With all the talk over the years about the issue of Korean Food Globalization, the new issue seems to be over side dishes or known as banchan. Sides have been drawn and there are those that believe that the side dishes should remain complementary and others that believe they should be charged for - therefore adding value to the meal. Before diving into the issue, I think we should (and I think we always should try to look at it from an outsider's perspective). As a person that works in the food and tourism industry , our company meets hundreds of tourists each month as we introduce them to Korean food. We get many international clients, for example on the last tour we had an American, a German, two New Zealanders, and three Singaporeans. Each of them had different ideas of "service" and "cuisine" but the most interesting perspective was that of "value." Of course, I am not trying to stereotype any of these clients- this is just an observation I h...

Insadong Street Food I saw this article in the Korea Herald: Confrontation between city, street vendors may escalate Normally a street that contains a harmonious balance of both tranquility and bustling excitement, Insa-dong can leave you with a sense of what Korea might have been. But with the recent crackdown on street vendors, many foreigners are left wondering why the streets look like a warzone and stores are without customers.   After deciding to create a street without cars, and to expand the space for pedestrians at Insa-dong, the Jongno District Office is attempting to relocate the street vendors, who are technically illegal, to designated sectors off the main road.   But street vendors were unanimously favored by foreigners visiting Insa-dong, despite district officials insisting that foreigners do not want them there.    “I like it (street vendors) because they make the food right in front of you and its fun, and they are certainly cheap,” said Ben Whit...