Since arriving in South Korea, I have had the opportunity to eat many delicious dishes. Although I am not a big foodie, I love to try different things and explore different cultural foods from all over the world. Although I was a bit hesitant to try certain foods from South Korea, my trip abroad has reinforced the idea that food is an important part of any culture.
I tried so many delicious and traditional Korean dishes. Before coming to Seoul, I created a list of foods I really wanted to try. On my list, I had ten different dishes and desserts. In terms of food, 김치찌개 (kimchi jjigae) was at the top of my list, while 호떡 (Hotteok) was at the top of my dessert list.
Kimchi jjigae is best described as a stew made with kimchi, pork, ham, onions and tofu. It can vary a lot in terms of ingredients, depending on the region of the country as well as the place you buy it. The best kimchi jjigae I had was in Hongdae, at a pocha. A pocha is usually defined as a small, public eating place that serves Korean comfort food or market food. Pochas are also very popular among people of all ages because they sell traditional Korean alcohols, like rice wine and rice liquor. The pocha where I ate the kimchi jiggae was awesome!
