At Gwangcheonok, try North Korean-style sundae gukbap

Nestled in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Gwangcheonok is known for its authentic North Korean-style soups and traditional flavors. It is a hidden gem for those seeking to explore the subtle yet comforting taste of North Korean cuisine, known for more restrained seasoning compared to its South Korean counterpart. One of Gwangcheonok’s signature offerings is the sundae gukbap, a hearty soup featuring slices of Korean blood sausage — sundae — served with rice. While many Koreans are familiar

Nov. 23, 2024

French beef import to resume after 24 years

The import of French beef to Korea resumed for the first time in 24 years on Monday, with the French embassy in Korea and French experts touting it as a good opportunity for Koreans to enjoy diverse and quality meat produced in a sustainable way. Of the 22 kinds of beef produced across France, the country’s most representative and common Charolais beef is to be sold in Korea, both frozen and refrigerated. France, the largest producer of beef among EU countries with 17 million heads of catt

Nov. 7, 2024

[New in Town] Nothing standard about ‘Standard Bun’

Mocha buns, the once-popular sweet treat with a crispy outside and abundant cream filling, seem to have all but disappeared from Seoul’s streets in recent years, perhaps pushed out by the arrival of newer, more creative desserts. At Standard Bun, a cafe in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, that opened in early October, mocha buns have been transformed in a surprising way. Each bun's crispy coffee layer is decorated with a topping that matches its generous filling. Everything from the usual milk cr

Oct. 26, 2024

‘Hansik’ needs to focus on fostering future talent: culinary experts

The future of hansik, or Korean food, needs increased focus on the training and nurturing of future talent in the industry, according to culinary experts attending a food symposium in Seoul on Friday. Yang Jong-jip, a professor at the Culinary Institute of America, said the industry needs to approach the nurturing of talent from an institutional and educational level, during Hansik Conference 2024 at Samcheonggak in Seoul on Friday. Held for the second time, the annual hansik symposium was joint

Oct. 25, 2024

Taste Mosu chef’s fine dining at 40,000 won

Following the globeal popularity of “Culinary Class Wars,” a cooking reality show from Netflix, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is holding a special event with Mosu chef Ahn Sung-jae, offering a chance to taste a fine dining meal for 40,000 won. The event will take place at Sevit Island by Banpo Hangang Park on Nov. 3. Under Ahn’s lead, contestants from the Netflix show -- Kang Seung-won (Triple Star), Bae Kyung-joon (One Two Three) --, as well as Oh Jong-il, the head chef fr

Oct. 22, 2024

[New in Town] Goaji: Grab-and-go Japanese lunch boxes for office workers

Whether you have it for lunch at your desk, in the car on your way to a meeting, or even save it for the end of the day, a Japanese lunch box, or bento, is a great mid-day meal option, especially for busy office workers. Bento is not only economical, it's a healthy and fun way to treat yourself to a variety of meats, vegetables and soups. Goaji — a Seoul restaurant whose name in Japanese is suggestive of deep flavors — specializes in grab-and-go bento lunch boxes, which are prep

Oct. 12, 2024

'Culinary Class Wars' winner crashes reservation app, warns scalpers

More than 110,000 users attempted to book a table at the restaurant of the winner of Netflix’s hit reality cooking show, "Culinary Class Wars," temporarily crashing a reservation app on Thursday. Reservations for the Italian restaurant Via Toledo Pasta Bar, run by Chef Kwon Seong-jun, also known by his nickname "Napoli Mafia," opened on the restaurant booking app Catch Table at 10 a.m. on Thursday. As fans rushed to secure a table, the app became unresponsive and was do

Oct. 11, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel presents a new gastronomic journey Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel, located in Incheon’s Songdo-dong, welcomes autumn with the “Culinary Journey of Yue.” The promotion, held at the hotel’s fine dining restaurant Yue, offers various Chinese dishes made with seasonal ingredients such as abalone, natural pine mushrooms, oysters and more. The highlight of the upcoming promotion is steamed lobster covered with black bean sauce, according to the hotel.

Oct. 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] Social media era creates more challenges for pastry chefs

Julien Perrinet, Hyatt’s executive pastry chef for the Asia Pacific region based at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, aims to offer a stunning gastronomic experience to those with a sweet tooth at an upcoming chefs’ collaboration between Park Hyatt Seoul and Park Hyatt Tokyo. The French-born Perrinet, 42, has honed his pastry skills across multiple countries -- France, Canada, Qatar, China, Singapore, India and more -- and did not hesitate to share some of his concerns before showcasing desserts

Oct. 3, 2024

[New in Town] Yeongdong Garden’s squash stew a filling choice for office workers

For many office workers, one worry will never go away until their final working day: What should I have for lunch? In a bustling Samseong-dong area in southeastern Seoul, there are various food alleys behind Samseong Station on Subway Line No. 2 and Bongeunsa Station on Subway Line No. 9. From Korean barbeque to Japanese restaurants with sushi counters and grab-and-go sandwich shops, the area boasts varied offerings. But when it comes to filling and healthy Korean meals, they are hard to find. A

Sept. 28, 2024

Georgia Wine Festival to toast Georgian wine’s growing popularity in Korea

The Georgia Wine Festival, showcasing exceptional wines from the country where the oldest evidence of winemaking was discovered, will take place on Sept. 24, according to Wine 21, the event organizer, Thursday. The festival, hosted by the Georgia National Wine Agency and sponsored by the Embassy of Georgia in Korea, will feature around 90 wines from 24 Georgian wineries. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a selection of top-quality Georgian wines including made of Georgian grape vari

Sept. 19, 2024

Calories that stalk the Chuseok table

Going into the Chuseok holiday, many expect to gorge themselves on delicious and hearty food to celebrate the full moon before the autumn harvest. While food is an essential part of Korea's main traditional holidays, it is important to note that these savory dishes are often high in calories. In fact, most of these bite-sized delicacies contain more calories than a bowl of white rice. For those who are health-conscious, understanding the nutritional content of these beloved Chuseok foods co

Sept. 16, 2024

On the road for Chuseok? Popular rest stop foods await

This Chuseok, South Koreans are expected to make approximately 37 million trips across the country to visit family, pay respects to ancestors and celebrate the harvest festival. Long hours on congested expressways could be tiring, but rest stops that offer a variety of foods and entertainment could help fight the exhaustion. Here’s the list of some of the most popular dishes at different rest stops across the country. 1. Ginseng galbitang (ginseng beef short rib soup) Geumsan Insam Land

Sept. 15, 2024

Designed with cacti, floating stone, dining bar Vuur gives creative kick to local ingredients

South of Seoul's Han River, Gangnam, is an on-trend area for drinks and bar bites. Chock full of fine dining restaurants and wine bars, it’s very hard to choose just one place from the list. Whether for catching up with a friend, a date with your loved one or even a cordial meal with your colleagues, dining bar Vuur in Gangnam-gu is a place where you can experience good food at the level of fine dining, in a creative atmosphere for more reasonable prices. Opened last year, Vuur is loc

Sept. 7, 2024

Table tennis star Shin Yu-bin lands BHC Chicken ad after Olympic snacking fame

Table tennis star and Paris Olympic double-bronze medalist Shin Yu-bin has become a favorite in the Korean food industry, landing major ad deals with top brands. The 20-year-old athlete brought home medals in mixed and women’s doubles, ending the country’s long medal drought in table tennis. Cameras caught her munching on snacks -- bananas, rice balls, and energy gels -- during breaks as the competition heated up. These endearing moments quickly went viral, adding to her charm alongs

Aug. 28, 2024

[New in Town] America-themed bakery ‘What A Bread’ fulfills all your carb needs

Just as if you had walked into a local bakery somewhere in rural America, “What A Bread” (WAB), a newly opened bakery in a bustling food alley next to Yongsan Station, is where you can enjoy a creative variety of baked goods. The last few years have seen Korean bakeries grow more creative than ever, with genre-bending techniques and innovative flavor combinations. WAB, which perfectly fits into the category of bakeries that offer good pastries, has the freshest and the most filling

Aug. 17, 2024

[Graphic News] More Koreans opt for home-cooked samgyetang amid rising prices

Amid record hot summer weather and soaring consumer prices, more Koreans are choosing to enjoy samgyetang, or chicken soup with ginseng, at home using convenient home meal replacements (HMRs). According to the Korea Consumer Agency, the average price of samgyetang at Seoul restaurants has risen to 16,885 won ($12.32) this year, a 2.8 percent increase from last year’s 16,423 won. In 2015, the dish cost 13,591 won, and through 2022, it remained around 14,000 won. However, following the e

Aug. 14, 2024

Get teleported to authentic Vietnamese food stand at Seoul’s Nampark

Hidden in a back alley of Namyeong-dong in Seoul's Yongsan-gu or near subway line No. 4 Sookmyung Women’s University station, Nampark truly stands out from other restaurants down the road – a street filled with trendy restaurants that open and also close down without fanfare. Nampark, which takes its name from the family names of married head chefs Nam Joon-young and Park Ji-eun, sells Vietnamese pho and other Vietnamese food that locals enjoy during the day, something light and

Aug. 6, 2024

[Graphic News] Surge in sugar-free alcoholic beverage consumption among S. Koreans

A recent survey reveals that 7 out of 10 South Koreans have opted for sugar-free or non-alcoholic beverages while drinking. According to a Lotte Members survey on alcohol consumption trends, 71.6 percent of 2,000 adults surveyed nationwide reported having tried sugar-free soju. The primary reasons cited were “lower calories” (40.4 percent) and “healthier perception” (25.9 percent). Additionally, 76.4 percent of respondents had experience drinking non-alcoholic beer. The

Aug. 1, 2024

This summer, cucumbers take center stage

Cucumbers are having a moment in Korea. As one of the most representative vegetables of summer here, cucumbers usually star in summer dishes like cold noodles and soups as a garnish. But this season, they're more than just supporting players — cucumbers have taken center stage. On social media, cucumber gimbap is all the rage, thanks to TV celebrity Choi Hwa-jung. On her YouTube channel, Choi, 63, introduced the dish as an “easy to make, yet surprisingly delicious” dish

July 25, 2024