Showing posts with label korean. Show all posts

New Era of Sweets


Bingsu, a classic Korean dessert, has been around since the Joseon era and was originally only served in the summer. However, as the summer grew longer and food culture changed, an increasing number of establishments are now selling bingsu year round. Originally, bingsu was just broken up ice topped with red azuki beans. This variety of bingsu is the most representative of Korean bingsu even today, but for young people who like to try new and unique desserts, this may not be enough. Read on for the Korea Tourism Organization’s top nine unique dessert treats in Seoul.

  • Danggojip, offering various dango flavors

Danggojip is the only place in Korea that specializes in Japanese dango (also called danja), a type of rice cake made of glutinous rice flour that has been steamed and shaped into round balls, and then served on a skewer. These chewy desserts are often made without a filling, although peanut powder can be sprinkled on top according to one's preference.

The café's most popular item is the cherry blossom bingsu, which is a milk bingsu topped with cherry blossoms, red azuki beans, strawberries, and a pink sauce. The dish is a pleasure to both see and taste. Try their popular bingsu, and if you are still not full, add on one of their dozen varieties of dangos. Some of the café's clientele include artists from the Hongdae area and celebrity actor Cha Seungwon.



Address:(Hongdae branch): 5, Eoulmadang-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul

  • Sobok, healthy and delicious treats
An establishment that emphasizes natural flavors, Sobok first opened in the Hongik University area in early 2014. They offer fresh and nutty ice cream prepared daily every morning, mixing brown rice and various grains with milk.


In general, bingsu is made with shaved ice topped with various ingredients. In contrast, the bingsu at Sobok is made with grain ice cream topped with small amounts of sweet pumpkin, dried persimmon, rice cakes, grain syrup, and other natural ingredients. Each bowl of bingsu is garnished with a small chrysanthemum flower. The paper bowl the bingsu is served in is also environmentally friendly, as it is made of corn powder.


Address: 58, Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul


  • Imi, where fresh cream and oranges meet

Imi is located in Seogyo-dong, a quiet neighborhood near Hongik University. This café is run by two brothers, one a barista and the other a baker. Imi serves a one-of-a-kind fresh cream orange bingsu. It is served in a large coffee mug and topped with so much fresh cream, you might mistake it for coffee at first glance. Take a spoonful of it, and you will instantly feel rejuvenated by the refreshing orange taste. Also popular, especially among the young female clientele, is the French-style cake made of oranges and cheese.

Address: 7, Donggyo-ru 25-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul

  • Ice Cream Bunggeoppang, a delicious street snack
Bungeoppang, fish-shaped bread filled with red bean paste, is a common winter-time snack in Korea. At A-boong, this treat takes on a new spin during the summer. There are three flavors of ice cream bungeoppang, which became instantly popular online thanks to its pretty and unique shape. The big-size bungeoppang features red azuki beans, fresh cream or sweet potato sauce, and comes topped with ice cream and a skewer of chocolate-covered fruit.

Address: Ehwa University Branch: 10 Ewhayeodae 2-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul


  • Penguin Macaron, where lines form in an instant

Penguin Macaroon was the first ice cream shop to offer macaroon ice cream sandwiches in Korea. All the macaroons and ice cream sold at Penguin Macaroon are made the same day. In addition, there is a limited quantitiy of sandwiches sold each day, making these treats a hot commodity. Due to their limited numbers, a long line of people begins to form in front of the store as the store’s opening hour approaches, all hoping to get this sweet and fun morsel.

There are five flavors of ice cream: green tea, fresh cream cheese, strawberry, banana, and chocolate. When you order ice cream, it will be served between the macaroons that go best with it (the colors of the macaroons change every day). Some say that macaroons are too sweet, but eat it with ice cream and you will quickly agree that the two are a perfect match.

Address: Main Branch: 258-15, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Website: www.penguinmacaron.com

  • Gaongil, a trip to classic taste
Gaongill is a café similar to Ogada or Tea Oreum. It is a franchise café that sells traditional Korean snacks and beverages. Their traditional bingsu, the most popular menu item, is generously topped with red azuki beans, rice cakes, jujubes, chestnuts, and mung beans. Unique treats on their menu include Sujeonggwa bingsu, royal honey bingsu, and pea bingsu. The pea bingsu features peas boiled in sugar and is quite popular as it is low in calories.

Address: Doosan Tower Branch: 153, Daehang-ro, Jongno, Seoul


  • Sammat Hootteok, a cozy and charming snack place
Sammat Hootteok is a snack place run by a young brother-sister duo. By opening this establishment, the pair bet everything on their hotteok, a variety of Korean fritters. Sammat, or three tastes, refers to the three varieties of hotteok filling they serve: red azuki beans, cheese, and seed.

Eventually, the owners developed an ice cream version. The ice hotteok features cold ice cream stuffed inside a hotteok that has just been deep-fried in oil. The taste is beyond description and amazingly good, earning this snack the chance to appear on many TV shows. Also highly recommended is Sammat Hootteok’s tteok-bokki, an all-time favorite Korean snack food, and the Italy hotteok that is full of cheese.

Address: 5, Wangsimni-ro 21-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul


  • Tasting Room, serving elegant ice cream
Tasting Room is a restaurant run by a married couple, one is an architect and one is a lighting designer. The restaurant sells popcorn salt ice cream, which is vanilla ice cream covered in popcorn and served on a chilled dish sprinkled with salt. Dip the ice cream in some salt to enhance its sweetness, but be sure you don’t use too much salt or it will ruin the ice cream’s flavor. This combination of popcorn and ice cream has become more common on the Korean street food scene and you will also find similar ice creams at movie theaters.
Address: COEX Mall Branch: Asem Tower, 524, Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Website: www.tastingroom.co.kr


  • Bardot Bars, delicious and decadent ice cream bars
Bardot Bars is a decadent ice cream brand from California. With the motto "We sell Love on a stick," the store's main product is decadent ice cream bars. The shop interior is designed as if selling luxury goods and the packaging is also unique and lavish. The ice cream is coated with Belgium chocolate, while the inside comes in ten or so flavors, including walnut, cheese, and green tea.

The flagship store in Cheongdam-dong is run side by side with Klatch Coffee, a specialty coffee shop from the U.S. Bardot Bars was also featured several times in Korean dramas and Yoon Eun-hye, EXO, and 4minute also filmed here.

Address: 8, Dosan-daero 57-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul


Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/

Beautiful Alphabet, Hangeul (Korean)

Beautiful Alphabet, Hangeul (Korean)



October 9 of every year holds a very special place in the hearts of Koreans. This year, it is the 568th birthday ofhangeul, the native Korean alphabet invented by King Sejong (r. 1418-1450).

The invention of hangeul was no accident, but rather the culmination of a methodical and logical process. Before hangeul, Chinese characters called “hanja” had been used in writing. However, hanja, for its sheer plethora of characters, was difficult to learn, especially for people of lower social status with little or no access to education, and this led to rampant illiteracy throughout the country. In order to resolve the problem, King Sejong began developing a new writing system that would be easy to access as well as to learn. At last, on October 9, 1443, hangeul (Hunminjeongeum) was invented and was disseminated with a thorough explanation of logic behind each stroke of its characters. It was published for the first time in 1446. The invention of hangeul had since then contributed substantially to reducing illiteracy in Korea.

Today, hangeul is regarded as one of the most systematic alphabets in the world, and is annually celebrated, designated as “Hangeul Day”. In anticipation of the day this year, we invite you learn and celebrate Korea’s valuable cultural asset, hangeul!
What does Hangeul mean?





The name ‘hangeul’ is made up of two words: ‘han (한)’ and ‘geul (글)’. Han means either “big” or “great,” and geul refers to the alphabet; hangeul, therefore, means “great alphabet”.

Initially, the Korean alphabet was called ‘hunminjeongeum,’ which translates to “the proper guiding alphabet of the people,” and consisted of 28 letters. From its original system, four letters have been dropped and it is now commonly referred to as hangeul. Hunminjeongeum or hangeul is not only easy to learn and convenient to use, but also unique and scientific. In recognition of such virtues, the UNESCO inscribed the Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon (Guidebook) on its Memory of the World Register in October 1997. FUN FACT) Did you know why Hangeul Day is on October 9?

Yangbans (noble class) were vehemently opposed to the creation of Hangeul, fearing social upheavals that could result from having too many “educated commoners.” Consequently, King Sejong had to be extremely discreet about his grand literacy project, resulting in very little documentation during the project’s initial stages.

Since there was very little documentation, historians had initially concluded hangeul’s “birthday” to be around October 29. However, with the discovery of the Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon, historians placed the date of Hangeul’s publication closer to 9th of October.
How does a Hangeul letter look like?





Hangeul is a writing system that involves combining 2 to 4 of the 24 consonants and vowels to form one-syllable blocks. Each vowel is made of a line or lines that represent the sky, the earth and people, while consonants reflect the shape of a human mouth during pronunciation. Together, they form a total of 40 commonly used letter combinations.
Who exactly was King Sejong the Great?


Photo: Statue of King Sejong the Great centering at the Gwanghwamun Plaza


Born on May 15, 1397 as the third son of King Taejong (third monarch of the Joseon Dynasty) and Queen Min, and inaugurated as the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty in 1418, he was a leader who put his passion for intellectual pursuits, love for his people, and keen interest in improving the lives of the lower class into action. Consequently, the Joseon Dynasty made great strides in various fields during his reign, as well as comforting his subjects in all aspects.

Ultimately, the king’s achievements and benevolence led to the coining of the nickname, “King Sejong the Great.” The warm-hearted king is revered today, as demonstrated by his portrait on the 10,000 won bill!


Where can I learn Korean?

Several major universities across Korea’s capital city of Seoul offer Korean language programs designed exclusively for international visitors and students. Most offer both full-time and part-time study options with schedules that run anywhere from one day (special Hangeul seminars) to weeks, months, or years (intensive language study courses)

Where to buy souvenirs with hangeul?

There are many places in Seoul to find trinkets and knick-knacks decorated with hangeul. Museums throughout the city as well as souvenir stores in the famous Insa-dong area are great places to look for hangeul-themed souvenirs.
National Museum of Korea
The shop at Korea House
Insa-dong 

Hangeul-themed tourist attractions

King Sejong The Great Memorial Hall
King Sejong Story