food trip in korea

Andong, the home of Korean Soju

Heritage Soju in Prestigious Houses of Andong

Andong Soju is a representative traditional Korean liquor that has been passed down generations and is made with unique ingredients and methods. Rice, the main ingredient of Andong Soju, has a lighter taste than other grains and gives a more subtle flavor and aroma after distillation. With an alcohol content of 45%, it has intense aromas and will taste slightly sour at first but finish with subtle sweetness.

Andong Braised Chicken for Andong Soju

Andong Soju pairs well with good meaty dishes thanks to its high alcohol content. We recommend you to have it with braised chicken, a specialty of Andong. Add intense yet crystal-clear soju to bite-size braised chicken with well-marinated vegetables and glass noodles. It will be a feast that leaves you no hangover the next day.

Looking good and tastes good! Steamed Beef Brisket

Steamed beef brisket, although it’s not an Andong’s specialty, is also a good match with Andong Soju. Steamed beef brisket with veggies gives off nutty and naturally light flavors of the ingredients and is a perfect dish to serve for guests. Beef brisket will remain slightly oily after steaming it, so having Andong Soju with this dish will wash any greasiness down your throat for a perfect harmony of tastes.

Hidden local restaurants in Andong

Andong has more unique local dishes than other regions in Korea thanks to its dry and mountainous landscape. Because of this geographical feature, dry-field farming was the major source of food in Andong, making it have simple yet uniquely regional foods.
So, in addition to Andong braised chicken, there are many dishes that cannot be separated from the name of Andong, such as seonji and rice soup, Andong bibimbap with soy sauce, grilled Andong salted mackerel, Andong sweet rice punch, and Andong noodle soup. If you ever visit Andong, try local foods hidden in alleyways with a glass of soju.

Korea’s food for the stamina and medicinal liquors

Korean fruit wines threaten wines

Fruit wines are, as their names suggest, wines made from fruits. Some of the Korean fruit wines that rival grape-based wines are black raspberry wine, wild grape wine, green plum wine, apple wine, and more. Each region uses its specialty products to make wines, giving you a lot of choices to pick from.
Black raspberry wine has a wine-like red color and impresses drinkers with its scent of freshly cut grass and bitter taste. It is known to be effective for insomnia thanks to its rich Vitamin C content, and the harmony of black raspberry and the alcoholic flavor is exquisite and crisp.

Grilled Eel for your stamina

Grilled eel pairs perfectly with black raspberry wine, and it is a popular summer stamina booster. The eels are known to have detoxifying proteins that boost cell regeneration, and black raspberry wine neutralizes fishy taste.

Make wine from green plum, the “green medicine”

Green plum wine made from green plum, which is also known as green medicine, has a unique taste of subtly pressing sourness after intense sweetness. You can harvest green plums with the best potent around June. Green plums harvested in this season are rich in various organic acids and vitamins, which make them outstanding fatigue relievers. Why don’t you make your own green plum wine with this amazing fruit and share it with your loved ones?
Making green plum wine is easier than you think. Wash green plums thoroughly and dry them in a cool area. Put the dried green plums in a container, layer them with brown sugar and pour soju in. Seal the container and leave it for about three months for the liquor to mature. Remove the green plum fruits and strain the liquor to keep.

Octopus that revives dead cows

It is said that consuming one whole octopus is equivalent to having one ginseng. Spicy stir-fried octopus is strangely tasty despite being a mouth-burner. Pair it with sweet green plum wine and you will forget the burning sensation on your lips.
There are many Korean fruit wines that have medicinal properties when consumed moderately. Pair these wines with good stamina-boosting dishes to add strength to your life.

The ultimate pairing of Unrefined Rice Wine
and Mung Bean Pancake

Unrefined rice wine (makgeolli) has always been loved by Korean people, thanks to its reasonable price. Containing protein, dietary fiber, and Vitamin B and C, and being rich in probiotics, unrefined rice wine helps prevent cardiovascular disease, and surely, mung bean pancake is the best food pairing to this rice wine. Mung bean pancake is a thickly fried pancake made of ground water-soaked mung bean with beef or pork, mung bean sprouts, kimchi, etc. Have a bite and you will feel the crunchy nuttiness of mung bean in your mouth and the fresh texture of mung bean sprouts and kimchi.

Go to Gwangjang Market to enjoy Mung Bean Pancake, the best friend of Unrefined Rice Wine!

If you come to Korea, make sure to visit Gwangjang Market and try the nutty mung bean pancake and refreshing unrefined rice wine at the pancake alley. These old pancake houses have been continuing their traditions in this market for over 30 years. They grind mung beans on the spot with stone grounders and fry them over an intense fire, making every passerby’s mouth water. Have a plate of mung bean pancake and a bowl of unrefined rice wine on a small table. You can enjoy them at a low price.

Gwangjang Market in Jongno, Seoul

Gwangjang Market is located between Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station and Jongno 5(o)-ga Station in Seoul. It is always bustling with people who wish to fill their bellies with the taste of the olden days and a warm welcome. This century-old traditional market has everything from hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) fabrics to foods and industrial products. In particular, the Gourmand Alley is where you can find various foods and is considered a tourist attraction in Seoul. About 90 food stalls sell beef tartare, banquet noodles, sundae, mayak gimbap (mini gimbap), braised pigs’ feet, mung bean pancakes, and more.

You can’t stop having Mayak Gimbap

Mayak gimbap is a mini gimbap that is one of the most popular foods in Gwangjang Market. It may not look so special, but once you have it, you won’t stop is until your plate is empty. It only has spinach, carrot, and pickled radish, but dipping this sesame oil-coated small snack in the tangy mustard sauce will leave refreshing yet nutty flavors on your tastebuds.

Unrefined Rice Wine pairs well with Beef Tartare

Beef Tartare Alley is the up-and-coming area in Gwangjang Market. Beef tartare is a dish served with thinly sliced raw beef seasoned in sugar, salt, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, pear juice, etc. The dish looks just amazing with an egg yolk laid on top of a pile of meat and sesame seeds sprinkled on. Mix the egg yolk in with raw beef slices to taste the ultimate nuttiness explosion in your mouth. There are also chopped beef tartare and live octopus that combines raw beef slices and fresh octopus slices and sliced raw beef that can be enjoyed for the natural taste of raw beef. We recommend pairing these dishes with unrefined rice wine.

There is a saying that “Go to a market if you wish to see a country.” Gwangjang Market is, true to that saying, is a mixture of modern yet traditional Seoul. Gwangjnag Market is the best tourist destination if you wish to see and taste various foods and sights in Seoul.

Traditional Korean liquors, transforming through time

Know your traditional liquors

Traditional Korean liquors are made with traditional methods handed down generation after generation, reflecting the sentiment and time of Korea. Traditional Korean liquors are largely divided into unrefined rice wine (makgeolli), clear rice wine, distilled rice wine with high alcohol content (i.e., soju), and fruit liquors made from local fruits.
A national liquor fair is held for traditional Korean liquors to discover and award outstanding products. Let’s have a look at some of the recent local traditional breweries that won the awards.

“Hangang Brewery” in Seongsu-dong, the home of real Seoul makgeolli

Hangang Brewery recently became the most trendy makgeolli maker through collaborations with various brands. The secret of this brewery lies in the sweet Gyeongbokgung Rice that is cultivated in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, that does not need any additional sweeteners.
“Naroo Makgeolli” by Hangang Brewery won the Grand Prize at the 2021 K-Sool Award unrefined rice wine category. It boasts minimal sparkle, subtle natural sweetness, and it is soft on your pallet and well -by the young generations.

“Hwayang” from Cheongju that is known for its sweet water

Good water makes good wine, and that is true for makgeolli as well. Hwayang Brewery is located in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do Province where it is known for its sweet water and makes makgeolli with nothing but Korean-grown sweet rice, quality water, and handmade malt as the traditional way.

“Pungjeongsagye Chun (Spring)” that won the Presidential Prize at the 2021 K-Sool Award is a clear rice wine that has the aroma of well-fermented malt and its signature pear blossoms, buckwheat blossoms, and apple scent. It is incredibly smooth to drink despite its alcohol content of 15%, enhancing the natural flavors of the foods it is paired with thanks to its zingy acidity and sweetness.

“Mowall” from Wonju, Gangwon-do Province with deep mountain valleys and clear water

Mowall is a cooperative association of people who have the same goal of inheriting traditional liquors, studying wholesome liquor culture, and spreading correct drinking culture to the next generation and is located in Wonju, Gangwon-do Province.

“Mowall In,” the winner of the Presidential prize at the 2020 K-Sool Award, has striking 41% alcohol content, but it offers a crisp aftertaste that clears your mind. It is distilled soju made with rice, malt, and water of Wonju, Gangwon-do Province only and nothing else.

Traditional liquors back in the spotlight, thanks to the drink-at-home trend

Because of the spread of COVID-19, the drinking practice in Korea shifted inside the walls of the home. This “drink-at-home” trend is shining the spotlight on traditional liquors sold online. In particular, makgeolli, the representative traditional Korean liquor, is received positively among younger generations. Korean makgeolli producers are developing unique products in collaboration with snack brands and displaying diverse makgeolli products in convenience stores to catch the eyes of young people.

Fast-changing future of traditional liquors

In the past, the image of traditional liquors was limited to the ones that are brought to countryside homes in the arms of older people during traditional holidays, but now, new traditional liquor breweries are popping up and new generations of brewers are coming into the market.
This is bringing new products with lower alcohol content, redefining the image of traditional liquors as ones that are loved by the people in their 20s and 30s. Traditional liquors that had the image of “healthy drink” are now changing rapidly to cater for a new generation of drinkers. Hold your glasses up for the traditional Korean liquors that are keeping their charms yet seeking new changes. Have a glass of traditional Korean liquor and feel their transformation yourself.