Celebrating a birthday in Buyeo with Park Sihoo-ssi
It was a long, long, long day today. Around 400-500 Park Sihoo-ssi fans headed out early yesterday morning at around 8.30 am to Buyeo. Everyone was filled with a lot of anticipation.
Our hearts had already flown to Buyeo, this little village county in South Korea’s Chungcheongnamdo, even before the bus headed out. Buyeo is the ancestral home of Park Sihoo-ssi, our favorite man. So as can be expected, our hearts were all a fluttering and excited about meeting him yesterday evening.
We were delighted and happy to be celebrating his 38th birthday with him, a Buyeo celebration for a hero’s birthday.
The bus journey to Buyeo took around 3 hours, a long journey. Lulled by the rocking motion of the buses, a lot of us took time to catch up on our beauty sleep…we wanted to look our best for him that evening!
Our first stop in Buyeo was at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Gongsanseong Fortress where we could spent about an hour and half including grabbing lunch. Our group was a little lazy, some of us had contributed to the Korean economy by doing some real intensive shopping the day before. So we did the unthinkable and took some quick shots of history before checking out the local delicacies…in other words, food!
And we found this restaurant smack outside the main gate of the fortress and stuffed our stomachs with the most scrumptious meal! Bulgogi beef slow cooked over a fire. Spicy marinated pork also cooked over a slow fire. Steamed duck wrapped in the freshest vegetables…and the unavoidable spread of Korean assorted banchan. Now it will be double and maybe triple the effort at the gym after this trip!
The interesting thing about this restaurant was it had so many old movie posters and old video tapes for rental/sale! I wonder, if Park Sihoo-ssi ever watched any of these when he was young. Remember he mentioned that his father brought him to watch movies? Maybe videos was an alternative?
After lunch, the bus took us to Seodong Park and Gungnamji Pond. Last year when we visited this same spot, it was being renovated and we couldn’t see much. This year, the lake was most beautiful with it weeping willow trees and winter jasmine in full yellow bloom. However, what were still missing were the water in the lake and the lotus plants.
We headed to Park Sihoo-ssi’s ancestral home afterwards, welcomed by a super sized Park Sihoo-ssi in a black suit, his father and his brother, Park Wuhoo-ssi. We were made most welcomed as is usual Park hospitality. We had a chance to explore the compound though the old ancestral houses and Park Sihoo-ssi’s new home was out of bound because they were still under construction and renovation. The plum trees which were planted by Park Sihoo-ssi fans 2 years ago were growing strong, auguring well the blooming fanship family.
Then it was off to Park Sihoo-ssi’s primary and high schools. We met his senior and junior from his school who were there – one is now the Principal of the kindergarten in Buyeo and another burly chap who claimed to be a body guard. Of course, we had to worm out of them secrets about our Park Sihoo-ssi when he was little! Bribe me, and I will spill the beans! 🙂
Our final stop for the day was Lotte Resort Buyeo where we would have our evening event. More interesting bits to come…hang on!
扶余生日
昨天是一个漫长，漫长的一天。大约有400-500位施厚君的粉丝一早8:30就起程扶余。每位姐妹们都充满了许多期待。
大巴还未离开酒店，我们的心早已飞到了在韩国忠清南道的扶余，一个小村庄县。扶余是我们最喜欢的男生施厚君的祖籍。因此，可以想象我们是多么的期待，心是多么的激动，因为我们晚上就会见到他，和他一起在扶余快乐地庆祝他的38岁生日，一个扶余生日，一个英雄的生日。
Buyeo Birthday with Park Sihoo
巴士去扶余的旅程大约要3个小时，一个漫长的旅程。在大巴的摇晃下，很多姐妹都抓紧时间赶上睡眠…..想晚上以最好的状态见施厚君！
扶余的第一站是联合国教科文组织世界遗产公山城，在那我们可以逗留大约一个半小时，包括享用午餐。我们这小团有点懒，当中有些姐妹前天为韩国经济贡献，密集的购物。所以我们做了不可思议的事情，只花几分钟在历史上，就迅速的去享受当地的美味佳肴！
我们发现一家餐厅就在公山城的大门外, 吃了美味的一顿！慢煮烤牛肉。慢煮辣腌猪肉。清蒸鸭子包裹最新鲜的蔬菜……和不可避免的韩国各类小菜。此行后，可要加倍努力在健身房锻炼了！
这家餐厅有趣的是墙上挂了许多老电影海报和旧录像带出租/出售！我想，施厚君年轻的时候，有没有看过这些电影。记得他提到父亲带他看电影吗？也许有时也有视频替代？
午餐后，大巴带我们到薯童公园和Gungnamji池。去年，当我们参观这个地点时，它正在装修着。今年，看的漂亮的吧垂柳树和迎春花全面黄色盛开。但仍然缺乏湖水和荷花。
之后我们前往施厚君的祖籍，由穿着黑色西装的超大型施厚君娃娃，他的父亲和弟弟朴宇浩迎接。虽然不能参观施厚君的新居和老房，因为仍在建设和改造，可是可以到处参观。由施厚君的粉丝2年前栽的梅花树长势良好，显示着盛开的粉丝家族。
过后就参观施厚君的小学和高中。有两位学长小辈在场，一位是扶余幼儿园的校长，另一位是一名保镖。我们从他们口中知道了更多施厚君在小学和高中的秘密趣事。贿赂我，我可能会泄漏消息哦！ 🙂
我们当天最后一站是扶余乐天酒店，昨晚的宴会活动地点。更有趣的在后头！
Photo Credits – Mentor, Weibo, other photos by Nance
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3 Comments
Speechless! Nance, I am still in awe having closely followed whatever news I could muster via weibo, your update, etc. AWESOME. I knew this has to be the greatest fans meet of all time, Mission Accomplished – Hero Returns – All dark clouds cleared off kind of feeling. And surrounded by all beloved people PSH himself loves.
Nance, thanks for your detailed report about your journey to Buyeo, PSH’s ancestrals home. And even a long and tiresome journey, it deserved it to be made, and you were lucky, because you could visit so many and important monuments and archaeological pieces, that serve as testimonies of man’s greatness. Not forgetting PSH’s ancestral home , made by his predecesors, great grandfather , grandfather and father, but also his new home, as a token of gesture of his respect for his ancestors. Maybe he had in mind: “What is home? My favourite definition is ” a safe place”, a place where one is free from attack, a place where one experiences secure relationships and affirmation. It’s a place where people share and understand each other. It”s relationships are nurturing.The people in it do not need to be perfect; instead they need to be honest, loving, supportive,.”[G.Hunt]
Thanks for your lively report Nance. When reading through it, it’s like being filmed in my head at the same time!^^
It’s a long drive from Seoul to Buyeo. Something to be taken into account for me.
How can I even bribe you from where I live? Haha, but I am curious. That’s a fact!^^