A Beginner's Guide to Korean Street Food: 5 Delicious Snacks To Try in Seoul

I've only been to Seoul, South Korea twice, and I'm sure their street food scene has a whole lot more to offer on top of the five treats I will feature here. But if it's your first time in Seoul, trying out these five street food snacks would be a good way to start your Korean food trip. And remember my piece of advice about ordering food in a foreign country: smile, keep an open mind, trust the friendly ajumma, hope for the best, prepare to laugh at the worst, and you might just be rewarded with a surprisingly good meal.

The Sights and Sounds of Hongdae, Part 2: The Hongdae Free Market

 

I absolutely love the youthful and creative vibe of Hongdae, and could probably spend an entire trip to Seoul just cafe hopping and people watching. While we had a pretty hectic itinerary on our trip to Korea last year, we did manage to squeeze in some time to visit the Hongdae Free Market on a pretty autumn Saturday afternoon. On Saturdays between March and November, the park right in front of Hongik University becomes Hongdae Free Market,where artists set up booths to sell their items - from cute headbands, hand-dyed stockings, stationery to portraits and other works of art. Think Etsy come to life. The place was packed when we went, with many locals and tourists looking through the artists' wares, and a performance happening in one part of the park. It was in the Hongdae Free Market that I chanced upon Qqoogo, the artist I featured in an earlier post.

More pictures (and some songs, as usual) under the cut! If you ever visit the Hongdae Free Market, what kind of items would you shop for?

3 Korean Meals Worth Waiting In Line For In Seoul, South Korea

There was shopping, KPop MV making, and a lot of fangirling, but our Seoul trip also had a lot of eating! I don't even know how Ris and Ica were able to find these food places (with diligent online research, no doubt - I love having star student friends) because when I travel, my take on food trips is to (1) skip the Western franchise (until at the airport a few hours before flying back home and I'd be craving for KFC or McDonald's - don't judge me!) and (2) drop by the nearest local food place upon the strike of hunger, without fear or worry of non-English menus and other forms of language barriers. But because Ica and Ris were more diligent in organizing our sources of sustenance for all the fangirling we were going to do in Seoul, we were able to try out these three amazing meals that were definitely worth waiting in line (in the cold!) for.

Trust me - you'll be happy you waited in line for these meals.

The Sights and Sounds of Hongdae, Part 1: An Afternoon Stroll

I'm sending good vibes your way with this post!

I had my first encounter with Hongdae in 2010 and immediately fell in love with the place then. Hongdae is vibrant, creative, unpolished and a little bit rebellious - in other words, it is everything that is crazy/beautiful about youth. I guess it helps that there is a large student population in the area because of Hongik University.

When I get really busy and ultimately very stressed about one thing or another, or if I want to feel inspired, there is nothing more I would want than some quiet time in a quaint coffee shop, enjoying a plate of waffles with ice cream, maybe some hot chocolate on the side while I write, just to take a break from everything. If that's not feasible, I daydream about places like Hongdae and look through my old photos of the place to help me remember.

If you ever find yourself in Seoul and are looking to be inspired, take the train to Hongik University station and spend an afternoon taking a leisurely stroll around the area, camera at the ready. You'll chance upon one-of-a-kind boutiques, quirky cafes and some pretty cool street art. It's exactly what my friends and I did - on the last day of our trip, we took one last walk around the neighborhood we called home for our five days in Seoul. You'll find some of the pictures I took below, plus a lovely little song to get you in a pleasant mood. (Incidentally, the band Busker Busker is an indie group from Hongdae who recently gained mainstream success.)

The Korean Mystery Lunch: Gamjatang at Onedang (a.k.a. how to order in a Korean restaurant without an English menu)

Smile, keep an open mind, trust the friendly ajumma, hope for the best, prepare to laugh at the worst, and you might just be rewarded with a surprisingly good meal.

Disclaimer: results may vary per situation, but that's just part of the fun.

Where to Stay in Seoul, South Korea: Hongdae Guesthouse

Hongdae Guesthouse
159-6 Donggyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-816, South Korea
hongdaeguesthouse.com 

In a Nutshell:
Easily accessible by public transport, spacious room with adequate amenities, accommodating staff, and affordable rates

Rating: 4 / 5