Tourists Participating in the Seoul Stay Home-Cooked Meal Cooking Class (Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government)
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – Seoul is offering foreign tourists an opportunity to immerse themselves in Korean culinary culture through food tourism programs inspired by popular Korean dramas, the city government announced Wednesday.
One highlight is the Permanent Cooking Class, held twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays near Sinchon Station at Now Cooking Studio. Participants can recreate iconic dishes featured in hit dramas, such as gimbap from Extraordinary Attorney Woo, japchae from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and bulgogi from Reply 1988. Each session is limited to 10 participants.
For a more intimate experience, the Home-Cooked Meal Class brings tourists into 13 hanok and Seoul Stay accommodations. Guests and hosts collaborate to prepare traditional comfort foods, such as kimchi fried rice and potato pancakes, fostering cultural exchange in the process.
screenshot image from the drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo
The city is also promoting special experiences like the Korean Pork Culinary Experience and the Seoul Gourmet 100, a curated list of must-visit restaurants, cafes, and pubs blending traditional and modern flavors.
The pork-focused program includes cooking classes where participants make boiled pork with kimchi or grill samgyeopsal (pork belly) at Seoul Stay lodgings.
On November 14, popular TV host Oh Sang-jin hosted a special cooking event, where 11 international guests prepared roasted chicken and bulgogi, showcasing the interactive nature of these culinary offerings.
Foreign visitors can apply for these programs online at One More Trip through early December. While the Permanent Cooking Class requires a fee, most other experiences are free. For details about the Seoul Gourmet 100, visit Taste of Seoul.
Seoul’s initiative aims to give tourists a deeper appreciation of Korean food culture while bringing the flavors of beloved dramas to life.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
