Lotteria <eat it
Cold stone <eat it
Korean BBQ <eat it. Don't be afraid!!! CRAZY delicious.
Lotteria is Korean version of mcdonalds why whould you fly to korea to eat a burger?
Cold Stone is american, you can go to baskin and ronins, dunkin doughnuts or star bucks as well but why would you?
Korean BBQ = YES! Samgyeopsal is great (pork like thick bacon) Bulgogi is great (bbq beef) some of the side dishs (Banchan) are rank, i personally HATE most types of kimchi (fermented veg most often cabbage in chill paste but there is allot of types) but some of the side dishes are really nice. Rice (bap) is not normally served unless you ask for it.
Bibimbap is not too bad if you get the right one (lots of types) but like allot of korean food if its loaded with Gochujang (red pepper paste) then I dont like it.
Allot of Sushi places in Seoul as well, but be prepared for some food that still moves, live octopus was abit of a culture shock and i really couldnt get my head round it (ate it once to be polite and wont be doing it again).
Koreans do eat dog (be ready for allot of jokes from freinds at home about this) but its not comman these days and you would really have to go looking for it in Seoul. I was asked if id like to try it once be declined politely.
Get used to Soju (korean rice wine/vodka) its around 20-30%ABV and gives you the worst hangover in the world.
The other korean specific drink is Makgeolli a rice beer as such (cloudy and not to my taste) but you can also get local beer thats very like larger (Cass Hite or OB being the 3 brands usually only 1 is avalible on draft in each bar)
You often get food with drink in Korea most of ok things like nuts and snacks. but you also get dried fish and squid (actually quiet nice but if someone offers you Jokbal SAY NO!, its pigs feet in salted fermented shrimp sauce and even the smell of it makes me want to chuck.
Rules at the table (drinking and eating) can be complicated mainly they resolve around respect for your elders (a big thing in korea in general) and not pouring yourself a drink. I would suggest you read up on whats considered rude and even if your good with chopsticks korean ones are a little tricky because they are small and metal (I discribed them to a freind as like eating with 2 bits of coat hanger wire) but you do get a spoon and they will most often find it very funny to bring you a fork assuming you cant use chopsticks.
Can you tell im having a quiet morning? anyway off to lunch lets see what i get in works canten today.
). Never been there before, still have a fair bit of time to plan, but just wanted to check here if anyone can recommend any must see / do things, what area to stay in (prefer to get hotel booked early, in case prices go up!) and is a week in Seoul itself too long, should I be looking to travel somewhere from there for a few days?
yes I'm sad.
