Earth Hour 2024

My 16th Earth Hour finds me in Seoul, as I had come up a couple of days earlier before the festivities that will take place next week. After a very long lunch today I had retired to my hotel room, and when the time came I decided to walk around the big block that is COEX and see if anyone around here cared about Earth Hour.

COEX has a ton of large, bright LED screens that blast out advertising 24-7, and there's one just across from my hotel room. Like all the others on both sides around the block, the screens never darkened.

I had to walk halfway around the big block before realizing that the InterContinental Seoul COEX had turned off their signage at the top of the building.

Needless to say, Seven Luck Casino was as bright as ever. Not one single bulb was dimmed.

Continuing the circle around the block, the Grand InterContinental Parnas seems to have turned off their signage, along with the Parnas tower next door.

The Canon did turn off the neon sign at the top, which they later turned on.

Around 9:30 p.m. the few lights that had been dimmed began to turn back on. At least someone cares around here.

I was finally getting around to feeling a little bit hungry, so I took the subway to Gwangjang Market (광장시장) for some street eats. It was past 10 p.m. when I arrived and many stalls had closed, but I still found a couple of places to grab something I really wanted.

I actually only just wanted soondae (순대), as they are pretty damn huge in terms of size, but of course the ajumma wanted to make more money so they gave me the combo with pig's head (돼지머리고기). Along with a plate of kimchi and a bowl of soup.

I really do have this Korean blood and vermicelli sausage, even if the ones sold at these markets aren't that good.

Buchujeon (부추전) - this chive pancake from another stall was just not good. Very little batter, almost no seasoning, and really needed the dipping sauce. And the chives were old and fibrous.

Glutinous rice twist (찹쌀꽈배기) - I saw a line in front of this apparently famous shop Gwangjang Market Glutinous Rice Twists (광장시장 찹쌀꽈배기) before I sat down for the unsatisfying pancake, and as I was getting out of the market to go home, I noticed they were cleaning up but still had a few of these lying around. So I got myself one. Pretty nice, and actually the tastiest bite I had tonight. Deep-fried dough with a coating of sugar? Hell yeah!