[Well-curated] French butter cake, gugak festival and Pachinko pop-up

The kouign-amann go-to

Kouign-amann, a delicacy of Brittany in France meaning “butter cake,” is something like a caramelized croissant. This opulent pastry balances caramelized crust with light, moist layers with salted butter baked between, which crumble into sweet flakes upon a bite.

One of the best places to try a slice is b. Patisserie at the mall complex Shinsegae Central City in Seocho-gu -- one of the three branches in South Korea operated by the San Francisco-based pastry shop, which opened in 2013. The first Korean branch launched in 2018 in Gangnam-gu, with Mapo-gu and Seocho-gu following suit a year apart from 2020.

The kouign-amann at the Shinsegae mall is topped with either black sesame, chocolate custard or pistachio. Not a fan of any of those? Settle on the classic: A buttery, sugary, flaky double-decker puff of laminated dough.

The signature nutty flavor does not overpower. Still, coffee can always add to a crispy coating of caramelized sugar. Basic options range from espresso and Americano to latte and cappuccino. For those with more gourmet tastes, flat white, mocha and affogato are also on the menu, with options to select espresso beans by body, flavor, aroma and acidity.

“I can’t speak to coffee quality, but it’s served me well. I swing by just for coffee sometimes,” said Kim Ji-min, 29, who identified herself as a b. Patisserie regular. “This shop doesn’t do sodas or teas like other coffee franchises. Maybe that’s why it feels like sitting at a coffee specialty shop.”

A night escape into folk traditions

The National Gugak Center kicks off its annual summer outdoor festival, "Umyeonsan Music Festival," to cool off late summer nights, set against the scenic backdrop of Umyeonsan.

The festival will be held every Saturday at 8 p.m. until Sept. 21 at Yeonhui Madang. This year’s performances will focus on "pungmul," a folk music tradition rooted in farming culture.

This Saturday will feature an eclectic performance blending modern sensibilities with traditional Korean folk songs from the Gyeonggi, Seo-do and Nam-do regions.

On Sept. 7, the traditional theatrical performance "Dangol Pocha" will reinterpret the myth of Dangun, the legendary founder and first king of Gojoseon, Korea's first kingdom. On Sept. 14, the NGC’s Contemporary Gugak Orchestra will perform a variety of works, including folk songs and concertos. A captivating display of traditional performance art, featuring puppet shows and mask dances, is set for Sept. 21.

The event is free of charge, but tickets must be reserved, starting at 2 p.m. on the Wednesday one week before the performance, through the National Gugak Center website.

Pre-show events, which do not require reservation, will be held from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., featuring a traditional parade and lion dance, wishing the audience good fortune and well-being.

Additionally, the NGC offers guided tours in English for international visitors at the Gugak Museum. Tours will be held every Saturday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., lasting 30 minutes each.

‘Pachinko’ pop-up in Seongsu-dong

Imagine yourself as a character in 1945, raised in a small town in Busan, helping make ends meet at your mom’s boarding house, or in 1989 when your dad opened a Pachinko establishment in Osaka, Japan.

Apple TV+ opened a pop-up store for its original series “Pachinko” in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on Aug. 24 to immerse the audience in the stories of Sunja, Hansu, Solomon and other characters.

Settings and props from the eight-part series are set up to offer visitors Busan’s rice shop-inspired Korean traditional rice drink Sikhye and the experience of playing Pachinko.

At a separate Apple TV+ lounge set up inside, visitors can have Apple TV+ titles recommended based on their MBTI. Anyone who gets the recommendation will have a chance to win a 1-year subscription to Apple TV+.

Located at Project Rent, the pop-up store opens every day from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. with weekend days closing an hour later, throughout Sept. 8.