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Hooked: Korea's 'salmon renaissance'

Emart's "premium salmon sushi pack" / Courtesy of EmartBy Ko Dong-hwanPeople love to eat, and Koreans take every opportunity to enjoy their food.Beaches and mountain valleys are often bustling with food stalls that sometimes prompt visitors to complain that vendors disrupt the vistas. Nevertheless, people line up in front of the shacks to get ice-creams, coffees, hot dogs, waffles and whatever else looks worth a try.In this country of decadent desire for food satisfaction after a decades-long battle with hunger following the Korean War and the New Village Movement of the 1970s, a fad is emerging. Foodies, restaurants, manufacturers and farms are now hooked on salmon, which tastes good raw or cooked.People worldwide have been enjoying salmon for centuries. In Korea, where fads come and go at the speed of light, the craze ― mostly for sushi, sashimi and rolls ― surprisingly is lasting and expanding to broader markets.The craze is not because Koreans have never tasted salmon ― Norwegian salmon has been around since the early 2000s ― it is because of the increasing availability of high-q

Feb 23, 2017

Is wild salmon a better and healthier choice than farmed?

Pet-friendly hotels in Seoul

By Kim Se-jeongAt Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in downtown Seoul, guests’ pets can have a space in the room for an extra 250,000 won. /Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel SeoulMore and more guests are graveling with their pets, but doing so can be a hassle because of pets’ particular needs.Thus, many hotels here and around the world are allowing guests to bring their pets and offering pet-friendly services. At Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in downtown Seoul, guests’ pets can have a space in the room for an extra 250,000 won. The hotel also offers a variety of pet amenities, including an embroidered toy bone, name tag, sleeping mat, no-skid dog bowl and feeding mattress. Only one pet is allowed per guest, and the pet should be under four kilograms. Reservation is required. For more information and reservations, call (02) 6388-5000.The “Love that Dog” package at Sheraton Seoul Palace Gangnam Hotel is available through the year. The package includes a night’s stay in a deluxe triple room, which is spacious enough for guests with a dog, with a balcony and for t

Feb 16, 2017

Affordable business dining at Seoul's hotel restaurants

Conrad Seoul, located in Seoul’s financial district, was also among the first five-star hotels to have restaurants offer affordable business lunches. / Courtesy of Conrad SeoulBy Kim Se-jeong The anti-graft law, which was implemented in September, has put a brake on an important part of Korean culture _ that of taking a current or potential business partner out to lunch or dinner _ as it was considered a root cause of widespread corruption. According to the law, one cannot spend more than 30,000 won to buy a meal for a business partner, especially government officials and journalists.The law has hurt many businesses, especially upscale hotel restaurants, which were a popular choice among business diners who were ready to spend a large sum of money on good food and nice atmosphere.Not all hotel restaurants made efforts to cope with the change, but some did. Taipan at Millennium Seoul Hilton Millennium Seoul Hilton was among the first five-star hotels to have restaurants offer meals below 30,000 won. Taipan, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant, now offers a busine

Feb 16, 2017

hotel brief

The JW Marriott HotelThe JW Marriott Hotel Seoul offers two seasonal packages until April 30. The “Energy for You” package includes a one-night stay in a superior room, a 15-minute in-body measurement session at the Marquin Thermal Fitness Center and access to the indoor swimming pool and fitness center. Guests also receive a bath towel and two glasses of fresh fruit juice. The package costs 239,000 won, excluding tax and service charges.The “Vitamin for you” package includes a one-night stay in a superior room, two takeout cups of fresh fruit juice and a sandwich from the delicatessen and access to the indoor swimming pool and fitness center. The package costs 245,000 won. Breakfast costs 60,000 won per person. For more information and reservations, call (02) 6282-6282.The Lotte Hotel JejuThe Lotte Hotel Jeju offers a special room package until March 31, including a stay in a Terrace Ocean View Room, breakfast for two, and a gift of facial serum made by Darphin. For those who stay more than two nights, the hotel offers a dessert set ― chocolate

Feb 16, 2017

Provincial News Busan sets sights on 3.1 million foreign tourists this year

Busan city tour bus / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City HallBy Ko Dong-hwanThe port city of Busan ― home of the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball League ― is aiming to attract over 3.1 million foreign tourists this year.The nation’s second-largest city unveiled its grand plan on Tuesday, involving the city’s signature handmade noodles, fish cakes, tourist hotspots and other ideas, to realize the goal.Gamcheon Cultura Village / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City HallAccording to the plan, Busan will step outside its home turf to attract foreigners in their own countries, establishing offices in Beijing, Taipei and Osaka. The city is attempting to lure more than just Chinese tourists, who have made up the bulk of foreign visitors to Busan. The city has its sights on people from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.Updating cruise ship routes with shorter travel days is also being discussed, according to the Financial News.Sand Festival at Haeundae Beach / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City HallA Busan official said the city attracted 11 millio

Feb 14, 2017

[Provincial News] Busan sets sights on 3.1 million foreign tourists this year

Provincial News North Jeolla Province offers 'one card tour pass'

Food Talk Chocolate and Valentine's Day: why did they get linked?

By Yun Suh-youngKorea is a country that obsessively celebrates Valentine's Day, but ironically consumes very low amounts of chocolate per person annually.According to data released by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) Monday, Koreans annually consume 607g of chocolate per person which works out to 8.7 chocolate bars weighing 70g each. This is a slight increase from 7.9 bars in 2011, yet far below the top consumer Switzerland with 9kg per person annually. The top 10 chocolate consumers are Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, England, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Netherlands, the U.S. and France, according to Euromonitor's 2015 statistics.The fact that Europeans are the highest consumers of chocolate is an interesting fact to take note of, considering chocolate's long history dating back to ancient Maya.History of chocolateChocolate's main ingredient cacao is known to have been first cultivated in the Mesoamerican region, notably in Mexico and the rest of Central and South America. The domestication of cacao trees is recorded to date back 3,000 years. The origin of caca

Feb 13, 2017

[Food Talk] Chocolate and Valentine's Day: why did they get linked?

Koreans top consumers of seafood: FAO report

South Koreans were found to be the top seafood consumers among 24 countries with high demand for the products, a report showed Monday.Statistics contained in "The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture" from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) showed that South Koreans consumed an average 58.4 kilograms of seafood a year per person in the 2013-2015 period, ranking it No. 1 among the countries measured by the organization. Norway came next with 53.3 kg, followed by Japan with 50.2 kg, China 39.5 kg and Vietnam 35.4 kg.For the United States, the average yearly consumption was 23.7 kg, and for the European Union, it was 22 kg.The average consumption for members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was 24.7 kg. In the 1960s, the global average was 9.9 kg.According to the report, the rising demand will boost the volume of fisheries demand by 18.4 percent in 2025 to 46.36 million tons from 39.15 million tons in 2014.Asia will account for the biggest chunk of seafood exports, about 67 percent coming from the region, the report said. (Yonhap)

Feb 13, 2017

Koreans top consumers of seafood: FAO report

Keunkiwajip's sweet and salty soy sauce and its crab dish

Han Young-yong, owner of Keunkiwajip poses in his office located at the back of the restaurant in Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-sooBy Kim Ji-sooA soy sauce-marinated crab dish at Seoul’s Keunkiwajip restaurant, which won one Michelin star in the first Seoul edition of the guide published last year. / Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-sooEnter the Keunkiwajip Korean restaurant in Samcheong-dong area in Seoul, near Cheong Wa Dae, and you’re welcomed by the smell of a special kind of soy sauce. The proprietary soy sauce is a key component of the one-Michelin-starred restaurant’s dishes. In fact, the first Michelin Guide Seoul edition, which was published last year, attributed its selection of the restaurant to the fresh local crabs and the soy sauce marinade.The soy sauce is made from 100-year-old family supply. Han Young-yong, 47, the owner of the restaurant, said every spring, the restaurant takes some of the family soy sauce and expands on it to be used by the restaurant for that season. The restaurant’s soy crab dish is made every day for the ever increasing

Feb 10, 2017

Keunkiwajip's sweet and salty soy sauce and its crab dish

hotel briefs

Ten Ibis Ambassador hotelsTen Ibis Ambassador hotels in Seoul are giving away room vouchers and Kakao cash coupons to more than 100 guests in a photo contest.Those who would like to participate should take photos from one of the 10 Ibis properties and post them on Instagram with the hashtag #WeLoveIbisFamily.The top winner will receive 10 room vouchers for each of the 10 Ibis Ambassador hotel properties, while the runner-up will receive one for Ibis Style Ambassador Gangnam and 100 other participants get a Kakao Talk cash gift. Photos should be posted by March 10 and the winners will be announced on March 20. Visit facebook.com/Accorhotels.kr for more info. Imperial Palace Seoul Hotel offers its city driving package to give guests the opportunity to drive luxury vehicles. The package includes a night stay in a Club Deluxe Room or Suite Room, a six-hour test driving session of the Jaguar XJ or Range Rover SUV, and a one-day class at the leather studio for two. Guests will have access to the fitness club and indoor swimming pool and breakfast for two at the Club Imperial Lounge.Th

Feb 9, 2017

Seoul hotels offer Valentine's Day packages

Conrad Seoul has a dining package and room package for Valentine’s Day. / Courtesy of Conrad SeoulBy Kim Se-jeong As Valentine’s Day nears, hotels in Seoul have begun offering packages to those looking for something special to do with their significant someone.Sheraton Seoul D Cube City HotelChefs will feature blue fine tuna with sea urchin and artichoke puree and mushroom and brie cheese soup as appetizers, beef tenderloin and lobster with bacon asparagus rolls as entree and an unlimited strawberry dessert buffet. The dinner comes with a glass of white wine, red wine or champagne.Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents a Valentine’s Day dinner at its Club Lounge on the 38th floor.The dinner will be served from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and costs 300,000 won for two, including tax and service fees. Reservation is required. For more information, call (02) 2211-1710/1711.Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents a Valentine’s Day dinner at its Club Lounge on the 38th floor. / Courtesy of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City HotelConrad Seoul Conrad Seoul has a dining

Feb 9, 2017

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Hooked: Korea's 'salmon renaissance'

Pet-friendly hotels in Seoul

Affordable business dining at Seoul's hotel restaurants

hotel brief

Provincial News Busan sets sights on 3.1 million foreign tourists this year

Food Talk Chocolate and Valentine's Day: why did they get linked?

Koreans top consumers of seafood: FAO report

Keunkiwajip's sweet and salty soy sauce and its crab dish

hotel briefs

Seoul hotels offer Valentine's Day packages

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