CITY BREAK SEOUL

Classic Korean cooking is making a comeback in the capital as chefs and diners embrace local produce and generations-old recipes

- HAHNA YOON

Over the past decade or so, Korean cuisine has firmly been put on the map, thanks to the popularity of the country’s films and TV shows, K-pop music and — crucially — the many diaspora chefs serving up Korean classics from London to Los Angeles. If, in the past, visitors would come to Seoul not knowing what to expect from the cuisine, now they arrive with a checklist of things to try: ‘real’ Korean barbecue; the favourite restaurants of K-pop band BTS; the jjapaguri (instant noodles with steak) from Oscar-winning film Parasite… And yet, there’s so much more to the capital’s dining scene.

Food plays an essential role in how Koreans tend to socialise, and the country’s history — hundreds of years of isolation followed by Japanese rule and poverty in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950-1953) — is reflected in its gastronomy. Not finishing a meal, for instance, is frowned upon, and dishes inspired by the US military, such as Korean fried chicken and budae-jjigae (‘army stew’), have become standards in the nation’s culinary repertoire.

Although currently limited by pandemic restrictions, Seoul’s culinary scene is still going strong. The concept of sinto buri, meaning ‘body and soil cannot be separated’, is emerging as a theme among restaurateurs, meaning that many are now choosing to source local ingredients, rather than relying on imports as they might have done in the past. Well-reputed franchises, including Mumyeong Sikdang and Nature Kitchen, have interpreted the ethos to highlight seasonal and regional specialities, often collaborating with local farmers.