south korea food tour

BEST Food Tour in South Korea 2024: The Ultimate Foodie Guide!

Travelling to South Korea and looking for the best food tour?

Every foodie wants to know: what are the best food tours in South Korea ? The country has become a foodie’s paradise in recent times, so knowing which food spots to hit when visiting is a must.

Seoul, South Korea is an awesome city/country! The people are super friendly, the food is super amazing ( some of the best food I’ve ever had ), and it’s a really modern, forward thinking place. 

Read on to learn about my food tour in Seoul, and all the places you must visit if you’re a foodie!

Short on time? Book tickets to the best food tours in Seoul: ⭐ Drinking and Eating Through The Alleys of Seoul Tour ⭐ Best Night Time Food Tour in Seoul

Best food tour in seoul, south korea.

I was very lucky to be given a food tour of Seoul from an actual local on my very first day in the country. A good English friend of mine knew a local Korean who ran his own bar in Seoul, who agreed to take us on a food tour of Seoul.

And it was epic! Here is a full account of everywhere the three of us visited and all the amazing food we tried, on what turned out to be the best food tour in South Korea!

Gwangjang Market, Seoul

Take my advice, if you ever have the chance to be taken around a city by a local then do it! Our food tour started around midday and our first port of call was Gwangjang Market (formerly known as Dongdaemun Market).

This is one of the biggest and longest running traditional markets in all of South Korea! There are literally several thousand food shops inside the market and it’s a totally overwhelming experience.

We sat by a store and our local tour guide ordered us several vegetable pancakes (otherwise known as mungbean pancakes , or bindaeddeok ). They were quite greasy, filling but very delicious.

He also ordered us some makali or makgeolli , a popular and traditional rice alcohol drink served in big saucers. The drink is quite sweet and bitter and is a bit of an acquired taste. But by the end of my tour in South Korea I couldn’t get enough of it!

Visiting a small pub in Euljiro

After Gwangjang market we had a short walk to our next stop, which was a tiny pub called: ‘ Eulji Ob Bear pub ‘ which was situated down an alleyway, close to Euljiro 3-ga station.

This bar has since moved to another location, but are famous for serving dried pollack known as ‘ Nogari ‘ along with mayo, ketchup and lots of cold draft beer!

Although it was a small place it was very popular with locals and was a great way to experience authentic Korean culture!

Trying a seafood dish and hangover cure drinks!

We then went to another small backstreet bar and had an incredible feast of raw fish. That was possibly one of the greatest dishes of food I’d ever tried! It was at this point that we enjoyed our first taste of soju , more on which later in the post.

At this point in the tour, our guide was concerned about the amount of alcohol we were consuming (even though it was early afternoon!) So he ordered us a Korean drink called: ‘ Morning Care ‘ which is well known to help relieve hangovers.

Masan Seafood Agu Stew Restaurant

Our next stop was was a seafood restaurant that specializes in spicy monkfish dishes ! This place was a short 10 minute metro ride away to Anguk station , and from there just a few minutes walk, very close to Bukchon Hanok Village .

This was a busy restaurant and we went upstairs where you have to sit on the floor in front of really low tables. This was a bit unusual and uncomfortable at first, but travel is all about embracing other cultures and customs!

Our local tour guide ordered us a huge plate of very spicy seafood, along with more soju! To be honest I was already really full at this point but tried my best to eat as much as I could!

Most Koreans are big meat lovers, especially chicken, but as a vegetarian/pescatarian, our local food guide accommodated for my diet which was very kind of him.

Darui Dwitpyeon – traditional Korean pub

Our food tour continued through into the night, and the food kept on arriving! Next we visited ‘ D arui Dwitpyeon ‘, a traditional Korean pub located just a few minutes walk from the Gongpyeong Historic Sites Museum .

This bar had an outdoor seating area and this time round we tried some tofu dishes which were really delicious!

We switched from soju back to makali and by this point I couldn’t believe the amount of food and drink we had consumed! That’s one thing you soon learn about Koreans; their love of food knows no limits!

Food is such an important part of Korean culture . Unlike the UK where people go for a beer in a pub, in South Korea you go for a meal instead, with alcohol playing second place to the great food.  And the amount of food you are served at a restaurant is simply astonishing.

You are given so many small dishes to go along with your main dish, most of the time without an extra cost. It wasn’t unusual for our table to be completely filled with countless dishes; every night was a total feast!

Street Food in Seoul at night

Our food tour continued at what’s known as an outdoor Korean style tent bar . These are very common in Seoul and South Korea and are a great option as the food is really cheap! Street food is a fantastic way to experience culinary delights at a cheap price.

These places are situated away from the typical touristic parts of Seoul such as Itaewon, and are a far more authentic experience! They’re very popular with locals and a great cheaper alternative.

Food Tour continued!

Here’s a quick look at some other places we visited and food we tried:

🥞 Seafood Pancake pub and bar – Pancakes are a real delicacy in South Korea and they are totally different what we think of as pancakes in the west (more fried with vegetables or fish/meat and they can be a bit greasy). Be sure to try some, they’re delicious!

🍻 Four and a Half Bar – It would be wrong of me not to give a special shout out to my tour guide’s bar, so here it is! It’s a lovely little bar which you can reach from subway Noksapyeong Station exit 2 , which is only one stop away from Itaewon .

🎵 LP Music Bar – These kind of bars are very popular in Seoul, you’ll find bars packed with hundreds of vinyl records adorned along the walls, with great music playing. Highly recommend!

Drinking soju in South Korea

The food tour continued into the early hours. More makali was drunk, along with soju which is probably the most popular alcoholic drink in South Korea. Soju is quite similar to vodka and is usually drunk by its own, which is quite strong!

By the end of the night our stomachs were close to bursting! We had drunk way too much, but it was the most incredible day of food and drink!

Our entire week in Seoul was one big food tour to be honest. We ended up eating and drinking with our local guide way into the early hours quite a few more times at random backstreet bars and restaurants.

My British friend and I would never have visited these places if it wasn’t for our local tour guide. Visiting the best places on the best food tour in South Korea which most tourists don’t know about was an absolutely incredible experience!

Best Things To Do & Tourist Attractions In Seoul, South Korea

After recovering from our epic food tour on our first day in Seoul, South Korea, it was time for my travel buddy and me to experience all the typical tourist sights that Seoul has to offer. Here are the best places that we visited:

🏯 Gyeongbokgung Palace

This is the largest and probably most well known palace in all of South Korea . It was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty.

It’s a really amazing sight that takes you back in time. It’s quite common to see Koreans dressed in traditional period costumes when visiting the palace!

🗼 N Seoul Tower, Seoul, South Korea

Whether it’s Berlin , Toronto or Tokyo , every big city should have an observation tower and Seoul is no different!

Located in central Seoul, there is however a two mile hike via Namsan Mountain Park. It takes around thirty minutes if you decide to walk to the base of the tower from central Seoul.

It is worth it though as the views are incredible ! You can see all of Seoul from the observation deck in the tower. You really get an appreciation of the size and scope of this vast city.

⛵ Chilling out by the Han River 

Han River is one of the major rivers in South Korea. It is very popular with local and tourists visiting Seoul. When the weather is good then many people partake in various activities along Han River.

Some of the most popular activities include biking, picnicking, crossing one of the big bridges or taking a ferry cruise. It’s the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of the centre of Seoul.

🌲 Bukhansan National Park

If you really want to spend a day getting out from city of Seoul then you can’t go wrong with a visit to Bukhansan National Park.

Especially if you’re a nature lover and love hiking! Bukhansan translates to: ‘mountains north of the Han River’ and is a huge forest area full of Buddhist temples and numerous trails.

There are three main peaks in the park which have amazing mountainous vistas at the top. Unfortunately my friend and I decided to quit after an hour or so of arduous trekking. Be warned, it’s not an easy climb!

🏛️ War Memorial of Korea

If you want to learn about the history of the Korean War then you simply must visit the War Memorial of Korea when in Seoul.

The memorial features a pretty humbling exhibition that showcases the story of the Korean War that affected the country so much. It’s also surprising to learn just how many soldiers from countries all around the world lost their lives fighting in the war.

🏘️ Bukchon Hanok Village

Located not too far from Gyeongbok Palace is Bukchon Hankok Village, a traditional Korean village based on top of a hill and quite a popular tourist destination.

It’s quite amazing to walk through the village and appreciate the traditional architecture having just come from the modern city of Seoul.

There are plenty of cultural activities, displays and museums on show within the village. It really showcases what life was like during the Joseon dynasty and how it has been preserved to this day.

🍜 Itaewon

One of the most popular areas for nightlife in Seoul with tourists is Itaewon. It is a bustling area with plenty of bars and restaurants and everything else in between. For me, it was a little too touristy for my liking.

I was surprised with just how many English speaking foreigners descend on this area. It’s maybe not a true reflection of Seoul to be honest. But if you want a lively night out in Seoul then this is the place for you!

🎖️ Visit the DMZ border between South and North Korea

Visiting the demilitarized zone border between South and North Korea is a really fascinating experience ! You do have to book up online in advance; such is the demand from visitors.

You get picked up in a bus in central Seoul and the journey takes around an hour or so to reach the border that lies thirty miles north of Seoul.

The DMZ is a no man’s land that was established between South and North Korea in 1953. It’s a fascinating place to visit for sure. You get to see the tunnels that still exist underground which can be a little bit of a cardio work out and quite claustrophobic, but well worth it.

The best part of the tour for me was the Dora Observatory, where you can see North Korean territory through binoculars! To be that close to North Korea was just incredible, and I fully recommend a day trip to the DMZ.

Alternative Food Tour Options In South Korea

Of course, there are a lot of food tour options in South Korea! Here are two of the very best to go on when visiting:

👉 Best Street Food Tour Seoul – Drinking & Eating through the Alleys of Seoul by ItSeoulGood: This tour lasts for 5 hours and promises to take you off the beaten track where you’ll discover hidden culinary gems!

👉 Best Night Food Tour Seoul – Night Food Tour in Seoul with Traditional and Modern Cuisine by OnedayKorea: This 4 hour evening tour is a great introduction to Korean cuisine, including both classic, contemporary and street food cuisine.

Where To Stay In Seoul, South Korea

There are a lot of options when it comes to accommodation in Seoul! Your choice may be limited by your budget as hotels can get quite pricey, so here are a couple of options that I wholly recommend considering:

⭐Budget recommendation: Hotel The Designers Hongdae : I stayed at this hotel during my stay in Seoul and it was very nice! Good location, nice friendly staff with an easy check in.

⭐Mid-range recommendation: Holiday Inn Express Seoul Hongdae : I also stayed at this hotel and it was fantastic! Lovely room, great central location, great view of Hongdae and the breakfast buffet is a must!

FAQs: Food Tours in South Korea

Still got questions when it comes to food tours South Korea? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions:

Is it expensive to eat out in South Korea?

Yes it can be expensive in South Korea, but it all depends where you eat out! If you’re in Seoul and only want to experience fine dining restaurants, then of course it’s going to be very expensive!

But, it’s easy to discover small backstreet restaurants popular with locals and street food is definitely a great choice if you want to keep your budget low! Generally, food in South Korea is considered to be quite cheap compared to Western countries .

What is South Korea famous for?

The food, of course! But apart from great food, South Korea has become very famous in recent years for it’s contribution to world culture.

Whether that be K-Pop , which has dominated Western music charts in recent years, or cinema and TV, with films such as ‘ Parasite ‘ winning several Oscars in 2020, and ‘ Squid Game ‘ being a massive hit worldwide on Netflix.

Which part of South Korea has the best food?

This is a great question as a lot of people may assume that Seoul has the best food in South Korea. But that’s not entirely true! The cuisine is considered better the further south of the country you go.

Here are the best places in South Korea that is renowned for having the best food:

📍 Jeonju : this is the largest city in the southwest of South Korea and is regarded by most Koreans as the food capital of the whole country. It’s where the famous rice dish bibimbap originates from and the city has a fantastic food scene!

📍 Gwangju : the fourth largest city in the country, Gwangju is a culinary city famous mostly for it’s duck stew dish: Ori-tang .

📍 Busan : the southern capital of South Korea is another must visit place for foodies! It’s known for it’s seafood dishes, but also has some great meat soups, such as Dwaeji gukbap , which is a mix of pork, miso, soy and sesame oil.

Conclusion: Best Food Tour in South Korea

Overall, I absolutely loved my time in South Korea. It’s a culturally thriving place, and Seoul is probably the most culturally advanced city I’ve visited in all of Asia.

I’ve talked a lot about how great Korean food is in this blog post and that was certainly the main highlight of my trip. But also the Korean people I met in Seoul were very friendly, warm and open and you have no reason to be concerned about your safety.

In short, South Korea is one of the coolest countries I’ve been to and I can’t recommend it highly enough. And it goes without saying that it’s an absolute must that you try at least one of the best food tours of South Korea when visiting!

You might also find these blog posts interesting: ➡️ 2 Days in Seoul: A Full Itinerary For Visiting South Korea’s Capital City ➡️ Visiting Seoul In June? Everything You Need To Know ➡️ Tokyo’s Scariest Ghost Tour: Experience The Spooky Side of Tokyo In 2024

Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources: 🛏️ Accommodation – Find the best place to stay with Booking.com 🚗 Rental Car – Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices ❤️ Travel Insurance – I recommend using Visitors Coverage ✈️ Flights – Use Kiwi.com for the best prices

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Hi! I’m Mark from Wolverhampton in England and I’m a travel blogger! Back in 2013 I decided to quit my boring day job and travel the world solo for nine months. Ever since then I’ve continued my travels whenever possible and so far I’ve visited over 40 countries, mostly as a solo traveller!

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1. Secret Food Tours Seoul w/ Private Tour Option

2. The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Seoul: The 10 Tastings

3. Full-Day Customizable Private Tour to Nami Island and surrounding Area

4. Private DMZ Tour and Suspension Bridge + Korean BBQ

5. Private DMZ(Demilitarized Zone) Tour with DMZ experts

6. Private Tongdosa Temple Tour including Gourmet Eonyang Style Bulgogi Lunch

7. Private 10 Food Tasting Tour in an Authentic Food Market in Seoul

8. Traditional Brew Master's workshop Visit & Dinner with Magkeolli

9. Street Food Fiesta in Namdaemun Market

10. Traditional Seoul Gourmet Tour in Bukchon

11. Full Day Jeju Island Private Tour for East course with Korean Black pork BBQ

12. 5 sense of Seoul-Palace, Micheline Bibimbab & Tea Ceremony(max.8)

13. Joongrimdong Cultural & Walking Food Tour

14. Night Food Tour in Seoul with Traditional and Modern Cuisine

15. National Art Gallery Tour and Taste of Korean Cuisine in Seoul

16. Private Jeonju Hanok Village - Culinary tour

17. Seoul Private Tour with hidden gem of Seoul

18. 3-Hour Seoul Tasting Tour: Cityhall, Gwanghwamun & Jeongdong Area

19. Private Full-Day Guided Tour in Seoul with Lunch, Tea and Dinner

20. Private K-Food Walking Tour Including Visit to Dongdaemun District

21. Private Andong Hahoe Folk Village Tour

22. Private Transportation with English Speaking Driving Guide

23. Full-Day Culinary Tour of Seoul Including Noryangjin Fish Market and Korean BBQ Dinner

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South Korea Real Food Adventure

• Food & Culinary
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Places You’ll See

• Introduction
• Day 1 Seoul
• Day 2 Jeonju
• Day 3 Jeonju
• Day 4 Temple Stay
• Day 5 Busan
• Day 6 Busan
• Day 7 Seoul
• Day 8 Seoul

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• Tour Operator Intrepid Travel 4.6
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• Bert · 5th September 2023 excellent tour, exposed to many regional foods and customs. In addition to the organized parts of the tour, there... Show more

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Good to Know

• Currency ₩ Won South Korea

As a traveller from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

• These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
• Typhoid - Recommended for South Korea. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Hepatitis A - Recommended for South Korea. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Tuberculosis - Recommended for South Korea. Ideally 3 months before travel.
• Hepatitis B - Recommended for South Korea. Ideally 2 months before travel.
• Japanese B encephalitis - Recommended for South Korea. Ideally 1 month before travel.
• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before 2nd June 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after 2nd June 2024, a minimum payment of €400 is required to confirm your booking with Intrepid Travel. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
• Some departure dates and prices may vary and Intrepid Travel will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
• The following cards are accepted for "Intrepid Travel" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
• Insurance Unless otherwise mentioned, TourRadar does not provide travel insurance. We do however recommend purchasing it through our tried and trusted partner, World Travel Nomads .
• Accessibility Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveller, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team , who are ready and waiting to help you.
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South Korea Real Food Adventure

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• COVID-19 protected
• Customizable
• Booking Type Instant booking
• duration 8 days
• tour type Small group Request as private
• age requirement 15-99 yrs
• max group size 12
• guiding method Fully guided
• Tour Code BM-5695

• Starts Seoul, South Korea
• Ends Seoul, South Korea
• Enjoy a home-cooked meal of seasonal dishes in a local’s home in Busan, gaining an insight into everyday life and chatting with your friendly host about the big city over a cup of tea.
• Learn how to make everybody’s favourite pickled dish – kimchi, of course – at a cooking class in Jeonju, then try the city’s iconic bibimbap (declared an intangible cultural asset, it’s just that good).
• Meet the local stall holders in the Gwangang market of Netflix fame and try the best street food that Seoul has to offer. Then, wander the Jagalchi market – a huge seafood wonderland by the Busan port.
• Rub shoulders with the locals in a hanok (traditional home) in Jeonju, then learn about the everyday life of monks during a unique temple stay experience in Gyeongju, where you’ll eat plant-based meals and rise with the sun for morning meditation.
• Feast on all the iconic foods of South Korea, including Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, japchae, kimbap, a seafood BBQ and of course, Korean BBQ.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.
• Day 1: Seoul
• Day 2: Jeonju
• Day 3: Jeonju
• Day 4: Temple Stay
• Day 5: Busan
• Day 6: Busan
• Day 7: Seoul
• Day 8: Seoul
• Hotel (5 nights), Temple stay (1 night), Hanok (1 night)
• 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
• Private Vehicle , Train , Public Bus , Metro , Taxi
• An expert tour leader
• Seoul - Korean Fried Chicken Welcome Dinner
• Jeonju - Kimchi Cooking Class
• Jeonju - Hanok Village Visit
• Sunchang - Gochujang (traditional chilli paste) Cooking Demonstration
• Sunchang - Mount Gangcheon Hike
• Gyeongju - Temple Stay program including meditation
• Gyeongju - Morning meditation and tea with a monk
• Busan - Haeundae Beach
• Busan - Haedong Temple
• Gyeongju - Silla Heritage site
• Busan - Farm Visit
• Busan - Jagalchi Seafood Market Tour
• Busan - Seafood BBQ by the sea
• Busan - Supermarket stop
• Busan - Home-cooked meal
• Seoul - Celebratory Korean BBQ Dinner
• Any international flights to/from Seoul are not included in this price. We always recommend that you arrive 1 day prior to your tour starting date.
• Travel insurance is not included in this South Korea Real Food Adventure tour. Travel insurance is mandatory to buy. World Nomads' travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers.
• Gillian Armitage
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• On Jul 26 2019
• Stefanie Weiß
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• On Nov 04 2018
• Julia Burucker
• On Oct 26 2018
• Personal Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
• Protected Travel within your own bubble.
• Professional Access our Travel Specialists' insider knowledge.
• Privacy Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
• Earn US$ 114+ in travel credits.
• Best price guaranteed.
• No credit card or booking fees.
• 100% financial protection.
• Carbon neutral tours.
• 25,000+ trip reviews, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
• Read more reasons to book with Bookmundi less Read less

No additional cancellation fees apply for this South Korea Real Food Adventure tour. You can cancel the tour up to 58 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 57 days of departure.

For any tour departures within 30 May 2024, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 30 May 2024, a deposit is required to confirm this tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 57 days before trip departure.

South Korea Real Food Adventure tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. World Nomads offers travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families.

For this South Korea Real Food Adventure tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are traveling to, as part of this itinerary.

• The cuisine of South Korea includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip.
• South Korea is best explored on foot. In fact, most travellers are surprised at how much distance they end up covering! Make sure your shoes are comfy and you are fit enough to spend most of each day on your feet.
• We suggest packing smart for this trip, as you'll be required to carry your own luggage between train stations and to hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs in crowded areas. Elevators are available in most stations, but the lighter you pack the easier it will be.
• A traditional Korean bed is a futon-like mattress placed on the floor, which may be folded up and placed in the cupboard in the morning. This trip includes two nights' accommodation with Korean-style floor bedding – one night in a hanok (traditional house) in Jeonju, and one night at a monastery in Gyeongju. While floor bedding can be firm compared to standard western mattresses, the floors are heated and you will be comfortable. You can also request extra mattresses for your comfort.
• The monastery stay provides both unique accommodation and an inimitable cultural experience, offering insight into monastic cuisine and rituals. Part of travelling with Intrepid means respecting local cultures and sensibilities, including dress codes. You will be given pants and a tunic to wear during your stay, and socks must be worn in the temple. Rooms at the monastery are multi-share, which means you may have to share a room with up to three people of the same gender. Couples of opposite genders are not able to share a room on this night as it is against monastery rules. Smoking and alcohol consumption are prohibited at the monastery.
• The Jeonju Bibimbap Festival takes place around the third week of October, with games, exhibitions and foods related to this iconic dish. The Seoul Kimchi Festival takes place in the first or second week of November, and you may have an opportunity to make kimchi with thousands of locals. If you’d like to attend one of these festivals, please check our departure dates to ensure your selected date aligns with your preferred festival.
• Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is no longer mandatory on departures after 1st January 2023. Nonetheless, all travellers are strongly advised to be vaccinated as a safety measure to protect themselves and others on the tour. This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination are required.
• Also, proof of vaccination may still be required at specific entry points or by the airlines. Therefore, please make sure to check all the travel requirements carefully before travelling.

This trip incorporates the following COVID-19 measures:

• This tour has received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travellers with assurance that COVID-19 health and hygiene global standardised protocols have been adopted.
• Hygiene and safety guidelines will be followed to ensure your well being is looked after during travels.

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Street food tour of Seoul

One of the first things you notice when you arrive in Seoul  is the sheer number of street stalls and market vendors steaming, stir-frying and barbecuing fresh food right before your eyes. As a visitor, it can be hard to know where to begin. This tour aims to introduce you to the country’s food scene, from local ingredients and dishes, to the culture and traditions that surround certain foods.

Meandering along the tight-knit tangle of streets in some of the city’s oldest districts, you’ll visit markets and food stalls to try ginseng soups, freshly-cut noodles, spicy pumpkin porridge or maybe tofu stew.

From pop-up tents selling local beer and fried chicken to bustling night markets and traditional tea houses, you’ll get an introduction to the best local dishes, figure out which sauce or side dish to try, and gain confidence in trying different foods during the rest of your trip.

Your tour begins in the traditional Insadong district, where you’ll meet your guide and, if joining a small group tour, other participants. Taking the tour in the evening means you’ll see the city and its markets at their most vibrant as locals leave work and shop for dinner supplies or sit down at food stalls to discuss the day. You’ll also visit night markets as they get into full flow.

Your guide will lead you through the small alleys and traditional markets of Insadong, introducing you to classic Korean dishes and the best places to try them. You might begin with a stop to sample bindaetteok, mung-bean pancakes, a traditional Korean holiday food, or perhaps bulgogi, marinated barbecued beef grilled with garlic and onions, wrapped in lettuce and served with ssamjang — a thick, red spicy paste.

Your guide will help you understand which sauce goes with which dish and why banchan — fermented side dishes — extend well beyond the renowned kimchi. Try bibimbap, a barley rice dish served with fresh vegetables, and hear about how it varies by region, or possibly soondae, a blood sausage that’s light, spicy, soft and far tastier than its ingredients suggest.

You then move on to the Ikseondong district. One of the oldest parts of the city, young entrepreneurs have rejuvenated it by setting up businesses there. You’ll visit tea houses and beer tents, maybe try some freshly steamed dumplings or stir-fried noodles, stop for some hotteok, a rice pastry filled with cinnamon sugar, or try the local staple, makgeolli, a milky rice wine with a sweet, tangy taste. Wash this down with the local spirit, soju, now the world’s most popular alcoholic drink.

If there’s a dish you’ve heard about and particularly want to try, just let your guide know — the markets here are so vast and varied, you’re sure to find almost any dish you can think of.

By the end of your tour, you’ll have a whole new appreciation for Korean food, a better understanding of the importance of food in the Korean cultural experience, and the skills to decipher menus on your own.

Your guide will take you back to your starting point in Insadong district at the end of the tour and from there you can continue your explorations on your own.

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Other experiences in Seoul

These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.

Tour to the North Korean border zone

A buffer zone between North and South Korea, the Demilitarized Zone can only be visited on a guided tour which offers the chance to see its observation posts and tunnels and learn about the history of the Korean War.

Experience it for yourself

You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.

Luxury South Korea

9 days from $5,735pp

South Korea in a snapshot

9 days from $3,810pp

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A family adventure in South Korea

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Food , South Korea

Seoul food tours: the best tours for food travelers to korea.

Seoul is one of the most often overlooked cities in Asia for food travelers. There’s so much great food in the city, but Seoul, South Korea, is a massive and sprawling city. This can make it difficult to track down the best food to eat.

Booking a Seoul day tour or half day tour can help travelers learn more about Korean food culture. In this post, we share our tips on how to book the best Seoul food tours, cooking classes, and drink experiences. 

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my  DISCLAIMER . As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Book A Seoul Culinary Tour

There are lots of great reasons why booking a Korean food tour could make your visit to Seoul that much more special. First, there is a language barrier in Seoul. We found a good number of people who spoke English.

There are picture menus to help at restaurants. But, to make the most of your experience and to learn about Korean food culture, a food tour can help. 

Second, many food travelers don’t know a lot about Korean food. Perhaps not as much as Japanese food or Thai food, which is easier to find in cities around the world.

Booking a food tour can help introduce travelers to the dishes and ingredients. A local Seoul tour guide can explain everything and answer all your questions about Korean food. 

Last, we love taking food tours at the start of our stay in a new city. It really makes the rest of our trip better. Your guide will give you inside tips on where and what to eat in Seoul too. Over the years, we’ve received great restaurant recommendations from some of our food tour guides.

See our Seoul Food Guide – What To Eat In Seoul South Korea  or learn about  Traditional Korean Fruits

Click Here For The Top Rated Food Tours In Seoul On Viator 

How About An 8 Day South Korea Food Tour?

This post focuses on recommendations for Seoul city tours and experiences that focus on food and drink. These tours are great for a traveler doing a city break in Seoul or just stopping through. If you have more time, and really want to learn more about Korean food, consider booking a South Korea food tour. 

Intrepid Travel  offers an  8 Day So uth Korea Real Food Adventure. This tour is a Korean food trip that explores Seoul as well as Busan and Jeonju. It also includes an overnight temple stay, which is a unique experience.

Other food and drink experiences include a visit to a craft beer brewery, visits to seafood markets, and a more in-depth look at street food markets in Korea. 

We definitely recommend taking one of the Intrepid food tours. We took their tour in  Morocco  and learned so much more than we would have if we traveled independently. 

Book A South Korea Food Tour With Intrepid Here 

Kimchi Making in Seoul

How To See The Best Of Seoul On A Food Tour

A great  food tour  means that you can start to understand Korean food culture while exploring a new city. It is more than just the food that is served.

It means you have the chance to meet locals, ask loads of questions, and learn about the history and culture of a new city. It’s one of our favorite ways to see a city! In this post, we share our recommended food tours and cooking classes in Seoul.

All pricing is provided in US Dollars. With some tours, pricing will adjust based on how many people have already booked, how many people are in your party, the time of year, and any currency fluctuations. 

We recommend using  Viator  for booking food tours and experiences. We like Viator for a few reasons. One, we’ve used them for tours around the world without any problems.

Second, you will receive immediate confirmation of your booking. Last, Viator is a reputable company that is actually owned by TripAdvisor, so if there are any issues with your booking, there is a big company standing behind the booking.

SEOUL FOOD TOURS AND EXPERIENCES

Kimchi Making Class In Seoul

Cultural Experience With Kimchi Making 

Kimchi is a staple of the Korean diet, served at almost every meal. In this four hour Korean cultural experience, guests will roll up their sleeves to learn how to make this quintessential Korean dish.

Hosted in a Korean cultural center in Seoul, the experience begins with a Korean tea ceremony called a ‘ darye .’ Guests will learn about the ceremony and about its re-emergence in Korean culture.

After tea, the cultural experience moves to trying on a traditional Korean ‘ hanbok .’ Dating back centuries, the hanbok is the traditional Korean attire worn today during important celebrations like weddings and festivals.

How To Make Kimchi

Now it’s kimchi making time. Led by your Korean host, guests will dive into a 30-minute kimchi-making class. This hands-on culinary experience will demonstrate the process of preparing kimchi for its fermentation period.

Your host will share insight into kimchi’s popularity in Korean cuisine from traditional to contemporary uses. We loved learning about the popular Korean side dish and would highly recommend this.

Book this tour  here .

Why We Like This Tour

We took this Seoul cooking class and culinary experience during our first trip to Seoul. Although not a typical food tour, it was a great way to learn about Korean culture while learning how to make kimchi. Tour prices begin at $80 and include round-trip hotel transport. 

Book This Kimchi Making Class Here 

Seafood and Seoul local markets

Full Day Private Culinary Tour Of Seoul

Get ready to eat your way around Seoul in the eight hour, private food tour. From freshly caught seafood to locally raised Korean beef, feast on many of Seoul’s traditional dishes. Along the way, visit a local market and taste Seoul street food.

This Seoul private tour includes a visit to a local market and a Korean BBQ lunch. This Seoul one day tour starts at the  Noryangjin fish market , you’ll explore where many of Seoul’s restaurants get their daily catch.

As you explore the market, keep an eye out for your lunch. As part of the tour, you’ll select some of the freshly caught seafood to enjoy for your lunch.

The rest of the day is spent exploring various neighborhoods and sites within Seoul, all with a focus on food. Visit the Corner Cafe in Mount Bukak, a popular cafe with many locals which has been featured in many Korean movies. From here, enjoy breathtaking views of Seoul.

The tour heads over to the Insadong area to explore and sample some local Korean street food. In between tasty bites, pop into some of the market’s many antique shops.

Afterward, guests will head over to a wholesale beef market in Majangdong to explore the locally raised beef and yes, you guessed it, pick out meat for your  Korean barbecue  dinner.

Private Food Tour In Seoul

The pricing for this private tour begins at $200. All meals, tastings, and round-trip transportation from hotels are provided. Guests with any specific dietary requirements should make a note at the time of booking. A minimum of 3 people per booking is required for this private tour. The tour begins at 10 am, and ends at 7 pm. 

By hiring a Seoul private tour guide, you can customize your experience. You can also go at your own pace, ask questions, and really get to know your tour guide.

Because this is an all day tour, it’s a great way to see some areas of the city you might not otherwise visit. Seoul is a massive city, and this Seoul private tour gets you around. 

Throughout the tour, your local guide will explain in detail Korean food, dishes, and culinary traditions. You might not find anything else to eat after this incredible and filling eight hour feeding bonanza across Seoul.

Aside from the delicious sampling of food, this tour does a wonderful job of explaining Korean cuisine thanks to your knowledgeable private guide.  

Book This Private Full Day Tour Of Seoul Here 

Korean street food

Walking Seoul Korean Street Food Tour

This Seoul street food tour begins near Gwanghwamun Gate where guests will receive a brief history of Seoul and its cuisine. From here, head over to Pimatgol Alley and the Zen Buddhist Jogyesa Temple.

Building up an appetite, it’s time to explore the Insadong neighborhood where countless rows of carts selling traditional Korean street food await. 

The Seoul local tour guide will point out the most popular food carts and stands, explaining what the locals love to eat. The tour will head over to Chenggyecheon, where the main dish of Korean-style barbecue ribs is waiting to be eaten. 

After, explore the Bukchang-dong neighborhood and Korean drinking culture with a sample of Korean rice wine. The tour has one last-stop sweet stop in store as you enjoy a taste of Korean dessert. 

This three-hour tour starts at $89. The price includes all tastings and Korean rice wine. Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes because there is a good amount of walking. 

This is a small group tour, limited to no more than 12 guests. This allows you to explore the city on an intimate tour. It’s a great way to explore a wide range of authentic Korean street food while taking in several of the city’s sights.

This tour is loaded with traditional food and drink. If you are still hungry or thirsty, your guide will provide recommendations on where to enjoy more of Seoul’s incredible food scene. 

Book This Korean Street Food Tour In Seoul 

Korean BBQ Lunch

Walking Food Tour With Korean BBQ Lunch And Cooking Demo

Seoul is the centerpiece of Korea’s food scene. With this small group walking tour, you’ll discover the city’s vibrant culinary scene and enjoy one of its signature dishes, Korean BBQ.   

Stopping along the way at several local restaurants and street-food stalls you’ll sample local dishes including delicious fried pork dumplings and fried fish cakes. The food-tasting tour begins with a Korean pancake cooking demonstration led by a professional chef at a culinary school.

While learning about Korean history and its food culture, guests will explore the historic Jongno neighborhood.

Taste a wide range of Korean specialties including rice cakes, fried pork dumplings, silkworm larvae, and Korean-style egg muffins. The highlight of the tour is enjoying a traditional Korean barbecue lunch.

Food Tour Details

Each tour can accommodate a maximum of 10 guests. Pricing for this two-and-a-half-hour tour begins at $60. The combination of cooking demonstrations, food tours, and BBQ lunches makes this one of the most well-rounded culinary tours in Seoul. For guests with any dietary restrictions, please notify the tour operator at the time of booking. 

If you are not familiar with Korean BBQ, it can be an intimidating meal. Between what to order and how to eat it, having an expert guide you is a great way to learn. Book this tour at the start of your visit to Seoul so you know how to order BBQ on your own later on. We also like that this tour includes BBQ, street food, and a cooking demonstration.

Book This Korean Food Tour And BBQ Lunch 

Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul Food Tour On Bike

Seoul is big. One of the biggest cities in the world. Even with an extensive metro system, it’s a large city to explore. Instead of trying to see it all on foot, why not hop on two wheels and take a leisurely ride around to explore some of the city’s best sights and places to eat?

On this four-hour tour, ride through the streets of Seoul by bike and see a side of this city many visitors miss out on. Ride past many of Seoul’s top attractions including Gwanghwamun Gate, the UNESCO Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Jogyesa Temple, among many others. 

Bike Food Tour Details

The tour operates in all weather conditions. While not overly strenuous, the tour is not recommended for travelers with back problems, pregnant travelers or travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions. That said, most travelers can participate. This tour can accommodate a maximum of 15 travelers and pricing begins at $78. 

This award-winning Seoul Korea tour company provides insight into Seoul, unlike any other bike tour operator. On the tour, guests will sample a wide range of local street food specialties in between stunning sights and Korean food markets. See a lot more on a bike than you can on foot. 

Book This Seoul Food Tour On Bike Here 

Seoul Gourmet Food Experience

Understanding Korean cuisine is a huge part of understanding Korea. This three-hour gastro tour of Seoul is the perfect introduction to Korean food, especially for first-time visitors.

Exploring parts of Seoul often overlooked by tourists, guests will sample a wide range of delicious Korean dishes and snacks. Lunch is hosted at a gourmet, fine-dining restaurant.

Led by a local, knowledgeable guide, guests will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the city, its culinary scene, and where they visit after the tour.

In addition to sampling tasty local food, guests will see various workshops and stores built in traditional ‘hanok’ houses. 

Learn more in our guide to the  Best Korean Snacks To Try  

Gourmet Food Tour Details

Operating in all weather conditions, the pricing for the tour begins at $99. Vegetarian options are available, but must be made at the time of booking.

Unfortunately, the tour is not wheelchair accessible. Guests are recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes and should have a moderate physical fitness level. Public transportation at the beginning and end of the tour is available.  

With a maximum of 12 travelers per tour, guests will receive personalized attention and a detailed explanation of what sets Korean cuisine apart from others. Exploring Seoul’s Bukchon and Insadong areas on foot, allows guests to gain an intimate look at this mega city.

Book This Gourmet Food Tour Of Seoul Here 

Seoul Night Markets

Seoul Night Food Tour

Like many other cities in Asia, Seoul is a city that comes alive at night. During this three-hour, night-tasting tour, learn about Korea’s culinary scene under the bright lights of Seoul. Led by your knowledgeable local guide, wander through the busy streets stopping at local food stalls to sample a variety of food specialties.

From Korean barbecue to delicious Korean-style pancakes, and spicy rice cake stew, guests will experience a range of Korean flavors and tastes. To wash down the tasty treats, guests can enjoy Korean rice wine or soju (distilled spirit). 

This culinary night tour begins in the district of Jongno-gu in central Seoul. A popular area for locals, it’s a quick walk from Anguk metro station. Your local culinary expert will lead the small group to the Nagwon-dong neighborhood to continue enjoying local specialties including kimchi and other mouthwatering local dishes.

Continuing the tour under Seoul’d neon lights, guests will visit a traditional Korean flea market to enjoy additional tasty treats. The nighttime exploration of Seoul concludes in Jongno, one of the most historic areas of the city. 

Seoul Night Tour Details

Limited to 12 guests, the tour features a moderate amount of walking. Wearing comfortable walking shoes is recommended. Pricing for the tour begins at $100 and a minimum of two guests is required for the tour to proceed.

The drinking age in South Korea is 19 years old. Non-alcoholic beverages are available for those under 18 years old or who does not consume alcohol. While located near public transportation, the tour is not wheelchair accessible. Travelers with back, heart, or serious medical conditions are advised not to participate. 

Touring Seoul at night is a great way to explore the city as the locals do. There are loads of Seoul night markets and street-side stalls, but it can be intimidating to find the best eats. This tour makes it all easily accessible. 

Book This Seoul Night Food Tour Here 

SEOUL DRINKING TOURS AND EXPERIENCES

Soju Tasting With A Brewmaster

In Japan it’s sake, in Korea it’s makgeolli and soju. These iconic Korean alcoholic beverages have a long history and hold a special place in the hearts of Koreans.

During this three-hour tour and tasting, guests will meet a 10th-generation artisan distiller and brewmaster. From his workshop, he’ll explain the time-honored tradition of making soju and makgeolli using his family’s secret recipe.  

At the workshop, guests will receive a history of soju and makgeolli making in Korea from their host. While enjoying a taste of both spirits, your host will explain the distillation process for both spirits as well as the main differences between the two.

After the tasting, the group will head to a local Korean restaurant to enjoy a full Korean dinner. The knowledgeable guide will explain the culinary history of the meal and the difference in the Makgeolli. At the end of your experience, walk back to Anguk station with your guide.

Soju Tasting Tour Details

The price for the tour begins at $118. Guests must be 21 years of age to participate. While located near public transportation, comfortable walking shoes are recommended for the tour. The tour is not wheelchair accessible.

The tour begins at Anguk metro station, where the group of 12 and your local guide will depart on foot.

We love soju. It’s one of our favorite things about eating in Seoul. This tour is a great way to learn about Korean food and this important beverage. 

Book This Soju Tasting Experience Here 

Korean fried chicken and beer – perfect pub snack

Seoul Pub Crawl

From Korean beer, rice wine, and soju, there’s a lot to experience in Seoul’s numerous pubs and bars. Explore Seoul’s nightlife from the inside during this three-hour small group pub crawl tour.

Focusing on the Hongdae neighborhood of Seoul, the tour brings guests to several of the neighborhood’s most popular drinking spots including off-the-beaten-path bars and clubs, which tourists often miss out on.

During each stop, guests will sample Korean spirits and cocktails while sampling local pub snacks. At each stop, your local knowledgeable guide will teach the group Korean drinking games as well as Korean drinking etiquette.   

Pricing for the tour begins at $85. The tour only operates with a minimum of 2 guests and can accommodate up to 10. The minimum drinking age in South Korea is 19.

If you are traveling with guests under 19, contact the tour provider ahead of time. For travelers with dietary requirements, requests can be accommodated with prior notification at the time of booking. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. 

One of the things we love about Korea is the drinking culture. It’s a little bit of work hard play hard. But there are also a lot of traditions that come along with drinking in South Korea. The tour is not only a lot of fun but helps to demystify the Korean drinking culture. 

Book This Seoul Pub Tour Here 

SEOUL COOKING CLASSES

Korean Cooking Class And Market Tour

Put on your apron and learn the culinary secrets of Korean cuisine in this cooking class for beginners. Over two hours, guests will tour a local Seoul food market and prepare a variety of tasty Korean dishes under the watchful eyes of a professional chef. 

The culinary experience includes a detailed explanation of Korean food products and how to select the best ones. After the market visit, the group will return to the cooking school where they will receive hands-on instructions from the professional chef. Several Korean specialties will be made by each guest and best of all, enjoyed afterward. 

Seoul Cooking Class Details

The Seoul cooking class takes place in a modern cooking school in the Nagwon-dong neighborhood near Anguk station. The tour and cooking class is wheelchair accessible. Pricing begins at $65. Guests with dietary requirements should make this known at the time of booking. The tour can accept children aged 11 and older. 

The class is enjoyable for cooks of all skill levels but is designed for beginners. It’s a great introduction to Korean food and how to prepare it. Best of all is taking a few new cooking skills home. 

Book This Seoul Cooking Class Here 

FAQs – HOW TO BOOK A SEOUL FOOD TOUR

Comfortable shoes! Many food tours involve a lot of walking and Seoul is a massive city. Also, be prepared for bad weather. Just because it’s rainy doesn’t mean the tour will be canceled. The same goes for the summer when temperatures can soar and winter when it can be super cold. Just be prepared.

Some people look at the cost of the individual items eaten on a food tour to determine whether they’ve gotten their money’s worth. A quality culinary tour, though, is more than the food served. It’s the value of the guide, the history learned, and the overall experience. And, it is almost always worth it!

Seoul is such a big city that there is loads to do and see within the city limits. If I would recommend one day trip from Seoul, it would be to see the DMZ and the surrounding areas.

Compared to other Asian cuisines like Thai or Sichuan, Korean food isn’t spicy. That said, dishes like kimchi have a bit of spicy. Chili is used in Korean cooking but it’s not the main ingredient.

Depending on who you ask, Seoul’s most famous food is either Korean BBQ or kimchi. Both of these just happen to be the most famous food in Korea as well.

Eric Hoffman

Eric Hoffman is the co-founder of Food And Drink Destinations. Eric is a lifelong traveler who is passionate about helping people learn how to travel for food. He lives with his wife, Amber, in Limerick, Ireland, after spending 3 years living in Spain. Over the last 20 years, they've traveled to over 70 countries together, always in search of great food travel experiences. Eric also loves cooking at home, always looking to perfect his Italian recipes.

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South Korea Food Tour – Savour Bulgogi and Bibimbap, Make Kimchi and More

This post may contain paid links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

A South Korea food tour crammed with tastings of quintessential Korean food, from bibimbap to bulgogi, and gourmet insider experiences such as a kimchi pancake-making lessons, Korean beer tastings and a coffee-roasting class is available for just one more day on Luxury Escapes.

Just back from ten days in Thailand – our second trip in two months – and after eating Thai food exclusively for the period, as much as I love it I am having cravings for anything and everything but Thai – Italian, Turkish, Spanish, and now having seen this Luxury Escapes South Korea Food Tour , Korean.

Before we left Australia (20 years ago this month!) our home of five years was Potts Point, Sydney, which was something of a little Korean Town back then with a Korean bathhouse, a luxe Japanese hotel catering to Japanese and Korean business peeps, karaoke bars, and Korean restaurants, one of which we’d eat tuck into Korean barbecue at almost weekly.

On my way home from uni or work, my late night takeaway favourite was japchae – stir-fried Korean glass noodles with beef and vegetables. We didn’t cook Korean food at home back then, as the Korean restaurants were so cheap and Korean food so delicious, even if we had nothing to compare it against. Oddly enough it was only after we moved abroad that Terence began to cook Korean.

Korea – South Korea and North Korea – have long been on our travel wish lists, but we haven’t made it yet. We were due to head to North Korea on magazine assignments a few years ago, but that fell through, but we’re hoping to get to South Korean in 2019. We’d hop on this South Korea food tour in a heartbeat if we could. It’s an absolute bargain. Check out the details below.

South Korea Food Tour – Savour Dakgalbi, Bulgogi and Bibimbap, and Learn to Make Kimchi and More!

Our friends at Luxury Escapes have an irresistible offer for our Australian readers only but note : this South Korea Food Tour has just come off their website so our readers can only get access for a very short time by using this link to Gourmet South Korea: 11-Day Small-Group Foodie Tour with return international flights, starting at AUD $3,999 per person (valued at AUD $5,880!)

On this mouthwatering small-group (max. 16) South Korea food tour you’ll get to savour Korean cuisine and culture with local experts to guide you through delicious insider experiences, such as Korean food tastings at local markets, Korean rice beer tasting and Korean tapas experience, kimchi pancake-making lessons, a seafood feast with fresh local produce from the fish markets, traditional Korean bulgogi barbecue dinner, hotpot dinner with the locals, Korean coffee experience with a coffee roasting class, and a Korean feast at the historic Samcheonggak restaurant.

Culinary Highlights on this South Korea Food Tour include:

• sampling dak-galbi at one of Seoul’s best-known local hotpot joints: dak-galbi is a traditional Korean dish where ingredients such as marinated chicken and vegetables are cooked in a pot in the centre of the table, and eaten with fried seaweed rice;
• trying your hand at a kimchi pancake making class and learning the secrets behind this beloved, staple dish;
• visiting a local fish market where you’ll do a tour of the bustling market and pick out live fish, shellfish and other seafood, which we’ll then savour at a restaurant that will prepare it for your dinner;
• tucking into the different types of Korean barbecue, including bulgogi or marinated ‘fired meat’;
• trying a traditional bibimbap lunch by a certified Korean Masterhand Chef in Jeonju.

Luxury Escapes South Korea food tour is not only a culinary journey. Aussie coffee connoisseurs will love the day spent discovering Korea’s coffee capital of Gangneung, a coastal city that’s also known for its beaches. The city hosts a coffee festival, most of its countless cafés roast their own beans, and you’ll get to kickstart your exploration of the city’s bean culture with a visit to the Coffee Cupper Museum where you’ll do a coffee roasting class.

You’ll also get a taste of Korean culture, history and everyday life on insider experiences and excursions, such as an eye-opening trip to the North Korean border to visit the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) to learn about the peninsula’s turbulent history and how the Korean War changed the country, and get to discover South Korea’s unique geography and learn how it helped shaped Korea’s people, Korean culture, and Korea’s epicurean history, while exploring South Korea’s cosmopolitan cities, villages, and countryside.

This small-group South Korea food tour includes return international flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth or Brisbane; airport transfers and all transportation; nine nights deluxe accommodation; daily breakfast, seven lunches, six dinners; expert guides; plus a long list of gourmet insider experiences and excursions. See the itinerary, below, for more details.

Note also that this small-group South Korea food tour run mostly in low season, beginning in February 2019, with some high season dates: the 9 March 2019 trip coincides with Cherry Blossom season and the 2 November 2019 trip with Maple Tree season. There are still dates to choose from, but hurry, as this deal is going to end very very soon !

South Korea Food Tour Itinerary by Luxury Escapes

Day 1: Australia – Seoul, Korea

Today you depart for Korea – your departure city will determine your time of arrival.

Day 2: Arrive Seoul

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. We’ll begin our South Korea food tour with four nights in the centre of Seoul’s cultural and urban arts district at Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong where you’ll be surrounded by bustling marketplaces, local produce, street performers, and up-and-coming eateries. The hotel’s 27th-floor all-day dining restaurant not only boasts great food but incredible views. This evening we will meet your fellow travellers for a walking tour of the surrounding area and get to sample some great Korean street food followed by a welcome dinner at one of the city’s best-known hotpot joints. Learn the secrets of authentic Korean cuisine as you enjoy a dak-galbi, a popular local dish of stir-fried chicken and vegetable hotpot followed by fried rice.

Accommodation: Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong Meals: Dinner

Day 3: Seoul

Today you’ll embark on a Seoul History and Architecture Tour . We will start with an early breakfast in one of the popular eateries where you will get a chance to mix with the locals and experience Korea’s true local way of life. From here we continue our exploration and uncover both the historic and modern sides to Seoul. We visit the Ewha Woman’s University and the famed Yonsei University – to see how missionaries and a western education system helped change Korean society. We’ll then go to Gyeongbukgung Palace, the President’s House: Cheongwadae, the Folk Museum and then explore Bukchon’s North Village.

After touring the antique and arts-filled street of Insadong, we’ll enjoy a traditional lunch of bamboo steamed rice with marinated meat wrapped in leaves. We’ll then continue to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, which was designed by British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. Also called the DDP, this major urban development landmark in Seoul showcases a distinctive neo-futuristic design characterised by the “powerful, curving forms of elongated structures”. The landmark is the centerpiece of South Korea’s fashion hub and popular tourist destination, featuring rooftop parks, futuristic retail stores and restored parts of the Seoul fortress. The DDP is responsible for Seoul’s designation as World Design Capital in 2010.

Accommodation: Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Day 4: The Demilitarized Zone

Depart early this morning as we travel to the North Korean border and visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) . As your local guide will not be permitted into the DMZ, you will join a group tour today to see how war changed the country from a colony of Japan to a country torn apart by politics and rescued by various allies of the United Nations. We’ll have lunch near the DMZ and then return to Seoul in the afternoon where you will have time at your leisure to explore Seoul’s streets and local food scene . This evening is your opportunity to venture out on your own and explore the local street and food markets.

Day 5: Gangneung

We will take Korea’s newest fast rail to the coastal city of Gangneung, the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics. It is also famous for its beaches and coffee culture . We will take a private bus to visit the sites and parks where the Olympics were held followed by a walk through Gangneung’s Pine Forests. We’ll then dine on homemade soft tofu stew for lunch.

After lunch we explore Gangneung-si, well-recognized as the ‘city of coffee’, in Gangwon-do. This is the first local district in Korea to host the country’s annual coffee festival . Here you will find Korea’s best coffee artisans located in ‘coffee street’, where almost all coffee shops roast their own coffee beans and there’s a coffee museum, coffee factory and a barista academy . Here we take a stop at the Coffee Cupper Museum and participate in a special hand drip coffee roasting class .

Later, enjoy a seafood dinner on Gangneung’s famous beachfront where you will savour local produce and fresh seafood caught that day before we take the train back to our hotel.

Accommodation: Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 6: Seoul – Jeonju: Capital of Korean Food

We will check out of our hotel and take a train to Jeonju City where you will enjoy two nights at Ramada by Wyndham Jeonju, just a stone’s throw from the famous Jeonju Hanok Heritage Village filled with over 800 traditional houses, craft shops and an abundance of food stalls . Explore the unique history behind this village and its striking contrast with the contemporary, vibrant city that surrounds it.

We will be picked up from the train station and taken to a famous bibimbap restaurant that has been around for over 30 years. Bibimbap, literally meaning “mixed rice”, is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables), gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, or doenjang (a fermented soybean paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The hot dish is stirred together thoroughly just before eating.

We’ll then visit a brassware maker’s shop to see how they make the traditional bowls that are used in ceremonial meals followed by a stop at the Korean Masterhand Museum which features master crafts people in art, food, furniture and traditional clothes.

This afternoon you will learn the history of kimchi and try your hand at a Kimchi pancake cooking class . Kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine, is a traditional side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables, most commonly napa cabbage and Korean radishes. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with different vegetables as the main ingredients. In traditional preparations, kimchi was stored underground in jars to keep cool, and unfrozen during the winter months.

This evening, we’ll indulge in a Korean rice beer and tapas dinner – a specialty of the local area. For those looking for a nightcap, we’ll visit a traditional market whose second floor has been transformed into a young entrepreneurs’ incubation space and have a beer (extra charge).

Accommodation: Ramada by Wyndham Jeonju Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 7: Jeollabukto Province

This morning venture outside the hotel and experience a traditional Korean breakfast of beansprout rice soup and learn about its medicinal use in modern culture. Following breakfast, we visit Gyeonggijeon Shrine which was built for King Taejo of the Baekje Dynasty.

We’ll then head to the Damyang Bamboo Forest and enjoy a tasting of bamboo ice cream . We’ll lunch at a Korean restaurant well-regarded for its dukgalbi , marinated and grilled beef patties, followed by a walk along the river park in Damyang before taking our bus to go to Geumseongsanseong Fortress which originally dated back to 57 BCE. Here we’ll enjoy a leisurely hike up and through the fortress that separates two villages and served as an important military installation.

This evening, we learn all about Korea’s internationally-famous bulgogi as we enjoy a dinner at a Korean bulgogi BBQ restaurant. Bulgogi, translated to “fire meat”, is a Korean-style grilled or roasted dish made of thin, marinated slices of beef or pork grilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top griddle.

Day 8: Jeonju – Busan

We’ll check out of our hotel and ride like a local by express bus to Busan City where we’ll spend two nights at Busan’s Ramada Encore by Wyndham Haeundae, located just steps from Korea’s famous and arguably most beautiful Haeundae Beach, in the heart of this large port city, surrounded by sparkling beaches, majestic mountains, and natural hot springs.

On arrival we meet our private bus and enjoy a special lunch at one of the city’s popular Korean noodle and dumpling houses .  Following lunch, we visit the famous Beomeosa Temple perched on the coast of Busan City. Toward the city, we’ll explore the street food scene and taste some of the many dishes on offer such as red bean chrysanthemum bread and sugar caramel fried donuts, hotteok . A highlight today is a visit to Busan’s Gamcheon Village, a once poor mountainside community that has been transformed into an art hotspot. The area is known for its steep streets, twisting alleys, and brightly painted houses, vibrantly decorated with murals and sculptures created by the residents.  In the evening, we’ll tour the fish market , picking out live fish, shellfish and other seafood before we have a restaurant cook it for us for dinner.

Accommodation: Ramada Encore by Wyndham Haeundae Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 9: Botanical Island of Oedo and Haeundae Beach

This morning we’ll take a ferry to the beautiful botanical island of Oedo. We will spend the morning walking around the beautiful botanical garden which was created in 1970 by Lee Chang-ho and his wife. They initially tried to grow citrus fruit but when that failed, they turned the island into a large botanical garden filled with sculptures and architecture from all over the world.

Following this we take the ferry back to Geoje Port and take our bus to Gadeokdo to enjoy brunch with coffee, tea and strawberry cake at Café Myungga , overlooking the beautiful coast. The rest of the day is at your leisure: you can shop, check out the Busan Film Festival Theatre, or explore Haeundae Beach.

Accommodation: Ramada Encore by Wyndham Haeundae Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Day 10: Busan – Seoul

Spend the morning exploring Busan some more before boarding our KTX Train and returning to Seoul. On arrival, we’ll check into the hotel and you can spend the afternoon at your leisure, perhaps seeking out more culinary delights or enjoying some last-minute shopping.

In the evening, we’ll visit the historic Samcheonggak Restaurant . Built to host royalty, diplomats and hold important events, this is the perfect venue for our final dinner together. Afterwards, work off dinner with a stroll around this historic area before heading back to the hotel.

Accommodation: Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong Meals: Breakfast & dinner

Day 11: Depart Seoul

Today you’ll transfer to the airport to catch your flight back home – depending on your flight time the day will be at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Click through to Luxury Escapes  for more amazing offers on small group tours, hotels, and holiday packages. As advised recently, we’ve partnered with Luxury Escapes and earn a small commission from any bookings you make if you click through from Grantourismo. You won’t pay any more than if you went directly to book on their site, but that commission supports our work on Grantourismo to provide you with travel inspiration, information and advice.

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South Korea has emerged from history as a dynamic destination full of spirit and surprises.

Enchanting travelers with temples full of mystique, markets brimming with divine handicrafts, and some of the most beloved cuisine in the world - isn't it about time you surrendered to South Korea's charms?

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Photoblog: Kimchi and colour in South Korea

South Korea at a glance

Capital city.

Seoul (9.9 million)

51.385 million

(GMT+09:00) Seoul

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type C (European 2-pin) Type E (French 2-pin, female earth) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)

Learn more about South Korea

Geograhy and environment.

South Korea is located at the south end of the Korean Peninsula, between the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. Separated from   Japan   by the Korean Strait and demarcated from the state of North Korea by Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), South Korea's terrain is a mix of flat lowlands and forested mountains. The coasts of South Korea are rocky and jagged, with thousands of islands (mostly inhabitable) scattered off the coastline.

Culture and customs

South Korea draws some traditions and customs from other neighboring countries in Asia, with a culture that stems from Confucianism. This system of philosophical and ethical teachings was introduced to South Korea in the 4 th century through Chinese scholars and was quickly embraced by the wider population until it officially became the state ideology in the early 1900s.

Confucianism emphasizes respect for aging, elders and ancestors, an intrinsic hierarchy that runs through work and social life, and upholds traditional family roles so you’ll often see families living together in one house.

During your travels around South Korea, you’ll also see plenty of traditions such as the act of bowing when greeting people, women wearing traditional dress (hanbok) and the practice of taekwondo (Korean martial arts). As well as ancient beliefs, new generations of South Koreans are embracing a modernized culture, one full of K-pop, Korean cosmetics and popular foods like kimchi and tteokbokki.

History and government

South Korea’s had an often turbulent history dating back to around 8000 BC when it was known as just Korea, but the country’s most impactful conflict began in the 1500s with the attempted Japanese invasion. Korea went on to become a Japanese colony in 1910 following its annexation of the Korean Empire, which ended in 1945 at the conclusion of World War II.

The country was then divided into two parts, the northern part which was protected by the Soviet Union and the southern part which was protected largely by the United States. Both the northern and southern parts of Korea officially became North and South Korea in 1948 when the two regions failed to agree on forming one, united government.

In 1950, North Korea set in motion the Korean War which was intended to unify the two countries under communism. But after much destruction to infrastructure and loss of human life, a cease-fire was called in 1953 with both countries signing the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement. The two countries have since agreed to work towards a final settlement (The Peace Treaty on the Korean Peninsula) to formally and officially end the Korean War.

South Korea now enjoys a fully prosperous economy with a capital economic standing similar to that of countries such as the United States, Japan, and various countries in Western Europe.

You can’t go to South Korea for shopping and not stop in Seoul – the country’s premier destination for all things fashion, electronics, street food and skincare. In this shopper’s paradise of a city, you’ll find traditional Korean items perfect for souvenirs to tech gadgets not yet available on Australia’s shores.

Some notable districts/destinations where you can shop ‘til you drop include:

• Myeongdong (shopping district)
• Dongdaemun Market (shopping center)
• Cheongdam-dong (luxury boutique area)
• Pyeonghwa (wholesale market)

Top 5 culinary delicacies of South Korea

1. bibimbap.

As one of Korea's standout dishes, bibimbap is a tasty concoction of meat, vegetables, egg, and rice. Soy sauce, chili paste, garlic, and sesame oil all add flavor to this amazingly colorful dish found everywhere in Korea.

Kimchi is hailed as a nutritional powerhouse - packing a healthy punch of nutrients, vitamins, and beneficial bacteria that makes it one of the world's healthiest superfoods. But most people don't eat these fermented vegetables for health reasons - it's the uniquely, tasty flavor and versatility that makes kimchi so popular in Korean cooking.

These delicious, savory pancakes are a standard of Korean cuisine. With hundreds of different varieties, jeon can be served with red meat, chicken, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and even edible flowers.

Similar to sushi, these highly popular rice-based morsels feature fish, beef, or crab, wrapped in seaweed with pickled or fresh vegetables. Available all over Korea, they are the perfect snack on the run or quick, cheap lunch to enjoy between sightseeing.

Arriving in Korea by the way of Mongolia, mandu are essentially boiled, steamed, or pan-fried dumplings. A cheap, street food favorite, mandu can be filled with everything from pheasant to tofu, cucumber, beef, and beyond. Try out these foods on our 8 day South Korea Real Food Adventure.

Top places to visit in South Korea

Whether you want to take a street food tour of the renowned Gwangjang markets, go shopping among the vibrant streets and check out some high-tech gadgetry or admire this city's soaring skyscrapers from Naksan at nighttime, Seoul can't be missed.

Explore the bustling city of Seoul on our 8 day South Korea Family Holiday.

Visit the fascinating Haedong Temple, explore the colorful Gamcheong Culture Village and take in the all 'round beauty of the second largest city in South Korea.

Travel to Busan on our 9 day South Korea Highlights tour.

Experience Jeonju like a local as you wander the Hanok Heritage Village in search of souvenirs, tasty treats, traditional houses and craft shops.

Admire the culture (and food) in Jeonju on our 9 day Essential South Korea tour.

4. Jeju Island

Wander South Korea's first ever UNESCO World Heritage listed site, Jeju Seongsan Sunrise Mountain/Castle, on the beautiul Jeju Island. And with volcanic landscapes and coastal rock formations, this laidback slice of heaven is well worth a visit.

Marvel at the beauty on Jeju Island on our 9 day Premium South Korea tour.

Further reading

Similar destinations.

Thinking about a trip to South Korea but still browsing other destinations? Check out tours to neighboring locations:

South Korea travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

When is the best time to visit South Korea?

Autumn and spring are considered the optimal times to holiday in South Korea, as the extreme temperatures that are present during summer and winter can make travel uncomfortable at times. During autumn and spring expect moderate temperatures, a mild climate and less rain and humidity than at other times.

Do I need a visa to travel to South Korea?

SOUTH KOREA Australia: No - not required Belgium: No - not required Canada: No - not required Germany: No - not required Ireland: No - not required Netherlands: No - not required New Zealand: No - not required South Africa: No - not required Switzerland: No - not required United Kingdom: No - not required USA: No - not required

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into South Korea. . Most travelers do not need visas for Korea for stays of up to 30 days. You must also have an onward or return ticket.

If you are a male of Korean origin whose name appears on the Korean family register, you may be liable for military service even if you are traveling on your foreign passport.

The page is for general information only and may be subject to change. It is your responsibility to obtain relevant visa and travel information required for entry, departure and travel to each country or region you visit on your trip. You should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. 

Last updated: 20/11/2023

Is tipping customary in South Korea?

Tipping in some establishments (particularly more traditional ones) is considered impolite, and is sometimes indicated with a 'no tipping' sign! Western-style, tourist-orientated places, however, usually welcome and receive tips. Use your discretion.

What is the internet access like in South Korea?

With one of the most developed internet infrastructures in the world, accessing the internet is easy in South Korea. Wi-Fi hot spots and cyber cafes are easily found in the cities, although when traveling in remote areas please be aware that internet access may be harder to find.

Can I use my cell phone while in South Korea?

Travelers should be able to use their cell phones in South Korea's cities and urban areas, as coverage is good. As in other countries, rural and mountainous areas may have less mobile phone receptivity. Ensure global roaming is activated with your service provider before leaving home.

What are the toilets like in South Korea?

South Korea has a combination of squat toilets and western-style flushable toilets. It's a good idea to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer or soap while on holiday, as these are rarely provided in public toilets.

What will it cost for a…?

South Korea's unit of currency is the South Korean Won. Here's what you can expect to pay for a:

• Can of soft drink = 1,000-3,000 WON
• Street food meal = 1,000-8,000 WON
• Basic restaurant meal = 10,000-15,000 WON
• Sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant = 13,000-39,000 WON

Can I drink the water in South Korea?

Tap water is considered safe to drink in many parts of South Korea unless otherwise marked. Ask your leader for guidance if you are unsure whether to drink tap water in the area you are traveling in.

Are credit cards accepted widely in South Korea?

Credit cards are usually accepted by hotels and large retailers. Smaller shops and restaurants may not accept credit cards, so always carry enough money to cover purchases, as paying with a credit card may not always be an option in South Korea.

What is ATM access like in South Korea?

ATMs are plentiful in large cities and urban centers, although not all ATMs accept foreign cards. Look for Global or Citibank ATMs, which usually accept cards from other countries.

What public holidays are celebrated in South Korea?

1 Jan: New Year's Day 27 Jan: Seollal 28 Jan: Seollal 29 Jan: Seollal 1 Mar: Movement / Independence Movement Day 3 May: Buddha's Birthday 5 May: Children's Day  6 Jun: Memorial Day 15 Aug: Liberation Day 3 Oct: Chuseok / Korean Thanksgiving 3 Oct: National Foundation Day (Gaecheonjeol) 4 Oct: Chuseok / Korean Thanksgiving 5 Oct: Chuseok / Korean Thanksgiving 9 Oct: Hangeul Day 25 Dec: Christmas Day

*Please note, South Korea public holidays may vary.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

How do I stay safe and healthy while traveling?

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

All in on Koreatown: best restaurants, essential nightlife and groundbreaking chefs

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When chef Ki Kim orders a bowl of seolleongtang at JunTong SulLungTang in Koreatown, he settles at a scruffy wooden table for a very specific feeling. The soup’s cloudy beef broth obscures noodles and kerchiefs of meat waiting just below the surface, with salt and green onions and gochugaru close by for seasoning .

“The interior, the exterior, the menu and the people working there remind me of Korea in the 1990s,” he says. “It’s very nostalgic for me.”

For nearly two years, Kim was the chef and co-owner of Kinn in Koreatown, a 20-seat tasting menu restaurant that took Korean food in the opposite direction of nostalgia. He deconstructed Seoul street foods like clams steamed in soju, reimagining the dish paired with asparagus and hidden under an edible wafer imprinted with images of herbs and other bivalves. He’d often open meals with a salad slathered in peppery, garlicky paste, and then covered in shaved Manchego, with the words “Eat Your Kimchi!” spelled on the plate in seaweed dressing.

Kinn’s signature, a dish of crisped octopus over a complexly spicy gochujang-inspired aioli that took hours each day for Kim and his crew to make, was an interpretation of a specialty he learned working at Jungsik in Manhattan. Jungsik Yim helped create the current wave of New York’s top-class modern Korean restaurants when he opened in Tribeca in 2012.

All in on Koreatown

Notions of tradition and modernism in Korean cuisine have been on my mind for months. This week the Food team rolled out a project we’ve been brainstorming since last year; our guiding idea was “ Koreatown is a state of mind .” I wrote a story about visiting New York last fall to experience some of its modern Korean fine dining restaurants — caviar and kimchi, truffles amid reimagined tabletop barbecue — and about considering the genre in concert with the singular Korean food culture in Los Angeles.

During my research I reached out to Kim, given that he’s the rare chef who’s cooked at one of New York’s foremost Korean restaurants and also helped propel modern thinking forward at Kinn.

We discussed how the wealth in New York, with its built-in fine-dining clientele, fueled the generation of Korean chefs who watched Yim succeed and saw the possibilities for their own ambitions to flourish.

“The chefs I’ve talked to [including Junghyun Park of Atomix , one of Manhattan’s most decorated restaurants] perceived Junsik, who’s a generation older, as having achieved the American dream. You’re truly following your passion and you’re still making sense financially. This is another level of cuisine, and it can be received very well in New York.”

On the differences between Korean dining cultures in Los Angeles and New York, he cites L.A.’s Korean population, the largest in the United States and a community that has existed for over a century.

“We have generations whose parents and grandparents immigrated to L.A. and they’re used to this culture. One thing I see when I go to Korea is how hyper trend sensitive the cuisine is. When people open a Korean restaurant in L.A. and that business continues for decades, it becomes a time machine. It’s mesmerizing to me and I love it so much. In Seoul I cannot find restaurants that I used to go with my family when I was a kid when I go back to Korea, versus when I go out with my parents out here to places like JunTong SulLungTang .”

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Which certainly doesn’t mean that L.A. Korean food, in its astounding breadth, operates entirely outside temporal existence. “ Koreaworld ,” a forthcoming cookbook and cultural examination by Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbard, focuses squarely on modern Korean cuisine’s national moment. It builds on the pair’s first collaboration, “Koreatown: A Cookbook,” which explored established communities across the country.

In “Koreaworld” — beyond the brilliant resurrection of Baroo in the Arts District, experimental finer-dining pop-up Joseon in Silver Lake, and Jihee Kim’s banchan gem Perilla L.A., which all opened after the book went to print — Los Angeles receives lots of attention. Among many, Hong and Rodbard highlight Yangban , Katianna and John Hong’s wonderful and ever-evolving culinary exploration of identity; Bodega Park , the coffee and sandwich shop in Silver Lake where you can order espresso with misugaru (a comforting Korean roasted grain powder beverage) and share a bodega-style chopped cheese alongside a pork bulgogi roll; and Seoul Sausage , a delivery service and Echo Park-based takeout window run by brothers Ted Kim and Yong Kim, who assemble beautiful lunchtime dosiraks.

The geographic diversity of these businesses returns me to a conversation with Hooni Kim, a chef who went to college in California and went on to open three restaurants in New York: Danji, a pioneering Korean fine dining restaurant that is currently closed after an electrical fire last year; Hanjan, a restaurant riffing on Korean tavern culture that didn’t make it through the pandemic; and eight-seat Meju , an extraordinary tasting menu project where I had my favorite meals among my recent travels to New York.

Meju is innovative in presentation but classical in its concentration on fermented ingredients core to Korean cooking. Its gleaming kitchen and counter reside in the back of Kim’s Little Banchan Shop on Long Island City in Queens.

The location is no coincidence for Kim, and it speaks to his broader theory about explorations of Korean cuisine. “Because so many people have come to love Koreatown restaurants, and K-town food, it has given chefs, including me, the courage to cook food in a neighborhood that isn’t a Korean neighborhood,” he says. “That opportunity allows us to reveal more about ourselves. In chefs’ hands, I think, is how a cuisine grows.”

I love that Los Angeles is expansive enough to support the old and the new; that decades-old businesess can maintain their customer base; that Seoul-imported trends can show up here on the fly; and that chefs like Ki Kim, whom I’m hoping reappears with his own place given his broad perspectives, can express their evolving personal narratives in fresh ways. There remains plenty of room for possibility.

Our favorite Korean barbecue, fried chicken and more

If you are here for the guides, we have them. First up: The Food team fanned out across the city to name 25 places we recommend for Korean barbecue : stalwarts and upstarts, traditionalists and rule-breakers.

Jenn Harris revisits one of her favorite subjects: Korean fried chicken. She pinpoints the seven best places for glazed wings, boneless thighs showered with pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, sliced tomato, avocado, red bell pepper, red onion and jalapeño(!) and whole birds scattered with fried garlic.

Stephanie Breijo , Danielle Dorsey and Daniel Hernandez stayed up late to explore Koreatown’s singular nightlife scene . They report on hidden karaoke bars, great smashburgers, classic cocktail lounges, neon-lit pubs and haunts of long-gone L.A. poets.

And from Buena Park, Sarah Mosqueda dives into the Source OC, an entertainment and dining destination that’s become the center of Orange County’s emergent Koreatown. It’s all there: classic tabletop barbecue, fried chicken, battered Korean-style hot dogs, red bean-filled doughnuts and a late-night lounge for gamers.

Great Australian Bite

On to another subject: In last week’s newsletter, Laurie Ochoa mentioned an upcoming dinner featuring Australian chef Josh Niland . He’s known for “The Whole Fish Cookbook,” which was book of the year winner at the 2020 James Beard Awards, and runs Sydney’s Saint Peter restaurant and fish butchery , where he applies a nose-to-tail approach to fish and seafood. Those of us in Southern California will have a chance to experience Niland’s cooking April 10 on the Malibu Pier when he joins Melbourne chef Jo Barrett , who is the Age Good Food Guide’s 2024 chef of the year and known for her no-waste kitchen practices, along with L.A. chef (via Australia) Monty Koludrovic of the W Hollywood’s Living Room . It’s an L.A. Times and Tourism Australia collaboration . Tickets are available here .

Have a question?

• Stephanie reports on the opening of Persian restaurant Azizam in Silver Lake. Cody Ma and Misha Sesar began as a pop-up, which I deeply admired , and I’m excited they’ve settled into a space.
• Jenn attended the 40th annual International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, and she met up with one of L.A.’s best pizza chefs as he strides toward perfecting focaccia.
• At De Los, Andrea Aliseda dives into the contemporary use of maíz and masa harina in the hands of modern bakers and pastry chefs.
• Daniel Miller reports on how, with California’s minimum wage increasing on April 1, South L.A. residents are bracing for bigger bills at fast-food restaurants .

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Bill Addison is the restaurant critic of the Los Angeles Times. He is recipient of the 2023 Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award from the James Beard Foundation, among numerous other accolades. Addison was previously national critic for Eater and held food critic positions at the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News and Atlanta magazine.

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April 1, 2024

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Korean food gets a Michelin-starred makeover in Seoul restaurants

Chef Joseph Lidgerwood prepares to cook beef over a wood fire at Evett restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 7.

Jun Michael Park / Jun Michael Park for NPR

How do you reinterpret a simple traditional dish into food that wins awards and commands a high price at a fine dining restaurant? Here’s an example:

For a final course at Evett, a restaurant in Seoul's trendy Gangnam district, Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood grills a chunk of Korean beef over a wood fire.

Then, he distills an inexpensive bowl of white rice and a dollop of brown doenjang — a paste of salty, fermented soybeans — reducing them to a small white puree with brown stripes, to accompany the beef.

Lidgerwood confesses that "the thing that I always wrestle with at fine dining restaurants is that sometimes it never tastes as good as the traditional Korean stuff."

He says he asks himself, "this tastes amazing, how can we bring this back to Evett? How can we make this into a dish that can be served at a location like this?"

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While foreign-run, Evett is part of Seoul's burgeoning gastronomic scene driven largely by South Korean chefs.

Their success in fine-tuning Korean food helped them scale the heights of haute cuisine, adding the taste of success to the many other trophies of South Korea's cultural power.

And en route to the top, Korean chefs and their creations have gotten a strong boost from other South Korean cultural exports, which have whetted international appetites for other Korean cultural genres.

In New York, two of 12 Michelin star awards last year , and three of 19 in 2022 , went to Korean restaurants.

"Something that I never thought would happen in my lifetime, especially to Korean food, is happening," muses Cho Hee Sook , often referred to as the "Godmother of Korean cuisine."

She got her start in the 1980s, when the only fine dining in South Korea was in hotels, and chefs were considered a lowly profession.

The rise of haute Korean cuisine

Evett , meanwhile, has been listed in the Michelin Guide since 2020, with one star for its high-quality cooking.

The main dining hall of the Michelin one-star-rated restaurant Evett.

Lunch at Evett costs about $114 per person, dinner about $119, not including wine.

"I'm not from Korea, but I have a love affair with Korean ingredients," says Evett's chef Lidgerwood. His aim with all his dishes, he says, is "to present them in different ways, to make people kind of look back at the past."

One of his signature creations, for example, is a "Meju doughnut." Meju is a beige brick of dried, fermented soybeans, from which three fundamental ingredients of Korean cuisine — soy sauce, fermented soybean paste and chili paste — are made.

The "Meju doughnut" has sticky rice with caramelized cream inside, black garlic puree and a millet rick cake on top, presented on a meju — a brick of fermented soybeans.

The brick is there to show you something about how Korean food is made. What you eat is a ball perched atop the block, a donut made with caramelized cream, anchovies and black garlic, and a dusting of powdered meju on top.

Another course is served in a dish made to look like a traditional Korean hat, filled with radishes and onions cooked in Korean makgeolli liquor and abalone, and topped with a perilla seed cracker.

There's a wooden Korean window frame that holds sweets including a ginseng marshmallow and a sesame oil caramel.

Lidgerwood's dishes reflect Korea's traditional use of seasonal ingredients, supplemented by taking fresh foods and preserving them through fermentation. Some he acquires on his roughly dozen annual foraging trips around South Korea.

"We have an amazing library of fermented stuff that we can pull and pick as we choose," he says.

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Many of Lidgerwood's dishes cater to Koreans' love of foods that are simultaneously sweet and salty. Many others have a creamy consistency more like European cuisine than Korean.

But chef Junghyun Park , chef and owner of the two-Michelin-starred Atomix and three other New York restaurants, says that, for him, at least, Korean haute cuisine is not about adapting traditional Korean foods to suit Western palates.

"I like cooking in New York because people there are very open to new cultures," he explains. "They like accepting new things. So it's not like I have to change to their tastes."

In other words, he just serves what he thinks tastes good. And he also dismisses the notion that Korean chefs have suddenly burst upon the global fine dining scene.

"They all started cooking around the early 2000s, like myself," he says, "and have trained as chefs for nearly 20 years, developing their own culinary styles. I think such efforts are now bearing fruit."

Traditional dishes with a modern twist

Chef Cho Hee Sook says one of her main aims is to update traditional Korean cuisine to reflect modern lifestyles.

Traditional Korean meals are centered on rice, served with side dishes called banchan .

Due to both exposure to foreign foods, and health-conscious efforts to cut carbs , she says, "more and more people are excluding rice from their table now and having what would have been banchan as standalone dishes."

Staff prepare apples in Evett's kitchen.

Many banchan and other traditional Korean foods make liberal use of soy sauce, chili paste and fermented soybean paste, to add flavor to the bland rice.

"Without rice, those flavorings are too salty," Cho says. "But as you try to assemble a fine dining course without rice, you soften the flavor of the traditional fermented pastes."

And, she adds, out of concern for hygiene, especially since COVID-19, many Korean restaurants are now serving meals in individual portions, rather than shared dishes in the middle of a table, another trend reflected in Korean haute cuisine.

Related: Oregon couple launches new Asian American and Pacific Islander food and wine festival

A rising tide of Korean cultural exports

A key ingredient in the success of Korean haute cuisine is the rising tide of other South Korean cultural exports, from K-pop bands including BTS and BLACKPINK to movies like Parasite and the TV series Squid Game .

And South Korea's government and corporations are thinking of ways to promote Korean food abroad and profit from it.

"Our ultimate goal is to increase exposure of Korean food overseas and through that, increase exports of Korean agricultural and food products," explains Yang Joo-pil, an official in charge of food industry policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

To do this, his ministry is finding ways to link Korean food to other facets of Korean culture.

Signature dishes of restaurant Evett.

"For example, we select about 10 food items each year for product placements in dramas," he says, referring to TV shows. They also sell Korean food at K-pop concerts overseas.

South Korea's largest food company, CJ Foods, meanwhile, aims to sell more of its frozen dumplings, chili paste, kimchi and other foodstuffs overseas, by cultivating rising young chefs like Evett's Lidgerwood.

Lidgerwood's culinary offerings are rich in culinary information. Putting that much cultural content "might seem like a lot of work, for people who aren't as interested in meeting the cow and the farmer," he quips.

"But for us it's a kind of a joy," he adds. "So that's why we get up every morning."

Jen Kwon and Se Eun Gong contributed to this report in Seoul.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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