Korean tableware includes celadon, white porcelain, and buncheong ware, featuring a wide variety of styles, colors, and textures. In addition to everyday household items, there are also many artistic pieces suitable for decoration. There is a rich selection of both general household and traditional court-style tableware, including lacquerware, woodenware, and glassware, all of which are affordable and high in quality. These can be found in some department stores in Korea,
Folk handicrafts are an important heritage representing the cultural level of Korea. Different crafts carry different meanings. These uniquely Korean folk handicrafts symbolize peace, good fortune, and convey beautiful blessings. For example, the Korean janggu and pyeonjong (peace drum) are traditional Korean musical instruments. The janggu is played by women, while the pyeonjong is played by men.
Korean-style jewelry is a distinctive product of Korea and is also very popular around the world. Many large department stores in Korea carry a wide range of well-known Korean-style jewelry brands. The main gold and silver jewelry shops in Seoul are concentrated in Bongik-dong and Yeji-dong on Jongno Sam-gil, as well as near the express bus terminal in Pangyo-dong. Chuncheon in Gangwon Province is rich in soft
Korean gems enjoy international recognition and are a distinctive product of Korea. Gems refer to stones or minerals that, after cutting and polishing, meet the standards required for jewelry. They are among the most beautiful and valuable types of rocks. With their vibrant colors, translucent textures, brilliant luster, hardness, durability, and rarity, they are natural mineral crystals suitable for making jewelry and more.
Antique artworks are a distinctive tourism product in South Korea. They embody five thousand years of tradition and history. The variety is overwhelming, including calligraphy and paintings, ceramics, woodenware, and metal crafts. From the pottery of the Unified Silla period to the white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty, there is an extensive range. South Korea’s ceramics can be found in the antique art shops of Insadong.
Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew) is a delicious Korean dish. There are two types of Korean doenjang jjigae: hot and cold. The cold version is made by seasoning a soup base with doenjang (soybean paste), then adding shredded cucumber, chili paste, scallions, and other ingredients. It's consumed during the hottest days of summer to cool down and relieve heat. The soybeans used to make doenjang contain phytoestrogens, which are natural plant hormones that can help prevent breast cancer. Korean cuisine is not only low in fat but also has anti-cancer properties, and it can help prevent and treat many diseases. I weigh myself after every meal to analyze and study how different foods affect my weight.
Stone Bowl Bibimbap is a uniquely Korean dish. White rice is topped with toppings such as bean sprouts, meat, eggs, and more, served in a piping hot stone bowl. After adding an appropriate amount of chili paste, everything is mixed together and eaten — the crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl is particularly delicious. The stone bowl, still sizzling hot, holds white rice, layered with bean sprouts, sliced meat, and eggs, along with the right amount of chili paste.
Ginseng Chicken Soup is a distinctive Korean dish. This delicately prepared and time-consuming soup is made by stewing specially selected six-week-old corn-fed chicken with dozens of Korean herbal ingredients such as imported Korean ginseng, astragalus, angelica, goji berries, red dates, chestnuts, garlic, and glutinous rice. It is highly beneficial for boosting energy, enhancing complexion, calming the nerves, fighting cancer, and more.
Paper-Wrapped Lemon Grilled Fish is a Korean dish primarily made with mandarin fish and lemon. It has a fragrant and tender texture, combining the aroma of lemon with that of mushrooms. Ingredients: mandarin fish, enoki mushrooms, chicken leg mushrooms, celery, lemon, onion. Seasonings: salt, chicken bouillon, light soy sauce, white wine, ginger. Method: 1. Clean and debone the mandarin fish, slice the onion,...
Jeonju bibimbap is one of Korea’s three most famous traditional dishes, alongside Pyeongyang naengmyeon (cold noodles) and Kaesong naengjuk (cold soup), and is especially renowned as the top among them. It combines high-quality agricultural products produced under Jeonju’s excellent geographical conditions, soy sauce, and the careful handcrafted touch in its preparation. The jeonju-kongnamul (soybean sprouts) used are ranked number one nationwide, made from naturally grown beans.
Beef offal soup is a Korean dish with a delicious flavor, where the offal is tender and soft, and the broth is rich and savory. Legend has it that King Sejong was personally plowing a field in the royal farm when a sudden heavy rain fell. Unable to move and extremely hungry, he slaughtered a cow to stave off hunger. After cooking the beef, he added only green onions and seasoned it with salt before drinking the broth. From then on, this soup came to be called beef offal soup.
Kobe beef (Wagyu Beef) is the most famous beef in the world. As a specialty of Japan, Kobe beef often appears at state banquets for honored guests. Its rich yet not greasy flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture make it hard to put down your chopsticks. It was once banned by the Japanese Emperor and has also been sold at "astronomical" prices. However, if you knew that Kobe cattle are raised drinking beer and enjoying massages, you wouldn’t find it surprising where such deliciousness comes from.
Japanese cuisine, or "Washoku," originated in the Japanese archipelago and has gradually developed into a distinctive culinary style unique to Japan. Washoku emphasizes natural colors, delicious flavors, diverse shapes, and exquisite tableware. Moreover, ingredients and cooking methods place great importance on seasonal elements. In Japanese, "Japanese cuisine" refers to "Japanese-style cooking," and this term is also used in modern Chinese in certain regions.
Japanese lacquerware has developed exceptionally well in Japan. As early as over 200 BC, Chinese lacquer art began to spread to Japan. Due to similar geographical conditions and abundant natural lacquer resources, Japan also organized lacquerware production and gradually formed its own unique lacquer craft industry. During China’s Han Dynasty, Chinese culture was introduced to Japan,
Japanese Sake is made from rice and natural mineral water. It undergoes processes such as koji-making, yeast starter preparation, and final brewing. Through parallel multiple fermentation, it ferments into a mash with an alcohol content of around 18%. Lime is then added to make it settle, and after pressing, the unrefined sake is obtained. However, this unrefined sake is not the clear, transparent liquid we usually see.
In a country like Japan where all kinds of quirky sweets are nothing out of the ordinary, holding a bag of grilled fish bones in a movie theater feels surprisingly refreshing. These crunchy bones are roasted with soy sauce and sugar, delivering a uniquely Japanese flavor that’s sweet, savory, and appetizing...
Sashimi (pronounced "sashimi" in Japanese) is a raw dish made from fresh ingredients such as fish, shellfish, and beef, processed using appropriate knife techniques and typically served with a sauce made from soy sauce and wasabi paste (pronounced "wasabi" in Japanese). In the past, when fishermen in Hokkaido, Japan, served sashimi, the skinless slices of fish were sometimes difficult to identify, so they would often attach small pieces of fish skin to the slices and pierce them with bamboo skewers to make the types easier to recognize. These bamboo skewers and pieces of fish skin were originally called "sashimi." Although this method is no longer used, the term "sashimi" has been retained. Japanese sashimi is generally made from freshly caught seafood and shellfish, served with soy sauce and wasabi, and is one of the lightest and most representative dishes in Japanese cuisine.
Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that can be served as a snack or a main meal. The main ingredient of sushi is rice, and the primary cooking method is boiling. Its historical origins date back to the Enpō era (1673–1680) of the Edo period, when Kyoto physician Matsumoto Yoshihiro marinated various types of seafood in sushi vinegar overnight and then...
Kaiseki cuisine: At least one of the several refined dishes served at restaurants or inns in Tokyo belongs to kaiseki cuisine. Its ingredients depend on the season and region. Japanese people are also willing to travel great distances to sample various local flavors, sometimes even spending a lifetime trying regional specialties (the authentic kaiseki cuisine is quite expensive).
Japanese Sashimi The Japanese call themselves “a people thoroughly devoted to eating fish.” The Japanese have various ways of preparing fish—raw, cooked, dried, or cured—but sashimi is considered the most prestigious. It is served as the highest form of hospitality at state banquets or when ordinary people entertain guests.