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by Kelli Donigan
In Asia, "tea" is widely consumed and noted for its distinct flavor, for being healthy, and for its various colors. Although Koreans like drinking coffee and soju, tea is also a favored choice, and many tea shops can be found around the city of Seoul from traditional tea houses to more contemporary tea shops that carry specialty teas from around the world. Most popular teas like green tea or insam (ginseng) tea can be found inside homes, on restaurant menus or purchased at department stores or local supermarkets. Although there hasn't been a long tradition of tea nor a long cultivated tea culture mostly due to the induction of Confucianism, tea does play an important role in Korean culture and has made a come back now that Korea is on a well-being kick. For those who are tea lovers, connoisseurs or just novice tea drinkers, KTO would like recommend where to find an assortment of teas, what kinds of teas are available in Korea as well as how much teas cost.
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| Traditional Teas: Enjoy its Savoring Taste and Aroma |
Popular traditional teas of today are insamcha (ginseng tea), nokcha (green tea), yajacha (citron tea), daechucha (jujube tea), sangangcha (ginger tea) and yulmucha (Job's tears tea), omijacha ("five-taste" tea from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis), gugijacha (Chinese matrimony vine tea). These medicinal teas are said to be healthy for you and have specific ingredients in it that help your body recover from colds, fatigue, diseases, and ailments or helps prevents you from getting sick. When you visit some of these traditional tea houses, there's usually a brief description in both Korean and English of what each tea is and what is it good for on the menu.
Where can these traditional teas be found? In Seoul, tea houses have sprung up one after another. There are many particularly in Insa-dong, a street esteemed for Korean tradition and culture. To get a real taste of what traditional teas are like, visit a place called “New Old Tea House,” a short jaunt from the back entrance of Insa-dong.
New Old Tea House
Business Hours: 10:30-23:00
Contact: 02-732-5257
Description: While you’re walking through the small alley, you come upon a pungent smell that makes you feel like you are in Asia. As you walk in, although you can’t see them immediately, you can hear sounds of birds chirping, soft music playing, and voices echoing from inside. This tea house gives off a warm and cozy ambience from the time you take off your shoes to the time you sit down and order a cup of tea to the time you leave. Things here feel preserved and old.
Prices: Most of the teas cost around 6,000won and comes with a traditional Korean snack.
Transportation: From Exit 6 of Anguk Station (Subway Line No. 3), walk about 40 meters to Insa-dong-daero (between Crown Bakery and GS 25 Convenience Store). Proceed about 200 meters, turn right into a small side alley street between two shops called Supremes and Artside. Walk down until you reach the end and it will be on your right-hand side. |
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| Recommended Tea Shops That Carry All Kinds of Teas |
Depending on your preference, believe it or not, Korea carries a lot of it's own domestic teas as well as imported teas that come in different colors and tastes. Korea has green teas, black teas, white teas, yellow teas, herbal teas, flavored teas, compressed teas, therapautic teas and even medicinal teas for all seasons. Truly amazing! It may take some time to track them down but with our help, you'll be able to find just the right tea for you!
Tea For Two
Business Hours: Open 7 days a week
Contact: 02-735-5437 (www.t42.co.kr)
Email: www.banjul.co.kr
Description: The menu features about 30 different types of tea ranging from exotic fruit blends, traditional herbal teas to classic Indian and oriental teas. Individual samples are available to try if you are not sure about what to order. All pots of tea come with a free refill and the service is friendly. There are 4 floors, which are decorated differently and have spacious coaches and old-fashioned chairs. On the 3rd floor, there is a harp atop a rostrum. The harp belongs to the “house” band, a duo that performs a fusion of jazz and traditional music.
Prices: On average, tea costs around 6,500won to 8,000won.
Location: Take subway line 1 to Jonggak Station and go out exit 4. Go straight 200m towards Jongno-2 ga. Half way there, make a right turn at Missha (Beauty Shop). The street you will be on is called 우측 Piano alley street; follow this street and trun left at Bennigans. Tea for Two is on the right side of the street. It’s on the 1st floor of a huge building. |
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 Green Tea, an eastern equivalent to milk or coffee, represents the most widely consumed beverage in Asia. Now that there's been a growing global interest in green tea, largely due to its reported health benefits and as part of a 'well-being' trend in Korea, green tea is in just about everything from green tea lattes to green tea ice cream. Although drinking water is healthy, it’s just too plain and flavorless to drink, whereas green tea adds flavor and color to your drink while keeping you healthy. If you are crazy about green tea, there is a contemporary tea house called O'Sulloc that specializes in green tea products.
O'Sulloc
Business Hours: 9am-10:30pm
Contact: 774-5460 (Myeong-dong Branch)
Description: The menu serves green tea drinks, cakes, ice cream, cookies and even green tea chocolates. Everything is produced and picked on the company’s tea plantation in Jeju-do Island.
Prices: Drinks and food are fairly moderate in price, usually around 4,000won to 6,000won but not cheap if you are looking for just regular green tea.
Locations: Since this is a franchise chain, branches can be found all over particularly in Myeong-dong, Gangnam and Namsan. |
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Herbal Tea, has just recently been added to the menu and individual palate in Korea. Most common herbal teas that can be found at supermarkets or pharmacy stores at low costs are Jasmine tea, Rose tea, Chamomile tea and Peppermint tea, which come in tea bags. If you are looking for loose-leaf herbal teas or more of a wider variety as well as flower or flavored teas, there are tea shops and stores which carry a variety of herbal teas. One such store is located in the middle of Apkujung, near Rodeo Drive, called the "Tea Museum". It's a quaint and elegant shop with a friendly owner who can help you find what you are looking for. |
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Tea Museum, located in Apgujeong
Business Hours: 10:30am to 9pm
Contact: 515-2350
Description: They carry just about everything-white teas, pu-erh (compressed teas), black teas, herbal and flower teas, blend teas, and last but not least green teas. Mostly loose-leaf teas are sold and come in either old-fashioned tin containers or zip-locked gift bags that are pre-measured in grams and store-labeled. The nice thing about this store is that you can sample some of the teas as you browse around. There's a nice little table to sit at while you sip your tea and many lovely tea pots to add to the tea shop decorum. This shop has been open for 6 years but will soon close in May 2007. Fret not though, the same products are sold at Lotte Department located in Myeong-dong. However, it's recommended you visit the Tea Museum before May to get a chance to see this lovely shop, which seems more like a museum than a regular tea shop with an overwhelming number of tea selections to choose from.
Prices: It varies depending on what tea and how many grams you want. However, on average, prices range from 7,000won to 500,000won. White teas and Pu-erh teas are the most expensive ones since it's rare and the quality is excellent
Transportation: From exit 6 of Apgujeong Station (subway line 3), take a bus near the subway headed toward the Galleria Department Store; two stops after (before Rodeo drive) get off; the bus stops right in front of it.
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Now, after all that searching around for tea, it's time to relax, and what better way to kick back with a cup of your favorite tea. If you haven't already; make it a daily routine to drink some tea. While coffee perks you up in the morning and has good health benefits as well, tea, particularly green tea, is unquestionably better for your heart and has less negative side effects than does coffee. Enjoy another aspect that Korea has to offer, that is, tea! |
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