On a Saturday?

Today I put in a couple more hours at my job. I’m trying to get ahead of schedule by picking up extra hours wherever I can — that way, I’ll have more free time later on. My original planning had me in Busan this weekend, so I had some extra free time. I collected my recent feature into an MR for review and treated myself by picking up two smaller tickets. I worked until lunchtime, packed my bag and water bottle, and left my hotel room for another exciting day.

I was starving and craving fast food. Wandering around my neighborhood, I stumbled across Mom’s Taste — a local fast-food chain — plastered with ads for LE SSERAFIM, my second-favorite K-pop act. They had just released a new song called SPAGHETTI (don’t worry, I’m not really into it either), and were running a special promotion. I ordered their “collab menu” (for the photocards). Fifteen minutes later, I was staring down a giant shrimp-and-corn pizza and a baked pasta dish. At a fast-food joint? This was way too much food for lunch — but momma didn’t raise a quitter, so I did what I had to do and E Æ UP E Æ E Æ E Æ UP.

Seoul Flea Market

Today I wanted to explore around my hotel a little more and check out some nearby touristy hotspots. First up: the Seoul Flea Market, just five minutes from my hotel. I followed a trail of street vendors displaying their wares on carpets to the main building — a sprawling maze of stalls selling everything from antiques and paintings to Clothes, biker jackets, traditional medicine, and old power tools. The chaos was incredible. Each stall overflowed with items but somehow stayed within its neat grid of boundaries. TVs played old dramas while sellers lounged among piles of knock-off razors (PHILLEPS), lacquer cabinets, and towers of VHS tapes. It went on forever.

You could almost see the dreams of young entrepreneurs who once thought they’d strike gold with some imported gadget, now stuck with boxes of stuff no one’s buying.

Trot Singing Competition

Outside, a crowd had gathered around a small stage — apparently for the “Seoul Flea Market Festival,” complete with a Trot Singing Competition. Trot is Korean folk music, full of syrupy love songs and dramatic ballads. I had actually wanted to see a Trot event while I was here, and somehow, I had just stumbled right into one! I ended up staying for three hours, the only foreigner in the crowd, people-watching and loving every minute of it.

The MC kept the energy high between roughly twenty performers, and the acts ranged from “average Joe” to “shy person with a killer voice,” to “slightly drunk guy who missed his cue,” “ajumma diva,” and “grandpa bouncing like a teenager.” Some were great, some... less so. But everyone got applause. The crowd clapped, laughed, and sang along — and I found myself doing the same.

When the amateurs wrapped up, a professional Trot singer took the stage — I recognized her from the big banner. She had the crowd wrapped around her finger, getting everyone to dance and sing along. I only caught the words “love” and “meet again,” but I still joined in when cued. The show ended with an award ceremony, complete with trophies and happy tears, right on schedule at 5 PM.

Stumbling upon that show was such a treat. It felt like real local culture — something for the older generation, sure, but completely genuine. At the end, an ajusshi even came up and clapped for me, like a little “thanks for joining us” gesture. That really made my day.

Here is a link to the blogpost with all the performers!

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

My plans for the afternoon were completely derailed by the Trot festival, but in the best way. Once it wrapped up, I headed to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) — a futuristic architectural landmark packed with exhibitions on industrial and modern design. Last time I visited, it felt kind of empty, but this time the place was alive and full of energy.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Exhibition

I started at the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition. His work is raw and expressive — but it didn’t land with me today. After the chaos of the flea market and the Trot show, my brain wasn’t ready for this kind of art. But I still had some time left to digest my ridiculous “lunch.”

Garden of Arts

The highlight, though, was the new “Garden of Arts” installation. It transformed one of the building’s huge spiral halls with greenery — moss, trees, and little sculptures — softening the stark white architecture. It felt peaceful, fresh, and creative.

I spent about two hours wandering through various exhibits (chairs, healthcare design, pearl art) and just admiring the space. The DDP has really come into its own since my last visit. I even spotted an announcement for an upcoming show I want to catch in two weeks — so I’ll be back!

Ending the Day

When I finally got hungry again, I grabbed a light dinner, picked up a small keychain with the Korean flag (finally!), and headed back to my hotel.

It was another great day of mixing work and exploration. Accidentally stumbling into that Trot festival was the highlight — something I never could’ve planned for. My only regret? Not getting up on stage myself to belt out “Living on a Prayer.” by Bon Jovi.