Interesting things to do in South Korea?
June 16, 2018 8:15 AM Subscribe
We will have a few days in Seoul and a few in Busan. We have spend a good amount of time there in the past, so we are familiar with most of the major attractions. We are looking for either less well-known things, or stuff that has opened up in past few years. Interesting food especially, but also whatever else you think is good.
I live in Korea, though not in Seoul. You said you were interested in food, and I have a few recommendations, but unfortunately I mostly eat western food when I make it to the big city.
However, if you're also okay with drinking, I'd recommend checking out some makgeolli bars while you're there. You've said you spent time here before, so I'm sure you've probably had makgeolli, but they've really improved quality and selection if you know where to look. Most makgeolli you'll find in an average restaurant is cheaply made and overly sweetened with aspartame and is a shadow of the good stuff. And the nature of makgeolli means that it's really hard to find anything good imported. I really liked Damatori in Haebangcheon for the food and atmosphere, but I've heard that White Bear Makgeolli in Apgujeong has the best selection of any restaurant in Seoul. If you just want to buy a couple bottles, the Sool Gallery in Gangnam has a great selection. If you want to couple drinking with an actual activity, I learned to brew makgeolli with The Sool Company. Julia and Dan are lovely people and so knowledgeable. There's also Samhae Soju in Samcheongdong. For 10,000 won you can go in and have a tasting of quality soju that is nothing like the stuff you get in a green bottle.
As for food, I think the best Yukhoe (raw beef) is at Baekjae Butcher's outside Jongno 5-Ga. The address is 34 Jong-ro 35-gil Jongno-gu. Banjjak Banjjak Binnaneun is right in the middle of Insadong and a good place to stop if you're in the area sightseeing. It had some of the most instagrammable teas I've seen in Korea and the fried injeolmi rice cakes were delicious.
There's also a tour to be had of the strangest theme cafes in Korea. There's a poop one, all the animal ones (raccoons, meerkats, capybaras, sheep), Sherlock, Coffee Art Guy
Oh we've gone all in on weird snack foods so you can just hit up the nearest convenience store and have a smorgasboard of inspired potato chip flavors. (Sea squirt and wasabi, tuna and mayo, grilled steak, maple syrup, soy sauce fried chicken, kimchi jjigae) and we haven't even started on what they've done to popcorn.
posted by FakePalindrome at 11:19 PM on June 17, 2018
However, if you're also okay with drinking, I'd recommend checking out some makgeolli bars while you're there. You've said you spent time here before, so I'm sure you've probably had makgeolli, but they've really improved quality and selection if you know where to look. Most makgeolli you'll find in an average restaurant is cheaply made and overly sweetened with aspartame and is a shadow of the good stuff. And the nature of makgeolli means that it's really hard to find anything good imported. I really liked Damatori in Haebangcheon for the food and atmosphere, but I've heard that White Bear Makgeolli in Apgujeong has the best selection of any restaurant in Seoul. If you just want to buy a couple bottles, the Sool Gallery in Gangnam has a great selection. If you want to couple drinking with an actual activity, I learned to brew makgeolli with The Sool Company. Julia and Dan are lovely people and so knowledgeable. There's also Samhae Soju in Samcheongdong. For 10,000 won you can go in and have a tasting of quality soju that is nothing like the stuff you get in a green bottle.
As for food, I think the best Yukhoe (raw beef) is at Baekjae Butcher's outside Jongno 5-Ga. The address is 34 Jong-ro 35-gil Jongno-gu. Banjjak Banjjak Binnaneun is right in the middle of Insadong and a good place to stop if you're in the area sightseeing. It had some of the most instagrammable teas I've seen in Korea and the fried injeolmi rice cakes were delicious.
There's also a tour to be had of the strangest theme cafes in Korea. There's a poop one, all the animal ones (raccoons, meerkats, capybaras, sheep), Sherlock, Coffee Art Guy
Oh we've gone all in on weird snack foods so you can just hit up the nearest convenience store and have a smorgasboard of inspired potato chip flavors. (Sea squirt and wasabi, tuna and mayo, grilled steak, maple syrup, soy sauce fried chicken, kimchi jjigae) and we haven't even started on what they've done to popcorn.
posted by FakePalindrome at 11:19 PM on June 17, 2018
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posted by deadwater at 10:56 AM on June 16, 2018