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[yakorea]

Top 7 Cheap Restaurants To Keep Cash In Your Pocket

You are on a budget and wanna eat cheap? Where in Seoul can you go to have a delicious meal and not empty out your coffers? Actually there is a few options out there to consider. Once you know where to look then it will become a habit. Rather than eat like a tourist and pay over the top for the same food a local would pay a thousand won for. So let me introduce you to a few options out there, especially in Seoul that offers low priced tasty meals that feel like you are getting value for money.

Hansot Doshirak:

Hands downs, the best takeout place for lunchboxes in Seoul. Affordable, cheap and delicious and open till late at night. Prices ranges from 2,000won to 10,000won. You can get meat, rice and vegetables with salads available too. There is over 50 lunch boxes on over. So you might end up battling with yourself about what to eat. The service is good and fast, Most meals are prepared fast and usually come out of the kitchen within 5 minutes. Also there is instant soups ( to prepare at home) and cold beverages are on sale too. They have a huge menu available too.

This is definitely the most casual food I’ve had in Korea. Whilst we were eating several people came in and got take out. It’s like student food meets airplane food, and I really enjoyed it. If you’re on a bit of a budget then it’s actually kind of perfect.

Pomato:

This chain is a solid place for cheap eats. The restaurants are clean with neatly arranged furniture and the food is pretty decent with affordable prices. The best part is that is never closes!

Not everything on their menu is extremely cheap, but their menu is extensive and won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Their is a variety of kimbab , Katsu, Omelettes, stir fries, Chinese food, stews, and noodle and rice dishes on the menu. There is also English translations to make ordering easier!

They have a small assortment of side dishes, varies with restaurant and day including soup, kimchi, radish, and boiled eggs for instance which is all self-serve (meaning you get it).

Chicken Mayo and Jajangmyeon are in particular delicious for me. The Chicken Mayo is just 4,000 won is a whole chicken katsu, mixed with a bunch of scrambled egg strings in rice topped with seaweed. They also give you mayo and katsu sauce, to which you then pour the 2 sauces over the dish and mix it all up and then eat it up. Scrumptious!

Kimgane:

Kimgane is a casual cheap eat franchise that sells gimbab, noodles and rice. They have a lady at the front of the restaurant making fresh kimbap which looks like sushi. Everything is good value and inexpensive. Table water, cutlery, tissue and kimchi is all self-serve. I really liked the kimchi here as it was crunchy and wonderfully flavoured with the right amount of spice. The staff are friendly and service is very prompt and efficient. Don’t expect superior service here as it is a casual restaurant that offers authentic Korean meals at very affordable prices. 

The way this place makes kimbap, makes eating kimbap very tasty. There is a clean refreshing taste to it. Make sure to order some kimbap with your main dish.

Charles Sutbul Gimbap:

Stepping foot into any Charles Gimbap and you might feel like you walked into a BBQ joint. The aroma of its most popular dish, Sutbul Gimbap is the culprit. It is a gimbap roll with soy sauce marinated grilled pork.

The reason I recommend this franchise is that while its cheap, its portion can be quite generous I think. This place is popular with the younger crowd. Since the kimbap is quite huge, expect a struggle to get it to your mouth with the chopsticks. And chewing and swallowing is a feat only master kimbap eaters can do.

There is plenty of variety on hand so make sure to give your taste buds a bit of a workout.

Supermarket:

The reason I recommend the supermarket is the cheap food on hand. Supermarkets in Korea have surprisingly good sushi for one. Also there is food samples scattered over the supermarket for customers to taste. Samples include pasta, fruits, yogurts and even meat. If you are the civil type then one piece maybe two is ok. But if you are one of those who doesn’t worry about what others are thinking of you. Then, you can keep eating it. Beer is cheap too here obviously. Look out for the german beers if available. Nice bitter taste to it.

Bapburger:

Bon Gouuse Bap Burger is a popular Korean style fast food joint known for the very cheap and tasty cheap rice burgers it has own its menu. The rice burger is basically rice with some ingredients stuffed in the middle of it. In this case rice is used as the bun for the burger. It’s a quick snack for teenagers and students especially and you can even have instant ramyeon as a side dish if you wish. It is a franchise so finding it throughout Korea shouldn’t be hard. You can find some branches near Hongdae, Sinchon, SNU for example.

Prices range from 1,500won – 3,500won and there is a huge selection on offer. From spicy to plain. If you want something safe then I recommend the chicken mayo bap burger.

Pizza School:

Maybe one of the world’s most recognizable and beloved meals is pizza. In Korea, Pizza is loved as much as any other country and therefore there is a handful of places to get your cravings sorted. If you need a quick, cheap fix then pizza school is your only option.

With a good range of pizza on offer starting from 5,000won and rise up to 12,000won for the more fancy pizza. Now why would you want this pizza? Well yes its cheap for one whole pizza. Its greasy and feels like junk food, so its like a weight is lifted off you when you are scoffing down this pizza.

[yakorea]

Eggs-cellent! Make Gyeran Jjim (Korean Style Steamed Eggs) at Home

Steamed eggs, also known as gyeran jjim in Korea, is commonly found in Korean restaurants (such as Korean barbecue restaurants) where they are often enjoyed as a complementary side to one’s meal. Their soft and delicate texture and flavor, non spicy flavors, makes it a hit for young and old, Korean and non-Korean. They’re also great in helping take the heat off some of the spicier Korean dishes!

If you own a Korean earthenware pot known called ddookbaegi (뚝배기) gyeran jjim is quite easy to make at home. Ddookbaegis are specifically designed to quickly heat up and retain heat, ensuring even cooking. It’s a flexible and nifty addition to any kitchen that does a lot of Korean cooking (such as stews) and can be purchased in most Korean marts for an inexpensive price.

Listed below are the tips and tricks to get that perfect bowl of steamed eggs ready in no time. Seriously, you can have a fantastic bowl of gyeran jjim, from eggs to table, in just a minutes. You can also adapt the dish by adding and omitting ingredients or toppings to your preference. Some people like to add some chopped green onions or diced carrots, others like it simple and clean. Whatever style you prefer, bust out your eggs and give it a try!

Gyeran Jjim (계란찜)

Makes 2-3 Servings

You’ll need:

– 3 Eggs (4 if the eggs are small)

– 3/4 cup of Water

– 1/2 tbsp of Sea Salt

Optional toppings:

– 1/4 Carrot, diced

– 1/2 a Green Onion, sliced

– A pinch of toasted Sesame Seeds

– 1 tsp of Sesame Oil

1. For the gyeran jjim today, you will want to use the smallest size ddookbaegi available which are usually the 1-2 serving size pots you see in many Korean restaurants.

2. Crack in your eggs, add the water, and salt. The eggs to water ratio should be approximately 1:1. This may seem like quite a lot of water but this is what helps give it that light texture.

Note: Some like to use a stock- such as anchovy or even chicken- instead of water in this dish but I find it muddles the flavor of the eggs. You can substitute the water with equal part stock but using h2o is my recommendation 🙂

Add your eggs

Then an equal amount of water with a pinch of salt

3. Now it’s time to mix. It’s important that you beat the egg mixture like crazy. And by this I mean at least 100 times by hand. It may sound excessive but trust me, the more you beat it and aerate it, the fluffier your gyeran jjim will be. Just think of it as an exercise for the wrists and watch a Youtube video or something meanwhile. You could also do it the easy way out and use a blender or mixer but the important thing is that you really get everything blended and mixed.

4. Place your ddookbaegi on your stove and turn the heat up to high and cook uncovered. After a few minutes you will begin to see the outside edges beginning to form bubbles and cook. At that point, turn the heat to medium and use a spoon to gently scrape the sides and bottom (the outer layer) once to prevent the outside part from burning.

5. When much of the center of the mixture begins to curdle and cook, turn the heat to low and sprinkle on any additional toppings you wish to put on and cover and cook for another minute or two.

As I said earlier, the earthenware pot retains heat for a long while so instead of cooking the gyeran jjim to the point of doneness, take it off the stove just a minute or two before it’s fully cooked; the remaining heat in the pot will finish cooking out your eggs.

6. Optionally you can drizzle just a bit of sesame oil on top for a nuttier flavor.

Easy, fluffy, no hassle eggs, Korean style!

[yakorea]

Tea Houses in South Korea

Tea Houses are very popular in South Korea. From big franchises that serve tea, coffee and pastries to back-alley quaint little tea houses – Korea has it all. You can expect to not only try some traditional local teas but also more new-wave teas such as the milk tea with tapioca balls. If you’re ready for a treat keep on reading.

Did you know? The Korean word for tea is cha.

Big Franchises

At chain location you should expect to pay between 3.500 KRW to 5.000 KRW for a cup of tea. At smaller tea houses they serve specialty tea which can reach 20.000 KRW. However, you will get a dried fruit and rice cake platter as service.

The Tea Leaf and Coffee Bean

The Tea Leaf and Coffee Bean are a chain or tea houses/coffee shops offer a large variety of teas which you can have hot or with ice, drink them there or take them with you. You can choose the size you want – small, medium and large, the difference in price is 500 KRW.

Holly’s Coffee

Holly’s Coffee is a coffee shop that, like most, also sells tea. They have a large variety of tea lattes, or chai lattes such as green tea or berry flavored. They also have the very popular milk tea with tapioca balls. While most of them intricate ones are not brewed from leaves, they still are worth a try. Or two!

You can find both these chains in every neighborhood of Korea. We also recommend Tom and Tom’s Coffee, which have a range of black and red teas. Of course, Starbucks also makes the list as it has some specialties they only serve in South Korea.

  Traditional Tea Houses

Dawon Traditional Tea Garden

Dawon is one of the most famous traditional tea houses in Seoul. This quaint tea house is located in Insadong, so, if you are looking for a place to rest or warm up in-between visiting museums, we recommend this place. While not a small venue, seating 150 people, it definitely feels very intimate and relaxing.

They operate in a traditional Korean house, which is called a hanok. They have a garden with flowers and greenery which make for a very nice view, not to mention it is very Instagramable.

Their menu comprises more than 15 varieties of tea, alongside which they serve traditional Korean desserts such as rice cakes. The rice cakes, called tteok, are not overpoweringly sweet thus compliment the natural leaf-brewed teas. All of their teas originate from Korea.

They are open year-round from 10AM to 10:30PM. They can get quite crowded on the weekends so, if you’re looking to go there with a bigger group don’t hesitate to make a reservation. You can reach them by phone at [phone]. The staff speaks English as well as offer menus in English and Japanese.

Among their most popular teas are the chrysanthemum, ginseng, persimmon leaf, jujube and green plum. They also serve famous ones such as the ginseng, ginger, citrus, Chinese quince and green tea.

  Tteuran Tea House 

Another one of the traditional hanbok tea houses is Tteuran Tea House. The tea house is located between Anguk and Jongno subway stations, a short walk from both.

This is one of the most comfortable tea houses, with dim lights in the afternoon and evenings but bright in the mornings. You will seat on the ondol, which are the heated floors. Ondol is a floor-heating system traditionally used in Korea. Tteuran Tea House has a beautiful garden with countless tiny clay pots filled with greenery and flowers. The tea house opened almost a decade ago. The owner and her family renovated the building, which is 80 years old, preserving its original structure and created the beautiful garden.

In the winter months visiting ondol tea houses is an absolute must, and this one is well worth a visit. Their leaf tea and herbal tea menu is complimented by their red bean porridge.

Ttetran Tea House is open from Tuesday to Monday between 11AM and 10PM. Their address is 17-35, Supyo-ro 28-gil Jongnogu Seoul.

  Shin Old Tea House

Another floor-seated traditional tea house like the tea houses above is Shin Old Tea House. What is unique about the place is that the tea house is decorated with rugs, tapestries and pillows, making it unbelievably cozy. The lights are dim and the floors are warm and you might want to move in. While the tea house is spacious they have beaded space dividers which give it an intimate feel. They even have a goldfish!

They, of course, have a large variety of tea which come with Korean sweet rice cakes on the side. You’ll be so disappointed when you go back to your home country and there will be no service…

Since Shin Old Tea House is located in Insadong you would expect it to be me crowded, but it’s one of those Miyazaki-like tea houses that are completely empty and a nice old lady (the owner) approaches you, starts talking in a foreign language and smiles so kindly.

The address is 광산구 월계동 889-2번지 LC타워 1층 중앙홀. If you visit any of these traditional tea houses I would recommend this one mostly. If not for their selection of tea and their free sweets then for the fact that they have a lot of decorations which must require a lot of dusting. 

  Other honorable mentions are:

Cha Masineu Tteul at Samcheong-dong 35-169, Jongno-gu Seoul

Insadong Chatjip at 33-1, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

If you are looking to buy tea head down to Namdaemun market. The places with the strange things in big jars usually also sell tea, or you can find a place that sells tea nearby. The prices can be quite high as some are ‘specialty teas’ but don’t get scammed!

Tip! Have you tried the Korean Cornsilk tea? You can buy if from convenience stores in plastic bottles or cans, or you can buy it in teabag form. It will take you a while to get used to it but then you won’t be able to get enough! We promise!

[yakorea]

North Korean Style Mandu From Kkangtong Mandu

It’s easy to group together “Korean cuisine” as one big group but if you take the time to explore beyond Korean barbecue and bulgogi, one will start to see that its cuisine is very regional. The southern parts of the Korean peninsula is known for its warmer weathers and bolder and sometimes fiery (and fishier) flavors while the more north you go, the flavors tend to get milder with an emphasis on the ingredients. Because access to South Korea is much more common and its cuisine more prevalent abroad, it’s easy to think its flavors and cuisine style is representative of Korea itself however it shows some subtle to greater differences from its northern counterparts.

Kkangtong Mandu is found in Anguk-dong in northern Seoul, though originally it was located in Hannam-dong (just by Itaewon) until 2013 or so before unfortunately getting kicked out by the landowners. Despite that little break in between, it’s been in operation since 1988 by Park Hee Ja whose maternal grandparents came from the North. Having grown up with the memory and experience of making mandu with her family (a very traditionally northern dish), she eventually set up Kkangtong Mandu where she’s been making the same food she ate and learned from her own mother and grandmother.

The menu offerings here consists of what I like to call comfort “soul” Korean food including kalguksu (7,000), bibimguksu (8,000), kongguksu (9,000), manduguk (8,000), onban (9,000), kalguksu with mandu (8,000), steamed mandu (7,000), bossam (30,000 for medium and 35,000 for large), sooyook and jeon (30,000), mandu stew (25,000 for medium and 35,000 for large), mung bean pancake (10,000), beef jeon (20,000), pajeon (20,000), fish jeon (15,000), and jeon assortment (20,000).

They are best known for their mandu which are all made in-house as are the noodles, soup stock, and just about everything else.

As I said above, the location of Kkangtong Mandu moved from Hannamdong to Anguk-dong recently and is now housed in a renovated hanok so it has a lot of wood in its layout while the tables are floor seating only.

Serving dishes are all ceramic to add to the homely feel while the spoons and chopsticks come wrapped to ease sanitation concerns.

On my visit, in addition to the sooyook + jeon combo, we also got an assortment of kalguksu, steamed dumplings, manduguk, bibimguksu, and onban.

For the sooyook and jeon, which came out first, an assortment consisting of kimchi, green onion kimchi, pickled onions, and a spicy and non spicy dipping sauce came to the table.

The kimchi varieties are excellent, fresh, and made in-house. Not too fermented but not completely unripe either. Nice crunch and just enough kick to impart some synergy with the main dishes. It has a lot less fermented seafood flavors in it than the kimchi from the southern coasts.

The sooyook and jeon combo is an intriguing one in which the tender boiled beef slices are accompanied by some fish jeon and a thinly sliced cucumber and green onion mixture. It’s definitely not a combination I’ve come across before and I was rather intrigued.

The way of eating is simple, take a bit of the onion, green onion mixture, a piece of beef, and spoon a bit of dipping sauce on top- spicy peppers and kimchi topping a side option for those who want a bit of heat. Not knowing what to expect, I placed the entire combination in my mouth and was instantly a fan. The thin slices of beef are expertly cooked to a perfect tender point and its beefy flavors aren’t overwhelmed by the savory dipping sauce. But the beef and dipping sauce alone would have been a rather dull affair but it’s the green onion and cucumber mixture that really brings it to the top. Given a tangy and slightly sweet dressing before mixed, the fragrances of the green onion and cucumber comes together with the beef in an unexpected way that still allows the beef to play the central role. Adding the occasional green onion kimchi brought about another fun dimension to the combination while taking bites of the flaky fish jeon in between provided a combination of the flavors of the land and sea. This sort of light-yet-let-the-ingredients-shine-individually kind of North Korean style dish is my preferred style which is why this sooyook jeon combination was a real winner for me.

Onban is a unique North Korean dish that’s famed in the Pyongyang region. Usually chicken and other ingredients such as mushrooms are simmered with other vegetables to create a deep broth with additions later such as pieces of nokdoo jeon (mung bean pancakes), mandu, and/or rice and noodles added. It’s essentially a Pyongyang version of gukbap and the onban at Kkangtong Mandu doesn’t disappoint. It’s not as spicy as it looks and instead the deep flavors of the broth are what’s left to standout. I only tried a few sips of a friend’s but I’m quite keen to get this as my main dish the next time I come back.

The bibimguksu at Kkangtong Mandu is among the most aesthetically pleasing I’ve ever seen. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of bibimguksu or bibimbap as I feel it’s essentially a blob of red pepper paste and ingredients with the gochujang seasoning tending to drown out the flavors of everything. Here though the seasoning is light while the toppings of radish, shredded chicken meat, toasted sesame strips, etc are given their respect. What you get is an interesting mix of flavors and textures that isn’t overwhelmed by the seasoning. The ample bits of freshly ground toasted sesame seed gives the dish an extra nutty depth that showcases the North’s ability to let its ingredients shine yet come together.

The kalmandu is kalguksu (knife cut noodles) and mandu in one. The broth is light and delicious and noodles have just the elasticity to make you chew and slurp. The soup is somewhat lighter in flavor than what many may be used to. But for that same price, I would most definitely go with the…

…manduguk. Isn’t she a beautiful sight? Five mandus sit bobbing in the soup, their translucent skin giving just a peek of their packed stuffing. As each dumpling is modestly different in size and shape, you can tell they’ve been lovingly made by hand.

The mandus come in three flavors, one is the gogi mandu (or meat mandu) packed with minced pork, chives, garlic, ginger, and vegetables. The fragrant chives, ginger, etc, giving a gentle enveloping of the minced pork.

The kimchi mandu is surprisingly mild though it retains a bit of the chili fragrances.

The last one, shrimp, came with a whole shrimp stuffed inside and was my favorite.

Of course, if you’re not too crazy about the soup, you can just order the dumplings on their own which still comes in the three different flavors (2 of each). With just a bit of seasoning sauce on top, they do make for a delight.

As I’ve shared before, I have a bit of Northern blood in me (through my mum’s side) so this kind of lighter, emphasis on the ingredients and less on the seasoning is just the kind of thing for me but for those who are more used to the saltier and stronger flavors of the south, some of the dishes at Kkangtong Mandu may come off as lacking in seasoning in comparison. So use the seasoning sauces or eat with some of the delicious kimchi provided if you wish. But if you can, I say resist from going overboard on the seasoning as the dishes here are meant to highlight the textures and flavors of the ingredients. Try chewing through the mandu and identifying the different tastes. Without any MSG or overpowering flavors, it’s a lesson on the basics of fresh ingredients which is something that’s much needed in the ramen and everything spicy obsessed Korean palette.

Address: 

서울특별시 종로구 재동 84-22

84-22, Jae-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea

Come out exit 2 of Anguk Station and walk straight for about 100 meters until you see a narrow alley on your right (the alley entrance should be right before a pedestrian crosswalk on your left). Go into the alley and walk 30 meters until you get to a three way intersection and Kkangtong Mandu should be right in front of you.

Telephone: 

02-794-4243

Please note that Kkangtong Mandu is closed on Sundays!

[yakorea]

Mount Taebaek Snow Festival: Gangwon-do Winter Wonderland

Happen to be in Korea in January, the coldest month of the Korean winter? Lucky you! The cold might be biting and intense but it doesn’t mean you have to scurry indoors at every opportunity to escape the chill. There are a great range of activities to make the most of winter with and this festival is one of them. The 2017 Mt. Taebaek Snow Festival is held between January 13 and January 22 in Gangwon-do, easily accessible from Seoul.

The festival attracts winter-lovers of all ages and is a great place for families or groups of friends to visit. The main attraction is the large snow sculptures scattered across Taebaek city and in the national park. These sculptures are wildly impressive, often depicting both realistic and comical scenes and towering over visitors. Some sculptures will allow you to get up close and personal, taking photos in, with, or on them! The sculptures tend to change every year so seeing them is a real treat.

You can take a break from sculpture-spotting inside the festival’s cafe – a cafe made entirely of snow. This Igloo Cafe is one of the festival’s most popular attractions. After all, it isn’t everyday that we get to sup a hot beverage inside a beautiful snowy cave. Enjoy your drinks on tables made from ice and take shelter from the elements! The menu consists of a range of hot drinks to keep the frost at bay.

The Snow Sliding attraction is popular with children and adults alike, offering an exciting and unique experience by which to enjoy the ice and snow even more. Giant slides are built from snow, in the snow, and visitors can have a go at sliding down the route. If you fancy joining in, you won’t be let down for this is no gimmick; the snowy track makes for a speedy descent!

If all that sliding wasn’t enough for the thrill seekers, those who  don’t mind waiting in line outside in fresh temperatures can enjoy a sled ride led by Siberian huskies around the park. This is an extremely popular activity that is guarenteed to be unforgettable. It might be chilly but it’s way more stylish than sitting squished among commuters and tourists on the Seoul subway.

The Starlight Festival is somewhat ajoined to the Snow Festival, with hundreds of thousands of LED lights strung up around the Snow Festival site and attractions. However, the lights aren’t limited to only the Snow Festival main site; you’ll find them sprinkled across the entire city to celebrate Taebaek’s pride of being a beautiful place to witness the snow. If the festival crowds become too much, you can escape into the city and stroll in the soft glow of the LEDs.

Visitors to the Snow Festival dare not miss out on the hike up Mount Taebaek. Roughly an hour to the top, join other festival-goers taking the path to the top and enjoy one of the most fairytale winter scenes in the entire country. The views from the top are hailed as being some of the finest winter views in Korea. Hikers will see snow-laced mountain tops, trees and buildings from above. A white blanket covers the entire mountain and city.

To get to the festival take a bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Taebaek city and from Taebaek Bus Terminal take a bus heading for Danggol. You should alight at Taebaeksan provinical park. Entrance is to the festival is free and there will be plenty of hot foods on offer. Catch it before it ends!

[yakorea]

Top 8 essential online services for foreigners in Korea

South Korea is globally known as a “Miracle of the Han River”. Although this name is well deserved, it is gradually fading with the time, being substituted by numerous new not less miraculous achievements of the Southern part of Korean peninsular. One of them is a ubiquitous Internet penetration, which was introduced and developed in astonishingly short period of time. As the result, Korea has now one of the highest percentage of internet users, which amounted to 84.8% of the population in 2013 and the number is ever growing.

Therefore, you are very welcome to take advantage of Internet services provided by Koreans, and here is a list of top 8 most useful links, which will make it easier to adapt as a foreigner in Korea. All eight sites are supporting English versions, so you can easily use it without any worries!

Let’s start?

1. endic.naver.com/

Naver is the most famous and widely used online source in Korea, which in fact is dominant content service operator, including email and news as well as search portal. It in fact serves as a kind of substitute for google. For English speakers, however, the most useful function would be its awesome online dictionary. As Korean language learner, I have searched for different online dictionaries for quite a while and I haven’t yet found any dictionary which could compete with naver. Its translation service is, of course, way better than the translate.google.com, being much more precise, accurate and accompanied with numerous examples of context-based usage. Highly recommended to everyone searching for a good online dictionary. There are also French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese versions of the site.

2. kakao.com/talk

If you’re in Korea (or even before you come here), you most probably already have kakaotalk, as it is the first “must-have” app you need to download to your cellphone here. As South Korea is the most wired country with the highest broadband connection rate in the world, you will, most probably, use kakaotalk more often than any other application (in your life:)). There is also a PC version of kakaotalk, which reminds skype interface and functions a lot, except for it contains all your Korean contacts from your mobile phone, so you can also download the software on your laptop. It is very convenient, if you need to send or recieve some heavier files.

3. craigslist.co.kr/

For those who are looking for a part-time job, I highly recommend to check out this source, which provides with hundreds of freshly published job-position posts daily. Just send an email with your CV attached (if required) to the most attractive ad and voila! The answers usually don’t make you wait longer than a day (according to my personal experience, most of the company’s HR office representatives either answer within a couple of hours if interested, or the answer doesn’t come at all, but the latter variant is less frequent) and this service eases the demanding and time-consuming process of searching for, let’s say, waiter position in Itaewon or Dongdaemun in person. The range of jobs is quite diverse: apparent majority of posts are adressed to English language teachers for kids and teens, but you can find more flexible jobs, like floor staff, waiter, bartender, sales representative, interpreter, even football match commentator. There are also some weird ads, like some kind of an entertainer in karaoke bars for young ladies, but they are quite apparent in intentions, so I wouldn’t have recommended to have any contact with such employers.

4. ziphousing-korea.com

This is quite a new start-up online Housing Consultant agency with a very big potential. The reason for it is the fact that so many foreigners face problems with finding an accommodation in Seoul and Zip Housing helps foreigners to find the right one according to the clients’ personal preferences and expectations. They will negotiate with the landlords (excellent for those, who don’t possess very high level of Korean language skills), provide with translating service, and will give general advice concerning the real estate in Korea.

5. meetup.com/

If you’d like to join a community like hiking or soccer club, or perhaps just find new friends and acquaintances with shared interests, or maybe hang out with some cool people, register on meetup! This online service is designed specially for foreigners and is an easy and fun way to build a wide network of people. Many locals use this portal as well in order to get acquainted with foreigners and perhaps practice some English, so you can actually help people by joining.

6. clubinkorea.com

Korea is famous for its night life: numerous restaurants, karaoke bars, clubs. The latter are exceptionally good in Seoul, but one night out might be very pricy, so if you want to enter many clubs a night and prevent yourself from getting broke very fast, visit clubinkorea.com. The name of the site is self-explanatory: here you can find many ways to avoid entrance fees for partner-clubs in Hongdae, Gangnam or Itaewon in Seoul and still get best out of that. You can also find a list of recommendable parties and watch a video on how to enter the clubs for free. 

7. gmarket.co.kr

If naver is Korean google, then gmarket is Korean eBay. It is the most popular online shopping mall in Korea, with thousands of eager bidders, buyers and sellers, all brought together on the large international online market. The service is running since 2000 and has an auction business model, where people buy and sell goods and services, including collectibles, clothes, furniture, electronics, vehicles.

8. 11st.co.kr

The site suggests quite a wide range of Korean brand products from 8 different categories, including clothes, electronics, sports equipment, books and even groceries.  (If you know Korean, you can check out danawa.com. This site is widely used by youth in Korea in order to compare the prices for electronic goods, like laptops, digital cameras, cellphones, etc.)

I hope these links will enable you to have more on- and offline choices in Korea and also will help in adapting to the new circumstances. Be ready to use the advantage of free wi-fi hotspots and  stay connected with the help of Korean online services.

[yakorea]

A Guide to Jimjilbang - Dos and Don'ts

Are you visiting South Korea soon? Want to try a Korean spa but have no idea what the process is like? Follow the next steps and become a Jimjilbang master.

Step 1 – The Admission Fee

Jimjilbangs are open 24 hours and their admission fees differ from early to late in the day. This due to the fact that more people go to saunas in the evening. People who live far outside of Seoul and miss the last subway or bus are likely to stay overnight in a jimjilbang.

The admission fee differs from place to place. The average price is 7.000 KRW. In richer areas, such as Gangnam the average price is 10.000 KRW while fancier places will charge 15.000 KRW.

This fee includes a pajama-type outfit made out of shorts and a T-shirt. With that you also get two towels and a show locker key. You can stay up to 24 hours. If you stay longer than that, they will charge you another day’s fee upon exiting.

TIP! You cannot exit and return to the jimjilbang. They will ask you to pay the entry fee all over again.

  Step 2 – Your Outfit and Towels

After paying the entry fee you will head to the lockers. Here you will receive your jimjilbang pajamas. The outfits differ in color for women and men. You will also be given two towels. You might one to save one of this and origami it in one of those nifty towel hats you see in dramas all the time.

  Step 3 – Shoes Off! 

Like in every Korean place ever, shoes are a no-no. Jimjilbangs have a locker for storing your shoes. You get an individual locker so don’t worry – your shoes are safe!

    Step 4 – Gender Segregation 

Go to your gender-assigned locker room. A female attendant will exchange your shoe locker key for a clothing locker key. You mustn’t lose this key! Consider it your jimjilbang ID.

TIP! Use your locker key as a card in case you don’t have any cash on you. You can buy food and snacks in the lounge area of the jimjibang. You can find a chip attached to it. Every time you buy something you will put it on your chip card and they will tally it when you check out.

They will provide you with shampoo, shower gel and scrubbing mitts.

TIP! Treat yourself to a face mask while you are there! They go for approximately 2.000 KRW.

  Step 5 – The Locker

You will be assigned a locker. The key to the locker is attached to a bracelet which means you can wear it around your wrist and not worry about losing the key. The locker will fit a small gym bag and it comes with a mirror and a hook.

You will leave your clothes (we mean both your clothes and the pajama they give you) here. 

Step 6 – Enter the Sauna

Leave your clothes along with your shame in the locker. Take your towel and toiletries with you and enter the sauna. Everyone else will be naked too, so don’t feel embarrassed! Moreover, you will be surrounded by only your gender. However, if you’re a foreigner and even more so, you’re visibly anything other than a light-skinned Asian, you will catch some stares. Don’t feel bad about it. They are probably just curious.

  Step 7 – Wash Up!

The usual bathing ritual is a shower where you wash yourself with soap and sponge/loofah. You can feel free to bring your own toiletries and supplies. You can also buy them at the sauna.

After you shower you can head down to the bathing pools. The water is herbal, so it has health benefits.

  Step 8 – Scrub Down

After you dipped in the pools you are ready for a scrub! You will be amazed at how much dead skin peel right off  after marinating enough in hot water. However, if scrubbing is not your cup of tea, of if you find it completely terrifying and painful you can just take a shower.

TIP! Most bathhouses will have a masseuse/scrubber. It will typically be an older lady.  This service costs around 20.000 KRW, but it is well worth it. Don’t expect her to be tender though! It will feel like you’ve been in a mosh pit for a little while.

After you’re all done, go to your locker and put on your pajamas.

  Step 9 – Entertainment

Once you’re all clean it’s time to have some fun. You might think people just go to saunas to wash up, nap and eat a boiled egg or two but there’s more to it!  Depending on the jimjilbang you will find massage chairs, TVs, DVD rooms where you can watch movies, PC bangs, gyms and beauty salons.

Step 10 – Snacking

And speaking of hard-boiled eggs, some of the snacks you can typically find in saunas are eggs, herbal teas, shaved ice with red bean paste and other iced drinks. They’re not cheap yet not expensive. If you’ve gone through a massage you definitely deserve a snack. These hard-boiled, smoked or marinated in soy sauce eggs can be quite delicious! 

  Step 11 – Sleeping 

Some saunas have separate lounge/sleeping rooms for men and women while some are joint. Moreover, some have special rooms with massage chairs, recliners and bunk beds, while others have a heated floor. Jimjilbangs also have wooden blocks for pillows and bamboo mats as mattresses.

TIP! When you’re sleeping be sure to mute your phone. If your phone runs out of battery they will have charging stations or at least a charger which you can borrow. You can then go on a quest to find an empty outlet. Do pack an extra battery or an external charger if you’re addicted to social media. And yes, most places do have Wi-Fi.

[yakorea]

Art Galleries in South Korea

If you’re a lover of fine arts you will be happy to find out that South Korea is a haven for artists. There are many art galleries big and small focusing on both the classic and contemporary art. Ranging from sculpture, textiles, pottery and graphic arts along, here are the best galleries in South Korea.

There are numerous art schools starting from high school to colleges. Artist are generally appreciated by Korean society, many of whom do not shy away from buying original pieces of up-and-coming artists. Generally, cover fees for exhibitions are under 20.000 KRW. Elders and students get discounts.

Moreover, Korea has a ‘culture day’ which is every last Wednesday of the month. On this day you can enter participating galleries and museums for free. While most of the small art galleries do not take part in this program they are still worth checking out.

There are a large number of independent galleries all over the country, most of which are in Seoul. If you have an interest in art, or if you want to see more than kimchi fermenting pottery and other traditional creations, we have you covered. The galleries in this list focus on contemporary art.

Nam Jun Paik Art Center

Let’s start with a gallery dedicated to the country’s most well-known artist, Nam Jun Paik. Paik is considered the found of video art. He created beautiful installations that brought together traditional elements combined with electronics to later work only with electronics. One of his most famous pieces are the Buddha statue and TV/VCR system installations.

The Nam Jun Paik Art Center is open year-round and aside exhibitions of his pieces also organizes events and other exhibitions with the works of young artists.

The official webpage for the art center can be found here and is available in both Korean and English. Their Facebook page, here, is very helpful for finding out information about exhibitions and events. If you have questions you can message the staff of the center or call them at 031-201-8500.

The center is located in Yongin, which is just outside of Seoul, 기흥구 백남준로 10.

Until February 5th you can see an exhibition in remembrance of Nam Jun Paik.

Emu Art Space

Emu is a multi-functional cultural space that holds a cinema, a cafe and a gallery. This is one of the few cinemas which show Korean movies with English subtitles. So if you are tired of squinting you eyes or turning to your friends for a quick translation while at the CGV, we recommend this!

You can find them on Facebook here and on their webpage here.

LG Art Center

The LG Company shows their philanthropic and art-loving side through the LG Art Center Non-Profit Organization. The LG Art Center hosts exhibitions as well as theater, dance and concerts.

Find them on Facebook here and on their official webpage here.

Platform L

Platform L is a newly opened contemporary art center. While the center only opened its doors in 2016 they have since been very active in the contemporary art scene. Here you can see performance theater plays as well as modern art exhibitions.

Find them online at their Facebook page here and at their official webpage here.

The address of Platform L is 강남구 언주로 133길 11, Seoul, South Korea and they can be reached by phone at 02-6929-4470.

(space) nowhere

Nowhere is an art gallery among the most hip art galleries. Moreover, their own webpage here has some information in English and their Facebook page can be found here.

The address is  종로구 창신동 23-617

Audio Visual Pavilion

This gallery hosts mainly installations. A lot of events take place here as they are one of the art galleries that are the biggest supporters of young artists. You can find their Facebook page here and their own website here.

The address for the AV Pavilion is 서울 종로구 통인동 5-5번지, Seoul and you can reach them by phone at 02-730-1010.

Art Space Pool

Art Space Pool is a modern art museum. Twenty local artist-curators, art critics, and interdisciplinary writers and thinkers founded Pool in 1999. ‘Most recently, Pool has taken steps to revive the publication of the first Korean historical alternative art journal initiative, forum a.’  Pool is now trying to make the shift from state to independent funding, which makes it one of the bravest art galleries on our list.

You can find them online on their own webpage here, which is also available in English, and on Facebook here.

The address for Art Space Pool is 종로구 세검정로 9길 91-5.

 Art Center Nabi

The Nabi art center is a museum and art center. This media arts specialized institution deals with robot prototypes. Whether you understand how all these work or not it’s still impressive when you see what they do. The Nabi arts center fits very well in the dystopian universe Seoul may seem to foreigners from less hi-tech places. They work with robot prototypes but also engage in educational programs and projects. A pretty unique place as far as art galleries go.

You can find the online on their Facebook page here and on their official website here.

The address for the center is 종로구 종로26 SK본사빌딩 4층 Seoul, South Korea and you can reach them by phone at 02-2121-1031.

Factory 483 Gallery

The Factory 483 Gallery opened its doors as an exhibitions space and art shop in December 2002. However, only fourteen years later, is one of the galleries that host most foreign artists.

Find them on their Facebook page here and on their official website here.

Their address is 15 Jahamun-ro 10-gil Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Dodooba 

While Dodooba is not an art gallery, it’s the perfect place to go if you want to keep up with news from the Korean art world and exhibitions. The website fancies itself as an online curator and we must say, we agree with that description. Find them on Facebook here and on their official webpage here.

Other websites you should check out…

These websites have information about cultural events and exhibitions, as some exhibitions do not take place at galleries.  Among the best are a-route and the Art in Culture magazine’s website.

[yakorea]

Sanchon Templefood in Insadong

If you tend to overindulge in samgyeopsal and soju you may sometimes feel the need to do one give your body a break every once in a while. Korea is quite adamant about their meat, so while finding light yet filling vegetarian food in Seoul can be tricky, it’s in no way impossible, and Sanchon with their templefood concept is a great bid. Founded sometime in the early 80’s by a former Buddhist monk Sanchon serves food much like what you would find in one of the many Buddhist monasteries across Korea, though with some adjustments; traditionally meals served in monasteries doesn’t contain any animal products at all nor do they use ingredients such as garlic and green onion to season their food, as they are thought as stimulate ones mind in a negative way, and should furthermore not be salty, spicy or strong, which compared to regular Korean food does admittedly sound a bit dull, and so to make the taste appeal more to the general public the food is prepared with all the mind stimulating ingredient usually found in Korean cuisine, though somewhat toned down.

The menu is, in one sense, very simple. There’s only one thing to choose and that is their five-course meal so visit on a day when you’re hungry, or it will be a waste of both good food and money. Sanchon, while still affordable, is somewhat more expensive than your average Korean restaurant, though I daresay it is worth the price, as you not only pay for the delicious food, but also for the experience. Everything is beautifully presented, and the restaurant itself is also a wonderful and slightly quirky place with a great ambiance.

While I could give a detailed description of everything included in the five-courses I will, in the spirit of the restaurant, keep things simple. The food served at Sanchon is refined in a rustic way, and one can sense the thought that has gone into the preparation and presentation of the food. The flavours are simple and earthy, but harmonize well with each other, and despite the use of salty, strong and spicy flavours the food do seem bring you a certain peace of mind. The many vegetables fill you up without weighing you down while the tea served alongside the meal nicely cleanse your palate between each course. At the end of the meal, as the result of all these things, I felt so relaxed and happy (not to mention full) that I felt like lying down to take a nap on the heated floor, I guess you could say that I reached my own little nirvana.

Probs to you if you manage to clean everything.

If you go for lunch you’ll get the whole shazam for the 33,000won, however, paying the 45,000won for an evening meal has it’s perks as there’s a performance of traditional Korean dance and music every evening from around 8pm to 8:40pm every day. I cannot vouch for the quality of the performance as I went for the cheaper lunch option, but I did find the peace and quiet of Sanchon in the afternoon quite fitting the whole temple image.

Check out Sanchon’s website for reservations and directions as well as more info on the place: http://www.sanchon.com/en/index.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X_3Pm72xhU

[yakorea]

10 Tips That Will Make You Life In Korea Easier

  When you first get to South Korea your bosses, colleagues and friends will bombard you with tips. Most of those tips you’ll forget, or learn on your own. However, here are 10 tips that are bound to get you out of trouble sooner or later.

1. Kakao Pin

Kakao Messenger is a first day in Korea thing. This messaging app is so widely used that I m 99.9% sure everyone is on it. The Kakao Messenger app is constantly being developed and by now it includes many additions to what a normal messenger would have. One of those additions is the ability to send a pin, to a location on Kakao Maps.

To send a pin, first activate your GPS and then hit send. Accordingly, when you receive a pin, all you have to do is turn on your location services. The second step is to click on the circle in the upper left part of the screen. It will glow blue and it shows you your location on the map and how close you are to the (red) pin. If you are looking for a place you can send yourself the location on Kakao, open it with Kakao Maps, then send yourself a pin.

You’ll never get lost again!

2. Kakao Taxi

Our friends from Kakao saved us again! Kakao Taxi is a taxi ordering app. You won’t be freezing on the street anymore trying to catch a taxi. Moreover, if you’re a foreigner and cannot speak Korea, the app lets you set your destination point. The app shows the location of the taxi and how long until it gets to you. When the taxi arrives, if you don’t speak Korean just say Kakao Taxi or show him the Kakao Taxi window on your phone.

This will also make it harder to for taxi drivers to scam you by taking you through a longer route. Also, if you forget something in the taxi you will be able to contact the taxi driver through the app.

3. Proxies

South Korea blocks a lot of foreign sites. The same government warning shows up whether you’re looking up smut or trying to access Pandora. There is a way to bypass this. Hola is a free proxy program. You can get it as an app on your phone, a desktop program or a browser extension/add-on.

Hola is the most popular one because it is free, but there are other for-pay VPN apps on the market. Happy surfing!

  4. No Trash Bags On The Weekends

If you work all week until late or are simply too lazy to do the recycling and wait until weekends, think again… Stores are not allowed to sell trash bags on weekends. They do this in order to prevent overcrowding. However, you do not have to discard recyclable items such as paper, plastic, glass and tin in a government-issued trash bag. Any ol’ trash bag will do for them.

Moreover, if you live in a an apartment complex, you’re in luck! Apartment complexes tend to have gigantic sacks for collecting plastic bottles and right next you will see a giant pile of cardboard.

5. Smoking

South Korea has started fining its citizens for smoking in public places. If you, however, manage to find a place without all the menacing No Smoking posters, be sure not to throw your cigarette butt on the ground. There are some government workers – usually old men with a blue vest, a little hand, an ID tag hanging from their neck and a flip chart in their hands that plant themselves under CCTV and watch you like a hawk. Their outfit tips you off so you can pocket your cigarette butt.

The fine is 40.000 KRW if you pay in 24 hours and 80.000 KRW if paid after that grace period. You can pay fines online here.

6. Elders’ Seats

Time for some subway tip! The sets of three seats on both ends of subway cars are off limits! While generally assigned to parents with small children and pregnant ladies along with elders. Elders, however, dominate those seats. You can see them lining in front of the doors even if the previous train just left. They want that seat. If you look foreign they might cut you some slack but fingers crossed you don’t run into a xenophobic, shouty elder!

7. The Pink Seats

Last year celebrated the introduction of the pink seat, a seat assigned to the temporarily crippled as well as to the pregnant. You can feel free to take sit on it, but do stand up when you see someone with a disability, be it even temporary or a pregnant lady.

8. No Drinking On The Subway

These two tips are a no-brainer, but you’ll be surprised how many a foreigner got busted by the moral police. While drinking in public is both allowed and widely practiced in South Korea, subway trains are off limits. An elder might scold you or the whole train could give you the stink eye the entire journey. It also not advisable to take drinks on board, especially during rush hour. We know you need that coffee, but it will be hassle balancing yourself and your cup in a train as packed as a can of sardines.

  9. Use Your T-Way Card To Pay In Convenience Stores

The next two tips are going to come in handy if you hate carrying cash. So far South Korea has been a haven to you on account of all locations accepting card as a payment method, we understand you. However, if you feel slightly hesitant to go out partying with your card on you – if you lose it you will have to go through the hell of Korean bureaucracy. Korean bureaucracy is the ancient equivalent of a public whipping.

You can always carry a budgeted amount of cash and charge your T-way card with enough money to buy you a convenience store meal, the mandatory beers to celebrate public drinking and the equivalent of a taxi fare home.

10. Use Your T-Way Card To Pay In Taxis

You heard that right, you can use your T-Way card to pay in taxis. Long gone are the days of having to carry cash and still have the taxi driver scowl at you for it not being in smaller change. Simply charge your card at a charging point and then swipe! You can find the charging points in the subway.

[yakorea]

The Story of Ddeokbokki- From the King’s Table to Everyday Favorite

The iconic ddeokbokki in which rice cakes are simmered in a spicy-sweet sauce has become a ubiquitous dish in Korea that ranks among the most popular for locals and a growing following abroad. While it’s more associated as a snack today, the dish was originally meant for the wealthy and elite and bore little resemblance to the fiery red food you mostly come across today.

Here’s a look at how this addictive dish came to be as well as some iconic places you can try modern day variations of it around Seoul.

Ddeokbokki’s Beginning as a Royal Dish

Goongjoong Ddeokbokki was a dish that was eaten by members of royalty and the elite

No one’s quite certain whenc was first made but records of the dish’s early forms appear as far back as the 17th century. Interestingly, the dish’s base back then wasn’t gochujang (red pepper paste) as is most commonly used today (chili peppers itself were only introduced to Korea in the late 16th century). Instead, records show the dish had rice cakes either braised, simmered, or fried with other ingredients such as thinly sliced beef, mushrooms, and other vegetables with seasonings such as ginger, sesame seeds, soy sauce, etc and then topped with sliced roasted seaweed sheets, egg slices (yolk and whites cooked separately), and more. It was a laborious dish that took time and effort and was said to be a favorite in the royal palace as well as among the elite. This version is known today as ‘goongjoong ddeokbokki’ (궁중떡볶이) or, literally, ‘royal palace ddeokbokki’ and is a non-spicy, sweet, and savory version which those who are averse to spicy flavors can enjoy.

From a Dish For Kings to a Dish for Everyone

Because goongjoong ddeokbokki included many ingredients that were difficult for ordinary commoners at the time to obtain and was so meticulously prepared, it was a dish that few outside Korea’s most upper circles could enjoy. Its coveted status rang true to even the first half of the 20th century as reflected in a 1930 gayo song by Park Hyeong Lim which includes the cheeky lyrics, “[obba] eats the bulgogi ddeokbokki alone and gives me the pickled cucumbers and soybean sprouts.”

So when did the ddeeokbokki turn into the spicier, everyday food we know today? No one knows for certain but many attribute it to Ma Bok Rim who owned and operated a Chinese restaurant in the early 1950s. She is said to have accidentally dropped some long rice cakes into some jajang (black bean sauce from which jajangmyeon is based on) and then got the idea to mix flour-based rice cakes with gochujang and chunjang and sell them. It became a hit with the locals and the dish quickly spread in popularity and recognition, so much so that she inspired copycats and even an entire ddeokbokki “town” around her in Seoul’s Sindangdong.

The late Ma Bok Rim who is considered the “mother” of modern day ddeokbokki as we know today.

Since then, other variations have followed with the sauce, ingredients, and rice cake base (rice or flour) shifting and changing to reflect new trends and tastes. The varieties offered today are staggering from made-to-order tabletop ddeokbokkis to street side ddeokbokkis and even fusion variations such as carbonara ddeokbokki, cheese ddeokbokki, curry ddeokbokki, and more. But the variation that has cemented its status today as the most representative is the spicy-sweet, gochujang based ddeokbokki.  From mom-and-pop shops to major ddeokbokki chains, you’re almost never seemingly a kilometer away in any Korean town or city from a ddeokbokki shop with bubbling vats and pans of this irresistible dish ready for consumption.

Where to Eat Ddeokbokki in Seoul today

Today there are thousands of ddeokbokki restaurants and eateries all across Korea which offers this popular dish. Its versatility to be eaten as a meal or as a street snack is part of its mainstream appeal and questions over where the best ddeokbokki is found often leads to heated debate among friends and family members.  As much of the “mainstream” ddeokbokki we know today is considered rooted in Seoul and the vicinity, here are some popular, long-running ddeokbokki institutions in the capital, each with their own unique appeal.

1. Ma Bok Rim Ddeokbokki ( 마복림 떡볶이)

Ma Bok Rim Ddeokbokki

서울특별시 중구 신당동 292-112

292-112, Sindang-dong, Junggu-, Seoul

The ‘grandmother’ of ddeokbokki, Ma Bok Rim is attributed with creating the first spicy-sweet variation of ddeokbokki that is most commonly known today. The ddeokbokki is cooked at your table with the addition of ingredients such as ramen noodles, fish cakes, mandu, and more to create a delicious bubbling concoction. And though the matriarch herself unfortunately passed away in 2011, her recipe was passed on to her sons and her first, second, third, and fifth sons all operate their own “Ma Bok Rim Ddeokbokki” within the same vicinity, using her tried and true recipe.

2. Wonjo Halmuni Ddeokbokki (원조 할머니 떡볶이)

서울 종로구 통인동 94

94, Tongin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Gireum ddeokbokki from Tongin Market

For a different take on ddeokbokki with a long history, head to Tong-in Market just west of Gyeongbok Palace where you can try gireum ddeokbokki. No spoons are required here as there’s no soup and instead rice cakes are cooked on a hot metal pan with just oil and either soy sauce or red pepper flakes to create this simple snack. You won’t find any fish cakes, vegetables, or even gochujang in the ddeokbokki here, which catches many who are accustomed to the thick soupy ddeokbokki off guard. On first taste, the gireum ddeokbokki may seem rather plain but there’s a unique merit to it that makes you think of it afterwards- as attested by the fact the place has been in operation since the 70s and sparked a few other rivals in the same market.

3. Jinmi Ddeokbokki (진미 떡볶이)

Jinmi Ddeokbokki

서울 중구 신당동 291-29

291-29 Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

The ddeokbokki here breaks all stereotypes that ddeokbokki must come in red. Here, the famed ddeokbokk is a brownish-black that reminds one of the popular jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles). Sweet, savory, and salty, Jinmi’s ddeokbokki is often wrongly assumed to be based on chunjang (which is the base of jjajangmyeon) but not even a bit of it goes into the dish here. Instead, the homemade gochujang is mixed with soy sauce to create this uniquely flavored ddeokbokki. The rice cakes here are also different in that they are made with both rice and flour to create extra soft rice cakes that absorbs the creative sauce better.

4. Golmok Ddeokbokki (골목 떡볶이)

서울 송파구 문정동 44

44, Munjeongdong, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Golmok Ddeokbokki

On the opposite end of the spectrum from gireum ddeokbokki, Golmok Ddeokbokki is known for their extra soupy ddeokbokki which particularly has fervent fans from those who imbibed from the soju bottle a little too much from the night before. Only peeks of the fish cakes and rice cakes poke out from the thick red soup which patrons love to slurp down.

The secret in the lauded “soup” comes from dried radish strips which are boiled and added to the ddeokbokki to make an extra dimensional soup. The extra liquid makes it a perfect sauce and/or dip for other items on the menu that pair well such as crispy fried mandu, soondae, and fish cakes.

Make Your Own Ddeokbokki! If you’re feeling up for a bit of challenge, making ddeokbokki at home isn’t so difficult especially if you have a lot of Korean ingredients on hand. The best part of making it at home is that you can adjust the spice levels as well as add and omit ingredients to your liking. From ramen noodles and sausages to chopped vegetables and hard boiled eggs, just about anything is fair game to join your pot of ddeokbokki. Try having a ddeokbokki party for you and some friends at home!

[yakorea]

Clubbing In Korea

Whether you are already in Seoul and you want to go clubbing or you are planning for you trip to South Korea, this article will give you some tips and tricks about nightlife in the South Korean capital.

The Basics

In order to enter a club (or drink) in South Korea you should be at least 19 years old. You can expect to be carded when entering a club. Restaurants and bars don’t usually card foreigners, since, as bad as Westerners are at guessing the locals’ age, Koreans always think foreigners are older than they really are!

Tip! If you’re a student/exchange student at a South Korean university and you forgot your Alien Registration Card, you can identify yourself through your school’s ID or website. Universities have online portals and your password will include your birth date. All you have to do is punch the password and the bouncer will let you in.

Identify Yourself With

Passport

Alien Registration Card

Driver’s License (from your home country)

Wardrobe

After you pay the cover fee you can leave you clothes and bags at the wardrobe. You will usually receive a bag (a gym bag if you’re with a big group) or locker to leave your things in. Clubs charge between 2.500 and 5.000 KRW, depending on their location.

The only inconvenient part is that, if you’re there with a big group, and one person decides to leave, they have to be chaperoned to the wardrobe so they can leave the key with someone else in the group. You probably don’t want to lose your key, since that means you have to stay there until everyone else has left.

Opening and Closing Times

Clubs open around 10PM and close at 8/9AM. It depends on how popular the club is, thus how big the crowd is. Once they start sweeping the floor and turning the lights on the magic is gone and the show is pretty much over. It is customary for locals to stay at the club until the first subway, at 730. They might leave earlier than that and his one of the 24h soup restaurants. Soup after drinking is a Korean tradition! It is not advisable to go to the club earlier than 12PM/1AM. You will probably get bored and hungry – while everyone else is either eating dinner or getting warmed up at a bar.

Club Day

South Koreans love clubbing so much that every last Friday of the month is deemed Club Day. This started in 2001. Taking part costs 15.000 KRW in exchange for which you can get into many clubs! Unfortunately this event onlt takes place in Hongdae. After you pay the cover fee at one of the participating clubs you receive a wristband. This wristband grants you free access in the other clubs. However, you should expect these clubs to have long lines. Get there early!

Now that we’ve covered the basics lets move to Seoul’s best clubbing areas. The three neighborhoods with the best nightlife are Hongdae, in west Seoul, Itaewon in the center and Gangam towards the east.

Hongdae

Hongdae is the perfect place if you are looking for a casual, young atmosphere. The neighborhood is home to hip hop clubs as well as alternative genres such as punk and hardcore. The cover fee ranges between 10.000 and 20.000 KRW. The price of a shot is around 5.000 KRW,  while a cocktail can be up to 15.000 KRW.

You can meet a fair amount of foreigners around Hongdae and the locals should not be too shy. You can engage in conversation with Koreans, as they are pretty welcoming of foreign cultures. After clubbing you can also chill at the playground (unless it is too chilly to do so!), it will most likely be packed and people will still be drinking in the morning.

Itaewon

Itaewon is a neighborhood which along with Haebangcheon, homes the highest number of foreigners. From Arab hill in Itaewon to G.I., US-heavy HBC – you can find people all over the world. The clubs are more varied, you can find clubs that play African music, jazz bars to house and hip hop. There are less Koreans in these two neighborhoods, but the ones who are there can most likely speak English and are very open towards foreign cultures.

The prices resemble the ones in Hongdae, 10.000 to 20.000 KRW for the cover fees, 5.000 KRW for a shot and up to 15.000 for a cocktail. Itaewon will have pricier drinks, such as bottles of champagne at clubs. So, if you want to spoil yourself while partying with people from every corner of the world, you can go right ahead!

Gangnam

Gangnam is the wealthiest area in Seoul, thus, you should expect to pay more when clubbing in any Gangnam location. The cover fee is around 30.000 to 40.000 KRW. However, depending on how early you get there, they might waive some of the fee. Be sure to check the clubs’ Facebook page before going! Shots average between 10.000 to 20.000 KRW in Gangnam.

Nevertheless, if you are an attractive foreigner, you might get scouted by one of the club employees and get in for free. Also, in general, the cover fee is either waived or discounted for females.

Tips!

Try connecting with promoters online! Promoters often post on Craigslist and Facebook. Promoters can either get a discount or can get in you in for free.

If you are a petite girl, changes are you will be groped and grabbed quite a bit! Try taking at least one male friend along when you go clubbing, and don’t drift too far away from your friends.

Likewise, as a foreigner, locals will show their hospitality by shoving shots and bottles or beer down your throat! Watch how much you drink because chances are that if you pass out on a couch they will just leave you there!

The last tip is pretty much a no-brainer but the more popular the club – the more packed it is going to be. And this is a 10 million  people thriving metropolis!

[yakorea]

Tempat Rahsia di Seoul : Buam-Dong

Buam-Dong adalah sebuah kawasan kejiranan yang terletak di Jongno-gu iaitu di pusat bandar Seoul. Kawasan ini pernah diduduki oleh banyak artis dan penulis, menwujudkan suasana kesenian yang tidak boleh didapati di tempat lain. Sekarang kawasan ini dipenuhi dengan galeri moden, kafe dan restoran. Kedai kosmetic , Starbucks , Paris Baguettes langsung tidak boleh didapati di kawasan ini. Kawasan ini bukan sahaja klasik, malahan anggun dan mempunyai ciri yang unik.

Cara Pergi :

Kawasan ini adalah kawasan kejiranan yang terletak di bukit. Oleh itu, tempat ini hanya boleh diakses dengan bas tempatan.

7022 (Seoul station, Gyeongbukgung Plaza, Lotte World Plaza-Myeongdong)

1020 (Gyeongbukgung), 7212 (Yaksu station, Jongno 3-ga station).

7212 (Yaksu station, Jongno 3-ga station).

Berhenti di Stesyen Seoul Museum atau Stesyen Buamdong Community Center.

* Kebanyakan kedai ditutup pada hari Isnin*

#1 Seoul Museum 

Muzium ini dipenuhi dengan barang kesenian moden dan klasik oleh artist Korea dan juga luar negara. Muzium ini mempunyai pameran seni tempoh pendek yang berlainan dari masa ke masa.

Selain itu, muzium ini mempunyai rumah perkarangan yang bernama Seokpajeong, rumah traditional Korea (Hanok) pada abad ke-19. Seokpajeong adalah sebuah vila musim panas ahli politik yang berkuasa  besar. Ahli politik ini bernama Heungseon Daewongun, ayahanda Raja Gojong.

Tiket Masuk : Dewasa- 9,000 KRW , Pelajar University – 7,000 KRW, Pelajar – 5,000 KRW, Kanak-Kanak – 3,000 KRW

Masa Operasi: 11:00 am ~ 19:00 pm (Mac – Okt)

11:00 am ~ 18;30 pm (Nov – Feb)

#2 Whanki Museum

Sebuah muzium seni peribadi dan mempunyai lebih daripada 6,000 buah karya Whanki Kim dan barang-barang peribadi, muzium ini adalah permata yang tersembunyi di Buam-dong.

Galri ini diiktiraf oleh kurator SeungLee Paik sebagai muzium yang kedua tercantik di Korea (Leeum Samsung Museum tercantik). Whanki Museum berusaha untuk mengagumkan pelawatnya dengan kolaksi yang hebat dan landskap yang unik.

Muzium ini mengadakan 5-6 pameran setahun termasuklah pameran budaya, pameran karya pelajar, dan program pendidikan.

Tiket Masuk : Dewasa – 7,000 KRW, Pelajar/Warga Tua – 5,000 KRW

Masa Operasi : 10:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

* Tutup pada Isnin, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day*

Cara pergi : Dari Stesen Bas Buam-dong Resident Center, ikuti papan tanda Whanki Museum (10 min)

Laman Web : http://whankimuseum.org/eng/

#3 Kafe Art for Life / Restoran

Restoran ini dibuka oleh Seong Phil Kwan (Phillip). Selepas meninggalkan Seoul Philharmonic dan bersara sebagai seorang oboist professional selama 50 tahun, beliau telah membuka restoran Itali Fusion dan ruang seni di Buam-Dong untuk mengongsi muzik, makanan dan seni dengan orang ramai.

Restoran Itali ini menghidangkan sebuah Set Makan Malam Itali yang berharga 70.000 KRW. Sebahagian wang ini akan didermakan kepada organizasi amal dan juga seni.

Pada pukul 5 petang setiap hari Sabtu, restoran ini akan mengadalah konsert muzik klasik, jazz dan lain-lain. Tempat duduk untuk konsert ini dihadkan kepada 60 orang dan tempahan awal diwajibkan.

Ticket Masuk : Percuma

Masa Operasi : 11:00 am ~ 18:00 pm (setiap hari)

#4 Sanmotoonge Cafe & Gallery 

Cafe ini adalah cafe yang paling terkenal di Buam-dong disebabkan pemandangan Gunung Inwangsan dan Bugaksan boleh yang indah dapat dilihat dari cafe ini. Selain itu, ia juga salah satu tempat penggambaran “Coffee Prince 1st Shop”.

Bukan sahaja hiasan luarnya classic dan menakjubkan, hiasan dalamannya juga sangat menarik dan penuh dengan kejutan. Ia terdiri daripada 2 tingkat dan satu tingkat bawah tanah. Tingkat bawah tanahnya adalah sebuah galery yang mempamerkan pelbagai mainan classic dan barang perhiasan yang unik.

Masa Operasi: 11:00 am ~ 22:00 pm

#5 Espresso Club

Kafe ini adalah salah satu kafe yang menghidangkan kopi yang terbaik di Seoul. Ia juga adalah destinasi utama pelawat Buam-Dong. Suasana dalam kafe ini sangat selesa dan luas. Mereka menghidangkan pelbagai menu yang menonjolkan kualiti kopi mereka dan tidak boleh dinafikan espresso adalah terbaik dalam kesemua menu.

Mereka juga menjual pelbagai alatan membancuh kopi dan juga biji kopi yang dibakar oleh barista kedai mereka. Tempat ini adalah syurga untuk “coffee lover” yang mengejar rasa kopi yang terbaik.

Masa Operasi : 09:00 am ~ 22:00 pm

Di bawah adalah peta Buam-dong yang ringkas

[yakorea]

夜のお散歩in三清洞(サムチョンドン) 歴史と現代の融合した美しい街

日の短い冬のソウルの楽しみ方といえば夜のお散歩です！

三清洞(サムチョンドン)は夜に歩くと昼に見る景色とは全然違った様子を見ることができます。

KONA QUEENS Café:三清洞のルミナリエ

短い休暇で韓国旅行に行った時にはぜひ！

一生懸命働いて疲れ果てた体と精神には何が必要ですか？

ロマンチックなギターの音が響く雰囲気のいいお店でゆっくりとした時間を過ごす？

三清洞（サムチョンドン）は、ソウルでユニークで有名な場所の一つです。

景福宮（朝鮮時代の王家の家）が左に、昌徳宮（景福宮の離殿）が右に、大統領府が北に、仁寺洞が南にありとても歴史を感じられる場所でもあります。

夜の三清洞を散策して、近代と伝統の融合した韓国の美しさを感じてみましょう。

三清洞の中心に位置するユルゴク(Yulgok)は飲食店、衣料品店、きれいな装飾を施した喫茶店があり「愛の楽園」と言われるほど雰囲気があります。

カップルのデートコースの一部にもなっています。

ショッピング、芸術、料理好きにはたまらない場所でもあります。

通りにはカフェ、美術館、アンティークショップ、有名なアートギャラリーが数多く並んでいます。

すべてユニークな建築設計をしていて行く度に魅力的な物を発見できるでしょう。

  オススメのお店、お店、ギャラリー：

Hakgojae Gallery（학고재） – 伝統的な韓屋と現代建築を融合させた建物内に現代、古代のものをミックスして創られたものが展示されています。

BookCaféNaeseojae（북카페내서재） – 壁掛けの本棚にはたくさんの本があり、ゆったりとした音楽が流れる中でシンプルなソフトドリンクや軽食のメニューが楽しめます。 落ち着いて過ごしたい時にオススメのカフェです。

Kuro Neko日本食レストラン – 韓国の日本料理好きが集まるレストラン

夜食として最適です。

ユルゴク(Yulgok)の入り口は深夜になるとストリートパフォーマンス、特にギターの演奏が楽しめます。

疲れた心は癒され明るい笑顔になれるでしょう！

[yakorea]

Surviving Sub-Zero: Winter in Korea

Although I currently live in Korea, I come from England originally, a country renowned for rainfall, measly summers, and grey, cold winters. I can’t say I’ve missed the English weather during my time in Korea. Up until winter. My memories of the English winter are that of cold, dark mornings spent waiting for buses in the rain, a constant feeling of damp, and battling the elements bundled up in hats, scarves and gloves from roughly the middle of October to the end of February, if not longer. Having experienced nearly two months of Korean winter now, I can safely say that I believe England is mild. Though we’re still apparently not even in the deepest, coldest part of winter, I have experienced the coldest days and nights of my life living in Korea. Walking to school at 9am might incur a meeting with -7 degrees Celsius, and the middle of the day isn’t much warmer. I’m told we’ll drop to at least -15 degrees Celsius during the daytime.

There is a saying in Korea along the lines of ‘3 cold days, 4 warm days’ (삼하사온), and the Hanja character literally mean ‘three cold four hot’. When I first heard this expression I was extremely sceptical about it. In what world could such a weather pattern exist? The weather I’ve grown up with in England is so unpredictable that I learned to ignore the weather forecasts completely and accept that you can just never know what the weather will bring on any particular day. I was so curious about this idea of three cold days being followed by four warmer days that I have been paying particular attention during the last two months. My conclusion so far? …It appears to be true. Don’t be fooled – the temperature is actually always cold. It doesn’t suddenly rise up to a toasty 20 degrees Celsius. However, after the temperature plummets for a few days and the fact that it will be -10 on Tuesday is the hot topic of conversation, suddenly the weather thaws out a little and we get a few milder days. Some people I know have expressed particular discontent with this pattern because they feel thrown off balance and don’t know quite how warmly they should dress on any particular day. I, on the other hand, feel that this pattern offers a small relief from the biting cold every few days. It isn’t necessarily easy to tell just how cold it is one day compared to the next – every day feels cold – but in my experience, if your face hurts, it’s probably one of the colder days.

Koreans have a lot of different methods to beat the cold weather. The first is hot packs for your hands. These can be obtained at convenience stores and Daiso, so I’m told. These are self heating packs to hold in your hands and pockets that begin to get warm after you crack them. They won’t last all day and are a one-use only item but they are pretty cosy.During November I began to see the seas of denim jackets disappear and, in their place, swarms of huge padded coats. Almost every Korean on the street and the subway is wearing one of these long, puffy coats during the winter season. It does mean that if you’re wearing one you have to be a little more careful of knocking things off shelves in shops and have to squeeze yourself into a space on the subway (probably between two other people also wearing these coats), but you’ll be warm and cosy from head to almost-toe. Top of the range Uniqlo and North Face coats start at around 160,000 Korean won and the price only goes up from there, but you can find cheaper coats for nearer 70,000 Korean won. I was lucky to find one for 50,000 on sale but I think if I was spending more than one consecutive winter in Korea I would splash out on the coats made with bird-down, not just stuffed with cotton wool. Throw on some of Uniqlo’s Heat-tech thermals and a woolly jumper underneath and you’ll be good to step out into the chilly winter air.

Keeping warm outside isn’t the only problem though in Korea during winter. Your house needs heating, too! If you’re staying in a guesthouse, goshiwon or dorm over the winter period, it is likely you won’t be controlling the heating but you’ll have a centrally controlled Ondol system, underfloor heating. This is heaven on earth. The only issue is that it can be a little expensive to use, so if you live in an apartment like me you may want to cut down on your use of it. The other option is to buy an electric heater. I see these used in shops and convenience stores, even. It is said that even though heaters are fairly affordable to buy, these are also expensive to run like the Ondol. However, I use mine fairly liberally, turning it on for a few hours in the day when I’m in the house but keeping it off at night, and my electricity bill last month wasn’t at all shocking or scary.

The final option is the multitude of soups, stews and steaming foods that Korea has to offer. Winter has seen even more street food stalls than usual pop open, many of them offering the quintessential Korean winter treat, Hoddeok, a sweet pancake. Korean cuisine is constituted by tons of different soups, with and without noodles and rice, meat and vegetables, spice and salt. There is a soup or stew for every palette and enough choice to vary your meals throughout the winter season. If you’re souped out, you can always curl up in a warm coffee shop and try one of the many limited edition winter drinks. Even juice bars offer their beverages warm… though I can’t vouch for the taste.

When all is said and done, there is no arguing about the fact that winter in Korea is COLD. But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer too much. Follow the methods above for keeping warm in sub-zero and you will have no problem making the most of your time in Korea during winter!

[yakorea]

在韩国处处可见的有什麽??

初次到韩国的人应该会被这个城市琳琅满目的商店震撼得晕头转向?呵呵~有点夸张了….应该是说 看到这个也觉得新鲜想吃吃看~看到那个也想要买来试用看看! 但如果过了几天逛了几个景点后, 渐渐地就会开始发现有些东西似乎到处都会出现(重複性高?) 那麽那些东西在韩国是随处可见的呢? (每两步一间咖啡厅这个我们前面有介绍过了唷)

1. Korean Cosmetic Stores 化妆品店

不得不说韩国的化妆品店真的是多到爆炸! 进去店裡每样化妆品都可以试用~根本是素颜去的话可以完妆走出来的! 而且每个月一直不断推出新商品,叫我们女生们该如何克制的住呢?手不剁掉的话停不下来啊 ~而且店裡面的韩国女生也是都跟朋友们很尽情的在试用,想看现在最流行什麽妆感就走进去这些化妆品店逛一圈就知道了! 明洞/新村/弘大/江南…除了以上几个大景点的其他地方也是到处都有以下知名的化妆品店(Etude House, The Face Shop, Holika Holika, Nature Republic, Missha, The Saem, Tony Molly, Skin Food等等)据观察韩国最便宜的东西就是化妆品了~大家来的时候请尽量囤货!

2. Deli Manjoo (델리 만쥬) 奶油鸡蛋仔

这个可爱的点心外型是迷你的玉蜀黍模样,里头包着奶油,一口可吃的大小非常的刚好!通常在地铁站裡/卖场美食街/火车站/商场…等等的地方常常出现! 小包装的价格大概是2000-2500韩元!小朋友也很爱吃~带着小孩一起旅行的话这个小点心很适合买给小朋友边走边吃!

델리 만쥬!! looks scrumptious eh?

3. Korean Street Food (노점) 街头小吃

不管在观光景点或者平常韩国人居住的小区裡面,这类一摊一摊的街头小吃随处可见, 有帐棚盖起来那种韩文翻成中文是叫做”包装马车” 里头卖的小吃总类就如照片所见! 辣炒年糕/血肠/鱼饼/ 炸物….冷冷的冬天走进去包装马车里头站着吃一份年糕或鱼饼,然后搭配热腾腾的无限续用的高汤,暖呼呼!!! 通常鱼饼串这类的大概是两支1000韩元, 辣炒年糕跟血肠大概都是3000元一份! 不少店家是可以辣炒年糕跟血肠各半这样点餐的!!价格也是一份3000左右!这是韩国人几乎人人都会吃的街头小吃,种类很多~连炸热狗都有喔!

4. Noraebang and Night Clubs (노래방과 나잇콜럽) 练歌房,夜店酒吧

我们自己国家如果要唱歌的话通常都是去一些大型连锁的KTV,可是在韩国知名的大型KTV叫做”秀” 分布在一些大观光景点~除此,这些小间的练歌房普及程度根本快跟咖啡厅不相上下了! 真的是非常非常非常的多,韩国人似乎真的不分老少都很爱去唱歌!尤其他们常常都有续摊2-3摊的习惯,所以最后常常都会去练歌房高歌,跟同事朋友都一样,韩国人常常都是玩到不醉不归的地步! 这些练歌房的计费方式每家不同,有的是会算包厢一小时费用(人多去均分就会便宜)冷门时段还会常常多送很多的免费时间让你继续唱, 大家别以为不会唱韩文歌就不能去,其实英文日文中文的歌曲都很多~只要按照国家类别(有国旗标示)或者歌手名字搜寻,歌名搜寻亦可! 用的是英文拼音的方式检索,每个房间也都有不同的灯光效果,加上会发光的铃鼓让你边唱边拍,非常的建议大家来一趟韩国一定一定一定要去一次练歌房! 这是正宗韩国人一定会跟朋友一起度过的生活方式

夜店跟酒吧的话网路上一搜寻就会跑出很多(弘大~江南~梨泰院)这些地方根本就是夜店酒吧天堂,韩国有个词叫做불금 ( Bulgeum )翻成中文就是”火热的周五”的意思!韩国人非常喜欢在週五跟朋友出去彻夜狂欢不归,很多夜店是11或12点前女生免费入场, 梨泰院部分的夜店则会偶尔推出外国人免费入场优惠~入场费的话属江南最贵, 大概20000-35000不等,弘大也是有不少女生免费入场的优惠,男生的话有些11点前入场免费~之后费用约是10000韩元(有的只要5000韩元)但遇上大节日的话有可能价钱会提高!! 不得不说韩国的夜店真的非常的好玩~俊男美女跟音乐都非常地吸引人呀!来旅游也一定要去体验一下, 记得带上可以识别年龄的护照或有效证件, 也不要穿得过去随便,弘大的夜店多是年轻学生族群所以穿着大多属于休閒风格, 梨泰院则是西方外国人居多, 就穿你想穿的吧! (但拖鞋会被拒于门外喔) 去江南的话就要比较注重打扮了,因为去那边的男男女女也都非常地注重自己的穿着,欣赏别人的同时也打扮好自己给别人欣赏吧!!!

[yakorea]

在韓國處處可見的有什麼??

初次到韓國的人應該會被這個城市琳瑯滿目的商店震撼得暈頭轉向?呵呵~有點誇張了….應該是說 看到這個也覺得新鮮想吃吃看~看到那個也想要買來試用看看! 但如果過了幾天逛了幾個景點後, 漸漸地就會開始發現有些東西似乎到處都會出現(重複性高?) 那麼那些東西在韓國是隨處可見的呢? (每兩步一間咖啡廳這個我們前面有介紹過了唷)

1. Korean Cosmetic Stores 化妝品店

不得不說韓國的化妝品店真的是多到爆炸! 進去店裡每樣化妝品都可以試用~根本是素顏去的話可以完妝走出來的! 而且每個月一直不斷推出新商品,叫我們女生們該如何克制的住呢?手不剁掉的話停不下來啊 ~而且店裡面的韓國女生也是都跟朋友們很盡情的在試用,想看現在最流行什麼妝感就走進去這些化妝品店逛一圈就知道了! 明洞/新村/弘大/江南…除了以上幾個大景點的其他地方也是到處都有以下知名的化妝品店(Etude House, The Face Shop, Holika Holika, Nature Republic, Missha, The Saem, Tony Molly, Skin Food等等)據觀察韓國最便宜的東西就是化妝品了~大家來的時候請盡量囤貨!

2. Deli Manjoo (델리 만쥬) 奶油雞蛋仔

這個可愛的點心外型是迷你的玉蜀黍模樣,裏頭包著奶油,一口可吃的大小非常的剛好!通常在地鐵站裡/賣場美食街/火車站/商場…等等的地方常常出現! 小包裝的價格大概是2000-2500韓元!小朋友也很愛吃~帶著小孩一起旅行的話這個小點心很適合買給小朋友邊走邊吃!

델리 만쥬!! looks scrumptious eh?

3. Korean Street Food (노점) 街頭小吃

不管在觀光景點或者平常韓國人居住的小區裡面,這類一攤一攤的街頭小吃隨處可見, 有帳棚蓋起來那種韓文翻成中文是叫做”包裝馬車” 裏頭賣的小吃總類就如照片所見! 辣炒年糕/血腸/魚餅/ 炸物….冷冷的冬天走進去包裝馬車裏頭站著吃一份年糕或魚餅,然後搭配熱騰騰的無限續用的高湯,暖呼呼!!! 通常魚餅串這類的大概是兩支1000韓元,  辣炒年糕跟血腸大概都是3000元一份! 不少店家是可以辣炒年糕跟血腸各半這樣點餐的!!價格也是一份3000左右!這是韓國人幾乎人人都會吃的街頭小吃,種類很多~連炸熱狗都有喔!

4. Noraebang and Night Clubs (노래방과 나잇콜럽) 練歌房,夜店酒吧

我們自己國家如果要唱歌的話通常都是去一些大型連鎖的KTV,可是在韓國知名的大型KTV叫做”秀” 分布在一些大觀光景點~除此,這些小間的練歌房普及程度根本快跟咖啡廳不相上下了! 真的是非常非常非常的多,韓國人似乎真的不分老少都很愛去唱歌!尤其他們常常都有續攤2-3攤的習慣,所以最後常常都會去練歌房高歌,跟同事朋友都一樣,韓國人常常都是玩到不醉不歸的地步! 這些練歌房的計費方式每家不同,有的是會算包廂一小時費用(人多去均分就會便宜)冷門時段還會常常多送很多的免費時間讓你繼續唱, 大家別以為不會唱韓文歌就不能去,其實英文日文中文的歌曲都很多~只要按照國家類別(有國旗標示)或者歌手名字搜尋,歌名搜尋亦可! 用的是英文拼音的方式檢索,每個房間也都有不同的燈光效果,加上會發光的鈴鼓讓你邊唱邊拍,非常的建議大家來一趟韓國一定一定一定要去一次練歌房! 這是正宗韓國人一定會跟朋友一起度過的生活方式

夜店跟酒吧的話網路上一搜尋就會跑出很多(弘大~江南~梨泰院)這些地方根本就是夜店酒吧天堂,韓國有個詞叫做불금 ( Bulgeum )翻成中文就是”火熱的周五”的意思!韓國人非常喜歡在週五跟朋友出去徹夜狂歡不歸,很多夜店是11或12點前女生免費入場, 梨泰院部分的夜店則會偶爾推出外國人免費入場優惠~入場費的話屬江南最貴, 大概20000-35000不等,弘大也是有不少女生免費入場的優惠,男生的話有些11點前入場免費~之後費用約是10000韓元(有的只要5000韓元)但遇上大節日的話有可能價錢會提高!! 不得不說韓國的夜店真的非常的好玩~俊男美女跟音樂都非常地吸引人呀!來旅遊也一定要去體驗一下, 記得帶上可以識別年齡的護照或有效證件, 也不要穿得過去隨便,弘大的夜店多是年輕學生族群所以穿著大多屬於休閒風格, 梨泰院則是西方外國人居多, 就穿你想穿的吧! (但拖鞋會被拒於門外喔) 去江南的話就要比較注重打扮了,因為去那邊的男男女女也都非常地注重自己的穿著,欣賞別人的同時也打扮好自己給別人欣賞吧!!!