Korea Day 12: K-Pop Dance Class + Hongdae
Today was a fun and jam-packed day. Our afternoon cultural activity took us to a dance studio were we learning part of the choreography for the BTS song Boy with Love. Afterward, eight of us ventured into Hongdae on a mission to find a Hello Kitty cafe. We never found the cafe but we did an enchanting flower cafe and a variety of other interesting shops. We dined at a Korean Barbeque restaurant for dinner and it was AMAZING. Then we shopped a little more before heading back to Kookmin.
Day 12 Highlights
- Language Class
- Lunch at the Cafeteria
- Field Trip: K-Pop Dance Class
- Exploring more of Hongdae
- Arriate Flower Cafe
- Busking
- Korean BBQ
- Shopping
Language Class
Global Center lobby
Lunch at the Cafeteria
Lunch – I wish I could identify all the things I ate.
K-Pop Dance Class
Our cultural activity of the day was a field trip to J Dance Studio where we were taught the moves to a popular BTS song called Boy with Luv. It was super fun to do a group dance lesson. We all messed up a lot which made it that much better.
Our dance instructor
Exploring more of Hongdae
Hongdae is such a fun area. I visited it several times and probably only scratched the surface of all the cool things to do and see there.
We stopped by this little ceramic / tea shop. 
I just love the visual texture of the city. So much eye candy. 
Cuteness 
What a cool building.
Arriate Flower Cafe
We happened upon Arriate Flower Cafe after giving up on our search for a Hello Kitty Cafe that we’re all now pretty sure no longer exists, and it was one of the most enchanting places I visited while in Seoul. The interior is filled with flowers: fresh, dried, fake, etc, and is super romantic. Plus they serve super yummy drinks and dessert. I would love to take Karl here for a date or hang out here with friends. Themed cafes are super popular in South Korea and now I understand why.
Busking + Shopping
This is a special area in Hongdae were busking (street performances) take place. We saw a lot of dancers and a few bands. It was fun to watch. A few of us even danced in a circle just for fun.
So many shops!
Artbox is one of my favorite shops in South Korea. 
Fun mural 
Visitor Information stations can be found in most of the popular areas and provide free maps and help. Nice! 
Strike a pose 
Tabitha, me, Dani, Alaina 
Korean BBQ
Eating Korean BBQ in South Korea was on everyone’s bucket list so for dinner that’s just what we did, and it was amazing. You cook the meat at your table which makes the cooking/dining experience a fun social one as well.
The Restaurant 
How cool is this table setup? And look at those wall murals. 
Yum! 
So much yum 
Tried some flavored soju 
Leaving with happy bellies
Kakao Friends Shop & Cafe
Cute characters are super poplar in Korea, and Kakao friends is a popular line of characters with several shops, cafes, and etc scattered throughout Seoul. It’s fun to walk through the shops and take photos with all the cool stuff. Photo op spots are super popular in Seoul. I found a great little case for my airpods here.
Bought this cute airpod case. I love this thing.
I found a bookstore on the bottom level of one of the shopping complexes and managed to find a copy of The Hunger Games in Korean with a little help from Google Translate. I look forward to practicing sounding out the words even if I don’t know what they mean.
Book shop 
Score! 
Leaving Hongdae
View more photos from this day in our gallery.
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