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39 Years of Serving Gukbap

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Myeongdong, the hotspot of Seoul's thriving youth culture, is ever evolving in sync with fleeting fads. But some things never change. Among the dizzying neon signs hangs Ttarojip's humble plaque that stands out because of its stark simplicity. The retro bright blue and red letters look like a specimen of the past ― and indeed the restaurant has been serving the same rich, hearty beef soup with rice for 39 years and counting. Founded in 1969, Ttarojip has been attracting regular customers with its signature ``ttarogukbap'' for over four generations. It literally means ``gukbap'' ― rice and soup ― served ``ttaro,'' separately. It sounds simple enough, but the tiny button hole of a place ― a slim two-story venue that seats no more than 10 people on each floor ― sells up to 600 bowls of the beef broth a day. Greasy tables and rickety red stools crowd the claustrophobic space, but Ttarojip's rundown charms draw in customers round the clock. The price, at 6,000 won, is relatively high for gukbap, but the quality makes up for it. There are no extraord

Sep 11, 2008

How to Spend Chuseok in the City

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Chuseok is one of the most important holidays in Korea. It's the time of the year when millions of Koreans head back to their hometowns to pay respects to their ancestors and celebrate the holidays with the family. This autumn homecoming is known to cause major traffic jams along the highways and crowded trains throughout the country. Chuseok is always celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which falls on Sept. 14 this year. Koreans celebrate the holiday by holding ancestral rites such as ``charye'' and ``seongmyo,'' and spend time eating and drinking with the family. Because the majority of Koreans leave the city during the three-day holiday, most department stores, restaurants, cinemas and theaters in Seoul are closed. For people who are unlucky (or lucky, depending on your point of view) enough to be stuck in Seoul for the holidays, here are some choices to keep you entertained. Experience Traditional Korean Culture Expatriates living in Seoul can have a chance to experience Korean customs and traditions duri

Sep 11, 2008

Drama Sets in Suncheon: Journey to Past

By Brian Deutsch Contributing writer One of Suncheon's claims to fame is a set used for the filming of the drama ``Love and Ambition,'' a soap opera that ran on SBS in 2006. As a matter of fact, the set has been labeled the ``Love and Ambition Set'' on some signs around town. I also used to be able to visit and have it nearly all to myself. But that may change soon as officials in the South Jeolla provincial city are expecting business to pick up. The local government expects not only to increase tourism there but also to attract more productions through a ``Suncheon Familiarization Tour'' that will acquaint filmmakers and writers with not only the set but other local attractions as well. The city has been promoting the set more heavily in recent weeks, featuring it more prominently on the Suncheon Web site and posting larger signs around town. This comes after other dramas and movies have used it recently to replicate older authentic scenes that are not so commonly found these days. Parts of the much-anticipated new blockbuster TV soap opera ``East of Eden'' were fil

Sep 11, 2008

Oktoberfest Opens

By Kim Ji-soo Staff Reporter The Grand Hilton Seoul opened its 2008 Oktoberfest Friday for a two-day run, following up on the huge success of last year's extravagant celebration. The Grand Hilton team has put together another fabulous program of traditional music, games, cuisine and beer for the annual event, touted as the best beer festival outside of Munich, Germany. Ensuring an authentic flavor to the 2008 Oktoberfest, new chefs Boris Meininger from Austria and Christoph Resch from Germany have joined Swiss executive chef Erwin Graf in planning the proceedings. Held on the fourth floor of the Grand Hilton Seoul's Convention Center, the event will be headlined by German band Erdinger, who will play all the beer festival classics, setting an authentic and lively Oktoberfest atmosphere throughout the evening. Other entertainment will include an arm wrestling competition, traditional hammering, a speed drinking competition, duck dance and much more. With unlimited cool beer flowing, the Grand Hilton will serve up a selection of fabulous German food that's certain to sa

Sep 5, 2008

Hearty Ox Knee Soup in Samcheong-dong

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Only a few years ago, Samcheong-dong was a quiet, residential neighborhood. Now, its main street is always filled with cars and sidewalks crowded with people who want to check out the quaint boutiques, fancy restaurants and cafes. In the maze of side streets in Samcheong-dong, one can still find traces of the old neighborhood, where family-owned shops and small restaurants continue to thrive. Buyoung Doganitang, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, has been serving doganitang or Korean beef and ox knees soup for the past 50 years. Don't let the unassuming exterior of the tiny restaurant or the mental image

Sep 4, 2008

Uniqueness of Korean Cuisine (IV): Tea

By Chad Meyer Contributing Writer This is the fourth part of a series focusing on the benefits of Korean well-being. We will continue to explore the Korean diet and its relationship with longevity and health. After spending several articles discussing different types of Korean cuisine, we will shift our focus to Korean well-being beverages. Traditional and contemporary Korean beverages hold an equal number of health benefits and remain very unique compared to Western beverages such as milk, soda, coffee, and juice. In Korea, tea drinking is an experience characterized in social, cultural, and spiritual aspects. It has evolved from a simple drink into an herbal treatment for various ailments. Traditional Asian medicine follows the belief that there are three hundred and sixty vital energy channels in the human body. Referred to as chi, these channels must remain unblocked in order for nature to provide balance and harmony to the body. Maintaining chi levels is preventive maintenance for the body. Along with meditation and exercise, tea is used as a treatment to unbloc

Sep 4, 2008

Hotel Lobby

Westin Chosun Seoul The Westin Chosun Seoul presents three special autumn weekend packages through Nov. 30 ― One Fine Day, Weekend Fine Day and Weekend Suite ― available for 185,000 won, 215,000 won and 300,000 won, respectively. The three packages include two Gyeongbok Palace tickets, one free rental coupon for a Portable Audio Guide at the palace and shopping discount coupons for four popular shops in Samcheong-dong, downtown Seoul. For more information, call (02) 317-0404. Sheraton Grande Walkerhill The Sheraton Grande Walkerhill will offer a variety of pine mushroom dishes at its two restaurants ― the Korean restaurant Ondal and Japanese restaurant Kiyomizu ― from Mt. Taebaek and Mt. Sobaek. For more information, call Ondal at (02) 450-4518 and Kiyomizu at (02) 450-4599. Novotel Ambassador Gangnam The buffet restaurant at the Novotel Ambassador Gangnam, FESTIVAL, presents a special Mongolian barbecue with complimentary wine through the end of October. The barbecue provides guests a choice of seafood, beef, pork, lamb and chicken as well as over 10 ki

Sep 4, 2008

JW Seeks Bigger Pie With Big Investment

By Kim Tae-jong Staff Reporter Top local hotels have to spend huge amounts of money in their facilities every six or seven years to be competitive and stay ahead of their rivals. But it is also true that expanding investments is a risk decision in the face of a protracted economic slump. But the JW Marriott Seoul is at the forefront of aggressive marketing through a full-scale renovation of its property and an upgrade in customer services as a strategy for business growth. ``We have launched the renovation as if we tried to open up a new hotel,'' Chris Lee, marketing director of the hotel, said. ``Everything has changed except for newly-purchased beds.'' Beginning earlier this summer, the renovation will cost roughly 13 billion won ($13 million), the largest renovation ever at the hotel. It includes the installation of high-tech TV sets and modernized furniture in 500 guestrooms, and upgrades to the spa and therapy facilities and restaurants. It recently completed about 25 percent of the renovation on guestrooms. 120 newly renovated guestrooms are now available.

Sep 4, 2008

Oriental Route to Silky Hair

Medicinal Herb Shampoos, Traditional Brushes Are on the Rise By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Women's ― and men's these days ― desire for lustrous locks seems to be timeless, whether it be modern Koreans wanting Jun Ji-hyun's signature long, wavy hair in Elastine shampoo ads or Joseon (1392-1910) women swearing by sweet flag-infused water. Fast on the rise are premium hair products featuring ``hanbang'' or oriental medicine herbs. The old becomes new, as traditional remedies take the average shampoo to a new level. It's the birth of a super shampoo fueled by the national hype on ``well-being'' or organic lifestyle. Natural medicinal ingredients promise both silkiness and healthiness. Daenggimeori shampoo (referring to long braids worn by Joseon girls) has established a reputation and is selling furiously in home shopping and online malls. Originally produced for local beauty salons in a small town in South Chungcheong Province, Daenggimeori was introduced nationwide via CJ Home Shopping (www.cjmall.com). It continues to rank as the number one hit item at the franchise since

Sep 4, 2008

Oedo Island: Southern Paradise

By Eric E'Jon Contributing Writer Within just a few short weeks, summer will be officially over. "But wait", you're thinking to yourself, "I never took that last summer getaway to end summer with a bang!" Well, even if your wallet is not saying ``Bang,'' and you don't have enough time to take that dream trip to Europe; take it from me ― you can still have a wonderful vacation without breaking the bank and you can do it all right here in Korea. You ask, ``Right here in Korea? How do I do that?'' If you're looking for ideas I would recommend a KTX Weekend Package Tour. Just last week, my friend and I enjoyed one such tour through North Jeolla Province. For 80,000 won, we were able enjoy an overnight train ride from Seoul to Namwon Station near Jeonju. Once we and the other group members arrived in Namwon we took a bus to Geoje Island, which takes about two hours. Before going to Oedo Island (on the final day) we had a traditional Korean breakfast of fish, rice and seaweed soup. Oedo Island is a famous location where actor Bae Young Joon filmed the last scene of the hu

Aug 28, 2008
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