Essentials
Money in Korea
Best exchange rates, ATMs & how to pay
Read guide →Korean cuisine (hansik) is built around balance — fermented sides (banchan), a steaming bowl of rice, and a main dish that changes with the season. Meals are served all at once rather than in courses, and sharing dishes at the table is the norm. The depth of flavor comes from slow-fermented pastes like doenjang (soybean) and gochujang (chili), which form the backbone of soups, stews, and marinades across the country.
Dongdaemun-gu is a 24-hour neighbourhood defined by its massive fashion markets, which draw wholesale buyers and night shoppers around the clock. The food scene is fast, cheap, and designed for people who eat at unconventional hours — naengmyeon restaurants that open at midnight, pojangmacha that come alive at 3am, and kalguksu shops that have served the same recipe for fifty years.
I ate a lot of it when I was a KATUSA. The pork belly was filling, and the seaweed soup was a classic snack bar dish. However, my favorite was kimchi fried rice. The peppery one was the best.
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