This week, I focused a lot on exploring the different provinces in South Korea. I spent a lot of my time going back and forth from Itaewon, Hongdae, and Gangnam. I really like the college scene at Hongdae, because I get to meet a lot of other exchange students who are attending universities nearby such as Yonsei, Ewha, Sogang, and Hongik University.
I finally got to try the famous burger joint in South Korea, Mom’s Touch. This is kind of like the Korean Mcdonald’s here. There is another fast food joint called “Lotteria”. This is basically another Korean Mcdonald’s version but I have yet to try it out. I got the classic thigh burger with some fries and mozzarella sticks. The chicken was really good, but the sauce was sweet which was a bit weird at first. However, the salty and sweet combination ended up pleasing my taste buds very well. 
I highly recommend this classic fast food restaurant for those coming to study abroad! There is also this pouch drink sold at the convenience store going around on TikTok. I decided to make my way over to try it, and it did not disappoint! It was extremely cheap and really refreshing despite the cold weather. I spent the rest of the day shopping around Sinchon and Ewha’s Women University as there were many cute vintage clothes around the university center.
Towards the middle of the week, I finally decided to stay nearby in Anam and try the restaurants in the area. I went with a friend I made in the dormitory to this Korean restaurant called “56th” which was extremely cheap and delicious. I tried menbusha for the first time, which is a Korean fried shrimp toast. Another interesting thing we got to try is Korean flavored soju! While they have these beverages in the United States, they only have specific rare flavors in Korea. We ordered the Melona flavored soju which is by far the best flavor I have ever tasted. Melona is a very popular ice cream sold in Korea! Later that day, we met up with other KU students to head on over to Itaewon and explore the city. Itaewon is very beautiful at night as you can see the Namsan Tower! I have not gotten the chance to visit the tower yet, but hopefully soon.
For dinner, we went to a new restaurant that just opened up called, “Dear Alice”. I won’t lie, it was a bit on the pricey side. However, the environment of the restaurant was really cozy and elegant. Sometimes you need to try yourself to a fine dining experience! My friends and I ordered a white truffle mushroom pasta with a large bacon ham dish. Absolutely tasty!
Towards the end of the week, I made my way over to Jamsil Sports Complex because there was a BTS concert! I am a huge fan of the popular boy band, so this was an absolute must place to visit. BTS had a concert at this stadium for three days! 
Due to the covid restrictions, we were not allowed to scream or sing with the artist so that was the sad part. I must say that studying abroad in a pandemic has its cons, but I think it is always important to make the best out of the situation you are in. Another downside was that it was raining on one of the concert days, and the fact it was an open stadium made it worse. Although there were strict rules and despite being drenched in the rain, I still had an incredible time at the concert and do not regret any moment of it.
It has been an extremely amazing week! I think it is time to wrap up this blog. Can't wait to see what other adventures I will go on next week. Please keep staying tuned in to find out!
For now, goodbye!