Hang : Korea Made Simple

 If you are looking for a comforting Korean meal that feels more like everyday home cooking than a special-occasion dish, kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) is one of the best places to start. Often described in English as kimchi stew , kimchi jjigae is made by simmering well-fermented kimchi with ingredients such as pork, tofu, onions, and green onions. The result is a hot, savory stew with a distinctly spicy and tangy flavor. It is one of the most familiar jjigae dishes in Korea and is commonly eaten with steamed rice and Korean side dishes, or banchan (반찬) . Korea Tourism Organization describes kimchi jjigae as a popular Korean stew traditionally made with aged, sour kimchi and pork.  For travelers, there is one important thing to know: kimchi jjigae can taste quite different from restaurant to restaurant . Some versions are intensely sour and spicy, while others are milder, richer, or meatier. Here is what to expect before ordering your first bowl in Korea. 1. What Is Kimchi Jjigae? Ki...

Walking into a Korean restaurant for the first time can be slightly confusing. You sit down, but nobody immediately comes to take your order. There may be a button on the table. The chopsticks seem to have disappeared. Several small dishes arrive even though you did not order them. And when you finish eating, you may wonder whether you should wait for the bill or walk to the counter. None of this is difficult once you understand how Korean restaurants usually work. Ordering systems vary from traditional family-run restaurants to modern cafés, Korean BBQ restaurants, food courts, and places with touchscreen kiosks. Korea Tourism Organization notes that call buttons, self-service water and side-dish stations, and unmanned ordering machines are all common features of Korean dining today. This guide covers the basics, from entering the restaurant to paying your bill, along with useful Korean phrases for travelers. 1. Entering a Korean Restaurant and Getting a Table In many casual Korean re...

 One of the most enjoyable parts of eating Korean food is making your own ssam (쌈) . At a Korean BBQ restaurant, you may see a basket of lettuce and perilla leaves arrive with the meat. Instead of eating them as a separate salad, Koreans often use the leaves to wrap grilled meat, rice, sauce, garlic, kimchi, and other ingredients into one small bite. But ssam is more than simply putting pork inside lettuce. It is a flexible way of eating that lets you combine rich meat, fresh vegetables, fermented sauces, and side dishes in different ways. Korean tourism sources describe ssam as wrapping rice or other foods in leafy vegetables such as lettuce, perilla, cabbage, or napa cabbage, often with sauces and additional ingredients. If you are visiting Korea for the first time, knowing how ssam works will make Korean BBQ—and many other Korean meals—much easier to enjoy. 1. What Is Ssam in Korean Food? Ssam (쌈) refers to food that is wrapped in an edible leaf or another suitable wrapper and ...

Choosing a hotel in Seoul is not just about finding a good room at the right price. The neighborhood you stay in can make a big difference to your entire trip. Seoul has an excellent subway system, but the city is larger than it first appears. Staying on the wrong side of the city can mean extra transfers, longer walks through subway stations, and more time commuting every day. For international visitors, four of the most popular areas to consider are Myeongdong, Hongdae, Jongno, and Gangnam . Each has a very different personality. Myeongdong is convenient for first-time sightseeing and shopping. Hongdae is great for airport access, cafés, nightlife, and younger travelers. Jongno puts you close to palaces, hanok neighborhoods, traditional markets, and historic Seoul. Gangnam is ideal if you prefer modern shopping districts, restaurants, business areas, and Seoul south of the Han River. So which one is best for your trip? Here is how to choose. 1. What to Consider Before Choosing...

 If you walk through a Korean traditional market or street-food area on a cold day, you may see long fish cakes folded onto wooden skewers and sitting in a steaming pot of broth. That food is eomuk (어묵) , commonly translated as Korean fish cake . Eomuk is made mainly from ground fish that is seasoned, shaped, and cooked. It comes in many forms, from thin rectangular sheets to thick sticks and round or stuffed varieties. Korea Tourism Organization describes fish cake as seasoned, pounded fish fillet that can be fried and then used in dishes such as soup or braised fish cake. For travelers, the most memorable version is often eomuk on a skewer , served hot from a street-food stall with a cup of warm broth. It is inexpensive, savory, easy to eat, and especially popular during Korea's cold winter months. Here is what you should know before trying it. 1. What Is Eomuk? Eomuk is a processed fish cake made primarily from finely ground fish. Depending on the product or shop, the fish mixtu...

 If you spend time in Korea, you will probably come across small packets of Maxim coffee mix (맥심 커피믹스) sooner or later. You might see them in a supermarket, office break room, guesthouse, small shop, or even next to an electric kettle in a waiting area. At first glance, Maxim coffee mix looks like ordinary instant coffee. But it represents a very familiar style of everyday coffee in Korea. A typical coffee-mix stick combines instant coffee, sweetness, and creamer in a single packet. Just add hot water and stir. The result is very different from an Americano or espresso. It is usually sweet, creamy, mild, and easy to drink . Maxim, produced by Dong Suh Foods, currently offers several coffee-mix varieties, including Mocha Gold Mild, White Gold, Original, Supreme Gold, and Mocha Gold Zero Sugar . If you want to try one of Korea's most familiar everyday drinks, here is everything you need to know. 1. What Is Korean Maxim Coffee Mix? Coffee mix (커피믹스) is a single-serving instant coffe...

 If you visit Korea during summer, you will see naengmyeon (냉면) everywhere—from old specialty restaurants to Korean barbecue places. Naengmyeon literally means “cold noodles.” The dish usually comes in one of two familiar forms: noodles served in a chilled broth or noodles mixed with a spicy sauce. But once you start looking at menus, you may also see names such as Pyeongyang naengmyeon, Hamheung naengmyeon, mul-naengmyeon, bibim-naengmyeon, and hoe-naengmyeon . That can make a simple bowl of noodles surprisingly confusing for a first-time visitor. The good news is that you do not need to understand every regional variation before ordering. Once you know the difference between the main styles—and how Koreans usually season and eat them—naengmyeon becomes one of the most refreshing and interesting Korean foods to try. Today, naengmyeon is especially popular as a summer dish. Korea Tourism Organization currently describes both chilled broth naengmyeon and spicy mixed naengmyeon as...