Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Making kimchi for winter? Why you shouldn’t forget pork and oysters

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. As Korea enters kimjang season — the annual winter tradition of preparing large batches of kimchi for storage — many households are once again gathering ingredients and chopping napa cabbage. Although fewer families make kimchi at home today, many Koreans still recall childhood memories of relatives and neighbors coming together for a full day of work, then sitting down to freshly made kimchi paired with steaming slices of boiled pork and seasonal oysters. Health experts say these classic pairings are not only cultural staples but also nutritionally meaningful. Boiled pork helps reduce fatigue with vitamin B1 According to nutrition data from the National Institute of Crop Science, pork contains far higher levels of vitamin B1 (thiamine) than other meats — nearly 10 times more than beef. Vitamin B1 plays a key role in reducing fatigue and restoring energy, which helps explain why older generations offered boiled pork to family members exhausted from daylong kimjang preparation. Vitamin B1 is especially abundant in tenderloin, followed by hi

Nov 15, 2025By Kormedi.com

Making kimchi for winter? Why you shouldn’t forget pork and oysters

Seoul’s Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil: A beloved autumn stroll course faces preservation battle

Beneath Seoul’s soaring skyline, where the city’s restless pulse seldom slows, the golden hush of autumn settles over a place largely untouched by time or trends: Deoksu Palace’s storied Stone Wall Road or Doldam-gil. This 1.1-kilometer promenade, lovingly known as Doldam-gil, is more than a historic pathway; it is a living symbol of romance, resilience and the delicate balance between Seoul’s past and progress. Running along the outer wall of Deoksu Palace — one of Seoul’s five grand palaces from the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty — the Stone Wall Road forms a tranquil urban haven, sandwiched between the palace’s aged masonry and canopies of ginkgo and maple trees. Unlike the vast grandeur of Gyeongbok Palace or Changdeok Palace, Deoksu Palace stands apart — compact, approachable and steeped in unique history as the only palace to serve as the imperial residence during the Korean Empire era lasting from 1897 to 1910. A striking blend of neoclassical columns, European-style gardens and traditional hanok structures reveals King Gojong’s bold embrace of modernization. Today,

Nov 13, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Seoul’s Deoksu Palace Doldam-gil: A beloved autumn stroll course faces preservation battle

Gwangjang Market stall suspended after ‘overcharging’ dispute goes viral

A food stall at Seoul’s Gwangjang Market that faced a storm of criticism for allegedly overcharging a customer has been suspended for ten days. According to the Gwangjang Market Merchants’ Association on Tuesday, the stall will shut down from Nov. 10 to 19. The association said it met with Jongno District Office on Nov. 6 and 10, and decided on the suspension after internal discussions. “The case caused significant public concern, so we imposed a ten-day suspension,” the association said. The vendor was said to have asked for the penalty to be issued quickly and voluntarily closed the stall starting Nov. 10. The controversy erupted after a YouTuber with 1.51 million subscribers, “Weird Sweets Shop,” uploaded a video titled “This makes me not want to visit Gwangjang Market again.” The video, which has drawn more than 12 million views as of Wednesday, described alleged issues with vendors including unfriendly service, menu switching and unhygienic food handling. One stall became the center of the backlash. The YouTuber said she ordered sundae (pig intestines stuffed with gla

Nov 12, 2025By Hankookilbo

Gwangjang Market stall suspended after ‘overcharging’ dispute goes viral

Have you tried this Korean superfood? Acorn jelly’s surprising health benefits

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Actress Lee Jung-eun has revealed that muk — a traditional Korean jelly made from acorns or beans — is one of her go-to foods for dieting. During a recent variety show appearance with Jeong Ryeo-won, Jun Hyun-moo, and YouTuber Kwak Tube, Lee shared a meal featuring muk dishes. “I’ve actually tried a ‘muk diet’ before,” she said. Kwak responded with surprise, saying, “You look so much slimmer in person — I thought you had lost weight for a patient role this time.” Lee previously drew attention in December 2023 when she revealed that she had lost more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) while preparing for her next project after finishing the drama “Daily Dose of Sunshine.” Her remark sparked curiosity about the health benefits of muk, the food she credits for her weight loss. Low-calorie and protein-rich acorn jelly Muk is made by thickening and solidifying starch from ingredients such as acorns, mung beans, or buckwheat. Because of its low calorie content, it is widely used as a diet food. According to Korea’s national stand

Nov 8, 2025By Kormedi.com

Have you tried this Korean superfood? Acorn jelly’s surprising health benefits

Chocolate is the second most addictive food — so what tops the list?

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. We all know ultra-processed foods are bad for our health — yet many of us can’t stop eating them. A study has found that some foods are far more addictive than others, with pizza ranking as the hardest to resist. According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, foods that are high in fat, refined carbohydrates and rapidly absorbed sugars pose the highest risk of triggering addictive eating behaviors. Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the eating habits of 518 adults to determine which foods were most likely to cause dependency-like cravings. Participants rated 35 foods, both processed and unprocessed, on a scale from 1 (not at all addictive) to 7 (extremely addictive). The results showed that pizza topped the list with an average score of 4.1, followed by chocolate and potato chips, which both scored 3.73. Researchers said that chocolate’s mix of sugar and fat causes a fast energy surge, which can lead to repetitive consumption — especially with milk chocolate products that contain added sugars and solids. Cookie

Nov 8, 2025By Kormedi.com

Chocolate is the second most addictive food — so what tops the list?

Gwangjang Market price-gouging dispute intensifies as vendor, YouTuber trade accusations

A dispute over alleged price gouging at Seoul’s Gwangjang Market has escalated, with a vendor and a popular YouTuber publicly clashing over what happened during a recent visit. The controversy has renewed scrutiny of long-standing complaints about overpriced food and unfriendly service at the traditional market. The tension began after the YouTube channel “Weird Sweets Shop,” which has 1.49 million subscribers, posted a video on Tuesday titled “This makes me never want to visit Gwangjang Market again.” In the clip, the creator criticizes several vendors for what she described as rude service, menu switching and unhygienic food handling. The video topped 4 million views just in two days. The YouTuber claimed that she ordered an 8,000 won ($6) sundae (pig intestines stuffed with glass noodles) but was instead charged for a 10,000 won “mixed sundae.” In response, the vendor at the center of the dispute said she feels wronged. Speaking to Channel A reporters at Gwangjang Market on Wednesday, she said, “I asked her if she wanted the meat mixed, and she said yes. After she finis

Nov 7, 2025By Hankookilbo

Gwangjang Market price-gouging dispute intensifies as vendor, YouTuber trade accusations

Jilli SF turns makgeolli into Bay Area’s trendiest drink

SAN FRANCISCO — Jeong Hwang-hah, the young owner of Jilli SF, is bringing makgeolli — Korea’s centuries-old rice alcohol — to the heart of the Bay Area, bridging her background in tech with the rising popularity of Korean drinking culture in the United States. After spending years in the tech industry as a user interaction designer for Airbnb and several artificial intelligence (AI) companies, the 28-year-old made a shift to hospitality this year to launch Jilli SF, a San Francisco outpost of the popular Korean-inspired bar in Los Angeles. Her motivation was a deep love for Korean culture and a vision to create a communal space for food, drink and connection in the U.S. “I want Jilli SF to be seen as a Korean modern 'suljib,' but for everyone,” Jeong told The Korea Times. “I hope this place feels like a friend’s home — somewhere you can drop by after work, even alone, and instantly feel at ease. Familiar, yet new.” After years designing interfaces and AI products, Jeong felt everything online was starting to blur together and realized people were yearning for experien

Nov 6, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Jilli SF turns makgeolli into Bay Area’s trendiest drink

Fried kimchi, Hwangnam bread: Korean food that won APEC delegates' hearts

Korea’s gastro-diplomacy was in full swing during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, last week. The Korean government mobilized all available resources to please heads of states and delegates from Asia, the Americas and beyond. The official gala dinner on Friday evening drew much public and media attention, as Korean American star chef Edward Lee took charge of the menu. Yet, beyond the gala, several other Korean dishes — from time-honored classics to simple baked goods — impressed visitors with their taste and presentation. Fried kimchi Fried kimchi — a stir-fried version of Korea’s signature fermented cabbage — appealed to Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, and members of the United Arab Emirates legation. Their fondness was so great that they asked to take some home and the host hotel — Ananti Cove in Busan — presented the delegation with vacuum-packed bottles of fried kimchi as a gift. According to Korean reports, some delegates even asked a hotel employee for the

Nov 4, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Fried kimchi, Hwangnam bread: Korean food that won APEC delegates' hearts

Korea offers half-price templestay programs to boost autumn travel

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that it will offer a 50 percent discount on templestay programs nationwide throughout November, encouraging domestic and international travelers to experience Buddhist temple life as part of a fall travel campaign. The initiative, dubbed "Double Happiness Temple Stay," is the key feature of the "Autumn Travel for All 2025" campaign, a public tourism drive connected to the Korea Grand Festival — a large-scale government-led shopping and cultural event that runs both online and offline through Sunday. Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Dae-hyun visited Magok Temple in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, Monday to inspect templestay facilities and gather feedback from staff ahead of the expected rise in visitors. Magok Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 2018, is among 158 temples across the country currently offering the overnight experience. A templestay is a cultural immersion program that invites participants to explore monastic life through meditation, tea ceremonies with monks, temple cuisine

Nov 3, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea offers half-price templestay programs to boost autumn travel

Lotte Hotels showcases Korean hospitality for APEC leaders in Gyeongju

Lotte Hotels & Resorts showcased the elegance of Korean hospitality on the global stage at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, providing high-level reception and catering services for world leaders and their delegations. Over 300 hospitality specialists from Lotte’s nationwide network were dispatched to handle accommodations and culinary operations. Each staff member underwent extensive training in international service etiquette, diplomatic protocol and scenario-based simulations. The hotel’s APEC VIP protocol team, led by veteran concierges recognized with the Golden Key from the international concierge association Les Clefs d’Or, oversaw the event’s hospitality operations. Lotte also held preparatory service workshops in Gyeongju, reinforcing the team’s commitment to delivering excellence grounded in traditional Korean values. Culinary preparations reflected both local flavor and symbolic harmony. Under the direction of master chef Kim Song-gi, the culinary team sourced ingredients directly from Gyeongju and devel