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From appliances to pop music, Korea has in recent years become an unstoppable global powerhouse. The country seems to have a knack for taking the best of outside influences, adding its unique flair, and then exporting the distinctly Korean result back out for worldwide consumption. The same goes for food – Korea thrives on reinvention. On this day-into-evening food tour in the backstreets of Seoul’s bustling Dongdaemun and Jongno neighborhoods, we’ll taste how this almost magical process plays out, with each stop revealing how resilience, creativity, and cultural pride fuel the city’s dynamic food scene. Our day will start in a busy alley filled with restaurants serving a classic chicken and noodle dish that draws on a variety of regional flavors. We’ll savor this iconic dish at the very restaurant that pioneered it, a family-run spot helmed by the same woman for 40 years. From there, we’ll work our way through the heart of Seoul, stopping for traditional cookies and sweets, before having a second lunch of grilled beef and bibimbap at an old school bbq joint. At a nearby locals-only indoor market, we’ll work our way through the countless stalls, stopping to taste some signature banchan – flavorful side dishes served with rice – and gimbap, Korea’s homegrown “sushi” roll. Diving deeper into the backstreets, we’ll stop into another alley restaurant for the umami-rich bossam – steamed pork belly, oysters, and kimchi all wrapped up in a fresh cabbage leaf. For a “lighter” bite, we’ll visit a local bakery that serves a beloved version of a Korean fusion sensation known as “salt bread” – a buttery pastry that is like the love child of a croissant, baguette, and fluffy dinner roll. Along the way, we’ll visit local institutions, including a cozy record shop and a wholesaler of traditional outfits known as hanbok, to get a sense of Korean culture, both new and old. To end our time together and prepare you for a night out on the town, we’ll join the locals for an al fresco happy hour at one of the area’s numerous pojangmacha, open-air “tent bars,” where soju – Korea’s national spirit – is downed along with a plethora of savory bar snacks.
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