Seoul Food Girl: Manna keeps Korean BBQ authentic in Los Angeles

Manna is one of the most popular Korea BBQ restaurants in Los Angles with 2 locations.

This article can also be read at KoreaTaste.org.
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The entrance to Manna Korean BBQ looks very contemporary.

    Manna, one of the most famous Korean BBQ restaurants in Los Angeles, is tucked away in the back of the Fox Hill Mall where several additions have been completed.  There is also a Manna in Korea, you can read about it here. The restaurant is, of course, not located in the food court section, because of its nicer ambiance. Although going to a mall to eat a nice meal might be unusual, once you enter the restaurant you will completely forget the malls existence. One second I was causally strolling by a Target and the next thing I knew there was the smell of steamed rice and BBQ.

            Korean BBQ is not just a meal, it is a cultural experience. Make sure to come with a large group of friends and you will discover why it is so fun to grill your own Korean food. In traditional Korean restaurants you are seated on the floor around a large square table. Manna has regular seats; but each table comes equipped with its own gas burner and round grill. The grill is conveniently located in the middle of each table so that everyone can reach in to pull off freshly cooked meat and vegetables. 

The inside of the restaurant is sleek and modern.

            Korean BBQ can be outrageously expensive. The good thing about Manna, is that the food is high quality and the prices are low. The menu can be a little confusing if you are not familiar with traditional Korean food. Pretty much everything on the BBQ menu is going to be amazing and will come with several traditional side dishes.

The most expensive cut of meat is called beef galbi, which is pronounced ki-bee. Galbi is the most flavorful type of meat on the menu and the price is nothing compared to most restaurants. The meat can go for up to $100 an order at more expensive Korean eateries, but at Manna the price is only $25. One order of galbi is plenty enough food for two very hungry people, or four people that want to walk back to the car without wobbling. 

Beef Gal-bi is pictured above.

Galbi, a thick cut boneless short rib is marinated in a light sauce and brought to your table raw. Manna allows its customers to cook their own Korean BBQ which is very unusual in traditional Korean restaurants. Your waiter will turn on your grill and place down vegetables and meat. Don’t worry, during the first round of cooking the waiter will come back and show you what to do. If you are brave, simply follow these quick directions. When the meat is cooked to your liking on one side, use the tongs to flip the meat. Once the meat is fully cooked, hold up the meat with the tongs in one hand, and in the other hand cut the meat into two inch pieces with the scissors provided. Do not let the meat continue to cook on the grill or it will burn. Simply move it on top of one of the large potatoes or onions so that it can stay warm. 

Typical Marie Webb with closed eyes outside of Manna with her article.

Several side dishes will come with your freshly-cooked meat. The most popular and well known is called kimchi. The spicy cabbage accompanies virtually every meal in Korea. The Koreans love the vegetable so much that they invented a kimchi refrigerator which many upper class citizens have in their household kitchens. The first time you ever try kimichi you might be surprised by its spicy kick and bitter flavor. All of the side dishes are meant to be combined with your meat or eaten separately. By ordering a side of lettuce you can make taco like lettuce wraps filled with whatever crazy combination you desire.

Side dishes are a must when making a taco.

Do not miss out on the Korean beer. My personal favorites are Hite and OB which are very light but packed with flavor. The sweet taste is a perfect way to wash down the rich and hearty Korean BBQ.

Manna is a great way to celebrate any occasion. If you are ever shopping in Fox Hills and work up an appetite make sure to stop by for lunch or dinner. To learn about more items on the menu check out www.mannakoreanbbq.com.   
If you have any questions or comments about "Seoul Food Girl: Manna keeps Korean BBQ authentic in Los Angeles"  please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Seoul Food Girl:Try omorice at Omuto Tomato in Myeongdong

Omorice is one dish that Korea is truly unique for, but makes sure to try it at the right place like Omuto Tomato.

This article can also be read at KoreaTaste.org 
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Tomato onion sauce accompanies  the traditional omorice dish.

     An omelet with rice? Who on earth would want to eat an omelet with rice, Koreans are so weird. This was all I could think as I was sitting inside of a standard Korean chain called Kimbap Heaven during my first week of work. Finally after living in Seoul for 8 months I tried what Omuto Tomato has dubbed as omorice. A good friend of mine introduced me to this quaint restaurant in the middle of chaotic Myeongdong. Omuto Tomato specializes in omelet fusion with over twenty different kinds of omorice dishes.

The inside of Omuto Tomato takes you away from the crazy streets of Myeongdong.

    So for those of you who are still wondering what an omelet filled with rice taste like, there are so many varieties that this creation will to appeal to anyone. From crabmeat omorice, to handmade pork cutlet omorice, German style sausage omorice, and fried shrimp and mushroom omorice you are bound to find something you like. Each omorice is simply an omelete filled with rice and topped with different sauces and fillings.
    I tried the pumpkin and sweet potato omorice for 8,900 won. I was a little worried about trying this dish, mainly because omelets are one of my favorite foods and I didn't want to ruin a good thing.  However, when the dish arrived I had no problem polishing off everything on my plate. The rice goes surprisingly well with this sweet dish of egg and creme-like sauce with perfectly cooked pumpkin and sweet potato.
    The prices are very reasonable here ranging from 8,000 to 15,000 for omorice. There are also other items on the menu, but they specialize in the omorice fusion dishes. Get a coupon for 10% off by visiting Visit Korea Year and printing out the required page. There are also very detailed directions for the restaurant on this site. Take Subway Line No. 4, get off at Myeong-dong Station, and leave via exit 8. Walk down the alley between Crown Bakery and Family Mart for about 80m. Omuto Tomato is on the left, across from Shinhan Bank.


  If you have any questions or comments about "Seoul Food Girl:Try omorice at Omuto Tomato in Myeongdong"  please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
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Seoul Food Girl: Seven Springs features green dining at its best

 

The salad bar is buffet style and includes hot food items.

This article can also be read at KoreaTaste.org and  seoulfoodgirl.com 
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A bowl of chicken porridge accompanied by a sweet potato.

   Seven Springs has a deliciously health conscious menu and everything in the restaurant is homemade. With vegetables delivered every morning, the salad bar has the freshest ingredients you will find in Seoul. Just picture long and lean pieces of asparagus that snap and have a perfect crunch with each bite. Seven Springs has a menu for ordering, but I suggest paying the standard salad bar fee which is just like a buffet. The price is only 16,700 for the lunch salad bar (buffet) and 22,700 for the dinner salad bar. The word salad bar is misleading, because with the one fee you will get access to not only the enormous salad bar, but hot food dishes, appetizers, dessert, and drinks.
    Yes I know what your thinking, buffets are disgusting. But buffets in Korea are usually fantastic, and Seven Springs is one of the top tier buffet style restaurants around. The salad bar options are always changing from afternoon to night. But here are a few of your options around lunch time.

I couldn't resist loading a little bit of everything on my salad!

    Start with an enormous salad; grab one of the individual wooden salad bowls and load up on more fresh veggies than you can possible imagine. There is also fresh lox available, nuts, capers, chicken, shrimp and several types of dressings. The possibilities are almost so overwhelming I suggest making a few different small salads so that you don't overload one salad and have a mismatched smorgasbord.

    The salad bar is hard to get over, but make your way to the hot food sections. The sweet potatoes are perfectly cooked and are topped with a light cheese on top that is irresistible. Get two, because you will want more. Also try out the grilled vegetables. The pumpkin I had was a little tough, but the eggplant and zuchhini were perfectly seasoned and grilled in extra virgin olive oil.

The sea food pasta came with fresh mussels and tomatoes.

     There is also a wide range of sea food and meat dishes. You can choose from standard chicken fingers, which are the most unhealthy item offered in the restaurant, to giant bowls of steamed mussels. The mussels are delicious, but be prepared for an Asian peppery taste, rather than a Italian garlic taste. Also try out the different soups and porridge's. The chicken porridge goes along great with a side of olives and kidney beans.

The green tea cookies are a crunchy treat.

    The dessert can be a little disappointing depending on what items you choose. Stay away from  all the cakes (except the cheese cake), because Korea simply doesn't know how to make real icing or cake batter. The green tea cookies on the other hand are a nice crunchy snack and go along great with a parfait. The plain yogurt clearly tastes homemade with its smooth and sweet qualities. There are also individual bowls for ice cream, pecan pies, brownie pieces, and small carrot cake pieces.
 

Make a fresh yogurt parfait or add granola to your ice cream

    A definite must is trying out the honey lemon tea. This is not standard dry tea that comes in a tea bag or with a filter. This tea is thick and has whole pieces of lemons floating in the bottom of the pitcher. There are seven locations in Seoul. One of the largest and most beautiful is the location in Jongno. Simply exit number 1 from Jongno 3 Sam-ga and walk straight. At the end of Topgol park, (Pogoda will be across the street) turn left at the cross walk. Cross the street again so that you are outside of Giordano clothing store and turn left. Seven Springs will be only 20 seconds away on your right.

    Seven Springs looks surprisingly deceiving from the outside. You will only see a small entrance with a green awning and brick. But once you enter you will go down a beautiful brick corridor which will lead you to an expansive open and friendly atmosphere.

Don't be deceived by the small storefront in Jongno.

    If you have any questions or comments about "Seven Springs features green dining at its best"  please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Seoul Food Girl: Making kkul tarae in Insadong

This article can also be read at KoreaTaste.org and  seoulfoodgirl.com 
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  Kkul Tarae is a traditional Korean candy made up of 80% honey! Throughout Korea Kkul Tarae is sold my means of a theatrical show. The video above was taken in the historical area of Insadong. The three men take the rock hard mixture and stretch it into 16,000 strands. 
    The mixture is mostly honey and malt which is filled with walnuts. This sweet and chewy treat is definitely worth your money. Most boxes contain ten snacks for around 5,000 won. If you start walking away they might yell back saying "discount!" 
    The candy makers work hard to put on a great show which is often in English and is completely hysterical! During the video you will hear the candy makers say "OMG" and "I'M SO HARD." I'm not sure if they know the other meaning of "I'm so Hard" but I sure got a kick out of that line! 


If you have any questions or comments about "Seoul Food Girl: Making kkul tarae in Insadong" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
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Seoul Food Girl: Korea's famous Isaac toast sandwich is now available in Los Angeles

Isaac's special toast is so popular in Korea that it is now available in Los Angles.

This article can also be read at GoneSeoulSearching.com KoreaTaste.org and  seoulfoodgirl.com 
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   Koreans say toast, we say sandwich. There's nothing like a good old fashioned sandwich, but unfortunately I discovered that the closest thing to a basic and cheap western sandwich in Seoul is Subway.
    Luckily, a Korean woman who founded Isaac in 1995 created what I like to call a "Korean Sandwich" and my students like to call "toast."
    During my first week of work in Korea, I noticed a steady crowd eating at Isaac which is adjacent to my companies building. A week later I gave in and finally decided to try the "toast" after many of my students recommended it to me.
     At a first glance, Isaac toast looked totally unappealing. Who would want egg, cabbage, pickles, and some sort of processed ham slapped between two garlic buttered pieces of toast? But right after my first bite of "Isaac special toast" I realized what all my students had been raving about! The outside of the toast is buttery and warm which compliments the crunchy pickles and cabbage inside. The toast is a sweet delight complimented by a tangy saltiness added by the ham and pickles.

    After doing a little research I learned that Isaac truly is a special company. According to the English version of the company website www.isaactoast.com, an old Korean woman opened a sandwich shop to make ends meet when her husband was diagnosed with a severe health condition. This woman has gone a long way from her small street food stall outside of Chungjoo University in Seoul, to a major franchise in Korea and a new location in Los Angeles California.
  Isaac's staff is always outrageously happy. They certainly stay true to the Isaac mission: "We're happy to make you happy!" Last week there was a  women from Issac depositing wads of cash at the bank. I pointed at her Isaac apron and gave her a thumbs up and in return she laughed and mumbled a bunch of Korean words back. The amount of money she was depositing at the bank was surprising to me because the most expensive sandwich on the menu costs only 2,300 won or around $2!

     To find an Isaac near you visit the Korean website at http://www.isaac-toast.co.kr/# or visit their location in Los Angeles, CA near UCLA in Westwood.









If you have any questions or comments about "Korea's famous Isaac toast sandwich is now available in Los Angeles" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Seoul Food Girl: eating abalone on Jeju Island

The fresh abalone in Jeju is famous in all kinds of dishes such as porridge and stews.

This article can also be read at KoreaTaste.org and  seoulfoodgirl.com 
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A seafood stew with abalone.

  Growing up in California I knew what abalone was, but only because it was on the endangered species list. While snorkeling at a young age in San Diego, we were told as children to never take abalone from the sea. Black abalone is protected as an endangered species throughout the California region due to a 99% decline. That is why upon visiting Jeju Island I was shocked to learn that the island's most famous delicacy is abalone.
    I am not quite sure what kind of abalone is pried from the deep rocks on Jeju. After tons of research I was unable to come to a conclusion on the species of abalone on the Island. If anyone knows, please leave a comment. However, I did learn that some restaurants are turning to farm raised abalone because of the cheaper price.

After hiking at the famous Seongsan Ilchulbong head to a nearby restaurant.

    Whether or not the abalone on Jeju is endangered, there are tons of delicious dishes to choose from when trying the sea creature. One of the best is a seafood stew which includes clams, prawns, mussels, abalone, and other seafood all served in a steaming bowl of bright red chili soup. Plucking the abalone out of the shell is the most difficult task out of any of the seafood on the menu. The small snail-like creature is wedged far into the shell, and won't come out without a fight. I actually managed to have a shell go flying across the restaurant while trying to extract the meat with my chopsticks! The abalone tasted unlike anything, but it had a similar consistency to oysters. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious they were, but the chili did take away from some of the fresh seafood taste.

Try out this restaurant which was packed even on a cold winter day.

    A great restaurant to try abalone is located directly behind the UNESCO World Heritage Site Seongsan Ilchulbong. After hiking up the mountain first to work up an appetite, head down to the main road and you will find tons of seafood restaurants. You may stumble upon the restaurant pictured to the left which has the fresh abalone stew. Served with bowls of rice, and plenty of side dishes and lettuce this meal might be your favorite on the entire island. A meal will range between 10,000 and 20,000 per person.
    Be sure to check out the women divers who are responsible for plucking all of the fresh seafood from the waters of Jeju. They dive without any oxygen tanks year round, and the most shocking thing of all is that they are all much older women. The women divers are famous throughout Korea, and many think they are crazy to use such old diving techniques in such a modern society.

One of the famous women divers coming back to land after fishing.

If you have any questions or comments about "Seoul Food Girl: eating abalone on Jeju Island" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Seoul Food Girl: Eat the best Korean style dumplings in Seoul at Bukchon Kalguksu

The mandu at Bukchon Kalguksu is the most famous in Seoul.

This article can also be read at KoreaTaste.org and  seoulfoodgirl.com 
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The chefs are making the mandu right in the entry way.

    There is always a line out the door at Bukchon Kalguksu where everyone wants to get their chopsticks dug into giant dumplings (mandu in Korean). Bukchon Kalguksu was the only restaurant that my Korean friends and I ate at twice during a two week scholarship program I was part of back in 2009. We simply couldn't stop talking about those dumplings and with such a convenient locations beside Gyeongbukgong Palace we headed back  a second time to pig out in one of their private rooms upstairs.

Don't let the size of the mandu in the picture fool you, its giant.

    Now that I am living in Korea I have had plenty of chances to sample mandu. Even the famous Sikdorak pork mandu street vendors since 1969, that people line up for over an hour on Saturdays in Namdaemoon can't compare to Bukchon's. The restaurant specializes in giant dumplings filled with pork and tons of vegetables. Upon entering the restaurant you can see the mandu being made fresh on a table directly across from the cashier. The giant bucket of pork magically disappears as the cooks quickly stuff giant teaspoons of filling inside of fresh dough.

This soup is perfect on a cold winter day!

    Don't bother ordering anything else on the menu. The dumpling soup costs 9,000 won and is enough to feed two people. One person can finish it alone, I have personally done so, but I couldn't move for about an hour and was in a complete food coma. I truly think the fresh dough and the perfect blend of ingredients is what makes the mandu so delicious. These are Korean style dumplings with thin dough, not the Chinese style with that are thick and more bread-like. In addition to the dumplings, the kimchi is some of the best I have tasted in Seoul. It is truly homemade fresh everyday, which is something to be said because I never eat kimchi.
    Ideally the best time to go to the restaurant is during the week between normal meal times. So at 2pm the lunch crowd should be gone. Otherwise plan on waiting for up to an hour in line. If you do end up waiting it will be worth every second, or you can complain about it on my blog!
    Getting there is really simple, take exit No. 2 out of Anguk Station and walk straight about 6 minutes until you see the palace walls across the street and a pagoda-like structure in the middle of the road (pictured below). Turn right here and you will see Hank's bookstore on your right hand side. Walk straight until you get to the first big intersection. Take a right on this street and you will see the restaurant on your left. For a detailed picture map of the restaurant's location visit the maps page of iTourSeoul. Or Exit Gyeongbukgong and walk straight. If you are looking straight at the palace turn right and you will see the giant pagoda-like structure straight ahead. Then cross the street where you will see Hank's Bookstore ahead and turn left.

If you have any questions or comments about "Seoul Food Girl: Eat the best Korean style dumplings in Seoul at Bukchon Kalguksu" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

The entrance of the restaurant on a snowy day.

The pagoda-like structure where you should turn down the street.

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Cherry blossoms in Seoul: See them before their gone at Yeouido and Samcheongdong

The cherry blossoms at Yeouido are lit up at night and glow a beautiful pink florescent color.

     

Blossoms at the Samcheongdong public library.

   The cherry blossoms are in full bloom every year in mid-April but they will not last forever. I attended the festival in Yeouido Park last night to see the flowers, as well as a public park located in the ever popular Samcheongdong. Both of these places should have blossoms for the next few days, but hurry because the wind is blowing and the rain is coming!
    The cherry blossom festival in Yeouido happens every year. There was a huge crowd and tons of carnival-like food such as cotton candy, churros, and of course Korean dried squid. The best place to see the blossoms is to go near the National Assembly Building. Here the blossoms are lit up at night, and there is a very short fireworks display on the final nights of the festival. I mean really short, the entire show lasted about 3 minutes. Bring your camera or Polaroid as the Koreans do, and take tons of pictures! Simply take line 5 (purple) and exit Yeouinaru and turn left when you come out exit 3. You will be right by the Han River and the 63 building.

The cherry blossom trees surround the entire library grounds.

    Although most people go to Yeouido to see the blossoms, I actually found the trees in Samcheongdong to be just as beautiful. The public library is directly to the right of the main road, and you will see a sign that reads Jeongdok Public Library like the one pictured below. They have an English website if you want to learn more about it before going. You may get a library card and they do have a small English section of books you can check out for 2 weeks.  Otherwise, just stroll along the beautiful grounds and hang out in the park.


    To get to Samcheongdong travel to Anguk Station and take Exit 2. Walk straight until you see a cobble stone lined pathway on your right. You can't miss it, this is the Samcheongdong walkway, and follow it straight until the split where you will see the library on your right.
















If you have any questions or comments about "Cherry blossoms in Seoul: See them before their gone at Yeouido and Samcheongdong" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Korean Air adds a duty-free shop on their A380 airplanes removing 13 seats

   

There was no duty-free shop on-board when I flew in August 2010!

   Korean Air actually removed 13 seats on their A 380 planes while research reveals they can make more money off advertising and duty-free sales on-board its airplanes. I have never been a big Duty-Free shopper, and was stunned to find out that Korean Air is the leader in on-board duty free sales.
    My Korean friends and students always get excited about duty-free shopping. They think its a huge bargain, but in reality we get much better discounts on these items back in the States. First Class passengers are allowed to browse through the items first, and then business class passengers and economy class will have the last pick.
    It's crazy to think that the revenue from 13 seats can actually be surpassed by a small shop on board the plane. This is a true attestation to the Korean Culture and how any fad becomes a frenzy that everyone wants to be a part of. Everyone on that plane wants to walk off with a duty-free bag so they can feel like an elite flyer.  See the full article from AOL Travel here.

If you have any questions or comments about "Korean Air adds a duty-free shop on their A380 airplanes removing 13 seats" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Raise money for Japan by clubbing at TOMODACHI in Itaewon this Friday at Club Function

  
      

    Do you want to give back to Japan by dancing the night away? Sounds like an easy feat for most Seoulites to accomplish. TOMODACHI which is the name of the event, means friends in Japanese. The event video which can be watched on the You Tube link above has pictures of the coordinators and DJ's and the word friends translated into many different languages. Friends serves as the overall theme for the event, we can be a friend to anyone and Japan could use all of our help right now.
    The event representative Grant Clure said this will be an awesome event to bring the Seoul community together in support of a good cause. The two DJ'sYEONJUN and LEAM will play beats as you dance the night away. All of the proceeds including the $10 cover fee, dinner, and drink coupons will go directly to support Japan. The event is sponsored by Club Function, Macaroni Grill, Noxia, My Thai, Buddha's Belly, Luv Lounge, Berlin, Between, B1 and Real JAMusic. And all of the donations will go through NHK Central Donation Centre. NHK or Nippon Hoso Kyokai is known in English as 'Japan Broadcasting Company.
    Hosted in Itaewon this Friday April 8th at Club Function, TOMODACHI begins at 10pm till whenever everyone stops partying. View the Facebook Page for more information and to invite your friends! Shake the night away for a great cause without feeling any regret.


If you have any questions or comments about "Raise money for Japan by clubbing in Itaewon at Club Function" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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