Billy Joel Concert and Olympic Park
The past weekend was truly a lot of fun. Kim took me to see Billy Joel near the Seoul Olympic Park. It was awesome. We booked into our Hotel, Lotte Hotel, which is connected to the biggest upscale department store in all of Korea, and also Lotte World - a giant amusement park. It's located at the Jamsil subway stop.....instead of located, I should say connected to. We didn't even have to go above ground, right from the subway into the hotel lobby! We got ready for the show and had some wine and went down to the hotel lounge for a few drinks before going to the Billy Joel concert. We took a cab because we thought the subway would be clogged up with people, and it's a good thing we did too! (On Sunday we tried to take the subway to the Olympic Park, but ended up getting lost.....even though it's about 5 stops away).
So we get in this cab, and we told him (in our very best Korean) to get to the Olympic Gymnasium ASAP! The taxi driver starts peeling out and flooring it all the way there. He's cutting across multiple lanes of traffic at massive speeds and even running a few red lights (apparently they mean nothing here.....this isn't the first time that I've found this out). We blaze past the main entrance and he told us there was a 'traffic jam', so we're flying around this corner and he says he can get us closer. He goes into oncoming traffic and sticks the van between a few cars and proceeds to wait until traffic clears. Kim and I pay the man (twice as much as the meter says......probably the best tip ever) and start running all the way to where the GIANT flashing lights are going into the sky like at a Hollywood Movie Opening.
So we get there 'late' according to the ticket, but on time for 2 reasons. Reason 1: the cab driver was crazy, and 2: because Billy didn't come out on stage till 7:20.
The concert lasted about two and a half hours and it was awesome, he played all his hits, except for the one song all the Koreans know.......Uptown Girl!!!! I took a video (Link posted below) of Piano Man. The concert was just so good. It was a lot of fun and the music was great! I wanted a poster SO bad, but they didn't have any for sale. There were, however, posters on the wall, but after the show other people took them. Kim and I found some man selling DVD's and he had one of the posters I wanted (Billy Joel with a bunch of Korean writing). The man kept telling us that there IS "a" poster in the DVD, but I wanted THAT poster.......in the end, Kim used her super good convincing skills (and with a language barrier mind you) to give us the poster. So I ended the night with my poster.
On Sunday, we woke up and toured the '88 Olympic Park in Seoul. The park itself was really cool and there were dozens, if not hundreds, of sculptures all around the grounds. The weather was great and so was the excitement, atmosphere, and music. I don't really know what to say about the Olympic Park, but it was great fun on a pretty day.
Next Week: Touring around Seoul and Dinner in Itaewon.......
So we get in this cab, and we told him (in our very best Korean) to get to the Olympic Gymnasium ASAP! The taxi driver starts peeling out and flooring it all the way there. He's cutting across multiple lanes of traffic at massive speeds and even running a few red lights (apparently they mean nothing here.....this isn't the first time that I've found this out). We blaze past the main entrance and he told us there was a 'traffic jam', so we're flying around this corner and he says he can get us closer. He goes into oncoming traffic and sticks the van between a few cars and proceeds to wait until traffic clears. Kim and I pay the man (twice as much as the meter says......probably the best tip ever) and start running all the way to where the GIANT flashing lights are going into the sky like at a Hollywood Movie Opening.
So we get there 'late' according to the ticket, but on time for 2 reasons. Reason 1: the cab driver was crazy, and 2: because Billy didn't come out on stage till 7:20.
The concert lasted about two and a half hours and it was awesome, he played all his hits, except for the one song all the Koreans know.......Uptown Girl!!!! I took a video (Link posted below) of Piano Man. The concert was just so good. It was a lot of fun and the music was great! I wanted a poster SO bad, but they didn't have any for sale. There were, however, posters on the wall, but after the show other people took them. Kim and I found some man selling DVD's and he had one of the posters I wanted (Billy Joel with a bunch of Korean writing). The man kept telling us that there IS "a" poster in the DVD, but I wanted THAT poster.......in the end, Kim used her super good convincing skills (and with a language barrier mind you) to give us the poster. So I ended the night with my poster.
On Sunday, we woke up and toured the '88 Olympic Park in Seoul. The park itself was really cool and there were dozens, if not hundreds, of sculptures all around the grounds. The weather was great and so was the excitement, atmosphere, and music. I don't really know what to say about the Olympic Park, but it was great fun on a pretty day.
Next Week: Touring around Seoul and Dinner in Itaewon.......
posted by Graeme at 6:12 AM
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