2PM and Kim Tae-hee sportin' Christmas hats in 2009. Where are they this year?

We’re in full swing for Korean Christmas advertising, and I haven’t noticed the string of silly hats on K-pop idols this year. Paris Baguette’s Christmas slogan this year is, “You are not alone.” I don’t know if it’s some solace for singles during what’s considered a couples day, if it’s a tribute to Michael Jackson, or if it’s a message for people who get suicidal this time of year.

Nonetheless, the Christmas cake models are coming out, and they’re looking a little subdued. I hope they won’t be. If they are, we always have the banchan.

News and Blogs

• Epicurious brags about its record for predicting food trends and soundly predicts 2011 to be the year for Korean food
• Homebrew Korea says there are some beer sales at Home Plus
• Rapping kimbap
• A book has come out by a Korean embassy worker in China about globalizing Korean food–and I actually agree with some of his points
• Seoul Suburban explores Doksan Subway Station and the Doksan Cattle Market
• Pieman in Korea is making Christmas stuff
• Who woulda thunk the worst place in the world was Korean?
• Lotte Mart enters the junk food price wars (HT @ajosshi)

Restaurants

• Bella Tortilla in Hongdae
• What looks to be abalone heaven in Jamsil
• A cool looking dirt floor grilled chicken and duck joint in Gangwon-do
• If you’re ever in Pyongyang, you got spaghetti!

Recipes

• Aeri makes some tasty sesame leaf (perilla) kimchi
• She also makes some stir-fried filefish for banchan
• David Chang roasts some ddeokbokki
• OMG–Stuffed Kimchi Jjigae!
• Korean white cow stock recipe
• Kimchi Bloody Mary (HT SkimKim)