Small eateries run by middle-aged ‘imo’ serving up cost-efficient home-cooked meals the latest trend in Seoul’s gastronomic scene

Stick With Me Sweets, which started as a modest, tiny chocolate shop in New York in 2014, quickly gained popularity for cute little bonbons with a variety of unique fillings. Last week, SWMS opened its first boutique shop outside the US, here in Seoul. Korean American chocolatier Susanna Yoon said her second shop had to be in Seoul for many reasons. “I’m deeply rooted here (as a Korean American) and returning here feels like I’m at home and it feels really reconnected. I&rsqu

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches new cocktails symbolizing iconic cities Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's speakeasy bar Charles H. is offering four new cocktail creations inspired by different cities -- London, Havana, New Orleans and Hong Kong. The reimagined menu is a collaboration between head bartender, Odd Strandbakken, and beverage creative director, Alyssa Heidt. The duo have crafted 20 distinct cocktails inspired by the world travels of Charles H. Baker Jr. Alongside each artful cocktail

It's a whole meal presented in a box with little compartments -- imagine a jewelry box. A dosirak can be anything -- from a humble lunchbox that is eaten at one's desk to a picnic lunch filled with gimbap and other goodies. It can even be elevated to a gourmet meal with morsels of epicurean delights filling up the various compartments. While records of dosirak go back to the Silla Kingdom (57-676), they became more popular during the period of rapid economic growth beginning in the 196

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches new cocktails symbolizing iconic cities Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's speakeasy bar Charles H. offers four new cocktail creations inspired by different cities -- London, Havana, New Orleans and Hong Kong. The reimagined menu is a visionary collaboration between head bartender, Odd Strandbakken, and beverage creative director, Alyssa Heidt. The dynamic duo have crafted twenty distinct cocktails inspired by the world travels of Charles H. Baker Jr. Alongside eac

Sinchon in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul is home to a number of top Korean universities such as Yonsei University, Sogang University and Ewha Womans University. Welcoming students from across the country as well as foreign students, Sinchon's wide boulevards are lined with bustling shops and cute cafes that create the vibrant atmosphere of a college town. One can frequently see cool street performances, young students busking with their guitars or rapping in the open air. Walking by them, what ultima

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul opens outdoor dining and cocktails Located on the seventh floor of JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, the Margaux Grill and MOBO Bar are popular spots in the city’s Banpo district. The Margaux Grill serves a diverse menu prepared on a wood-fired grill, accompanied by a selection of more than 800 wines. On warm spring days, dining at an outdoor table offers the chance to experience gourmet cuisine in a setting with fresh greenery. MOBO Bar, located on the same floor, is a co

JW Marriott Jeju Resort and Spa opens in Seogwipo JW Marriott Jeju Resort and Spa celebrates its grand opening on March. The hotel’s signature BBQ and rotisserie restaurant, The Flying Hog, serves Jeju black pork and beef cooked in a wood-fired oven. For guests who wish to explore the local cuisine, yeoumul is a Jeju-style omakase restaurant featuring seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood harvested by the island’s female divers. The Lounge, with its resident coffee master, offers s

College students look for cheap grub, parents reminisce about the good old days

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches ‘Timeless Beauty’ cosmetics package Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has launched the new room package, "Timeless Beauty," in collaboration with the History of Whoo, a premium cosmetics brand and part of South Korea’s LG Household & Health Care Ltd. Inspired by the timeless beauty of Korea’s Empresses, the offer is available from April 1, for only 100 rooms. The package includes a 40-minute Whoo Hwanyu spa facial alongside springt

"Makgeolli-bitgi," or makgeolli making and sharing, was designated a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. Korea's long-held tradition of making makgeolli is found in literary compilations in Goryeo (918-1392), and cookbooks from the Joseon period (1392-1910) contain detailed makgeolli recipes. The distinctive taste of makgeolli sets it apart from other types of rice wine. The milky drink has both a sweet and slightly sour flavor, which can be compared to that of yogurt o

Andaz Seoul Gangnam presents afternoon tea Andaz Seoul Gangnam, located at Apgujeong Station in Seoul, showcases its new tea set for spring. The menu features fresh seasonal fruit and tea, with three savory bites such as its A1 cheesesteak sandwich and four sweet dessert items such as citron dacquoise and mugwort madeleine. The tea set will be served with the Andaz special coffee or premium tea. The promotion is available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Jogakbo, located on the second floor of the hote

For many, cilantro is an ingredient that you either love or hate. Love it or hate it, a dessert cafe in Seoul is offering up irresistibly sweet, vividly colored cakes – with cilantro as the main ingredient. Located in an old, narrow alley in Euljiro in Jung-gu, Seoul, dessert cafe Wonhyeongdeul turns unlikely ingredients into fancy, delectable and aesthetically pleasing cakes. Opened in July 2021, Wonhyeongdeul is a second brand of Seomgwang, a cafe and wine bar located in the same buildin

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul introduces new Italian lunch set Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's Italian restaurant Boccalino has launched a Lunch Delight set. The set menu features an Italian antipasti semibuffet, with seasonal ingredients and a main dish to choose from a variety of options, including fresh pasta or beef steak. A selection of artisanal cheeses is also available. On Mondays, Boccalino diners can bring their own wine without a corkage charge. The set menu is available every day from 11:

Bunsik, literally food made with flour, has its beginnings in the early 1960s. Since rice was scarce and expensive in postwar Korea, the government promoted the consumption of mixed grains and flour noodles. The campaign to eat more mixed grains and flour faded out in the 1980s, and bunsik came to mean inexpensive eats that you could either have as a snack or as a meal in itself. Most small diners, known as "bunsikjib," serve what have become popular street food -- from gimbap, tteokbo