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.
Gangnam-gu is Seoul's upscale business and entertainment district south of the Han River. Home to K-pop entertainment companies, COEX Mall, and the Apgujeong-Rodeo shopping strip, it attracts young professionals, tourists, and K-drama fans. Restaurants here tend toward the polished and premium, with a density of international cuisine, high-end Korean dining, and trendy cafés.
dirt cheap, bang your buck, highest quality of beef
Of course when a butcher shop runs their own Korean BBQ joint, it’s going to be delicious. The beef that they serve are Hanwoo beef and rated 1++ - the highest in the Beef Marbling Standard in Korea. We ordered beef to grill as well as yukhoe, slices of raw beef mixed with raw egg. The yukhoe slices were a bit frozen but everything was quite good. The restaurant is a bit hard to find. There’s an entrance near the meat shop and it’s down some stairs. Definitely worth it though if you're in the area.
