Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
'Tasty roads'
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Lee Sun-hwa, owner of the Jeil Noodle Factory in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, hangs noodles to dry them in the sea wind. / Courtesy of KTO
By Kim Rahn
KTO introduces trips for seasonal delicacies
By Kim Rahn
Food is one of the important factors ― or to some, the most important factor― when traveling. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is recommending seven regions nationwide that offer the best delicacies in late spring and early summer.
Tteokgalbi in Gwangju
You may drool when entering an alley near Gwangju Songjeong Station which is filled with the delicious smell of “tteokgalbi” (grilled rib patty) from restaurants there.
Songjeong tteokgalbi is considered one of the five delicacies in Gwangju. Unlike the usual one with beef, the tteokgalbi there is made by mixing beef and pork and is square-shaped. People usually eat the meat by wrapping it with a leafy vegetable.
After eating, a walk on the old trails on Mount Mudeung is recommended. There are three trails, which take two to four hours to complete, that offer views of cultural and historical remains.
Those interested in the modern history of Gwangju are recommended to visit Yangnim-dong where traditional Korean hanok houses and modern Western-style buildings built by missionaries some 100 years ago coexist. For more information, visit utour.gwangju.go.kr.
Shops sell “tteokgalbi” (grilled rib patty) in an alley near Gwangju Songjeong Station. Tteokgalbi in the region is made by mixing beef and pork.
Loach soup in Namwon
In Namwon, North Jeolla Province, the Chunhyang Festival is held from Friday through Monday. The folk tale Chunhyangjeon is a love story between a courtesan’s daughter, Chunhyang, and a nobleman, Mongryong, and the setting of the story is a garden with a pavilion named Gwanghallu.
Downtown Namwon is famous for “chueotang” (loach soup) that is boiled with radish leaves and perilla seed powder. In Unbong-eup, many restaurants offer pork from pigs raised on Mount Jiri. Various cuts of pork are available.
Jirisan Herb Valley, a park showcasing various herbs, is also recommended. Namwon was designated as a special area for the herb business. For more information, visit tour.namwon.go.kr
Cherry blossom bread at Jinhae Bakery in Jinhae, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province
Broiled eel in Yeosu
This is the season for eel and red tongue sole in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.
Restaurants there use sea eels in soups or for grilling. Pike eel shabu-shabu, which is believed to increase stamina, is available from early May when the eel fishing season starts.
Red tongue sole is also caught mainly in May and June. It is usually eaten raw with red pepper paste sauce.
Yeosu is also famous for destinations such as Odong Island with its beautiful scenery; a marine park with fine night view; a cable car connecting the mainland and the island; many fish markets; and rows of “pojangmacha” (street tent restaurants). For more information, visit
A garden with Gwanghallu, a pavilion, and Ojak Bridge in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, is the setting of “Chunhyangjeon,” a folk love story.
Raw fish in Pohang
Jukdo Market in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, the largest traditional market on the east coast, offers the region’s delicacies.
“Mulhoe” (raw fish in chilled broth), which used to be fishermen’s food, is the most famous. Abalone porridge is another which is boiled with giblets that add flavor.
In Guryongpo, there is the 44-year-old Jeil Noodle Factory, where noodles are dried using natural sea breezes. A restaurant across the street sells dishes made with noodles from the factory.
Other attractions there include a trek along the valley at the foot of Mount Naeyeon; Key-chungsang Botanical Garden with 2,500 kinds of flowers; Yeongildae Beach; and Pohang waterway. For more information, visit phtour.ipohang.org.
Wild greens and tofu in Sokcho
Mount Seorak Botanic Garden in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, is a good place to enjoy wild flowers growing on the mountainside and forest area.
Restaurants in the region offer some 30 kinds of wild herb dishes with seasonings that enhance the natural flavor of the greens.
About 80 restaurants at Haksapyeong Bean Flower Village sell soft tofu which they make every day. They use sea water for the bean curd.
Sokcho fishery market is famous for stalls selling “dakgangjeong” (fried chicken with sweet and spicy sauce) and raw fish.
A walk on the breakwater at Dongmyeong Port and a visit to Cheoksan hot springs are also recommended. For more information, visit www.sokchotour.com.
Garlic in Danyang
Danyang in North Chungcheong Province is a famous producer of garlic. So there are many restaurants offering foods using it, such as beef garlic tteokgalbi. Danyang Gugyeong Market also has shops selling garlic dumpling, garlic “sundae” (pork blood sausage) and garlic dakgangjeong.
The Namhan River, Mount Sobaek, and Sainam cliff are among the beautiful scenery Danyang offers. Danyang Danuri Center, an aquarium, has 13,000 domestic freshwater fish of 84 species as well as those from other countries.
Paragliding from a gliding site on Mount Yangbang is another option to enjoy the region. For more information, visit tour.dy21.net.
Snacks in Jinhae
Jinhae District in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, has many buildings and places that showcase a century-long history. Jinhae Naval Port Museum exhibits photos and other records donated by Jinhae residents, including some from the 1920s.
Various indigenous snacks have also been sold there for a long time. A bean snack, made and sold at Gyeonghwadang Bakery, was developed in 1915 by the current owner’s father. Jinhae Bakery sells cherry blossom bread, which is in shape of a cherry blossom and has blossom extract in its filling.
A 60-year-old cafe, Heukbaek, offers drinks, piano concerts by the owner, and paintings by the owner’s late father; while Seonhak Gomtang, a beef soup restaurant, is located in a former residence of a naval hospital chief that was built in the 1930s. For more information, visit culture.changwon.go.kr.