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

Croissants with a twist: Kimchi, onigiri-inspired pastries at Nudake Sinsa

Nudake, an artisanal coffee and dessert shop in bustling Garosugil in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is more than a bakery. As you step into the museum-like cafe by the eyewear brand Gentle Monster, you will notice the very distinct concept of Nudake Sinsa, with a massive croissant statue and croissant-shaped door handles not to mention the buttery aroma of the flaky delicacy. Next to the giant pastry sculpture are the edible pastries on display. Nudake’s Sinsa-dong outlet, the third of its kind, is b

July 20, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Westin Josun Seoul presents summer Champagne promotion The Westin Josun Seoul in Jung-gu, central Seoul, offers two Champagne promotions to celebrate the summer season. The Ninth Gate presents two bottles of Champagne with truffle fries for four guests. The restaurant offers Moet & Chandon Imperial and a bottle of the guests’ choosing among Taittinger Reserve Brut, Champagne Drappier Carte D’Or Brut and Louis Roederer Collection 243. The weekday dinner promotion is priced at 250,

July 19, 2024

Chef Yoshida’s summer kaiseki blends seasonality of Korean ingredients

“Kaiseki” dinner, referring to a style of traditional Japanese cuisine that comes with a series of intricate, small dishes, is a perfect way to get immersed in the savory and exquisite flavors of Japanese dishes. Chef Nobuhiro Yoshida, a veteran chef or a chef de cuisine at Japanese restaurant Kozue located on the 40th floor of Park Hyatt Tokyo, is in Seoul this week for a Park Hyatt Seoul’s guest chef promotion event – Tokyo Night in Seoul. Yoshida, with 30 years of expe

July 15, 2024

Le Freak’s chicken burgers take diners on culinary tour

While most burger joints in Seoul pride themselves on high-quality beef patties and homemade buns, Le Freak takes a different approach as an unprecedented gourmet burger. Le Freak, which opened its first branch in Seongsu in 2019, specializes in chicken burgers. Its signature Nashville Hot Chicken Burger is a simple chicken burger filled with red cabbage coleslaw and a crispy hot-fried chicken thigh sprinkled with spicy powder -- you can choose from three different levels of spiciness. But Le Fr

June 30, 2024

Rainy days the time to savor 'Korean pancakes,' analysis shows

A local credit card company's analysis showed Sunday that bindaetteok and sujebi, two dishes many South Koreans associate with rainy days, actually show substantial jumps in sales when the rain pours. KB Kookmin Card analyzed public data and data it compiled from its consumers between June and August of last year, and found that bindaetteok sales on days with at least 10 millimeters of rainfall were 35 percent higher compared to other days. Bindaetteok is made of dough from ground beans wit

June 30, 2024

Homemade maesil cheong, K-food's secret ingredient

In a typical, fully-equipped Korean kitchen, you'll find a bottle of honey-like syrup called maesil cheong. This versatile syrup made from the fermentation of maesil, Korean green plums, serves as both a sweetener in various Korean dishes and a home remedy for an upset stomach or indigestion. June is the peak harvest season for maesil, which means it’s time for Kwon Sun-ja to prepare for her annual tradition of making the green plum syrup. "Early summer is when I make maesil ch

June 14, 2024

Seongsu ‘jazz kissa’ Kataomoi finds right blend of music, cocktails

Western Seoul’s district of Seongsu-dong sees new restaurants and bars open every week. The area undoubtedly boasts one of the most vibrant and unique nightlife scenes in Seoul. Located in a small alley close to Ttukseom Station on Subway Line No. 2, Kataomoi mimics a “jazz kissa” -- niche Japanese cafes stocked with whisky, vinyl and high-end audio systems. Jang Yoon-su, owner of Kataomoi, opened the place last year after quitting his 12-year career as an office worker at a lo

June 9, 2024

Humble sundae gets haute makeover at Lee Buk Bang

Sundae, a steamed Korean blood sausage stuffed with meat, rice and vegetables, is one of the most popular street foods in Korea. But, this humble dish is elevated to haute cuisine at a sundae omakase restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul. At the hands of chef Choi Ji-hyung, the owner of a fine dining restaurant Lee Buk Bang, renamed to what is now in 2021, different kinds of sundae are served over a seven- to nine-course meal. As the name suggests, Lee Buk Bang offers food from "leebuk," North

May 25, 2024

World’s Best restaurant Central chef shares insights in Seoul

Virgilio Martinez, founder and head chef of Peruvian restaurant Central, was in Seoul last week to share his insights on fine dining culture and offering exquisite experiences to diners. His 16-year-old restaurant topped the World’s Best Restaurant 2023 last year. Sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants has reflected the diversity of the world’s culinary landscape since 2002. Martinez was in Korea to take part in Nanro Insight, a global symp

May 11, 2024

Best ways to add 'minari' to your table

In the 2020 Oscar-nominated film "Minari,” the eponymous Korean herb, which one of the characters explains “thrives where there is water,” symbolizes the resilience of the movie's Korean American immigrant family. While the film may have introduced minari to a wider audience, it fell short of exploring its varied uses in Korean cuisine, known for its light herbal taste, refreshing aroma and detoxifying properties. Native to East and Southeast Asia, this plant has th

May 5, 2024

Three places in Seoul to experience first flush green tea

The first flush, or the very first plucking of a tea plant’s harvest season, yields tea of the highest quality. In Korea, green tea made with the first pluckings is known as "ujeon nokcha," highly prized for its sweet, soft and subtle flavor. When the tea leaves are harvested indicates the quality of the tea, among other factors. The first pluckings of the year are of the highest quality because the nutrients stored in the plants are highly concentrated by the time spring arrives

April 18, 2024

[Graphic News] Beverage exports reached $572m in 2023

Exports of South Korean beverage products jumped to a record $572 million last year, helped by the popularity of Korean culture, government data showed Monday. The country’s beverage exports jumped 11.5 percent in 2023 from $513 million a year earlier, according to data from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Corp. By country, beverage shipments to China accounted for 21 percent, or $121 million, followed by shipments to the United States with $83 million, Cambodia with $54 million and

April 15, 2024

Korea’s soul food: Top gukbap places in Gangnam

When it comes to Korea’s favorite soul food, gukbap -- a bowl of rice and boiling hot soup -- ranks up there for its deep, rich taste. The broth, typically made by simmering beef or pork bones for hours, and various toppings such as meat, liver and intestines make for a flavorful, hearty one-dish meal. Sundae gukbap, or blood sausage gukbap, is a popular form of the dish, which is enjoyed across the country. It is a nutritious meal with a balance of protein and carbs and is enjoyed with in

April 13, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

  Rolling Hills Hotel presents Children’s Day package   Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, is offering a Children's Day package in collaboration with fruit gummy brand Haribo. The promotion includes a one-night stay in the hotel’s standard room, Goldbears-themed stickers, a drawing kit with a coloring canvas, color pencils, a tumbler and more. Goldbears, or Goldbaren, are Haribo’s iconic mascots. The package includes a buffet breakfast and access to t

April 12, 2024

[Graphic News] Four out of 10 households say their children don’t eat kimchi

A recent survey on Korea’s kimchi consumption has shown a shift in preference toward shop-bought kimchi rather than home-made kimchi. And 4 out of 10 households found that their children did not eat kimchi. According to the 2023 Kimchi Industry Survey Analysis Report by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp., 40.9 percent of the 3,183 households surveyed answered that their children do not consume kimchi. The ratio of children that do not eat kimchi has been rising gradually, from 3

April 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] Thai chef brings savory flavors of her home to Seoul

Tipaporn Phianthong, the head chef of Saffron -- the modern Thai cuisine restaurant at Banyan Tree Phuket -- has ventured beyond her home turf Thailand to bring the gastronomic excellence of Thai cuisine to Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul and its guests. The 31-year-old Thai chef arrived in Seoul last week with excitement to connect with Korean diners via Thai dishes. “Many people might be familiar with Thai cuisine’s spicy flavor. But, what makes our food tasty is the aroma of Thai

April 4, 2024

Jongno’s famous rice cakes with modern twist, old tricks

Tteok, glutinous rice cake that is enjoyed as a sweet dessert or filling snack, dates back to even before the Three Kingdoms period, when people made the rice cakes by pounding grain flour. Nowadays, this distinctive rice cake is enjoyed by many people for its chewy texture and the panoply of fillings, from fruit to beans and even butter that blend well with its mild flavor as well as its aesthetics. Thanks to the popularity of tteok among young dessert lovers and foreign travelers, tteok is eve

March 30, 2024

Four Korean entries among 2024 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants

The 2024 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list has revealed the top 50 selected restaurants in Asia, with four restaurants in Seoul among the rankings. Japan’s neo-French style restaurant Sezanne, helmed by British-born chef Daniel Calvert, was announced as the top winner at an awards ceremony held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas on Tuesday evening. The ceremony marked the finale to the gastronomic summit that kicked off this year’s edition in Seoul on Saturday, gathering

March 27, 2024

Asia’s top chefs share their recipes, techniques in Seoul

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 held the first #50BestTalks event since the pandemic in Seoul on Monday, led by gastronomic experts from Asia who touched on various topics from their recipes to fermentation techniques. Created in 2002, the world’s prestigious international gastronomic event kicked off this year’s edition in Seoul on Saturday. The five-day event, joined by 1,000 industry insiders, ends Tuesday with an awards ceremony where the list of this year’s top 50 re

March 25, 2024