Here are some things that I found interesting in the web: 3) It Is Expensive in Seoul! Seoul is one of the most expensive cities in the world to buy wind, infant formula, smartphones, cosmetics and jeans because of its exclusive distribution structure, according to Consumers Korea which compared the prices of 55 daily necessities sold at department stores, discount stores and supermarkets in 18 countries. Seoul was among the top 5 most expensive cities for 17 of the products. For example, Ritz Lytton Springs Zinfandel wine from the U.S. was sold at the highest price of 113,000 won ($104.20) in Korea, followed by China (97,490 won), Italy (78,170 won), Taiwan (75,420 won) and Thailand (58,160 won). In the U.S., the same product retails for 28,000 won, meaning it is four times more expensive in Seoul. Exclusive distributors like department stores tend to import and distribute foreign wines, cosmetics, jeans and infant formula, and they have the most expensive distribution margins and s...

Hi Folks, I am happy to announce that my book on food trends in Korea has just been released on the itunes book store. You can read it on your Apple ipad or ipad mini. If the initial reception is positive, I might open it up to other platforms. It is more of a research report than an in-depth book. I had initially written it because during our tours and cooking classes we meet a number of professionals in the food and hospitality industry. Many of them are looking to open restaurants in Korea or to import or export products to and from Korea. Many of these people first come to Korea to do viability research. While I am happy to discuss at length about the food industry and trends in Korea, I wanted to create a book that would let people see it in written form. I hope this book is useful for professionals in the food industry and give insights into trends into next year. Description Korean food has become more popular this year than ever before. While many have been calling for it to be...

We are at the new restaurant O'neul in Dongbingo which was an area that a long time ago was used to make ice. The chef is Pak Jeon-so who cooks for VIPs. Apparently. We started with a black sesame porridge which was quite good. Nutty and bits of rice. Next was a mussel soup. The mussels were very clean and plump. Soup was light and had a bit if spice from the chilies. The main courses were flavorful and refined. I can appreciate the care that went into the preparation of the banchan, kimchis and stocks. The clear beef broth yukgyejang was light and had spice from the shredded beef. The kimchi mackerel stew was spicy and sour. The star was the braised oxtail. The meat was tender and the sauce was savory and sour. Very good and there was plenty of meat. Overall, the food was good and refined but for the Korean palate. Someone new to Korean food might have found the food a bit rustic. The mackerel was oily with the big leaves of sour kimchi. The beef was shredded a bit too thin. The o...

A whole lot. Even though it is dang cold out. I mean really cold out. So cold that I just want to stay home and lay on the hot spot on my ondol (Korean Floor Heating), but it hasn't stopped tourists from coming to Korea. Apparently British Airways just started direct flights to Korea and to launch them they are offering super cheap flights. What this means for me and the tour company I work for is that we have had a lot of tours these days despite the cold. So people have been asking what they can see in one day in December? Really a lot. Seoul has great sites and shopping, restaurants and museums. There is a lot you can do in Seoul while staying relatively warm. Here are some of my recommendations The Samsung D-light building The Kimchi Museum Gyeongbukgung Palace The Folk Museum The War Memorial Museum Noryangjin Fish Market Kwangjang Market Gangnam Station Gung B-boy Show Drawing Action COEX Bonguensa Palace And of course you should check out our Night Dining Tours, Korean Cook...

Here is a new Korean food comic I made on Korean Lunch boxes.

People want to know what is really Gangnam Style so I made a short comic showing you some of my ideas with pictures from the Gangnam area.

The company I work for, O'ngo Food Communications has been doing well, but I would like to branch out a bit to see if I can replicate some of my success for my own company. I am happy to announce some new experiences that I think will become a hit- especially for winter. If you are looking for a dinner and a show, then I recommend that you join me on my new Food and Theatre Tours. We'll take you to some of the best shows in Korea but before the tour, we'll take you on a food tour with an excellent dinner and then take you to the show. We procure the tickets for you in advance and make sure you get to your show on time. Hipster Seoul: Hongdae Food and B-boy Tour Hongdae is in the hip art district on the western side of Seoul and it is known for their trendy styles, awesome street food and their performers. Many aspiring pop stars and b-boys (breakdance boys) got their start at the famous "Free Park" where you can often see musicians, rappers and artists on the wee...

Last night I had a sick guest come to my house. She had some stomach issues so I was told I couldn't make anything heavy like a steak or something like that. I decided that I would make a pumpkin soup made from a winter pumpkin, hot chocolate, and that's it. I made some steamed broccoli so we would have some veggies. I first boiled the peeled squash in hot water until it was soft. After it was soft (about 20 minutes) I took out the seeds and pushed the whole thing through a metal mesh. I added this to a blond roux I mixed with milk and stirred till it became soupy. I seasoned this with salt and maple butter. I thought I had cocao powder in my pantry but I didn't. Luckily I had a chocolate bar with 60% chocolate. I chopped this up and added it to heated milk while stirring constantly. It tasted like a powdered hot chocolate mix. It wasn't the best hot chocolate in the world but it is nice to know what you can make on the fly with just milk and chocolate. I should have g...

Today we had a professional cooking class at our cooking school and afterwards we did a mini photoshoot. In the class they made a shrimp side dish, a crepe dish with toppings (guljeolpan), and stuffed cucumber (oisobagi). These dishes originate from the royal court era of Korean cooking. They are very colorful and nutritious and were made for kings and nobles. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone Location: Nag-wondong,,South Korea

I am at the Coffee Lab in Hongdae and they have changed up the interior. Before they had chairs on the ceiling but they have changed to over 100 portafilters (the metal coffee puller thingies) that look like minnows swimming. Pretty dang cool I have to say. The coffee is just as good as ever. Dan - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone Location: Dong-gyodong,,South Korea

At Seoul's Second Best Tea House. It is an essential stop in Seoul. Check out the map. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone Location: Samcheongdong,,South Korea

Just a short post, but wow, the cappuccino I got at De Espresso Room in Haebangchon was amazing. The shot was poured just right and the foam was sweet whipped microfoam that can only be made with care and precision. Wow.

Thanks to Psy, Korea seems to be quite popular right now. The good thing is that every journalist needs to eat. I was lucky enough to show USA Today Journalist Jayne Clarke around in Gangnam. Here is what Jayne had to say about our tours: 'Amazing place' for food New Yorkers Adam Wadler and his wife, Vivian Chen, have come to Seoul primarily to eat. Researching their dining-centric trip presented a bit of an "information hurdle," he says. "But it's an amazing place. I'm really glad I came." They've hooked up with Daniel Gray of O'ngo Food Tours for a whirlwind evening at a trio of Gangnam restaurants. It begins at Seoyeon, a six-table noodle shop famous for its handmade pork dumplings. Next stop is Bon Barbecue, where tables have grills and individual exhaust fans. Then it's on to a Kkanbu Chicken for Korean fried chicken, though this KFC — extra crispy outside and super-moist inside — bears little resemblance to KFC franchise fare. They ...