throwback thursday 7 - Seoul, Korea

Pretty much everywhere I went in Korea alone, I always stood out. And almost every museum I went to I was usually the only person there, or if I wasn't, it was me + a tourist group on a giant bus or something. (This was awesome because I got into a lot of things free & I was treated so well, sometimes I would get private tours!) 

One museum I had read about that I knew I wanted to go to was the Seoul Torture Museum. My guide book had a tiny blurb about it, my friend Mark had heard good things about it, and I was tired of history/art museums (though I love them dearly). I was pretty determined to find it- I walked around FOREVER in the rain, it was really kind of hidden, and then when I got there it was under construction. But it was still worth it- definitely I have never been to a museum like that before (and probably never will go to one like that again). It was an entire building (actually, multiple buildings) of maniquins being tortured. (Japanese torturing Koreans to be specific.) I had NOT expected this.

So it's pouring rain, the buildings are under construction, and I am the ONLY person in a building full of mannequins being tortured. Creepy, much?! I actually felt kind of wrong taking pictures it was so odd, and the only pictures I took were of the more PG scenes (some of the cells were pretty graphic torture).

So after that, I thought I was done--but there is another whole building that a helpful tour group brought me along for. Say it with me : interactive torture chambers. Yes that's right. Silly American me, I sit on a chair thinking nothing of it (the tour group told me to do it!), only to have flashing lights and a mannequin screaming at me in Japanese that I was sentenced to death. Then, the chair falls out from under you like you're being hung. (The tour group laughed at me as I screamed.)

In conclusion, if you're ever in Seoul, I would recommend the museum... it's honestly like nothing else I have ever experienced before (and probably never will again). 

The rest of the places I went in Seoul were pretty normal. All the palaces look the same (at least to me). 

Later, I went to dinner with my friend Mark, and some of his friends.

We made friends. It was so fun! From what I remember. :)

I actually don't have many pictures of me and Mark, which makes me sad, because I stayed with him for a week!

Then Kelly came to Seoul for the weekend-

So. Many. Shoes! And socks, too! :) And both purses....and other random stuff. I had so much fun in Korea! I was all set to stay there and live forever, then I found out I got into grad school & came home.  ♥

Thanks again to Kelly & Mark for hosting me!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥