Deulmusae, Pocheon | Welcome to the House of Wangs

Sunday ~ August 9, 2015

Originally, my plan was to visit Pocheon's Herb Island, which was supposed to be an hour bus ride from Soyosan Station (the last subway station on line 1), out to the countryside. However, the provincial public transportation run on an entirely different schedule, a very slow schedule. The waiting time between each bus was around 40 minutes and after checking the bus app on my phone, I noticed that the bus that was supposed to take me from the Herb Island to Deulmusae was not running that day.

The view outside on the way to Soyosan 

Soyosan Station (Line 1)

So, I abandoned that plan and rode the subway again for another 30 minutes back to Euijeongbu Station. From the station, it took another 40 minutes on a bus and I finally arrived in the middle of nowhere.

Since it was a provincial bus, all of the announcements on the bus were in Korean, so you need to pay careful attention when the stops are announced or go with someone who has a really good listening comprehension.

The bus stop is called Hana-ul and the bus will stop in front of Ti Amo Drive-In Hotel (whatever drive-in means). From the bus stop, you need to cross the street and keep walking until you see the sign on your left (before the castle).

Hana-ul Bus Stop

TiAmo Drive-In Hotel

Turn left before the castle

As soon as you turn left, you'll know you're in the right place when you see a steep hill with penis statues lining both side of the road. Go up the steep hill and a giant penis statue with little ones will be immediate visible in front of the restaurant.

The restaurant itself is made entirely of wood, which gives it a more "cabin in the woods" kind of atmosphere. I noticed that a lot of cars were parked there and most of the customers were Korean ahjumma (older aunts) and ahjussi (older uncles). I guess the younger generation doesn't find this place appealing?

So, what's the story behind the penis shrine?

When the restaurant was originally built in 1996, it was intended to be just another ordinary restaurant for the weary travelers and the penis statues were nowhere to be seen. However, after a visit from a monk who noticed an overwhelming presence of the cold feminine energy (yin) in the area, the owner decided to balance out the yin with, of course, yang. So, he decided to commissioned artists in the area to help him add more yang by erecting statues of penises and creating penis-shaped dishes for the customers.

With the yin and yang balance restored, tourists flock to the restaurant to take pictures of this unique eatery out in the woods. The restaurant featured hundreds of penises in all shapes, sizes, and form. From the dishes, decorations, to the penis water fountain, Deulmusae is truly a sight to behold.

Penis Garden

Penis World Map

Penis Vases

The food and beverages were on the pricier side, but I guess customers pay for the view and atmosphere. For the ladies, expect to be drinking out of a penis cup and dining out of penis plate, while the gentlemen will wine and dine out of vagina-shaped cups and plates.

I ordered the Deulmusae's Assorted Plate with Hamburg steak, Donkaseu, and Fish Cutlet with Tartar Sauce. Although the portion was on the smaller side, the taste was pretty good. The hostess came back later and told me that I could get a free dessert of tea or coffee. I chose the Jasmine tea which was served in a penis tea cup and I also got a free penis keychain from the restaurant (oh the perks of being a foreigner).

P.S. The hostess/cashier lady spoke English really well and the menu had English as well.

At the end of the meal, I went to the register to pay for my meal and noticed a lovely basket of penis bread and since they were only 1,000 won each, I took one for snack later (it had a red bean filling).

Finally, I arrived back at the bus stop and ended my journey for the weekend with a heavy load (LOL) while trying to hide my penis bread, which I didn't put in my backpack because I didn't want to smush it inside.

More pics from the restaurant:

Jasmine Tea and Keychain

Penis Door Handle

Penis Bread 

Heyri Art Village, Paju | Exotic Art Museum & Hanok Cafe (Part 2)

Saturday ~ August 8, 2015

Part 1 of 2: Heyri Art Village, Paju | Motnani & Ugly Dolls (Part 1)

The Exotic Art Museum was a bit harder to find than most of the other art galleries and museums. However, I thought that its obscure location fits the nature of the exhibition.. you know, the forbidden fantasies that have long been suppressed by conservative morals and values.

Anyway, you will see a giant poster that covers half a building outside and the entrance to the museum can be found after you pass through the gallery shop and enter the courtyard. The entrance to the museum was 8,000 Won, but I think you could get a discount for the exhibition if you go to the cafe next door first (Hanok Cafe or any other cafes for that matter).

Entrance to the Erotic Art Museum and Hanok Cafe next door

Cute collection of potted plants outside the gallery

The gallery houses different types of erotic art, from scrolls, paintings, photographs, sculptures, and pottery. On the first floor, you will find archeological finds, including paintings on scrolls, painted ceramic dishes, and sex toys from the Stone Age (although I'm pretty sure they weren't authentic). On the second floor, you will find more modern sculptures and photographs. On the third floor, more photographs and posters from the 80's and 90's. I asked the docent if I could take pictures and she said photography is permitted, so I happily snap pictures that my mom will not be proud of.

One of the more interesting pieces that I saw was a collage of photographs from the year 1910 on the first floor. At the advent of modern photography, I guess mankind still managed to get down and dirty. What a bunch of pervs our ancestors were. For the sake of keeping this blog family-friendly, as in preventing any awkward family walk-ins, I'll save the more graphic pictures from public view.

One of the more "tame" pictures out of the vivid, graphic bunch

Another piece that I liked was called "Adam's Apple-Cream," which was a computer-generated images of vaginas inside an apple. From afar, I couldn't tell that they were vajayjays, but as I got closer, the images became quite clear. I was pretty impressed at the attention to details, shot angles, and "lawn" maintenance that goes into making this masterpiece.

Adam's Apple-Cream

The dark clouds that were hovering over the village earlier turned into a massive downpour and I quickly peeked outside the exit door to see what my options were. I saw the Hanok Café next door that looked really cute and so I thought why not make a run for it. If you were wondering.. no, I didn't pack an umbrella. Another rookie traveler's mistake: not packing an umbrella for the Korean summer. The weather can be very unpredictable during the rainy season in Korea, that sunny sky can turn dark and cloudy in just seconds. The next thing you know, you might be stuck inside a room full of erotic toys and photographs. You don't want to be that person.

I mustered up the courage to get wet (that's what she said) and sprinted towards the Hanok Cafe next door. A young lady quickly opened the sliding doors to let me in and looked at me with pity. She told me to take my shoes off (of course, since it's a hanok) and took me to the seats by the window.

Massive downpour outside of the "hanok" (Korean traditional house)

Iced Pomegranate Black Tea and Patbingu (Shaved Ice Dessert with Red Bean and Mochi)

The hanok, the rain, and a dripping wet girl.. I felt like the protagonist of a Korean drama. All that was missing was a fated meeting with a male protagonist and the cliche would be complete. Except, there were only the hanok, the rain, and a dripping wet girl.

To me, that was perfect :)

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Directions to Heyri Art Village: 

To get there, you need to take the line 2 subway to Hapjeong station, go out of exit 2, make a U-turn, and walk straight until you see the red bus stop for bus 2200. If you go during peak or holiday season, expect to stand in a long line and hope that you'll get a seat in the bus. Most passengers will get off 30 minutes later at the Eche Outlet Mall or the Lotte Premium Outlets. Your exit will be Gate 4.

Heyri Art Village, Paju | Motnani & Ugly Dolls (Part 1)

Saturday ~ August 8, 2015

Heyri Art Village (헤이리 문화예술마을) is located in the city of Paju, in the province of Gyeonggi, a 40-minute bus ride from Hongdae, Seoul. I was quite excited to explore the area since I knew that Boys Over Flowers (꽃보다 남자) had filmed at the Farmer's Table, a restaurant located in the village, and also Shinee's Tae Min and A-Pink's Na Eun from the reality TV show, We Got Married (우리 결혼했어요) had also done their filming there.

This cultural and artistic space was constructed as a safe haven and playground for writers, painters, actors, architects, musicians, sculptors, and potters. Currently, there are more than 370 artists living and working in Heyri and that number will continue to grow as development continues in the village, as around 30-40 more art facilities (museums, exhibitions, concert halls, and bookstores) are expected to be added in the near future.

Boys Over Flowers (꽃보다 남자)

Boys Over Flowers @ Farmer's Table, Heyri Art Village

Shinee's Tae Min and A-Pink's Na Eun

Tae Min and Na Eun @ Motnani Restaurant

As the bus was driving along the highway, something interesting caught my eyes and it wasn't a pretty sight. Miles and miles of barbed wired fences stretched along the river that separates the north and the south. The dark clouds just amplified the eerie vibe that I was getting from looking at those hills. What might just lie beyond the hills? It was a bit unnerving knowing that I was 6km away from North Korea.

The sky cleared as the bus approached town and passengers began to clear the bus as it stopped along the two outlet malls. Soon, there were only those who were going to the art village. Being the careless person that I am, I didn't really take notes on the exit name and continued on my merry way to Paju English Village. According the Naver Map app that I was using on my phone, that was the exit that I was supposed to get off at. 

Little did I know that I would be walking through the back gate and not the front gate, which disappointed me at first. The areas of the village that was adjacent to the English Village are still under development and not as crowded as the front gates (Gate 4, 5, 6, and 7).

The weather was super hot and humid, which made me quite frustrated and agitated at the whole situation. I was ready to go home at that point until I saw a giant map with the directory (only in Korean). I searched for the name of the restaurant and realized that I had been lost for quite some time.

The Chocolate Design Gallery - Area D

The "Greeting Man" (2009) - Area D

Heyri Art Village, Paju - Area D

Heyri Art Village, Paju - Area D

Heyri Art Village, Paju - Area D

It turned out that area F is exactly where you want to be and if I had gotten out at exit 4, I would've been in the area already. Silly me..

As soon as I got to the correct area, giant drops of rain started to fall from the sky. Those drops weren't small, thin drops of rain that I could easily dismiss. They were fat, juicy ones, which prompted me to seek shelter at Motnani (못난이), the place that I had intended to go to from the beginning.

If you've ever seen the We Got Married episode where Tae Min and Na Eun came here, you would have known that this place is a sanctuary for old collectibles. It's a special place where they preserve old school uniforms, characters, school snacks, and food. For Koreans, it would have been a nostalgic place where they could relive some of their childhood memories and share them with their children. I did see a lot of parents bringing their kids to show them what Korea circa 1960s would have looked and felt like.

Motnani - Area F

Weird Doll Cakes: 2,000 Won/5 pcs. or 5,000 Won/15 pcs (in a box)

Filling Options: Red Bean & Vanilla Custard

The restaurant is actually on the basement, so when you see the Ultra Man statue in front of you, look for the weird doll cake kiosk on the left (in front of Cafe Europa). There will be a staircase on the right that will lead to the basement and go down there. When you enter, you'll see the snack shop on your right and a cart kiosk with the food menu on your left. You can look around the snack area to pick up a few sweets and head over to the kiosk to pay for your snacks and order your food. Snacks without the price tags are 3 for 1,000 Won, others are labeled with the price (500 Won).

I had the Memory's Rice Box that had rice, egg, ham, kimchi, and red pepper paste (gochujang). The trick is you need to know how to order, because I had no idea until the cashier lady was kind enough to help this lost foreigner.

How to order: If you want what I had, say Chu-ok-ee Do-si-rak. After you pay for your meal at the kiosk, take the receipt to one of the two windows that can be found in front of the seating area. The left window is for rice boxes only and the right window is for everything else (noodles, udon, dumplings). Take a seat until they call your number.

If you've ordered the rice box, the lady will tell you to put on gloves. Look to your right and you'll find a basket of white thick gloves. The rice is cooked directly inside the cooper tin box, so the box itself will be super hot, so be careful. Take two gloves for each hand and proceed to your seats.

Once seated, carefully pick up the box and start shaking the box to mix the ingredients inside. I made the rookie mistake of shaking it up and down, but the cashier lady immediately came to my rescue. She asked for my gloves and proceeded to show the noob how it's done, old school style.

Never shake up and down. Shake side to side, front and back, upside down, with one hand, then other hand, shake it like it's a martini, show off your cocktail moves, set the box down, knock on it a few times, and voila! Your rice will be evenly mixed.

On your tray, you will also be given a packet of seaweed, yellow pickled radish, and fish broth. With the seaweed, you're not supposed to snack on it (that's for noobs). Look at the picture and copy. Take a sheet of seaweed and lay it flat on top of your rice. With your chopsticks, place each stick on either ends of the sheet (approx. 1cm from the edge), and grab the seaweed along with the rice until it looks like a roll/log. Then, put the said masterpiece in your mouth. You're welcome.

Memory's Rice Box (추억의 도시락)

With a full belly, I exited the building and was finally ready to explore area F. When I was researching on what to do in Heyri, most bloggers visited the regular art galleries and book cafes. However, I wanted to try something different. I wanted to be that salmon that swim upstream.

And so I did, by paying admission and walking into... THE EXOTIC ART MUSEUM!

Exotic Art Museum - Area F

to be continued...

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Directions to Heyri Art Village: 

To get there, you need to take the line 2 subway to Hapjeong station, go out of exit 2, make a U-turn, and walk straight until you see the red bus stop for bus 2200. If you go during peak or holiday season, expect to stand in a long line and hope that you'll get a seat in the bus. Most passengers will get off 30 minutes later at the Eche Outlet Mall or the Lotte Premium Outlets. Your exit will be Gate 4.