by ZenKimchi | May 26, 2023 | Featured, Food Trend
According to the JoongAng Ilbo, bagels have really hit it big in Korea. In the expat-o-sphere, we’ve been noticing more bagel shops pop up over the years in our group Restaurant Buzz Seoul. The New Yorkers and Montréalers pooh-poohed most of the offerings. Not... 
by ZenKimchi | May 23, 2023 | Tour Tips
Planning a trip to South Korea? Choosing the right time to visit can greatly enhance your travel experience. In this seasonal guide, we’ll help you navigate the best time of year to explore the enchanting landscapes and cultural wonders of South Korea. From... 
by ZenKimchi | Feb 25, 2023 | Featured, Tour Tips
What Makes Springtime in Korea So Special? Springtime in Korea is a magical time of year. With the beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom and the many exciting festivals, tours, and activities that take place during this season, it’s no wonder why so many... 
by ZenKimchi | Feb 15, 2023 | Tour Tips
What to buy in Korea? Here are some Korean souvenirs. One of the most stressful parts of traveling is getting Korean souvenirs and gifts for friends, family, and office mates. What are good things to buy in Korea? I’ve lived in the Seoul area since 2004, and... 
by ZenKimchi | Jan 15, 2023 | Chicken Chicken Chicken, Top Posts, Top Posts - Winter
Chicken and beer have become serious institutions in South Korea. Korean style fried chicken started showing up around 1970, when cooking oil became more affordable. In the 1980s and 1990s, chicken “hofs” that served deep fried chicken and beer popped up... 
by ZenKimchi | Dec 16, 2022 | Tour Tips
In my experience talking to our tour guests, the most popular Seoul hotel areas are Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Jongno, Itaewon, Insa-dong, Dongdaemun, Bukchon, and Gangnam. Some people have loved their places. Others have shown regrets. It depends on your expectations and... 
by ZenKimchi | Dec 16, 2022 | Featured, Tour Tips, Traveling
Korean food tours, especially Seoul food tours, daunt travelers with all the choices. There is no one-size-fits-all experience. As I said on a previous post, TripAdvisor/Viator tours and others like them tend to be reposts of other companies’ tours with 15-30%... 
by ZenKimchi | Dec 15, 2022 | Tour Tips
Where are the best places to visit in Seoul? So many times, I get the question, “What are things to do in Seoul?” There are the conventional things, like visiting palaces and shopping in Myeong-dong. Yet Seoul is still new to many travel radars. You need... 
by ZenKimchi | Dec 15, 2022 | Tour Tips
One of the best places to visit in Seoul is Noryangjin Fish Market. It’s like an aquarium where you can eat the exhibits. Unlike a lot of fish markets around the world, many of the fish are still alive in tanks. Because of that, it doesn’t smell as rank as... 
by ZenKimchi | Aug 31, 2022 | Tour Stories
I had two guests on the Authentic Korean Chicken & Beer Experience last night. One of them writes books on food around the world. One food he’d written about but had never tried was fermented skate, known as hongeo 홍어 in Korea. On the way to our second stop,...