INDEX
Shimokitazawa and Koenji are recommended in Japan, and Seongsu-dong is recommended in Korea.
Celeina: What surprised you when you came to Japan?
Ran: The most surprising thing is that there are so many bicycles that it kills me.
Celeina: Do you ride bicycles much in Korea?
Ran: Yes, I do, but not this many.
Takano: I see. Do you ride a bicycle?
Ran: I sometimes rent a bike in town, but I am afraid of getting into an accident, so I don’t ride a bike very often.
Celeina: (laughs). Safety comes first, so it’s a good mindset.
Takano: It’s something you don’t notice when you live in Japan. It is strange that there are so many bicycles in Japan.
Celeina: Do you have any favorite places to visit in Japan these days, or any areas that you would like to introduce to your Korean friends when they come to Japan?
Ran: Well, when my Korean friends come to Japan, they only go to Shibuya, Shinjuku, and other well-known places. But Shimokitazawa and Koenji are not well known yet. From a Japanese point of view, they are just normal places to hang out. When I go to those places with them, they are very happy to see me.
Takano: I see. Shimokitazawa and Koenji.
Celeina: That makes me happy.
Takano: What kind of places do you see when you go to Shimokitazawa and Koenji?
Ran: Secondhand clothing stores. There are so many beautiful coffee shops in Koenji and Shimokitazawa. I hear that coffee shops make them feel very Japanese. They are very happy.
Takano: Do you like coffee, Ran-san?
Ran: I don’t drink coffee.
Celeina: What do you order when you go to a coffee shop?
Ran: Ginger ale.
Takano: I think that’s rare.
Ran: I also drink a lot of cocoa. Cocoa is probably my favorite.
Celeina: It’s delicious, isn’t it?
Takano: On the other hand, if we were to go to Korea for fun, do you have any recommendations?
Ran: After all, we really want to go to places where Koreans go. There is a place in Seoul called Seongsu-dong, where many Koreans in their 20s go to have fun. There are a lot of very fashionable cafes there.
Takano: Like Shimokitazawa in Tokyo?
Ran: I don’t know about that.
Takano: I don’t know (laughs).
Celeina: By the way, there are many cafes here in Seongsu-dong. What do you think are the latest café sweets that are popular in Korea?
Ran: I don’t know if it’s the latest, but lettering cakes have been popular for quite a while.
Celeina: Lettering cake?
Takano: What the heck is that?
Ran: It’s a trend that if the customer who buys the cake asks for lettering, they can have it drawn on the cake in a fashionable way.
Celeina: I might have understood if you told me. It’s a little colorful and pop, and the words “Happy Birthday” are not drawn on the plate, but on the cake itself.
Ran: Cakes that look a bit old-fashioned like that are quite popular.
Takano: I want to eat a cake with “GRAND MARQUEE” lettering.
Celeina: That sounds good. It looks delicious.
Ran: I want some. Please give it to me.
Celeina: Thank you (laughs). I asked Ran to choose a song that she would like us to listen to together on the radio at this time.
Ran: It’s called “Sulk” by Radiohead.
Celeina: Why did you choose that song?
Ran: I have always loved Radiohead, but to be honest, I don’t really listen to their songs during the daytime, and I really like songs that are easy to listen to at night. So I don’t really know what songs go well with daytime, but of all the Radiohead songs, this one is the most evening-like and …… is good.
Celeina: He said it’s good (laughs).
