I can still remember the precise moment that it happened.
It was day three of our trip to Seoul, and we were having dinner at Hanilkwan in Euljiro. One of our banchan was a simple salad of shredded cabbage and kkaennip (깻잎), tossed in a light vinaigrette.
There were only a few slivers of the finely sliced green perilla leaf nestled in the bed of white cabbage, but their presence was unmistakable.
We knew what kkaennip was, of course, due to our steady diet of Korean dramas and food shows. But before this encounter, we had never actually tasted it.
I had always assumed that it was essentially the same as Japanese shiso, a familiar ingredient that we’ve had numerous times before.
Even though their flavours were similar, it was obvious from our first mouthful that kkaennip was not shiso. Both tasted fresh and herby, but the Korean species had a brighter and more exuberant character compared to its Japanese cousin.
After that meal, The Wife made it a point to eat as much kkaennip as possible. Whenever a plate of it was served, she would always wipe them out and ask for seconds.
Towards the tail end of our vacation, as we were exploring Gyeongdong Market, she spotted a vegetable stall that displayed numerous stacks of the bright green leaf.
Bundles of 20 pieces were neatly arranged, one on top of another, with each going for only ₩1,000. Her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store as she picked up five bunches and happily paid the halmoni running the stall.
It was the cheapest souvenir that she would buy during our entire trip, but it was probably the one that gave her the most enjoyment.
The first thing she did when we got home the following night was to safely store her precious stash of 100 leaves in the fridge.
And for the next week or so, she would loving fish out a few pieces, carefully rinse them under the tap, softly pat them dry and figure out what to do.
Since we had bought some Goraesa eomuk just before boarding our flight home, the first thing we did was to wrap them up in kkaennip and have eomuk ssam (어묵쌈) for lunch.
It was a quick and simple meal, and the familiar Korean flavours helped ease us back to our daily lives in Singapore after a delightful holiday in Seoul.
The following day, The Wife made a refreshing cold salad using the Korean melons and tomatoes that she had bought from Emart Cheonggyecheon.
Even though the flavour profile was different, it reminded me of the cabbage and kkaennip salad that we had at Hanilkwan. I’m sure that’s what inspired her to come up with the dish.
I also contributed to the culinary exploration by suggesting that whole leaves be sandwiched inside our cheese toast, something that we eat fairly frequently as a light dinner.
It sounded a bit weird when I first proposed the idea, but the end result was strangely satisfying. Give it a try at least once, and you’ll see what I mean.
Eventually, we went back to the standard Korean way of using kkaennip — ssam everything! Starting with roast pork from our downstairs wet market, coupled with some tart Jongga kimchi that we always have in our fridge.
The combination worked so well that we decided to be more adventurous and repeated it using other local Chinese dishes. It was a totally new way of eating cai png from our neighbourhood economic rice stall.
Then we went really left field and tried it out with fried carrot cake sticks, and even satay beehoon. Our conclusion from all this experimentation was that everything tastes good when wrapped in fresh kkaennip.
We would have gladly continued to ssam everything, except for the fact that our finite supply of kkaennip quickly ran out.
They occasionally appear on the shelves of grocery stores in Singapore, including Koryo Mart and even local supermarkets like Fairprice. However, the ones we’ve seen all looked quite sad.
It didn’t stop The Wife from buying some home to try, but the experience was less than satisfying.
They were missing the bright and vibrant flavour that she had come to love, and were a pale copy of the ones we had.
I guess she’ll just have to deal with her withdrawal symptoms until the next time we’re back in South Korea.
Seoul Spring 2023
Trip planning: Hansik, sijang and hanok (Seoul Spring 2023)
Our flights are booked, hotel rooms are reserved and all that’s left is to count down to the day that we finally take to the skies again.
Up in the air again with Singapore Airlines in Business class
For our very first post-pandemic flight, we redeemed 208,000 KrisFlyer miles for a pair of Business class return tickets to Seoul.
Ryse Hotel is right in the heart of bustling Hongdae
During our previous trips to Seoul, we stayed in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun and City Hall. This time, I decided to try a new neighbourhood in the Western part of Seoul.
Comforting pork soup at Donsubaek for our first meal in Seoul
After a six plus hour flight and faced with an unexpected drop in temperature, a piping hot bowl of pork soup really hit the spot.
Masan Seafood and their ugly delicious agujjim
Monkfish may possibly be the ugliest fish in the world, but it also happens to be one of the most delicious.
A relaxing afternoon interlude at Tteuran Teahouse in Ikseondong
As you step through the heavy wooden doors, you can’t help but feel a sense of serenity sweep over your entire body.
For jeongmal delizioso Korean fusion food, head to Banjoo Iksun
Beautifully browned potato dumplings and generous chunks of smoky bacon floated on a pool of vibrantly green perilla leaf cream.
Traditional Korean rice cakes and pour over coffee for breakfast
Rice is a staple in many Asian countries. Besides being the main source of carbohydrates, it’s also used to make different types of sweets.
Lotus Lantern Festival at Gwanghwamun Square
The lantern displays were just one component of the week-long festival leading up to the Buddha’s birthday celebration, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Baek Nyeon Baekse just took the top spot in our samgyetang shortlist
Samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is easily one of our favourite Korean dishes. It’s great on cold, rainy days and even better when we’re feeling under the weather.
When Korean executives need a quick meal, Hanilkwan is where they go
Bibimbap is a dish that requires audience participation, and it’s always fun to mix all the ingredients into a beautiful mess.
Strawberry tea and desserts at bright and breezy Mil Toast
The Wife went with a hot Strawberry Tea, not knowing exactly what to expect but confident that it was a good choice. South Korea was, after all, famous for their high quality strawberries.
Watching the Lotus Lantern Parade from our seats at Jongno 3-ga
You know that an event is a huge deal when a 3km stretch of road, right in the heart of a major city, is shut down for several hours on a busy Saturday night.
Bus ride to Mangwon Market for our Korean street food fix
Dessert was in the form of spicy eomuk skewers, from the very first stall we saw when entering the market. Just look at that fiery and luscious sauce!
The hanjeongsik at Hangaram was easily our best meal in Seoul
Despite being mentally prepared for the large number of incoming items, when the food started arriving, we were hopelessly overwhelmed by the non-stop cascade of dishes.
Mall hopping at The Hyundai Seoul and Starfield Coex
Given a choice between hiking up a mountain or wandering around an airconditioned mall, I choose the latter. Any time of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year.
Jeon and makgeolli at John Makgeolliano in Yeonnamdong
One mission of our recent vacation in Seoul was to drink as much makgeolli as possible. And since jeon is the perfect accompaniment to makgeolli, we found an interesting place to have both.
Wandering the jinjja yeppeuda alleys of Ikseondong Hanok Village
Of all the neighbourhoods we’ve been to in Seoul, Ikseondong is the prettiest by far. Here are five memorable places that we visited.
There’s a reason why Myeongdong Kyoja is so popular
After mixing everything into a beautiful mess and taking in a big mouthful, the first thing that hit me was a pleasant nuttiness, followed by deep umami. The noodles were firm and chewy, releasing flavour with every bite.
From now on, Novotel Dongdaemun is where we’ll stay in Seoul
Five months before check-in, I booked a 53sqm Residence Deluxe Room on a fully flexible rate. Our four night stay in May had an average daily rate of ₩256,000.
The Wife walked into Pleats Mama and almost didn’t make it out
I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.
The complete Hanwoo K-BBQ experience at Majang Meat Market
Our 422g platter with four different cuts of Grade 1++(9) Korean beef cost ₩71,000 at the butcher’s shop. The total bill after adding the table charge, drinks and transport came up to only ₩89,800.
Buying African beans from Blue Bottle Coffee in Samcheongdong
A wide selection was on display, together with their origins, tasting notes and prices. They were sold in unusually large 300gm bags, with blends going for ₩25,000 and single-origins for ₩35,000.
Our very first taste of ganjang gejang, courtesy of Keun Giwajip
I found out the hard way that ganjang gejang is an acquired taste. One that, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to acquire.
Strolling down Gyeongdong Market for a truly local sijang experience
One thing we like to do when visiting a foreign city is to explore grocery stores and traditional markets. It gives us a chance to glimpse into the lives of people going about their day-to-day activities.
The tragic fate of the jjukkumi at Najeongsun Halmae
Somewhere in the Yongdu-dong neighbourhood, within the Dongdaemun-gu district, a brass octopus stands at attention, solemnly saluting all who walk past.
Jeolla-do grilled eel two ways at Songgang Freshwater Eel
In South Korea, jang-eo (장어) is considered a health food that boosts energy, and is especially popular during the hot summer months.
Shopping for souvenirs at Emart Cheonggyecheon
Grocery shopping is probably not on the minds of most tourists. But coming from a non-agricultural country like Singapore, the opportunity to bring home fresh, tasty and cheap produce was simply too good to miss.
Last minute dash for Goraesa Eomuk just before boarding our flight
The Wife had a look in her eyes that hinted that she was thinking about buying one of everything. But she managed to restrain her impulses and only picked out three pieces.
Our 10 day Seoul itinerary and how much we spent
We spent a total of ₩5,450,000 for our entire trip. Here’s the cost breakdown by flight, hotel, food & drink, shopping, transport and other travel-related expenses.
StarHub Giga data roaming works like a charm
We used gigaRoam in Seoul and had no issues with mobile data access throughout our entire trip. It was easy to buy, seamless to activate and convenient to extend, making it the default choice for our future travels.
Lotte Mart Seoul Station is a Korean snack food paradise
Our extensive haul only lasted us a few weeks. We could have stretched it out a bit longer, but when faced with a convenient stockpile of addictive Korean snacks, the first thing that goes out the window is self-control.
