30 May 2010, Posted by Matt in Best of DK.com, Food & Drink, Nature, Seoul, 9 Comments

Yongsan’s Foreign Footprints

South of Mt. Namsan lie some of Seoul’s most multicultural neighborhoods like Ichon-dong and Haebangchon – streets and restaurants where faces and languages other than Korean predominate.

01 Apr 2010, Posted by Matt in Best of DK.com, Food & Drink, Nature, Seoul, 8 Comments

A Bicycle Tour of Yeouido and Seonyudo

With spring on its way, why not take a bicycle tour of two Seoul islands – Yeouido and Seonyudo (My cover story from Seoul Magazine’s April 2010 issue).

29 Mar 2010, Posted by Matt in Art & Culture, Best of DK.com, Food & Drink, Seoul, Video, 9 Comments

Sampling Samcheong-dong’s Charms

Samcheong-dong’s unique mix of traditional hanok-style buildings, modern art galleries, comfy cafés and excellent restaurants make it a huge draw.

22 Feb 2010, Posted by Matt in Art & Culture, Best of DK.com, Food & Drink, Historic Korea, Seoul, Video, 6 Comments

Tranquil Seoul in Buam-dong

Buam-dong feels far away from Seoul. Indeed, one shop owner described the neighborhood as, “too quiet for a serious business.” Many hope their peaceful piece of the big city stays that way.

18 Feb 2010, Posted by Matt in Food & Drink, Seoul, Video, 16 Comments

Seoul’s Best Bakeries

Historically, bread hasn’t figured prominently into the Korean diet, yet the neighborhood bakery has become as ubiquitous a fixture on Seoul’s streets as the gourmet coffee chain. Here are three of my favorites bakeries that put a Korean twist on baking.

15 Feb 2010, Posted by Matt in Art & Culture, Food & Drink, Seoul, Shopping, Video, 6 Comments

Insa-dong’s Tradition and Modernity

The Insa-dong neighborhood starts modestly, but as the main road continues its diagonal push toward Gwanghwamun Gate, the area’s charming tea shops, traditional restaurants and galleries are quickly revealed.

08 Nov 2009, Posted by Matt in Food & Drink, Historic Korea, Seoul, Video, 10 Comments

Seoul’s Best Cafés, Part 1

Many may assume that Korea is a tea-based culture. Indeed, Korea has an indigenous tea culture that goes back centuries. But ever since King Gojong became the nation’s first and best-known coffee lover in the late 1800’s, coffee has taken the nation by storm.

More recently, the wildly popular TV drama, “Coffee Prince” captured Korea’s love of java. Today, global giant Starbucks competes with local brands like Holly’s, Ediya and Café Pascucci. But while you can get a decent cup of joe at any of these places, paying 5,000-won or more is a small extravagance. So, why not enjoy your bitter brew at one of Seoul’s best cafés?

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01 Oct 2009, Posted by Matt in Festivals & Holidays, Food & Drink, Gyeonggi, Seoul, 3 Comments

Happy Chuseok 2009!

The onset of autumn each year in Seoul often means an uncharacteristic calm and quiet in the city. No, it’s not that over 10 million residents decide to slow down to watch the leaves change. It’s because late September or early October marks Chuseok (추석), Korea’s annual thanksgiving holiday that’s among the most important dates on the Korean calendar.

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28 Sep 2009, Posted by Matt in Food & Drink, Historic Korea, Seoul, Shopping, Video, 4 Comments

Seoul’s Jungang Traditional Market

As a modern city, Seoul has adopted many of the conveniences of our globalized society. So, today, it’s commonplace to see familiar global brands, foreign fast-food chains and the fusion of eastern and western styles and cultures.

Of course, these adaptations are convenient for many of us, yet they often lack the specific Korean cultural flavor that makes living in Seoul a special and unique experience. Luckily, truly Seoul-specific places do remain in the city, and in my experience, some of the best ones are the traditional markets. Among them, my favorite is the Jungang, or Central Market (중앙시장), located near the city’s Great East Gate, better known as Dongdaemun.

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20 Sep 2009, Posted by Matt in Best of DK.com, Food & Drink, Gyeonggi, Nature, 6 Comments

Yangsuri: Where Two Rivers Meet

Located in Gyeonggi Province, Seoulites know Yangsuri as a convenient and romantic getaway — the perfect place for a day-trip or weekend escape.