getting in the soop

our second (and last) full day in korea got off to another early start for the next BTS-themed tour.  

today’s adventure started at a nearby hotel to meet up with our tour group, hop on another bus and settle in for a leisurely 3-hour drive to pyeongchang, where the guys lived while filming their show “in the soop.” i knew the bean was really excited for this one, and i have to admit that it was pretty fun to ride on the bus filled with other army members while watching BTS music videos and live performances the whole way there.

our tour guide anna was really friendly and energetic.  she gave us all the details about what to expect and handed out fun gifts and snacks to everyone.  unlike our tour guide the day before, she was a true army member who knew as much about BTS as the bean did, and she would sing and dance along to the videos as she made her way up and down the aisle.

luckily, there wasn’t much traffic so while it was a long drive, it went pretty quickly.  and then we pulled off of the freeway and drove into the countryside…and pretty soon, we were there. “soop” means forest in korean, and the show revolved around the guys being able to take a break from their extremely busy life in the city.

we had a couple of hours to explore the grounds, take pictures, and write letters to the guys that would be placed in the mailbox outside and delivered to their management headquarters.  the bean and i decided to start on the far end and work our way towards the main house.

as with most asian households, they asked that you take your shoes off and use the slippers that were provided while walking through the living quarters.

the living spaces were bright and airy, and it looked like a lovely place to relax and recharge.

this was j-hope’s room.

next was v.  he’s my favorite (or “bias,” as the kids say).

i thought RM’s space was the nicest (and the biggest).

ah, jung kook.  he’s so pretty.

suga was the last member we’d seen live, last year at the forum.

the bean liked jin’s quarters.

they had chairs and benches set up to sit and enjoy the view.  it was really quiet and peaceful here, and the property was briefly available for rent but is now only accessible to organized tour groups such as the one we were with.

the trampoline has definitely seen better days.

for normal people who started in the main house first, they had some basic rules outlined at the entrance.

this obviously handcrafted paper airplane had been used as a prop during the show.

it was really nice in the main building.  full kitchen, living room where they filmed some memorable scenes from the show, a small loft area, a full gym.

you already know i’m a goober who loves a good photo recreation.

there was a fun photo booth set up in the gym.

they had a room set up to sit and watch episodes of “in the soop.”

and then we went up to look at the loft.

one more photo recreation!

outside, the pool was empty.  anna had mentioned that some of her previous tour guests had actually gone in and taken photos standing at the bottom, which she’d thought was just crazy.  challenge accepted, anna.

we’d saved the best for last - the bean’s all-time favorite band member.

once the bean was satisfied with the time spent in their beloved’s living quarters, we went back outside and down the steps to put the letter they’d written in the mailbox.

the guys played basketball at this very spot! ahhhhhh.

and suga spent some time recording music in the airstream. 

before we left, everyone gathered for a group photo. 

then it was back on the bus for a quick ride to a nearby rest stop, where anna had preordered some snacks for the group.  we got to choose between a “tornado potato” - a long, thin potato spiral slice on a stick that was deep-fried and sprinkled with a savory seasoning or sotteok sotteok, a skewer of grilled sausage and rice cakes and brushed with a sweet and spicy sauce.  we opted for one of each, of course.

when we got back on the bus, i noticed a sign had appeared at the front that hadn’t been visible before.  i definitely looked under the seat, heh.

we had one last stop before starting the long drive back to seoul.  the guys did a photo shoot at this beach for one of their album covers at an originally functional bus stop.  once army found out where it was located, it became such a busy tourist spot that buses ended up taking the stop off of their routes and renovated, turning it into an actual landmark.  in fact, while we were there we noticed construction going on that would widen the street to allow for the increased traffic flow.  crazy.

a selfie station is set up, although the spot is rarely empty and someone is always willing to take the picture for you anyway.

oh, i guess i lied - here’s one more photo recreation for the day.

there are seven purple benches overlooking the bus stop and the beach…one for each member of BTS.  as you can see, i didn’t get pictures of all of them because people were sitting on some of them and it would’ve been weird if i’d taken pictures of them, right?

they had these swings set up on the beach too, but we didn’t have time to stop and sit in any of them so i just settle for a picture OF one. the construction didn’t make for a pretty picture, but you get the gist.

most of us slept on the way back to the city.  it had been a long day, and i think the adrenaline and excitement had sucked all of the group’s energy.  and then i had one more surprise for the bean - i’d mapped out a restaurant that they’d sent me on instagram that served “salmon dipping noodles.”  it was a tiny spot, but we managed to snag a couple of seats at the counter.

we stopped at myeongdong street before heading back to the hotel, where we ended up buying a suitcase to cram all of the stuff we’d bought into.  there was no way we were going to fit it all in our carry-on bags, and since we’d brought two suitcases between us on this trip we still had allowances for two more.  muahahahahahahaha.

i was a little bummed that i’d never gotten the chance to stop for coffee here.  yup, that’s v on the door:

but we did stop at a convenience store to grab something to drink.  look at all of the flavored milk options:

oh! and back at our hotel, i was really amused at the text on this ad.

after all, who doesn’t need relaxation with their friend, away from their stuffy everyday life??