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Hotel Duty Free Shops Offer Comfortable Shopping

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter For overseas travelers who want avoid bustling airport duty free shops, those at hotels could be an ideal place to shop more leisurely prior to their departure. On top of a more comfortable shopping environment, they offer bigger discount rates than those at airports. Walkerhill Duty Free Shop is located in the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel, which has a casino and a theater-style restaurant, Walkerhill Theater, currently staging ``Gypsy Moon.'' Located on the slopes of Mt. Acha, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view over the Han River and great shopping. A 39-year-old shopper, identified as Park, visited the duty free shop with her friends to exchange shoes she bought two weeks ago. ``I come to the Walkerhill Duty Free about 10 times a year. My friends and I visit together when one of us has plans to go abroad,'' Park said. ``I mostly buy products on sale, under 100,000 won ($75). This duty free shop is my favorite because it is not that crowded and has a good view of the Han River.'' The basement floor has the largest watch and jewelr

Feb 12, 2009

Hearty Beef Stew at Hadongkwan

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter At a glance, Hadongkwan stands out among the neighboring restaurants because of its traditional Korean-style main entrance. When the restaurant moved to its Myeong-dong location in 2007, the owners brought along their hanok gate and installed it onto their new building, giving it an odd uniqueness. In fact, it's not just the hanok gate that they brought with them. They also brought their unchanging recipe for ``gomtang,'' or beef stew, with which they have been serving many hungry customers for over 60 years. Although Hadongkwan's gomtang was usually sought by older customers, the restaurant gained popularity among younger customers after being featured in the comic book ``Sikgaek.'' In it, the owner claims that the key formula to the restaurant's success is 36·2·0·60: Only 36-month-old Korean female cattle is served; the process of boiling and cooling is repeated twice; no artificial flavoring is used, and Hadongkwan has retained its unchanging taste for 60 years. Once you step into the restaurant, you'll find yourself in a rathe

Feb 5, 2009

Sweet, Romantic Deals on Valentines Day

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter Valentine's Day is one of the most romantic days of the year. Here are some hotels to take your sweetheart to or to hang out with friends and family on this special occasion. Room Packages Hyatt Regency Incheon's Valentine's Day Package is only for one couple on Valentine's Day. The impressive package includes accommodation in the hotel's exclusive Presidential Suite, a romantic champagne dinner prepared by the Executive Chef and a champagne breakfast, both served in the suite to make the day unforgettable. The price of this package is 1,800,000 won. Call (032) 745-1234 for details. The Grand Hilton Seoul presents two romantic overnight packages to make this year the sweetest Valentine's Day yet. With the ``Sweet Love Package'' (160,000 won), guests stay in a luxurious Deluxe Room and will be served a cheese platter with wine to spark up the adoring mood. The ``Kiss Me Package'' (250,000 won) includes a night in an Executive Floor Room, a cheese platter and wine, breakfast for two, as well as a Bobbi Brown shimmer brick for women and a s

Feb 5, 2009

Hotel Lobby

Millennium Seoul Hilton Seasons, the French restaurant of Millennium Seoul Hilton, offers a special promotion featuring one of the world's most treasured delicacies: caviar. In February, Seasons will introduce special culinary tasting menus and a la carte dishes inspired by caviar. Caviar is salted roe of sturgeon or other varieties of fish. Traditionally used as a garnish or spread, caviar has been reinvented in Executive Chef Park Hyo-nam's dishes. Diners will be amazed by its uplifting taste and the level of creativity used to incorporate caviar into a multi-course dinner. The caviar tasting menu is priced at 185,000 won per person. For reservations, call Seasons at (02) 317-3060.

Feb 5, 2009

Understanding Year of Ox, Bohemian Style!

By Liam Scott Contributing writer In Asia, it's now the Year of the Ox, a very grounded zodiac sign suggesting this is a year to keep things simple and not look for change. At the Ruzyne- Prague Airport exchange bank, Honza Svoboda agrees, saying, ``We Czechs don't want to necessarily change to the euro; the Czech crown is a gaining currency in these bleak times.'' I'm convinced of the bleakness, at least as I'm changing euros to crowns at this airport, named ``Best in Central and Eastern Europe'' in 2006 and 2008, when some sort of Russian heiress-type in a swirl of real fur and expensive perfume brokers me to the side and drops down a healthy stack of $100 bills and barks something. I naively ask her in English if she is Russian and she ignores me, grabs the money, and walks away. Svoboda smiles and continues, ``It's funny. Once the Russians took anything they wanted from the Czech people (he smiles). Now, they come back and spend their money.'' I understand well. I am an American teacher living in Seoul and on vacation in the Czech Republic. It seems like I am meeting an

Feb 5, 2009

Two Ways to Celebrate February

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The second month of 2009 is here and there are two distinctive occasions to enjoy: ``Jeongweol Daeboreum,'' which falls on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar year and thus Feb. 9 this year, and Valentine's Day on Feb. 14. ``Jeongwol'' means the first full moon of the lunar year, and also the time when people look to find out what their luck will be. The full moon represents many things in societies that use the lunar calendar. Korea, an agricultural society in the past, appreciated the moon as it represented abundance, prosperity and life. While the sun is known to represent the men, the moon brought women to people's mind, and this was naturally connected to fertility and birth. Although most Koreans don't use the lunar calendar as their ancestors used to, Jeongweol Daeboreum is still a widely known day with many interesting activities and traditions. Valentine's Day, on the other hand, is celebrated all around the world on Feb. 14. In the case of Korea, Valentine's Day came through Japan in the 1980s. Many criticized the spe

Feb 5, 2009

Mixing International Taste and Culture

Chef Nef Pursues Challenges in Different Kitchens By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter Frederic Nef, the new executive chef of the JW Marriott Seoul, is an artful, creative blender of international cuisine with over 27 years experience in kitchens from Europe to the Middle East. The chef first started cooking at a restaurant owned by his friend's father when he was 15, inspired by his mother's traditional French dishes. ``The kitchen is quite difficult to work in. It's very hard and you have to spend long hours in the kitchen. If you don't like it, you wouldn't do a good job. So for me, cooking is my hobby as well as my career,'' Nef told The Korea Times during an interview Wednesday. Nef has gained experience in various countries including France, England, Russia, Morocco, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. He has worked as an executive chef for the Marriott chain since 2005, when the Beirut Marriott Hotel in Lebanon hired him. Just prior to his transfer to Seoul, he was the executive chef for the Paris Rive Gauche Hotel for a little over a year. Then he chose Korea to exp

Jan 29, 2009

Hotel Lobby

Park Hyatt Seoul From Feb. 5 to 14, Park Hyatt Seoul invites One-Star Michelin Chef Michele Gioia to offer diners an array of traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Gioia earned his reputation at an early age for his broad experience and deep understanding of Italian cuisine and is highly acclaimed for offering exquisite dishes with a touch of the Mediterranean. His dishes will be presented at a series of events including the Fattoria del Cerro Wine Dinner, a Valentine's Day dinner, a cooking class, a la carte lunch and dinner menus and a weekend brunch followed by a Mediterranean-style dessert table. Each event will take place in Park Hyatt's main restaurant, Cornerstone, on the 2nd floor. For reservations, call (02) 2016-1234.

Jan 29, 2009

Discounts, Special Programs Beckon Cash-Strapped Audience

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter With most people tightening their belts during the economic recession, the theater industry is feeling the pinch. As wary consumers cut their spending, theater ticket sales have slackened and corporate donations have slowed. Endowments have plummeted with the stock market, and corporations that made significant contributions in the past may do not seem able to continue. This season is the most challenging because theaters announced their line-ups before they actually felt the major brunt of the downturn. Some troupes are postponing works that have already been announced. ``I think some organizations are canceling productions for this year,'' an official of a theater company said. ``Many producers might re-consider their plans for the following seasons, and I think many performing arts organizations are thinning out what they're going to be doing for the next few years,'' she said. Some groups have taken the most drastic measures by closing down their shows earlier than scheduled due to decreasing ticket sales. The Bada Theater ha

Jan 29, 2009

Authentic Japanese Ramen at 81 Banya

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Seoul has its fair share of ramen eateries, but Ramen 81 Banya on the main drag of Itaewon is an undying favorite among aficionados of the savory Japanese noodles. The owner, 57-year-old Mr. Kasahara, brought over his 25-year cooking know-how from Japan in 2003, and his handmade noodles have since been bringing in a string of faithful customers. One young man, who spent a month-long trip in Japan eating ramen twice a day, claims that 81 Banya is the singular local eatery that remains uninfluenced by Korean ramyeon. The restaurant's ``Japan-ness'' can be found in every corner of its slim, humble interior. Furnished by just a couple of tables and a long counter lined with stools, it feels like stepping into a Japanese eatery. Ramen manics can also pick up a copy of a Ramen bible in Korean for 5,000 won. The menu is very simple, with two types of noodles and a few variations of each. The soy sauce-based syo-yu ramen (7,000 won) has a lighter, refreshing taste and comes with a slice of chya-syu, or fatty pork imported from France. The miso or Ja

Jan 29, 2009
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