EXO

The SEOUL Food Diary: Day 1 - Viva Polo

Sunday, November 09, 2014

October 30, 2014 

You might be slightly wondering... why the hell are we eating Italian food on our first night in SEOUL?

If you happen to be a casual, or hard core listener of Korean pop music, the name Viva Polo would certainly ring a bell. Or if you happen to not even care what KPOP is, do google Viva Polo, and it will refer you to “EXO’s Park Chanyeol”. 

Viva Polo is an Italian chain restaurant (yes folks, it’s not the only Viva Polo in Korea.) owned by the family of EXO’s Park Chanyeol. Which serves pizza, pasta and all that default Italian food we all love to devour.

Our first day in SEOUL is also the 23rd Birthday of my SEOUL travel buddy Mona, who adores (yes, I will tone it down with the word “ADORE”) Chanyeol. So we do believe that it is just very fitting to celebrate it  within the walls full of his(Chanyeol's) most beloved face. A friend told us, out of all the Viva Polos that she tried, it was Chanyeol’s Viva Polo that won her taste buds! So I think that is a good thing!

We impulsively ordered the Four Cheese Pizza and the Spaghetti with Meatsauce within seconds. For the reason that we arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes before closing time.


You could say that we were so stressed, and tired trying to come to the restaurant on time, or we were just hungry, or it is just so delicious in its own way. But I thought the dishes we ordered tasted divine. It was the right blend of the Italian flavors you have always wanted. And don’t get me started with the good bountiful amount of cheese. Korea knows how to maximize the use of cheese in every dish, I was sold.



Find your way to Viva Polo by stopping at the Myeongil Station (Line 5, Purple Line) and get off through Exit 1. You just enter the first alley you see after you go out of Exit 1. You will never be lost, I swear.

***SOME POINTERS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IF YOU ARE SERIOUSLY GOING TO VIVA POLO***
  1.   Check the opening hours. Either call or check the info regarding the resto. The staff was itching to close the place whilst we were still eating… I know, it may have been our little mistake. But that was so damn rude also. We, the fans are your source of your income. Your food may be good as hell. But Viva Polo staff, never… ever… mistreat us.
  2.  Keep in mind how long will it take for you to get there. Because damn, we spent a good hour or two riding the train to Viva Polo. It is located far from the default SEOUL spots. It’s like an oasis of somesort. So better be ready with your subway battle plan.
  3. If you’re really, really, seriously, no doubt super really in love with Chanyeol, or just a casual fan of EXO and think you could stand seeing his face in every corner of a room for like a good hour or two, go. Go devour the moment whilst you are there. Because that place is one heck of a Chanyeol shrine and I am not even kidding. I got sick of his face, but I still adore him anyway. 
  4. Or if you are just casually just around the area and crave for some pizza and pasta, go! Go and get that Viva Polo! 

2AM

SEOUL 2014: Instagram Diary

Saturday, November 08, 2014

After 7 days, 23 hours, 35 minutes, and 22 seconds, my journey in the beautiful land of South Korea ended. So much had happened, I honestly don't even know where to begin.


Seoul had given me such precious memories I can't even believe to myself that I've happen to obtain. So much laughter, so much tears, and so much feelings that I myself still can't even contain. 

Whilst I was there, I decided to document a part my everyday musings with my phone. And ended up posting them on instagram:

Day 1: Lessons were learned, we got to see how things worked. You never fail to amaze me SEOUL.
Day 2: Albert Camus once said, "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.". SEOUL, once again... you never fail to show me how amazing you are.
Day 3: Be still... my heart. He's here. SEOUL, we didn't have to fall in love... we would've climbed down slowly. 
Day 4: “The path of love is such a path that whoever stepped into it, lost himself.” - Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
Day 5: "If you want to, and even if you don't, things are bound to happen. Earthlings call it as fate."
Day 6: "Every romantic knows that love was never a noun; it is a verb." - Shannon Alder
Day 7: One thing is for sure... I don't want to leave.
Day 8: SURREAL. EPIK. HIGH.