As soon as I clear customs at Incheon Airport, I head to Bon Juk restaurant in public area 1F near Exit 12 of the airport terminal and order a bowl of traditional abalone porridge. The mellow porridge has a nice texture and settles my stomach after a long flight. —Heong Soon Park Image by Petirrojo/Flickr. This appeared in the May 2013 issue.
Postcards from abroad just aren't as evocative if they don't have the foreign stamp and postmark...So, before our departure from Korea, my wife wanted to make sure to send a few from the airport post office. We went up to the fourth floor in the airy main terminal to find a restaurant where we could sit, write, and eat. Consistently rated one of the world's best airports, Seoul/Incheon International has no shortage of fancy eateries, but affordable "Global Kitchen," despite its prosaic name, is one of the best places to 'eat local.' You'll see non-Koreans in all of the international chains, but this place is popular with Korean families seeking a last taste of home before taking off. Chow down on typical fare, including "Jjajangmyun," a Chinese-Korean dish that was literally 'born' here in the port city of Incheon just over a century ago: hand-pulled white wheat noodles, enrobed in a black bean sauce, garnished with sprouts and succulent strips of calamari. Kimchi and pickled daikon radish--the red "kkak-doo-ghee" and the yellow "takuwan"--are available at a buffet of side-dishes. Serve yourself. Write home.
I never eat in the airport, but after a 4-hour flight from Singapore to Seoul I could not resist the smell of this. For those who follow my thread I think you understand food is my weakness; and this was no different. How can you turn down pork, egg and rice in perfect harmony? I still don't think covering the dish in mustard was a great idea, but it’s still a very, very yummy dish. Just a note - in general, Inchon Airport in South Korea is awesome, the food is good, and they have a skating rink, movie theater and spa... airport heaven!
While waiting for my international flight back home, you can learn to make traditional Korean crafts at the Korean Cultural Centers set up at the airport! You can also dress up in traditional Korean attire and take pictures with these girls! I opted to just take pictures with them minus the dressing up part.
Anyang, located just outside of Seoul is an incredible place for a day trip. The Anyang Art Park has numerous sites to see including this maze-like staircase. The park, which is situated in a valley, is a perfect way to spend an afternoon in any season.
Bukchon, the historic neighborhood between Gyeongbok-gung and Changdeok-gung Palaces in the heart of Seoul, is the home of "Buk-chon son mandu," which translates as 'hand-made dumplings.' Even though this is a Seoul chain restaurant, the namesake location is here, and it has the feel of a neighborhood hole-in-the-wall. All is fresh, made right in front of you. For just a few bucks, steamed or fried, you can sample a delicious variety of 'mandu'--the Korean version of 'wontons,' or 'gyoza'...The restaurant also specializes in North-Korean-style buckwheat noodles served in a cold spicy broth. From the An-guk subway station, go north on Bukchon-ro; you'll pass the Constitutional Court on the left...continue to the first major intersection after that and turn right. Just after you curve to the right, you'll find the restaurant on your right. Chal-mo-go! ("Eat well!")
In the Korean capital's Myeongdong district, you're not limited to 'Seoul-food;' you can also taste distinctive dishes from Jeonju city, in the country's fertile Southwest. Go to "Go-gung" (pronounce: goh-goong) restaurant. The restaurant's signature dish is "Jeon-ju bi-bim-bap"--in a brass bowl, steamed rice is topped with beef, radish, pumpkin, cucumber, spinach, bellflower root (huh?), bracken-fern (a.k.a. 'fiddleheads'), jujubes (Chinese dates), pine nuts, walnuts, mung-bean-'jelly,' gingko nuts, chestnuts, chili-paste, and a raw egg which gets cooked as you stir everything into the hot rice. Along with the main course come the obligatory 'bahn-chahn' accompaniments, including soy-bean-sprout soup, mild cabbage kimchi, red napa kimchi, and 'bin-deh-tteok': mung-bean-and-vegetable 'pancake.' To wash it down--what looks like a glass of iced latte is in fact 'moju,' a rustic country-style rice-wine; don't let the cloudy color scare you! The restaurant even has a website (with English translation!) for more information: http://www.gogung.co.kr/eng/store/index.htm
This hexagonal pavilion on an island surrounded by lotus is one of the loveliest spots in Seoul. But the site's poetic name--"Hyang-won-jeon," meaning 'pavilion of far-reaching fragrance'--belies some turbulent and sad history that took place nearby. In 1895, at the orders of the Japanese ambassador, assassins entered Gyeongbok-gung Palace at night and brutally murdered Queen Min (also known as Empress Myeongseong) just yards from this pond. The political intrigue leading up to her assassination also led, eventually, to the fall of the Joseon dynasty and foreign occupation... A hundred years later, this account was turned into a musical--"The Last Empress", (called by some 'Korea's 'Evita'), played in Seoul for a decade and was performed in London, NY, and Toronto as well. Today, Hyang-won-jeon is one of the most popular spots in Seoul for couples on dates; history's intrigues don't always take center stage... To get to Gyeongbok-gung Palace: Seoul subway Line 3, Gyeongbokgung station. Open 9-5, closed on Tuesdays
Dumplings are delicious. That's not much of a secret. But snacking on dumplings in one of the world's busiest and most atmospheric night markets? That's an entirely different experience. Namdaeumun Night Market, located smack dab in the heart of Seoul, is a throwback to the Korea of yore, a place where you can sample traditional street treats, fill your pockets with pickled ginger, and a host of other ancient herbal supplements (you'll need them after you power through a bottle of soju), rub shoulders with old school shopkeepers, and buy just about any sort of trinket you can possibly imagine. Namdaemun is a world away from the Seoul that surrounds it, and will always and forever remain one of my favorite places to watch the world go by.
Travelers looking for a rich cultural experience should book a room at a hanok, or traditional Korean home. One of the best, Rak Ko Jae, has fancy touches such as jade floors and a mud sauna. Guests can perform a tea ceremony and make their own kimchi to take home. —Heong Soon Park From $250. This appeared in the May 2013 issue.
Bukchon Hanok Village offers an old-fashioned Korean hotel experience. You sleep on thick sheets with a hard pillow on a heated floor. Try the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul (shown) if you want to be pampered. —Heong Soon Park This appeared in the May 2013 issue.
Seoul-based food pundit Daniel Gray leads eight-hour ultimate insider tours of the city. Each is customizable. Meat lovers can focus on Korean barbecue, while vegetarians may want to sample kongguksu (chilled noodle soup in soy milk broth) and other temple dishes. From $315. This appeared in the May 2013 issue.
Across the street from Asia's largest underground mall, Bong-eun-sa temple still functions as one of Seoul's largest and oldest Buddhist temples. Under the paper lanterns, ritual continues, a counterpoint to the the wired and wifi frenzy in the rest of Korea's capital...
Amidst the almost hypnotic repetition of pattern and color, I spent an afternoon 'lost' in the colonnades of Changdeok-gung Palace. Focusing my vision on architecture in a historical context far removed from my everyday life--one of my favorite ways to get 'lost' on a trip abroad...This immersion in 'the other' is often one of the most refreshing aspects of travel. (for the 'lost' theme in the 'Catch' contest)
I love eating at the food stalls of Insa Dong Street. This is where ladies of the royal court used to live during the Joseon Dynasty. Don’t miss the Korean sweet pancakes, fish cakes, and spicy rice cakes. Insa Dong is also known for its classic teahouses. —Heong Soon Park Photo by Kjunstorm/Flickr. This appeared in the May 2013 issue.
Namdaemun Market, the most bustling place in Seoul. Food vendors fly through unnavigable aisles with food stacked on their heads, touts selling their wares and a constant stream of shoppers looking to spot the best bargain. Three things you should buy in Namdaemun; 1. Korean Red Ginseng - POW, potent stuff that keeps you mentally and physically sharp. 2. Gochu Chocolate - A chocolate infused with the spicy Korean pepper, this stuff is affordable and perfect for taking on a plane. 3. Hanboks - Tourist can take home a handmade hanbok (something similar to a Kimono, only Korean). These can get pricey but a number of material and color combinations help reduce the price. To get to Namdaemun, take Line 4 to Hoehyun and follow the crowds, this place is packed on the weekends so pick and choose how you would liek to experience it. P.S. - keep an eye (and nose) open for yachae hotteok, a fried "pancake" stuffed with stir-fried vegetables and spiced glass noodles. The lines for these wrap around the corner so for 70 cents a pop by more than you can eat!
Seoul's Insadong district is one of the best locations for arts and antiques browsing in the Korean capital. On nice days, especially weekends, artisans demonstrate their traditional crafts on the sidewalks--the street turns into another of the city's outdoor markets. With so much manufactured for the souvenir trade, it was refreshing to see this 'haraboji' (respectful Korean term for 'grandfather') painting his fans, one by one, inkstone at his feet--a bit of unlikely art, still slowly painted with bamboo brushes, as smart-phone-wielding city-dwellers rush by... Artists his age have seen Seoul transform itself from the bombed-out ruins of the Korean War (1950-1953) into one of the most Internet-connected cities on Earth; just 30 miles from the world's most heavily fortified border, the DMZ, twenty million people call this metropolitan area home. To get here by subway: Line 3, exit #6 from Anguk station; Line 5, exit #5 from Jongno 3-ga station.
In the Samcheong-dong neighborhood, I saw this whimsical mural on the side of a bakery--perfect for a Francophile Korean sweet-tooth. I became a lover of macarons (NOT to be confused with 'macaroons') when I lived in Paris. I had no idea that the Korean capital would have such a love-affair with these French pastries as well--available throughout the city! Bon appétit! (To get these delicious treats, if you're in Seoul's Bukchon area, check out 'Palette Seoul,' Jong-no-gu, Samcheong-dong, 39-beonji.)
I go to Dongdaemun Market (Dongdaemun Stadium Station) to see how the locals live. The market is made up of 26 shopping malls over multiple blocks. There are more than 5,000 shops. You can find everything from food to clothing to electronic goods here. —Heong Soon Park Photo by d'n'c'/Flickr. This appeared in the May 2013 issue.
"Korea--it gets under your skin," she said, with her Scando-Slavic English. My wife and I had struck up a conversation with the only other person resting in the pavilion's shade on this summer afternoon in Seoul, in the garden of the new National Museum. She was--is--a Finnish expat, who came with her Polish husband when he got a job in the South Korean capital several years ago. After walking all morning through galleries ranging from Neolithic to Neo-confucian, it felt so good to rest our feet. And so we sat by the pond reflecting the world's sixth-largest museum. The pavilion has an octagonal roof covered in green celadon tiles. Looking up at the symmetrical ceiling is almost hypnotic. The last time I'd been to Seoul was nearly twenty years ago; expats, aside from diplomats and U.S. military, were rare then. Not any more. The city is full of French bakeries. Indonesians in head-scarves are common in the subways... and under an octagonal roof, with cranes presiding, a Finnish woman telling us about how she loves the 'passion' of Korean culture, and how she does not miss the spice-less-ness of northern European food...complaining about how difficult it is to "meet people here..." But then saying, "yes, hard to just make friends with strangers, unless you are introduced by somebody. Once that happens, then you're in."
In the middle of a metropolitan area of twenty million, Seoul's historic Bukchon neighborhood has kept a traditional village feel. "Hanok"--traditional courtyard houses, with upswept tile roofs and latticed sliding doors--line the hilly streets. Some of them have been opened as small guesthouses. After a transpacific flight, and then a bus-ride into the city (from the new airport, built on reclaimed land in the Yellow Sea), I walked a few blocks, up narrow lanes, through a wooden gate, and felt as if I'd stepped back into the Korean countryside of a century ago. A rooster and a rabbit shared the courtyard, filled with hydrangeas and herbs. A persimmon tree towered overhead. My room had sliding papered doors; simple--just a low bed and table, no TV...but free wi-fi! The friendly owner, whose family lives in one wing of the house, showed me the hot water machine where I could make instant ginseng-tea and 'ko-pi.' Not all hanok lodgings are so spartan: behind the main courtyard of this house, a 'sarang-chae' is also available to stay in--it's like a mini-house (or 'casita'), with its own private garden: rustic luxury. While staying here, I met an Israeli man and his Japanese wife on their way back to the Middle East as well as a couple of professors of Indian languages from Seattle on their way to New Delhi. Bukchon is becoming more widely known as one of Asia's urban gems. (For more information: http://www.seoul110.com/html_en/1.html)
One of the most distinctive buildings in central Seoul is the 33-story Jongno Tower, a triangular glass and steel tower topped with an oval floating above seven stories of emptiness. Across the street is the traditionally reconstructed "Bo-shin-gahk" belfry, housing a large bronze bell. During the Joseon dynasty, the bell would be rung 33 times every morning, (symbolizing the 33 heavens of Buddhism), to open the city's gates. At dusk, the bell would be rung 28 times (linked to the locations of constellations) to signal the shutting of the city's gates. The original bell is now in the National Museum, but a reproduction still hangs here, and every December 31st, it's struck 33 times to ring in the New Year. The basement of the Jongno Tower connects with the subway and a shopping arcade, including "Bandi and Luni's," one of Seoul's largest bookstores, with a good selection of English publications. While there is no public observation deck at the top, there is a restaurant/bar, and if you take the elevator to the top, you can linger for a few minutes in the foyer area to catch a view without having to buy anything. (Incidentally, Jongno Street, one of the city's main east-west thoroughfares, means 'Bell Street.' The bell's been ringing here since the end of the 14th century.) To get here by subway: Line 1, exit Jonggak station More info about the architect, Uruguayan Rafael Viñoly, and the architecture: http://www.rvapc.com/works/341-samsung-jong-ro-tower
You don't need to go to back alleys or historic markets (although those are great!) to sample traditional snacks in Korea; almost all the major boulevards in the center sprout mini-kitchens, set up on the sidewalk even across from chic western-style businesses. Here, next to an artisanal French pâtisserie and across from a café (Seoul is caffeinated and macaron-crazed), I sampled 'kim-mah-ree'--sweet potato noodles wrapped in seaweed, dipped in tempura batter, then deep-fried. Sizzling oil speaks all languages!
Afar's description of the Are We There Yet? theme: "Embarking on your daily commute or navigating the Japanese subway. What surprises have you uncovered while getting from point A to point B that AFAR travelers would want to hear about?" is easy to relate to for me (just substitute Japan with Korea). During a two year sojourn in Seoul my work day started in and ended in a blur. Running to bus stops, rushing through train stations and hurdling down stairs were all common place. When I had free time I made a point to go back to Seoul's beautiful subway stations and take pictures. Kyungwondae Station, Seoul, Korea
This is another delicious meal in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of egg, bean sprouts, and seaweed on a bed of rice.
From the upper floors on the north side of 'The Plaza' hotel in central Seoul, this is the view up Sejong-ro, the city's historical main axis. Reopened in 2010 after extensive renovation and redesign by the Italian designer Guido Ciompi, this is Seoul's luxury boutique hotel in the middle of it all. Toward the end of our trip to Korea, my wife and I decided to splurge on a night here. We didn't have time to enjoy all of the hotel's amenities, but the spa and artisanal French bakery were on our list. In room, everything (including drapes and curtains) was 'remote-controllable' from a bed-side touch-screen phone. Perhaps one of The Plaza's greatest amenities is its central location. After my wife's spa treatment, but before catching the direct bus from the hotel to the airport, we were able to go for a walk in the garden of 15th-century Deoksu-gung palace across the street...(The basement of the hotel also connects to underground-shopping-arcades and the subway.) Specifically, the view above looks over giant television screens on the sides of skyscrapers, over monument-dominated Gwanghwamun pedestrian plaza, on to Gyeongbok-gung palace (built when Seoul was established as the capital in 1392), and finally 'The Blue House' on the flank of Bugak-san mountain, the official residence of the South Korean president. For more information: www.hoteltheplaza.com/eng/
Expecting a stuffy museum, the King Sejong Story was a pleasant surprise. This monument in the center of Seoul housed underneath one of the hippest areas is worth a look. No amount of rambling can present how great King Sejong was for Korea but for starters him along with his cabinet were responsible for Hangeul (Korean alphabet) and advancements in science, culture, arts and politics. I had expected to find busts and dioramas showing off Sejong accomplishments but the whole museum had an artistic spin on it. While walking down a hallway I thought this lighting installation would make a perfect backdrop for a silhouette. To get to the museum take Seoul's purple line, Line 5. Surface and fine the large walkway (fountain included) then walk to the large gold colored monument of King Sejong, the entrance is on the back of his chair.
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