Years ago I was in love with a Korean girl but was cautious. I had been dating her for a few months and had considered getting her a ring or some jewelry but I was worried this might scare her off. So prior to Christmas I had found out through various ways things that she was interested in. I found out she was really into health and holistic stuff, German calligraphy pens, staying warm and some other stuff. So I put together a Santa's bag worth of many little presents that I thought she would enjoy. Most of the stuff was practical or cute. I recall included in the bag was a pink rock salt candle thing because she said she liked the color, a scarf, a Lamy calligraphy pen set, a moleskine notebook (she said she liked writing), and a few other things. Christmas morning she opened everything and she was noticeably disappointed. What I failed to realize is that (I am an idiot) and she was looking for some sort of romantic gift like a ring or necklace or something like that. Let me cla...

Paper Lantern Christmas Tree On the 7th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 7 Paper Lantern Christmas Trees 6 L ocks for a fence 5 Christmas Cakes! 4 pairs of socks, 3 doggy outfits 2 Silly hats And a Santa that bows at me.  See the other days of Christmas here: 12 Days of Christmas: Day 6: Locks 12 Days of Christmas: Day 5: Christmas Cakes 12 Days of Christmas: Day 4: Animal Cellphone cases 12 Days of Christmas: Day 3: Outfits to Humiliate your Dog 12 Days of Christmas: Day 2: Silly Christmas Hats 12 Days of Korean Christmas: Day 1: Bowing Korean Christmas Santa Dan

Hmmm...a new era has passed and I wonder what that means. Six years ago when I was first going to come to Korea, I was under the impression that the country was still at war. I was warned countless times that I should always carry my "American passport and get out of the country if the North Koreans came attackin." That's what my Tennessean father told me. Being a rebel, in the December of 2004, I seriously considered coming to Korea. But then the tragic Daegu fires happened and countless videos of suitrd South Korean politicians fighting during the law making sessions aired in America. I put my plans to come here aside. After a year of working to pay off a car and student loan, the itch to travel to Korea returned. This time being overworked, stressed and unhealthy was the push I needed to pack up and head to Korea. I was a bit scared but I had gotten rid of my worldly possessions and jumped on a plane to Korea. I had little to lose. I mean I had maxed out my ...

On the Sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 6 locks for a fence Add caption 5 Christmas Cakes! 4 pairs of socks, 3 doggy outfits 2 Silly hats And a Santa that bows at me. See the other days of Christmas here: 12 Days of Christmas: Day 5: Christmas Cakes 12 Days of Christmas: Day 4: Animal Cellphone cases 12 Days of Christmas: Day 3: Outfits to Humiliate your Dog 12 Days of Christmas: Day 2: Silly Christmas Hats 12 Days of Korean Christmas: Day 1: Bowing Korean Christmas Santa

The Korean Street Truck Adventures TCS, SOP, HACCP,MSDS, FAT TOM... If I hear another acronym this week I’m going to scream. TCS, SOP, HACCP,MSDS, FAT TOM, and the list goes on and on. I’ve been swimming in a veritable alphabet soup this week all because of one issue that no foodservice operation can ignore. Sanitation. Why the alphabet soup and concern with sanitation this week? ServSafe. ServSafe is a program from the National Restaurant Association that certifies a person in sanitation and safety issues and is nationally recognized. While ServSafe isn’t required for mobile operations by my local health department I decided to renew (you have to re-up every five years) my certification. The material is pretty extensive, not just your garden variety “wash your hands and watch out for salmonella”. It has not been fun to study, for example, look up Anisakis or any other seafood toxin and you will understand why I’ve gone almost borderline vegan this week. Ick . ...

This guest post was written and photographed by Paula Lee, who is new to Korea and is currently studying Korean and exploring the landscape. You can follow her adventures at :  http://paulainseoul.tumblr.com . If you would like to contribute to Seouleats shoot me an email at seouleats at gmail dot com. It has only been a few weeks since I moved to Korea from the States and it just so happens that I arrived right smack in the middle of the holiday season. This is my very first Christmas here in South Korea and so far I have found Korean Christmas to be quite festive and mouth watering. Its impossible to avoid Christmas back in the States. Drive by a residential street and you are bound to spot a few Christmas trees through living room windows or hear Mariah Carey is singing about how she wants you for Christmas on the radio. Every mall has a miniature North Pole where kids can share their wish list with Santa. So when I arrived to Seoul my initial thoughts were that Christmas i...

On the fifth day of Christmas, My True Love gave to me: 5 Christmas Cakes! 4 pairs of socks, 3 doggy outfits 2 Silly hats And a Santa that bows at me. Korean Christmas Cake Korean Christmas Cake Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Join the Seoul Eats Facebook Group Page to keep to date with the latest events.

On the 4th Day of Korean Christmas, My true love gave to me: 4 funny animal cellphone cases, 3 outfits to humiliate my dog, 2 Christmas Hats, and a Santa that bows at me.

This is a guest post written and photographed by the fabulous Megan O'Brien.  Vatos Tacos in Itaewon Vatos Tacos in Itaewon Vatos Tacos in Itaewon Vatos Tacos in Itaewon It is a fact that Korean food is up and coming on the world food scene. It is also a well known that tacos have been making a triumphant comeback for a couple years now. In the U.S., food trucks have been popping up in cities offering a combination of the two in the form of Korean tacos. The simple presentation of tacos provides an opportunity to be creative and artistic with ingredients and the distinct flavors of Korean BBQ is the perfect filling.  Recently in Seoul, two guys from California and Texas, respectively, have been able to successfully offer Korean tacos in a casual, sit-down restaurant format. With the hip name, Vatos Urban Tacos, you get the impression that the guys know a thing or two about what people in Seoul are looking for in a taco and have given taco enthusiasts in Seou...

On the 3rd Day of Korean Christmas, My true love gave to me: an outfit to humiliate my dog, 2 Christmas Hats, and a Santa that bows at me. Korean Doggy Outfits Korean Doggy Outfits Korean Doggy Outfits Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Join the Seoul Eats Facebook Group Page to keep to date with the latest events.

I am not a cold climate person. As the weather becomes colder I become lethargic and gluttonous. It must be because I feel like death is coming. Oh, and I get morbid in winter- it must be because death is coming... To survive my days, I have been eating as many fatty things as possible and then forcing myself to got outside so my internal combustion engine can convert it into warmth. My diet is usually full of veggies, fish, and rice. These days I am drawn to lots of fatty meats (especially duck), burgers, potatoes, and bread. This can't be good for my cholesterol or for my waistline. I feel like I should join a gym, but that idea fills me with ennui. Maybe I should go someplace warm on vacation, but work and responsibilities prevent me from doing that. The only sunshine in my life has been the egg yolk in my bowl of blood red sundubu stew which I like to pop open and let the yolk add savoriness to the tofu. Come on global warming, do your bidding already. Dan

This was originally published in the December issue of Seoul Magazine. It has been reprinted with permission. Christmas in Korea is a holiday for couples. If you don't plan adequately, there won't be any restaurants to take your beau to and you'll just be left out in the cold. Here are some romantic places to spend your christmas dinner at. South of the River Italian Bistro Arumdaum Sik This hip Italian restaurant offers an array of flavorful Italian dishes in a cool atmosphere. Their authentic carbonara and classic caesar are the best I have had in the city and each meal starts with a complementary soup and finishes with homemade panna cotta or ice cream. Near COEX. Gangnam-gu, Samseong-dong 129-14 Ph# 02-564-0987. Table 34 Located on the 34th floor of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas Building, this is one of the top restaurants for French food in the city. From paté, consummè, steak, to cake, they offer superbly made cuisine using the fines...

And on the 2nd Day of Korean Christmas, my true love gave to me an animal-headed Christmas hat and a Santa that bows at me. Silly Christmas Hats Silly Christmas Hats Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Join the Seoul Eats Facebook Group Page to keep to date with the latest events.