Korea Hotel Reservations :: Hotels in Seoul Korea :: South Korea

Korean Food
Perhaps Kimchi and bulgogi are best known to foreigners. Spicy and mild, hot, cold foods with seasonally changing recipes. Food is one of the indispensable joys of traveling. Try nourishing but low-calorie Korean à lacarte dishes.

Kimchi
A fermented vegetable dish that is a staple of the Korean diet. Kimchi variations by region and ingredients number nearly 160.

Bulgogi
Charbroiled marinated beef, the korean dish perhaps most enjoyed by visitors to Korea

Bibimbap
Boiled rice served with seasonsed vegetables and meat and mixed with red-pepper sauce

Sinseollo
An assortment of pan - fried beef, fish - cakes, and vegetables neatly arranged in a casserole by color and boiled in seasoned broth

Gujeolpan
Thin strips of pan-fried beef, mushrooom, carrot, egg, cucumber, and other vegetables arranged in nine-section wooden dish. The thin wheat crepes in the central section are used to wrap the other items.

Ssambap Jeongsik
Rice flavored with soybean pastes sauce or other sauce, wrapped in to mouthfuls in lettuce, sesame leaves, parboiled sea-tangle, pumpkin, or cabbage leaves

Hanjeongsik
Korean full-course dinner

Shopping
Seoul and major cities offer a wide variety of shopping opportunities: arcades, department stores, duty-free shops, shopping districts, and outdoor markets.
But if you really want to experience a true Korean shopping experience, why not visit local traditional markets around the country? These special markets feature goods that are unique to the region

Major departments stores are open from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm, including Sundays, while smaller shops tend to be open from mid-morning till late evening every day of the week. Convenience stores open 24 hours a day are located throughout cities.
At midnight, major markets such as Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Market in Seoul open all-night wholesale districts, which also sell to the public.

Shopping Tips

What to buy?
Bamboo ware
The craftsmanship and quality of Korean bamboo ware rivals that of anywhere in the world. Travelers may be surprised to find a great variety of bamboo products such as combs, beds, chairs, pillows, blinds, and other objects of interest. Damyang in Jeollanam-do is famous for its bamboo ware.

Clothing
The Korean textile industry has become famous worldwide for its colorful variety of well-made and inexpensive clothing, especially ladies' and children's wear. Several international fashion brands are made in Korea and are available in department stores, but less expensive local brands rival them in quality. Quality dresses and suits can be custom-made in two or three days, often at prices lower than for ready-made in other countries.

Leather Goods
Leather products in a multitude of colors and designs are also available. Leather coats and jackets as well as other leather goods such as belts, shoes and wallets can be bought at low prices. In particular, delicate eel skin products are one of Korea's unique buys.

Furs
Furs are recognized all over the world as one of Korea's newest shopping bargains. Many people come to Korea solely to purchase these items. The prices of furs in Korean duty-free stores are so low that the savings can pay for the cost of the trip. Shoppers can also buy furs at bargain prices in specialty markets or stores during the "off season" summer months.

Electronic
Electronics are becoming one of Korea's major export items and consumers can choose from among a wide variety of quality and prices. Electronic goods are available at department stores, specialty electronic stores or electronic markets. All prices are fixed at these stores; however, you can expect to save 10-30% by comparison shopping in some of the electronics markets.

Ginseng
Korean ginseng is recognized throughout the world as being the highest quality and most efficacious of its kind. Korean ginseng has been shown to remove toxins from the blood, aid in digestion, counteract cancer-causing free radicals, and help individuals maintain their health. Fresh, dried or powdered varieties are available as well as concentrated extracts and teas.

Antique and Replicas
Some of the most sought-after antique reproductions are the wooden chests, paintings, celadon and metal craftwork of the Unified Silla Kingdom and the white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty. Visitors will find these replicas both tasteful and practical for everyday use. It is also interesting to watch these items being produced, since the production methods remain largely traditional.

Gimchi
Gimchi is one of the most well known traditional Korean foods. There are at least 40 types of Gimchi, which is a spiced and fermented mixture of radish or cabbage with hot pepper powder, green onions, garlic and salt added. Its taste may be pungent to visitors, but Gimchi is said to make up 30% of purchases by foreign visitors. You can find it at markets or department stores. In addition, the Gimchi Museum is well worth visiting.

Sports Equipment
Sporting goods such as tennis rackets, baseball gloves, ski equipment and jogging clothes are popular shopping items among visitors to Korea. Many sports shops display such well-known brands as Nike, Reebok, Asics, and Mizuno in addition to Korean brands. Customers can choose from high-or low-priced items depending on their budget. Korean-made jogging shoes are of good quality and are a popular purchase among many tourists.

Watches & Accessories
Watches and accessories are among the most sought-after goods by foreign tourists. Products ranging from high quality items bearing well-known brand names to ones suitable for children are found in Korea. Accessories such as hairpins, earrings, and brooches are low priced and come in a wide variety of seasonal colors and designs. Buyers from Brazil, Colombia and Poland, as well as from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand, pay regular visits to Korea to purchase these items. Because of this, accessories can be found in almost any shopping area in Korea.

Jewelry
Among Korea's most well known natural resources are semi-precious stones such as amethyst and smoky topaz. These stones are mined in Korea in a variety of sizes and then fashioned into delicate jewelry. Visitors may choose from a wide range of elegantly designed pins, necklaces, bracelets and rings; all offered at low prices. Look for jewelry in hotel boutiques, department stores, subway arcades and duty-free shops.

Suitcases & Handbags
Shoppers can buy travel bags, book bags, briefcases, rucksacks, belt sacks and handbags, from a broad range of quality and prices. Besides cowhide leather and synthetic resin, other materials such as alligator skin and eel skin are also available for purchase. As with clothes, handbags follow the latest fashion trends and are of the highest quality. Many visitors visit Korea just to purchase handbags or suitcases. In Seoul, these items can be bought at Namdaemun Market or the Itaewon shopping area.

Others
Well-known native products such as traditional liquors, lacquer ware, dried laver (seaweed), dolls, fans, kites, paper masks, embroidery and traditional macrame are also very popular among visitors. All of these items represent the unique culture and living artistry of Korea. They can be bought at specialty markets or in tourist districts.