Seoul Searching | Namdaemun Market.

Annyeonghaseyo!
Yes, my dear friends and readers, we're back in Seoul where the little man and I will be spending the holidays. We landed a few days ago, actually, and we were quite lucky to have chanced upon some very, very light snowfall the day after we arrived. (Praying for a White Christmas this year!)

My hands have been quite full the past few days - unpacking, meeting friends, grocery shopping, doing housework, and the biggest chore of all - adjusting to the freezing weather, haha! I'm going to try my very best to get some blogwork done (and reduce this mammoth backlog) in between the shopping, eating, and visiting tourist destinations. And with that, let's do some Seoul Searching all over again with a trip to Nandaemun Market.

Welcome to Nandaemun Market!

The largest and oldest traditional market in South Korea, Namdaemun Market is located right beside the Great South Gate, Namdaemun, from which its name was derived. Established in 1414 during the reign of King Taejong, Namdaemun Market began as a government-regulated marketplace with grains, fish, and fruits as the most popular trading commodities.

And we're ready to explore!

In 1945, after liberation from the Japanese, the merchants earned full operational rights of the market through the establishment of the Namdaemun Merchant Organization. However, tragedy struck the then-developing marketplace, as it turned to ruins during the Korean War and then ravaged by fire shortly after being rebuilt.

One eager beaver.

After a series of huge renovations, Namdaemun Market re-opened its doors in 1964. At present, the market is filled with over 1000 shops covering a span of more than 10 acres.

It's like Divisoria, but cleaner and safer! 

With its labyrinth of shops, stalls, and street vendors, you can practically buy anything and everything at Namdaemun. From cellphone accessories to luggage tags, kitchen utensils to bath items, even cross stitch patterns, they have it all at Namdaemun Market! It's like Divisoria in the Philippines - but cleaner and safer!

Rummaging through the plushies and other cute items.

We have been warned that the place can get seriously crowded during Fridays and Saturdays, so I chose to visit on a Wednesday. Luckily, the place was not as jampacked as I thought it would be, making it a pleasant and comfortable shopping experience for both Yue and I.

See? He's all smiles!

Clothes, bags, shoes, toys, and souvenir items are a common sight in Namdaemun Market. Most of them are relatively inexpensive, and can be purchased at wholesale prices if you're buying in bulk.

Hanboks!

Chopsticks, coin purses, kitchen utensils...

Classic souvenir item - fridge magnets!

Namdaemun also has an area known as the 'Ginseng Market', which is found along the market's central path. The shops in this area sell quality ginseng at discounted prices. Both fresh and processed ginseng (tea and powder) can be bought in this area, along with a variety of oriental health food such as honey, yeongji mushroom, brown rice, and adlay.

Ginseng.

Mushrooms.

In front of an Oriental Medicine store.

Speaking of food, Namdaemun also has a wet market where you can buy fresh produce, dried fish, and other food products. This area is also lined with 'sikdang', or hole in the wall diners. (In the Philippines, these are called 'turo turo'.)

A bounty of fresh vegetables.

Nuts and grains.

Sikdang, and stores selling food products.

There's an abundance of street food in Namdaemun, too. You'll never go hungry as you hop from one shop to another.

Steamed buns.

Sugar-coated bread.

Jokbal.

Hotteok.

Egg bread!

Fish cakes!

I'm definitely coming back to Namdaemun to do some souvenir shopping; possibly within the week, if the weather permits. Staying out for long in the cold makes my migraine act up! :(

Character socks!

K-pop merchandise!

Descendants of the Sun plushies!

To get to Namdaemun Market, take the subway to Hoehyeon Station (subway Line 4) Exit 5.

Or you can ride the following buses
Blue Bus # 103, 104, 105, 108, 51, 152, 163, 261, 262, 263, 300, 371, 401, 402, 406, 500, 501, 503, 504, 505, 604, 700, 701, 704
Green Bus # 0013, 0014, 0015 (to Yongsan), 0211, 7015, 7021, 7022, 7023
Yellow Bus # 01, 02.

Spotlight | The Face Shop White Ginseng Collagen Pearl Capsule Cream.

A few months back, I joined the Seoul Summer Sale contest hosted by Visit Seoul, with hopes of winning either the Super Junior autographed CD or the Shinsegae Duty Free gift card worth 100000 won (around $85 or Php 4000). I did win the contest, but my prize was neither the CD nor the gift card.

My prize from the Visit Seoul Summer Sale contest!

Instead, I received the White Ginseng Collagen Pearl Capsule Cream from The Face Shop. Not bad, I told myself, considering how much I love Korean cosmetics, and that I get to try a new product without having to spend anything. Plus this prize is valued at 52000 won (around Php 2200 or $45) upon checking it at Emart.

Inside the box.

Product description and list of ingredients at the back of the box.

The White Ginseng Collagen Pearl Capsule Cream is a hydrating cream made with natural pearl extracts, ginseng root extract, and hydrolyzed collagen. Together these three ingredients create a healthy, radiant complexion and help achieve glowing, younger-looking skin.

The bottle.

Very elegant-looking.

The cream comes in a simple yet elegant-looking (albeit bulky) glass jar. It's housed in a gold paper box with a plastic tray inside to keep the jar in place. The packaging alone is very luxurious, which makes the product look a lot more expensive than it really is.

The cap and the bottle itself have the same size, lol.

Comes with a plastic seal.

As for the product itself, it has a gel-cream texture that's light as air and sink immediately into the skin. The cream is very hydrating - perfect for this time of year when the cold winds and the sudden change in temperature can make the skin extremely dry and flaky.

Inside the bottle.

This product can be used in two ways - as a regular moisturizer, or as a booster to your makeup ritual.

Pearl capsules inside.

To use as a regular moisturizer, simply scoop out the cream with the spatula provided, along with 3 or 4 pearl capsules. Place the cream and the capsules on your palm, cup your palm, then crush the capsules with the spatula or with your clean fingers. Dab an even amount on your forehead and your cheeks, then spread the product evenly on your face. The product can be used as a cream on its own, or you can mix it with any moisturizer or cream that you're currently using.

Scoop them with the spatula provided.

To use as a booster to your makeup ritual, you can mix in 1-2 pearls with your foundation to achieve dewy, glowing skin. The pearls are quite shimmery when crushed, and glisten like silver dust when used on its own.

The pearl capsules up close. 

Hence, I prefer using this layered on top of my Moistfull Collagen Emulsion during the day, and mixed with my Moistfull Collagen Cream at night. I've been using this product for more than two weeks now and the experience has been great so far. I usually tweak my skincare routine during the colder months (like, now), and I love the extra hydration that this product provides. The uneven patches on my skin have also become less noticeable, which I attribute to this cream's niacinamide content.

A few seconds after applying the cream.

Niacinamide, a non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and relatively safe skin ingredient, helps to lighten areas of pigmentation and age spots. It also reduces blotchiness and evens out skin tone while improving skin texture.

After two weeks of use.

All in all, this product is a great addition to my usual skincare routine. I reckon it will take me awhile to finish this jar, but I plan to buy another jar when I go back to Korea next month. I hope there will be lots of sale events by then! It's almost Christmas after all! :)