Korea is a paradise for gastronomy enthusiasts. The country’s rice fields, crop fields, mountains and seas are rich sources of a wide variety of foodstuffs, which has led to the creation of a wide variety of dishes. While doenjang, ganjang, gochujang, and other essential seasonings keep the balance at the center, ingredients are steamed, grilled, deep-fried, and prepared in a variety of other methods that Koreans have developed to keep them fresh throughout the four seasons. These foods consoled the souls of Koreans who had to do anything to survive in the Peninsula’s turbulent modern history. In fact, the importance of food in Korea is reflected in the percentage of food-related greetings in Korea. In this sense, a culinary journey across Korea also provides an insight into Korea’s local cultures.

Gwangjang Market

To properly experience Korean food culture, it is necessary to visit traditional markets. Then, in a relaxed atmosphere, visitors feel free to enjoy Korean dishes loved by locals.

Gwangjang Market in Seoul Jongno is historically significant as it is Korea’s first permanent market, with a history of over 100 years. The taste of finger-sized mini gimbap dipped in mustard sauce is quite addictive and attracts people with its strong magnetism. Other famous dishes include beef tartare and mung bean pancakes.

Recently, a new wind of change has begun to blow in the market. The “365 Iljang (365 Days Open)” grocery store, which opened business in the market in October 2021, attracts customers’ attention with its youthful sensibilities. The store sells wine, craft beer, cheese, butter and even market-themed items. Notably, Gwangjangsijang 1905 craft beer, created in collaboration with a craft brewery, is only available in-store.

Tongin Market

Located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tongin Market offers people a unique experience that cannot be done anywhere else while tasting various dishes. The reason for this is “yeopjeon dosirak”.

Dosirak literally means lunch box. Yeopjeon is a brass Korean coin with a square cut in the middle and was used during the Joseon dynasty. The coin is not used in Korea but can be used as currency in the Tongin Market. When the customer buys the yeopjeon, a lunch box is provided, which acts as a kind of wallet, and people can enjoy the different experience of exchanging the yeopjeon for the food they want to buy while looking at the market.

Different types of simple and plain foods are offered in the market. These include rice and soup, the staple food of the Korean people, as well as side dishes such as spicy rice cakes, grilled rib patties, rice balls and omelet rolls.

Jeonju Food Tour

Jeonju is a city that Koreans are also eager to visit to taste its food. This city has long developed its culinary culture thanks to fresh seafood from the West and South Seas and produce harvested from fertile lands.

Jeonju-style bibimbap is a must-eat food in Jeonju. It’s made by first cooking the rice with Jeonju bean sprouts and then mixing the cooked rice with a handful of fresh ingredients each, including egg yolks, gingko nuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, and vegetables.

Jeonju Hanjeongsik (Korean tab d’hote) is a menu of more than 30 side dishes, including soup, stew, spicy vegetables, and salty seafood, all on a single table. It represents the generous hearts and minds of the Korean people.

Located in Samcheon-dong, Seosin-dong and Gyeongwon-dong, Jeonju Makgeolli Streets welcome visitors to feel free to enjoy makgeolli (rice wine). Each order of Makgeolli kettle is served with 20 types of meals and appetizers.

Jeonju also has a distinctive food culture called “gamaek”, which is short for “gagae (corner shop) maekju (beer)”. Jeonju is famous for its small corner stores or kiosks equipped with a few tables where people can buy cold beer and drink it down with snacks such as grilled dried squid, dried pollack fillets, and snacks served with Jeonju’s unique seasonings. Thanks to the growing popularity of Gamaek, the Gamaek Festival has been held every year since 2015.

Sokcho, Seafood Paradise

Sokcho, Gangwon-do, a bustling port city on the east coast, boasts an abundance of seafood from the Eastern Sea and thus offers a variety of dishes made from fish, squid, shrimp, and more.

Deep-fried shrimp street near Daepohang Port is a must-visit place in Sokcho for tourists. Fresh shrimps are fried instantly and therefore have excellent crispy taste.

Visitors can also enjoy a variety of dishes such as sliced ​​raw squid, stuffed squid, moray eel soup, spicy red snow crab, and grilled fish near the Sokcho Tourist Fish Market, which docks a raft-like platform boat called “gaetbae.” ” Daepohang Port and Dongmyeonghang Port.

Although not seafood, glazed fried chicken bites called dak gangjeong are also a representative food in Sokcho. This crispy and crunchy dish is made by deep-frying bite-sized chicken and then smothering it in sweet or spicy sauce that is simmered until it reaches a thick consistency.

Busan Food Tour

Busan is a city optimized for foodie travel due to convenient public transportation and abundant food everywhere.

Known for its slogan “Oiso (Come), Boiso (See) and Saiso (Buy)”, Jagalchi Market is Korea’s largest fish market. It’s filled with sliced ​​raw fish, crab, lobster, shrimp, shellfish, grilled fish and other seafood. Its signature dishes, which are difficult to taste elsewhere, include pork grilled on briquettes.

Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Square, Gourmand Street in Nampo-dong, and Gukje Market are street food heavens. It is recommended to try the sugar-filled seedless grill, soup-soaked fish cake skewers, and spicy glass noodles mixed with fresh vegetables.

Traditional Jeju Food

Jeju Island, one of the favorite destinations of Koreans, has developed its own unique local dishes due to its geographical location and distance from the mainland. Rather than cooking with a variety of ingredients or adding various spices, most dishes are simply simmered to preserve the original flavors of the ingredients.

Typical folk dishes include oozing black pork with a chewy texture grilled over charcoal; bay herb soup made from pork broth and meat, bay herb and buckwheat flour; and omegi rice cake and omegi liquor, made from sticky millet, which was a staple food of the Jeju people in the past.

Grown in the sea breeze of Udo Island, Udo peanuts are delicious even when eaten with their shells and are also consumed as Udo peanut ice cream or Udo peanut makegolli.

Tea Fields in Boseong

Boseong is Korea’s largest tea-producing region, with 4,000 tea plantations, and is the perfect destination for tea lovers or those interested in traditional Korean tea culture. Many tea plantations host tea-related programs so visitors can enjoy a variety of experiences such as green tea tasting, picking tea leaves, and making green tea, including the Korean Tea Ceremony.

Otherwise, just enjoying tea at the tea cafe inside the tea garden and enjoying the beautiful view is enough for a pleasant journey.

Service Area Dining Area

Express service areas in Korea are beloved as multi-purpose areas that provide more than just a quick break on the road. Each service area reflects its own unique culture depending on the location and serves as new tourist destinations.

For example, in Andong Service Area in Andong, famous for its traditional handicrafts, there is the Andong Cultural Experience Center designed to showcase handicrafts. Yeoju Service Area in Yeoju, famous for its ceramics, has a pottery experience center where tourists are allowed to fire pottery. The food court is not only a place to satisfy one’s hunger, but also offers a variety of dishes aimed at promoting representative local food culture. This allows tourists to enjoy tasting local specialties with comfort and ease.

Gangneung Coffee Street

Near Anmok Beach in Gangneung is a cluster of about 30 coffee shops called Gangneung Coffee Street or Anmok Coffee Street. Since 2000, Gangneung has become the mecca for coffee, as the first generation of baristas who pioneered the Korean coffee scene began settling in Gangneung. Most of these are monastery cafes. Unlike franchise coffeehouses, they roast beans directly, offering a variety of aromas and flavors of fresh coffee. Since this is on everyone’s lips, Gangneung is truly known as a coffee city.

In addition to Gangneung Coffee Street, Gangneung is developing a wide range of coffee-related content, including a coffee museum, a coffee factory, and a barista academy.