colors and murals, and even offered to take photos for people. I took my chance and got my picture taken too!

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Next, I headed to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA). This was my first time visiting, and I arrived at 12:58—just in time for the 13:00 free guided tour. Perfect timing! While waiting, I chatted with a Chinese-Australian retiree who was on holiday with her not-so-impressed husband. She snobbishly dropped a few big-name modern art museums she had visited, but I managed to counter with some she hadn’t seen yet (suck it, grandma!).

In the end, the tour was just the three of us, which made it feel almost private. I heard some great stories about the artworks and had the chance to ask the guide plenty of questions.

The museum had several exhibitions from different artists, some more interesting than others. One leaned heavily on AI but felt a little odd. Another was a massive showcase of Kim Tschang-yeul, who famously paints only water droplets. There was also a huge room playing a very strange video.

But there were also some real gems: an installation where a chicken on a string created sand art, some striking paper works, a cube made of doors, and stones in a peculiar setup with a TV.

Dinner

After all that, it was finally time for dinner. On my way to the museum earlier, I had spotted a restaurant with a line outside and decided to return there. It turned out to be a curry place, so I ordered the vegetable curry (gotta get those greens somehow) at spice level 4 out of 6. It was delicious—but if that was only level 4, I don’t even want to imagine what level 5 and 6 taste like!

Tomorrow I’ll be checking out a few more modern art museums I missed last time.