Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Michelin Guide celebrates 10th anniversary in Korea

BUSAN — The Michelin Guide marked a milestone in Korea, Thursday, celebrating a decade of showcasing the country’s culinary identity through one of the world’s most influential dining authorities. This year, a total of 233 restaurants in Korea have been selected for the Michelin Guide. They include one three-star restaurant, 10 two-star restaurants, 35 one-star restaurants, 71 Bib Gourmand restaurants, 116 Suggested restaurants and four Green Star restaurants. The Michelin Guide hosted its 2026 Seoul and Busan ceremony at Signiel Busan, unveiling this year’s selections and honoring new culinary talents. The event, themed “A Decade of Journey,” highlights the evolution of Korean cuisine since the guide’s debut in 2017 and its continued expansion beyond the capital. Launched initially as the Michelin Guide Seoul, the publication broadened its scope in 2024 to include Busan, Korea’s second-largest city and a rising hub of gastronomy. The move reflected the growing diversity of Korean cuisine and the international attention local chefs have drawn with their inventive yet dee

Mar 5, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Michelin Guide celebrates 10th anniversary in Korea

Inside Suwon, Korea’s football capital and home of Bluewings

SUWON, Gyeonggi Province — On a mild Saturday in late February, traffic around Suwon World Cup Stadium slowed to a crawl. Red express buses from Seoul and across Gyeonggi Province arrived brimming with supporters clad in royal blue, their chants rising in waves. Nearly 900 meters from the arena, the sound was already thunderous — audible even through the sealed windows of a city bus inching toward the stadium. Welcome to the home of Korean football. The occasion was the 2026 K League 2 season opener, pitting storied powerhouse Suwon Samsung Bluewings against Seoul E-Land FC at the 44,000-seat "Big Bird" stadium ― the wing-roofed colosseum that hosted four matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. A banner stretching across the concourse read "Home of Football," and the 24,071 supporters who filled the stands that afternoon made the slogan feel like an understatement, smashing the K League 2 all-time single-match attendance record. For nearly 100 minutes, the N section behind the goal — the domain of the Frente Tricolor, Suwon's organized supporters group — erupted in nonstop song

Mar 5, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Inside Suwon, Korea’s football capital and home of Bluewings

Korea to prep 11 'must-see' traditional markets for global spotlight

From the aromatic alleys of Gyeongdong Market in Seoul to the seaside bustle of Haeundae Market in Busan, Korea is betting that its traditional markets are key to winning over global travelers. On Wednesday, officials unveiled a high-octane plan to "globalize" 11 iconic venues, rebranding the nation’s historic marketplaces as the ultimate frontier for authentic food and culture. The program, led by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), aims to make traditional markets a must-visit location for international travelers. The selected markets span 10 regions, including Gyeongdong and Mangwon markets in Seoul, Haeundae Market in Busan, Seomun Market in Daegu, Sinpo International Market in Incheon and Suwon Nammun Market in Gyeonggi Province. Gyeongdong Market in northeastern Seoul is known as one of the country’s largest herbal and agricultural markets, while Mangwon Market in the trendy Mangwon-dong neighborhood in the western part of the capital has grown into a hub for street food popular with younger travelers. Sinpo International Market

Mar 4, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Korea to prep 11 'must-see' traditional markets for global spotlight

'Bomdong' bibimbap emerges as new food trend, supplanting Dubai chewy cookie

Koreans are moving away from viral sweets and falling in love with healthy seasonal greens. While Dubai chewy cookies, a chocolate treat filled with pistachio cream and crunchy kadayif pastry, recently dominated the nation's tastebuds, the spotlight has abruptly shifted to "bomdong" bibimbap, a dish featuring seasoned cabbage over rice. According to the Korea Agricultural Marketing Information Service (KAMIS), bomdong is a type of spring cabbage primarily cultivated in the southern coastal regions of South Jeolla Province. Its sudden popularity is being fueled by a retro meme involving a 2008 episode of the variety show “2 Days & 1 Night,” where comedian Kang Ho-dong enjoyed a large bowl of the simple dish. A short-form video of this 18-year-old clip has recently surpassed 5 million views and search interest for spring cabbage reached the peak score of 100 on Feb 28 on Google Trends. People in the food industry say this shift is happening because many are tired of unhealthy desserts and want meals that are affordable, easy to prepare and built around seasonal ingredients. A single Du

Mar 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

'Bomdong' bibimbap emerges as new food trend, supplanting Dubai chewy cookie

Korea to launch ‘half‑price travel’ scheme to revitalize rural tourism

The Korean government is launching a “half-price travel” initiative that reimburses half of travelers’ expenses when they visit designated rural regions facing population decline. Starting in April, visitors to 16 selected localities will receive 50 percent of their travel costs back in the form of mobile regional gift certificates. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently announced that, together with the Korea Tourism Organization, it has chosen 16 local governments to participate in a pilot travel project, running from April to June. The selected areas are PyeongChang, Yeongwol and Hoengseong in Gangwon Province; Jecheon in North Chungcheong; Gochang in North Jeolla; Gangjin, Yeonggwang, Haenam, Goheung, Wando and Yeongam in South Jeolla; and Miryang, Hadong, Hapcheon, Geochang and Namhae in South Gyeongsang. Any Korean citizen aged 18 or older can apply in advance by submitting a travel plan to a participating municipality. After completing the trip, travelers may claim reimbursement by providing receipts and proof of expenditure. Upon approval, half of the verified

Mar 1, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Korea to launch ‘half‑price travel’ scheme to revitalize rural tourism

Tofu isn’t all the same: what to check on labels for nutrition and health goals

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Tofu may look identical on supermarket shelves, but a single line on the ingredient label can dramatically change its nutritional profile. The type of coagulant used determines calcium content, while soybean origin affects price and consumer choice. Simply picking up any tofu because it is a protein food can mean missing important differences. Health goals such as bone strength, muscle maintenance and blood pressure control call for different selection criteria. Calcium sulfate–set tofu can help boost calcium intake, while plain, unseasoned varieties are better for sodium management. Soybean origin and GMO labeling also matter. Reading the label first can shape the quality of a meal. Calcium sulfate vs magnesium chloride vs GDL: start with the coagulant Coagulants — substances that solidify soy protein — are central to tofu. When calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) is used, calcium levels reach about 120–200 milligrams per 100 grams, making it advantageous for calcium intake. Magnesium chloride contributes less calcium but produces a softer text

Feb 28, 2026By Kormedi.com

Tofu isn’t all the same: what to check on labels for nutrition and health goals

'Culinary Class Wars' chef Ven. Seonjae shares secret recipe

Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" Season 2 turned temple food into a highly competitive global spectacle, bringing Ven. Seonjae a flood of offers to capitalize on her newfound fame. Instead, Korea's first designated master of temple food refused the commercial hype to educate international and younger audiences about the unique cuisine, which is rooted in mindfulness and ecological concerns. "I stopped my lectures in June last year and I am currently unemployed," Ven. Seonjae joked Thursday ahead of a cooking demonstration at the Korean Temple Food Center in Jongno District, Seoul. "Others suggest I should capitalize on the momentum with variety shows and advertisements, but my way of acting is educating younger generations about our food culture to protect it and teach wisdom." The event marked the first media promotion hosted by the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism under the Jogye Order since its launch in 2002. The organization said its goal is to make the value and spirit of temple food better known so that the cuisine is not consumed merely as a passing fad. Temple food philosophy "I d

Feb 28, 2026By Hankookilbo

'Culinary Class Wars' chef Ven. Seonjae shares secret recipe

How K-pop fans are reshaping Korean tourism

"Your hips need to push outward while your solar plexus goes down. You do a slight jump in this movement," a professional dance instructor said to a room of struggling students. About 20 foreigners gathered at 1MILLION Dance Studio in Seoul's Seongdong District on Feb. 22 to learn the introductory choreography for the girl group KATSEYE's track "Game Boy." The studio draws a diverse crowd of international visitors. Mike, 24, who came from the Netherlands to learn the Korean language and K-pop dance, spoke after the class ended. "I have loved dancing since I was young, but it is too expensive in the Netherlands, so I came to Korea," he said with a bright smile. "Actually doing it is very difficult." Rachel, a German woman in her 20s, visited the studio with a friend. "I used to learn and dance to hip-hop music in a university club in Germany," she said. "But I developed an interest in K-pop and came with a friend who is staying in Korea as an exchange student." Instructor Cho Soo-yeon said foreign nationals now account for about 70 percent of the studio's beginner hobby classes. "It seems ma

Feb 26, 2026By Hankookilbo

How K-pop fans are reshaping Korean tourism

Gov't to grant visa-free entry to Indonesia, expand automated gates to EU nationals

Korea unveiled an ambitious package of tourism measures on Wednesday, including looser visa rules, expanded regional airport routes and a crackdown on price gouging, as part of a government effort to attract 30 million inbound visitors. The plan includes granting visa-free entry to travelers from Indonesia and expanding automated entry processing to nationals from European Union member states. The measures were announced at the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting, chaired by President Lee Jae Myung and attended by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, ministers from 15 government agencies, and representatives from the tourism industry. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young characterized the global resonance of Korea’s cultural exports as a "golden time" for the domestic travel industry, unveiling an ambitious initiative titled "K-Tourism Embraces the World." The move comes as Seoul seeks to capitalize on a postpandemic recovery that, while significant, continues to be overshadowed by a record-breaking tourism boom in neighboring Japan. While Korea welcomed more than 18 million inbound visitors in

Feb 25, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Gov't to grant visa-free entry to Indonesia, expand automated gates to EU nationals

'Living like Koreans' is a new trend among visitors to Korea

When Lindsay, a 34-year-old visitor from Canada, and Kentaro, a 46-year-old from Japan, arrived in Seoul on Feb. 12, they headed straight to a specialized scalp care clinic in Myeong-dong. The two said they booked consultations after seeing reviews on social media. “Going to Korea and getting a scalp massage like Koreans do has become popular abroad,” they said. “The service is delicate and the results are excellent, so we’re very satisfied.” A different kind of curiosity drew Amanda, a 21-year-old tourist from the Philippines traveling with her family, to an artificial waterfall in Hongje-dong on Feb. 9. A cold snap had transformed the cascading water into a tower of icicles, turning the site into an unexpected winter spectacle. “You don’t get to see frozen waterfalls in the Philippines,” she said. “It feels unusual and fascinating to find something like this in the middle of a city.” There is a paradigm shift now in how foreign travelers experience Korea. Beyond well-known landmarks such as royal palaces and Mount Nam, visitors are increasingly seeking out places lik

Feb 25, 2026By Hankookilbo

Travel & Food