Korean Food 101
What Is Hanwoo Beef, and Is It Really Worth the Price?
There is a moment that happens on almost every beef tour I lead. Someone looks down at a beautifully marbled steak and says, “So… this is basically Korean Wagyu, right?” I get why they ask. Hanwoo and Wagyu occupy similar spots in their respective countries. Both command astonishing prices. Both get treated as national treasures.…
9 Best Korean Chicken Joints
My rule of thumb is this. To tell a good chicken place, look at the people inside. If it’s full of beautiful young women taking selfies, likely isn’t good chicken. If it’s full of middle-aged men who look like life has kicked them in the teeth–GREAT CHICKEN!
Why Your Galbi Experience Might Be a Lie (Unless You’re Doing it Like This)
Most people think they’ve eaten galbi because they sat at a grill, flipped something shiny, wrapped it in lettuce, and left smelling like smoke. That assumption is common, understandable, and usually wrong. Seoul has no shortage of BBQ restaurants that look convincing. Wood-paneled walls. Stainless exhaust pipes. A server with scissors moving quickly from table…
Samgyeopsal Day: The Most Delicious Marketing Ploy You Never Knew You Needed
Move over Valentine’s Day; there’s a new Hallmark holiday in town, only instead of candy hearts, we get sizzling strips of pork belly. March 3rd is Samgyeopsal Day in South Korea, and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: an entire day dedicated to grilling fatty pork in all its glistening glory. If you’re surprised…
3 Korean Diet Foods To Help You Lose Weight
Discover 3 healthy Korean diet foods—Tofu Steak, Acorn Jelly, and Barley Bibimbap—that are low in calories, nutrient-rich, and great for weight loss!
Korean Christmas Drinks: Beverages That Feel Like the Holidays
Korea’s Christmas traditions don’t carry the historical weight they do in the West. Missionaries brought the holiday over in the late 19th century, and even installed a Christmas tree in the palace at the queen’s request. Whether any drinks were involved in that first celebration, I couldn’t tell you. We cover the actual history of…
Korean Sweet Potato Hashbrowns, Better Than the Diner Kind
If you’ve had bam goguma 밤고구마 (Korean chestnut sweet potato), you know they’re not average spuds. Creamy, nutty, naturally sweet, they’re the standard Korean winter snack, usually eaten roasted straight off a street cart. Turns out they’re even better turned into hashbrowns. This dish is warm, filling, and easy enough for a weekday breakfast or…
The Unspoken Rule of Korean Fried Chicken Joints
There’s a rule I’ve come to trust at Korean fried chicken joints: the worse the cabbage slaw, the better the chicken. Two-Two Chicken in Myeongdong put that theory to the test. The slaw arrived looking like someone dumped cabbage, mayo, and ketchup into a bowl and stirred twice. No finesse, no balance, just a pink…
Kimchi and Cheese: How crisis made dairy dominate Korean cuisine
The spicy stewed pork ribs emerged from the kitchen. Two attractive TV hosts gawked at them in wonder. They gazed at a dish of decadence. A dish that broke all the rules. A dish that was Korean but smothered in mozzarella cheese. With small tongs one woman grabbed a meaty rib and wrapped it in…
