'Bajirak, bajirak!': Fresh sound alerting the arrival of spring

When Koreans think of clams, bajirak will most likely be the first thing that comes to mind. The most popular and widely used littleneck clams in Korea, bajirak can be boiled, steamed or stir-fried. After the very first sip of hot bajirak broth, Koreans often exclaim, “siwonhada!” savoring the clean flavor of the sea with the soul-clearing, refreshing taste.  While bajirak is available year-round, the best time of the year to taste their chewy, succulent meat is from spring

April 17, 2022

[Temple to Table] Sweet delight in early spring: Sirutteok

Society attributes a variety of adjectives to temple food such as healthy, natural, cleaner, etc. Are such words accurate? Ven. Dorim disagreed: “Temple food is not that grand.” Monastics use the same ingredients that Koreans used to eat in leaner times and prepare them in ways to enhance the taste. Temple food is neither extravagant nor special. The most important factor in temple food is the person who prepares it, according to Ven. Dorim. Traditionally, temples must make enough

April 16, 2022

[Well-curated] Cocktails and music, challenging hike, art viewing -- take your pick this weekend

If you are looking for a fantastic range of delicious drinks and delectable dishes, as well as a bewitching night of live jazz and blues in central Seoul, this live music party venue will be a perfect place to visit this weekend. The Iron Fairies Seoul, the Hong Kong-based global bar franchise’s Korean branch located in Itaewon, central Seoul, provides a magical and enchanting experience for visitors by setting the mood in the dim-lit sensual atmosphere as you escape from reality. 

April 15, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents ‘Teppanyaki Gala Dinner’ Tamayura, the Japanese restaurant at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, presents a teppanyaki gala dinner in collaboration with luxury French Champagne brand Dom Perignon. The highlight of the eight-course menu is the beef tenderloin, a cut of Woorungchan hanwoo grilled on an iron griddle. The dinner is accompanied by Dom Perignon Brut 2012, Dom Perignon Rose 2008 and Dom Perignon P2 2003. The promotion runs from April 20-22, from

April 15, 2022

Mixologists stir a little Seoul into cocktails

Two weeks into opening, Oul, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul’s late-night concept bar with Korean bar bites and beverages, has already become a must-go place on social media. Themed “Journey through Seoul’s evolution in drinks,” the name Oul takes the last three letters from “Seoul.” It also captures the spirit of the capital as a destination for night owls with a vibrant nightlife scene centered around drinking. 　 While most hotel cocktail bars are designed with

April 9, 2022

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Sundubu jjigae, Korean soft tofu soup

If you can pick one soup to make out of the many Korean soups, most people would put sundubu jjigae at or near the top of their list. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients, and the hearty and comforting taste of this Korean tofu soup is a favorite soup dish among many Koreans. Traditional sundubu jjigae is made with seafood, such as clams, shrimp, or mussels. If you are not a seafood lover, you can use pork or beef with some mushrooms and other vegetables. If you go to Korean tofu

April 9, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul offers spring season’s signature menu The Margaux Grill at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul will offer a new signature menu starting April 15. The new menu features a variety of wood fire-grilled steaks, served with a selection of appetizers, salads and seafood dishes. The Margaux Grill’s central open kitchen serves handpicked beef cuts including strip loin, rib eye and tenderloin of Woorungchan Hanwoo (Korea’s highest grade of beef), prime US beef porterhou

April 8, 2022

[Temple to Table] Temple food captures the spring within: Vegetable jangajji

I live at Baengnyeonsa Temple in Gangjin, located on the southernmost coast of South Jeolla Province. Baengnyeonsa is renowned for its “Baengnyeon Practice Movement” and is also known as the “beautiful temple of tea and camellias.” The path from the temple’s main entrance gate to the temple compound is bordered on both sides by a grove of camellia trees. Camellias begin to flower sparsely in early November, flower all through the winter, and come to full bloom in

April 2, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul announces ‘2022 Garden Wine Fair’ JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents the 2022 Wine Fair with more than 220 different wines from outstanding wineries in 11 countries — including France, the United States, Italy and Australia. The fair runs for three days from April 6, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Margaux Grill’s seventh-floor outdoor garden. Wines reserved in advance from a selection of 220 labels between March 26 and 30 will be available to pick

April 1, 2022

[Herald Interview] Food seen through documentarian’s eyes

Conceptualizing and categorizing food when filming a food documentary series is the strategy behind documentary producer-turned CEO Lee Wook-jung’s 30-year career. Lee pulls everything together at the end of the show, emphasizing the overarching theme that all food connects. Speaking with The Korea Herald on his first day out of quarantine following a business trip to Argentina where he went to capture the country’s distinctive pizza, Lee seemed thrilled and rather impatient to unve

March 26, 2022

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Wanja jeon, Korean meat tofu patties

My mother made these little patties on the day before holiday every year. She often cooked them on an electric griddle and made a ton of these little yummies for her family and relatives. These patties were only one of a variety of dishes that she pan-fried on the griddle. I usually sat down next to her to chat, grabbing a few of these little patties while they were piping hot off of the griddle. Oh, how delicious! The day before Korean New Year’s Day was a long, labor-intensive day for

March 26, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul offers new signature menu Cafe One at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul celebrates the arrival of spring with a new signature menu combining existing favorites ideal for pairing with coffee or beer. Highlights include the ricotta salad, made with ricotta crafted by Cafe One’s own chefs and tangy lemon juice; croque madame with Italian cotto ham and a soft bechamel sauce, topped with a sunny fried egg; and the chicken sandwich with thickly sliced chicken breast cooked sous-v

March 25, 2022

Taste of spring with every bite of namul

As the saying “The March winds are the morning yawn” goes, a fresh spring breeze not only awakens our souls, but imbues renewed energy in nature. During this season, one of the side dishes almost always present on Korean dining tables is namul, or seasoned vegetables and herbs. Although now available year round, many wild plants, herbs and vegetables are in their best condition during the spring season. Most namul varieties are bathed in shades of green, but not all have to be

March 19, 2022

[Temple to Table] Flavor studies in harmony: Monastic potato pizza

There is one essential practice all aspiring monastics must perform -- to be a “haengja,” or postulant. A haengja is someone who is undergoing a trial period before becoming a monastic. The process of entering a temple as a haengja and becoming a monastic takes from six months to a year. However, one cannot become a monastic just because one has completed this probationary period. One must also learn proper monastic etiquette and Buddhist ceremonies during this period, and must p

March 19, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul showcases Fairmont Yeoui Blossom tea set Fairmont Ambassador Seoul is offering a spring-inspired afternoon tea set served at the hotel’s first-floor Atrium Lounge. This season’s high tea set features a collection of cherry blossom-themed desserts and beverages, complemented by a menu of irresistible savory items. The selection of seven desserts is served on an elegant three-tier tray, and is accompanied by various savory items. Guests choosing the packa

March 18, 2022

[Herald Interview] Naming Korea’s unnamed and forgotten recipes

Discovering unnamed foods, gathering lesser-known recipes, documenting them and, finally, presenting them to the public to learn and enjoy is what drove Ha Mi-hyun, CEO of food research and archive company Spoken Company to carry on with her work despite the pandemic. 　 Ha founded Spoken Company, also known as Ipmal Eumsik, referring to dishes prepared with recipes passed by word of mouth, in 2015. The company has so far visited more than 70 regions in Korea, and recorded over 400 spoken recipe

March 12, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Kimchi, the indispensable national dish of Korea

Over its long history, Korea has suffered, losing at times and recovering her land, language, history and culture. But Koreans never lost their indispensable national dish, kimchi. Kimchi is the staple of Koreans everywhere, including the Korean diaspora, which stretches as far as North and South Americas, Europe and the Middle East, Africa and all of Asia. Growing up in the US, I didn‘t always have kimchi on my dining table, but I enjoyed it when I could. When journalists from Korea ac

March 12, 2022

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Gyeranjjim, steamed egg

It almost looks like an egg pudding that is about to explode, doesn’t it? This fun Korean egg side dish is one of the “experimental” dishes of Korean cuisine. In other words, people like to make this unique Korean side dish not only for the delicious eggy taste, but also because it’s like doing a science experiment to see the result -- without the mess. The moment you open the lid of your stone pot, you will get a surprising view of volcanic eggs with piping hot steam sh

March 12, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents sakura teppanyaki Tamayura, the luxury Japanese dining destination on the second floor of JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, is showcasing an authentic teppanyaki course crafted from diverse seasonal ingredients. The main dish of the eight-course dinner menu is the hanwoo tenderloin, a cut of the highest grade of beef. Other highlights include a welcome dish of Sakizuke, hanwoo roast beef, grilled sirloin served with Tamayura’s own special sauce, live seafood Karas

March 11, 2022

Doenjang’s thick and chunky makeover: Gangdoenjang

Doenjang jjigae, Korean soybean paste stew, is Koreans’ favorite hearty comfort food. The rich taste of fermented soybean paste goes well with a humble bowl of rice. Doenjang jjigae recipes range from those with assorted seafood to chadolbagi, or thin brisket slices. Decades ago, doenjang jjigae specialty restaurants were a common sight on street corners. They offered traditional doenjang jjigae, cheonggukjang and gangdoenjang, also known as ggangjang. The three dishes are all based on f

March 5, 2022