Whenever we visit Seoul, one of our essential stops is the Lotte Mart at Seoul Station.
It’s a huge and sprawling store, with an 11,000 sqm second floor that sells groceries, cosmetics and daily essentials. To put it in context, that’s about the same size as one and a half soccer fields.
At any given time on any given day, you can find hordes of people wandering the aisles and filling up their shopping carts.
Ninety nine out of a hundred of them will have at least one Korean snack in their basket. The remaining one person that does not just hasn’t decided which to buy yet.
You know the phrase “like a kid in a candy store”? Well, that was basically us as soon as we stepped through the main door.
Pepero is always a given, and the only decision to make was which flavour to get. Haenam Green Tea was a limited season item and something that we had never come across before.
It was an easy choice, and three boxes immediately went into our cart. If you didn’t already know, Pepero is made by Lotte, and it was fitting that it was the first thing we chose.
Market O was also non-negotiable, especially their Brownies and Real Cheese Chips. We managed to find the brownies and grabbed a couple of boxes. But for some strange reason, the cheese chips were nowhere to be found.
They were The Wife’s favourite, and we hunted high and low but with no success. It didn’t seem likely that such a popular product was discontinued, so perhaps they were simply out of stock that day.
As a consolation prize, we picked up a box of the almond dacquoise. After trying it for the first time, our conclusion was that we should have passed. They were alright, but honestly quite forgettable.
Another item that we didn’t come across during our previous trips were the cute little “fish cakes” with hotteok filling from Orion. As in mini fish-shaped cakes and not eomuk.
We only bought the one box but, on hindsight, should have gotten a few more instead. They were really delicious, and made for a nice breakfast when paired with home-brewed black coffee.
Another item that we regretted not buying more were the mini crab crackers by Binggrae. If the brand sounds familiar, it’s probably because of their highly addictive banana milk.
The crackers came in a pretty orange box, but it didn’t do the actual contents justice. Each piece of the savoury baked snack came in the form of tiny crab claws, minute crab shells or petite whole crabs.
They were almost too cute to eat, but once we got started, we couldn’t stop chucking piece-after-piece into our mouths. There’s a good chance that we might buy a dozen boxes home next time.
Likewise for the No Brand purple sweet potato chips.
Equal parts sweet and salty, with the distinctive taste of sweet potatoes. They were highly addictive, and we had to exert immense willpower not to finish the entire can in one sitting.
No doubt due to the use of purple sweet potato flour, which was the first item on the ingredient list. But likely also because E621 (Flavour Enhancer) was added.
You might know it better from its longer name: monosodium glutamate. Yes, that MSG. Which, when added in moderation, makes everything taste wonderful.
We ended our Korean snack food shopping spree the same way we started — with a product manufactured by Lotte. Specifically, the Dream Cacao Canister 72% chocolates that come in small centimetre-wide cubes.
These were one of the many chocolates that IU binged on when she was working at Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast. And if it’s good enough for Korea’s number one female singer, it’s definitely good enough for us.
It may seem like quite a big haul, but after giving some away to family and friends, what we had left only lasted us a few weeks.
Maybe we could have stretched it out a bit longer by being less greedy more disciplined. But when faced with a convenient stockpile of addictive Korean snacks, the first thing that goes out the window is self-control.
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.
And just like that, The Wife turned into a kkaennip addict
I can still remember the precise moment that it happened. We were having dinner at Hanilkwan and one of our banchan was a simple salad of shredded cabbage and kkaennip, tossed in a light vinaigrette.
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.
