Biryong Waterfall

Biryong Waterfall (비룡폭포) is located 2km from a ticket booth of Mt. Seorak.
It is not that difficult to walk up to the destination and the beautiful scenes while hiking are breathtaking.
The waterfall itself looks like a flying dragon.
The legend has it that long age a dragon lived at the waterfall. The farmers around the place suffered a severe drought so they offered a sacrifice of a maiden to the dragon. It flew away ever since and they had no more water shortage.

Yongjusa Temple

Yongjusa (용주사) is located on the outskirts of Suwon, Korea.

Completely destroyed during the Qing Dynasty's invasion in 1636, it was rebuilt in the late 18C under the orders of Jeongjo.

One of the two bells in the temple was designated as national treasure 120. It was rebuilt in the late 18th century under the orders of Jeongjo in honor of his deceased father, Prince Sado.

Namhansanseong Provincial Park

Namhansanseong Provincial Park (남한산성) is located about 27km south east from Seoul.

It ranges from Kwangju and Hanam-si.  

It has several beautiful hiking trails.

Wawoojongsa Temple

Wawoojongsa Temple (와우정사), about 48Km south of Seoul (about 50 minutes drive) is easily reachable by car and well-known for beautiful scenery surrounding the temple.

official site : http://www.wawoo-temple.org/english/nirvana_01.html

Ddeokbokki (떡볶이)

Ddeokbokki was served for a king in Korea in 17C.

At first its ingredients were Ddeok, beef, soy sauce, etc. Current hot pepper paste Ddeokbokki dates back to 1853, when Mrs. Ma made the food very similar to present Ddeokbokki.

It is one of the most popular snacks you can easily find in every street of the country.

- Ingredients

1 cup of water
1 Tbs red pepper paste
1 tbs soy sauce
1.5 tbs brown sugar
1-2 cloves garlic(minced)
Korean green onion(sliced)
ddeokbokki rice cake 30 pieces are enough for two
some Cellophane noodles(dried Korean sweet potato noodles)
fish cake(10 pieces)
cabbage(optional)


- Recipe

1. Put ddeokbokki rice cake and about 10 pieces of fish cake into a pot.

2. Put a small amount of cellophane noodles -about a fist size - fish cake, sliced cabbage(optional), red pepper paste(Gochujang), soy sauce, sliced Korean green onion and minced garlic, and sugar on top of No.1.

3. Pour 1 cup of water into the pot then turn heat to medium high and boil for about 5~7 min. until the sauce becomes thick.

4. You must stir the mixture sometimes as the rice cake tends to stick to the pot.

5. If you like eggs, you can add 1 or 2 boiled eggs into the sauce of the ddeokbokki

Japchae (잡채)

Japchae originates from Joseon Dynasty.
It was originally made to please a king.
At first the food consisted of only vegetables but sweet potato noodles became an ingredient in early 20C.

- Ingredients

(for 2 servings)

 1/4 pound dried Korean sweet potato noodles
sesame oil
cooking oil
pork(200g/ thin strips)
1 thinly sliced onion
5 shiitake mushrooms(thinly sliced)
1 carrot( " )
a handful of spinach
1.5 Tbs of soy sauce
1 tbs of sugar
2 cloves of garlic(minced)
sesame seeds, sesame oil


- Recipe

1.Boil water and put sweet potato noodles. After cooking it for 5 minutes, rinse with cold water and drain it. Cut the noodle 2 times.

2.Repeat the following procedure for carrot, onion, mushrooms
-Fry it with some cooking oil, salt for about a minute.

3.Stir fry pork strips with 1/2 Tbs of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic, a pinch of sugar, a bit of cooking oil.

4.Put 1 Tbs of cooking oil on a pan and fry the drained noodle with 1 Tbs of soy sauce.

5. Put fried noodles, vegetables, and pork into a big bowl and mix all with 1 clove of minced garlic, ground black pepper, 1 tbs of sugar, 1 tbs of sesame oil and sesame seeds.

6. If it tastes flat, put some more soy sauce and sugar up to your taste.

Bibimbap (비빔밥)

Long time ago many Koreans mix lots of vegetables used in memorial ceremonies and share it together.

This food has developed into today's Bibimbap.

It is well known throughout the world due to the great taste and rich nutrition.

- Ingredients

 (for 2 servings)
cooked rice
a handful of bean sprouts and spinach
5 shiitake mushrooms
1/2 zucchini
ground beef(200g)
1 carrot
2 eggs
hot pepper paste, sesame seeds, sesame oil

 - Recipe

1.Cook rice using a rice cooker.

2.Rinse bean sprouts 1~2 times and put it in a pot and add half tbs of salt.
Cook it for about 15 minutes with a cup of water.
Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of minced garlic and half tbs of sesame oil.

3.Dip spinach into boiling water for about a minute and rinse it 2 times and squeeze it. Mix it with half tbs of salt and sesame oil.

4.Cut 1 zucchini into thin strips and put it on a pen and stir it with some vegetable oil and salt.

5.Prepare a carrot and 5 black mushrooms the same way as No.4

6.Stir fry ground beef with 1 tbs of soy sauce, half tbs of sugar, 2 cloves of garlic, and ground black pepper.

7.Put some cooked rice in a large bowl and various vegetables and beef(2~6) and a fried egg on it.

8.Add I tbs of hot pepper paste, sesame oil, sesame seeds in the center.

9.Mix all and enjoy it.