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Money in Korea
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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.
Gwanak-gu's university population (Seoul National University is the dominant anchor) drives a food scene of affordable restaurants, study cafés, and late-night delivery options. The local food culture is young, budget-conscious, and diverse — students from across Korea bring their regional food preferences and the restaurant scene reflects this variety.
It's a bit of a mystery, nestled in a back alley near Sillim Station's Yeogwanchon. After the basic set, you're self-serve for additional side dishes. The initial taste was decent, but the meat flavors changed as you ate. It's soft, with a hint of tough meat. The tteoksari (rice cakes) are chewy, reminiscent of Dongdaemun Dakhanmari tteok (rice cakes with a yellowish texture), but they're actually just regular, puffy tteokbokki rice cakes. While the restaurant boasts proud descriptions throughout, the taste is questionable...
