Taste of Korea- Chicken

There is a certain dining etiquette when it comes to eating chicken that you should keep in mind in Korea:

1. The Legs are the prized part of the chicken, so they should be shared or offered to the most important person at the table. So in some K-dramas you'll often see the legs part often offered first to parents, guests, or lover.
2. Wings should not be offered to a loved one lest they "fly away"

In the past, chicken needed to be prepared in the way to increase the nutrients, so it was often stuffed with rice and boiled in soup with oriental herbs, ginseng, and potatoes. It also braised in sauces, roasted, an fried. Korean loves to eat chicken feet and gizzard; the latter is called "dak ddongjip"
The chicken is also the animal believed to carry the soul. So in old funeral caskets, you'll often find chicken.

So, ready for some chicken restaurant? :D

1. Bongchu Jjimdak.

Jjim means Korean steamed/boiled dish while dak refers to chicken.

This is the most famous chicken restaurant in Seoul. Bongchu Jjimdak sauce is sweet, savory, spicy, and has lots of garlic and ginger. The sauce has many chunks of chicken, tender potatoes, carrots, and thick sweet potato noodles. You should try to mix bongchu jjimdak with toasted rice, but be sure not to let it get too soggy. The juxtaposing textures of soft and savory makes it an epic end-of-the-meal treat.

Location:
- 2F, 663-7 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Apgujeong Stn. (Line 3, Exit 2) 15min walk.
- 25-2, 2-ga Myeong-dong, Chung-gu, Seoul, South Korea  (Alight atMyeongdong Station (Line 4), Exit 8. Walk straight till you see the small alley on your left and turn in. Walk all the way straight for about 5 minutes and the store is on your left)

Price: 20.000won/2-3person

2. Korean Fried Chicken at Hanchu

KFC in Korea stands for Korean Fried Chicken. Once you try Korean Fried Chicken, you'll forget "Kentucky Fried Chicken" or another fried chicken!! The fried chicken here is encapsuled in shockingly crisp batter that has an elusive peppery kick. Hanchu is the place where locals go to get their fried chicken desires fulfilled. This fried chicken should be at the top of your bucket list!!

Location: 
549-9 Shinsa-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul

Price:17.000won for 2-3 person

3. Chicken Soup for Your Korean Soul

When you need some chicken soup in Korea, I'll suggest you get some "dakhanmari" in Dongdaemun. This area has dozens of those "whole chicken soup" joints, and they all serve these rustic dish with subtel healing properties. Health is the most important part of a meal in Korea. In Jinokhwa Halmae Dak, the broth has this lift of delicate herbs with a warming garlic note that is accented by the fresh green onions. This is must-have-taste experience while in Korea.

Location:
265-8 Jongno 5-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Walk straight from Exit 9 of Dongdaemun station and turn left at the first junction. Walk straight and turn to the alley on your right...You might miss the alley so take note. The restaurant is full of people)

Price: 18.000won for 2-3 person

4. Samgyetang

For Korean, food is also medicine. So they put herbs inside the ingredients makes it taste like a herbal medicine, but very delicious and also healthy. Samgyetang is very good for your stamina and give you strength after tiring day. The most famous samgyetang is in Tosokchon area, near Gyeongbokgung Palace. Beware of long queue, you should come before 11 am if you don't want to queue long!

Location:

- 85-1 Chebu-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Directions: Subway line 3, Gyeongbokgung Station, exit 2. Walk 120 meters towards Hyoja-dong. You will past “popoyes”, then look for GS25 convenience store, turn into the small lane at the corner of this store. Turn left onto Jihamun-ro 5-gil.

Price: 21.000won for 3-4people

Taste of Korea- Tteok

We maybe all know the most famous "tteokpokki" snack that you can easily find in every corner of the street in Seoul with price range from 2000 to 2500 won for one person. It taste sour, sweet and spicy. For Indonesian who used to eat spicy food like me ,it's not spicy enough!! But my western friends eat until very sweaty they say very spicyyyyy!!!! :p

Tteokpokki

If you are willing to learn a little from "tteok", there are many many storiesss behind this "rice cake". It has long and interesting history in Korea. Eating with a new understanding will give you new experience in every single bite ^_^

History of Tteok

Tteok-rice cake

Tteok- "rice cake"- is  inextricably entangled with the lives of everyone in Korea. From birth to death, and even beyond, tteok is present in every rite of passage, every transition, and every celebration. On the 100th day after you are born, your family celebrates with BAEKSOLGITTEOK to wish your purity and honesty in all your days. 

Baeksolgitteok

There are 3 types of tteok in Korean 100day baby's celebration:

1. The really soft and chewy ones stuffed with red beans (the tan, white and brown ones). 2. The shiny green, red and pink ones have a liquid honey centre. 

3. The cake-like multi-colour slices are much drier, not very sweet at all and even though they look mighty pretty, they're definitely my least favourite.

Every new years day, people eat TTEOKGUK, a rice cake soup, to represent the aging process. 

Tteokguk

Every Chuseok, SONGPYEONS-the half moon shaped tteok-are made to bless the new harvest. 

Songpyeons

And each time you move, SISUTTEOK is shared with your neighbors to ward off any evil spirits around. It's hard to think of any other food as culturally symbolic and ubiquitos as "TTEOK"

New Types of Tteok

Today there are 198 types of tteok in Korea.A great number of innovation. New model, new shape, new color create healthier, colorful type of tteok. One of the innovator is Kim Ok Hee, the owner of Yeouido Tteok Bang in Yeouido. For her, a dish prepared with happiness will be thoroughly enjoyed. So, if you craving for "tteok" in Korea, I suggest you to go to Yeouido Tteok Bang. You can find hundred types of tteok there!!

Direction: Daechi Station (line3) exit 5, walk 5 minutes towards Mido Arcade. Yeouido Tteok Bang is located in the basement.

5 Most Luxurious Korean Souvenir

Wow!! LUXURIOUSSSSSSSSS!! 

It was the first word when I received a present from KTO that successfully make my whole day smilinggggggggg ^___^

Then I'm thinking. If I go Korea and want to buy something for special person, what will I buy? What things that should make the receiver feels that they are special person. Here I share my list:

1. DALVIA
http://dalviatown.com/

Dalvia sell interior things, fabrics, najeonchilgi, and stationary. Najeonchilgi is Korea lacquer ware inlaid with mother of pearl. I know how precious is "MOTHER OF PEARL" when I worked in Bali, I learned about pearl, and Mother of pearl is more precious than diamonds. It takes special pearl oysters to produces special nacres to shelled and cover this pearl. And they can only produced naturally, not farmed!

Special color they radiates like rainbow when lights comes to them makes special feelings of luxurious design.

This box below is my present from KTO. I LOOOOVE it so much!!!

Get out your spectacles and take a look at Dalvia’s surprising twist on fusion fashion glasses cases. Using a design based on needle-and-thread cases from the Joseon dynasty, this brand captures the essence of Korean tradition in new ways. Lens cleaner kits, add-on decoration for your smartphone, and fusion compact mirrors are also available. You’ll have a lot of fun talking about these inventive goods when your friends ask about them!

Dalvia produces some of the most exquisite traditional bejeweled and lacquered boxes, plates, and standing art around. As for its fusion goods, I loved the ingenuity of this safe box! Browsing their inventory, one can immediately see the craftsmanship used to create these magnificent items. 

Dalvia makes traditional and refined Korean works of art made entirely by hand. The craftsman first grinds conch shells, abalone, and pearl oysters with care. Then, as though etching and engraving light, he fixes them one by one onto another object. After polishing and delicately scrapping the shells, the stunning, natural lights are restored.

This clock below is my wishlist :D

You can also find some stunning mirror like this:

2. LEEJOSHOP

Lee Jo Accessories has designed a creative assortment of jewelry meant for hanbok adornment. However, their beauty transcends their intended ceremonial purposes—these pieces can be worn to many occasions. 

http://leejoshop.com/

I loved the effervescent pink of the jewels used in this metal hairpin. Similarly, it’s easy to repurpose any of their stunning earrings for a night out.

3.HANBOKLYNN

hanboklynn.co.kr

Designer Kim Min-jeong of Hanbok Lynn transforms stereotypical hanbok into breathtaking works of art, fusing traditional styles with modern sophistication. These awe-inspiring pieces could compete with the best of any Western wedding dress. Watch out, Vera Wang!

I also wish my wedding dress will be like this below

Awwwwwwwww me really want! :D

4.SUIN BAG

suinbag.com

colorful handbag from the exclusive SUIN“samzzibag” collection. With a variety of vibrant colors, these bags add a noteworthy nod to traditional Korean embellishment using colorful, time-honored macramé tassels and polished button fixtures. 

5. UZ JEWELRY

346-31 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul  02-332-4858

The current accessories collection by custom jeweler UZ plays with geo-shapes in a bold way. My favorite is the hollow pyramid styles in both necklace and bracelet lengths. Select your choice of black and silver, black and gold, or multi-colored metallics.

Next door to UZ (right), original metal jewelry, crafts and designs are offered at Ardor. This exclusive shop features handmade metal wall art in addition to stunning rings and charms. I couldn’t take our eyes off distinctive pieces such as the four-sided precious gem bands, and an Egyptian-cat black stone ring!!! So specially designed by UZ. 

So unique and one of kind will be unforgettable souvenir!

Well , I know, souvenirs like keychain, Korean magnets, fans, fancy gift, car accessories or mobile phone strap even skincare are common souvenirs from Korea and I bought them too for my friends. But if you really want someone really feeling special upon receiving your souvenirs, those list above hopefully can help and must be unforgettable.

Good luck ^^