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These days, it is not hard to spot people walking around Gwanghwamun Plaza wearing hanbok while the typical mouthwatering smell of bulgogi spreads through the concrete jungle surrounding the plaza. People enjoying traditional Korean liquors and foodssitting in small bars located in little alleyways give off cozy and homely vibes. An exquisite sight of traditional culture harmoniously permeating one of the most modern cities in the country. This is a unique sight that you can only experience in Seoul.
So, what do you think about experiencing traditional Korean culture up close? You can make bibimbap and kimchi yourself. If you are familiar with soju and makgeolli, you can explore the world of traditional liquors in more depth. You can also learn more about traditional Korean foods directly from a master, who prides herself as the best in Korea. Here we introduce pleasantly surprising charms of Seoul. Experience Korea’s traditional culture in the most modern city in Korea, Seoul.
Korea House is a traditional culture experience center established in the private house of Park Paengnyeon, a civil officer during the early days of the Joseon Dynasty. After the foundation of the Republic of Korea, it was used as a guest house forVIPs from abroad. In the 1980s, it was renovated to become a place where visitors can experience traditional Korean culture, which continues to the present day. The five blocks of hanok were designed after Jagyeongjeon Chamber in Gyeongbokgung Palaceby the master architect Shin Eung-soo, who is registered as Important Intangible Cultural Asset No. 74.
Korea House also offers a range of traditional cultural programs. The basics include cooking classes where you can make traditional Korean dishes such as bibimbap, kimchi, and tteok, and Korean traditional clothing experience programs where you can try on hanbok. The Royal Korean Tabel d'hote program where Korean royal cuisine experts tell various stories related to food, including traditional recipes, is a representative program featured at Korea House. Recently, Korea House has launched a new package deal called, Han Style, which offers the Royal Korean Tabel d’hote program together with the hanbok experience program.
There is also a program where you can learn traditional Korean dance, which highlights the beautiful lines and curves of the body, as well as traditional musical instruments such as geomungo, gayageum, and janggu. If you are not yet done with the day after participating in all these experience programs, don’t forget you can also go and watch the traditional performances held in Folk Theater at Korea House. In the theater, you can see performances of high standards every evening. The performances include commentaries available in various languages including English to help the audience enjoy and appreciate the performances even more. Visiting a Korean restaurant that serves the royal Korean tabel d’hote is also a good way of enjoying Korea House.
Do you want to get a real taste of traditional Korean food culture? Look no further than Korean Food Masters Center. Here, you can participate in interactive programs where Korean Food Masters appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs share their secret recipes and tips. For your information, there are only 79 Korean Food Masters in Korea (as of January 2020). The Korean Food Masters program, where master chefs with the highest level of prestige in individual fields of Korean traditional cuisine give intimate cooking lessons, are very popular and fill up very quickly.
In the Korean Food Masters program, you will have an opportunity to see glimpses into Korean Food Masters’ wisdom related to traditional Korean food culture, which are relayed through Korean culture over the generations. The Korean Food Masters not only share stories of the tradition they are preserving, but also their unique cooking methods used to make traditional Korean foods. This is arguably the most unique experience that you cannot find anywhere else in Korea.
If your schedule unfortunately does not allow a meeting with Korean Food Masters, you can participate in cooking programs that are available on weekdays. Cooking classes where you can cook relatively simple traditional Korean foods are options always available for you. In addition, you can try foods and drinks made by the Korean Food Masters across 20 different food categories designated by the national authorities for free in the exhibition and sales spaces. In particular, sommeliers specializing in traditional Korean liquors are permanently stationed in the exhibition and sales spaces, so you can receive recommendations for your personal taste and style. If you want to relax and spend some time with a cup of tea and refreshments, go to a cafe where you can order a range of traditional Korean teas and desserts.
K-Style Hub located next to Cheonggyecheon Stream is a Korean tourism information center operated by Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). In K-Style Hub, which includes four stories from the 2nd floor to the 5th floor of the building, visitors can access a range of tourist information for Korea as well as interactive programs that transcend the traditional and modern aspects of Korea.
In the tourist information center located on the 2nd floor, a range of tourist information for destinations in Korea including Seoul is available. Staff who can offer information services in foreign languages are permanently stationed in the center. Meanwhile,the medical tourism information booth prepared in one corner of the center offers a tea therapy program for foreign visitors and tourists. Staff does a light check on the physical conditions of the visitors through a few questions, and offers warm tea made with Korea medicinal herbs. Visitors can also take away different kinds of Korean medicinal herb that best suit their physical constitution and health conditions in a bag.
Korean Food Culture Hall, located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the building, has a structure inspired by the interior design of hanok. Here, seasonal customs that are practiced according to the 24 seasonal divisions are introduced as well as foods that were enjoyed by the Korean ancestors in each season. Visitors can listen to detailed explanations of how Korea’s climate conditions and native agricultural environments have met the science of fermentation to create dishes that form a harmony. Korean food cooking classes that are available for minimum of 6 people are quite popular as well.
The 5th floor is Regional Tourism Experience Hall. In each quarter, the space is used for a relay of handicraft classes that contain unique colors of regional areas in Korea. What makes the classes attractive is that they utilize traditionally materials and handicraft methods and add a modern sense. The program is loved by many people as program participants can use their own creativity to make unique handicraft products of their own. On the same floor, a hanbok experience program, where visitors can try on traditional Korean clothing, is available throughout the year. What do you think about taking a photo of yourself wearing hanbok to commemorate the trip to Seoul?
There was one liquor that was particularly popular among the noblemen during the Joseon Era. It is said it took 108 days to make one barrel of this liquor. Imagine all the effort and energy poured into making it. Obviously the liquor tasted exceptionally good. After long years, many different types of liquors have disappeared. But, thankfully, this liquor has survived. The traditional method of brewing the liquor has been passed down through the generations. It still continues its legacy of being the traditional liquor that represents Seoul. This is the story of Samhaeju, Seoul Intangible Cultural Asset No. 8.
Even today, Samhaeju is continuing its tradition in the area of Bukchon. Samhae Soju, which is run by Master Kim Taek-sang (Korean Food Master No. 69), who succeeds the tradition of Samhaeju, is always open to anyone who is interested in Korean traditional liquors. Samhae Soju offers a sampling program where visitors can try a range of traditional liquors made by Master Kim Taek-sang.
Starting off with makgeolli, then samhaeju, which is a type of cheongju (refined rice wine), and samhae soju, which is made by distilling samhaeju again, the program offers 10 different types of liquor including ihwaju which is drunk using a spoon, and samhaeguiju , which is only introduced in special sampling programs. Depending on factors such as the brewing method, ingredients, degrees of fermentation, and maturation, each liquor has a different flavor and fragrance. It is quite a fun experience to compare different types of liquor and share opinions. This is rather a unique experience. The exciting stories of samhaeju shared along with the liquor make one lose track of the time. If you are a lover of fine liquor, do not forget samhaeju in your trip to Seoul.
Museum Kimchigan is a place where you can listen to almost every story about kimchi. Created with the title of the first kimchi museum in Korea in 1986, the museum introduces various aspects of Korean food culture in the lens of kimchi as well as the history of kimchi. An exhibition that offers information on the detailed nutritional value and taste of kimchi is also available. This is a must-visit for anyone interested in kimchi.
Museum Kimchikan also offers kimchi making programs where visitors can make their own kimchi. With the main themes of whole-cabbage kimchi and baekkimchi (white kimchi), specialized instructors give step-by-step instructions on how to make kimchi. This program will give you a chance to see what kinds of ingredients and methods are used to make kimchi that you have only enjoyed and tasted so far. The program also gives you useful information such as how to best store kimchi, and so on. After the program, you can take the kimchi home with you, that you have just made. The instructors also give you free recipe papers so that you can make kimchi at home.
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