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RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Dowon Chinese Bar: A culinary gem with a fiery twist

By Eddie Tam SUWON, Gyeonggi Province — Tucked away in the heart of Suwon, Dowon Chinese Bar may appear as a dimly lit cocktail haven, but it is renowned for serving some of the most delectable Chinese fare in the area. Owned by a young and talented restaurateur who honed his skills in Sino-Korean establishments before venturing out on his own, Dowon has quickly become a favorite among local food enthusiasts and neighboring restaurateurs alike. As the evening draws to a close, you'll find many chefs and restaurant owners winding down at Dowon, indulging in its delightful offerings and enjoying a well-deserved drink. The open-concept kitchen, encircled by a bar, provides diners with a front-row seat to a captivating fire show as chefs expertly toss ingredients in woks beneath jet-fueled burners. This spectacle is a testament to their skill and passion for the craft. The menu offers a unique blend of traditional Chinese flavors and innovative interpretations that set it apart from your typical Koreanized Chinese cuisine. The chef's years of experience are evident in his precise control

Mar 3, 2025By Eddie Tam
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Dowon Chinese Bar: A culinary gem with a fiery twist

Wikipedia list sheds light on Korea's historic restaurants

Korea's restaurant scene is known for its breakneck restaurant turnover speed, with restaurants closing after only a few years, to be replaced with new ones boasting "Since 2025" that don't stand much chance of lasting any longer. But the country's eatery history has a much longer living history than most people might think. The oldest known restaurant is accepted to be Imun Seolnongtang, which the Seoul Metropolitan Government pegs as having started serving ox bone soup in 1904. The second-oldest, Busan Anmyeonok, opened in 1905 in Pyongyang, then moved to Busan in 1953 and then Daegu in 1969. About 20 more restaurants are known to have been founded during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation, or right before it began or after liberation. All this information has been made available through the online free encyclopedia, Wikipedia, thanks to an anonymous editor who listed 30 of the oldest known restaurants and wrote individual entries for each. The creator of these pages, who hides behind the username Seefooddiet, claims to be a Korean American male who grew up in Korea but now lives in the U

Mar 3, 2025By Jon Dunbar
Wikipedia list sheds light on Korea's historic restaurants

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Enjoy Gyedong Pizza, but don't bother the locals

You know all those signs around central Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village telling you to be quiet so you don't disturb the local residents? They used to be for my benefit, as I lived in Gye-dong in the area for a few years last decade. I didn't live in a hanok, just a regular four-story apartment building, but it was on a major alley, Gyedong-gil. Sometimes, it was a little chaotic, but it didn't bother me because the crowds would typically disperse a little after 5 p.m. At that point, I'd have all the area's cafes, bars and restaurants mostly to myself.

Mar 3, 2025By Jon Dunbar
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Enjoy Gyedong Pizza, but don't bother the locals

BWAHAHAHAHA 4 'I Had Jujubes to Snack On'

“Bwahahahaha” is a weekly column that explores the roots of Korean humor through the joke book “Kkalkkal Useum,” originally published in 1916. By G.S. Hand Most of the jokes in “Kkalkkal Useum” are based on an underlying conflict. One of the most frequent is conflict between husband and wife, particularly between a husband who wants to take a concubine and a wife who wants to stop him. Concubinage was a part of the social order during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty, but was on the way out when this book was originally published in 1916. Here, as elsewhere, it depicts — and perhaps reprints material from — a somewhat earlier era. When a joke in “Kkalkkal Useum” is based on a conflict between figures with a power imbalance, the weaker one usually comes out on top. This joke is no exception. In this situation it’s clear that the wife is in a less powerful position, but the husband who tries to outwit her ends up making a fool of himself — although some readers may feel that he still gets better than he deserves. “I Had Jujubes to Snack On” A virile man took a concub

Mar 2, 2025
[BWAHAHAHAHA 4] 'I Had Jujubes to Snack On'

KOREAN TEMPLE ADVENTURES Buseok Temple holds onto disputed statue before its return to Japan

It’s not often that two nations’ tumultuous past can be summed up in one single object, but such is the case for Japan and Korea and the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue of Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. Originally, the statue was enshrined at Buseok Temple in 1330, before being housed at Kannon Temple in Tsushima, Japan. The statue stands 50.5 centimeters in height and weighs 38.6 kilograms. There is considerable dispute as to how this statue of Avalokitesvara (Bodhisattva of Compassion) ended up in Japan. The Japanese claim that it was a gift to the monk who founded Kannon Temple when he traveled to the Korean Peninsula in 1527. Buseok Temple, on the other hand, claims that the statue was looted in 1378 by Japanese pirates. Buseok Temple in Seosan, which shouldn't be confused with the more famous Buseok Temple in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, was established in 677 by the famed monk Uisang (625-702). Little is known about the temple's history except that it was rebuilt during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). According to the foundation

Mar 1, 2025By Dale Quarrington
[KOREAN TEMPLE ADVENTURES] Buseok Temple holds onto disputed statue before its return to Japan

MORNING CALM TALES Itaewon’s evolving soul, from military camptown to urban rhythms

When I discovered I’d be heading to Korea to teach in October 1990, it felt like stepping into uncharted territory. This was long before Lonely Planet's guidebooks and the internet made information readily available, so reliable details were scarce. Out of necessity, I contacted the Korea National Tourism Office in Chicago, and a thick envelope arrived a few weeks later. Its glossy brochures still resonated with the energy of the 1988 Olympics, showcasing Seoul’s grand palaces, picturesque countryside and bustling shopping districts. One tourist area, in particular, caught my attention: Itaewon. The photos depicted crowded sidewalks filled with shoppers, lined with vendors, shops, eateries and the familiar glow of American fast food signs — lively, exotic and yet comfortingly recognizable. Though I’d never walked those streets, Itaewon’s distinctly international vibe promised new experiences with some welcome reminders of home. One Sunday afternoon, just a week before Christmas, my colleague Ken — who’d taken me under his wing since my arrival — decided it was time I sa

Mar 1, 2025By Jeffrey Miller
[MORNING CALM TALES] Itaewon’s evolving soul, from military camptown to urban rhythms

BWAHAHAHAHA 7 'All Three Daughters Were Rejected'

“Bwahahahaha” is a weekly column that explores the roots of Korean humor through the joke book “Kkalkkal Useum,” originally published in 1916. By G.S. Hand This week I’m translating one of the most interesting jokes in “Kkalkkal Useum.” It features three daughters, but since they have no distinguishing characteristics and face identical situations, it’s essentially a way of talking about the alternatives available to a single individual. And since all three characters experience failure, it seems to imply that success is impossible to begin with. The joke can be read through a socially critical lens, as depicting societal expectations for women’s behavior that were incoherent and untenable, but it’s also possible to simply laugh at the absurdity of their predicament. It’s appealing to believe that humor makes people think, but does it really? Where this translation talks about being “rejected,” the Korean original has “sobak.” “Sobak” was a social convention for terminating a marriage in the 1392-1910 Joseon era, which was less onerous than divorce —

Feb 28, 2025
[BWAHAHAHAHA 7] 'All Three Daughters Were Rejected'

KFTV brings Korean broadcasting to Europe

By Alice Hong The Korean proverb, "A good start is half the journey,” emphasizes the importance of getting started on a task. Christophe Diez, co-founder of KFTV, considers it his personal motto. KFTV, which stands for Korean French Television, is a French streaming platform that promotes Korean culture to the European market through TV shows, movies and documentaries. Diez and his team are currently based in Pangyo Techno Valley, a startup hub in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, where KFTV is being developed with support from the Korean government. Diez came to Korea in 2015 to work as a producer for a French Korean TV series, and despite being new to the culture, he quickly fell in love with the country and its cultural content. Though it was nothing like the type of entertainment he’d seen in France, he saw its potential, which led to him founding his own startup. Little was known at the time about "hallyu," or the Korean wave, in Europe, where Korea was still regarded mostly as a developing nation that had overcome the 1950-53 Korean War. Hallyu was an underground trend French banks

Feb 28, 2025
KFTV brings Korean broadcasting to Europe
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