A Review of Hotel Hyundai in Gyeongju, South Korea

Lobby of Hotel Hyundai Gyeongju

If you're in Gyeongju and you want to stay at a hotel with a wonderful location, Hotel Hyundai Gyeongju is the place to be. Hotel Hyundai is located in Bomun-dong right next to Bomun Lake, which is a beautiful lake that you can view from the comfort of your hotel room. The hotel is very clean and classy with very attentive receptionists.

Would you like a cup of coffee? Coffee Sara is at your rescue

It's a very spacious hotel with various features. Coffee Sara is on the main floor if you want to have a cup of coffee while enjoying the outdoor view of Bomun Lake. There's a lobby lounge where you can enjoy cocktails, juice, or coffee and next to it is Club Havana, where you can sing karaoke, dance, or play billiards. Hyundai Hotel Gyeongju has many options for you to relax and have fun at.

Bomun Lake with Gyeongju World Amusement Park on other side

Bomun Lake at night with lit up bridge in the background

The best thing about this hotel is the view of the lake. I was astounded by how beautiful and picturesque the surroundings of Gyeongju were from my hotel room. I kept saying to my wife how blessed we were to be staying here. I was in awe and enjoyed the nature as we sat outside on our balcony.

Not a bad way to relax, is it?

If you're interested in more active activities, Hotel Hyundai has a fitness center and swimming pool as well. Although, the swimming pool is a bit expensive to use (W20,000), it is very well maintained and very relaxing. There are showers, lockers, soap, shampoo, towels, and dryers available.

A heated pool that feels like bathwater

After you're done exercising and very hungry, Buffet Topaz will not disappoint you. The restaurant offers excellent food options. You can get steak, Vietnamese noodles, Chinese food, Korean food, sushi, various salads, bread, and a various assortment of desserts (multiple flavors of cakes and fresh fruit). The exceptional taste and service of the restaurant cannot be denied and I was very impressed. I only wish I could have eaten more!

Various choices of food at Buffet Topaz

Just a sample since I had too many options!

4 different kinds of cakes, strawberries and pineapple for my choice of dessert

The room itself has one TV, two comfortable beds, and a bathroom with all of the amenities you need. Wi-fi is available to do all of your work while on business.

A comfortable room with a view of Bomun Lake outside your balcony

Overall, the hotel can be a bit pricey, but you can probably get great deals on booking.com or agoda.com. It's a very great hotel for the above reasons and it's also conveniently located near the main attractions of Gyeongju (Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju World, and Teddy Bear Museum). I loved the food and I loved the view of Bomun Lake, which were my favorite things about this hotel. I hope you can get a chance to enjoy them too!


Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy

The Best and Worst Things About Living in Asia

I really enjoy living in Asia. Sometimes I really love it and there are other times it can be challenging. But overall, I'm thankful to God that be has brought me here. But if you're wondering what I think the best and worst things are about living in Asia, here's a very short list. Please feel free to post something below if you have a question or comment about my list. I would love to hear other people's opinions about living abroad. I would also like to help others who are considering living abroad. So here's my list without further ado:

The 5 Best Things about Living in Asia

1. You always feel like you're traveling. Even though, it's currently your home, you still find something new in your adopted homeland. Seoul is huge. I still find places that I haven't been to and I love taking pictures of these new discoveries.

2. Even though the nostalgia has faded, it's still pretty unique being a "foreigner" on the subway among a bunch of Asians. Even though the feeling is not as strong as it used to be, it sometimes still reminds me that I've been living abroad for almost 14 years. That astounds me!

3. Eating the local food is great. You'll never find Korean food this good anywhere else in the world. And the places which only the locals know are fantastic and cheap!

4. Thankfully, Japan and China are very close to Korea. I've also been able to travel to Southeast Asia at reasonably priced airfares. I appreciate that I've been able to experience different Asian cultures that are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Korea.

5. I've learned how Koreans act in certain situations compared to Americans. Sometimes I understand it and sometimes I don't. However, it has really educated me on the major differences between Western attitudes and how people think in the East.

The 5 Worst Things about Living in Asia

1. I hate not being able to see my family often. It's especially difficult that I can see my two nephews and niece growing up. That's definitely the most difficult thing to endure.

2. I think the time difference is a bit inconvenient. In order to catch my dad on the phone at a decent time. I need to call at 10am Seoul time (6:00pm in L.A.) which isn't so bad. Sometimes I'm tired after teaching my morning conversation classes. The last thing I want to do as an introvert is to talk on the phone. The only other opportunity is to call my dad at 1am Seoul time when it's 9:00am in L.A.

3. As I mentioned earlier, the Korean food in Seoul is great. Good food from other countries can be found in Seoul. However, it's either pretty good (not amazing) and/or it's expensive. I love On the Border but I can't go there often, since it's a bit pricey here. If you want really good Italian food, you'll have to pay for it but more competition is helping to make the prices more reasonable. I think Turkish kebabs are the best bang for your buck (won) in Seoul.

4. Some cultural aspects are just hard to overcome. I have to keep reminding myself that this is not L.A. I need to realize that. Specifically, people are always in a hurry in Seoul, which is the exact opposite of L.A. I also miss saying hello to strangers on the street. Sometimes I feel like I've become more repressive while in Asia, which is not a good thing.

5. A flight ticket back home isn't cheap and it's a long distance. If Asia was closer, I'm sure more family members would visit and I would go home more often. That's definitely a challenge.

Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy

Pastor Douglas Park's Last Sermon at NHM (May 28, 2017)

There are four things NHM taught Pastor Doug in his 7.5 years at NHM.

1. Powerful servant leaders- When I came to NHM, it was the first time he saw other church members folding bulletins, setting up chairs, etc. I saw the Holy Spirit moving people's hearts. All of NHM's ministries were begun by the members (homeless outreach, orphanage ministry, Meet and Greet, etc.). There used to be so many prostitute cards all around Gangnam Station. One blonde hair/blued eyed woman went to the police station and dropped the cards onto their desk and said "This is wrong!" The police felt some shame behind it and cracked down. You rarely see those cards now.

2. The preciousness of people- I originally wanted to be a megachurch pastor, not a church of a megachurch. G.K. Chesterton said, "Meaningless does not come from being weary of pain. Meaninglessness comes from being weary of pleasure." What's the point of having numbers at church without having disciples? These are God's precious treasures. I need to take care of them. When Jesus left this Earth, he only left one thing: his disciples. Love the people, invest in them, and disciple them. David Gibbons said that many pastors use people to accomplish their own dreams when they should use God to accomplish the potential in people.

3. The goal is to raise up leaders and not just members.- The more leaders NHM has, the stronger NHM will be. We are all leaders. We should all be a good influence on others.

4. I've been impacted by the transformation of this church.- Different nations, cultures, and different backgrounds yet we are all one community. The pattern of this world is to follow money or your job. Yet one member extended his contract an extra year because he realized NHM was his home. NHM has also helped to restore marriages, comforted me, accepted my weaknesses, and supported my family. Whatever you sow, you will reap. Thank you for 7.5 years at NHM.

Sermon Title: "When Storms are Only Showers"

What's the biggest problem you're facing or have faced? How did you handle it or are handing it? What's the biggest problem Jesus faced? Betrayed by 30 pieces of silver? All 11 of his disciples abandoning him? Beaten, spit on, and mocked? When the Father looks away because he couldn't look at the sin Jesus was taking upon Himself? Jesus faced real problems and struggles but never gave the impression that the problems were out of his control. There wasn't any problem that was too big for Him. We need to realize that all of our problems are small and they are in the hands of a big Father.

Matthew 7:24-27- If you listen to Jesus and follow his commands, it is like building our house on solid rock.  Different problems will come at us, but we need to build our house on the rock.

John 16:33- Let your focus not be on the wind, rain, etc. Let your focus always be in Christ. He has already overcome the world. Jesus took upon the sins of the world and the death on the cross.

We need to set our foundations on Christ. We shouldn't just believe it, but we need to live it out. If we don't, we will be tossed to and fro by this world. God gives us a standard not to be a killjoy but because he knows what we need as our Creator.

Hebrews 9:27- Jesus always prayed and was intimate with his Father and he obeyed. "Father forgive them for they do not know what they're doing." God can use our problems to glorify his name.


Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy

Gyeongju, South Korea

Gyeongju, South Korea

My first visit to Gyeongju, South Korea was in September 2003 when I first came to South Korea. The Korean head teacher of my elementary and middle school academy took my co-worker David Miretti (who I still keep in contact with) and myself to the two most famous places in Gyeongju: Bulguksa (Bulguk Temple) and Seokguram.  Seokguram is a grotto that is a part of the Bulguksa complex, that holds a stone Buddha statue.

Bulguksa is located on the slopes of Mt. Toham in North Gyeongsang province in the city of Gyeongju. It's considered to be the masterpiece of Buddhist art in the Silla Kingdom. The history is a long one. In 528, King Beopheung built a small temple on this site. However, according to Samguk Yusa records, the current temple began to be built under King Gyeongdeok in 751. The prime minister at the time was led by Kim Daeseong in order to pacify his parents. The temple was completed in 774 after Kim's death and was later named Bulguksa (The Temple of the Buddha Land).

I loved the bridge leading to the temple. It's called Sokgyemun.

The temple went through renovations during two Dynasty periods (Goryeo and Joseon). During the Imjin Wars (1592-1598 Japanese invasions of Korea), the wooden buildings were burned to the ground. After 1604, reconstruction and expansion of Bulguksa started, followed by 40 renovations until 1805.

After World War II and the Korean War, a partial restoration was conducted in 1966. President Park Chung Hee ordered a major restoration of Bulguksa between 1969 and 1973 after an extensive archeological investigation.

Bulguksa and Seokguram were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.

My second visit came this month as I went to Gyeongju to do a project for the Hotel Hyundai in Gyeongju to help promote their hotel on my blog as well as on Instagram. I also wrote a review for them on Trip Advisor. My wife's brother-in-law drove and thankfully he did. Gyeongju is not easy to get around without a car. You can get a bus to Bulguksa with no problem and you can take the bus to Seokguram but that task might be a bit more difficult. This will be mentioned later.

Bulguksa Temple

Comparing my first visit to Gyeongju in 2003, I didn't see any major differences except for a lot more cafes as we were driving along the way to our hotel. There were a few more restaurants but not a whole lot. I'm happy to see that Korea hasn't done anything to ruin Gyeongju's charm. Of course back then there wasn't an amusement park but overall Bulguksa and Seokguram look exactly the same as when I saw them in 2003 and that's a great thing!

The two towers that haven't changed at all are Dabotap and Seokatap. They are structures that were both created in the Silla Dynasty. Despite them having a different appearance from each other, they have relatively the same height and are both made of stylobate to create a proportional and balanced look of the temple. You can see them here.

Dabotap

Seokatap

We then drove to Seokguram, which was a bit of a challenge as I alluded to earlier. The road to Seokguram is winding and I couldn't imagine experiencing that on a crowded bus if I had to stand. Just beware of this if you make a trip to Seokguram. I had some motion sickness because of the crazy winding roads, so I made sure to get some fresh air and keep looking out the window! But once we got there, it was worth it. At least I thought so. My wife's brother-in-law expected much more, so don't set your expectations too high!

As you walk along this quiet path for about 10 minutes you might encounter at least three squirrels along the way as I did! It was nice to just enjoy the nature and the true feel of real Korea.

Then you arrive at the main complex of Seokguram. However, you need to climb up some stairs to get there now. I especially loved the lanterns during the season of Buddha's Birthday (May 3rd).

Here's my wife with her sister and brother-in-law as we start to make the climb up to the Seokguram Grotto..

My lovely wife with her sister and brother-in-law a few steps ahead of us

Once you get to the top, you find the grotto that holds the Bonjonbul figure of Buddha which is 3.3 meters in height and 2.7 meters in width. You can't take pictures of it once you're inside unfortunately but here is a pic that I found from a tourism site of Korea. It is an artificial stone Buddha made of granite. As mentioned earlier, the construction started by King Dae-Seong in 751 and finished in 774 by King Hye Gong.

Not only will you see the Bonjun Statue as you walk into the grotto, but you'll also see the Bodhi-sattva, and his disciples. The statue has a generous smile and is engraved with a lotus flower design. The ceiling is half-moon shaped and has a lotus flower designed cover on it.

Picture courtesy of english.visitkorea.or.kr (Visit Korea)

Enjoy your trip to Gyeongju and if you have any questions before you make your way there, please post a comment and I'll respond promptly!


Scott Worden (L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy

Bird Cafe near Sungshin University in Seoul, South Korea

Seoul has various themed cafes. When cat and dog cafes came to Seoul, you thought it couldn't get any wilder than that. Now you can see over 12 different kinds of unique cafes with its own distinct style. I have personally been to a Peanuts cartoon cafe, a raccoon cafe (see a previous blog post), and most recently a bird cafe, which is the subject of today's blog post.

The only way I was able to hear about this cafe was through my friend Timothy Holm. Tim does his very best to find to dig through the city of Seoul and find all of the hidden treasure. His major was Asian studies, so he enjoys experiencing all of Asia to the max. He is also fascinated with Seoul which has inspired me to experience all of what that city has to offer as well. I was happy to join him on this journey as we went to a bird cafe in an area near Sungshin University.

To find this bird cafe, the only thing I can suggest you to do is type the name 우리집새새꾸 into Naver Maps on your phone and you'll be able to find it or you can go to their website here. Another way is to just click the link here ( bird cafe Naver map ) and a map of the bird cafe will pop up there. It is located in the basement of the building on the map. If you can't read Korean, then I would suggest you to go with a Korean friend and you won't have a hard time finding it. 

Here's the poster to help you out as well:

You'll love this place for various reasons. 1) It's very clean. If a bird does his duty, you can easily get wet tissues which are accessible at the counter. 2) The staff is very friendly and as long as you're not torturing the birds, they will let you take out birds from three different cages from one room. You can play with them, feed them, put them on your head, shoulder, etc. 3) You can stay here as long as you want. You just have to pay for coffee (W6,000). 4) You'll see exotic birds that you wouldn't even get to touch while at the zoo! Here's a pic of a couple of beautiful parrots.

Look at this parrot on my arm. My initial reaction is shock. Haha!

Tim even took video of me feeding him. But he seemed a bit hungry. You'll see what almost happens at the end! Here's the video! 



Here's Tim with a cute parakeet!

But is one really enough? How about two to make it more interesting??

We fed them on the table but we had to be careful. They tried to eat our coffee lids. ;)

Here's one on my head! Thankfully he didn't poop on it!

But the best part was playing with one of the storekeeper's pets: A skunk! Tim asked her in Korean why she would want a skunk as a pet. She said, "I just wanted a skunk." Alrighty then. That's a pretty simple explanation. I wouldn't expect you to believe that you could pet a skunk at this bird cafe so  here are a couple of pictures worth a thousand words each.

Myself with the skunk

Tim petting the skunk's furry back

My Instagram pictures of this place got four people from my church to visit this cafe. I think I should get some commission. Just kidding. I'm happy to help people find the coolest places in Seoul. This is definitely one of them! Enjoy!


Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy