"This is a convenient location, it's very easy to get here. Also, there are a lot of eateries that offer delicious food at reasonable prices. That's why I come here often."

"It's very clean around here. Also, this is a place I can sit for a long time and talk with my friends."

"I came here after school. There are a lot of things to see; like fashion. Besides, there are many people here, and it's interesting just to watch them pass by."

Apgujeongdong is alway busy with many people. You can find boutiques with specialized designs, exciting theme cafes, and fusion restaurants where one can taste unique dishes. All these stores are lined up side by side along the streets and back alleys of Apgujeongdong. This is a place that leads the fashion and culture of Korea's youth; the mecca of fashion.

"Most of all, Apgujeongdong is the street of fashion, so you can find the latest fashion here. Also, across the department store, Galleria, there are a number of small shops that sell unique accessories. And further up the street, you will find many world famous fashion brands and Korean designer shops. What you shouldn't miss in Apgujeongdong are the things to eat. Across Galleria, there is an Indian restaurant, Ganga. There are also three Vietnamese restaurants, a Mongolian restaurant, Italian restaurants, and many others. There are many more restaurants that offer good food at reasonable prices. Also, there are many 'bars' and 'fusion restaurants' with unique interior designs. I hope you don't miss those places."

As Mr. Yi Seong-min, born and raised in Apgujeongdong recommends, we start our tour of Apgujeongdong from the department store, Galleria. It's the area between the Galleria and the Hyundai department stores, extending about 2.5 square kilometers, that attract so many youngsters. It's in this area that various shops and cafes are concentrated. So, now, let's begin our tour.

One of the most famous places in Apgujeongdong is the so-called 'Rodeo street.' Of course, the name 'Rodeo' was taken from the avenue of haute couture in Beverley Hills of the United States. The Rodeo street in Apgujeongdong refers to one of the back alleys where McDonalds, the fastfood restaurant, is located. What you see here are various fashion shops; each of them boasting of their individuality. One of the most popular shops among them is one called the 'Collected shop' which deals with all the young designer clothes. Among the fashion accessory shops, Dolmen's is quite famous. At Dolmen's you can buy some fine handmade accessories at reasonable prices. The fashion accessories were designed by six young designers who graduated from art colleges. Ms. Yi Yeon-seon introduces us to the shop.

"Most of the accessories we have at Dolmen's are handmade. You can see some unique and exotic accessories here. These days, leather bracelets and hip-hop chains have been selling well. It must be because we are nearing the summer season. We have many Japanese customers also. The Japanese visitors normally buy rings. They say the rings are much cheaper here than they are in Japan. And they seem to prefer the so-called chromatic rings; it's a special way to process silver rings. They don't shine, but offer a kind of heavy metal feeling. They favor simple designs with a little bit of delicate workmanship. Also, we have pendants with different zodiac animals. Foreigners find they are unique, and they seem to like them a lot."

One of the most exciting part of being in Apgujeongdong is to watch all the different people on the streets. They are all unique, refined and exceptionally fashioned, as if they just walked out of the latest fashion magazines. Take for example, a young girl with a tight fluorescent T-shirt and trailing hip hop trousers. There's another interesting young lady whose dressed from head to toe in green... pale green hairband, green shoes and a green dress. Many of the young people show bold and individual styles of their own. Just take a seat and watch them as they pass by.

Most of the time, the hairstyle, accessories and the fashion of Apgujeongdong spread all across the nation; say in just one or two months. It's no exaggeration; it is the cradle of Korean fashion and culture.

About a hundred meters from the Galleria toward the Hyundai department store, you can see a small stone monument. On the monument reads an inscription that informs us that a pavilion called 'Apgu' used to be located here. So, this must have something to do with the name of this area, Apgujeongdong. We are going to ask Mr. Park Gyong-nyong박경룡, standing director of the Seoul Culture and History Association about it.

"The name of this district, Apgujeong, originates from the pavilion named 'Apgujeong' which was built by the river here by Han Myong-hwe, one of the meritorious retainers during the reign of King Sejo of the Choson Dynasty. Ever since then, the area has been called Apgujeong. He named his pavilion 'apgujeong' after his penname. It was a very large and luxurious pavilion and was considered an attraction of the Han river area. Han Myong-hwe was a politician who wielded great power during the reign of three successive kings; King Sejo, King Yejong, and King Seong-jong. The reason he built a pavilion here was so he would have a place to rest by the riverside and watch the seagulls. That's why he named the pavilion 'apgujeong' meaning the pavilion of ducks and seagulls. The area was part of Kyonggi province until 1963, but with the expansion of Seoul, it became one of the districts of Seoul. "

Until 1963 when Apgujeongdong first became part of Seoul, the entire area was an orchard of pear trees. The area used to be white with pear blossoms in spring. From the pavilion, one could see 'Jeo-ja-do' islet with its mulberry trees creating a wonderful picture and the peaks of Mt. Buk-han further away toward the north. That was Apgujeongdong of the past. Now, here is Mr. Yi Tae-won vice-president of Apgujeong Merchants Association, who recollects the old Apgujeongdong.

"I moved here 25 years ago. At that time, this was an empty plain. We had a two-storied house here that overlooked the Han river. The roads were not paved then. They said there was going to be a 50 meter wide paved street and that a bus would run along that street. At that time, I couldn't imagine it. Now when looking back, I'm amazed at all the changes that occurred here in the past twenty years. You see the Korea Housing Bank over there? There used to be a pond there, and there were so many mosquitos in summer, that the village people went to the district office to ask if they could get rid of the mosquitos. Now, the place has become a luxurious shopping area."

There is an old saying in Korea that goes 'the mulberry field turns into the blue sea.' Well, it refers to the violent changes in nature. And it seems to apply to Apgujeongdong perfectly. There have been rapid and tremendous changes in the area. And the beginning of such changes was made in the early 1970s. On what used to be an empty plain, a large apartment complex was built. The so-called 'orange tribe' represented by the youngsters of the neo-rich began to gather in the area, and soon it became a luxurious shopping area. It was since then that Apgujeongdong emerged as the center of fashion.

Along the street of Apgujeongdong are many unique theme cafes. The so-called 'Saju cafe' is where you can have your fortune told while having a cup of tea. 'Saju' or four pillars refers to the time, date, month and the year you were born. One tells the fortune of a person based on those four elements. Let's visit one of those theme cafes; 'Saju gong-gan' meaning 'four pillar space.'

What's this year's fortune going to be like for me?

Let me see. This year, it seems you will get the chance for a promotion in your workplace, if you are a student, you will earn your degree. This is the year you will reap the fruits of your efforts."

It's a comfortable cafe with a white modern interior. There are soft beige sofas, large windows from which the bright spring sunlight shines into the cafe. You can meet and talk with the fortune tellers who claim they have studied the Asian philosophy and through the talks find you've recovered your hopes.

Other than the saju cafes, there is one called 'jail club' where you enjoy evening drinks while handcuffed and locked up in a cell. The 'Once in a Blue Moon' is a jazz cafe that offers live jazz performances every night.

After looking around all the fashionable cafes and shops, it's time for a good meal. Apgujeongdong can satisfy everyone including those with particular culinary needs. There are many fusion restaurants that offer dishes from the east and the west. Today, we decided to visit 'Deung-na-mu-jib', a restaurant that serves the Korean pork dish, 'sam-gyop-sal' cooked in western style. Mr. Kim Jin-ho, the owner of the restaurant explains the unique dish.

"Normally, they serve frozen sliced pork when you go for the 'sam-gyop-sa' dish. We serve it in lumps 200 grams each and not frozen. It's seasoned with wine and decorated with bay leaves. The pork is then served in juniper cases. What looks good may taste better. We take good care of the table setting as well. Besides the wine, we apply various natural ingredients for seasoning, which is, in fact, the secret knowhow of my restaurant. Now, when you eat, you slice the lump of pork yourself with a toothed knife on a wooden board. We also serve four different kinds of sauce. I've developed the normal Korean dish 'sam-gyop-sal' into a unique dish to meet the tastes of the youngsters."

Apgujeongdong is continuously changing. Now, the luxurious atmosphere represented by the so-called 'orange tribe' is gradually giving way to a new and popular culture where people can enjoy their day without emptying out their bank accounts. However, Apgujeongdong is still crowded with the hip youngsters of Korea.