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.
Songpa-gu includes Jamsil, Olympic Park, and Lotte World Tower — one of the world's tallest buildings and a major tourism hub. The food scene is family-friendly and commercially vibrant: department store food halls, international chains, and Korean comfort food restaurants that cater to the large residential population. Lotte World Mall's food floor alone contains dozens of notable dining options.
