South Korea’s capital aims to develop more inclusive public design

Vibrant food trucks are popping up in neighborhoods around the globe, serving up cleverly prepared and succulent on-the-go grub. Whether it is Korean fusion kimchi tacos, finger lickin’ good barbecue or one-of-a-kind gourmet sandwiches, food trucks have been slowly taking over the streets of major cities across the U.S. and other parts of the world. Some are even calling the States ― where the evolution of food vendors seems to be the most profound ― the “food truck nation.” With a no-limits att

New public architecture projects transform bland neighborhoods into aesthetically attractive districts

Jang, a range of sauces or pastes made from fermented soybeans, is an important part of what makes Korean food unique, a renowned Spanish chef told The Korea Herald. It could one day dominate the meal tables of Europeans, who are incrementally accepting fermented foods, said Quique Dacosta, a Michelin 3-star chef, during his interview with The Korea Herald last week. “There is something about jang. You can add it anywhere and make a great Korean dish. Koreans cannot live without it and it has be

Korean food and retail giants are competing to open modern hansik restaurants as Korean cuisine gains popularity among health-conscious foodies. Armed with enough cash to make hefty investments, big names in the food and retail sectors, including Shinsegae, E-Land and CJ Group, have thrown their hats into the ring in recent years with restaurants combining style and mass-market appeal.These restaurants are all promoting the use of fresh ingredients.A front-runner in the hansik restaurant competi

Korean food-maker Sempio has been supporting chefs in Spain in developing fermented Korean sauces, or “jang,” and dishes based on them as a way to penetrate the European market. The company teamed up with Alicia Foundation, led by chef Ferran Adria, in 2011 and developed 150 recipes marrying jang with modern Spanish cuisine. A “jang map” was developed, recommending different uses of jang according to the flavors cooks want to present.“We thought Spain was one of the most open culinary destinatio

At a glance, Korean restaurants may seem to be far from high-end. People often cram into hole-in-the-wall restaurants looking for wallet-friendly, everyday Korean meals. They are served a bowl of rice, soup and several side dishes all at once, for the whole table to share. In recent years, however, a growing number of Korean restaurants have been seeking to offer a slightly different experience.Among them is Poom Seoul, located on Mount Namsan, with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow diners to

Ha Jung-yun, 37, who enjoys exploring gourmet restaurants, has written more posts about Korean restaurants on her Facebook page over the past year. “It is fun to taste Korean fusion food, served at a newly opened restaurant with a modern look and at a reasonable price,’’ she said.Modern takes on Korean cuisine, better known as hansik, are a new trend in the restaurant scene here. “I like modern hansik because it is lighter and experimental, while using healthy and fresh ingredients,’’ Ha said.“T

For many Koreans, Leo Kang is a celebrity chef who gained overnight fame after appearing as a judge on food-focused cable channel Olive-TV’s culinary competition “Master Chef Korea.”His straight-talking style, exemplary career and eye-catching looks helped put him on the map. But what matters more for him than being a celebrity is finding the true colors of his foods. “I have tried to present the dishes that I imitated from world-famous chefs, but now I want my dishes to show my own colors,” Kan

Bibimbap, essentially rice mixed with meat and vegetables, often tops surveys on Korea’s signature dishes. It has been popular as a health food both domestically and overseas for quite some time.But the basic recipe of cooked rice with vegetables, beef, garnishes and red pepper paste is not all there is to it. In fact, bibimbap can be a whole lot more, according to “World’s Choice for Well-Being, Bibimbap,” a book that introduces 75 takes on the dish, written by Jhun Ji-young and published by Le

Hiking becomes Koreans’ favorite pastime thanks to increased leisure hours, income and interest in health

As hills turn from green to orange and red, fall hiking hits its stride across the country

Despite falling sales in Korea’s overall fashion market, demand for outdoor clothing has risen steadily.On any day of the week, especially on the weekends, you can see groups of people heading out to hike the nation’s abundant and easily accessible mountains. This trend has contributed to the growth of the outdoor clothing market. However, hiking is no longer considered Korea’s only outdoor activity. An increasing number of people are enjoying camping, mountain biking and rock climbing.Hiking in

Autumn is the best season for hiking and mountain climbing in Korea with the crisp and mild weather, and colorful leaves. But for environmental activists, it is the season that worries them the most.Maeng Ji-youn, a director of the Seoul-based Korean Federation for Environmental Movements, is one of the outspoken activists who have called on climbers and developers to stop environmentally-unfriendly activities and seek ways to harmoniously coexist with the nature.“Mountains, designated as nation

Korean ensembles strive for unity in diversity