Long overshadowed by the gastronomy of its regional neighbours, Korean has been the cuisine on all foodies' lips in recent years. There's Korean BBQ for starters – what's not to like about sizzling your own strips of meat on a BBQ set up on your table? – but that's just the tip of the culinary iceberg. With a smorgasbord of sauces, garnishes and pickled side-dishes accompanying every meal, dining in Korea is all about crafting your meal to taste. And, despite the prevalence of beef and Korean fried chicken, it's not all meat based. Silky tofu, glass noodle salads, sushi-like kimbap, and, of course, kimchi – vegetarian options are plentiful. Learn how to make green onion pancakes, slurp up spicy seafood breakfast soups, tuck into Buddhist fare on an overnight monastery stay and delve into the intricacies of the country's signature dish bibimbap in Jeonju, arguably Korea's foodie capital.Highlights
Wash down the other version of KFC – Korean Fried Chicken – with a glass of Soju, Korea's national alcoholic beverage
Savour bibimbap in Jeonju, Korea's foodie capital
Share a traditional temple meal with Buddhist monks on an overnight stay in a monastery
Get the inside sip on Busan's craft brew scene at one of the city's top breweries
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Jeonju
Jeonju is a city in South Korea, and the capital of Jeollabuk-do, or North Jeolla Province. It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities and innovative festivals. Located in the fertile Honam plain, famous for strawberries and exceptional produce, Jeonju has been an important regional center in the province for centuries.
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Seoul
Seoul, officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is one of the largest cities in the world. The Seoul National Capital Area is the world's second largest metropolitan area with over 24.5 million inhabitants, which includes the Incheon metropolis and most of Gyeonggi province. Almost half of South Korea's population live in the Seoul National Capital Area, and nearly a quarter in Seoul itself, making it the country's foremost economic, political, and cultural center.
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Busan
Busan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world. The city is located on the southeasternmost tip of the Korean peninsula and faces the Korea Strait. The most densely built up areas of the city are situated in a number of narrow valleys between the Nakdong River and Suyeong River, with mountains separating some of the districts. Nampodong to the south is Busan's shopping and entertainment downtown, while central Seomyeon at the intersection of subway lines 1 and 2 is the main office building area. Between them are Busan's train station and its international ferry terminals. The beaches of Gwangalli, Haeundae and Songjeong lie to the east, the ruins of mountain fortress Geumjeong guard the north. To the west is Gimhae town where the Busan Airport is located.