Perhaps I don't even need to say anything about that. The saying "the dream of every woman is not to find a man who is perfect, but to eat without getting fat" is so true! Hundreds of years ago our ancestors were always troubled because they didn't have enough food, today's problem is that... Well, we have too much of it. Everywhere. All the time. Every kind of. But why not, tasty food is one of the greatest pleasures in the world! I mean, what it the meaning of life if you don't even enjoy it? When you have an opportunity to sit down and enjoy your food, do it, it's worth it. And even more worth it when you really, really missed that food...
Korean BBQ is really delicious, especially if you find the right restaurants where the meat is first class, so tender that it melts in your mouth, and the side dishes are so tasty and harmonious that they compliment the meat perfectly.
You can find a BBQ restaurant anywhere in Korea, there are many chains, but you need to be aware of the location of the best places if you want to be blown away by the taste. It's good to ask some locals for help during this quest! They will gladly guide you.
There are many streets and districts full of restaurants, bars and cafes. Some of them have mostly local people around them, but especially Itaewon and Hongdae have so many foreigners that you can use English more easily and you won't be the only white person sitting in the restaurant... It's kinda nice to be the only white one though, no worries :D
How about some other delicious foods? There's something called patbingsu (팥빙수) which is sometimes called shaved ice in English (yeah I know, sounds stupid). Actually it is literally shaved ice or chopped ice with come sweet red beans, fruits, ice cream, cereals, chocolate sauce, whatever the barista feels like putting in it. These days green tea is really popular. Patbingsu is really famous, really delicious, really traditional and every foreigner visiting Korea especially during summer should taste it. What could waste better during a hot day than shaved ice?
There is a dish called naengmyon (냉면) which literally means cold noodles in Korean. You can get it with delicious side dishes like dumplings if you're more than just a little hungry. Naengmyon usually comes in huge stainless-steel bowls with iced broth, cucumber, egg, slices of cold boiled beef and even some Korean pear. There's usually some spicy sauce and vinegar on the table, so you can spice things up. Cold noodles are really popular during summer when you want to eat something that fills your stomach for hours but you don't really feel like eating a warm meal.
Did you know that traditionally the noodles should be eaten without cutting them because they are a symbol of long life? Don't be afraid if the waiter approaches you with some scissors, he's just going to cut your life, I mean your noodles. It's much easier to eat this dish when the noodles are not that long. Your life will be long and healthy when you eat well, so don't forget to eat even when it's too hot!
Yes, the summer-food is so good! Another nice thing about summer is that the days are hot so you just have to relax and take it easy, but during the evening it's a whole different story! When the sun sets it's amazing to go for a long walk, jogging or just sightseeing. Han river is one of the main attractions, close to the city center and really peaceful, although you'll never be alone there. So many Koreans avoid moving during the day, but after the sunset they gather around the banks of Han river, play games, go biking or jogging. Even small kids are playing outside until the late evening.
Extra-tip: the bookstores in Korea are cool and big! And when I say cool and big, I mean that their size is huge and they have an excellent air conditioning! For example Kyobo is an awesome place to visit, even though you wouldn't be an absolute bookworm, but you'll find something to buy for sure, perfumes, cards, jewelry...
Remember to drink enough water! In Korea bottled water is kinda cheap and it'll be worth every won, you'll need it.
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